A detailed guide to hosting your events online

It's the season of spring. Many places in New York witness flower blooming accompanied with butterfly dances and sweet, warm breezes. A faint, aromatic air fills every corner of New York at this time of year, signifying happiness, calmness, and tranquility. The timing could not be any better than this to host your events online.

Do you love meeting new people? Then, this is the perfect time to organize small or large gatherings, based on your preferences, and meet with new people. Although nowadays, it is not necessary to visit a community or spread posters to organize local events in New York, many scheduling apps for friends, family, and strangers, such as Leaf, are available on the play store and app store that allows you to host your event online.

You can create a local or community event and add topics, ideas, location, and timings of the event and post them online. Many meetup events are organized this way.

Several times, pre-planned meetings get postponed or canceled because of several reasons. Some could be valid others can be made up. But whatever the reason may be, holding an event or making plans with friends often is difficult.

It's a normal thing to face difficulty hosting an event. Of course, because you need to take care of everything on your own and ensure that meetup is fun and engaging rather than dull and boring.

So, if it's your first time hosting an event, organize a meetup with strangers. Below are some points that will help you host your first meetup successfully.

Journalize your Idea

• Our brain is surely a powerful tool in our body. However, it has its own limits. For example, you can only remember a part of your whole day. So remembering each and everything can be difficult. So start Journaling your thoughts and ideas on the meetup.

• Think about how you want to organize your party? Surely you won't get the idea on the first go, but you will have a trail of thoughts after thinking about it. These thoughts will help you understand how you want it to be? Is it going to be a leisure meetup, dinner, going to an amusement park, or simply having a cup of coffee in the library?

• Of course, you will have a ridiculously large number of ideas in your mind, and keeping a track on all of them is humanly not possible. So, keep a journal or notebook with you and write down everything you are thinking about. So that later on, you can look at them and get creative ideas to host your events online.

• After you write, strike off the unnecessary points or do not fit in with the overall goal of your meetup. You have to understand that every meetup has a goal, whether to learn more about each other, increase the network of people, discuss a common issue, or just hangout.

• Be sure to convey the aim of your meetup to people and attract people who have the same idea as you and want to contribute to your event. This is particularly true when you have a specific topic genre that can only interest a handful of people, and inviting other people can make all your work go in vain.

Organize your idea

• As we said earlier, jot down every idea you have, and once you have the collection of ideas, strike off what's inappropriate and consider useful ideas. Ideas can come from anywhere; maybe while organizing, an idea will cross your mind, which is better than your previously written idea, or mix a bunch of ideas to create a brand new idea.

• Whatever it may be, organizing your ideas will align your thoughts and come out with a clear intention for the meetup. Of course, if you are a group of friends, then anything is fine. However, if you are planning strangers meet up. Then directing the flow of meetings is essential to keep the fire alive during your event.

• Think about what you want to do, what topics you want to discuss, where to meet, and what fun activity you want to include in the meetup. Then, generally organize everything, to know what follows after usual hello and hi's.

• This will also help you and the attendees who run out of ideas get an idea and maintain an interesting conversation.

Sign up to meet up apps

• If you want to make plans in NYC, you need to use smarter ways. NYC is a city of technology that first finds a 'need' for technology and then develops the technology. And hosting meetings online is also the same thing.

• Meetup apps allow you to create an event and post it online to find interested candidates to join. You can select the number of people, adjust timings, choose a location, post the event, and ask people to join.

• You can send invites to your friends and ask them to join your event. Moreover, these apps also allow you to start a conversation and know about each other more. So that you can have a decent idea about the people you are meeting at the event.

Be courteous

• If you are hosting an event, reach the event location on time. As the host, you should be the first person to take the lead. This marks a positive impact on other people you have invited. Lastly, be kind and generous with your words. You don't need to be formal, but keep it appropriate and respect their ideas.

• Often in such meetings, despite having common interests, the thoughts may not match, which may lead to dispute. In such times, keep an open mind. It's unnecessary that you are always right and do not get defensive. Instead, respect the other person's opinion about the topic and understand why they think it that way.

• One of the fundamental principles during meetups is listening to understand, not respond. As many people are habitual of responding to people without thinking about what they are saying, this can be a big red flag in your event.

• Be respectful and mind the other person's boundaries and keep calm during the event. Pay extra attention to people's thoughts and try not to provoke people.

How are meetups beneficial for you?

Since the last few years, many people have stayed indoors and didn't have much opportunity to meet new people or even with their friends. So, as the rate of the pandemic is declining every day, people have started falling back to their old patterns and want to enjoy others' company.

Increase your network

• Meeting new people builds your network. So what's the difference between a politician and a normal man? The difference is between the size of the network. A normal man has a network of relatives and friends, but a politician has a huge network of people, including friends and relatives.

• Meeting people at events and connecting with them builds your network of people. This network of people can help you land a new job, find a new client, or maybe find someone to say 'I do' in the church.

Expand your knowledge

• Knowledge is the only thing that increases when you spend it. The more people you meet and learn from their experience, the deeper your knowledge grows.

• In events, you meet people from various backgrounds allowing you to understand and learn from their experiences. After all, people's experiences are more valuable than any degree or textbook.

There are majorly two types of people- Introverts and extroverts. While extroverts love talking to people and enjoy events, introverts do not. But introverts do have social batteries. So as long as their social battery is charged, they will indulge themselves and talk a lot. But as soon as it runs out, introverts disappear. But meetup events can work for both types of people.

Meetup for extroverts

Well, there's nothing to say. You are already good at speaking and love talking to people, so it is obvious that you will enjoy meetup events. As talking and knowing about other people is natural, hosting community events in New York will be easy for you.

Meetup for Introverts

As introverts are already shy, it can be a little difficult to push yourself out of your comfort zone. However, hosting events with fellow introverts and planning the topic beforehand will ensure that you host a successful event. Because 'Topic' is the only problem with introverts, and if you can come up with interesting and common topics, your event is successful.

Wrap up

A well-planned event will ensure your first-ever hosted meetup will be a great success. Host your events online using meetup apps like Leaf to post an event status, get the attention of like-minded people, and increase your network to ensure a successful event.

These apps are also helpful to make plans with friends and let you have responses from them. So next time you make a plan with friends, try using meetup apps.

Some of the best party planning apps to create events

Planning a party sometimes looks easy if you are looking at some pre-party planner who has planned several parties earlier. But this is not true. Of course, a pro party planner looks easy and cool on the outside as he has gone through most of the complications and trouble that comes with planning great parties. But the planner could still be under great pressure to make the party perfect.

Although, if you want to plan a party, and you have not done this before, it is going to be a lot of hassle. Numerous things need to be considered while planning a party like how many and which guests you are going to invite, how you are going to invite them, what kind of food and drinks you will serve at your party, the decorations and games at the party to keep in amusing, and many more. Thus, there are so many plans and management that go into a party that it is not easy for rookies to manage all this perfectly.

Thankfully, now you can use an app to create events, as there are so many party planning apps available on the internet. We have done some very long and thorough research on the internet and found some of the best party planning apps to create. These apps will certainly take a lot of the burden off your shoulders. 

Evite- An App to invite guests

If you want to invite your special guests in a special way, this is the app. We mean it does not matter how many guests you are inviting. What matters more than all the guests you are inviting are really going to come? It would be unfortunate if you’ll invite and make arrangements for 100 guests, but only 20 or 30 of them show up. In this case, a lot of your food, money, and effort will be wasted.

But we don’t think that your guests will ignore your party if you invite them using the Evite app. This app is available on Android as well as iOS platforms. And you can send very tempting personalized invitations to your guests through this app. You can design and make beautiful templates using the photos from your phone, and along with that, you can add the event name, the time, and the location of the event on the invitation.

