Fall festivals celebrate NYC’s melting pot of world cultures as well as world-class contributions in literature, architecture, technology, music and more.

Lower East Side
Imagining the Lowline: A First Glimpse of a Future Underground
The Lowline aims to build the world’s first underground park using innovative technology that brings sunlight underground. The core of this sneak peek exhibit features the installation of a solar collector, a canopy distributor, and a small-scale green park to help the community envision the technology and its amazing aesthetic elements. Don’t miss: A 45-foot-long suspended model of Manhattan’s subway grid (a 1:1500-scale replica of Manhattan’s mobility infrastructure in a never-before-seen-view of every subway station on the island).
September 15-27; see site for hours and schedule of events
Essex Street Warehouse, Entrance on Essex and Broome Streets

Greenwich Village
Steve Reich: Complete String Quartets
Works by the Grammy award-winning modern composer, including Different Trains, Triple Quartet and the world premiere of WTC 9/11 (all-live version) will be performed by ACME. The composer will be in attendance during this evening’s performance, which promises to be memorable.
Tuesday, September 11, 7:30 PM
Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street
$35 table seating; $30 standing room

The Joshua Light Show: Terry and Gyan Riley
Terry Riley, minimalism pioneer and modern music icon takes the stage with his son, guitarist Gyan Riley, with the backdrop of The Joshua Light Show, which will recall the composer's earliest experiments in art. For this presentation the Rileys will perform the New York debut of a plugged-in set for keyboards and guitars.
Friday, September 14, 7:30 PM
NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 La Guardia Place
Tickets: $30-45

TriBeCa
Fall Fling Back-to-School Kids’ Rock Concert in the Park
NYC-based “kindie” band Princess Katie and Racer Steve hit Washington Market Park for a free outdoor concert. Bring your favorite pint-sized rockers and catch this unique high-energy show with a reputation for getting everyone within earshot laughing, singing and dancing along.
Thursday, September 16, 6PM
Washington Market Park, Greenwich Street at Duane Street
$Free

East Village, Williamsburg

NYC Lit Crawl
The fifth anniversary of this popular event brings the two favorite pastimes of many a New Yorker – books and booze – together for an epic narrative spanning 3 hours, 23 venues, and 100+ authors including Molly Ringwald (discussing her new novel When it Happens to You) and Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) to name just a few, who will be on hand to encourage lively discussion and bawdy book talk.
Saturday, September 15, 6PM
See schedule for venues and times
$Free

For the Cliff Notes version, stop in at the Brooklyn Book Festival Opening Night Party at brainy ‘burg gathering spot Pubic Assembly for drink specials, guest DJs and a crowd (Tumblr, Electric Literature, The New Inquiry, and LA Review of Books ) that likes lit with their liquor.
Monday, September 17, 7:00 PM
Public Assembly, 70 North 6th Street (between Wythe and Kent Avenues)
$Free

Upper East Side
German-American Steuben Parade
This colorful celebration brings hundreds of music and dance groups, wildly costumed and masked Karneval groups and more down Fifth Avenue every year to celebrate German-American culture and traditions and to applaud the achievements of German immigrants. Related events include a gala celebration and an Oktoberfest party in Central Park.
Saturday, September 15, 11:30 AM
Fifth Avenue between 70th and 86th Streets.
Viewing is free; grandstand seating tickets, $10

Little Italy
Feast of San Gennaro
Celebrate the patron saint of Naples during the 86th annual Feast of San Gennaro, an 11-day festival that livens up the streets of Little Italy every September. Highlights: a cannoli-eating contest, live music, plenty of fair food, cheap sunglasses, and a last chance to bid street fair season farewell with a bang.
September 13-23
North to south on Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston Streets and east to west on Grand Street between Mott and Baxter Streets
$Free