The leaves — at least the ones we manage to see around the city — are starting to change colors, the lattes are getting pumpkin-spiced, the air's getting a slight chill to it. It's finally officially fall, and the events and activities floating around the city this month are making sure everyone knows it.
Put on your sweater, pick up a seasonal beverage, and get ready to fill your days and evenings with some seasonal fun. There are conventions and festivals and drinking shows and live music, oh my! All to enjoy in between all of your Halloween costume shopping, of course.
Keep reading to find fun NYC events to add to your October calendar...
© The Drunk Shakespeare SocietyThe Drunk Shakespeare Society is performing 'Drunk Dracula' through November 7 in NYC
Drunk Dracula (now through November 7)
Time: Daily, with multiple showtimes
Location: The Ruby Theatre
It doesn't matter whether you've read Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula, have ever seen Dracula in a movie or TV show, or somehow find yourself asking, "Dracula, who?" — The Drunk Shakespeare Society's "Drunk Dracula" is a show for all (who are 21+). For all who want a fun, wild, outlandish, and hilarious outing in NYC, that is.
Along with the rest of The Drunk Shakespeare Society's shows, this one, too, finds one actor — they take turns — taking five shots of alcohol and, thus, performing the rest of the evening drunk. The rest of the cast? Forced to follow their drunken lead, turning the already-delightful production into something you won't soon forget.
Sit stage side and be part of the fun (sometimes literally with audience participation throughout) or enjoy it all a few rows back in the balcony. Either way, prepare to laugh and drink (mocktails also available!) your way through the 90-minute show, coming out of it all with your new favorite fall NYC tradition.
© Getty Images for ReedPopNew York Comic Con is back for its 20th anniversary show, running October 8-11.
New York Comic Con (October 8-11)
Location: Javits Center
While for some October might be all about all things Halloween, for others it means the return of New York Comic Con. Though "comic" is in the name and is a very important focus of the beloved event, the annual, multi-day convention celebrates all things pop culture — from, yes, comics, to movies, TV shows, and books of all genres and styles. This year marks the 20th anniversary of NYCC, and the list of attending celebrity guests proves just how big of a deal that is.
Whether you buy a ticket to attend for just one day, the weekend, or all four days, you're going to have plenty to do and see. Stars like William Shatner, Nicolas Cage, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Idina Menzel, Sebastian Stan, Jon Hamm, Kenan Thompson, LL Cool J, Alice Cooper, Christian Slater, John Cusack, Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen, R.L. Stine, Veronica Roth, Anna Todd, and so many more will be on-hand for signings and panels throughout the four-day affair.
Grab a ticket, grab a costume — or don't, there are so many people both in "regular" clothes and in costume, promise — and grab your spot inside the Javits Center for a fun-filled fall few days!
© The Rockaway Hotel + SpaThe Rockaway Hotel + Spa is hosting its 6th annual Fall Fest on October 18
Fall Fest at The Rockaway Hotel + Spa (October 18)
Location: The Rockaway Hotel + Spa
Maybe it's halfway through October and you've realized you've yet to properly get into the fall time mood. Maybe you had a single Pumpkin Spice Latte on the first day of the season before completely forgetting to do anything else to celebrate. It's OK, truly. The Rockaway Hotel + Spa has you covered with all things fall on October 18.
The 6th annual Fall Fest is the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon this season — food, drinks, live music from cover band The Mystic, and shopping from local vendors. Plus, get into the Halloween spirit with a pumpkin patch for the kids and a pressed flower pumpkin workshop to show off your crafty side.
© Getty Images for NYCWFFThe Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival returns with four delicious days of events, beginning October 15.
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival (October 15-18)
Comic Con isn't the only celeb-filled affair this month. The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is back once again — and you can expect more decadent dishes, delicious drinks, and creative chefs and charismatic celebs. In other words, it's a four-day affair you won't want to miss.
The all-star list of programming begins Thursday, October 15 and runs through Sunday, October 18. Each event throughout the festival requires its own ticket, with each offering its own unique experience — whatever type of cuisine you're looking to taste-test, or alcohol you want to sip, or celebrity you want to see up close and personal.
To prepare you for the job of sampling all the expertly crafted foods and drinks that'll be on hand at each event, here's a little sampler for you — of the extensive list of programming to choose from, that is.
On Thursday, catch the return of Blue Moon Burger Bash, hosted by the one and only Rachael Ray and comedian Bert Kreischer. Held at The Rooftop at Pier 17, fans can try burger creations from some of the top chefs from throughout the city and even help vote for the best of the best. Think about it like this: A burger in one hand, a Blue Moon in the other, all while looking out at the waterfront views on one side and icon Rachael Ray nearby on the other.
On Friday, check out Flavors of Bollywood, hosted by Food Network star Maneet Chauhan and James Beard Award-winning chef Vijay Kumar. Expect exquisite dishes, including street food and regional favorites, from Indian restaurants from across NYC. On Saturday, chef Alex Guarnaschelli hosts Taste of Italy, where pastas, pizzas, and wine are the stars of the show.
Finally, on Sunday, the fun furiously continues — with events like rapper and 27 Club Coffee owner mgk's Morning Buzz, for a tasting of delicious coffees, matchas, baked goods and more. Later that evening, have a proper NYCWFF sendoff with The Cookout, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, JJ Johnson, and Angela Yee, and featuring mouthwatering cuisine from a lineup of Black chefs.
