The High Holy Days are a meaningful time of reflection, renewal, and tradition. Beginning with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and continuing through Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holidays offer an opportunity to reflect on the year past and look ahead to the year to come. For many, gathering with family and friends and sharing traditional foods are also an important part of the holiday experience.

This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on Friday, September 11, and ends at nightfall on Sunday, September 13. Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Sunday, September 20, and ends at nightfall on Monday, September 21. Whether preparing a holiday meal at home, picking up prepared foods, or planning a break-fast gathering, Lincoln Square businesses have plenty to help get ready for the High Holy Days.

A Rosh Hashanah table isn’t complete without something sweet, making Breads Bakery (1890 Broadway, between West 62nd and West 63rd Streets) a particularly timely stop. Its Rosh Hashanah offerings include the impressive Centerpiece Challah, along with Apple Challah, Cinnamon Raisin Challah, Apple Babka, Honey Cake, Apple Galette, Apple Rugelach, and specialty honey. For Yom Kippur, Breads offers several break-fast options, including its Easy Break Fast, Jerusalem Bagels & Smoked Salmon Platter, and Sweet Break Fast packages, along with a variety of challah, sweets, and other holiday offerings.

For those looking to prepare a more substantial holiday meal, Gourmet Garage (155 West 66th Street, between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway) offers dedicated Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur catering menus, with both kosher and non-kosher selections. Rosh Hashanah offerings include complete dinners for 10, as well as individual dishes like brisket, chicken, salmon, gefilte fish, kugel, tzimmes, and challah. For Yom Kippur, both menus feature complete break-fast packages, along with options such as smoked fish and salmon platters, bagels and cream cheese, tuna and egg salad, and traditional sweets. With so many options available, hosts can choose a full spread or select individual dishes to round out their holiday table.

Whole Foods Market (10 Columbus Circle) also has dedicated Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur catering menus. Rosh Hashanah offerings include round challah, brisket, honey-lemon salmon, cider-glazed chicken, matzo ball soup, roasted vegetables, and honey cake. For Yom Kippur, shoppers can pick up favorites including lox and bagels, smoked fish, tuna and egg salad, cream cheese, and a selection of sides and sweets.

Morton Williams (2015 Broadway, between West 68th and West 69th Streets) is a convenient stop for holiday groceries, with a Rosh Hashanah catering menu featuring matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, challah, tzimmes, potato and noodle kugel, grilled or poached salmon, honey-glazed Cornish hens, roasted turkey, and a selection of desserts. Whether picking up prepared dishes or ingredients to make a meal at home, shoppers can find plenty of options for a holiday meal.

Target (1863 Broadway, at West 61st Street) is also a useful stop for food and pantry staples, while the Richard Tucker Park Greenmarket (Broadway and West 66th Street) offers fresh seasonal ingredients Thursdays and Saturdays year-round, including New York State apples that are perfect for a traditional Rosh Hashanah table.

For a different take on the holiday table, Lincoln Square’s only kosher restaurant, Noi Due Carne (141 West 69th Street, between Broadway and Columbus Avenue), offers Italian-inspired catering, including pastas, chicken, veal, fish, and desserts. The restaurant will be closed for Rosh Hashanah, so catering orders for the holiday must be picked up by Thursday, September 10.

Once the menu is set, Williams Sonoma (10 Columbus Circle) can help bring the holiday table together. Its Rosh Hashanah collection features tableware, serving pieces, linens, and other festive accents, from pieces for serving apples and honey to decorative touches for holiday gatherings. Whether setting the table for a family dinner or adding a few special details to a holiday celebration, the collection offers plenty of options for creating a festive setting.

From picking up a special challah to preparing a full holiday meal or setting the table for family and friends, Lincoln Square offers plenty of ways to get ready for the High Holy Days. For more local businesses, restaurants, shops, and other neighborhood resources to help you prepare for the holidays, check out the Lincoln Square BID’s Map & Guide.

