There is a lot to celebrate this week! This week in New York City there are tons of ways to celebrate Lunar New Year,  President’s Day, Black History Month and, there are even some weekend Valentine’s Day events. Here are our Untapped picks:

Friday, February 15th

Dropped the ball and didn’t plan anything special for Valentine’s Day? Don’t worry! There are Valentine’s Day events going on all weekend long, like Nitehawk Cinema’s Love is Love Film Series and Foreplay at the House of Yes. Check out our picks here!

Saturday, February 16th

Celebrate President’s Day weekend at Fraunces Tavern, one of New York City’s oldest buildings. In honor of George Washington’s Birthday, admission throughout the entire weekend will only cost $1. Inside, guests can check out the George Washington Portrait Gallery and look at a pieces of his hair and a tooth! There will also be free guided tours every hour from 1:00PM to 3:00PM.

Head back to the classroom at the New York Historical Society’s Back in Class: History of Black Citizenship event. In this hands-on class, participants will take an interactive tour of the museum’s exhibition Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow and then head into the classroom to examine the topics explored. Participants will work together and with the instructor to “analyze historical images, documents, and artifacts that illustrate how African Americans advocated for their rights in the struggle for full citizenship and racial equality.”

Sunday, February 17th

Honor the Chinese New Year at Flushing Town Hall’s Chinese New Year Temple Bazaar. Enjoy performance, art making, lantern making and food with the whole family. You can even add your mark to the Red Envelope Show. Tickets are $5 and the event will be offered at two time slots.

Watch the Lunar New Year Parade as it winds its way from Mott and Canal Streets in Chinatown to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. There will be amazing visuals, delicious treats, and mesmerizing cultural performances to usher in the Year of the Pig. The parade starts at 1:00p.m.

Keep the Lunar New Year festivities going and celebrate the fusion of Chinese and Jewish cultures at the Museum at Eldridge Street’s lantern decorating workshop. In conjunction with the lunar New Year parade, the Museum will offer free admission from noon and until 5PM. With help from Think!Chinatown, kids and adults will get to adorn lanterns and red door decorations with Chinese calligraphy, paint, stencils, stamps and brushwork. The lanterns will be hung in a temporary installation at the bamboo garden at 5 Essex Street.

Be the tasting judge or submit your dish at the Mac and Cheeze Takedown 2019. Home chefs from all over New York City will whip up their best mac and cheese and guests get to sample each and vote on the winner. Prizes are giving out to the winning dishes!

Uncover New York City’s presidential history on a special, free, President’s Day guided walking tour presented by the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership. Participants will learn about how presidents including James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Grover Cleveland, among others, took part in influencing the neighborhood’s rich history. Professional historian Miriam Berman will lead the tour which includes stops at historic sites such as the former locations of the old Fifth Avenue Hotel, the Hoffman House, and Stanford White’s Madison Square Garden, venues presidents routinely used for dinner parties, political gatherings, and meetings. Meet at the tip of the Flatiron Building, on 23rd Street just east of 5th Avenue (rain or shine) at 11 am.

Tuesday, February 19th

Hear from the author of Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation, at a Brooklyn Historical Society book talk. Author and long-time senior editor at The Washington Post, Steve Luxenberg examines the social upheaval that gave rise to Plessy and looks at those who supported the ruling and championed its dissent in his book.

Wednesday, February 20th

Check out a new art installation from the Public Art Fund, Bridge Over Tree at Brooklyn Bridge Park. This giant outdoor work by Siah Armajani mixes the ideas of art and architecture to create an amazing structure. The bridge was originally displayed in Minneapolis in the 1970s and will be on view in New York City until September 2019.

Thursday, February 21st

Talk a walk on the wild side of film at the 6th Annual New York Wild Film Festival. This festival features films about  exploration, conservation, adventure and wildlife and serves as a platform to “create excitement, identify critical issues, build partnerships, and reach audiences that care about exploring, discovering and protecting our planet.” Films will be screened at the Paley Center and the Explorers Club.

Check out all Untapped Cities upcoming public tours and Insider events!