Once you create a tempting invitation, you can send them to your selected guests through a text message or email. Also, it is very easy with this app to track the RSVPs of your invited guests. You can check if your invited guests have seen the invitation or not. You can also check if they have accepted or declined your invitation. There are some more interesting features in this app like you can send push notifications to the guests who haven’t responded to your invitation, and you can also create polls among your invited guests for fun food and party ideas. So if you are looking for an app to create events and invite guests in a fun way, you should keep this app in mind.

BigNight- An app for planning party meals

If you want to impress your guests with amazing meals at your party, this app can help you. This app is only available on the iOS platform, and you can easily download it for $4. You can consider BigNight as one of the best apps for planning meals for a party. And even if you are hosting a formal party, you can use the app to create a menu for the guests. You can name your menu to organize the meals or dishes in a formal way like the starters, appetizers, drinks, and main course. 

There is also an in-app browser feature in the app, which you can use to find and import recipes from Pinterest or any other food website that you use. Then there is an option with which you can make a shopping list of all the ingredients you need to make the dishes and remove the items off the list as you buy them.

But one of the best features that we find in this app is that you can also see time and reminders for each of your cooking tasks, like you need to bake the cheesecake a day before the party, then you need to add the whipped cream just an hour before the party. So due to its features, we think that it is not particularly an app to create events, but more of an app that could help you make meals for the event.

Spotify- An app to find the best party music

There is no party without music. It is the most basic form of entertainment. And you’ll find all kinds of party music on the Spotify app. The good music at your party will help your guests to be in a good mood, plus it will also keep the spirit of the party up.

You can easily download the app from the iOS as well as the Android platform. There are more than 50 million global tracks, so we don’t think you will run out of music or won’t find your kind of music here. If you have a good internet connection, you can easily stream all kinds of music on this app. And according to the company, the app has more than 232 million users worldwide. So there is a great chance that all of your guests are on the app, which gives them the chance to play the music of their choice.

 But if you want to be the DJ at your party, you can make your party playlist. Although, you have to care about the choice of your guests. So keep the music interests of your guests while making the party playlists. Or make sure that you are adding all the great party songs to the party lists. But if you want to save yourself from all this hustle, you find and play a fun party station on the app that contains the party hits from every decade.

There is a free version of the app, but it contains a lot of ads or commercial breaks. Hence if you want to use the app at your party, it will be better if you buy the premium version of the app, which is ad-free. The subscription for the paid version is $9.99 per month.

Heads Up- A party app for the event

Of course, the party is going to be fun if there is music at it. But won’t it be for fun if you have a variety of activities like playing some games? Use the Heads Up app to find some of the most fun and laughable games. You can download the app on both the android and iOS platforms. The best thing about the game is that it can be played with so many people that guests can be a part of it. Thus no one feels left out.

How is the game played? Well, playing this game is very easy. First, one of the players needs to select a category. After selecting the category, the player holds the phone or the screen on the forehead. Then the name of the thing appears on the screen based on the category, and the other player has to act out that thing so the player holding the phone can guess what it is. There are many different categories to choose from, like animals, movies, celebrities, characters, and many more. Thus if you are looking for fun social planning apps, this could be one of them.

Pinterest- An app for finding for the party

One of the most mind numbing parts of planning a party is the decorations. A lot of thinking and thought goes into decorating a party. And you can not use the usual decorations and plans if you want to make your party unique. But there is a platform where you can find all the designs globally, and that place is Pinterest. The app is available on Android as well as the iOS platforms, so there won’t be any issues in downloading them.

 The app is helpful if you are planning your party from scratch. But if you already have a theme in your mind about the party, you can find thousands of designs regarding the same theme on the app.

And finding the ideas on the app is also very easy. Just enter whatever thing or ideas come to your mind in the search bar. So, for example, if you don’t want a lavish or rocking party but a simple party, enter simple party ideas in the search bar. You may also get the ideas or locations of the shops where you can buy a particular kind of decoration. So if you are looking for an app to create events, we mean the decoration part, then Pinterest can come in very handy.

Cocktail flow- If you want to be the bartender of your party

If you have bartending skills and you want to flaunt them in front of your guests at your party, Cocktail flow is the best app to use. The app is available both on the iOS and Android platforms, so there should be no issue downloading them. On the app, you will find the drink recipes with all the ingredients and details mentioned to make the drink.

And if you want to show your planning as well as bartending skills to your guests, you can make a cocktail menu for them. But make sure you are serving a variety of drinks, including wine, scotch, and beer, along with cocktails. The app also has the feature to customize the drinks by the liquor, such as light, medium, and strong, and drink types such as tropical, short, and creamy for your guests.  

Karaoke- for a rocking karaoke party

Certainly, everyone loves music at parties, but after a few drinks down, people also love to sing songs as well. And Karaoke is the best app to do so. Although like many other apps listed in this blog, this app is also available on iOS and Android platforms. One of the best things about this app is that, just like Spotify, it has all kinds of old or new, rock, pop or country music. Thus, whatever your guest wants to sing, you’ll find it on this app.

 The app also has categories and genres that will help you find songs. And when you find the song you are looking for, just hit the sing button and just sync with the lyrics and music to sing the song. The app also gives you the playback option to find how you have sung the song. And don’t be scared to sing even if you think you are not a good singer. The app automatically uses sound effects to enhance the quality of your voice.

Pro Party Planner- a social planning app

If you want to make step by step plans for the big day, then you can use this app. Unfortunately, the app is only available on iOS platforms. So once you have made the list of guests you are going to invite to the party, you can use the app to make the task lists for the party. The app also has the reminder feature using which you can make sure that every task is done on its time.

The app also asks you for the budget of your party. And once you specify your budget, you can make the shopping list for your party. You can also use the budget feature to track how much you spend on food, decorations and other things for your party.   

The app also has the feature to send invitations and check the RSVPs for the guests coming to the party. But, you are not getting all these amazing features for free. Instead, you will be charged $4.99 when you’ll download the app, plus you have to pay a $0.99 monthly fee.

Leaf- The best app to create events

If you are looking for an all-rounder app to create events full of fun and life, then you must use this app. This app has all the features needed to be a social planning app. You can use the app to create events, plan rocking parties, invite guests, and even find the venues for the party. But unfortunately, the app is only available on the iOS platform for now. 

Also, the UI of the app is quite easy. You can easily navigate through different tabs. So, if you are planning to create an event, just open the app’s home page and click on the big plus (+) button. You’ll come across various options on selecting the plus button like ‘make plans’, ‘show me plans’, ‘bookmark a location. Then you’ll be shown several venue options in your location. After specifying the location, you have to select the date and time of the event, and lastly, invite the guests.

But Leaf is not just a social planning app. You can use the app to do various other activities such as finding and making new friends, lookup for local meetup groups in NYC, or planning group outings in NYC. And due to all these features, the Leaf app stands as the best scheduling app for friends.

Best fun activities for group outings in NYC in December 2021

Congratulations! December is on. And December is the month in which you will see almost everyone celebrating something, or going shopping in New York. One of the best things about December in New York is that it is packed with festivals, events and celebrations. Thus, you will find something new every day when you walk around New York's streets this month.

 And as there are so many things to do on meetup in New York during December, it is the best time to plan group outing in NYC. Although there is nothing bad about traveling alone, it’s nicer to make friends in New York and enjoy the holiday month with them. 

 And now, there are a thousand things you can do in New York this month, but it won't be possible to do that in just 24 hrs. Thus, we have chosen some of the best activities and events you can do in New York this month. But first, we will list some basic things you can do to enjoy this festival season in New York. And at the end of this blog, we will list some special events to attend and enjoy in New York this month. So let's start. 