Shanah Tovah! Wishing everyone a happy, healthy, and sweet New Year.

Lincoln Square is heading into another season filled with music, dance, theater, opera, and film. From Gustavo Dudamel’s inaugural season with the New York Philharmonic to milestone celebrations at Juilliard, Wynton Marsalis’s final season at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Opera’s 60th anniversary at Lincoln Center, the 2026–27 season brings world premieres, new productions, returning favorites, and plenty to discover.

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Kaufman Music Center

Kaufman Music Center’s 2026–27 season gets underway on Tuesday, September 8, with Dave Mustaine’s In My Darkest Hour book launch at Merkin Hall (129 West 67th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue). The season continues through June with a wide range of performances, including What Makes It Great?, Broadway Close Up, New York Festival of Song, Tuesday Matinees, and appearances by artists including Marc-André Hamelin, Terence Blanchard, Chanticleer, and Chloe Flower. The American Composers Orchestra will also serve as an Artist-in-Residence, premiering new works and leading original learning experiences on the Merkin Hall stage.

See Kaufman Music Center’s full season here.

New York Philharmonic

Gustavo Dudamel’s inaugural season as Music & Artistic Director brings a major new chapter to the New York Philharmonic in 2026–27. The Orchestra begins its season on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall, where Dudamel will be joined by guest artists Lizzo, St. Vincent, Aaron Tveit, and Joaquina, with Liev Schreiber as host. The following evening, Friday, September 11, Dudamel and the Orchestra perform a special 25th-anniversary 9/11 Memorial Concert. The Orchestra then returns to David Geffen Hall (10 Lincoln Center Plaza, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue) for a multi-concert opening weekend beginning Wednesday, September 16, marking Dudamel’s first performances there as Music & Artistic Director and featuring the world premiere of Zosha Di Castri’s Invisible House, John Adams’s On the Transmigration of Souls, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. The season also features appearances by Lang Lang and Yo-Yo Ma, the Art of the Score film-with-live-orchestra series, and staged productions including Marina Abramović’s The Soldier’s Tale and Falla’s El Amor brujo, as well as Bernstein’s MASS.

Explore the full 2026–27 season here.

Lincoln Center Presents

Lincoln Center Presents kicks off its 2026–27 season on Thursday, September 10, with a wide-ranging lineup of music, dance, theater, and multidisciplinary programming across the Lincoln Center campus. Highlights include the Festival of Firsts, the Legacies of San Juan Hill Festival, Unsound New York, American Songbook, ¡VAYA!, and Under the Radar at Lincoln Center. The Lincoln Center Contemporary Dance Festival returns in January with New York premieres and new commissions, while the Big Umbrella Festival returns in the spring with performances, workshops, relaxed spaces, and interactive experiences for neurodivergent audiences and their families.

Explore the full 2026–27 calendar here.

Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players

Twenty concerts will make up Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players’ 2026–27 season, running from Monday, September 14, through Monday, June 14, at Good Shepherd-Faith Presbyterian Church (152 West 66th Street, between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway). It opens with Russian Tributes, featuring pianist Maxim Lando and violinist Lun Li, and continues with programs ranging from Baroque masters to Beethoven and Mozart, including Swayed by Mozart, Bespoke Baroque, In Beethoven’s Steps, and Great Dames. Performances take place on Mondays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm, with tickets priced at $25 and $17.

View the complete season calendar here.

Lincoln Center Theater

A new season begins at Lincoln Center Theater on Tuesday, September 15, with LCT3’s world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia’s creation stories and all the important importants, a new play directed by Tamilla Woodard. Broadway follows with Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men, starring Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth, beginning performances Thursday, October 8. Next spring, The Sound of Music returns to Broadway in its first revival in nearly three decades, starring Jasmine Amy Rogers as Maria. The season also includes August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, Kimberly Belflower’s Born in the Dirt, and Matthew Rhys in Playing Burton, along with additional programming at LCT3. Performances take place at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, and Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue).

