Things to do in NYC in January 2021 include Three Kings Day, the APAP showcases for booking agents, the Martin Luther King Weekend long weekend, and the antique art fairs and auctions.
COVID-19 Pandemic
The situation on the ground changes constantly. It’s impossible to predict what will or will not be open. Be safe: mask, distance wash and follow Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio.
January weather is peak winter. It’s the coldest month in New York City, but not the snowiest. The first weeks of January in New York City are fairly quiet while people recover from the holidays. Many New Yorkers don’t come back from out of town until after Three Kings Day or Martin Luther King Weekend.
Three Kings Day, the Latin gift-giving day, ends the Christmas season. The Three Kings Day Parade is New York’s first parade of the year.
This is going to be a more meaningful Martin Luther King Weekend long weekend because finally more Americans are having the same dream. “Dream Together” (Yoko Ono, Met Museum, 2020).
Several music and dance festivals produce talent showcases for APAP, the national association of performing arts booking agents. Some showcases are open to the public. They are great. There’s no Winter JazzFest jazz marathon this year, but several other showcases are on. globalFEST is partnering with NPR.
January is one of New York City’s experimental theatre months with Public Theater’s Under the Radar and other theatre festivals.
New York’s first film festival of the year is the New York Jewish Film Festival.
In the art world, January is antique art month with the Winter Show, Master Drawings New York, and some other antique art fairs and art auctions.
Surfs up 🏄🏿♀️ in Rockaway, Queens and Montauk, Long Island.
Things to do in NYC in January 2021 Week 53
December 28, 2020 – January 3, 2021
Friday, January 1
Happy New Year! If you are really looking for something to do today, Bryant Park’s Winter Village is usually open New Year’s Day.
On the seventh and last day of Kwanzaa, the African American holiday tradition, celebrate faith.
Celebrate Haitian Independence Day 🇭🇹 and the only nation in history founded by people who freed themselves.
Celebrate Sudanese Independence Day 🇸🇩 January 1, 1956.
The U.S. Emancipation Proclamation marked the legal end of human slavery in the United States on January 1, 1863.
Remember Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American movie star. She was born in Los Angeles, California on January 1, 1905.
Celebrate the Solemnity of Mary as Mother of God. ⛪️
Sunday, January 3
A union of Cuban Santeros usually releases the Letter of Year annual predictions around this day. Last year’s letter foretold a year of serious health suffering.
The new U.S. Congress is sworn in today.
Things to do in NYC in January 2021 Week 1
January 4-10, 2021
Héctor “Coco” Barez is a Puerto Rican percussionist (Calle 13, Puerto Rican Cultural Institute, NEA, SXSW) who is taking Puerto Rico’s bomba drum, song and dance tradition to the world with his “El Laberinto del Coco” bomba jazz fusion.
Wednesday, January 6
Celebrate Three Kings Day 👑👑👑
Celebrate Eleguá, the Yoruba orisha of the crossroads. 🇳🇬 🇨🇺🇭🇹🇩🇴🇵🇷 🇧🇷
El Museo’s 44th Three Kings Day (Virtual) Celebration 👑👑👑 is on El Museo’s Facebook and YouTube channels at 11am and 6pm.
The Three Kings are sending the Three Queens to Teatro SEA 👑👑👑 to wish all Lower East Side children a good holiday on Teatro SEA’s Facebook at 4pm.
The 17th Under the Radar Festival of new theatre is at the Public Theater through January 17. FREE 🇨🇱 🇳🇬
The U.S. Vice President calls the presidential election today.
Thursday, January 7
The FERUS music festival is at National Sawdust in Williamsburg, Brooklyn from January 7-9, 2021.
Remember Juan Gabriel 🇲🇽, the flamboyant singer who broke barriers in the Latin music market. He was born on Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico on January 7, 1950.
Friday, January 8
The APAP NYC music festival for national booking agents is virtual at apap365.org through Tuesday.
The Joyce Theater’s virtual American Dance Platform is showcasing the 37 companies of the dance festival’s first five years, through January 15.
The Prototype opera theatre festival runs through January 16.
Saturday, January 9
Remember José Alfredo Jiménez 🇲🇽, the ranchera composer who was born in Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico on January 9, 1926.
Things to do in NYC in January 2021 Week 2
January 11-17, 2021
Monday, January 11
Watch Neil Tyson’s “Manhattanhenge” sunrise.
The globalFEST music festival is virtual with NPR Music’s Tiny Desk series at npr.org through Thursday, January 14.
The Chamber Music America National Conference is virtual through Friday, January 15.
The ISPA International Society for the Performing Arts congress is virtual through Friday, January 15.
Celebrate Moroccan Independence Day 🇲🇦 January 11, 1944.
