What to do on Friday in New York City: 50 great ideas

Join a good old-fashioned danceathon

At the Freedom Party, DJs—Marc Smooth, Cosi and Herbert Holler—spin dance music from the ’70s through the present day (everything from classic R&B and house to Afrobeat and dancehall). This is one of the least pretentious, fun wingdings you’ll find on the weekend in Manhattan. Men $20, before 2am $10; women $10, before midnight free.

Sip vino at City Winery

For 48 bones, you can kick off your weekend with a paired tasting at this Soho restaurant, bar and music venue. Tours include your choice of three vinos (made on-site) and crostini covered with chickpea puree, shaved cucumber, baby fennel and toasted cumin-orange vinaigrette, among other toppings. $48. E-mail tours@citywinery.com for reservations.

Sing your favorite musical song en masse at the Duplex

Wanna-be Broadway belters, take note: Inside the city’s oldest cabaret theater, the jaunty Ben Cameron and the vivacious Emily McNamara host this spirited, appropriately titled Mostly Sondheim  open-mike show-tune night, joined by the perpetually puckish Brian Nash at the piano. Two-drink minimum.

Catch a cheap flick at Cobble Hill Cinemas

If you’re looking to watch a new blockbuster or awards-season contender, this five-screen throwback is a nice alternative to those maddening multiplexes. Crowds are noticeably more respectful, and retro touches like prescreening announcements to turn off your pagers and refrain from smoking add to the old-school charm. And best of all? Admission is reduced to seven bones before 5pm on Fridays. 718-596-9113, cobblehilltheatre.com

Catch performances by avant-garde musicians at the Stone

No bar? No advance tickets? No promoters? No phone number? No specific address? This is still a Manhattan music venue, right? John Zorn’s small East Village space is so no-frills that it’s, by necessity, only about the music—hobnobbing, partying and tweeting that the bands are, in fact, “killing it” are not in the cards here. Envelope-pushing acts (think free jazz, experimental classical music, droney guitar work), however, are. thestonenyc.com. $10 unless otherwise noted.

Play video games at Barcade

Serious old-school gamers can revisit Donkey KOng, Punch Out!!, Pac-Man and 35 other classic video games at this cavernous Williamsburg drinkery, which has a daily-changing list of 24 American brews on tap. 25¢ per play.

Head to First Fridays at the Bronx Museum of the Arts

• Free

The Bronx Museum’s free program is perfect for culture hounds looking for an intimate gathering with top-notch performers. Genre-spanning guests have included the Charlie Porter Jazz Quartet, pianist Valerie Capers and hip-hop pioneer DJ Ralph McDaniels. Free.

Explore the city’s literary bars

Booze and books have had a long, well-documented relationship—especially in New York. Nab a stool at Kettle of Fish (59 Christopher St between Seventh Ave South and Waverly Pl; 212-414-2278, kettleoffishnyc.com), where Beat Generation heavyweights Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac tipped back a few in the ’50s and ’60s. Or grab a pint at Old Town Bar (5 E 18th St between Broadway and Park Ave South; 212-529-6732, oldtownbar.com), a favorite watering hole of Frank McCourt and Nick Hornby. For more of the best literary bars in town, check out our roundup.

Pop a quarter into the jukebox at Commonwealth

Prepare to spend at least half an hour scrolling through the selections on this low-key bar’s juke. Many of the curated tracks date back to owner Ray Gish’s days as a bartender at Park Slope’s much-missed Great Lakes; he brought the mix-CDs over when he opened Commonwealth in 2004. Expect to see plenty of indie rock (such as Guided by Voices, Pixies and Pavement), along with Britpop, classic rock and old-school punk. Early birds can guzzle $4 happy-hour brews until 7pm. 718-768-2040, commonwealthbar.com. 25¢ per song.

...or at the Sackett

The topic of conversation along the small wooden bar at this friendly, no-frills pub often revolves around the tunes playing overhead. So choose wisely—not that you can really go wrong; Sackett’s indie-rock selection is solid, hitting Modest Mouse’s raw This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About, Belle and Sebastian, Pavement and the late garage-punk legend Jay Reatard, and is peppered with rock-snob favorites such as Syd Barrett and the Velvets. Three songs $1, seven songs $2, 18 songs $5.