See the full 2026–27 lineup here.

The Juilliard School

Two weeks of music, dance, and drama will launch Juilliard’s 2026–27 season on Wednesday, September 16, with the third annual Juilliard Fall Festival. Opening Night marks the centennial of alum Miles Davis’s birth, while also recognizing 25 years of Juilliard Jazz and 75 years of the Dance Division. The season continues with hundreds of performances, including Juilliard415’s Shakespeare Restored, directed by violinist Rachel Podger, a celebration of composer Steve Reich at 90, and Juilliard Opera’s production of Handel’s Agrippina, alongside orchestral, chamber music, jazz, dance, and drama performances throughout the year at The Juilliard School (60 Lincoln Center Plaza, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue).

Browse Juilliard’s full performance calendar here.

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Wynton Marsalis’s final season as Artistic Director gives Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2026–27 programming a particularly significant milestone. While the season began in July, its fall concerts get underway on Thursday, September 17, with Marsalis and the Masters, featuring Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performing music by jazz greats including Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, and Chick Corea. Titled Come Home, the season celebrates Marsalis’s music, vision, and influence through programs spanning jazz, global musical traditions, and collaborations across disciplines. Highlights include From Cuba to the Crescent City, Big Band Holidays, the U.S. debut of Paquito D’Rivera performing the music of Chick Corea, and Marsalis: Jazz Is Dance, featuring collaborations with leading dance artists and companies. Performances take place at Frederick P. Rose Hall (60th Street and Broadway).

View the 2026–27 concert calendar here.

New York City Ballet

Forty-eight ballets, including five world premieres and two New York City Ballet premieres, headline the 2026–27 season at the David H. Koch Theater (20 Lincoln Center Plaza, between Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue). Running from Tuesday, September 22, through Sunday, May 30, the 21-week season opens with George Balanchine’s Jewels. Other highlights include the annual George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, a Fall Fashion Gala featuring two world premieres, and the highly anticipated New York City Ballet premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s Romeo & Juliet during the Winter Season. The season concludes with Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

See the complete performance schedule here.

The Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera will celebrate 60 years at Lincoln Center during its 2026–27 season, which opens on Tuesday, September 22, with a new production of Verdi’s Macbeth at the Metropolitan Opera House (30 Lincoln Center Plaza, between Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue). The season continues through June 2027 with five new productions and 12 repertory productions, including the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek’s Lincoln in the Bardo, Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, and Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night. The anniversary will culminate in a Diamond Jubilee Gala on Tuesday, May 25, featuring fully staged scenes from more than 30 operas and an impressive lineup of Met stars.

Explore the full season here.

Film at Lincoln Center

Film at Lincoln Center’s 2026–27 season features the 64th New York Film Festival, running from Friday, September 25, through Monday, October 12. The festival includes James Gray’s Paper Tiger, starring Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson; Ava DuVernay’s 14th; and Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth!. Throughout the rest of the year, Film at Lincoln Center typically presents annual festivals including the New York Jewish Film Festival, Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, and New Directors/New Films, alongside programming at the Walter Reade Theater and Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center (144 West 65th Street, between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway).

View the full Film at Lincoln Center calendar here.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center opens its 2026–27 season on Tuesday, October 13, with Copland’s Appalachian Spring at Alice Tully Hall (1941 Broadway, between West 65th and West 66th Streets), celebrating American composers in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. With more than 80 performances on the Lincoln Center campus, the season features pianist Gilles Vonsattel’s eight-concert cycle of all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas, the annual December Baroque Festival featuring all six of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, and five New York premieres of contemporary works. The season also brings performances by ensembles including the Schumann Quartett, Escher String Quartet, Quartetto di Cremona, and Takács Quartet, along with appearances by tenor Matthew Polenzani and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe. View the complete season lineup here.

