Hear from an author and map designer who has been creating maps of the NYC subway, officially and unofficially, for over forty years!
A new street art hotspot has some unconventional holiday decorations!
From giant menorah lightings to New Year's Day hikes, check out our picks for how to spend the holidays in NYC!
Whether you are into books or Broadway, art or abandoned buildings, there’s an event for you going on this week in New York City. Check out our Untapped picks for things to do this week:
Image courtesy Feast of San Gennaro
This year marks the 92nd annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy. The 11-day festival in honor of the patron saint of Naples will include festivities like a meatball eating contest, live musical performances, the Grand Procession, and so much more. Check out the 10 things not to miss this year! On Friday, at 2:00pm the 21st annual cannoli eating competition, made possible by Caffe Palermo, will take place at the stage on Grand and Mott streets.
Photo courtesy Alice Austen House by Floto + Warner, Clear Comfort, 2015, © Floto + Warner
Tour the landmarked home of 20th century photographer Alice Austen and bring a picnic to enjoy on the grounds. The waterfront home on Staten Island is now recognized as a National, New York State, and LGBTQ Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside, there are historically furnished rooms and galleries of work by Austen and students of educational programs offered by the museum.
If you are or become an Untapped Cities Insider, you can join this docent led tour!
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Catch a unique performance by Keiko Miyamori, the artist-in-residence at the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s E-Waste Warehouse in Brooklyn. Miyamori will put on an hour of site-specific performance art featuring recordings of “primal vocals” from vocalist Ami Yamasaki along with other performers from Japan. This unique movement and sound performance aims to ‘shine light’ on the world of the discarded.
Have some laughs and support a good cause at Lofty Goals: A Backyard Comedy Show. Lofty Goals is a monthly variety show and benefit party that fundraises for organizations pursuing justice for marginalized communities and all people. The event has raised over $7,000 for Brooklyn Bail Fund, Unidos por Puerto Rico, the National Immigration Law Center, the Audre Lorde Project, and more.
Join Untapped Cities for a behind-the-scenes hard hat tour of the abandoned Ellis Island hospital complex. This compound – 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. On this guided exploration, 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
See our full list of Untapped Cities Insiders Tours and our upcoming Public Tours.
Photograph Courtesy of Brooklyn Book Festival
Find your next favorite read at the Brooklyn Book Festival, the largest free literary event in New York City. “Bookend Events” such as poetry readings, discussions and book talks will be taking place everyday between Friday, September 14th through Monday September 17th all over the city. The Festival Day Marketplace will be located at Brooklyn Borough Hall and the surrounding area.
See a production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” on the lawn of the Seguine Mansion on Staten Island. Bring a chair or blanket and a picnic lunch and enjoy the beautiful grounds while watching the talented young performers of the UK-based Castle Theatre Company. Tickets are $10 at the gate.
“The Subway… Ugh: How Did it Get So Bad? Will it Ever Get Better?” Explore these questions and gripes at The Gotham Center for New York City History in a discussion with Joseph B. Raskin, author of The Routes Not Taken, Philip Plotch, who led MTA planning for the 7 Extension to Hudson Yards and the Second Avenue Subway, Jaqi Cohen, campaign coordinator for the Straphangers Campaign, Alon Levy, and Independent transportation researcher and moderator Hayley Richardson of TransitCenter. No RSVP required. Find location details here.
Photograph by Heather Schnell
Hear stories of famous and obscure female killers at Madame Morbid’s “Death Becomes Her.” The line-up for this night of storytelling at Caveat, a Lower East Side speakeasy, will feature female authors, podcasters and an Untapped Cities’ contributor!
If you are or become an Untapped Cities Insider, you can attend this show for free!
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Enjoy a free concert of original music performed by Broadway talent like actress Molly Hager (who appeared in the original Waitress cast) and songwriters Carner & Gregor, as part of the Broadway Buskers Series. The concert starts at 5pm and takes place at Broadway Plaza between 42nd and 43rd Streets within TSQ MKT.
Photograph Courtesy of Coney Island Brewery
Celebrate Freak Week with Coney Island Brewery’s Tap Takeover at the Abbey Tavern. Freak Week marks the return of the brewery’s fall brews like the fan-favorite Super Freak and two brand-new cereal-themed beers for this year, Blueberry Boo-Liner and Count Flocula. All three beers will be available on-tap at the brewery and in select bars and restaurants around the cit. To cap the week, the limited release beers will be available in cans from the brewery at Coney Island Brewery’s annual Freaktoberfest celebration on September 22nd!
Photo via the Javits Center
Did you know that the Javits Center has a 6.75 acre green roof, hiding atop the building? Join Untapped Cities for a private behind-the-scenes tour of the green roof (the second largest of its kind in the United States) where you will meet in house staff and learn about the center’s sustainability initiatives. Guests will also see the three rooftop bee hives that produce the Javits Center’s honey. Enter our ticket lottery below!
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See our full list of Untapped Cities Insiders Tours and our upcoming Public Tours.
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