A review of data and statistics reveals July to be the hottest and wettest month of the year and here in New York, July seems determined to live up to its reputation. Still, it’s a great time to be in New York because there’s a lot going to that will get your mind off the heat and the humidity.

The Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks (start time approx. 9pm) are the keystone Fourth of July event. You can catch a great viewing spot along the FDR (which is shut to vehicular traffic starting at 7pm), South Street Seaport or Liberty State Park.

Other evenings in July needn’t pale by comparison. Check out the July features for the Bryant Park Summer 2008 Movie Schedule:

• July 7: The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) — An acerbic radio commentator drops in one night for dinner and stays all winter. Written by the Epstein brothers (who penned the crackling dialogue in Casablanca), the cast of this farce includes Bette Davis, Anne Sheridan and Jimmy Durante.
• July 14: Fail-Safe (1964) — As the stalwart President, Henry Fonda faces a dilemma: due to computer error, a U.S. bomber is en route to Moscow to drop an atomic bomb. This tense cold war drama, directed by Sidney Lumet, also features Walter Matthau and Larry Hagman.
• July 21: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) — The great screwball comedy, directed by Frank Capra, stars Cary Grant as a strait-laced young man who comes to the realization that his sweet old aunts have a nasty hobby. Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre lend hilarious support as two befuddled baddies.
• July 28: The Apartment (1960) — In Billy Wilder’s cynical-but-sweet romantic comedy, Jack Lemmon tries to get ahead by loaning out his apartment to the bosses for a little “ring-a-ding-ding”. That is, until the place is used to entertain the woman of his affections, played adorably by Shirley MacLaine.

The park lawn opens at 5:00pm for blankets and picnicking and the films begin at dusk (typically between 8pm and 9pm).

Of course, July also means Restaurant Week Summer 2008 (which I mentioned as part of the Summer Fun Series). But July is a great food month overall in Gotham. To get you started on your mid-year culinary quest across the city, Ed Levine (of Serious Eats) compiled a list of 10 things you must eat this summer. Of course that list, which appeared in the Daily News, is just a small sample of the great stuff you can find on Serious Eats New York, where all the best food sites are trawled for the best tips and pointers. Also found in The Daily News was a quick hits guide to the best street food in New York. When did the Daily News become one of my ‘go to’ food places. I’m not complaining, mind you. Just feeling pleasantly confused

If you want to take a more hands on approach to food this month, why not check out the Whole Foods Market Bowery Culinary Center. Lots of classes, lectures and author appearance. You can sharpen up your knife skills, take a master class in chocolate or take a culinary trip around the world all in one evening.

Whatever your plans are - don’t forget that New York in July is only hot and humid but hoppin’ and happenin’ as well!