It’s hard to believe, but we’ve already made it through the first month of the new year. If you’re looking for the perfect way to beat those mid-winter blues, you’ll be glad to know that February is packed full of awesome events that will convince you to stop hibernating in your apartment and hit the town.
From Fashion Week parties and Mardi Gras ragers, to art events, discussion panels, musical performances, Lunar New Year’s celebrations and more, there’s all sorts of fun things to do in the city this February.
Check out our guide to some of the best things going down in New York City this month.
1. Bob Marley Tribute Party (Saturday, February 3)
If you love the rhythm and rhyme of reggae music, you might want to clear your schedule for the first Saturday in February.
B.B. King is hosting a Bob Marley Birthday Tribute that sure to be amazing. The underground reggae group, CCB, will be honoring the musical legend by jamming out to some of Bob Marley’s greatest hits.
There will be two performances, one at 4 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m., and tickets start at $12. The event will take place at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill located at 237 West 42nd Street.
2. Black is Beautiful: Fashion and Consciousness (Tuesday, February 6)
For a dose of culture, head over to the Museum of the City of New York for an intriguing discussion that explores fashion and photography as cultural and political tools. The event will highlight the work of Kwame Brathwaite, a renowned documentary photographer of the Black Arts and Culture movement.
Speakers including Kwame Brathwaite, his son Kwame S. Brathwaite, historian Tanisha Ford and designer Mimi Plange will be discussing Brathwaite’s “Black Is Beautiful” photo series. Brathwaite’s natural images played a role in bringing the Afro-centric vision of female beauty into the spotlight of American media during the 1950’s and ‘60s.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and tickets start at $15. The Museum of the City of New York is located at 5th Avenue and 103rd Street.
3. Our Bodies, Online (Tuesday, February 7)
Tune into a discussion on feminism this month, by listening to the “Our Bodies” lecture sponsored by the Aperture Foundation, the Photography Program at Parsons School of Design.
As part of the Confounding Expectations lecture series, the conversation will highlight “how women wield images of their bodies online as a tool of power and/or as sexual objectification, exploring the question of who is allowed to use their body in this way.”
Panelists will include Aria Dean, Johanna Fateman, Ann Hirsch, Amanda Hunt, and André D. Singleton and the discussion will be moderated by artist and writer Carmen Winant.The panel will take place from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm at The New School, Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, located at Arnhold Hall 55 West 13th Street.
4. NVR Sleep, Lover’s Edition (Thursday, February 8)
If you’re looking for the perfect pre-Valentine’s Day celebration, mark your calendar for the first #nvrsleep party of 2018. Hosted by multi-faceted artist Rodney Hazard (also spoiled NYC's Creative Director), the Brooklyn-based event will be coming over to Manhattan to throw an epic party that will serve as a music platform and a fun gathering place for creatives.
The event will feature food and drink specials, as well as performances by Rodney Hazard, Anna Collecta, and other special guests. The party starts at 9 p.m. and will take place at The Late Late Bar, located at 159 Houston Street.
5. MoMa PS1 Night at the Museum: Lunar New Year (Friday, February 9)
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with Bubble_T by hitting up Moma PS1 for an unforgettable Night at the Museum. The Bubble_T Night Market will feature live performances, DJ sets, one-night-only installations, and a variety of food vendors that will be serving up all sorts of drinks, snacks, and desserts.
The event will also grant you access to a lineup of exhibitions accompanied by sips and snacks from M.Wells and projections of firework events by Cai Guo-Qiang. Doors open at 8:00 p.m. and general admission tickets cost $15. MoMA PS1 is located at 22-25 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.
6. Lower East Side Girl Club’s Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball (Tuesday, February 13)
If you can’t make it to New Orleans for Fat Tuesday this year, don’t worry. You can still get in on a NOLA-inspired celebration right here in the city by checking out the Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball hosted by The Lower East Side Girls Club’s Angel Alliance Junior Board.
Disguise yourself in a mask and enjoy a night filled with raffles, art, a swing dance performance, and music by DJ SteveTe and Princess Shaw. Proceeds from the ball will go towards the club’s ART + ACTIVISM initiatives as well as collaborations with their New Orleans-based sister program, YAYA.
The event starts at 8 p.m. and will take place at Hotel Chantelle, located at 92 Ludlow Street.
7. Mardi Gras: Brass, Sass and Ass (Tuesday, February 13)
For one of the only Mardi Gras celebrations that involves a parade, check out the sinful celebrations going down at the House of Yes.
The Brooklyn venue will be hosting an epic rager that includes good drinks, lots of dancing, sexy gravity-defying circus acts, and a New Orleans Style brass band performance. Costumes are strongly encouraged and the event is strictly for 21 and over partygoers.
The event begins at 9 p.m. and will take place at the House of Yes, located at 2 Wyckoff Avenue in Brooklyn.
8. Brooklyn Talks: A Tribute to Basquiat (Thursday, February 15)
To celebrate the arrival of One Basquiat at the Brooklyn Museum, contemporary artists and collaborators will gather at to pay homage to the legendary artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The event will feature a discussion of how art shapes the lives of others. Participating speakers such as graffiti artist Cey Adams and photographer Maripol will be reflecting upon pieces in Basquiat’s oeuvre and discussing how his work has inspired their own practices. Tickets start at $20 and include entrance into the museum.
The event will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Brooklyn Museum located at 200 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.
9. City Of The Sun Concert (Friday, February 23 8pm)
If you’re looking for the perfect place to rock out in February, you’ll be glad to know that City of the Sun is playing a show in NYC this month.
After their humble beginning as buskers in New York City, City of the Sun has grown into one of the most popular bands in the indie rock music scene. Tickets prices start at $76 and go up from there.
The concert will take place at 8 p.m. at Brooklyn Steel, located at 319 Frost Street in Brooklyn.
10. Lunar New Year Parade and Festival (Sunday, February 25)
In honor of the Lunar New Year, Chinatown will be celebrating the Year of the Dog by throwing an exuberant event, complete with impressive visuals, tasty treats and awesome performances.
The celebration will include a parade through the streets of Little Italy and Chinatown followed by a street party that promises to offer lots of food vendors and festivities.
The parade starts on the corner of Mott Street and Canal Street at 1 p.m., so grab some firecrackers and get ready to ring in the New Year.
[Feature Image Courtesy Explore Chinatown ]
