Pictured Above: The Brooklyn Book Festival, sheduled for September 20-28, NYC's largest annual book festival. Scroll down for the details.

This Month Features an Amazing Array of Events that Celebrate NYC's Diversity and History

Check out my curated list of New York City cultural and historical events this month, many of them free and under-the-radar.

This is the monthly newsletter of Hank Orenstein, real estate broker at the Corcoran Group, professional NYC tour guide, and organizer of the successful Meetup.com group with 11,000 members, "Exploring NYC History and Neighborhoods." I am also president of Owning New York LLC, which offers real estate and lifestyle tours of NYC neighborhoods for people seeking to make a move.



Contact me for a consultation for all your real estate needs and a personalized analysis of the market. The housing market is different in every NYC neighborhood and borough. I love to help people understand the nuances of our sub-markets!

In general, Manhattan is experiencing low inventory, about 20% less homes for sale than is typical for this time of year. The continued rise of rents has lead to more buyers considering entering the market... hopefully more options will come up for sale as we head into fall.

Looking for more space for your money and quality of life? Think Queens, Upper Manhattan and Riverdale in The Bronx

Scroll to the end for the latest NYC Real Estate News and Reports

Check out my schedule of public walking tours here: Coming soon: Grand Concourse and Highbridge in The Bronx, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, Bushwick, Midtown Architecture, A Staten Island Adventure with Sri Lankan Food, Indigenous Day Tour of Lower Manhattan.

Nordic Textile Takeover: The Cold Stitch

September 4–16, 2026

Scandinavia House

58 Park Avenue at 37-38th Streets

Presented by Scandinavia House in partnership with New York Textile Month, this exhibition and program series highlights contemporary Nordic textile practices, including quilting, patchwork, weaving, embroidery, and sculptural textiles. Artist talks, workshops, and a reception are also part of the program.

Celebrate Egyptian Day

Saturday, September 5

10:00 AM–7:00 PM

50th Street between 6th & 7th Avenue, New York City

What to Expect

• Authentic Food: Enjoy traditional Egyptian culinary delights and treats.
• Live Entertainment: Experience live music, traditional performances, and dancing.
• Culture & Family: Participate in family-friendly activities, cultural exhibits, and vendor shopping



Sponsored by: Happiness Organization For Human Relief

NYC’s original county fair returns for Labor Day weekend

September 5-7,

Historic Richmondtown, Staten Island

With 1800s living history, carnival rides, & over 100 local vendors

New York City’s only open-air living history village is bringing back its beloved 25-acre festival with eating contests, local food, three days of live music, and classic summertime nostalgia.

Historic Richmond Town is New York City’s most complete outdoor living history village and open-air museum. Founded in 1856, the organization restores and interprets a historic village, operates a historical museum, and collects and preserves material culture to inspire engagement with and understanding of the diverse histories of Staten Island.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Latin Jazz

Wednesday, September 9th at 7:00 pm

Flushing Town Hall



FTH’s monthly Jazz Jam celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with Latin jazz drawing on traditions from Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Dominican Republic and beyond. The session is led by Carol Sudhalter with Joe Vincent Tranchina, Eric Lemon, and Scott Neumann.

Free Live Music at Lincoln Center's Rubenstein Atrium

A Sample of Upcoming Programs

Thursday, September 10, 7:30 pm

Cellist and bandleader George Crotty integrates the sounds of South Asia, the Middle East, and North America into his trio’s cinematic compositions.

Amyra León

Lincoln Center Presents

Friday, September 11, 7:00 pm

The Harlem-raised multidisciplinary artist celebrates the release of her third album in an intimate, consciousness-expanding Atrium performance.

Will Liverman: Songs of Humanity & Peace

Lincoln Center Presents

Thursday, September 17, 7:30 pm

Acclaimed opera singer and composer Will Liverman presents the NYC premiere of this multi-layered interdisciplinary song cycle.

¡VAYA!

New Swing Sextet

Lincoln Center Presents

Friday, September 18, 7:30 pm

¡VAYA! takes the party back to NYC circa 1967 with New Swing Sextet! Celebrate the sounds of salsa, Latin jazz and more with this legendary local act.

Saturday, September 12 — 2:00–3:00 PM

Center for Brooklyn History

128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn

A free in-depth tour of the exhibition exploring the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn and how Brooklynites have remembered the Revolutionary War over the subsequent 250 years. The tour includes artifacts, archival documents, artwork, and rare maps.

Concert: On Toscanini

Sunday, September 13 — 2:00–3:30 PM

Wave Hill House, Riverdale in The Bronx

Soprano Katherine Whyte and pianist Djordje Nesic perform arias associated with operas conducted by Arturo Toscanini, followed by a conversation with exhibiting artists Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere about their installation On Toscanini.

Free with admission to the grounds.

