Kick off February with a bang by attending the quirky activities New York City has to offer. Here are a few of our favorite events going down soon:

Friday, February 2nd

Head to Bryant Park for its Winter Carnival, which includes winter sports, curling, a brew house, puppet shows, and Silent Disco. The event is free (unless you opt to rent skates for ice skating). The carnival runs until the 4th!

Saturday, February 3rd

The abandoned Ellis Island Hospital complex—once the standard for United States medical care (and later transformed to the FBI headquarters when the island served as a detention center)—has been left to decay for nearly 60 years. Now, Untapped Cities is bringing you behind-the-scenes for a unique exploration of the abandoned facility; on this experience, you’ll visit the contagious disease wards, the autopsy rooms and have exclusive access to places usually closed to the public.

Behind-the-Scenes Hard Hat Tour of the Abandoned Ellis Island Hospital

Take a ride through the living history of the world’s largest rapid transit system (in area) by weaving in and out of the past and present transit hubs of lower Manhattan. This unique tour is designed to give a comprehensive history of the NYC Subway system, from its groundbreaking in 1901 up through the creation of the three different proprietary lines which were unified into the system we know today. We’ll uncover information and learn about spaces even the most seasoned commuter might not know about. Using the 6 train as our own ten-car time machine, we will ride through and see three abandoned ghost stations that 4, 5, and 6 riders unknowingly pass through everyday. This tour will stop in stations that are all open to the public.

Underground Tour of the NYC Subway

Sunday, February 4th

The Original NYC Talent Show is back this year, featuring performance art, music, comedy and much more. The event is free and open to the public.

B.B. King Blues Club will host the world-famous Harlem Gospel Choir for a Gospel Brunch five times in the month of February (February 4, 10, 11. 18, 25th). The choir was founded in 1986 by Allen Bailey, after he attended a celebration in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Cotton Club in Harlem.

Monday, February 5th

The “Oh, That’s Lit” Gallery Walk is taking place in Chelsea, featuring 6 galleries and a free printed photo.

Tuesday, February 6th

Our friends at the Museum of the City of New York are celebrating Black History Month with a slew of events, beginning on February 6 with “Black Is Beautiful”: Fashion and Consciousness, a talk between documentary photographer Kwame Brathwaite, his son Kwame S. Brathwaite, historian Tanisha Ford and designer Mimi Plange.

Wednesday, February 7th

Panelists are coming together for Prison Narratives: Stories from the Inside, a discussion about how storytelling through various means can shed light on the experience of incarceration.

Put your creativity to the test with a virtual reality painting session taking place in Brooklyn. The room will be your canvas!

Thursday, February 8th

A showcase of poets and writers is taking place at Secret Loft, our favorite — now, not-so-secret — venue. 

See all upcoming Untapped Cities Behind the Scenes Tours.