View the complete season lineup here.

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With so much happening throughout Lincoln Square, the 2026–27 season offers plenty of opportunities to experience the arts right here in the neighborhood. From a world premiere at David Geffen Hall and a new production at the Metropolitan Opera to Broadway, ballet, jazz, chamber music, and film, there will be something to discover throughout the season. Make the most of your time in Lincoln Square by using our Map & Guide to find a restaurant and make a reservation before or after the show.

In late August, the Lincoln Square BID welcomed its newest intern, Sophia Mancusi! Sophia is an undergraduate student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she studies Criminology and Public Administration. She’s interested in learning more about how the Lincoln Square BID supports and engages the neighborhood.

As part of the Lincoln Square BID team, Sophia will be responsible for updating our events calendar with local activities, performances, and events throughout the district. She will also clip news articles, photograph the neighborhood, and assist staff with daily tasks. Although John Jay College is just outside our boundaries, Sophia spends plenty of time in Lincoln Square and has explored nearly every corner of the district.

Outside of work and school, Sophia enjoys visiting zoos and botanical gardens, learning about animals from around the world, and listening to old records passed down from her parents. She’s also a self-proclaimed “Internet Archivist,” with a passion for deep dives into the history of the early internet and lost media.

Know about an upcoming event, performance, or activity in Lincoln Square? Email Sophia at intern@lincolnsquarebid.org to have it considered for our events calendar!

Community Alerts 9.2.26

Lincoln Square BID Beautification & Landscaping RFP

The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting qualified landscaping companies to submit proposals for its beautification and landscaping program.

Click here to obtain the RFP.  

NYC Health to Spray for Mosquitoes in Manhattan

NYC Health will use the pesticide Duet to reduce mosquito populations in the neighborhood. Spraying is scheduled for today, Wednesday, September 2, from 8:30pm through 6:00am tomorrow, Thursday, September 3, with September 3 serving as the alternate date in case of inclement weather.

View the spray area map and learn more about mosquito control.

Alternate Side Parking Suspension

Alternate Side Parking is suspended on Monday, September 7, for Labor Day, and on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13, for Rosh Hashanah.

View the 2026 Alternate Side Parking Suspension Calendar here.

Labor Day Sanitation Service Notice

There will be no trash, curbside composting, or recycling collection on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. Residents who normally receive Monday trash, curbside composting, or recycling collection should place their material at the curb Monday evening for collection beginning Tuesday, September 8. Please note that collection may be delayed as the New York City Department of Sanitation works to collect the backlog of material.

Click here for more details.

Small Business Loans Info Session

The Hebrew Free Loan Society (HFLS) and the Office of NYC Comptroller Mark Levine will host a free virtual information session on Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30pm about HFLS’s interest-free, no-fee Small Business Loans of up to $60,000. These loans are intended to help small businesses launch and expand while alleviating some of the financial burden of other financing options, which include high interest rates and fees. The session will cover eligibility requirements, loan terms, how to apply, and more.

Click here to learn more and to register.

NYC Kids Can Audition for Broadway’s The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is returning to Broadway for the first time in nearly 30 years, with the new production coming to Lincoln Center Theater. Local NYC children are invited to audition for roles as the von Trapp children, and no professional experience is required. Children must be at least 7 years old by February 1, 2027, and submissions are due September 18.

Learn more and submit an audition here.

Year-Round Roadway Dining

New York City Council passed legislation allowing year-round roadway dining. Applications will open in early September 2026. New applicants can choose a year-round license with higher fees. Existing participants may upgrade their existing license or application by paying an additional fee. To learn more, click here.

Alerts from NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS)

NYC Restaurant Academy Training

SBS offers NYC Restaurant Academy, a central learning hub created for aspiring food entrepreneurs, owners, operators, and managers. The program combines practical training, business tools, and industry expertise to help participants start, operate, grow, and sustain a successful, profitable food-service business.