The Pacifica Quartet & Aaron Wunsch, piano

Monday, September 14 at 7:30pm (free)

Advent Lutheran Church

2504 Broadway at 93rd Street

The multiple GRAMMY Award-winning Pacifica Quartet is known for delivering performances that are “engrossing…with a luminescent tranquillity [and] spine-tingling intensity” (The New York Times). They offer Mendelssohn's youthful and energetic String Quartet No. 2, op. 13, and György Ligeti's spellbinding String Quartet No. 1 ("Metamorphoses Nocturnes"). Music Mondays' Artistic Director and pianist Aaron Wunsch joins for French romantic composer César Franck's searingly passionate Piano Quintet.

This event is part of the church's Music Monday series.

The Life of Giannina Azar

Monday, September 14 —

United Palace Theater

4140 Broadway

Doors 6:00 pm; Show 7:00 pm

Fashion Designers of Latin America and United Palace present an immersive runway showcase featuring celebrity designer Giannina Azar and a live performance by Maria Del Sol. Complimentary admission with RSVP.

Tchah Sup Kim: The Key to a New World — Opening

Wednesday, September 16 — 6:00–8:30 pm

Korean Cultural Center

122 East 32nd Street

Exhibition dates: September 17–October 24



The opening includes a preview, opening ceremony, special talk, and reception. The exhibition explores the artistic and philosophical journey of Tchah Sup Kim (1940–2022), whose work examined civilization, the universe, existence, and humanity.

Virtual Parlor Chat: First Victory: The Battle of Harlem Heights at 250

Wednesday, September 16 — 7:00–8:00 pm

The Morris-Jumel Mansion commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Harlem Heights with historian and author David Price. The program examines the September 16, 1776 battle and its significance as George Washington’s first battlefield victory of the Revolutionary War.

Free; $5 suggested donation. Registration required for the Zoom link.

Climate Film Festival NYC

September 17–21

The Climate Film Festival presents climate-focused cinema, filmmaker programs, conversations, and other cultural programming around climate storytelling and Climate Week NYC.

Building the Future of NYC

Thursday, September 17 — 7:00–8:30 pm

The Cooper Union

A panel on architecture, art, politics, affordability, aesthetics, and public space. Panelists include City Council Member Shekar Krishnan, artist David Brooks, and architect Savina Romanos, moderated by Liam Quigley of WNYC/Gothamist

Lewis Latimer’s 178th Birthday Celebration

Saturday, September 19 — 1:00–4:00 pm

Lewis Latimer House

34-41 137th Street, Flushing, Queens

A free family celebration honoring Lewis Latimer, featuring performances, games, and STEAM activities. The event celebrates Latimer’s contributions to science and technology, including his work developing an improved carbon filament for incandescent light bulbs.

Brooklyn Book Festival

September 20–28

Various Locations

New York City’s major free literary festival, featuring authors, publishers, readings, panels, and citywide Bookend events.

Children’s Day: Saturday, September 26 at Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza, featuring readings, workshops, performances, book signings, and art projects.

Bushwick Open Studios is a community-driven arts festival celebrating the artists, creatives, galleries, studios, performance spaces, businesses, and organizations that make Bushwick a world-renowned creative hub.

The weekend begins on Friday, September 18, with an opening exhibition, Seeking Spaces, where visitors can pick up the official BOS guide and maps. On Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of participating spaces throughout Bushwick open their doors for exhibitions, performances, workshops, and special events.



More than an art festival, BOS is a celebration of community, creativity, and connection. Join us in supporting local artists and the vibrant cultural landscape that makes Bushwick unique.

Hank's September Museum Picks

Eldridge Street Project: Offers a variety of walking tours and public programs centered around the Jewish History of the Lower East Side.

Here the link:

American Folk Art Museum (always free). Offers ongoing rotating exhibits of self-taught artists. Located across from Lincoln Center

Here's the link:

Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden at 421 East 61st Street is a landmarked historic house museum in Manhattan that preserves one of the few remaining 18th-century buildings in New York City. Built in 1799 and converted into a popular day resort in 1826, the museum brings early 19th-century New York to life through guided tours of its period rooms and tranquil garden. 

Here's the link:

Society of Illustrators Museum: Tucked away in an East Side townhouse, this hidden gem offers exhibitions, special events, activities for artists, even a bar. In its 125th year.

Here's the link:

Selected Shorts: The Five Boroughs

Wednesday, September 23 — 7:00 pm

Peter Jay Sharp Theatre

Cynthia Nixon hosts a literary journey through New York’s five boroughs, with readings from Bobby Cannavale, Sonia Manzano, and other performers.

In-person and livestream tickets available.

5th Annual John Coltrane Jazz Appreciation Festival

Wednesday, September 23, 3:00pm - 7:00pm

Marcus Garvey Park - Richard Rodgers Amphitheater

122-123rd Street, 5th Avenue (Mt. Morris Park West).

SAVE THE DATE for the 100th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth with COLTRANE 100, a celebration honoring an artist whose work permanently reshaped the language, ambition, and purpose of music.

The New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate passed a legislative resolution “celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the birth of John Coltrane, renowned artistic trailblazer and innovative New York jazz musician.” In a ceremony conducted at the New York State Capitol building, members of the Legislature joined representatives of Impulse!, the jazz great’s record label in the latest event of COLTRANE 100, a global, year-long series organized by the Coltrane Estate to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the jazz legend’s birth on September 23, 1926.

