Things to Do in NYC: BlacKKKlansman with Spike Lee
As The Metrograph says, “Spike Lee’s been so good for so long that it’s easy to take him for granted.” So they’re giving the groundbreaking director a six-film retrospective from Nov. 30-Dec. 3, with the highlight being a screening of his most recent hit BlacKKKlansman, about a Colorado Spring Police detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan, with an in-person extended introduction by Spike Lee (Dec. 2, 7 p.m.). Another is Summer of Sam on Dec. 5 with a Q&A featuring stars Michael Imperioli and Victor Colicchio. 7 Ludlow St., $15, metrograph.com
Things to Do in NYC: Industry City goes full Christmas
Sunset Park’s Industry City is in the process of winterizing every square inch. There’s warming ramen at its new Japan Village food hall, Christmas in America art exhibit, and this weekend only you can catch a holiday market and crafting fair by Shoppe Object. Workshops include custom silkscreening, beaded jewelry making, wreath making and more crafty holiday fun. Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 220 36th St., Brooklyn, free to attend, workshops from $10, eventbrite.com
Things to Do in NYC: The past and future of photography
This month’s Library After Hours is all about the art of photography — because libraries know we live in a visual world. The New York Public Library’s after-hours party presents Picture This, turning the clock back to the 1840s for a night of art, science and learning, plus crafts, talks, an illustration workshop, an Instagram challenge and more. Nov. 30, $15 priority tickets with entry at 7 p.m., pay what you wish after 8 p.m., Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, 476 Fifth Ave, showclix.com
Things to Do in NYC: An Asylum worth getting locked up in
New York has a new comedy club, and it’s ready for its big debut. Boston’s renowned comedy shop Improv Asylum, which fuses sketch comedy with improvised scenes — think of it as a cross between Whose Line is it Anyway? and Saturday Night Live — landed in Chelsea in early November, but they’re making it official this weekend. Shows are 90 minutes and currently only on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. — no two are alike, since the shows are totally interactive. This Friday, catch celebrity guest Sonja Morgan. 307 W. 26th St., improvasylum.com
Things to Do in NYC: Cats and dogs take over
Our pets change our lives as much as we change theirs, and the annual nationally touring Cat Film Festival (Dec. 1) and Dog Film Festival (Dec. 2) celebrate that special bond with two days of feature films and shorts featuring stories that are clever, heartfelt, real life, animated and more. Lovingly curated by The Radio Pet Lady Network’s Tracie Hotchner, each day features two blocks of films at the SVA Theater — pick one and get ready for the feels. catfilmfestival.com, dogfilmfestival.com
Things to Do in NYC: Be consumed by love
What is the nature of love, and what forms does it take? A new site-specific play Consumption explores the notion as Devin Burnam and Tracy Weller of Mason Holdings theater company take an audience of just 30 through the 90-minute drama. The lives of five disparate couples intertwine across time, space and even realities across several rooms of Brooklyn’s 100-year-old Beverly Social Club. Through Dec. 8, 1016 Beverley Rd., Ditmas Park, $25, mason.holdings
Things to Do in NYC: Christmas comes to Queens
There’s no more action-packed day of free Christmas fun than at Astoria Park in Queens. The sixth annual Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Celebration on the Great Lawn will have free train rides, a giant snow globe you can step inside for photos, balloon art, face painting, candy apples, hot cocoa, coffee and juices from Higher Grounds and music, ending in the all-important tree lighting. Dec. 1, 2-5 p.m., Shore Boulevard between Hell Gate Bridge and the pool, free, centralastoria.nyc
Things to Do in NYC: Ordinary New Yorkers get their own fashion show
Libraries are the free stores of knowledge, but the Brooklyn Public Library wanted to take it a step further with an event celebrating freedom of expression, too. This Saturday, they’ve invited any New Yorker who wants to show what they’ve got to walk the catwalk at the first-ever People’s Ball. Unlike exclusive galas, this red carpet is open to everyone, with professional photographers capturing the action all night; local musicians and DJs will entertain the crowd, plus food and drink specials. Dec. 1, 7 p.m.-midnight, 10 Grand Army Plaza, free, bklynlibrary.org
Things to Do in NYC: Meet Santa in the park
The flowers may not be blooming but the fun hasn’t stopped at the Queens Botanical Garden. The annual Christmas in the Garden celebration kicks off a whole festive month of themed activities with a day of performances by The Rough Dozen Acapella, photos with Santa ($10-$15), free holiday crafts and caroling, all ending in the tree lighting. Dec. 2, noon-5:30 p.m., 43-50 Main St., Queens, queensbotanical.org
Things to Do in NYC: Wreck-It-Ralph pajama party
Watch the adorable sequel to Wreck-It-Ralph at special brunch screening. Alamo Drafthouse is providing the all-you-can-eat cereal bar — you show up in your pajamas ready to watch the movie and work on raising your seasonal sugar tolerance. Dec. 2, 9 a.m., 445 Albee Square W., Brooklyn, drafthouse.com
Things to Do in NYC: Free latkes!
