NYC Winter 2024 Happenings Guide

 

 

New York City offers a wealth of activities for those who relish winter weather, starting with the Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year’s Day Plunge. The season’s a great opportunity to ice-skate at Rockefeller Center, try curling at the Winter Village at Bryant Park, and take advantage of the lack of crowds at the Bronx Zoo. Prefer to stay toasty indoors? Not a problem. From January 16 through February 4, you can get two-for-one theater tickets courtesy of NYC Broadway Week, and of course, there are myriad museums to explore. Below are winter highlights for lovers of frosty temps and well-heated spaces alike.

 

1. GOOD GRIEF SCREENING AND CONVERSATION WITH DAN LEVY

January 8 | Kaufmann Concert Hall, 92nd Street Y

Dan Levy is following up the success of Schitt’s Creek with his debut feature film, Good Grief, which he wrote, directed, and stars in. Following a screening of the movie, he’ll speak with Josh Horowitz for a live recording of the latter’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, discussing the story behind the film, the production process, and much more.

 

2. WINTER JAZZFEST

January 10-18 | Various sites

This festival is a literal A to Z of jazz, with artists ranging from pianist/vocalist Alexis Lombre to saxophonist/flutist Zoh Amba. Vernon Reid, the Jazz Passengers, and artist-in-residence Shabaka are among the dozens of other performers. Shows include “My Words Are Music: A Celebration of Sun Ra’s Poetry” on January 16 and a fundraiser tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto on January 17.

 

3. THE CONNECTOR

January 12-February 18 | The Robert Wilson MCC Theater Space

This chamber musical about ambitious journalists at a famed magazine makes its world premiere with this production starring Tony and Emmy nominees Scott Bakula, Hannah Cruz, and Ben Levi Ross. Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, who wrote the music and lyrics, will lead the band at every performance.

 

4. AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

February 27-June 16 | Circle in the Square Theater

With Succession’s Jeremy Strong, The White Lotus’s Michael Imperioli, and The Haunting of Hill House’s Victoria Pedretti headlining, this new production of Henrik Ibsen’s play about the repercussions of whistleblowing is sure to be one of the season’s hottest tickets. The fact that it’s running for only 16 weeks will only add to the demand.

 

5. LEMPICKA

From March 19 | Longacre Theatre

Tamara de Lempicka’s distinctive Art Deco and abstract artworks are collected by Madonna and Barbra Streisand, among others. This pop-infused musical starring Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinos aims to make the artist well-known to non-collectors as well. It explores her artistry and her event-packed life, which included escaping post-revolution Russia and Nazi-occupied Europe.

 1. COAL + ICE

February 13-August 11 | Asia Society Museum

More than 50 photographers and video artists provide visual testimony to the causes and effects of climate change. In addition to imagery of melting glaciers, coal mines and miners, and natural disasters, the exhibition will sponsor a series of related performances, talks, and other events.

 

2. BEATRIX POTTER: DRAWN TO NATURE

February 23-June 9 | The Morgan Library & Museum

Her literary creations had whimsical names such as Timmy Tiptoes and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, but Beatrix Potter’s stories and illustrations were grounded in a rich knowledge of the natural sciences—all the more remarkable given that she grew in Victorian England, when few women studied science. This exhibit uses manuscripts, letters, drawings, and artifacts to reveal just how innovative Potter was.

 

3. THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND TRANSATLANTIC MODERNISM

February 25-July 28 | Metropolitan Museum of Art

This exhibition of more than 160 works not only celebrates how Black artists depicted life in the 1920s through the ’40s but also demonstrates the influence of these artists on their white European counterparts. Charles Alston, William H. Johnson, and Laura Wheeler Waring are a few of the Black artists represented alongside Europeans, including Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, and Pablo Picasso.

 

4. AMERICANS IN PARIS: ARTISTS WORKING IN POSTWAR FRANCE, 1946-1962

March 2-July 20 | Grey Art Museum at New York University

Thanks in part to the GI Bill, many American artists were able to study and work abroad, and for a time they were welcomed with open arms by French schools and ateliers, which needed their money to help rebuild. This show includes works by a number of those Americans, including Ellsworth Kelly, Joan Mitchell, and Haywood “Bill” Rivers.

 

5. WHITNEY BIENNIAL

From March 20 | Whitney Museum of American Art

“Even Better Than the Real Thing” is the theme of this year’s showcase of the best American art of the previous two years. In addition to visual artworks, the exhibition will include films, performances, and a sound series. This year’s participants have not yet been revealed, but given that past artists included Jenny Holzer, Edward Hopper, Willem de Kooning, Georgia O’Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, and Jackson Pollock, among 3,600 others, it’s safe to say that visitors will not be disappointed.

 1. THE 70TH WINTER SHOW

January 19-28 | Park Avenue Armory

Nearly 70 renowned dealers from around the world will be presenting ancient, vintage, and contemporary artworks, furniture, jewelry, and collectibles, with ticket proceeds benefiting the nonprofit East Side House Settlement. Renaissance manuscripts, Bronze Age armor, Chinese porcelain, African carvings, and ukiyo-e prints are among the treasures in store.

