Who's ready for Maaaarch maaaaddness (just general revelry, not the sport thing, to clarify).
Spring sprung a little early here in NYC, or we will pretend it has until it like randomly snows 6 inches next week.
For now, we're going to take advantage of the warm weather with plenty of outdoor activities, festivals, and parties!
Seriously, it seems like this month is the month for conventions. Cat convention. Brunch convention. Dessert convention. Wait, we're not gonna spoil our own sh*t.
But, we should mention this innovative transformation of your stuffy AF classical music experience with this month's first-ever Symphonic Storyboards.
Yup. March 21st & 22nd at Jazz at Lincoln Center, you'll get to catch some of your favorite (read: even if you can't name your favorite, you're likely to recognize these pieces once they hit your ears) classical masterpieces set to the creation of dynamic projections and short films.
They chose the winners from a pool of over 130 filmmakers from 30 countries, and narrowed down three to showcase their work during the two Richard Wagner overtures of the show. You can check out the trailers.
Besides Wagner (Tannhauser Overture and The Flying Dutchman Overture), arrangements include excerpts from Aida, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Nabucco, and Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi, and Scheherezade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Verdi's work will be accompanied by a chorus, while Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherezade will come to life in a film by Daniel Brodie, who has worked with Kanye West.
Get your tickets for Symphonic Storyboards right here. Oh, and make sure you use the code "SPOILED30" at checkout and you can take 30% off your tickets!
As for the rest of the month? Read on.
1. Whiskey Walk (March 4th)
If you're too cool for your typical bar crawl– grab your Bukowski collection of choice and probably a bottle of water, whiskey walk responsibly, y'all!
[anad]
From 12:00 p.m. until 3 p.m., you'll get 8 premium Irish Whiskey tastes at 8 classic NYC bars– with a portion of all sales going to a local charity. Can't beat that.
2. "A Day Without A Woman" (March 8th)
The follow up to the Women's March has been announced for International Women's Day; a similarly peaceful demonstration of how women of all backgrounds play an enormous role in the economy, despite the wage gap, lower job security, and like random harassment pretty much all the time.
It's kinda depresso that this is even still a conversation, isn't it?
From their website, where you can also read more about their Principles of Unity, this is how anyone, anywhere can join "A Day Without a Woman:"
1. Women take the day off, from paid and unpaid labor
2. Avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses).
3. Wear RED in solidarity with A Day Without A Woman
3. NVR Sleep (March 8th)
Hip-hop producer and spoiled Media Creative Director, Rodney Hazard—along with The Culture LP—turned things up last month Kinfolk 90 in Williamsburg for the 1-Year Anniversary of NVR Sleep.
It was dope.
This month? THIS MONTH?! Oh, man. It's going to be stupid. This month it's time to turn up for Across the Pond featuring the FML-HOW-AMAZING-IS-THIS-SH*T? talents of Nasty Nigel, Jamaal Fisher, and other special guests.
As always, this bumpin' party in Williamsburg is $Free.99—so RSVP right here. Revel in sheer sickness (like, the good kind—the "My Boss Has Stupid Allergies That Are Kind of Gross, But Kind of funny Because I Can't Catch Anything" kind of way), dope vibes and sounds, and the delicious tastes of Old Blue Last.
Seeee youuu theeeerrrre!
4. Cat Camp (March 11th, 12th)
Because NYC always gotta be so extra, we've gone a couple steps up from Cat Cafes with this two day cat convention– need we say more?
The Metropolitan Pavilion will be filled with hundreds of cat lovers celebrating all things cats, including several adoption events, engaging talks from celebrity cats, and more!
5. NYC Food Truck Fest (March 12th)
What did we do before the food truck craze? Who knows.
12 of NYC's best gourmet food trucks are rolling up to Grand Bazaar NYC, and will be serving up Lobster Rolls, Grilled Cheese, Crepes, Chili, Mac & Cheese, and more delectable eats. We think we might fast 24 hours beforehand in preparation.
6. NY Cocktail Expo (March 12th)
General admission for this amazing excuse to drink a bunch of liquor (lol be safe, fam) includes one cocktail from each exhibitor, small food bites, and access to some dope giveaways and prizes.
There will be sweet, fizzy, bubbly, bold, spicy, and even more imaginative cocktail tastings from some of the top bars in Queens.
7. Holi in the City (March 11th, 18th)
Start figuring out which of your white clothes you'd be okay with ruining (let's be real, time to go shopping!), for "New York's Most Colorful Day Party." Who doesn't love pelting color pellets at all their closest friends (why is this a thing, tbh, but it's FUN)?
Because lol NYC, this is probably the most luxe Holi party you'll ever attend, which we didn't even realize could be a thing. There will be photographers and videographers capturing the action, and of course, the colors are organic.
Stage 48, where the party is going down, can hold 3000 people on their 4 floors– each of which have multiple bars, so you'll never have to wait too long to refill your drink.
8. St. Patrick's Day Parade (March 17th)
The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade is TRADITION. A tradition that ruins your mid-day commute with traffic blocks and fills the 6 train with green vomit! Well, you know what they say: if you can't beat 'em, inhale a pint of Guinness and start making mistakes!
The parade route is along 5th Avenue between 44th Street and 79th Street, 11:00am - 5:00pm.
9. Coffee & Tea Festival (March 18th, 19th)
If coffee and tea lovers can get along, can't everyone?
This two day celebration of everyone's fave hot beverages will include seminars from industry pros, sweet and savory bites, and of course, tastings.
With over 75 exhibitors peddling their finest coffees and teas, you will have to drag our over-caffeinated bodies from the Brooklyn Expo Center. If there is a way to get drunk on herbal tea, we WILL find it.
10. Symphonic Storyboards (March 21st & 22nd)
Symphonic Storyboards is a completely unique, immersive musical experience –one that blurs the lines separating a traditional concert experience from a film festival — that you have four different opportunities to catch this Spring.
March 21st & 22nd you can catch classical symphonic masterpieces fused with dramatic light projections, and winning short films from the world's first orchestral film competition. They'll be setting up shop at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
The idea is essentially making the film for the score; creating the visual around the musical which is pretty dope in theory, but probably amazing in person, so get your tickets— but make sure you use the code "SPOILED30" at checkout so you can take 30% off ze tickets!
11. BrunchCon (March 26th)
Samples from 50-plus brunch spots, and an open bar of mimosas and Bloody Marys? We. Literally. Can't. Even.
This epic con goes down at Grand Prospect Hall in South Slope. There will also be speed dating and a “hangover lounge,” which is a dark room full of hair-of-the-dog cocktails and greasy food. Sounds like heaven.
12. Dessert Goals (March 25th)
If you missed NYC's first ever Dessert Fest last October, don't make the same mistake again. Tickets went stupidly fast, and we bet the last of them are getting snatched up this very second.
For access to 20 of NYC's most drool-worthy, 'Grammable treats? We would go full Hunger Games for one of the golden tickets too.
[anad2]
These guys also know our priorities, which start and end with our 'gram game. They'll be setting up a photo garden specifically for Instagram and will offer dessert photo styling workshops so you can rack up the likes.
13. The Macy's Flower Show (March 26th)
It may seem like Spring has already sprung, but everyone knows it's not spring in NYC before the flowers bloom. Of course, NYC isn't exactly known for its nature– we're talking about the Macy's Flower Show, which runs until April 9th.
The flagship store annually decorates itself with elaborate floral arrangements; this year's theme is "Carnival."
[Feature Image Courtesy TimeOut NY]