You would also like to read: A Socialized Guidebook on “How to Interact With Groups to Meet People”

Go to Bryant Park for a winter village

If you love food, shopping and skating, then Bryant Park is the place for you this December. You will find a winter village in Bryant Park, close to the Bank of America. The winter village is famous for its fantastic food and lots of shopping kiosks. So it is a must-see for foodies and shopaholics. You will also find a 17,000 square foot ice-skating rink here, and it's completely free to skate. However, you need to bring your own skates. So, gather your group and visit Bryant Park but don’t forget your jackets as December is very cold in New York. It is a good option for group outing in NYC. Also, make sure you follow the Covid guidelines and protocols while traveling. 

The Holiday Light Show at Bronx Zoo

 If you love lights and animals, Bronx Zoo is the best place for you to visit at this time of the year. You will see an LED and lantern representation of about 260 animal species. The zoo is basically divided into five parts, each representing the animal species from different continents and regions, including Africa, Latin America, North America, Asia and the Oceans. There is also a forest of color inside the zoo which interprets 21 new larger-than-life lantern representations of some specific animals, such as toads, snails, etc.

And this year, the zoo has also added around 79 new lantern representations, including 30 new animal species. So don't be late and visit Bronx Zoo today. 

The Rockefeller Christmas tree

We are not exaggerating but Christmas in New York is kind of incomplete without the seeing the Rockefeller Christmas tree. One can say that it is the signature Christmas tree of New York. You can see the Rockefeller Christmas tree near the ice-skating rink at the Rockefeller Center. You will also see it when you are roaming on the roads of Times Square. Hence, if you are looking for group outing in NYC, you should consider this as an option.  From December 1 until the New Year, the Rockefeller Christmas tree is lit every morning from 6am to midnight but especially on Christmas Eve, the tree is lit for 24 hours.     

The Holiday Lightings in Central Park

In case you want to enjoy something Christmassy with your family, you should visit the Holiday Lightings in Central Park. It has been around 20 or more years that the Central Park Conservancy has been arranging Charles A here during the Christmas month. So, if you are visiting Central Park with your family, you can listen and even sing some lovey holiday carols with other visitors. 

The NYBG GLOW!

The NYBG GLOW is an abbreviation for the New York Botanical Garden Glow. And this is only the second year of NYBG GLOW. So at this time of the year, you will find the New York Botanical Garden fascinatingly lighted with thousands of low-energy LED lights that look much more beautiful at night than during the day. A 1.5 mile walk surrounded by beautiful lights. 

The Lumino City Festival 

This festival started as a light festival in New York a few years back but lately, it has become popular. So it is a beautiful light festival that happens around Christmas. In earlier years, the show happened on Randall's Island in 2019, and it was a huge hit. This year, the festival will happen at Whitney Pond Park in Long Island. And this time, the festival will be a 45-minute walking, with a narrative to follow and towering LED sculptures. This year, the theme of the Lumino City Festival is Shine Again. You will also see Lumi's Utopia and Lumi's Friends. It’s an outdoor event and will be guided by Lumi, the LuminoCity mascot.  

Museum of Ice Cream's Pinkmass

So, just like Christmas, it is Pinkmass for the Museum of Ice Cream. The event started on November 18 and it will go on until January 9. You will find 13 multi-sensory installations bursting with snowflakes and candy canes and there are many more events happening in the museum, such as decorating MOIC trees and crafting ornaments. You can also try many different kinds of sweet treats there. 

You can also get a special surprise in the hunt for a candy cane sprinkle. It is hidden inside MOIC NYC's world famous Sprinkle Pool.

The Radio City Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular

If you are in New York this Christmas season, you must see the Christmas Spectacular. This year, it is starring the Radio City Rockettes. It's a holiday stalwart where you will get the full Christmas vibes with Santa, wooden soldiers and dazzling Rockettes. And lately, it has become more astonishing with sparkling, attractive costumes, new music and advanced technology. Another mind-blowing thing about this event is the big dance numbers, especially by the Rockettes. 

New York's Festive Cocktail

Well, it's December and snow is obvious in New York. There are very few things as delightful as drinking a hot beverage in snowy New York. But have you ever tried a hot beer?

Yes, we are seriously talking about hot beers. If you have not tried a warm beer before, go to the Loreley Beer Garden to try one. And don't be scared before trying any beer here. These beers are warm, tasty and feel Christmassy as well. In case you want to try some more delicious hot beverages, visit the Rivington Street Destination or try the Outdoor heated beer garden. 

Now let's discuss some Christmas celebration events that will be hard to forget and will be forever in your mind if you attend them. Get ready to make some unforgettable memories. 

The Circle Line Holiday Sight Cruises

New York looks beautiful when walking around the city but have you seen the city while floating on the waters, that too at night? Oh, the city looks amazing at night and with Circle Line Holiday Sighting Cruises, you can enjoy the amazing views of NYC's skyline, the lit-up Statue of Liberty and other famous places of the city with cruise experience. But it's not just any cruise; it's the Christmas Celebration Cruise which includes a buffet dinner, an open bar with beer, wine and other cocktails, plus a DJ for the night. 

However, all these facilities come at a price. The cost for a single person is $199 for one night and for kids under the age of 12, it is $179. Children under 3 are not charged.  

Pulitzer Fountain on Fifth Avenue

If you visit, and you should visit, the Pulitzer Fountain on Fifth Avenue, you will see the fifth installation of the Fifth Avenue Association this December. Although the Pulitzer Fountain itself a very beautiful place to visit, . But around Christmas the celebrations and decorations here are worth seeing. This year, you'll see 32 hand-designed animal sculptures by Harlequin Designs, . Then there are 5,000 feet of lighting, a beautiful skating rink and about 24 handmade icebergs. But that is not all; there is also wonderful music composed by Paul Brill. Don’t forget to wrap up with plenty of layers to keep yourself warm. 

Cozy Igloos at the Rockefeller Center

According to our personal experience, we can say that a cozy warm igloo in snowy weather at the Rockefeller Center is truly unforgettable. Along with this amazing experience, you will get a view of the beautiful 79-foot-tall Rockefeller Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center. In addition, Maryland's heated domes at the Rockefeller center are an amazing place to be on a cold December evening. It can accommodate a maximum of 8 guests in one dome at a time and offers full-service dining.

Some of the special servings of these cozy dooms are mulled wine, hot chocolate and spiked cider, along with signature wines and snacks. 

The Train Show at NYBG

If you love trains and train shows, you must visit the train show at the New York Botanical Garden. They have been presenting their train show every year around Christmas for the last 30 years. So, if you are obsessed with train shows, it's a must-see for you. This year, the botanical garden is featuring 25 G-scale model trains running on a half-mile track. And along with that, there will be about 175 miniature NYC landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge and other  landmarks.

Classic Holiday Shows

Around Christmas, you will find a concert or show going on in New York almost everywhere. So, it is a little bit hard to decide which concert to see. We have listed some of the best Classic Holiday shows you should attend this December:

The Winter Solstice celebration of St Johns is a have-to-go holiday classic show. As per the Winter Solstice, the event will take place on December 17 and 18 and it will be live-streamed as well, if you can’t attend in person and want to watch it online.  

Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular is another name on the great classic holiday shows list. Live streaming has already begun and will be streamed until January 2. 

But if you don't want the conventional Christmas celebrations, try the Hip Hop Nutcracker. The show takes place in Flatbush, Brooklyn on December 19, and here you will find the classic Tchaikovsky score with a blend of modern dance. 

