Date and venue: January 23-25 at the Palladium Times Square and the New York Westin at Times Square

Join some of Broadway’s biggest stars at the annual Broadway Con, happening January 23-25 this year. Two venues will host panels, discussions, and more from Broadway actors and creatives. You can also expect some performances and sneak peeks at upcoming shows, plus a new event, the BroadwayCon Drag Ball, with proceeds benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

There will also be a special 30th anniversary celebration of Rent, which will reunite most of the film's cast, including Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel, and more. Visit the BroadwayCon website for the full schedule of events.

Date and venue: Now through March 1 at Bryant Park

An NYC winter must-do is a visit to the Bryant Park Winter Village. Ice skate with free admission (skate and locker rental fees apply), glide on the ice in bumper cars, and hit up the Lodge, with drinks and bites available to complete your cold-weather outing. Just a short walk from the Theatre District, it’s the perfect place to hang out before or after a show.

Date and venue: Sundays through February 22 at Ellen’s Stardust Diner

Mamma mia, here we go again — to brunch! The famous Ellen’s Stardust Diner, featuring singing waitstaff, is kicking off a ticketed brunch event inspired by the hit musical. With themed dishes liked “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Chicken + Waffles” and “Chiquitita Chilaquilies,” you can turn your day into a Mamma Mia! celebration by seeing the show at the Winter Garden Theatre next door afterward. Tickets to the brunch are available online, and tickets to Mamma Mia! on Broadway are available right here.

Get Mamma Mia! tickets now.

Date and venue: Now through 2028 at MoMA PS1

For the first time, all visitors, not just New Yorkers, can go to the MoMA PS1 for free. Just a short 7 train ride from Times Square, the Queens art museum, an offshoot of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Midtown, highlights rotating exhibits throughout the year.

Date and venue: January 7 to 25 at various venues

For over 20 years, the Under the Radar Festival has showcased groundbreaking theatrical work in New York City from around the world. This year, the festival will host more than 25 productions in Off-Broadway venues across the city, from one-person shows to live musical performances. Discover the full lineup.

Date and venue: January 25 at Stella 34 Trattoria & Bar

Calling all Gleeks! Expect fabulous queens dressed as some of your favorite characters, plus performances of some of the most well-known hits from the show. With so many Glee stars on Broadway right now, turn it into a full-on McKinley High weekend with tickets to one of their shows. Drag brunch tickets are available online.

• See Lea Michele in Chess on Broadway.
• See Darren Criss in Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway.
• See Alex Newell in Chicago on Broadway.
• See Kevin McHale in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee off Broadway.
• See Jonathan Groff in Just in Time on Broadway.

Date and venue: For a limited time at Oyamel

José Andrés, celebrity chef and founder of One World Kitchen, is kicking off the year with a special dish honoring Cuba and the Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club. The Chan Chan Taco, available for a limited time at his Hudson Yards restaurant, Oyamel, is named after the famous song from the Buena Vista Social Club album.

The taco is inspired by ropa vieja, a Cuban slow-braised beef dish, and also features arroz con habichuelas and a creamy plantain crema. It’s part of a greater taco series Andrés is launching throughout the year, so keep your eye out for new menu items.

Get Buena Vista Social Club tickets now.

Date and venue: For a limited time at The Red Stache

Put your spelling to the test with the newest cocktail at The Red Stache, a Hell’s Kitchen cocktail bar. To order the drink, you have to spell “onomatopoeia” — but we’re hoping they’ll accept our best tries! Green tea-infused tequila with apple, lemon, and honey come together in this cocktail, which is topped with a handful of colorful letter sprinkles.

Located just a short walk from the bar is New World Stages, where you can watch, or even participate in, the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee once you’re done practicing your spelling.

Get The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee tickets now.

Date and venue: January 20 to February 12 at various restaurants

If you enjoy a pre- or post-show meal almost as much as the show itself, then NYC Restaurant Week is for you. Hundreds of New York City restaurants take part in this event, offering special two- to three-course lunches and dinners for all-inclusive (and usually cheaper-than-usual!) prices. Dozens of Theatre District restaurants are included, with everything from upscale fine dining to quick, casual bites. Visit the Restaurant Week website to make reservations and view participating eateries.

Date and venue: Now through February 12 at various hotels

NYC Hotel Week offers visitors special prices at a variety of spots across the city, including many Theatre District hotels. Participating hotels offer 25% off, with popular chains like Hilton, Hyatt, Hampton Inn, and more included, as well as boutique hotels. Visit the Hotel Week website for a full list of participating hotels.

