November 10, 2008

What's open Thanksgiving Day in New York City 2008

(Update: See the updated list of what’s open on Thanksgiving in New York for 2009.)

The Macy’s 82nd Thanksgiving Day Parade is the main event in New York City on turkey day, but there are a number of other places open for business on the holiday.

In addition to the always-there, always-free attractions in New York City — such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island Ferry, Central Park and Times Square — here are some of the places you can expect to find open on November 27, 2008:

Restaurants open Thanksgiving Day

Radio City Christmas Spectacular - performances at 2, 4:30 and 8:30 p.m.

Cirque du Soleil’s “Wintuk” at Madison Square Garden - performances at 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Big Apple Circus - 2 p.m. performance

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island - 9 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. (although ferry tickets are on sale for as early as 8 a.m.)

Empire State Building open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. (Last elevator goes up at 1:15 a.m.)

Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock open from 8 a.m. to midnight (Last elevator goes up at 11 p.m.)

Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Annex tickets sold from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Broadway Thanksgiving Week schedule includes Thanksgiving Day performances at “Avenue Q,” “Chicago,” “Spring Awakening,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “White Christmas” — all are 8 p.m. shows

Madame Tussauds wax museum - opens 10 a.m.; last ticket sold at 8 p.m.

Ripley’s Believe it or Not Odditorium - 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. (last ticket sold at midnight)

Jewish Children’s Museum - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center - open from 9 a.m. to midnight; first session is 9 a.m. to noon, the least busy time of the day. After noon, expect a 1- to 2-hour wait to skate.

The Pond free ice rink at Bryant Park - 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Wollman Rink, Prospect Park ice skating - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.

Wollman Rink in Central Park - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Central Park carousel - 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Youssou N’Dour’s Great African Ball at the Nokia Theater at 11 p.m.

Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio at the Iridium Jazz Club at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Caroline’s comedy club - Craig Robinson at 8 p.m. and Paul Mooney at 10 p.m.

Beatles tribute band Strawberry Fields at BB Kings Blues Club at 7 p.m.

Dizzy’s Jazz Club

Rainbow Room meal reservations from noon to 7 p.m. ($200 for adults and $100 for children)

BAMcinematek screening of “Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten” at 2, 4:30, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Film Forum screens “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” “From Hell to Heaven,” “Ladies’ Man,” and “Man of the World.”

Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise on the Manhattan Yacht at 2 p.m.

Spirit Cruises

Circle Line 42 cruises

Circle Line downtown cruises

Prospect Park Turkey Trot 5M from 9 a.m.

Bodies will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., last entry at 6 p.m.

Updates:

Time Warner Center’s Great Room open for free indoor parade viewing from 7 a.m.; shops and restaurants open at 10 a.m.

Bronx Zoo open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Central Park Zoo - open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Prospect Park Zoo - open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Queens Zoo - open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

New York Aquarium - open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

16th annual Canstruction exhibition and food charity event at the World Financial Center from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

A Christmas Tale screens at BAM at 2:20, 5:45 and 9 p.m.

“How About You” with Vanessa Redgrave screens at the Paris Theatre at noon, 2:15, 4:30, 7 and 9:15 p.m.

“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: The IMAX Experience” screens at Lincoln Square at 10 30 a.m., 1:10, 4, 7:10 and 9:45 p.m.

IFC screenings include “Nosferatu the Vampyre” at 11;25 p.m. and “Friday the 13th” (1980) at midnight

Sunshine Cinema screenings include “Man on Wire” at 11 a.m., 1:10, 3:20, 5:40, 10:05 p.m. and 12:10 a.m.

Quad Cinema screenings include “I Can’t Think Straight” and “Lake City”

Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch at Birdland - shows at 8:30 and 11 p.m.

Extra MTA Long Island Rail Road service

Subways, buses and Staten Island Ferry - Sunday/holiday schedule (NYC.gov)

List of banks/government offices closings (NY Times)

Last update: See BrooklynVegan for a few more music offerings today, including Tina Turner at the Prudential Center in NJ.

New this year, but closed for the holiday:
The new Polar Rink at the American Museum of Natural History, will be closed for the holiday (as will the museum.)

November 28 is opening day at Seaport Ice, the new ice rink at the South Street Seaport.

Picture credit: Amy Langfield/NewYorkology

Earlier: What’s open Christmas Day in New York City (2007)
What’s open New Year’s Day in NYC (2008)

November 10, 2008 1:45 PM in Cheap Stuff, Kids, Sightsology

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