Remember Eugenio María de Hostos 🇵🇷, the Puerto Rican writer, educator and independence activist who was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico on January 11, 1839.
Remember Rafael Cortijo 🇵🇷. The Puerto Rican composer and leader, who put bomba rhythms into popular Latin music, was born in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 11, 1928.
Tuesday, January 12
Watch Neil Tyson’s “Manhattanhenge” sunrise.
Univision announced 2021 Premio Lo Nuestro music awards nominees.
Remember José Limón 🇲🇽 (Limón Dance Company), the New York modern dance pioneer who was born in Culiacán, México on January 12, 1908.
Wednesday, January 13
The Schomburg Center’s 9th Black Comic Book Festival is virtual at nypl.org/blackcomicbookfestival through Saturday. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org through January 26.
A Drama League podcast about directing theatre in these times is available through January 27.
The new moon over New York City is at 9:02 pm.
Thursday, January 14
The Schomburg Center’s 9th Black Comic Book Festival is virtual at nypl.org/blackcomicbookfestival. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Yandel 🇵🇷, one of the godfathers of reggaeton, was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico on January 14, 1977.
Friday, January 15
It’s the Martin Luther King Weekend long weekend through Monday.
The Schomburg Center’s 9th Black Comic Book Festival is virtual at nypl.org/blackcomicbookfestival. FREE
Film at Lincoln Center’s Tribute to Sam Pollard, a film retrospective of work by the renowned Black movie director, is virtual at filmlinc.org through January 22.
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Pitbull 🇨🇺, the Cuban American rapper, was born in Miami, Florida on January 15, 1982.
Saturday, January 16
The Schomburg Center’s virtual 9th Black Comic Book Festival ends at nypl.org/blackcomicbookfestival.
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Wish playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda 🇵🇷 (In the Heights, Freestyle Love Supreme, Hamilton) a happy birthday. The New York Puerto Rican was born in Washington Heights, NYC on January 16, 1980.
Sunday, January 17
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Things to do in NYC in January 2021 Week 3
January 18-24, 2021
In New York City, the third week of January is Antiques Week, a grouping of antique fairs, auctions and events.
This is a very timely street mural in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico by the strong all-female art collective Moriviví. In the best mural tradition, Moriviví delivers a social message, usually without words. The words in this piece say, “Distancing is physical, not social.”
Every child can understand the mural’s message to mask and wash. We especially like the mother who is keeping an eye on things. Good mothering is the most beautiful thing we’ve seen in Puerto Rico. The girl power of Moriviví and Puerto Rico’s many all-female cultural groups is pretty awesome too. colectivomorivivi.com
Monday, January 18
It’s the Martin Luther King Day national holiday. The civil rights leader was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 18, 1921.
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Tuesday, January 19
The Winter Show antiques fair VIP Previews are at thewintershow.org through Thursday. $500+
The 11th Cinema Tropical Awards are announced virtually at cinematropical.com
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Ricardo Arjona 🇬🇹, the pop singer-songwriter, was born in Jocotenango, Guatemala on January 19, 1964.
Wednesday, January 20
It is Inauguration Day. Finally!
We can be proud to be American again. Congratulations President Biden and Vice President Harris. You already changed the world by choosing a diverse team that represents all Americans. And how about national poet Amanda Gorman “a nation that isn’t broken, just unfinished.”
We have made many mistakes and there was already a lot of work to do, but at least we can be proud to be American again. Together, we will rise!
The Winter Show antiques fair VIP Previews are at thewintershow.org. $500+
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Thursday, January 21
OPENING
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org through January 31, 2021. FREE
The Outsider and Vernacular Art auction is at Christie’s in Rockefeller Center at 12 noon.
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Celebrate the Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia 🇩🇴, patron saint of the Dominican Republic 🇩🇴.
New York State celebrates Dominican Heritage Month 🇩🇴 through February 27.
New York’s Dominican Heritage Month starts with the Feast of Nuestra Señora de Altagracia, continues with Dominican Carnival and the birthday of founding father Juan Pablo Duarte, and ends with Dominican Independence Day. Dominicans really do celebrate all month long. We’re Caribbeans. ¡Quisqueya!
Friday, January 22
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair preview is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side art galleries at 12 noon. The fair runs through January 30.
“Identifying Features,” a Sundance award-winning film by Fernanda Valadez, opens in Spanish with English subtitles at filmlinc.org (Film at Lincoln Center). $12
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org. $12
Saturday, January 23
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Happy birthday Franco De Vita 🇻🇪. The pop singer-songwriter, was born in Caracas, Venezuela on January 23, 1954.
