here are your event listings through monday, martin luther king jr. day. scroll down to the ‘all weekend’ section to find events that occur all weekend (some start friday), including the outsider art fair, 1970’s comedies, the valrhona hot chocolate festival/fundraiser, and more.
friday
fri 12-9pm (+ sat 10am-7:30pm): the seventh annual black comic book festival brings together creators, illustrators, writers, and independent publishers for two days of programming and activities including interactive panel discussions,screenings, a cosplay show, a vendor marketplace featuring exclusive titles by black creators, and more. schomburg center for research in black culture (harlem), free admission. >>
fri 6-9pm: long-running lgbtq bollywood-inspired dance party desilicious brings a night of drag, dj sets, and visuals to asia society (ues). a cash bar will be available. free admission. >>
just added: 6pm-midnight: the smorgasburg x vice market returns to villain in williamsburg. tonight, enjoy discounted cocktails and food, courtesy of showtime’s black monday. free admission. >>
fri 6:30pm: writers and black lives matter activists discuss the long history of police brutality, resistance, and reform in nyc, beginning with a talk on historian clarence taylor’s new book, and followed by a panel discussion on the state of the nypd today. the cuny graduate center (midtown east), free. >>
fri 6:30-8:30pm (on view thru 3/30. closed sundays.): pore over some page-turning art at the center for book arts winter exhibitions opening reception for ‘politics of place,’ ‘dignidad,’ and ‘new book art: scholar residents of 2018.’ center for book arts (flatiron), free. >>
fri 7pm (monthly): the kweendom lgbtq comedy and storytelling show comes out again with performances by justin covington (easy), jon wan (asian af), jes tom, gara lonning, and peter donnelly. hosted by bobby hankinson. pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free (donations welcome and will benefit immigration equality). >>
fri 7pm: quartet121, a new nyc-based string quartet dedicated to performing new material, makes its debut with a concert of works by six composers at tenri cultural institute (greenwich village). $10 general, $5 students/seniors. >>
fri 7-10pm (on view thru 2/24): the museum of contemporary african diaspora arts (fort greene) celebrates the origins of streetwear and urban fashion, and its evolution from the 1970s to now, with a new exhibit, styles of resistance: from the corner to the catwalk. opening reception tonight. $8 general, $4 students/seniors. >>
fri 8pm (monthly): female storytellers, stand-ups, improvisers, and character actors perform at the she makes me laugh show. tonight’s lineup: marie faustin, emily winter, subhah agarwal, sandi marx, hallie haas, and big mermaid improv. the pit (flatiron), $11 ($1 of each ticket sold will go to the women’s march alliance). >>
just added: 8pm: repent while you take in a revivalist sideshow by new orleans’ no ring circus. el cortez (east williamsburg), $10. >>
fri 8:30pm (weekly): see what all the brew-ha-ha is all about at the bitches brew comedy show, featuring stand-up by phoebe robinson (2 dope queens), ramy youssef (colbert), katie hannigan (colbert), louis katz (comedy central), and kevin sean, plus music by caitlin cook. hosted by naomi karavani. the back room at halyards (gowanus), free (a tip jar will be passed around). >>
fri 9:30pm doors, 10pm show: at the sh*t arcade show, comedians and the audience play some of the worst video games of all time, while hopefully scoring points and laughs along the way. tonight’s featured players include roy wood jr (the daily show), anthony atamanuik (the president show), katie hannigan (colbert), dillon stevenson (wyatt cenac’s problem areas), joe rumrill (the chris gethard show), and gita jackson (kotaku). hosted by mike drucker. union hall (park slope), $8 adv, $10 dos >>
fri 11pm (monthly): comedians live-riff over a screening of 1982’s grease 2 at tonight’s edition of the ‘movies r dumb’ series. hosted by chris gersbeck. q.e.d. (astoria), $10. >>
saturday
sat 10am: support equality with thousands of others at one of two separate rallies and marches for women, held at foley square and columbus circle. >>
sat 11am-8pm: pokéworks celebrates its bryant park location’s third anniversary with buy one, get one free poké bowls, burritos, and salads all day. >>
sat 12-5pm (monthly): shop 18 local, cruelty-free food + goods vendors at the vegan shop-up pop-up market. pine box rock shop (bushwick), free admission (under 21 must be accompanied by a parent of guardian). >>
sat 7pm: gemma, air waves, and liam benzvi play the park church co-op (greenpoint). $10 adv, $12 dos. >>
sat 7pm doors, 7:30pm show: comedians compete in three rounds of ridiculous competition at the little miss comedy pageant, a beauty pageant parody. hosted by kelsey caine (miss new york usa state finalist) and martin urbano (kimmel). union hall (park slope), $8 adv, $10 dos. >>