Beginning on the first night of Hannukah, the first 100 customers at Katz’s Delicatessen in DeKalb Market Hall starting at 6 p.m. will get a free latke with their purchase. The food hall will also have live music, dreidel-making, a puppet show, dancing and more family-friendly entertainment this Sunday from 2-5 p.m. Dec. 2-10, City Point, 445 Albee Square W., Brooklyn, katzsdelicatessen.com
Party at Brooklyn’s largest menorah
Christmas doesn’t get to claim all of December. First comes the Jewish holiday of Hannukah, and to celebrate Chabad of Park Slope will once again light Brooklyn’s largest menorah on Grand Army Plaza. The rabbi ascends by cherry-picker to the giant menorah to place a lantern once every eight nights, but you’ll want to be there for the first night (Dec. 2) for live music, free latkes and small gifts for children, plus street vendors and other fun. largestmenorah.com
Things to do in NYC: Ongoing
Go with Mariah
Live the Fantasy at Sony Square NYC’s pop-up gallery dedicated to the Queen of Christmas. The Mariah Carey Experience recreated some of the pop diva’s most famous album covers, from 1997’s Butterfly to her just-released album Caution, plus a Christmas GIF station and merchandise. Nov. 24-Dec. 4, 25 Madison Ave., free, sony.com
Smorgasburg at night
Their outdoor markets may be done for the season, but you’ve got two ways to experience Smorgasburg this winter. Opening Fridays through Dec. 21 is the Smorgasburg x Vice Night Market, with 11 food vendors and DJs at Brooklyn venue Villain (307 Kent St.) and the Smorgasburg Winter Market, opening Nov. 3-4 on weekends through March 2019 inside Atlantic Center with 30 food vendors and 20 Brooklyn Flea vendors at 625 Atlantic Ave. smorgasburg.com
King Kong takes over Broadway
It took five years to bring King Kong the musical from Australia to Broadway, but that impressive 20-foot ape — who is entirely too lifelike thanks to a team of 14 puppeteers — was worth every moment of waiting. Don’t wait to see this show at the Broadway Theatre for the most thrilling night you’ll have at a Broadway show. Open-ended run, 1681 Broadway, $114 and up, kingkongbroadway.com
Celebrate Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday
Did you know Mickey got his big break in New York? After getting his start at the Broadway Theatre in 1928, Walt Disney’s most famous creation is back, this time in the Meatpacking District. The pop-up gallery — what else? — is called Mickey: The True Original and reveals relics from the Disney Vault among original artworks by modern artists both internationally known and local stars. Plenty of Insta-worthy moments, an ice cream booth by Ample Hills and other surprises await. Nov. 8-Feb. 10, 2019, Tues-Sun from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., 60 10th Ave., $38, showclix.com
Beyond the Campbell’s Soup cans
Who is Andy Warhol? The Whitney Museum goes on a vast journey to find out in its major winter exhibit Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, opening Nov. 12. The show peels back his carefully crafted persona, the show looks at how Warhol changed the role of artists in society, including new materials discovered after his death in 1987. Nov. 12-March 31, 2019, 99 Gansevoort St., included with admission: $25 adults, free for kids 18 and under; whitney.org
The Big Apple Circus swings again
New look, new acts, new food — everything is new at the Big Apple Circus, which is under new management for its 41st season. A major makeover aimed to attract millennials has brought a glamorous spiegeltent to the grounds, serving cocktails by Pamela Wiznitzer and pre-show entertainment, while the ring now has some world-famous acts like Desire of Flight in addition to longtime favorites. It’s worth a trip even if you’ve been before. Oct. 27-Jan. 27, 2019, Damrosch Park, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, $29-$80, bigapplecircus.com