New Year's Eve at Times Square

There are few things in New York that can beat the enthusiasm of celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square. So, if you are in New York for the New Year celebrations, keep New Year’s Eve in Times Square on your bucket list. But do note that this event is famous all over America so there will be an huge crowd. Also, the entry at the event is on a first-come, first-serve basis. So, the earlier you go, the better you will be seated or standing. Also, the event is barricaded, and occupancy will be limited. The event starts at 6 pm on New Year's eve and will end at midnight. There are no washrooms or bathrooms inside the barricades; once you go inside, you can't come out until the event ends so plan accordingly. 

How Should You Plan?

We know you want to celebrate your Christmas month in New York but as the covid pandemic hit America hard last year, it is advisable to follow the government's precautions to avoid any problems. Also, the emergence of the new Omicron variant, restrictions should be strictly followed. 

You may also like to Read: Welcome in 2022 with a BANG: Make Plans in NYC with Social Meeting Apps

 If we talk about restrictions, restaurants and theaters will be open but indoor dining will only be allowed to those customers who are fully vaccinated. In case you are visiting America from any other nation, the US government has banned travel from 8 specific nations due to the emergence of the new Omicron Covid variant. The eight nations are – Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Malawi, Namibia and Zimbabwe. However, there is no ban on US citizens returning to the USA from these nations. Also, the US has denied access to unvaccinated travelers from other nations. 

So, do read the Covid guidelines and follow them while making plans for group outing in NYC. 

You can also try social event planning platforms, such as Leaf, to plan events and outings with your friends. You can visit Leaf's website to learn more.  

Top 13 Things to Do On a Meet-Up for the Best Social Interaction

Being connected to social planning apps is all about staying connected with friends to gain maximum FUN and ENTHUSIASM! It’s always a good idea to say that these apps are a great way for meet-up with people from different locations to help you stay socially rich with limited resources. The digital technology boom is leaving no stone unturned in connecting people. It’s all upon people how they plan their daily activities to make some time available for time to feel the laser-sharp light of social connectivity. To invest their time wisely, apart from daily hassle-up, people follow social media apps. Not to deny that people using social planning apps from the media apps have found that these options are a great way of building a wider network globally. It’s not always about getting personal and sharing your secrets. It’s about maintaining dignity when using these friends' apps to have fun and see smiling faces.

Why use social meet-up apps?

Wondering what makes social planning apps popular? The reasons may be many, but joining social planning apps is all about meeting people from the globe that may carry similar interests like you. A better place to meet like-minded people and with whom you can share a professional platform to develop the skills that you want to counter upon! People using these apps feel more connected when sharing their thoughts and ideas with a group, usually from different backgrounds and cultures. By sharing the space, they interact with people from diverse industries and socio-economic backgrounds who they have never met before. It inspires them to plan for things to do on meetup in a city where social meetup apps make people's lives get connected in a better way.

The most inspiring thing that shouldn’t be a miss for the enlightenment of things to do on meetup is that you pay attention to the fact that you want to be known by socially connected people. With a connection to plan things on meetup with social planning apps, it’s all about getting a green signal that you want to connect with people with similar interests, hobbies, and opinions. Then, when you and your friends plan for things to do on meetup, there are plenty of places to go to and do that don’t cost a lot. 

However, if you have trouble convincing your friends to do things cheaply, be upfront with them. Tell them that you can’t spend a lot of money right now, but don’t let them pay for you either. Here are some great alternatives to do with your friends to succeed in things to do on meetup.

A list of things to do on a meet-up app

1.  A Rocking Dinner Party: One of the top things to do on meetup with social planning apps is hosted a dinner party. If you are not at ease with cooking, maybe try and learn how to cook a new dish together with your friends’ support. These rocking alternatives for keeping the fun and enthusiasm require the best use of skills from your friends, too, with whom you connected on social planning apps. If you and your friends can do this professionally, it may become learning for those friends who don’t know how to cook food. Yes, it’s surely a great activity to keep you thrilled for gaining the maximum fun option.

2.  Invest your Time in a Movie Marathon: Many people have their own suggestions when watching movies in a friend circle. One of the finest things to do on meetup is a movie watching via Netflix, HBO, Lionsgate, HULU, Amazon Prime, and other OTT platforms. How about watching your favorite trending series on Netflix with your friends gathered around you with the help of social planning apps? If you don’t have a Netflix membership, opt for a free trial just for the movie marathon. In this approach, your friends may suggest you watch out for the movies made on the real-time events that happened before. The best option that your friends can suggest is to watch the movies on novels that are trending on OTT platforms. Not to deny that many of your friends suggest watching such movies on Netflix.

3.  Host a Spa Day: With pampering services being popular, offer each other a manicure service. With this popular option to have fun with your friends, it’s all about saying that you and your friends care about each other on beautifying each other. Suppose you’ve been saying that a lot lately; maybe you should make quick arrangements with following up on the best places to host a spa day. Wondering, what is spa day? A spa day is a perfect way to pamper yourselves and unwind for a few hours while enjoying each other’s’ company. The good update is that you don’t have to drive somewhere or spend a lot of money at a spa. You can host one in your home. You can plan a lot with your friends with whom you have connected through social planning apps with these finest options to spend time doing something valuable that is a fun activity to learn and let another know.

4.  Go to the Park: One of the most relaxing things to do on meetup with friends on social planning apps is organizing picnics in a park. It is a great way to get to know your friends while having spending fun time with them. It’s always a better option to find out the best parks in the city you live in so that you can pay heed to your budget in connection to your friend base. There is no denying that this activity, apart from fun, carries a lot of learning about the city in which the park is located. You and your friends can discuss with the audience base on about the parks in the city. For example, when in New York City, you can roam through Central Park's Sheep Meadow on a summer afternoon, where you can see a lot of residents having picnics, throwing Frisbees, or simply soaking up the rays. New Yorkers cherish their parks a lot that can be found easily when you visit such parks. When you live in a city that runs 24/7, everyone craves a quiet oasis to call their own. With so many parks to choose from, it can be tough to narrow it down.

5.  Have an organization party. As well as organizing picnics, organize a party on the weekend. Set up a day where you go to each other’s houses and help them organize the party, then serve drinks and food to have fun together. It’s a fascinating ride that you and your friends select a city where you can get together with your friends for an organization party. These types of parties in the form of corporate events are ruling in New York City, as it’s recalled by the name of “the city that never sleeps.” Organizational parties in New York are surely on the list of many friends who have connected to get the most with the approach of things to do on meetup. What should matter for friends connected through this approach is how they can have maximum fun with friends they have connected to!

6.  Give yourself the light of Video Game Tournament: If you want to say up with the laser-sharp approach of enjoying the top things to do on meetup, playing video games can be the best option to get over your creativity and interpersonal skills. Often played in teams with individuals, it’s all about learning a game that all the friends gathered after connecting on social media apps can play with! Whether it’s the latest dancing game or “Call of Duty,” play against your friends gathered with your best skills. The most stabilized way to enjoy playing A better way to keep the lead in playing video games is by organizing small communities so more and more people can participate. In addition, this option of fun among friends more and more people connected to playing video games as an event or tournament.  

7.  Get out the bicycles and go cycling for a weekend: Another one of the best things to do at the meetup is cycling with your friends. Riding bicycles is a fun activity that helps you and your friends work on your creative, social, and interpersonal skills, as well as keeping you fit and healthy. Moreover, you can learn about new activities of holding events with cycling, so that you become examples for others seeking great leanings from each other.

8. Swap Movies and Music: Get together and compare notes on your favorite movies and music. When you meet your friends over social planning apps in real-time, enjoying this approach to have fun, it’s all about being super active! Your friends want to have fun organizing parties and events with music on top, and how about you find the music of your favorite music being played. The best way to enjoy it is by singing the song your way and inspiring others. Apart from this, if you are a creative person from your friends gathered, you can the recite the famous personality’s dialogues in time.

