There 's always something happening in the city that never sleeps , but if you 're in New York at the right time you 'll get to see New Yorkers coming together for one of the city 's big annual events . Giant inflatables are the highlight of the Macy 's Thanksgiving Parade . St Patrick 's Day Parade ( 17 March ) St Patrick 's Day is when New York 's sizeable Irish-American community celebrates its long association with the city , with thousands joining a flag-waving parade of traditional marching pipe bands . Dating back to 1762 , it 's far more traditional than New York 's other parades . There are no floats or corporate sponsors involved -- just vast numbers of green-clad revelers . Indeed , it 's the one day of the year when shamrock-adorned hats and stick on ginger beards are considered appropriate attire . The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at 44th Street , making its way past St. Patrick 's Cathedral at 50th Street and the American Irish Historical Society at 83rd , finishing at 86th Street at around 5:00 p.m. Needless to say , New York 's Irish bars get pretty crowded in the evening . Watch Candace Bushnell take CNN on a tour of New York . » . Met in the Parks ( June ) An al fresco treat for opera lovers , every summer New York 's Metropolitan Opera Company lays on free outdoor performances in the city 's parks . The 2009 program will feature performances in each of the five boroughs , at Staten Island 's Tappan Park , Crotona Park in The Bronx , Queensbridge Park in Queens ; Coffey Park in Brooklyn , East River Park in Manhattan and at SummerStage in Central Park . If that 's whet your appetite for evenings of outdoor classical music , `` New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks '' takes place in July at parks around the city . Take a blanket and a well-stocked picnic hamper for maximum enjoyment . What do you think are New York 's seasonal highlights ? Sound Off below . Independence Day ( July 4 ) The day America declared its independence from Britain in 1776 is a national holiday celebrated in style throughout the country . But , naturally , New York is where the celebrations become a full-blown extravaganza . The highlight of New York 's Independence Day celebrations is the Macy 's fireworks display . Usually , fireworks are launched from the East River , but the 2009 fireworks will be launched from barges positioned between 24th and 50th Streets on the Hudson River . That means Manhattan 's West Side and New Jersey will provide prime viewing spots and will consequently be packed to the gills with tens of thousands of rubbernecking New Yorkers . See photos of Candace Bushnell in New York . » . Village Halloween Parade ( 31 October ) Halloween is a big deal in America and the nation 's biggest and best Halloween parade takes place along New York 's Sixth Avenue . Greenwich Village 's `` anything goes '' attitude is what makes this event special , translating into eye-popping costumes , heaps of audience interaction and dazzling giant puppets , brought to life by showboating puppeteers . The parade begins at 6.30 p.m. , starting on Spring Street and making its way to 23rd Street . You 'll need to stake your roadside spot early if you want to see more than the backs of other spectators . Better still , wear a costume and you 're entitled to join in the parade -- nothing is too outrageous . Even if you 're cheering from the sidelines , you should get into the spirit of things by donning a ghoulish mask at the very least , thousands of which suddenly appear in local shops in the days leading up to the parade . http : //www.halloween-nyc.com . Macy 's Thanksgiving Parade ( fourth Thursday in November ) A New York institution , the inaugural parade in 1924 included live animals on loan from from Central Park Zoo . The zoo animals have long been retired , replaced by floats that act as moving anchors for enormous helium balloons of various colorful cartoon characters . These floating colossi are the highlight of the event and attract annual crowds of around three million New Yorkers . The parade runs from 9 a.m. to midday and follows a two-and-a-half mile route through Central Park West to Herald Square . A new route for the 2009 parade has yet to be confirmed -- check the web site for details . To enjoy the giant balloons without battling the crowds , wrap up warm and see them inflated the night before the parade on West 77th and 81st streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue .
Thanksgiving Parade turns green for the city 's traditional Day Parade St Patrick 's . Wearing a costume lets you join in the the Village Halloween celebrations . Inflatable cartoon characters are the highlight of CNN 's New York .