The Klezmatics & Friends: Celebrating 40 Years of Radical Joy

Thursday, September 24 — 7:00 pm at Symphony Space

Peter Jay Sharp Theatre

The GRAMMY-winning Klezmatics celebrate four decades of Yiddish music with special guests including Janis Ian, Lavender Light Gospel Choir, and Susan McKeown.

Yunie’s Magical Adventure: A Musical Dreamscape for the Whole Family

Friday, September 25 at 6:00 pm

Saturday, September 26 at 4:00pm

Korean Cultural Center New York

122 East 32nd Street

Great for families with kids ages 6–10

Admission: FREE (Pre-registration is Required)

North American premiere presented by Korean Cultural Center New York, MIRI Opera, and New York Classical Players. The family music-theater production combines Korean children's songs and traditional games with Western classical and Korean traditional music.

New York Proud: A Portrait of New York City

September 26 - November 2

Community Partnership Exhibition

Queens Museum at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Presented in partnership with Photoville, New York Proud is a public art project developed collaboratively by the New York Immigration Coalition and F.Y. Eye. The initiative features work from documentary photographer Oscar B. Castillo and reaffirms the indispensable role of immigrants in shaping New York City’s identity through a living and growing collection of portraits and stories. It serves as a reminder that immigrants are not only integral to our past but essential to our future, driving innovation, creativity, and progress in every corner of our city. By centering these narratives, New Yorkers are encouraged to reflect and recognize the essential contributions of immigrants, ensuring our city remains a beacon of pride and progress.

Pictured: Oscar B. Castillo, 'Dr. Camille (Writer), Gina (Writer), & Jee (Poet) — Trinidad + Tobago, Philippines, & Singapore"

A sustained bond market sell-off is driving U.S. Treasury yields higher, pushing 30-year fixed mortgage rates closer to 7%.

Impact on Mortgage Rates & Borrowing

• Higher Benchmarks: Fixed-rate mortgages closely track long-term Treasury yields (like the 10-year and 30-year notes). As yields climb due to surging inflation fears, energy shocks from the Iran conflict, and mounting national debt, lenders raise mortgage rates in lockstep.



• Rate Levels: Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates are hovering around 6.66% to 6.75%, with forecasts warning they will soon test the 7% threshold. 

Manhattan Weekly Market Sales Report

I am pleased to present Corcoran's weekly snapshot of Manhattan contracts signed from August 22 to 28, 2026. The full brief report is available here:

Below are some key highlights from the week:

• Last week, 175 contracts were signed, down 7% versus the prior week but up 4% year-over-year. This was the first annual gain for contracts signed in four weeks.
• For the first time since 2023, new development sales have now declined annually by 15% or more for six consecutive weeks. All other product types saw year-over-year gains in contract activity.
• All segments over $1M matched or exceeded last year’s levels, led by a 17% gain over $5M (two additional sales). Reported contracts asking under $1M fell 6% year over year (three fewer deals).
• Versus 2025, contract activity above 34th Street fell a combined 4% due to drops in Midtown and the Upper West Side, whereas sales below 34th Street increased a significant 22%, with both Downtown and the Financial District & Battery Park City posting double-digit annual percentage increases.
• The highest-priced contract was 68E at Central Park Tower, asking $20.5M ($6,094 PSF), the fourth contract asking over $20M reported at the building so far this year.

Although this doesn’t affect the city’s emission targets for co-ops and condos under Local Law 97, it has triggered a debate about whether the pace of compliance should be adjusted. 

“There will be significant advocacy to reform Local Law 97 to fit in or mirror the CLCPA,” said attorney Geoffrey Mazel, founding member at Hankin & Mazel who was involved in lobbying for changes to the law. 

For many co-op and condo buildings, electrification is the long-term strategy for complying with Local Law 97 and it relies on a progressively cleaner electric grid to reduce emissions over time. Changes to the CLCPA raise questions about whether those assumptions should be revisited.

A new timeline for grid decarbonization

When the CLCPA passed in 2019, New York became legally bound to the process of transferring the state’s power grid from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The law required New York to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and at least 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. In the recent New York State budget, Governor Kathy Hochul adjusted this goal, imposing a new emission reduction target of 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2040. 



“It gives the New York State electricity providers a reprieve for 10 years to convert the grid to renewable sources,” Mazel said. 

Although the delay was paired with a higher reduction target—60 percent instead of 40 percent—it has been met with disappointment by environmental groups. 

New York just extended the J-51 tax abatement. Here are five key details condo and co-op boards need to know

(courtesy of Brick Underground)



• The abatement has been extended for 10 years, covering eligible improvements through June 29th, 2036
• Projects already underway may qualify under new rules; final approval is needed by the City Council

This is much longer than the four-year extensions of the past and should give buildings more time to take advantage of the program. 

Governor Kathy Hochul’s $269 billion state budget revived a crucial tax break aimed at helping co-op and condo buildings complete essential capital improvements.

Through the J-51 program, co-op and condo boards can recoup the cost of major infrastructure upgrades as a property tax abatement. The abatement is delivered annually and can be no more than 8.3 percent of the costs, over a maximum of 20 years.