9. Go on a walking tour of your town: Most towns or cities have historic cities. Find out if there is a walking tour to help you make sure that you have. If not, make one up! When you connect with friends through social planning apps, plan for the outstanding things to do on meetup, and a walking tour is one of them. Organize a tour of famous local places and rich attractions in your town or city and create lasting memories for your friends.  

10. Find out When the Free Days to Visit a Local Museum or Zoo: Apart from staying connected with your friends to come over a quality social interaction, it’s always easier to make sure that you have the best of fun with your friends to enjoy the light of top things to do on meetup. How about arranging a tour with your friends to get into a local museum or zoo. The interaction of this planning of outing option should always be better for to you plan it accordingly. When you visit a zoo, it’s always best that you seek the presence in these places are always lifetime memories to cherish as you can have a lot of friends. The best thing is that seeking your presence in these places are always lifetime memories to cherish as you can have a lot of friends to help you get closer to the only motive of the meetup, and that’s seeking fun among a larger friend circle. 

11. Find a Swimming Hole: Organizing a swimming session can create a great vibe among friends when meeting through social planning apps. Nothing can be better than finding a swimming hole. With the help of swimming experts, learn how to swim and help your friends, too. There is no denying that it’s a great way to spend a lazy afternoon with friends. With a connection to social planning apps, you can be closer to friends who are interested in these activities and help you recall your special skills at each stage of your life.

12.  Go to a Religious Service: When you meet your friend base in real-time after interacting on social planning apps, an option is to visit a religious place. Even if you’re not religious, it can inspire many people. Moreover, if you are interested in going to a religious service in an unfamiliar religion, it can be enlightening and great to meet new people. 

13. Play Board Games: When it comes to having fun with friends, get into playing board games. Drag out the Scrabble board or Yahtzee, two of the best trending board games online. Hang out with friends and play all sorts of games, in large or small groups. Why not hold a tournament and compete against each other?  

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for social interaction, consider social planning apps that can help you connect to a larger audience on a global scale. Connect with new friends and plan your day with things to do on meetup that you have not done before. Somewhere, if you are looking to get hands to the best social planning app in New York, connect through Leaf! They have their application on the iOS platform that can help people plan events with friends after meeting them in real-time.

21 Best Things to do in New York in connection to meet and Greet Social Apps

A close knit community of people is what most aspires to in today’s digital world. There is no denying that digital world technology is the best helping hand to keep you connected in a better way with smart devices. Today, if you want to make friends easily using digital technology, meet and greet social apps are the ultimate saviors. They are the best way to make new friends without worrying about what others will feel or think about you. The apps connect people with similar interests and opinions, providing an opportunity to meet in real-time if they wish. From there, they can plan group outings in nyc for fun and enjoyment.

What matters most is the place they meet, and if you’re looking to make the best use of meet and greet social apps, New York is the best city to discover. It is known as ‘the city that never sleeps’ or Gotham, making it the ideal location to connect with friends as well as New York City’s (NYC) communities. These NYC communities of friends can plan for different ROCK and ROLL events to make sure that you are having maximum fun. In general, NYC events cover many different genres, like sports, arts, and literature. As a community of people, NYC has something for everyone, no matter what your interests, opinions and interactions are!

Due to the coronavirus, you may still have to maintain social distancing, wear a mask and follow guidelines in some places, but this shouldn’t stop you from having fun. If you plan to visit New York, you will see that this city has the most developed public transportation system; making traveling around with the friends you’ve met via meet and greet social apps easy. In addition, NYC offers the best shows, food, festivals, local events, and more, catering for every age group, too.

Here are the 15 best things to help you enjoy during your stay in New York City (NYC).

1. Visit the Statue of Liberty

The first thing you and your friends from meet and greet social apps can do is visit the Statue of Liberty, one of the most well-known, popular tourist attractions in New York City and probably the world. Standing on Liberty Island, just south of Manhattan, history recalls that this mighty statue was a gift from the French to help the USA commemorate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Because of its popularity, it’s better to book your tour in advance and plan 3 to 4 hours for it.

2. Explore Central Park

Central Park in NYC has become one of the top places for all kinds of fun and activities. As well as being popular with native people, it’s also one of the hottest tourist attractions. Even you’re late visiting your friends after interacting on meet and greet social apps, Central Park, one of the world's largest urban parks, is in the heart of the city that never sleeps. It is about 840-acre in size and home to lakes, forests, waterfalls, and more.

The still waters reflect the buildings on Upper West Side, and you can rent a boat at Loeb Boathouse to cruise along the lake, a great activity if you’re traveling with friends.

Strawberry Fields is on the western side of the lake and is dedicated to John Lennon; his famous song, Imagine, is immortalized in a mosaic here. Also, visit the Victorian Belvedere Castle, which overlooks Turtle Pond, and Shakespeare’s Garden next to it.

You’ll find several monuments throughout Central Park, such as the Alice in Wonderland sculpture, the Bethesda Fountain, and a Beethoven bust.

3. Check Out Times Square

Times Square has a steady stream of visitors every day. Sitting between 7th Avenue and Broadway, it’s a spectacular showcase of glamorous billboard ads, street performers, and the most beautiful sightseeing options.

Many people consider Times Square to be the soul of New York. It is a bustling hub of activity, especially at night, to spend quality time checking out the lively bars, restaurants, shops, and dramas.

A visit to Times Square is one of the paramount locations to connect with your meet and greet social app friends. When the sun sets, Times Square comes to life with street performers, outdoor dining, and music for everyone to enjoy and have fun. Other popular attractions include M&M’s World, MTV, Times Square Studios, and the Paramount Theater.

4. Glance your Eyes at “Empire State Building”

The Empire State Building is one of the most famous buildings in New York. It was the first skyscraper to have more than 110 floors, and for around 40 years, it was also the tallest skyscraper. Today, it’s still one of the top buildings and highly recognizable that was once used for shooting movies, such as King Kong. Your NYC visit wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Empire State Building. Never miss heading to the 86th and 102nd floors with your friends for the most outstanding views of New York City from this Empire State Building.

5. Pay a visit to Rockefeller Center

The iconic Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 Art Deco commercial buildings built in the 1930s and is recognized as one of the greatest projects from the Depression. Locals and tourists consider it a must-see attraction in New York City.

The landmark buildings have plenty for everyone who meets through social apps to experience, indoors and outdoors, including the underground dining and shopping square. In winter, the Lower Plaza becomes an ice-skating rink, protected by the beautiful Prometheus statue.

6. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is a distinguishing structure in Ney York City that extends over the East River. At more than 130 years old, anyone can walk across the bridge and take in the beautiful views.

Standing at 1,595 feet tall, the Brooklyn Bridge was the extended suspension bridge for over 20 years and carried over 145,000 cars daily along with its lower level, while the upper pedestrian walkway helps locals get around the city.

7. Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest, most prestigious museums globally that represents the scenic beauty of New York as a city. The museum contains over 2 million works of art, and if you’re a first-time visitor, check out the Roman and Egyptian galleries with your friends from meet and greet apps.

A quiet, calm place to go in NYC with your friends to meet and greet social, the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a wonderful experience including paintings and statues by the masters and drawings, prints, photos, and costumes depicting the city's history.

In addition, the museum hosts special exhibits throughout the year, so there’s always something new to see.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s rooftop garden is open in warm weather and offers sweeping views of Central Park and Manhattan. It is the place to go in New York City when it rains.

8. See a Broadway Musical

One of the best NYC evening activities is going to see a musical or play on Broadway. Even if you’re not a theater person, there will be something for you and your friends to enjoy.

