Celebrate the Weather at One of the City’s Fairs

The sun is shining, the trees are green and New York is vibrant once again with the sounds, colors and life of spring. With a fresh burst of energy flowing through the city, there is never a dull moment or day without a dozen fun, enlightening, and quirky events to find throughout the city. Following are a few of the best events happening this spring.

1. Street Festivals        

Community street festivals celebrating all walks of life are part of the New York experience. Each weekend, artists, craftsmen and entertainers stake out a home in the city to showcase their wares, inviting local businesses and organizations to contribute to make sure each neighborhood's particular culture and flavor are represented.

While there is a festival almost every weekend, one of the more notable events is the Greenwich Avenue Festival on May 8, which features specialty goods, clothes from the best boutiques and all of the art that the village has to offer. Another great event is the Upper Broadway Festival on May 9, located a stone's throw from Lincoln Center on Broadway between 60th and 65th. One can peruse local art and photography as renowned musicians fill the streets with song.

Lastly, the Fabulous Fifth Avenue Festival on May 16 is a fair dedicated to arts and crafts, handmade clothes, and celebrating regional artists.

2. Food Festivals         

There are few better places for "foodies" than New York. Local crafters and chefs show off their talents at the free Brooklyn Lyceum Spring Food and Craft Market from May 1-2, where one can sample artisanal cheeses, pick up some handmade jewelry and attend a chocolates making lesson, all while supporting small businesses and sustainability. Vendors range from agave bakeries to organic microbreweries to bicycle painters and clockmakers.

If you cannot make it all the way to Brooklyn, you can attend the Ninth Avenue International Food Festival, from May 15-16, stretching from 37th to 57th streets. The ethnic restaurants of the Hell's Kitchen community come together to entice your appetite with the best they have to offer from spicy gumbo and jambalaya to alligator tacos. A range of cultural dance troupes completes the festivities on Sunday afternoon.

On the socially conscious side, if you are a vegetarian or just a supporter, "vive la veggie" at Greenwich's third annual Veggie Pride Parade on May 11. Join hundreds of marchers for music, speakers and a vegetable costume contest in Union Square Park.

Finally, celebrate Cinco De Mayo at Brooklyn's The Bell House with "Guactacular 2010," hosted by the blog Nachos NY. Help judges decide from 20 different kinds of guacamole, all made by local restaurants and amateur chefs. Tickets are $12 if purchased online through nachosny.com.

3. Flea Markets           

Flea markets are a fantastic place to find vintage clothes, antique knick-knacks and other hip accoutrements, all while on a budget. Search out the perfect summer wardrobe at the Hell's Kitchen flea market, every Saturday and Sunday on 39th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. Over 100 vendors line the street at this famous market, which has even been featured in Vogue.

The Upper West Side's Green Flea Market, open every Sunday on Columbus Ave. at 77 Street, offers similar wares, with more of a focus on sustainable and "green" designers.

Make a day trip out of a visit to the Brooklyn Flea, located in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, every Saturday. This large outdoor flea market is home to dozens of up-and-coming designers, local artists and popular Brooklyn treats, including Kumquat Bakery cupcakes. Stroll along in the sun and pick up some new shades, jewelry or quirky home goods, but be sure to check online at brooklynflea.com for that week's scavenger hunt item. If you manage to find it, it's yours for free.

Lastly, visit Union Square's GreenMarket every Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday for books, music, local art and an organic farmer's market, the perfect place to pick up delicious fresh fruits and vegetables for a picnic in the park or a homemade dinner.

4. Art and Dance Festivals

The art scene in New York is continually growing and evolving, but can seem inaccessible to those outside of "the loop."

Celebrate local artists and be a part of the scene at the Affordable Art Fair from May 6 to 9. Even if not a potential buyer, one can admire works from the newest young talent to well-known artists, take walking tours of the galleries or even partake in print-making classes.

Get your dance on at the fourth annual New York Dance Parade, an amazing event featuring over 70 styles of dance, over 200 dance organizations and over 10,000 dancers all grooving down Broadway on May 22. All are welcome to join the party, be it through swing, salsa, hula or just a general boogie. The parade ends at DanceFest, where you cure your two left feet with free dance lessons and a huge dance party to finish the day.

5. Nature Festivals       

Nothing is more beautiful in the springtime than the city's greenery, so refreshingly warm and invigorating after the gray and snowy streets of winter.

Delight in the annual Sakura Matsuri, or "rite of spring," a traditional Japanese cherry blossom festival, at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on May 1-2. Programs on Japanese music, drumming, flower arranging and tea ceremonies are spotlighted throughout the weekend, or one can just wander through the gardens and relax in the shade of the beautiful pink trees.

If you are a walker, participate in The Great Saunter, a 32-mile walk around Manhattan's rim on May 1. Take time to experience the city as you've never seen it before, beginning at Fulton and South, lunching at Inwood Park, and looping back down the east side. Visit shorewalkers.org for more information.