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Top 11 Things To Do in New York This Fall

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I love autumn in New York (the season, that is, not the bad Richard Gere movie). The air is crisp, the leaves are changing color in the parks, and the subways are no longer as hot as coal furnaces.

There is plenty of fun to be had in New York City this fall. We've got festivals, football, medieval jousting, New York institutions like the Village Halloween Parade and the NYC Marathon, and more. Better start planning now.

1. Fashion Week

Mingle with the celebs and fashionistas in Bryant Park during New York Fashion Week. Designers will be showing their collections for Spring 2010 in the tents in Bryant Park. Check out Bryant Park Fashion Week photo gallery.

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2. Feast of San Gennaro

Attention cannoli lovers: Little Italy's Feast of San Gennaro runs from September 10-20, 2009. This outdoor festival is one of New York's oldest and most popular. Brave the crowds for live entertainment and lots of great food.

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3. New York Spa Week -- Fall 2009

Don't miss your chance to sample indulgent treatments from New York's best spas for just $50 a pop from October 12-18, 2009. Get wrapped, waxed, polished or pampered at the best spas in town.

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4. New York Football

Paint your face, grab your jumbo foam finger, and head to the stadium to support your favorite New York home football team. There's nothing quite like seeing it live, but you can also catch a game at one of New York's best bars for football fans.
New York Giants
New York Jets

5. Vermeer and More at The Met

Vermeer's masterpiece The Milkmaid is visiting New York for the NY400 celebration of 400 years of Dutch-American friendship. See it before November 29th. Also at The Met this fall: Roxy Paine's rooftop sculptures (through November 29th) and American Stories: Paintings of Everyday Life, featuring works by Homer, Cassat, Eakins, and other masters.

More: Metropolitan Museum of Art

6. Concerts at Carnegie Hall

Catch a concert at Carnegie Hall this fall. Carnegie Hall kicks off its 119th season on October 1st with a gala concert featuring the Boston Symphony Orchestra. This fall, Carnegie Hall will host some of the world's greatest orchestras and musical virtuosos in classical,jazz, pop, and folk. Performers will include Michael Feinstein, Ravi Shankar, Terence Blanchard, Kronos Quartet, The New York Pops, and more.

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7. New York Film Festival

The47th New York Film Festival will premiere 28 films at Lincoln Center from September 25 through October 11, 2009. Festival highlights will include screenings of new films by Todd Solondz and Harmony Korine and Precious, the film adaptation of Sapphire's novel Push.

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8. Village Halloween Parade

The Village Halloween Parade is the nation's largest public Halloween celebration and a New York institution. It's crazy, crowded, and chaotic. And it's one of those things you have to experience live at least once. Grab a costume and join 32 marching bands, giant puppets, and more than 35,000 costumed revelers. Or just line up on 6th Avenue between Spring and 21st St. to watch the fun.

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9. The New York Comedy Festival

The New York Comedy Festival is a week-long celebration of stand-up comedy. From November 5-9, some of the biggest names in the business (Dane Cook, Tracy Morgan, Bill Maher, Ricky Gervais, Andy Samberg, and others) will be headlining at venues including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Town Hall, and Madison Square Garden.

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10. The New York City Marathon

The ING New York City Marathon is one of the world's great road races, drawing more than 85,000 applicants. Five bridges, five boroughs, and more than two million spectators make the ING New York City Marathon a race like no other. Cheer on world-class professional athletes as they run for more than $500,000 in prize money, while millions of New Yorkers cheer them on.

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11. New York City Elections

Get out and vote this fall and have a say in who will run New York City over the next few years. Cast your vote for New York City Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council.

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