There are over 40 Broadway theaters in NYC, and going to a Broadway show is a highlight of your visit. Adding dinner to the occasion is a perfect way to spend a night with your greet and meet social app friends.

9. Never Miss to Visit 9/11 Memorial Museum

A particularly poignant place to visit in New York City is the 9/11 Memorial Museum opened in 2014 at the former site of the Twin Towers and formed part of the World Trade Center complex.

While the historical significance of this museum is unparalleled; and it contains a tribute to the 2,977 people killed during the 9/11 attacks. In addition, visitors can listen to audio commentary while walking around the exhibits.

10.  Chase down the New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is a botanical garden at Bronx Park in New York City is a perfect place to learn about new things. The fascinating part of this place is that it’s located on a 250-acre site that contains a landscape with over one million living plants. Apart from living plants, you can eye for its major educational institution, teaching visitors about plant science, ecology, and healthful eating through NYBG's interactive programming.

This NYC city's exotic location has 90,000 annual visitors who are children from underserved neighboring NYC communities. An additional 3,000 teachers from New York City's public school system contribute to professional development programs that train them to teach science courses. In addition, NYBG operates one of the world's largest plant research and conservation programs.

Since 1967, the garden has been registered as a National Historic Landmark, and numerous buildings have been designated as official New York City landmarks. There are many more things to eye on in this Botanical garden when you visit this exotic location after meeting on meet and greet social apps.

11. Go on a Grand Central Terminal Scavenger Hunt

Recalled as the best place in New York to visit after connecting with your friends over meet and greet social apps, Grand Central Terminal has a wide-span history that cannot be overlooked. The best thing to enjoy at this location is rushing through the main concourse to catch the 6 train.

You can look for objects and spaces hidden in plain sight at this location, including a speakeasy-style bar tucked away deep within the station. If a tour is not your thing, barhop from the landmark Oyster Bar to the hidden Campbell for a special drink in a unique locals-only setting.

12. Spend the day on Governors Island

Located at the tip of Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York Harbor, Governors Island is recalled for its 172-acre public park, once an abandoned military base that offers you and your friends a great location to eye on.

 The fascinating part of this island is that it’s the home to loads of arts and cultural events from where you can have an overlook to the exotic views of the Statue of Liberty and downtown Manhattan.

The quality places to visit on this island are the free public events focused on conservation offered regularly and the vast green space around the Financial District.

13. Go on a Tour of Brooklyn Brewery

Grab a cocktail while learning a little about how Brooklyn brewery is made. The place offers free tours every Saturday and Sunday at its Williamsburg headquarters. Not to deny that somewhere, you can try new wines with your friends at this trending place to get cocktails for special events like comedy shows that feature the best Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue.

14. Give your Ears a Tune of Live Music on the Lower East Side

Gather your friends and get together at Lower East Side for a night of music at venues like Mercury Lounge, Pianos, or Rockwood Music Hall. At this place, you can enjoy live music tickets for less than $20, especially for artists on the rise.

15. Scroll up Art in Socrates Sculpture Park

Are you not able to decide between a museum day and a park day? Get the best of both worlds at Socrates Sculpture Park. Spanning 5 acres on the East River, the outdoor space features waterfront views as a backdrop for rotating large-scale art installations. The park also crowds free programming like movie screenings and local events.

16. Check out to meet on the Met Rooftop

The Cantor Roof Garden Bar at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the best place to see how you can spend happy hour with friends.

At this New York location, you can take an elevator to the fifth floor from the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts galleries.

17. Watch the Latest Indie film at the IFC Center

When you meet your friends in NYC, many of your friends are fascinated by their options of having fun. Watching movies at a great theater is often on the top list. If you have any such plans to watch movies, the IFC center is the ultimate option. This great place of NYC screens the indie releases you can’t find just anywhere. At this place, you can catch cult classics Fridays and Saturdays at midnight and special documentary series that are appreciated at the different trending Film Festivals.

18. Visit the Union Square Greenmarket

Located on the North and West side of Center Park, Union Square Greenmarket is a trending place that opens on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays years around. The best part of this Union Square market is that this market transforms into a farmers' market filled with seasonal goods fresh from the source. Somewhere, you can stop by the stalls for a taste of apple cider, fresh breads, cheeses, and more at this place. During the colder months, Union Square Greenmarket also hosts a special holiday market filled with kiosks selling unique gifts, plus delicious food and warm drinks to get to your home.

19. Make it a Game Night at Barcade

This “bar-meets-arcade” is situated at St. Marks Place that's a perfect option to get into a low-key game night with your friends with whom you have connected over meet and greet social apps. When you get into this bar, you can hassle-free purchase a handful of game tokens and order an appetizer before diving into a game of 1980s Tetris.

20. Join a Sing-Along at Brandy’s Piano Bar

Hidden away, on a side street in the most unlikely of places, Brandy’s is one of the Upper East Side’s best-kept secrets to get closer to your NYC friends who have connected through meet and greet social apps. This intimate spot showcases live talent every night and has been for over 35 years. Somewhere, this NYC city bar is centered on one piano and performer, and as songs are played, the whole room sings the song and land with the feeling of fun and enthusiasm on top. It will be spot-on to say that this place is like an old-school cool that helps you have fun without hampering your budget.

21. Spend an Afternoon at the Noguchi Museum

Founded by famous artists like Isamu Noguchi- the Noguchi Museum is best recalled for its extensive collection of artists' works, including pieces displayed in a serene outdoor sculpture garden that can leave you and your friend awestruck. Somewhere, this Museum can help you and your friends who have connected through greet and meet social apps to get the best view of the NYC classy locations.

Final Thoughts

These are some of the finest places to visit in New York City. If you want to connect with friends from greet and social apps to make the most of the top 21 New York City attractions, download Leaf . Here you can connect with more friends worldwide without the headache of planning.

Local Events in New York Calendar: Festivals You Can Attend Every Year

NEW YORK- the city that never sleeps!

Ask any New Yorker about their schedule and their calendar will be filled to the brim! NYC is the place to do and see everything. New York Community events are world-famous for their entertainment and fun elements. Spring and summer are the busiest seasons; most major festivals happen at this time of the year. In addition, New York hosts sporting events, art performances, seasonal food festivals, state fairs and plenty of other local events that you must visit. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, you must remember to maintain a social distance, wear a mask and follow other guidelines given by the State government. If you plan to visit New York next year, our list below will help you find the most happening events you can enjoy during your stay. We also suggest checking various websites and confirming details before making plans or reservations.

Community Events In New York (First Half Of The Year)

JANUARY

Winter Jazzfest - The festival features tremendous musical talent for you to discover. There are over 100 musicians’ sets to see, which are highly popular. Top venues include Webster Hall, the Bitter End and Le Poisson Rouge. Colin Stetson, Russell Gunn’s Ethnomusicology and Dee Bridgewater are among the best performers.

New York Jewish Film Festival - this local event is a collaborative effort between the Film Society of Lincoln Centre and the Jewish Museum. It aims to celebrate the Jewish experience. Two weeks of narratives, including shorts, documentaries and other cinematic offerings, are organized. In previous years, New York community events have highlighted films that have gone on to great national acclaim in Beaufort, Empty Nest and Africa.

New York Boat Show - don't miss the opportunity to attend one of the most famous local events in New York. You will find fishing boats, yachts and kayaks at the Boat Show. The festival has been here for more than a century now! Thousands of people attend this excellent event each year at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center to browse the latest boats, fishing equipment and much boat-related items. In addition, visitors can attend daily seminars with a full slate of boating and fishing pros.

NY Must-See Week - The festival offers extensive attractions, tours, museums and performing arts venues. In recent years, people have included the iconic NYC skyline views, historic sites and world-class attractions in a similar vein. Most of them gather at free meetup sites and roam around the city.

