Things to Do in New York in February: Events for Each Day This Month

By Alison Durkee

February is nearly here—and you’re going to need the extra Leap Day to take in all the city has to offer. Get in from the cold and learn about everything from Company to cuisine with these upcoming February events.

Saturday, February 1. Prick your curiosity with talks on the first vaccine, militias in American thought and politics, and the truth behind the $2 bill as Nerd Nite returns to Littlefield.

Sunday, February 2. Break things down at this event centered around James Joyce’s Ulysses, which will make the novel less intimidating by focusing on some of its brief yet revealing passages. McNally Jackson.

Monday, February 3. Be alive at this special performance and talk featuring Marianne Elliot, director of the upcoming Broadway revival of Company. Guggenheim Museum.

Tuesday, February 4. Stay awake for this sleep-centered talk on why it’s essential, how to improve your sleep, and the phenomenon of dreams. Subject.

Wednesday, February 5. Figure things out at this talk on the marvels at the edges of science and the role of wonder and awe within contemporary science. New York Academy of Sciences.

Thursday, February 6. Fly high with filmmaker Yemane Demissie as he looks at the airplane and “How Four Ethiopians Confronted, Maneuvered and Survived the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935-1941.” NYU (Other).

Friday, February 7. Invest in this walking tour covering the wonders of the Financial District.

Saturday, February 8. Know how the caged bird sings at this book launch of new Maya Angelou biography Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou. Brooklyn Public Library – Central Library.

Sunday, February 9. Make an impression on this tour covering love stories at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which will culminate with a tour of the traditional letterpress studio Woodside Press. Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Monday, February 10. It’s all uphill from this conversation between Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jim Rash about Louis-Dreyfus’s new film Downhill. 92nd Street Y.

Tuesday, February 11. Reflect on George Washington’s vision at this event on how Washington might feel about politics today and what lessons he offers for our way forward. NYU School of Law.

Wednesday, February 12. Get a better perspective on the situation in Hong Kong at this event on the region and what’s at stake for the city’s citizens. China Institute.

Thursday, February 13. Pucker up at this vinegar-centric Valentine’s dinner, which draws inspiration from the 1840s phenomenon of “vinegar valentines.” Museum of Food and Drink.

Friday, February 14. Before you “turn the page” on Valentine’s Day, head to this Library After Hours event celebrating the holiday in the most bookish way possible. New York Public Library – Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Saturday, February 15. Get spooked at this paranormal historical investigation of the haunted Morris-Jumel Mansion. Morris-Jumel Mansion.

Sunday, February 16. Raise a glass to George Washington at this special 19th century-style birthday ball in the founding father’s honor. Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden.

Monday, February 17. Work up an appetite at this evening of storytelling and conversation focused on writings about food and how it provides comfort. Symphony Space.

Tuesday, February 18. Stroll down Fifth Avenue on this tour of the thoroughfare’s lost and forgotten Gilded Age mansions.

Wednesday, February 19. Long for this event exploring nostalgia and its forgotten medical history. Columbia University.

Thursday, February 20. Come play with this concert/lecture preview of a new opera adaptation of The Shining. The National Arts Club.

Friday, February 21. Cast your ballot for this panel discussion on the fight for fair elections and expanding the vote in 2020.

Saturday, February 22. Sketch out a way to attend this lecture on the Frick’s collection of Northern Renaissance works and their making, meaning, and collection. The Frick Collection

Photo by Richard Termine.

Sunday, February 23. Say “szia” to the Budapest Festival Orchestra as they perform an all-Dvořák program. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Monday, February 24. Wrestle with the dilemma facing American Jews at this panel discussion between seven authors and New York Times Book Review editor Gal Beckerman. Temple Emanu-El.

Tuesday, February 25. Dress up for this presentation on dressing Barbie and the history of the iconic doll. Museum at FIT.

Wednesday, February 26. Eat up this talk on American cuisine, its history, and how it reflects our national identity. 92nd Street Y.

Thursday, February 27. It is so ordered that you should attend this talk on the U.S. Supreme Court and its history of injustice. NYU School of Law.

Friday, February 28. You’re programmed to attend this conversation on how computer programmers and their algorithms shape the world we live in. The National Arts Club.

Saturday, February 29. Look back to the future at this HISTORYTalks event that reflects on the past while providing insights for the future, culminating in a conversation with former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Carnegie Hall.

For a printable PDF of this calendar, click here.


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