From astrophysics to Alicia Keys, the best the world has to offer in music, art, literature and science can be found in NYC. And it’s always a good day for free ice cream!

Citywide
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day
Who can resist free ice cream? See site for scoop shop locations and enjoy!
Tuesday, April 9

Midtown West
Hot Chip
Electro-poppers Hot Chip keep everyone on their feet with hits old and new (with the Crystal Ark and Tanlines).
April 9, 8:00PM
Roseland Ballroom, 239 West 52nd Street
Tickets: $39-55

Alicia Keys
Fresh from a Barclays Center performance, the pop star delivers songs from her new album, “Girl on Fire” at stadium scale.
April 11, 7:30PM
Madison Square Garden, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza
Tickets: $49.50-125.00

Midtown East
Claes Oldenburg exhibition at MoMA
Audacious and witty depictions of everyday objects have earned Claes Oldenburg a reputation as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. This exhibition examines the beginnings of his career with an in-depth look at his first two major bodies of work: The Street (1960) and The Store (1961–64).
April 14-August 5; see site for hours and information
MoMA, 11 West 53rd Street

Upper West Side
Discussion: Conservation, Wilderness and the American Dream
Tom Brokaw moderates this panel discussion among experts in science, conservation, humanities and democratic principles to illuminate the 21st century implications for an American identity forged in an intimate relationship to our natural history.
April 9, 6:45 PM
American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street
$15

Williamsburg
Marnie Stern
The New York Times-endorsed, Pitchfork-approved vocalist/guitarist may have struggled to get noticed among the Strokes/Yeah Yeah Yeahs explosion in the Lower East Side and Brooklyn, but she’s earned her stripes.
April 11, 8PM
Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 North Sixth Street, Brooklyn
Tickets: $12/$14

Williamsburg/DUMBO
Williamsburg/DUMBO Flea and Smorgasburg: Now Open!
The outdoor flea market where you can sample some of the city’s finest culinary delights while catching up with your friends is now open for the season.
Saturdays, East River State Park at North 7th Street; 10AM-5PM
Sundays (Smorgasburg) Tobacco Warehouse, 30 Water Street; 11AM-6PM

TriBeCa
Learning in Space at apexart
Columbia University astrophysicist Frits Paerels will use the photographs currently on view in the gallery to discuss the importance of these images and how to interpret them.
April 13, 2PM
apexart, 291 Church Street
Free, open to all ages

SoHo
Downtown Literary Festival
McNally Jackson and Housing Works Bookstore Cafe are collaborating on the inaugural Downtown Literary Festival, a day-long celebration of the literary culture of New York City, to be followed by a happy hour mingle at Housing Works Bookstore and an after-party at Pravda featuring Russian literature–themed cocktails. Because literary types need a festival, too!
April 14, 10AM-5PM
See site for locations and events