FEBRUARY

Lunar New Year Parade - the beloved community event of New York usually takes place at prominent venues. The lunar parade is in Queens, Flushing, Manhattan’s Chinatown, Sunset Park and Brooklyn. Dazzling troupes make their way through the streets and draws thousands of crowds. Local organizations allow people to participate in marching bands, martial artists, elaborated floats, become musicians, magicians, and much more. Other programs include the Cultural Festival, the Firecracker Ceremony, the Lantern Festival and cultural events.

You may also like to read: Which are the best personal and professional local Meetup groups in New York?

New York Restaurant Week - celebrating dining at restaurants week takes place each summer and winter. The event offers you the opportunity to dine on two-course lunches and three-course dinners at top class restaurants in New York. People enjoy these community events in New York where they can be served by the city's renowned chefs in fabulous eateries. This year, NY Restaurant Week is debuted by the Signature dining and takeout experience, giving more dining options than ever. Hold on to see what they do next!

Orchid Show - NYC Botanical Garden is featuring a themed exhibition with thousands of brilliantly-colored orchids every year. The local events and shows related to the Orchid Festival take place in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The beautiful flowers are surrounded by lush settings despite their natural habitat. Marvel the flowery local events of New York and stay in touch with nature.

MARCH

International Children Film Festival - redefine the genre of kid's movies with the New York International Children’s Film Festival which shines a light on the most engaging, uniquely thoughtful youth-oriented films. These movies are made outside of Hollywood so they range from animated short films to long action dramas. NYICFF aims to cover every style, age and cultural background, which makes it ideal for family and friends.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade - you do need to be Irish to get a kiss at events like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This parade was first held in 1762 and that is one of the oldest, largest community events in New York. Started by the archbishop of NY, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates Catholic and Irish cultural faith. The parade is led by members of the National Guard’s Infantry Regiment, known as the Fighting 69th, and runs along 44th and 79th Streets Fifth Avenue.

APRIL

Easter Festival - every Easter falls between late March and early April. People love to showcase their festive side at local events in New York. For example, people start at 49th Street and travel north marching along Fifth Avenue. The best way to watch the whole parade is from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Cherry Blossom Festival - more than 200 cherry trees bloom in Brooklyn Botanic Garden every spring. The event celebrates the weekend-long Cherry Blossom Festival as s festival of victory.  Also known by its Japanese name, Sakura Matsuri, people enjoy scores of Japanese cultural community events during the festival, like J-pop concerts, traditional dance and music, martial arts, taiko drumming, Bonsai pruning workshops, Manga art and tea ceremonies.

Also you must read this: Community Events in New York

MAY

New York City x Design - NYC celebrates design and creativity in the annual NYCxDESIGN event, which is known as the City’s official appreciation of global design. Multifaceted programming exhibitions, talks, installations, trade shows and studios take place. Among all the shows and famous design community events of New York are Collective Design, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), BKLYN Designs, Frieze New York and Wanted Design.

Bronx Week - Bronx stands out in the city of islands as NYC's emissary. The attachment gives the Bronx a distinctive flavor and quiet charisma. The city comes together each year and follows a tradition that has been going since the 1970s, celebrating the beautiful event with a parade, live music, trolley tour and the latest additions to the Bronx Walk of Fame.

JUNE

Celebrate Brooklyn Festival - the fun event goes through to August and has a wonderful opening. The Celebrate Brooklyn event has offered free dance, music, film, theatre and commissioned projects for four decades now and is one of the longest running art festivals and local events in New York. It has featured acts like They Might Be Giants & Maceo Parke. You can't miss this amazing music and movies program where recognized artists mix with the screening of silent, short and animated movies.

Pride Week - New York is home to the most vibrant transgender, gay, lesbian and bisexual communities. The whole week/month is dedicated to them as a pride moment. The city embraces its beauty and incredible diversity. Such community events are a source of strength and showcase the progress of the LGBT community. The whole month is dedicated to PRIDE and most of the major events happen in the last week of June, including the famous march down Fifth Avenue Street on the last Sunday.

Local Events In New York (Second Half Of The Year)

JULY

Lincoln Center Summer – the summer season is welcomed at the Lincoln Center. An annual program with different themes is launched; the first is Midsummer Night Swing where people can take dance lessons and try out their unique moves to live music under the stars. The whole local event is based on dance, music, family shows and spoken word events, all for free. The second is Mozart performances of the acclaimed composer’s works.

Hot Dog Eating Contest - with a combination of highly expandable, steely grit stomachs, people compete in a competition called Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Being one of New York’s local events, the contest takes place in NYC Dogs to delight of screaming fans. A group of selected people eat hot dogs at high noon for 10 minutes and stop for nothing, not for mustard or ketchup or even French fries! This is everyone's favorite event to attend each year!

AUGUST

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival – In the early 1950s, Charlie Parker made his home in Alphabet City. The neighborhood hasn't forgotten him although he’s been gone a long time. The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival was first organized in 1993 at Tompkins Square Park, across the street from his home. All the events are held over there but some performances take place uptown in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park.

Summer Streets - large sections of Park Avenue and neighboring streets are closed to traffic on three Saturdays in August. Between 7am and 1pm, the streets are open to the public for biking and dancing. Haven't you always wanted to slide or walk right down Park Avenue, free from shoulder-bumping and honking horns? If yes, this event is made just for you!

SEPTEMBER

New York Fashion Week - Fashion Week showcases new styles and promises a week of star-studded stories for the upcoming season. Top NYC designers and those from around the world debut their collection on the runway while industry insiders and style-conscious celebrities look on. Register yourself on the guest list. NYFW is considered one of the most reputable, prominent local events in New York.

Commemorating 9/11 - every September, New York honors and remember the victims of the World Trade Center attacks. A variety of memorial events taken place in churches, synagogues and temples throughout the city. In addition, special community events are hosted for people affected by the tragedy, such as memorial concerts and fundraisers throughout the month. The 9/11 Memorial Museum is a year-long tribute to those who lost their lives on 11 September 2001 and 26 February 1993. The whole event is an educational resource for all.

New York Film Festival - the festival brings the world's most inventive cinema to NY and has done since 1963. Here you will see cutting-edge movies before they hit the big time. In the past, the New York Film Festival has showcased the likes of Pedro Almodóvar, Jean-Luc Godard and Martin Scorsese. Adventurous cineastes check out the Projections sidebar a selection of recent Avant Garde films.

OCTOBER

New York Comic-Con - geek culture is being established, creating an undeniable influence over the mainstream entertainment world. Comic-Con is now more popular than ever! The event is gaining more and more ground. Even if you don't hit the fest booths, screenings and panels, you can expect to see a lot of costumed players to gawk at. All this can be seen at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

New York Broadway Week - the popular annual program typically takes place in winter, usually in February, and fall in October. It offers 2-for-1 tickets to off-Broadway productions. In past years, the event has featured many famous shows, including Stomp and Blue Man Group. Whilst the event is not taking place in 2021, get ready to enjoy it in 2022!

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks Open – many of New York’s ice skating rinks open in winter and give you the first glimpse of the holiday season. People get excited in attending the event and share their skating experience with others. All of this comes with a killer view; enjoy the spectacular surroundings of the seasonal rink in December at the Rockefeller Center. The Bank of America Village at Bryant Park is open from late October to March. 

NOVEMBER

TCS New York City marathon- This is one of the biggest sports community events in New York. It often proves to be a life-changing event, and people experience a lot as a physical challenge. The New York city race covers 26 million miles. Like all marathon NY also offer the same but sounds and sheer excitement of NYC marathon are incredible. It extends from Staten Island to Central Park. The field this year is limited to 33,000 runners. In fact, it is two-third of the usual number. Corona has affected things badly!