Sunday, January 24
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
Remember Maria Tallchief, New York City Ballet’s and America’s first prima ballerina who popularized “The Nutcracker” ballet. She was born in Fairfax, Oklahoma on January 24, 1925.
Remember Arturo Alfonso Schomburg 🇵🇷, the Harlem Renaissance Black arts collector whose collection became the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Library in Harlem. He was born in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 24, 1874.
Things to do in NYC in January 2021 Week 4
January 25-31, 2021
This week’s cover image is from a U.S. postage stamp of Puerto Rican Harlem Renaissance man Arturo Alfonso Schomburg. His world-class collection of Black literature and arts became the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Here’s a shoutout to Gaston County Schools of North Carolina. Students across America are using our writing as reference material and inspiration. Increasingly, Google does too. It’s a dream come true. Thank you!
Monday, January 25
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center is virtual at filmlinc.org
NYC Restaurant Week To Go offers $20.21 lunch or dinner specials to go through January 31.
Major League Soccer announced the 2021 season.
Remember Juan Pablo Duarte 🇩🇴, one of the key founding fathers of the Dominican Republic, who was born in Santo Domingo on January 25, 1813.
Remember Antônio Carlos Jobim 🇧🇷, one of the principle founders of bossa nova music, who was born in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on January 25, 1927.
Tuesday, January 26
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
The New York Jewish Film Festival by the Jewish Museum and Film at Lincoln Center closes virtually at filmlinc.org. $12
NYC Restaurant Week To Go offers $20.21 lunch or dinner specials to go.
Wednesday, January 27
The Old Master Drawings auction is at Sotheby’s in Manhattan’s Upper East Side at 10am.
Never forget the UN’s Holocaust Remembrance Day when the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp was liberated and the world could no longer deny the Holocaust.
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
NYC Restaurant Week To Go offers $20.21 lunch or dinner specials to go.
Thursday, January 28
The 29th Outsider Art Fair brings self-taught art to New York in a hybrid virtual/gallery format at outsiderartfair.com and live at several Manhattan galleries through February 7, 2021. FREE
The Master Paintings and Sculpture Part I auction is at Sotheby’s in Manhattan’s Upper East Side at 10am.
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
The Wolf Moon, the January full moon, reaches fullness over New York City at 2:18pm.
Maluma 🇨🇴, the pop reggaeton trap star, was born in Medellín, Colombia on January 28, 1994.
NYC Restaurant Week To Go offers $20.21 lunch or dinner specials to go.
Friday, January 29
globalFEST’s Wavelengths global music conference is virtual through tomorrow.
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair is virtual at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
NYC Restaurant Week To Go offers $20.21 lunch or dinner specials to go.
Saturday, January 30
Watch the Copa Libertadores ⚽️ South American soccer club championship, 🇧🇷 Palmeiras vs Santos 🇧🇷, at 3pm ET. It’s all Brazil from the Maracaná.
The Winter Show antiques fair is virtual at thewintershow.org. FREE
CLOSING
The 15th Master Drawings New York art fair closes at masterdrawingsnewyork.com and live at 18 Upper East Side galleries. FREE
NYC Restaurant Week To Go offers $20.21 lunch or dinner specials to go.
Sunday, January 31
CLOSING
The Winter Show antiques fair closes today at thewintershow.org. FREE
CLOSING
The NYC Restaurant Week To Go, $20.21 lunch or dinner to go, promotion ends today.
Categories of Things to Do in NYC in January 2021
JANUARY HOLIDAYS
- New Year’s Day 🥳 January 1
- Martin Luther King Weekend 🇺🇸 January 15-18, 2021
- Martin Luther King Day 🇺🇸 (3rd Monday) January 18, 2021
JANUARY INDEPENDENCE DAYS
- Haitian Independence Day 🇭🇹 (from France) January 1, 1804
- Sudanese Independence Day 🇸🇩 (from Egypt & UK) January 1, 1956
- Moroccan Independence Day 🇲🇦 (from France & Spain) January 11, 1944
JANUARY FESTIVALS
- Kwanzaa 🇺🇸 ends January 1
- Solemnity of Mary 😇 January 1
- Letter of the Year 🇨🇺 ANTICIPATED, Sunday, January 3
- Three Kings Day ✝️ January 6
- Eleguá 🇨🇺🇵🇷 January 6
- Inauguration Day 🇺🇸 January 20, 2021
- Feast of Our Lady of Altagracia 🇩🇴 January 21
- Dominican Heritage Month New York (state) 🇩🇴 January 21 – February 27
- UN Holocaust Remembrance Day 🕯 January 27
JANUARY PARADES
This winter, parades are virtual or cancelled.