Sessions cover topics including planning and financing a food business, launching and operating a food business, financial management, company culture and leadership, and food-service and employment rules and regulations. Learn More and register for sessions here.

NYC Funds Finder

SBS offers NYC Funds Finder, the city’s free funding marketplace for small business owners. The platform connects businesses with responsible lenders, grants, and personalized support, including access to vetted loans and grants and one-on-one consultations with SBS advisors to explore funding options.

Get started with NYC Funds Finder here.

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month, a time for New Yorkers to take practical steps to be ready when an emergency happens. This year, NYC Emergency Management is placing a special focus on flooding and coastal storms, along with actions New Yorkers can take before the next storm arrives.

Throughout September, NYC Emergency Management and its partners will offer family events, Climate Week activities, preparedness fairs, performances, and virtual information sessions focused on practical steps to protect individuals, loved ones, and communities.

View National Preparedness Month events and resources here.

Fresh Food For Seniors

Seniors can place the next order for Council Member Gale Brewer’s annual Fresh Food for Seniors program Wednesday, September 9, for pickup on Wednesday, September 23, at the Goddard Riverside Older Adult Center (593 Columbus) from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. The cost is $10, while the bag of fresh produce from local farmers is worth about $15.

Other pickup sites (call them for their ordering process) include:

• DOROT (171 W. 85th Street) 917-441-3723
• NCJW Council Lifetime Learning (241 W. 72nd Street) 212-687-5030 ext. 481/468
• Lincoln House Outreach (303 W. 66th Street) 212-875-8958
• Bloomingdale Aging in Place (limited to BAIP members) 212-842-8831 ext. 20

UWSR’s Eco Letter

Upper West Side Recycling (UWSR) shares a free Eco Letter six times a year. Here you’ll find out about environmental events taking place during the upcoming two or three months, along with commentary on an environmental topic relevant to Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Read the September/October newsletter here, and sign up for the newsletter here. 

Homeless Outreach Assistance

If you see someone who lives on the street, subway, or other public place, you can request outreach. 

A Department of Homeless Services (DHS) response team will arrive within one hour to encourage the person to accept services. If you provide your contact information, DHS may contact you for more information.

Click here to request outreach and here to learn more.

Con Edison Alert

Con Edison is performing a Gas Upgrade on West 68th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, with work expected through Wednesday, September 30. Please expect limited street parking, temporary lane/bike lane closures, noise, and generator(s). The work schedule is as follows: Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 4:00pm, Saturday from 8:00am to 6:00pm, and Sunday from 9:00am to 6:00pm. The reference number is 26-03335.

We Wish Everyone a Happy Labor Day!

Our administrative office will be closed on Monday, September 7, but our Clean Team and Public Safety Officers will be outside, keeping the district clean and safe. Should you need to contact us, you can do so by calling 212-581-3774 and leaving a message or by emailing us at info@lincolnsquarebid.org.

The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID) seeks proposals from qualified landscaping companies through this request for proposals (RFP) for the BID’s beautification and landscaping program. Click here to obtain the RFP.  

The Lincoln Square BID will hold a Pre-bid Conference on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 2:00pm. This conference will give proposers the opportunity to have their questions answered. Please do not call the office, as individual questions will not be entertained until the Pre-bid Conference. At the conclusion of the meeting proposers will be invited to take a walking tour of the district.

If you plan to attend the Pre-bid conference, please RSVP by emailing Aquilino Cabral at acabral@lincolnsquarebid.org.

There’s a new dining destination to discover in Lincoln Square! CHIKARA, an upscale Japanese restaurant, recently opened its doors at 150 West 70th Street, between Broadway and Columbus Avenue, bringing a new culinary experience to the neighborhood.

