This Super-Sized Edition of Our Weekly Events Calendar Lists its Featured Activities Sequentially,

From September 22 to October 16. Coming Soon: Happenings from Halloween to New Year’s Eve…

Chelsea Love Collective Hosts Community Board Game Night: Free; Tuesday, September 22, 6:30-8:30pm at Chelsea Green Park (140 W. 20th St. btw. 6th & 7th Aves.) | Chelsea Love Collective (CLC)—a new neighborhood initiative we recently featured here, invites you to its official kickoff, in the form of Community Board Game Night. The in-person event is custom-made for their mission: “Make it easier for neighbors to meet, build friendships, and participate in the life of their neighborhood.” Founded by members of Friends of Chelsea Green (hence, the kickoff event’s location), CLC’s four founding pillars are: Community Events, Community Outreach, Local Businesses, and Neighborhood Clubs. That last one has already had its soft launch and will be welcoming others to join or create a Club—meant to serve as a way to “connect with neighbors who share your interests.” Already formed are Clubs for meditation and photography—with pending Clubs devoted to bowling, wine, and trivia. For more info—and to form a Club of your own—click here. 

Friday, September 25: Dolly Parton Appreciation Day | It’s great to see power being used by an elected official for something more constructive than threatening the Kennedy Center. For example: Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal has declared 9/25 (aka “9-to-5”) as Dolly Parton Appreciation Day in the Borough of Manhattan. An official Proclamation issued earlier this month noted the honor serves to recognize her “distinctive voice and spirit” as well as her “timeless contributions to music, culture, and humanity.” Mulling over how best to celebrate Appreciation Day? The top three ways, according to our unofficial poll: Dress expensively to look cheap; binge Dolly’s music and movies; and record your own cover of Jolene (everybody else has!).

Thursday, September 24 & October 1 | West Side Street Clean Up: Volunteers Needed  | NYS Assemblymember Tony Simone invites you to join his office in a hands-on neighborhood beautification effort. Disposable latex gloves and trash bags will be provided, alongside a limited number of gloves and brooms. On Sept. 24, 10am to 12pm, volunteers will work from W. 20th to W. 30th Streets, along 8th Ave.). On Oct. 1, 10am to 12pm. W. 40th to W. 50th Streets along 9th Ave. get your TLC. To sign up, click here. Questions? Concerns? Call 212-807-7900 or email mcmahonm@nyassembly.gov for any questions or concerns.

September 28: Coffee at the Curb/ 10am-12pm in front of 360 W. 22nd Street / The 300 West 21st, 22nd, & 23rd Streets Block Association invites you to meet your neighbors while enjoying free coffee and homemade baked goods.

Tuesday, September 29 & Thursday, October 22: Free Paper Shredding | Once shredded, you won’t recognize the bank statements, tax documents, and medical records you showed up with—neither will identity thieves. On Tues., Sept 29, 9am-12pm next to 400 W. 43rd St. btw. 9th & 10th Aves. On Thurs., Oct. 22, 9am-12pm at Penn South, on W. 26th St. btw. 8th & 9th Aves. Events presented by NYS Senator Erik Bottcher, co-sponsored by MBP Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Council Member Carl Wilson, & Assemblymember Tony Simone. Questions? Call 212-633-8052, 

Cocktails and Community: Tuesday, September 29, 5-6pm at the Keller Student Center at Vanderbilt University–New York City (entrance at 440 W. 21st St. btw. 9th & 10th Ave.) | With an inaugural class of undergrads having set foot in Chelsea late last month, Vanderbilt University’s NYC satellite campus is up and running—and after having spent all of 2026 making the necessary capital improvements, their mode of public outreach has undergone its own adjustment. Gone is the early morning series of Coffee & Construction, which welcomed locals onto the work-in-progress campus grounds to engage with the project management team.

Now, the new series Cocktails and Community announces itself as “a casual gathering designed to bring Chelsea Square residents and area neighbors together with Vanderbilt University–New York City [VUNYC] faculty and staff.” VUNYC reps on hand will skewer more toward the people and programs that are part of campus life. The September gathering will feature members of the Student Life team. One constant remains: As in the “Coffee” days of old, your event facilitator is the amiable and informed James Kellerhouse (assistant vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and executive director of operations and engagement for Vanderbilt University–New York). To register for the Sept. 29 event, Click Here.

Wednesday, September 30: The 10th Precinct Community Council | 7pm at the 10th Precinct; 230 W. 20th St. btw. 7th & 8th Aves.  | Council President Larry O’Neill moderates a Q&A, where members of the public can question top Precinct leadership about crime and quality of life matters.

