Hunting for things to do in New York City’s art and culture scene this weekend? There are plenty of New Year’s Eve activities alternative to huddling in Times Square or sticking to traditional party festivities. Here’s our top picks of things to do to welcome the New Year. Expect concerts, feasts and more ways to celebrate through January 2, 2016.
1. Bach at Bargemusic’s New Year’s Eve Celebration
Bargemusic, the floating performance-arts space at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, is hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration with a performance of all six of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sonatas for violin on Thursday, December 31, at 7:30 p.m. Performing is Mark Peskanov on violin and Steven Beck on piano. There’s also complimentary apple cider and chocolate. Tickets are $100. Click here for purchase. Click here for details.
The music continues in the New Year through Monday with the "Here and Now Winter Festival" featuring a program of premieres of music for piano, strings, bass trombone, soprano saxophone and alto flute. Concerts will be held on Friday, Saturday and Monday at 8 p.m. on Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets are $35; $30 for seniors; $15 for students. Click here for purchase. Click here for details.
Bargemusic is located at 1 Water Street, Brooklyn NY 11201. www.bargemusic.org.
2. New Year's Feast at the Museum of Food and Drink
The brand new Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) is throwing its first New Year’s Eve Party on Thursday, December 31, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Expect global culinary fare, including a whole Puerto Rican-style lechón asado pig roast by Chef Kelly Jones, Korean gujeolpan, Dutch ollie bollen and Southern black-eyed peas, as well as cocktails by Dave Arnold of the cocktail lab Booker and Dax. At midnight is a champagne toast. Enjoy live flamenco guitar music by Arturo “Espíritu Gitano” Martinez and dance music by DJ Malik Work.
Tickets to MOFAD's New Year's Feast are $175. Space is limited. Click here for tickets.
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The Museum of Food and Drink. Courtesy of MOFAD.
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MOFAD opened in October 2015 with the inaugural of its "exhibition concepts" while it builds toward the opening of the full-fledged museum in 2019 as the first "large-scale food museum with exhibits you can eat." "Flavor: Making it and Faking It" opened on October 28, 2015 and continues through February 28, 2016.
MOFAD is located at 62 Bayard Street, Brooklyn NY 11222. www.mofad.org.
3. Sound Artist Matana Roberts Performs at The Whitney
The Whitney presents a New Year’s Eve performance of cross-disciplinary sound artist, composer and improviser Matana Roberts from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the museum’s Susan and John Hess Family Theater. For her New Year's Eve performance, “red, white and blue(s),” Roberts debuts a score that culminates her time at The Whitney and her compositions inspired by the galleries and site-specific engagements with the New York City art museum. “red, white and blue(s) also draws inspiration from the life and work of Archibald Motley, whose work is the subject of the solo show "Archibald Motley: Jazz Age Modernist." Roberts, who will perform on alto saxophone and electronics, will be joined by her Back Room 12tet. After the concert will be a DJ set by DJ Rupture.
Guests are encouraged to wear festive attire and refreshments will be served. Tickets are required. Admission is $50, $45 for members, students and seniors. Doors open at 9 p.m. and will close at 10:30 p.m.; no late entry. The Whitney Museum of American Art is located at 99 Gansevoort Street New York NY 10014. www.whitney.org.
Click here for event details.
Matana Roberts. Photo by Paula Court. Courtesy of The Whitney.
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4. New Year’s Day "Come Calling" at Merchant’s House Museum
The Merchant’s House Museum in the East Village presents a New Year’s Day celebration reviving an Old New York cherished custom: paying calls to friends and family on New Year’s Day. On Friday, January 1, from 1 to 5 p.m. the custom will spring to live at the Merchant's House Museum with tours of New York City's only preserved 19th-century home, (which is said to be haunted) along with readings from the 1800s detailing traditional New Year’s Day celebrations, punch and confectionary. A holiday raffle drawing takes place at 4:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and $10 for members. The Merchant’s House Museum is located at 29 East 4 Street, New York NY 10003. www.merchantshouse.org.
Click here for tickets and event details.
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The double parlor at the Merchant's House Museum. Photo by Larry Lederman.
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5. Gallery Talk at The Cloisters
Lecturer Mark Cruse will lead a gallery talk exploring the depiction of foreign lands in works of medieval European art at The Cloisters on Saturday, January 2, from noon to 1 p.m. A second talk takes place on the same day from 2 to 3 p.m. Immediately following, a Guided Tour features "Highlights of The Cloisters Collections" from 3 to 4 p.m. Free with museum admission. The collection presents the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Tours depart promptly.
Click here for event details.
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5 Things To Do event columns for New York City and The Hamptons / East End of Long Island are published weekly by Hamptons Art Hub.
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