Your Gateway to West Side Fest

Start your day in Meatpacking, explore the West Side, and end the evening back where the celebration continues.

Your West Side Fest Weekend Starts in Meatpacking

West Side Fest celebrates the parks, museums, cultural institutions, and public spaces that make New York's West Side one of the city's most vibrant destinations. Kick off West Side Fest with Free Friday Night at the Whitney featuring Play-Doh artmaking, gallery conversations, queer history walks, and the debut of a new live performance by 2026 Biennial artist Gabriela Ruiz starting at 6pm on Gansevoort Street in front of the Museum’s main entrance.

Saturday: Create, Move & Play

Before setting out to explore the neighborhood beyond, spend the morning on Little West 12th and West 13th Street where Summer Goals continues with free programming designed to get everyone moving, creating, and connecting. Shape clay with Greenwich House Pottery, discover the art of microgreens with The Horticultural Society of New York, practice mindful movement with Lauren Chiarello, or sharpen your juggling skills with the Bryant Park Jugglers. The MTPK Reading Room and Craft Table will be open throughout the day for anyone looking to slow down between activities.

Sunday: Art, Jazz & Summer Moments

Sunday brings another full day of creativity to the cobblestones. Create sun prints with Jaclyn Things, make mood sachets with The Horticultural Society of New York, throw clay with Greenwich House Pottery, and settle in for an afternoon performance by The Danny Raycraft Trio. The MTPK Reading Room and Craft Table returns all day, inviting visitors to pause, read, and enjoy the neighborhood at their own pace.

Keep the Weekend Going

Once you've explored Meatpacking, continue your West Side Fest adventure just beyond the neighborhood. Visit White Columns gallery and discover three solo exhibitions by Goran Medak, Karryl Eugene, and Oswald Saenz. Looking to round out the day? Wander Washington Street's boutiques, take a golden hour stroll along the High Line, enjoy dinner at Barbuto, and finish the evening with live music and skyline views at Le Bain.

West Side Fest is about discovering what makes this stretch of New York unique. Meatpacking is where that journey begins.