- El Museo Three Kings Day Celebration 🇵🇷🎄 Wednesday, January 6, 2021
- Teatro SEA Three Kings Day Festival 🇵🇷🎄 Wednesday, January 6, 2021
- Women’s March CANCELLED
JANUARY ART
- Christie’s Outsider and Vernacular Art auction 🎨🖼Thursday, January 21, 2021
- Master Drawings New York 🎨🎪 January 22-30, 2021
- Winter Show 🎨🎪 PREVIEWS January 19-21 | SHOW Friday, January 22-31, 2021
- Outsider Art Fair 🎨🎪 January 28 – February 7, 2021
- Sotheby’s Master Paintings and Sculpture Part 1 🎨🖼 auction January 28, 2021
JANUARY DANCE
- Joyce Theater American Dance Platform dance festival 🕺🏽💃🏽 VIRTUAL January 8-15, 2021
- NY City Ballet Winter Season 🩰 CANCELLED
JANUARY FILM
- New York Jewish Film Festival ✡️ VIRTUAL, January 13-26, 2021
- Film at Lincoln Center Tribute to Sam Pollard 🎞🏆 VIRTUAL, January 15-22, 2021
- 11th Cinema Tropical Awards 🎞🏆 January, 19, 2021
- Golden Globe Awards 🎞🏆MOVED to Sunday, February 28, 2021
- Oscar nominations 🎞🏆 MOVED to March 15, 2021
JANUARY FOOD
- NYC Restaurant Week To Go 🍽 $20.21 take out lunches or dinners, January 25-31
JANUARY LITERATURE
- 9th Black Comic Book Festival 📚 VIRTUAL Wednesday-Saturday, January 13-16, 2021
JANUARY MUSIC
APAP and related showcases for booking agents are the big ticket in January.
- National Sawdust FERUS music festival 🎶🎪 VIRTUAL January 7-9, 2021
- APAP 🎶🎪 VIRTUAL January 8-12, 2021
- Prototype opera theatre festival 🎶🎪 VIRTUAL January 8-16, 2021
- globalFEST🎶🎪 VIRTUAL January 11-14, 2021
- Chamber Music America National Conference 🎶🎪 VIRTUAL, January 11-15, 2021
- ISPA International Society for the Performing Arts congress 🎶🎪 VIRTUAL, January 11-15, 2021
- 63rd Grammy Awards 🎶🏆
Sunday, January 31, 2021MOVED to March 21, 2021 - Winter JazzFest 🎶🎪 CANCELLED
JANUARY THEATRE
- 17th Under the Radar new theatre festival 🎭🎪 VIRTUAL January 6 – 17, 2021
- Broadway 🎭 CLOSED until at least June, 2021
- Off-Broadway 🎭 CLOSED until at least June, 2021
- NYC Broadway Week 🎭🎪 CANCELLED
- NYC Off-Broadway Week 🎭🎪 CANCELLED
JANUARY SPORTS
- Major League Soccer Season announcement ⚽️ January 25, 2021
- Copa Libertadores ⚽️ Palmeiras 🇧🇷 vs 🇧🇷 Santos, South American club championship, January 30, 2021 at 3pm ET
- PBR Professional Bull Riders 🤠 CANCELLED
- Surfing in Rockaway and Montauk 🏄🏿♀️ at peak
JANUARY NATURE
- Reverse Manhattanhenge 🌇 January 11-12, 2021 sunrises
- New Moon 🌙 January 13
- Wolf moon 🌝 full moon January 28
- Coldest day of the year on average is January 29
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
- Anna May Wong 🇺🇸 first Chinese American movie star, January 1, 1905
- Juan Gabriel 🇲🇽 pop and ranchera singer, January 7, 1950
- José Alfredo Jiménez 🇲🇽 ranchera composer, January 9, 1926
- José Limón 🇲🇽 modern dance pioneer, January 12, 1908
- Yandel 🇵🇷 reggaeton star, January 14, 1977
- Pitbull 🇨🇺 🇺🇸 rapper, January 15, 1982
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr 🇺🇸 civil rights legend, January 18, 2021
- Ricardo Arjona 🇬🇹 pop star, January 19, 1964
- Franco De Vita 🇻🇪 pop star, January 23, 1954
- Maria Tallchief 🇺🇸 America’s first prima ballerina who popularized “The Nutcracker,” January 24, 1925
- Arturo Alfonso Schomburg 🇵🇷 Schomburg Library for Research in Black Culture, January 24, 1874
- Juan Pablo Duarte 🇩🇴, founding father, January 25, 1813
- Antonio Carlos Jobim 🇧🇷, bossa nova, January 25, 1927
- Maluma 🇨🇴, pop reggaeton trap star, January 28, 1994