New York Comedy Festival - most big names and local events embrace the New York City stage during NYCF. Past year participants have included Bridget Everett, Hannibal Buress, Iliza Shlesinger, Judd Apatow, Ricky Gervais and Norm MacDonald. In addition, professional people share the schedule with over-the-top nights in small venues and large-scale shows, at venues like Town hall and Madison Square Garden.

The Art Show - ADAA (Art Dealers Association of America) presents their annual show which curates exhibitions at Park Avenue Armory. You can see solo projects and group shows from the late 19th century until today. A special community event in New York takes place each year that includes a panel discussion and a gala to benefit the Henry Street Settlement. It is a Lower East Side social service and health care organization. The art show is usually held in spring but this year, it took place in November.

Holiday Train Show - every family hops upon the Holiday Train Show happening at the New York Botanical Garden. The favorite train show features toy trains going along 175 city landmark replicas. The trains are made from the seed, bark and other plant materials. The highlights include the famous Coney Island rides, the Yankee Stadium, assorted Midtown skyscrapers, a sound-and-light show and the George Washington Bridge which spans the exhibition’s entrance.

DECEMBER

Holiday Shops - December is the best time of the year to enjoy the holiday shops and satisfy your thirst for shopping. Get into the holiday spirit by visiting outdoor holiday shops that pop up around the city. Grand Central Terminal, Union Square, Columbus Circle, Bryant Park and hundreds of merchants set up their shops offering clothes, food and gift items. In addition, help local merchants and find a little something for yourself, too.

The Lighting of the World’s Largest Hanukkah Menorah - Celebrate Hanukkah week with the world's largest lighting community events in New York. The event takes place at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street in Manhattan. The gold-colored, 32-foot long, 4,000 pond, steel-weighted holiday icon is a sight to behold. The menorah sits across the river at the head of Prospect Park in Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza. A candle is lit on each menorah every evening of the holiday.

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker - for more than 50 years, New York City’s Ballet have brought the visions of marching toy soldiers, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King to life with the Lincoln Center’s production of The Nutcracker. The performance is full old-fashioned costumes, magical sets, a one-ton Christmas tree, Tchaikovsky’s timeless music and the spectacle of an on-stage snowstorm.

Times Square’s New Year’s Eve - every New York calendar is not complete without Times Square’s New Year’s Eve event. A New Year’s Eve without the crystal ball drop in Times Square is a flop! Everyone gathers around to watch performances and countdown to midnight. Unfortunately, the NYC event that ushered in 2021 was virtual for most people so check and research precisely before attending local events in New York.

Endnote

No city other than New York has more fun things to do! The city has world-class museums and is home to an amazing community as well as local events all year long. Here is a list of things and events you can attend to discover the best of New York City. It is people's dream city and that is why most popular events take place here. New York has something for everyone so whether you are looking for nightlife, food, history or art, New York will never disappoint you!

Adios :)

Safety Tips You Should Consider When Using Social Planning Apps

Today, social planning apps are extremely popular with the younger generation. The reason is that these apps have made a user's life easier in providing them with several benefits. Now they can connect with people and make plans with friends to meet. Social meet-up apps help you stay in touch with friends, colleagues and even people you may not know. Like-minded people with the same interests, opinions and hobbies gather and spend time together. 

Role of social planning apps in people's life

The use of social networking apps has increased lately. People are even finding the love of their life online. Three-fourths of the population are making plans with friends via some application. Such meetup apps are significant for business, too, as a means of communication and marketing. You can search people by name, and witness their personalities & lives. Some have met on social platforms, became best friends, and ended up getting married. 

These apps are not just meant to connect people but serve a variety purposes. They give you the advantage of networking and making convenient communication without any borders. Any information can instantly be seen through these apps; you don't have to visit other websites. Over 4 billion people discover new friends from meeting apps. You can exchange your creative ideas, form new bonds and get useful insights daily. 

Organizing plans with a friend’s app

Ideal events make people commute across a given city to see one another. Social planning apps first help you join or create groups, and then you can meet people at a planned event. When you join these events:

• Everyone sits down.

• They get locked in one spot.

• They discuss their lives and problems.

• It offers them a great opportunity to interact.

• They usually end up being happy, free from stress and start to cherish those moments.

When compared with many dating apps, social planning apps are way safer. There are many ways to make new friends while keeping yourself protected.

Here are few tips you can follow to ensure you are protected.

Select the right app

Today, there are more social meeting apps than ever before. Besides Instagram and Facebook, there are numerous social apps where people feel safe. Leaf is proudly one of them. Mainly, because Leaf is focused on connecting you to people you already know. Social planning apps are specifically designed for people looking for friendships and meet-ups without any romantic engagement. However, not all apps are treated equally: some are better than others. So, how will you learn the difference between the good ones and bad ones? 

First of all, consider the verification measures of every app. For example, in the Leaf app, we allow people to select the Connect with Facebook or Sign in with Apple ID option to verify who they are. Leaf also requires phone number verification. You should stick to such apps so that only legitimate members get attached and join up. This will increase your chances of making plans with friends and is considerably safer.

Limit personal information

While using a meet-up app to find friends, you are often required to write a few lines about yourself. This data gives others some idea of who you are and what you like/dislike. Now, these sections are best but you don't have to go overboard with this information. Instead, stick to basics like, "I like to read and write", "I love songs" and "I would like to meet people interested in paintings". These tactics are used to start a conversation with someone. 

Avoid mentioning a specific location, like where you work or where you regularly hang out. You have to be careful in the early stage; once you get to know the person, you can disclose other things about you. Also observe the type of questions they are asking. Do they seem personal? Are they asking too much? 

Enhance your research

Don't limit yourself by waiting for the right friend to come. You can find the person on various social planning apps. Before that, you need to make a little effort by checking their background. Don't worry; this doesn't include any drastic steps. Simply put, you can search online using their basic information, like name, age and location. This way, you will get to know whether the person is dangerous or not. 

See if the information they are providing is genuine or not. It would help if you do some digging online and the most popular method for doing that is checking their social media profiles. Social platforms are a goldmine of data; you can see each and every detail you want. Make sure your new friend is a legitimate person and you, too, must be completely transparent about your personal life.

Trust your instincts

Even in this fast-growing digital age, you need to go through this old fashion statement. While you are chatting in a group or making plans with a friend’s app, make it a point to trust. People must know you are genuine. 

The little voice in your head is telling you to do right. For example, if you have been chatting with someone for a while and are still feeling uneasy, there is probably a reason for it. In such a situation, you can discover what's best for you and cut off those who are causing you trouble. 

Meet them in a secure place

It is advised to meet strangers in public places a first and once you trust them, you can continue things further. Set up the meet at a famous restaurant, bar or café. People with good intentions will never object to your suggested place (in reason) and terms. Try to avoid getting in any vehicle with a stranger to an unfamiliar place. Bring your existing friends to new meet-ups organized by social planning apps. 

You can follow these tips to take complete use of social apps and remain safe at the same time. The tactics we have suggested can help you protect yourself.

Conclusion

People usually confuse social networking apps with dating apps; they aren't similar. Social planning apps are much safer and more secure than dating apps. Social networking apps are great, because of the number of perks they offer. Here you have the opportunity to meet people and then continue to build upon the relationship them. Any age group can enjoy using these apps and meet new people every day. 

Meet wonderful friends around you with Leaf! Start conversations and meet up at the hottest spots in your city. You can create a plan and invite friends over. Leaf has set up all the work for you. Who knows, one day you might actually end up finding the special one.