New York City Summertime Festival-Fest!

If you’re relocating to New York City for the first time or simply moving from one NYC neighborhood to another, you might find yourself wondering whether you will be leaving the good times behind you forever…

But fear not! You can’t throw a rock in any NYC neighborhood without having an even bigger rock hurled right back at you! And, if that’s not your idea of a good time, then you’ll be glad to know that you are highly likely to have hit a festival of the fun variety with that initial pebble you lobbed, so follow that "ping". While this is true year round, summertime in NYC is especially one big, non-stop festival-fest and fun-fair.

So while your apartment hunt might sometimes be a drag, there's nothing in the NYC real estate play book that says you can't check out different boroughs and 'hoods when they are at their most festive. Here is a teeny-weeny fraction of some of the fêtes going on this summer:

MANHATTAN
Downtown NYC River to River Festival, May 28 to September 15
World class performing arts festival with free performances throughout lower Manhattan.

New York Shakespeare Festival/Plays in the Park, May 27 to August 31
Pack the right picnic, blanket, friends, and waiting in line for tickets in Central Park is half the fun.

New York International Fringe Festival 2008, August 8 to 24
Fringe Jr., Fringe for families.

BROOKLYN
Celebrate Brooklyn! June 12 to August 9
Celebrating 30 Summers of Free Performances at the Prospect Park Bandshell

Afro-Punk Festival, July 2008 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
Celebrating black revolution and change through music, film, art, and a temporary skate park.

Coney Island Film Festival 2008, September 26 to 28

QUEENS

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, August 2 to August 3

NYC Food Film Festival (2nd Annual), June 14 to 20
Watch movies about food on Water Taxi Beach then eat the stars.

Colombian Independence Day Festival, July 20

BRONX
Festival Popular Duartiano, July 18 to 27
Music and Carnival Rides and Attractions

17th Annual Bronx Day, July 14
Music and family entertainment at the New York Botanical Gardens.

STATEN ISLAND
First Annual Staten Island Comedy Festival—The Grand Finale, August 7
[I love Staten Island, but isn't this just waaay too easy?]

Richmond County Fair, September 5, 6, and 7
Staten Island Historical Society