Top 10 Reasons to Get Excited for OHNY Weekend
Open House New York Weekend will unlock 300 destinations across the five boroughs next month! With so many incredible locations and experiences in store, our festival team had a difficult time narrowing down the list but decided on 10 reasons New Yorkers should be looking forward to October 16–18, 2026.
The full festival lineup will be released on September 25, but OHNY Members get a first look! Join today to receive a lineup preview.
1. New destinations in all 5 boroughs
OHNY Weekend is a true five-borough festival, and we’re unlocking more than 100 new destinations all across the city. Take a guided bus tour of Staten Island’s south shore parks, visit a state-of-the-art recording studio in Queens, peek inside a restored Wonder Theater in the Bronx (pictured), and much more.
2. Play hooky on Friday
Friday, October 16 offers a full day of activities from morning to night, including marveling at the jaw-dropping stunts of STREB’s Action Heroes, seeing recycling machinery in operation at the Sunset Park Materials Recovery Facility, and learning about the lighting design that gives St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church its ethereal glow.
3. Infrastructure geeks rejoice
Meet the people who keep the city running. Go behind the scenes with tours offered by Brooklyn Public Library, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, National Park Service, NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, NYC Department of Design and Construction, NYC Economic Development Corporation, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, NYC Department of Records & Information Services, NYC Department of Sanitation, NYC Department of Transportation, New York City Housing Authority, New York Public Library, New York State Parks, Office of the Manhattan Borough President, and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
4. Same partner, brand new experience
Think you’ve seen it all? Think again. Festival favorite campuses Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn Army Terminal, and MADE Bush Terminal have new tours, new manufacturing spaces, new activities, and new art exhibitions that offer a completely fresh experience for everyone.
5. Explore with collections
Go deeper with curated collections of destinations exploring a theme or neighborhood, including Bloomberg Connects (cultural institutions), Family Friendly, Innovation in Preservation, Part and Parcel (zoning), Getting to Work (small businesses), South Bronx, Sunset Park, and WTC at 25.
6. Get active
Hands-on experiences make the Weekend even more memorable. Explore neighborhoods and waterways by bike, canoe, or rowboat, try a round of putt-putt golf, take a dance class, or create your own work of art!
7. Ride the Ferry
Traveling by ferry is the most scenic way to get around during the festival, but that's not all! NYC Ferry is also hosting new tours including a family-friendly ride-along and a behind-the-scenes look at the Homeport where the vessels are maintained.
8. Take a second look at one of the grandest
spaces in NYC
The 2026 Weekend Launch Party returns to The Woolworth Building on October 15 for the official festival kickoff event celebrating access, discovery, and our shared love of the city. Proceeds from the festive fundraiser support OHNY Weekend. Learn more.
9. History takes center stage
Art deco, neo-Gothic, colonial-era, beaux-arts, brutalism: a wide variety of the city's expertly restored architectural gems will open their doors for the festival. During OHNY Weekend, hear from the artisans, architects, scientists, and engineers preserving and restoring these works for generations to come. Produced in partnership with the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation.
10. We have the BEST volunteers
OHNY Weekend is made possible by a dedicated crew of volunteers who provide critical support to partners and visitors. Shout-out to the 1,543 volunteers who have signed up to help open doors for the 2026 OHNY Weekend—we couldn’t do it without you!