Best Things To Do In NY This Weekend: Dec. 2 & 3
By Jessica Allen
Our picks for the best in eating, drinking, and merrymaking in NYC this weekend have you got you covered, whether you're fully entrenched in the holiday spirit or looking to hide until December 26.
Home for the Holidays
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd St.
New York, NY 10019
(877) 250-2929
holidaysonbroadway.com
Every family has its own traditions, sure, but many folks feel that the holidays wouldn't be the holidays without carols. Broadway's Home for the Holidays features performances by superstars from American Idol, The Voice, and other television shows, backed by a brass and rhythm band, and belting out favorites like "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Audience participation is pretty much guaranteed. Now through Saturday, December 30, see schedule for details and ticket info, $59.50 and up.
African International Film Festival
Various venues
New York, NY
(212) 864-1760
nyadiff.org
Since its founding, the African Diaspora International Film Festival has sought to present [an array of innovative] films to diverse audiences, redesign the Black cinema experience, and strengthen the role of African and African descent directors in contemporary world cinema," featuring movies by "emerging and established filmmakers of color." No matter what you see, you'll leave the theater exhilarated by the possibilities movies today. Now through Sunday, December 10, see schedule for details, tickets required.
Nutcracker Rouge
383 Troutman St.
Brooklyn, NY 11237
(866) 811-4111
companyxiv.com/nutcracker-rouge
Prepare to get a little flushed at the sexy, racy Nutcracker Rouge. Part burlesque, part theatrical performance, this event ensures that the holiday season isn't just about the kiddies and the family. It's produced and performed by Company XIV, who ensures that the bones of the story remain recognizable while updating the tale for adults. Saturday, December 2, through Sunday, January 14, see schedule for details and ticket information, leave the youngsters at home.
Cranksgiving
Bed-Stuy Restoration Corporation's West Plaza
1368 Fulton St.
Brooklyn, NY 11216
www.facebook.com
Billing itself as "a food drive on two wheels," Cranksgiving is "part bike ride, part food drive, and part scavenger hunt." Participants pedal between grocery stores, buying various predetermined items that will be donated to the Bowery Mission, post-event. (There's also an afterparty.) Fifteen Citi Bikes will be available for free, on a first-come, first-served basis, just in case you don't have your own wheels. Saturday, December 2, 1 to 6 pm, RSVP via Facebook.
Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl
Bar None
98 Third Ave.
New York, NY 10003
(888) 998-6609
pubcrawls.com
When did ugly sweaters become a thing? Contemplate this and other holiday-related tidbits at the seventh annual Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl. Beginning at Bar None and taking place throughout the East Village, this event lets you proudly don your worst knits, display your most mothball-infested snowballs, and walk around in a sweater you wouldn't be caught dead in otherwise. "Show no shame," say the organizers. Saturday, December 2, 2 to 7 pm, $13.95, tickets required.
