10 Off-The-Beaten-Path NYC Winter Events

Although NYC winter tourist spots like the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting ceremony and Dyker Heights Christmas lights are iconic, maybe you’re not a huge fan of crowds. Or maybe you simply prefer a journey off the beaten path. In either case, these 10 NYC winter events you likely won’t hear about elsewhere offer an elevated, unusual journey through the city that never sleeps.

Tingle Bells

At ARTECHOUSE

439 W 15th St, New York, NY 10011

Runs through January 5, 2025

In this immersive experience that takes cues from the calming, skin-tingling YouTube and TikTok sensation of ASMR, you’ll hear soothing sounds and absorb hypnotizing visuals. Each Tingle Bells session lasts an hour, and afterward, you can visit an extended-reality bar to keep the magic going.

Swing by The Travel Agency’s  Union Square dispensary beforehand, then head two stops west on the L train. Enjoy your newly purchased vape as you walk two blocks to ARTECHOUSE — you’ll ascend right as you arrive.

Luna Luna

At The Shed

545 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001

Runs through January 5, 2025

For a limited time, The Shed is reviving Luna Luna, an open-air museum, carnival, and amusement park that ran for three months in Hamburg, Germany in 1987. With visuals by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, not to mention music by Philip Glass, you’ve never experienced a ride quite like this.

B.K. Art Winter Fest

At Fertile Ground Studio in The Box Factory

1519 Decatur St, Ridgewood, NY 11385

December 19-22, 2024

Mere stops across the border of Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood in Ridgewood, Queens, the B.K. Art Winter Fest offers four days of visual arts and live music from rising local talents. There’s also a paint-and-sip drink ticket option if you love to express yourself when you’re loosened up. Enjoy an edible before heading over to experience the performances, take in all the art, and embark on your painting adventure from a heightened perspective.

Mariah Carey’s Black Irish Holiday Bar

At The Virgin Hotel

1227 Broadway, New York, NY 10001

Runs through December 29, 2024

On the campier side of things, an all-time great diva is the honoree of a pop-up near Herald Square in celebration of her iconic Christmas single turning 30. Visit Mariah Carey’s Black Irish Holiday Bar for holiday-themed cocktails, photo ops galore, and abundant holiday cheer. Swing by for brunch to make the most of your 90-minute ticket, or just enjoy a cocktail and try to pick out all the references to the Songbird Supreme.

Frosty’s Christmas Bar

At 220 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036

November 29-December 30, 2024

Another Christmas spirit pop-up in the heart of Manhattan, this limited-run Christmas bar offers a direct portal to holiday paradise from the moment you enter. Get lost in the ornaments descending delicately from the ceiling at Frosty’s, or stroll through a winter wonderland of snow-colored decorations and lights. Add a beverage enhancer — available at the Travel Agency’s Fifth Avenue dispensary location nearby — to your favorite hot tea beforehand to arrive in high fashion.

New York City Gay Men’s Chorus Presents: Spirits Bright

At Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

566 LaGuardia Pl, New York, NY 10012

December 13-14, 2024

Across three concerts in two days, the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus will perform uplifting numbers full of winter cheer. Spirits Bright will include renditions of Broadway and holiday songs, as well as Whitney Houston, Sister Sledge, and Earth, Wind, & Fire classics.

Visit The Travel Agency — Union Square before the show to spark a path to ascension. Our budtenders will help you find strains with energizing terpenes such as limonene to elevate your spirits on the under-15-minute walk to the Skirball Center.

New York Winter Bazaar

At 4210 2nd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

December 22, 2024, 2-8 pm

Shop and dine in chilly comfort at the one-day-only New York Winter Bazaar in Sunset Park. Let the live music flow into your ears as you peruse all the small vendors and delightful food options.

Looking to go in with an appetite so you can fully experience all the comfort snacks and artisanal holiday treats? Make a stop at The Travel Agency’s Downtown Brooklyn dispensary location as you head to the Bazaar — both spots are right off the R train.

Win Son Bakery Pop-Up

At Vallata

47 E 19th St, New York, NY 10003

Runs through December 2024

Not looking to dip into Brooklyn this winter? You can still enjoy one of East Williamsburg’s most beloved culinary experiences just a few blocks north of The Travel Agency’s Union Square dispensary. Win Son, a Taiwanese bakery and restaurant, is hosting a pop-up out of Vallata at East 19th Street and Park Ave. Savor every moment as you indulge in the scallion pancakes.

STARSCAPE

At Genesis House New York

40A 10th Ave, New York, NY 10014

Runs through January 12, 2025

The auto brand Genesis has collaborated with the esteemed production designer and creative director Ethan Tobman for the STARSCAPE experience that evokes Dongji, a Korean winter solstice celebration. Step inside and sink into the celestial glow of 590 glowing lights and passing views of New York City’s and Seoul’s skylines. Become one with the stars while ascending in this multisensory installation. May we suggest pairing this moment with a Beboe Anytime huckleberry gummy?

Lev x The Hancock Inside

At 247 Hancock St, Brooklyn, NY 11216

December 19, 2024, 7:30-10:30 pm

Lev has earned itself a reputation as the hardest-to-access of all the New York food pop-ups. This winter, though, tickets are readily available for Lev x The Hancock Inside, a worthwhile one-night event for experiencing what Lev describes as “site-specific cooking.” Watch the seasonal meats and veggies get prepared right where you’re standing, and be prepared for flavors that offer a one-way boarding pass to paradise.

Let The Travel Agency walk you through a winter wonderland

Whether you’re more drawn to New York’s holiday-themed pop-ups or its wintertime art installations, The Travel Agency can help you make the most of it all. Visit us in person for hands-on assistance finding a window seat on your flight to bliss. Or, browse our online menu for pickup or delivery if you’re already couch-locked from previous adventures. And once you’re back on your feet, get out there and experience everything this restless city has to offer this winter.