A NYC Festive Frenzy: Rockettes, Nets, Pickleball & More

Hey listeners, welcome to Things to Do in New York City! I’m Oly Bennet, your globe-trotting, wild-sports-loving, fun-fact machine, and today is Monday, November 24, 2025. This morning, New York feels like it stuck its finger in a festive power socket—mid-holiday buzz, twinkling lights everywhere, and that crisp, almost-winter air that’ll wake you up faster than a slapshot to the face. Skyscrapers shine, tourists and locals zip by, and the city looks like it’s auditioning for a Christmas movie with a side of organized chaos. Ready for your Monday game plan? Let’s start with headline events! If you want to kick off the festivities, the Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes is lighting up Radio City Music Hall all day—this is pure NYC holiday magic, high-kicks, and glitter included. Over in Brooklyn, basketball bragging rights are on the line as the Brooklyn Nets take on the New York Knicks tonight at 7:30 PM at Barclays Center. There’s pickleball pandemonium from 8 AM to 10 PM for the paddle crowd—yes, it’s booming—plus the Big Apple Circus dazzling families at Lincoln Center. If you’d rather flex your culture muscles, the Museum of Modern Art is running the “New Photography 2025: Lines of Belonging” exhibit, making your Instagram feed 72% cooler by proximity. For those with tiny roadies, there’s the Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History, featuring thousands of paper critters from around the world. And don’t forget ice skating—the Bryant Park Winter Village is in full swing, complete with holiday shops and that inevitable rookie doing triple accidental axels. In today’s local news, Gotham FC are being celebrated as NWSL soccer champions with a big bash at City Hall. Over in restaurant land, rumor has it Times Square is getting a new beauty pop-up—samples, scents, the works—if you’re into pampering as sport. Transit tip: The subways are running on a regular schedule, but with the city heating up for Thanksgiving, pack extra patience if you’re hopping between boroughs. My must-do picks: For classic Big Apple cheer, catch the Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show—it’s free, it’s flashy, it’s peak-joy level ten. Snap a photo with Santa or try the brand-new cocktails (made with coconut water, no less) at COTE Korean Steakhouse thanks to a special pop-up event. If you want an offbeat adventure, join the free hot cocoa fest and letter-writing to Santa happening on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, with live music and even a sleigh-photo op. Fun fact to tuck in your New Yorker tool belt: There are more languages spoken in NYC—over 800—than anywhere else in the world. You could ask for directions, get coffee, and buy a knockoff bag without repeating yourself all day! Before you dash, here’s a sneak peek at tomorrow: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is ramping up, marching bands will put in one last epic rehearsal, and there’s an apple giveaway at 261 Fifth Avenue—a whopping 15,000 pounds of apples up for grabs! Tune This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.