 

2. NIHON BUYO IN THE 21ST CENTURY

January 24-26 | Japan Society

Nihon buyo is a dynamic centuries-old Japanese dance form that developed from the kabuki and noh theater traditions. Renowned dancer Hanayagi Motoi and rising star Azuma Tokuyo are among the performers of the program’s two pieces, a comical story set to kabuki music and a retelling of a Japanese folk tale choreographed to Ravel’s Bolero.

 

3. GOOD MEDICINE

February 9 | Perelman Performing Arts Center

Jackie Keliiaa has put together this evening of comedy featuring Native American comedians, including Dallas Goldtooth (Reservation Dogs) and Jana Schmieding (Rutherford Falls). This marks the show’s first East Coast appearance; it already earned rave reviews on the West Coast.

 

4. FLAMENCO FESTIVAL

March 8-17 | New York City Center

Diverse styles of flamenco dancing and music will be on display during this festival. The National Ballet of Spain, Premio Nacional de Danza winner Olga Pericet, and Compañia Manuel Liñán will be among those kicking up their heels on stage.

 

5. DICK & ANGEL: DARE TO DO IT

March 11 | The Town Hall

For fans of Escape to the Chateau, Dick and Angel Strawbridge need no introduction: They’re the Brits whose adventures transforming an abandoned French manor home were documented for TV viewers for six years. Here they share new escapades and show why they’ve built a staunch cult following.

1. NYC RESTAURANT WEEK

January 16-February 4 | Various sites

Hundreds of eateries in all five boroughs will once again be offering specially priced menus, giving you the opportunity to try dishes, cuisines, and restaurants you might never have before considered. The list of participating restaurants will be posted January 9.

 

2. LA CUCINA TOSCANA: A TUSCAN CHEF’S TABLE

January 25 | Eataly Flatiron

Can’t make it to Tuscany anytime soon? This four-course meal will satiate your appetite in the meantime. As you watch the chefs prepare your traditional Tuscan dishes, experts will discuss the culture and cuisine of the region and select the ideal wine pairings.

 

3. CHEF TALK: DENZELL WASHINGTON

February 15 | Six River Terrace

As part of Black History Month, Battery Park City Authority is hosting a free discussion with local chef (and Chopped finalist) Denzell Washington about how he rose through the culinary ranks and his take on the industry and cuisine.

 

4. AMERICAN AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL WINE DESTINATION: CHILE

February 27 | City Winery

Foodies, oenophiles, and armchair travelers alike are certain to love this five-course tasting dinner, limited to 50 guests. Each Chilean dish will be paired with a Chilean wine, enabling you to experience the diverse flavors of the South American nation.

 

5. WHISKEY WALK

March 2 | Various sites

Spend the day enjoying a one-ounce pour of a select Irish whiskey at eight of the city’s most convivial bars. You can also enjoy discounted food and other drinks at the stops throughout the daylong tour. Sláinte!

 

Winter Birding credit: centralparknyc.org, New York Boat Show credit: New York Boat Show Facebook, The Orchid Show: Florals in Fashion credit: nybg.org, 26th Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade & Festival credit: autods.com, Saint Patrick’s Day Parade credit: Kate Lord/New York University

 1. WINTER BIRDING

January 13, January 21 | Central Park

Pigeons aren’t the only birds that remain in the north throughout the winter. This guided tour through Central Park will reveal where you can spot cardinals, blue jays, owls, gulls, and other feathered friends.

 

2. NEW YORK BOAT SHOW

January 24-28 | Jacob K. Javits Center

Even if you aren’t in the market for a boat, there’s plenty of fun to be had at this expo. You can try your hand at paddleboarding or kayaking in the indoor sports pool, practice boating via a simulator, build a toy boat with your little one, and enjoy nibbles, beach games, and beverages at the event’s “beach club.”

 

3. THE ORCHID SHOW: FLORALS IN FASHION

February 17-April 21 | New York Botanical Garden

The 21st edition of NYBG’s annual orchid extravaganza has a sartorial theme, with installations designed by Hillary Taymour and Olivia Cheng, the lead designers of fashion brands Collina Strada and Dauphinette respectively, as well as by acclaimed botanical artist Kristen Alpaugh.

 

4. 26TH CHINATOWN LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE & FESTIVAL

February 25 | Chinatown

The upcoming lunar year—the Year of the Wood Dragon—is expected to be an especially auspicious one. Starting at Mott and Canal Streets and winding toward Sara D. Roosevelt Park, this year’s parade celebrating the new year will likely be at least as festive as previous ones. Expect elaborately garbed dancers, drummers, martial artists, firecrackers, and yes, fanciful costumed dragons.

 

5. SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

March 16 | Fifth Avenue

Did you know that New York’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is the world’s oldest, having originated in 1762? It’s also said to be the world’s largest, with as many as 150,000 people marching and some 2 million coming out to cheer them on. Because Saint Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, the parade will be held the day before, but as usual it will proceed from 44th to 79th Streets.

 

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