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15 awesome things to do in NYC this weekend

Written by
Jennifer Picht
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Fri 16

Chinese New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival Sara D. Roosevelt Park; 11am; free
Unfriendly ghosts should steer clear of Sara D. Roosevelt Park on February 16 when the Better Chinatown Society lights 600,000 firecrackers to welcome the Year of the Dog and ward off evil spirits. In addition to the pyrotechnics, there will be lion dances and decorations giveaways, plus craft vendors and food booths where you can get your fill of traditional delicacies. It’s said that the more dumplings you eat at the celebration, the more money you’ll make in the year ahead. Grand St at Forsyth St.

Little Cinema: Romeo + Juliet House of Yes; 6:30pm; $30
Two households, both alike in dignity, come to tear the roof off at House of Yes for a bananas immersive viewing of Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 pop spectacle, starring the angelic youths Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio. Witness live ballet and aerial performances synced to the film, and get down at an after-party inspired by the legendary soundtrack.

Everybody, Everybody: An ’80s and ’90s Party C’mon Everybody; 11am; $5
For the best monthly dose of Prince, Mariah Carey, Nirvana and TLC, look no further than to Bed-Stuy's C'Mon Everybody. DJs Sean McMahill and Mike Magnus throw down with a killer mix of crowd-pleasers and iconic gems at this beloved neighborhood bash.

Let Me Break You Up: An Anti-Dating Gameshow UCBEast; midnight; $9
At this long-running exhibit of single persons’ vengeance at UCB, the unbeatable, unpredictable Carly Ann Filbin invites real couples to her own cheeky version of The Newlywed Game to see if their relationship is actually up to snuff. The couple with the fewest points has to break up. Good luck, and let the meltdowns commence!

Nore Davis Union Hall; 8pm; $8–$10
With an easy stage presence, Davis wheels out personal stories about family and relationships while making larger points about identity, race, politics and sex. At this special show, he records his album Stay Woke.

Wye Oak + William Brittelle Symphony Space; 8pm; $25–$100
Show up for an evening of expansive sounds spanning classical, electronic and rock music at this genre-melding show. Baltimore indie duo Wye Oak teams up with Metropolis Ensemble and Brooklyn-based composer William Brittelle to present orchestral versions of songs from its 2014 effort, Shriek. Also on the program is the world premiere of Brittelle's song cycle, Spiritual America, performed by Wye Oak, Metropolis Ensemble and Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

Sat 17

Flushing Lunar New Year Parade at various locations; 11am; free
This annual jaunt travels through Queens’ Chinatown, which rivals Manhattan’s in population, and whose Lunar New Year parade is actually three years older than the similar event in that other borough. The parade kicks off with an opening reception at Historic St. George's Church (9:30–10:30am), during which you can warm up with hot coffee, load up on baked goods and then head to the parade at Union Street and 37th Avenue.

A Night of Poetry with Caroline Rothstein Public Arts; 8pm; $15-$20
Slam poet and eating-disorder-recovery advocate Caroline Rothstein's works have been featured in The New Yorker, Mic, NYLON and Newsweek. She takes the stage for an evening of impassioned verse.

The ’70s Soul Jam Valentine’s Day Concert Beacon Theatre; 3pm; $49–$79
Ready for a little heart and soul? Take your date to this 70’s night comprising musical performances by R&B/soul stars The Stylistics, The Emotions, Bloodstone, Peaches and Herb and The Blue Notes.

Lunar New Year at Brookfield Place; 2pm; free
Ring in the year of the Dog at Brookfield Place in partnership with the New York Chinese Culture Center. Get ready for energetic dance and music performances, as well as demonstrations of Chinese customs such as a martial arts demo and theatrical players in full traditional makeup-up and regalia. Guests of all ages should show up early: there will be a dynamic, colorful Lion Parade led by lion dances throughout the space before the show begins.

A Conversation with Janeane Garofalo Peoples Improv Theater; 4pm; $20
The defiant, definitive queen of the alt-comedy scene gets her due at this podcast recording, at which comic Mark Malkoff interviews her about her epic film and stand-up career—including Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, The Larry Sanders Show, Wet Hot American Summer and beyond.

New York Night Train’s Soul Clap & Dance Off Elsewhere; 10:30pm; $10
Mr. Jonathan Toubin brings his rock & roll party machine to Elsewhere for a night of twisting and shaking. Expect to hear rare soul spun on 45s and save your best moves for the dance-off judged by local celebrities.

Sun 18

Tenth Intervention’s Silent House: Planet Earth with Live Score Videology; 6:45pm; $20
Kick back a couple cocktails and marvel at nature's splendor (and serious ruthlessness) at this screening of Planet Earth II: Deserts. Live score comes courtesy of Tenth Intervention, an NYC collective of composers, musicians, visual artists, choreographers and dancers.

“Real People. Real Lives. Women Immigrants of New York” Queens Museum; 11am; suggested admission $8
This nonprofit artist collaboration shares the stories of 16 young immigrant women through photographs taken in iconic NYC locations, and through testimonials about their experiences of coming to the United States and creating a life in the city.

The Last Laugh Peoples Improv Theater; 8pm; $8
For a night of killer laughs from a great variety of acts, look no further than the PIT's weekly getdown, hosted by Gianmarco Soresi and Jay Schmidt. Past guests have included Aparna Nancherla, Christian Finnegan, Jena Friedman and more.

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