News & Events
Big Apple Greeter Celebrates 30 Years!
Big Apple Greeter is celebrating 30 years of sharing the best of New York City by those who love it most, volunteer Greeters. In the coming year we will be hosting a series of virtual and in person events highlighting the best of NYC.
Big Apple Greeter's July 29th Staten Island Celebration was so much fun!
Follow in our footsteps and explore these great experiences with your friends and family when you visit NYC.
Visit iconic St George Theatre and stay for a FerryHawks baseball game!
The historic St. George Theatre is just a few steps from the Staten Island Ferry. Built in 1929 to rival the grand theaters being built in Manhattan, it has a rich interior design of Spanish and Italian Baroque styles, winding staircases and stained glass chandeliers. Check their website for tours and upcoming concerts.
Stop nearby for a meal at Empire Outlets and enjoy views of the harbor.
Then, attend a baseball game with the Staten Island FerryHawks and enjoy spectacular views from the waterfront stadium during the game. The stadium is a five minute walk from the St. George Theatre and the Staten Island ferry.
There is so much to see and do on Staten Island, not to mention a free ferry boat ride! For more ideas, check out these suggestions from NYC & Company.
June 30th FUNdraiser a New York Yankees success story!
We toured the inside of Yankee Stadium on a day when there was no baseball game. It felt like we got to see "behind the scenes" and almost had the stadium to ourselves. Our tour guide James was amazing! We recommend taking one of the many different tours offered by Yankee Stadium Tours.
Our thanks to the New York Yankees and our generous supporters for making our first 30th Anniversary fundraiser a huge success.
START SPREADING THE NEWS. NYC SHINES AGAIN!
New York City Tourism + Conventions, the official tourism organization for New York City, used the power of razzle-dazzle for two celebrations: Big Apple Greeter’s 30th Anniversary and NYC’s recovery.
On June 16th, their virtual presentation mixed still photos and action videos, along with exuberant music, to capture the energy and dynamism of the city. Alicia Pierro, Executive Director of Big Apple Greeter, welcomed everyone and thanked all those involved in creating this exciting presentation.
New York City Tourism + Conventions Executive Vice-President and Big Apple Greeter Board Member Kelly Curtin spoke of the “amazing things going on in NYC. If you can’t get here before, consider visiting us in 2026, when soccer champions will compete for the World Cup.”
New York City Tourism + Conventions’ Britt Hijkoop, Maria Wilcox, and Rob Beekham spoke in depth about New York City being back in a big way – over 80% of our visitors are expected to return this year!
They covered much ground with many themes, including new attractions opening in the coming year, exciting new hotels and restaurants, and big events, both one-time events, like the World Cup happening in 2026 or those that happen every year, like the Thanksgiving Day parade.
As a fitting end to the presentation, a gleeful man with New York swagger, got up close to the camera and said, “New York City is back baby!”
May 3rd was a milestone birthday for Big Apple Greeter.
We were honored to have Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine join us for party celebrations with volunteers, Board Member Garrett Bowden, Executive Director Alicia Pierro and Director of Programs & Volunteers Gail Morse.
Thanks to you and tens of thousands of other supporters, volunteers, and visitors, the organization that our founder Lynn Brooks envisioned in 1992 is still going strong! Over the last 30 years, Big Apple Greeter welcomed more than 170,000 people to New York City. More than 2,500 volunteer Greeters have taken those visitors to every corner of the five boroughs.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City hard, but today, Big Apple Greeter is spreading the word that New York City is open for business and as great a place to visit as ever. We look forward to welcoming everyone for the next 30 years, letting the world know that the heart of New York City beats as strongly as ever.
Exploring Jackson Heights
Getting ready to meet visitors again, Greeters got to know one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in all five boroughs, with an early May walk hosted by the Queens Tourism Council and its local partners.
Check out a different cuisine on every block and the Queens World Film Festival online in June and July 2021.
Our First Greet Back!
Greeter Bob Gelber welcomed our first visitors since re-opening with a stroll through the West Village, up the High Line, and ending in Hudson Yards.
”I am a firm believer that a day where a stranger is no longer a stranger is the best kind of day. Thank you Bob for a beautiful afternoon, we won’t soon forget your knowledge about and enthusiasm for the city. And most importantly, your kindness.”
– Visitor Christina (with her mother)
As Seen In
Forbes – NYC’s Greatest Secret: Free Tours By Great Local Guides To Visitors – May 2021
AMNY – Big Apple Greeter volunteers to bring back tourism to Chinatown – May 2021