Date and venue: January 20 to February 12 at attractions throughout the city

Yet another way to save in New York this January is taking advantage of Must-See Week, which includes museums, attractions, classes, and other ticketed activities across the city at 2-for-1 prices. Have a movie or TV buff in your group? Check out On Location Tours, which will show you famous filming spots. Want to take in a bird’s-eye view of the city? The Top of the Rock and the Edge at Hudson Yards observation decks are included. See the full list of attractions on the Must-See Week website.

Date and venue: Now through March 2026 in Central Park

A slightly cheaper alternative to the Rockefeller ice rink, Central Park’s iconic Wollman Rink, lets you escape the concrete for a bit and skate amid nature. It's open daily through March, and it’s encouraged to book tickets in advance online as it can get busy during popular times. Once you’re on the ice, however, you can skate for as long as you’d like.

Date and venue: Now through March 29 at SoHo Playhouse

Celebrating performances from Fringe festivals across the world, Soho Playhouse’s International Fringe Encore Series brings some of the best, most thought-provoking, and hilarious Fringe Festival performances to NYC through March. Explore dozens of plays, comedic sets, live music, and more. See the full lineup at the SoHo Playhouse website, and check out a few shows below with tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

Get Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World tickets now.

Get Dreamscape tickets now.

Date and venue: January 24 at The Cutting Room

Calling all dancing queens to this special one-night ABBA concert! Backed by a live orchestra, Broadway performers will take to the stage at Midtown’s The Cutting Room to sing some of ABBA’s greatest hits. In the past, actors from shows like Hamilton, Wicked, Six, and more have performed, as well as finalists from The Voice and American Idol. Grab tickets online, and turn it into a full ABBA day with tickets to Mamma Mia! on Broadway while you’re at it.

Get Mamma Mia! tickets now.

Date and venue: January 31 at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library

The Venn diagram of theatre lovers and bookworms is probably close to a circle, so you might enjoy the Winter Reading Festival happening at the New York Public Library in Midtown. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, located across from the NYPL's flagship building near Bryant Park, will host an evening reading festival, packed with live music, arts and crafts, writing workshops, and plenty of quiet spaces to do some reading, of course.

Want to continue the book-themed fun? Go 20 blocks uptown and check out The Bookstore, a play about a bookseller and her found family in New York City, described as “a love letter to small bookstores and the bibliophiles who make them a home.”

Get The Bookstore tickets now.

Date and venue: Now through February 1 at Park Avenue Armory

Every year, The Winter Show gathers art, design, and antique fans in New York City to see fabulous works from creators all across the world. Over 70 dealers will gather at the Park Avenue Armory to showcase paintings, furniture, jewelry, ceramics, and more, open to the public with a ticket purchase. There are also panels and discussions you can attend with a ticket. Get tickets and see a full list of exhibitors and programs online.

Date and venue: Now through January 28 at Lincoln Center

The Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center are partnering together for the 35th annual New York Jewish Film Festival, which celebrates the Jewish experience portrayed through movies, short films, and documentaries. You can get tickets to over 30 films, including special stateside premieres of international films or movies from as early as the 1930s. Visit the New York Jewish Film Festival website for the full lineup and tickets.

Date and venue: January 31 at Javits Center; February 2-3 at Javits Center and Madison Square Garden

Surround yourself with some adorable four-legged friends at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Celebrating 150 years, the show is an esteemed event that any animal lover can appreciate. It all kicks off with a Canine Celebration at the Javits Center on January 31, which includes the Masters Agility Preliminaries, plus the flyball demonstration ring events. On February 2 and 3, both the Javits Center and Madison Square Garden will hold events for various groups.

A full schedule and tickets are available online.

Date and venue: Opening January 15 in Times Square

Times Square is getting a new attraction that will make visitors feel like they’re starring on an actual live game show. Aptly named Great Big Game Show, it puts your group into two teams to face off against each other through various games and challenges, and a live host will bring the entire experience together.

The same venue also houses an escape room called The Escape Game, so you can take the entire day to play your way through this new attraction space. Great Big Game Show tickets and Escape Game tickets are available online.

Date and venue: Nightly at 11 p.m. following Broadway shows

This unique late-night crawl kicks off the minute you leave your Broadway theatre, where you’ll be met by a fabulous drag queen as your guide. The 2-hour private tour meanders through Hell’s Kitchen and is filled with surprises at every turn, including live performances.

Broadway After Dark: The Curtain Call Crawl promises Broadway stories and “insider tea” in addition to cocktails and plenty of glam. Tickets start at $69 per person, and you must book as a group.