15 fun things to do in NYC this fall that won’t break the bank

Fall is when New Yorkers finally reunite after dispersing for the summer and get serious about what the city is known for: culture, fun, community and a surfeit of pumpkin-flavored things.

After having some time and space to process the pandemic against the backdrop of the ongoing writers’ strike and the increasing presence of AI, New Yorkers are hungry for the type of raw, vulnerable and passionate art that only humans can make.

And as always, New York delivers. From Hispanic Heritage Month to the 50th anniversary of the Village Halloween Parade and more, here are 15 ideas to help you sink your teeth into the city’s vibrant fall offerings.

Eat, drink and dance at the Latin Night Market in Inwood

Food, beverage and sweets vendors will set up shop in and around Quisqueya (formerly Dyckman) Plaza for this first-ever festival that has set out to be the world’s largest and most authentic celebration of Latin and Hispanic culture. The event promises music and dance — salsa, reggae, rumba, jazz, Latin pop and hip-hop — along with art installations, raffles and other family-friendly activities. This one-day only event kicks off at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 in Inwood. Admission is free; food is extra.

See “Michael Richards: Are You Down?” at the Bronx Museum

Richards movingly explored the Black experience through opposing themes of persecution and freedom, flight, and downfall. He often used his own body to cast figures for his sculptures, which depicted saints and pilots in states of repression and possibility. “Are You Down” is the first museum retrospective of the Brooklyn-born visionary, who died in the 9/11 attacks at age 38. The show opens Sept. 8 and runs through Jan. 7, 2024 at the Bronx Museum. Admission is free.