Co-owned by Yumi Matsumura, formerly a vice president of Sushi of Gari, and Chef Atsutaka Chikaraishi, who previously worked as a chef at all of Sushi of Gari’s locations, CHIKARA is named after Chef Chikaraishi. In Japanese, “chikara” means strength, power, or force, a fitting name for the restaurant.

The restaurant aims to offer guests an intimate dining experience centered on authentic Japanese cuisine and attentive service. The menu features a selection of sushi and sashimi, including Otoro, Hamachi, Kanpachi, and Hotate (Fresh Scallop), along with appetizers such as Tuna Avocado and Tori Karaage with Green Yuzu Spicy Mayo. Guests looking for a more extensive dining experience can also enjoy Chef Chikara’s Omakase, priced at $185 per person.

CHIKARA’s arrival adds another exciting destination to Lincoln Square’s vibrant and diverse dining scene, following the opening of Croissant et Café next door just a few weeks earlier.

CHIKARA is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00pm to 9:45pm, with plans to potentially expand its hours in the future. The restaurant can be reached at (929) 755-0150. Stop by for dinner and experience the new restaurant for yourself!

The new school year is almost here, and with it comes the annual list of things to pick up before classes begin. New clothes, school supplies, a good book, and, for students heading off to college, everything needed to settle into a new space. Whatever made it onto the list this year, Lincoln Square has plenty of places to help check it off.

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☐ A new look for the school year

Start your back-to-school shopping at The Shops at Columbus Circle (10 Columbus Circle) for the trendiest styles, where H&M, J.Crew, and BOSS offer plenty of options for refreshing a school-year wardrobe. For gym class, practices, and after-school activities, Alo Yoga, Lululemon, Wilson, and Fleet Feet are all conveniently located at The Shops as well. As you build out the rest of the school-year lineup, stroll along Broadway and beyond and check out Gap (1988 Broadway between West 67th and West 68th Street), Mango (1976 Broadway at West 67th Street), Zara (1963 Broadway between West 66th and West 67th Street), and Nordstrom (225 West 57th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue).

Give your skincare routine a refresh, too, with a stop at Kiehl’s (154 Columbus Avenue between West 66th and West 67th Street), which is offering a free 3-piece Back to School Routine Gift with an $85+ purchase, available online and in-store through 3:00am on August 13, while supplies last.

☐ Stock up on supplies and hit the books

Get ready for the semester with school supplies from Target (1863 Broadway at West 61st Street), a one-stop shop for everything from notebooks and folders to backpacks, clothing, and dorm essentials. For planners, notebooks, journals, and stationery, Moleskine and Paper Source, both at The Shops, have plenty to choose from to help keep the year on track. Find required reading and plenty of other titles at the Strand Book Store (2020 Broadway between West 69th and West 70th Street) and PowerHouse Books (The Shops), or pick up specialized academic materials at the Juilliard Store (144 West 66th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue) and Fordham Bookstore (113 West 60th Street at Columbus Avenue).

☐ Get your tech and travel gear ready

For carrying books, laptops, and daily essentials, TUMI (The Shops) has backpacks for the school year and luggage for students moving to campus. When it comes to technology, the Education Store at the Apple Store (1981 Broadway at West 67th Street) offers MacBooks, iPads, and accessories to get students ready for the semester. For a limited time, get a gift card of up to $150 when you buy a Mac or iPad with education savings.

☐ Everything for a new space

For students heading off to college, the list might also include bedding, furniture, storage, and décor. Pottery Barn (1965 Broadway at West 67th Street), West Elm (1870 Broadway between West 61st and West 62nd Street), and Raymour & Flanigan (1961 Broadway at West 66th Street) offer options for setting up a dorm or first apartment.

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After your list is checked off, there’s still time to enjoy the final days of summer. Lincoln Square has plenty of places to explore, from shops and restaurants to parks and cultural destinations. Check out our new Neighborhood Guide to discover even more places to shop, dine, and explore throughout the neighborhood.

Photo Credit: GAP