sat 7:30pm (monthly): musicians, comedians, comedy musicians and musical comedians take the stage at the odd rock comedy hour, a funny fusion hosted by rob paravonian. tonight’s show features jeff jacobs and james harvey. q.e.d. (astoria), $7 adv with promo code ‘orchvip’ (reg. $10). >>
sat 7:30pm (thru 4/21): lola star’s dreamland roller rink sets up shop at industry city through april. tonight’s party theme: ‘ziggy stardust – david bowie tribute.’ $18-20 includes skate rental. >>
sat 7:30pm doors, 8pm show (monthly): speak american: a comedy show with an accent celebrates everyone that’s come here from a different place. tonight’s one-year anniversary show features maeve higgins, pedro gonzalez, jess salomon, tj, and carolyn busa. hosted by noa osheroff. friends and lovers (crown heights), $7. >>
sponsored: sat 8pm: the usual rejects return with a road house staged reading/parody/drinking game at the chain theater. join us as the bouncer who you just thought would be bigger in the ultimate bar fighting fan event extravaganza! your $15 ticket gets you 2 free beers, a raffle ticket, and access to all the mullets, throat ripping, tai-chi action your soul searching inner peace, plaid-wearing heart could ask for. remember, never underestimate your opponent, take it outside, and always be nice because pain don’t hurt: roadhouse >>
sat 8pm (monthly): see what’s on display on stage at the exhibition, a comedy show set in the public arts space at the public hotel. tonight: jo firestone (comedy central), ramy youssef (colbert), drew anderson (reductress), and comedy folk duo friends who folk. hosted by michael cruz kayne and mary beth barone. happy hour prices until 8:30pm. public arts at public hotel (les), $10 adv with promo code ‘theskint’ (reg. $15). >>
sat 8pm doors, 8:30pm show: her-icane comedy, an all female stand-up show benefiting california wildfire relief, features stand up by aparna nancherla (corporate), jess salomon (ifc), kristen buckels (search party), molly brenner, and amanda hunt. hosted by kate villa (the break with michelle wolf) and jenny gorelick (jenny’s birthday show). mad tropical (bushwick), $10 suggested donation. >>
sat 8pm doors, 9pm show (monthly): mix and mingle with the local artist community at an arts on site performance party. byob or partake of the donation bar. 12 st. marks place (east village), $10 suggested donation. >>
sat 8:30pm doors, 9pm show: underground art party throwers rubulad present ‘the xx factor,’ a party in solidarity with the women’s march featuring live music, djs, projections, feminist karaoke, tarot readings, and more. email rsvp for bushwick address, $10 adv or before 10pm, $15 otherwise. >>
sat midnight: dance to bad gal and queen bee jamz all night at a rihanna x beyoncé dance party. baby’s all right (williamsburg), $5. >>
sunday
sun 8am: cheer on the runners and get inspired at the new york road runners fred lebow half marathon in central park. >>
sun 12pm (monthly): classic album sunday: learn the history behind aretha franklin’s lady soul and i never loved a man the way i love you, and listen to the albums from start to finish on vinyl + super-hi-fi equipment. nowadays (ridgewood), $10 adv, $12 door. >>
sun 1-8pm: planthouse gallery hosts building power, a fundraising exhibition with over 75 artworks priced at $200 and under each, with all proceeds being donated to voices of community activists + leaders (vocal-ny) and the young center for immigrant children’s rights. planthouse gallery (chelsea / midtown west), free admission. >>
sun 2pm (monthly thru 4/28): the schneider concerts season at the new school (union square) continues with maxwell string quartet performing haydn, beethoven, macmillan, and meredith. $18 general, $16 seniors, $5 student standby tickets. >>
sun 2-4pm: whose broth will bowl you over? the brooklyn soup takedown features an array of competitive chefs, and you get to vote on which recipes are best. brooklyn bazaar (greenpoint), $25. >>
sun 7pm doors, 7:30pm show: (weekly): this just in: news-themed alternative comedy show bad news returns with hari kondabolu (the problem with apu), sam morill (comedy central), jes tom (funny or die), maria heinegg (the worst thing), and tony zaret (ucb). hosted by alex ptak, kevin froleiks, and carmen lagala. cherry tree (gowanus), $5. >>
sun 8pm doors, 8:30pm show: bowie-elvis birthday bash: michael t and the vanities + the hound dogs perform blowout tributes to birthday-sharers david bowie and elvis presley. arlene’s grocery (les), $15 adv ($26 for 2), $20 dos. >>
sun 8:30pm: win prizes for your smarts at an adult spelling bee, hosted by comedians kambri crews and liz simons. prizes include items from local queens businesses and cold, hard cash. q.e.d. (astoria), $5 to watch, $10 to compete. >>
