This Saturday, Manhattan becomes one big dance floor. The 20th Annual New York Dance Parade rolls through the streets on May 16, and if you have never seen it in person, this milestone anniversary edition is the one to catch. With more than 10,000 dancers representing over 100 styles — from salsa and Afrobeats to tap, Bollywood, and voguing — it is less a parade and more a moving festival of everything the city dances to.
The procession kicks off at 11:45 a.m. at West 17th Street and Sixth Avenue and travels south down Sixth Avenue before turning east onto 8th Street and St. Mark’s Place. At Astor Place, each group gets a moment at the Grandstand — a brief stage performance before the full crowd — before continuing east to Tompkins Square Park, where the day’s real celebration begins.
DanceFest: The Party After the Parade
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tompkins Square Park transforms into DanceFest — a free, open-to-everyone festival with multiple performance stages, a teaching stage where you can learn the styles you just watched roll past, and a DJ-powered dance party area. The teaching stage is one of the best features: instructors from the participating troupes lead short, accessible lessons so anyone can jump in, no experience required.
The 20th anniversary theme is “The Beat Goes On,” and organizers have billed this year as the biggest edition yet. Expect longer performances at the Grandstand, more teaching stages, and an expanded festival footprint inside the park.
Getting There and What to Know Before You Go
The parade route runs through the East Village, so plan for street closures along Sixth Avenue from 17th Street and along 8th Street heading east. The closest subway stops to the start are the 14th Street–6th Avenue station (A/C/E/L) and 14th Street–Union Square (4/5/6/L/N/Q/R/W). For Tompkins Square Park, the First Avenue L station drops you right at the edge of the park.
Arrive before 11:30 a.m. if you want a good spot along the Sixth Avenue section — that stretch fills up fast as troupes are staging nearby. If crowds are not your thing, head straight to Tompkins Square Park and get there before 3 p.m.; the park has open lawn space and the festival vibe is more relaxed than the parade corridor.
The event is free and open to the public. There is no ticketing for the street parade or the DanceFest teaching stages. The Grandstand Show area at Astor Place has a ticketed reserved seating section; general standing near the Grandstand is free.
Also This Weekend in Manhattan
If you are in the neighborhood with time before or after the parade, the 9th Avenue International Food Festival is running Saturday and Sunday on 9th Avenue between 42nd and 57th Streets, with free admission. The festival lines both sides of the avenue with food stalls from dozens of Hell’s Kitchen restaurants and vendors. The 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards take place Sunday evening at The Town Hall on West 43rd Street. For something more competitive, the PAC-MAN NYC Chompionship runs Saturday at the PaleyGX Studio.
What You Need to Know
- What: 20th Annual New York Dance Parade and DanceFest
- When: Saturday, May 16 — parade begins 11:45 a.m.; DanceFest at Tompkins Square Park 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Where: Starts at W. 17th St. and 6th Ave., ends at Tompkins Square Park, East Village
- Cost: Free for street parade and DanceFest; ticketed Grandstand reserved seating available separately
- Subway: A/C/E/L to 14th St–8th Ave for the start; L to First Ave for the park
- Also nearby: 9th Ave. International Food Festival (42nd to 57th St., Saturday and Sunday, free admission)
- More info: danceparade.org
Whether you are a longtime New Yorker who has watched the parade grow into one of the world’s largest public dance celebrations, or a visitor who just found it on the calendar — Saturday is a great day to be in the East Village. Bring comfortable shoes. You will probably end up dancing.
For more on getting around the city this weekend, see our NYC bus and ferry update for this weekend. New to the neighborhood? Our guide to NYC community boards explains how each Manhattan neighborhood is organized and who to contact for local issues.