Saturday, October 3: The 34th Annual London Terrace Street Fair | 10am to 5pm on West 24th St.. btw. 9th & 10th Aves. | Chelsea’s official entry into autumn sees an entire crosstown block flanked by vendor tables brimming with high-quality clothes, art, jewelry, collectibles, and more. Also on hand are area clubs, organizations, and elected officials. “The energy is always positive, and virtually everyone finds something to buy at a reasonable price to commemorate a wonderful day,” and where you can find “one-of-a-kind collectibles,” says event organizer Inge Ivchenko, president of the London Terrace Tenants Association, who adds, “There will also be food and beverages to refresh yourself. Don’t be a stranger, and stop on by—all are welcome. There will be love and warmth, no matter what the temperature is that day. We hope to see you there!” For more information, email lttastreetfair@gmail.com. Visit www.facebook.com/london.streetfair.

Sunday, October 4: The Longest Table | 12pm to 2pm on the 400 Block of West 21st St. btw. 9th & 10th Aves. | Hard to believe it’s the half-decade mark for this annual event that’s been successfully reproduced dozens of times the world over. Created as a way for post-pandemic Chelsea to strengthen existing relationships and make new friends, the perfect–and perfectly simple—premise lines tables down the length of West 21st Street’s 400 block, fills them with folks and food, and lets the breaking of bread work its enduring magic. To participate, volunteer, or get more info, click here.

Sunday, October 4: Fourth Annual Blessing of the Animals for the Feast of St. Francis  | Sunday, October 4, 11:30pm in the courtyard of St. Peter’s Chelsea |346 W. 20th St. btw. 8th & 9th Aves.| Furry, feathery, scaly, or stuffed—all are welcome! Stick around after the service and have a pet portrait taken by a professional. The suggested donation is $20, with all proceeds going toward St. Peter’s 1831 Rectory Renovation.

Wednesday, October 7: Full Board Meeting of Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) / On the Agenda of this monthly gathering: MCB4 votes on letters generated from committees; members of the public get uninterrupted time to speak; reports from MCB4’s Chair and District Manager, along with elected officials or their reps. Attend In-person, on Zoom, or via livestream on YouTube, where all MCB4 meetings are instantly archived and always accessible. For more info, click here.

Through Friday, October 9: Applications Accepted for the West Side Community Fund’s Fall 2026 Grant Cycle | Founded in 2018, the West Side Community Fund (WSCF) is a consortium of companies based on Manhattan’s west side. Twice yearly, their grant program provides much-needed funding to worthy initiatives serving those in Chelsea, Hudson Yards, or Hell’s Kitchen (“particularly under-resourced, long-time residents”). To date, WSCF has distributed over $1,650,000 to local community health centers, block and tenants’ associations, non-profits, schools, youth leadership programs, neighborhood news groups, food pantries, social services for seniors, arts programs, and others. Their latest funding opportunity—accepting applications through October 9—follows WSCF’s Spring 2026 distribution of grants for programs serving LGBTQIA+ populations.(Full Disclosure: LGBTQCommunityNews.nyc—this very website’s sister publication—was among the recipients.) Click here to find out everything you need to know about what it takes to qualify as an applicant—and click here to apply for a Fall 2026 WSCF grant. Questions? Send an email to jlisbon@hudsonguild.org.

Friday, October 16: NewFest Presents the U.S. premiere of Gays Against Guns (a documentary) | 6:45pm at the SVA Theater (333 W. 23rd St. btw. 8th/9th Aves.) | Founded following the Pulse nightclub massacre of 2016, Gays Against Guns (GAG) has spent the past decade on the frontlines of “America’s gun violence epidemic” through a series of very public, highly theatrical protest actions that convey  the grooup’s deeply felt grief, outrage, and resolve. Paul Rowley, an Irish immigrant, directs this collection of activist actions and personal reflections—including some sharp observations by filmmaker John Waters, whose cutting humor pairs well with GAG’s hardwired self-awareness. To watch the trailer, click here. The October 16 screening will be followed by a Q&A. For tickets, click here.

Free Events in Chelsea Green Park (140 W. 20th St. btw. 6th & 7th Aves.) | Ongoing and one-shot programming, presented by Friends of Chelsea Green, fills the West 20th St. public park with free events you can move and groove to. Every Tuesday at 6:30pm, Chi Kung is a movement class taught by Chelsea’s own Laura Shaprio. Please RSVP Here. Choreographer and Wellness Movement specialist Shapiro will guide you through a gentle movement practice designed to restore energy, improve balance, and bring calm to body and mind. 

Free Outdoor Events in Bella Abzug Park (524 W. 34th St. btw. 10th & 11th Aves.) | Brought to you by the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance (HYHK), there’s something for every age and inclination among the free events. Through October, instructors from Bien Good Well lead yoga classes at 5pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, as well as mat pilates, Saturdays at 10:30am. To register, click here. On select Thursdays and Saturdays, Vinyl Nights is a DJ dance party that gets you moving to the grooves that defined NYC in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.  For the kids, Mike Messer Music offers acoustic concerts on Tuesday mornings. Click here to visit the HYHK Event Calendar, where you’ll find info on all of their free programming. 

—-Listings Compiled by Scott Stiffler

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