all weekend
fri thru 1/20: think outside the box at the outsider art fair, the only fair dedicated to self-taught art. this year’s 27th edition will showcase 67 exhibitors from around the world. metropolitan pavilion (chelsea), $25. >>
fri thru 1/24: internationally top-ranking squash players will compete in a glass-enclosed court housed in grand central terminal for the 22nd annual j.p. morgan tournament of champions. grand central terminal’s vanderbilt hall (midtown east). free standing room, $10+ for seated. >>
fri 1/27: the winter show, an annual art, antiques, and design fair, returns for its 65th year with 70 dealers displaying and selling works dating from ancient times through the present day. park avenue armory (ues), $25 admission includes a 270-page catalogue. >>
fri thru 2/14: film forum presents far-out in the 70s: a new wave of comedy, 1969–1979, a four-week, 53-film festival of comedies of the 1970s, including a tribute to elaine may. highlights through this weekend include animal house, monty python and the holy grail, pink flamingos, and american grafitti. film forum (south village), $15. >>
sat thru 2/3: a dozen bakeries and chocolatiers will sell specialty hot chocolates during the annual valrhona hot chocolate festival and fundraiser, with a portion of sales benefiting food tank organization and la tablée des chefs. >>
monday
mon thru 2/10: take advantage of what the city has to offer for less during nyc winter outing, a bundle of offers including restaurant week ($42 prix-fixe dinners and $26 lunches thru 2/8), broadway week (2-for-1 tickets thru 2/10), and must-see week (2-for-1 tickets to attractions, museums, tours and performing arts thru 2/10). >>
mon thru 2/10: for 20 days, get $20 walk-up tickets to select off-broadway shows when you mention the 20at20 promotion at the box office 20 minutes before curtain time. >>
mon thru 1/26: grammy-winning soprano renée fleming hosts a series of master classes, talks, and recitals with emerging vocalists, performers, and composers for carnegie hall’s songstudio. the inaugural week features composers nico muhly, john musto, paola prestini, and chris thile, singers piotr beczała and dawn upshaw, pianist hartmut höll, and others. resnick education wing at carnegie hall (midtown west), $20. >>
mon various times: 10+ ways to celebrate martin luther king jr. day in nyc: wnyc’s annual event at the apollo theater (sun), the brooklyn academy of music’s annual tribute (mon), a day of service in parks (mon), the activist new york exhibition at the museum of the city of new york (ongoing), and more. >>
mon 6:30pm doors, 7:30pm show: one day before the 46th anniversary of roe v. wade, an eclectic line-up of female performers and female-led bands including banda magda, r.o.t.i., and bria skonberg will perform at phenomenal women, with all proceeds benefiting planned parenthood of new york city. national sawdust (williamsburg), pay-what-you-wish (advance purchase required). >>
mon 7pm: singer and songwriter maggie rogers signs copies of her debut album at rough trade (williamsburg). $15.99. >>
mon 7:30pm doors, 8pm show: 14 comedians and one audience member compete to win the heart of a bachelor through rounds of q+a and with the help of a relationship therapist at first impressions: the live 90s dating game show. tonight’s bachelor: griffin newman (the tick). a 90s dance party follows. chelsea music hall (chelsea), $10. >>
mon 7:30pm doors, 8pm show (weekly): the butterboy comedy show, helmed by aparna nancherla, jo firestone and maeve higgins with dj donwill, returns with standup by ramon rivas (comedy central), subhah agarwal (comedy central), will miles (the chris gethard show), christi chiello (roast battle), rebecca o’neal, and lindsay boling. littlefield (gowanus), $8 adv, $10 dos. >>
mon 8pm (weekly): the savage comedy show includes stand up by ayo edebiri (the rundown), jay jurden (mcsweeney’s), taylor garren (reductress), ronnie fleming, liz hall, and kara lindsay. bonus: chances to win free drinks and local show tickets with email rsvp. fawkner (cobble hill/boerum hill), free. >>
mon 8pm: celebrate the queen of country at happy birthday, dolly! a live tribute to dolly parton. c’mon everybody (bed-stuy), $7 adv, $10 door. >>
mon 9pm (monthly): twins max and nicky weinbach’s vintage basement with max + nicky variety show features performers melissa villaseñor (snl), brett davis (the special without brett davis), myq kaplan (conan), louis katz (fallon), and dan yang (shame). under st. marks theater (east village), $7 adv, $10 door. >>
mon 11pm (weekly): comics do standup, characters, and other weirdness at the dirty laundry comedy show, this week featuring ali levin (funnyordie), drew anderson (reductress), and fab the duo. hosted by jess salomon. ucb hell’s kitchen (hell’s kitchen), free. >>
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