Hester Street Fair

A century ago, the Lower East Side was lined with peddlers and their push-carts of wares: bolts of lace, stacks of tin cups, buckets of pickles, piles of fresh fruit. Today the Hester Street Fair pays homage to the area's layered history with an open-air market of vendors hawking more modern-day treasures (think handmade jewelry, vintage clothing, and lobster rolls). Spend a sunny Saturday wandering from booth to booth, sampling the diverse foods on offer, and, of course, people-watching. Open Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., end of April through October.