Winter in Manhattan is weird. One day you're walking through Central Park in a light jacket, and the next, the wind off the Hudson is trying to take your skin off. If you’re looking for new york things to do this weekend, specifically for January 17th and 18th, 2026, you've probably noticed the city has shifted into that specific "indoor survival" mode.
Honestly, the best stuff happening right now isn't the big tourist traps. It's the mid-winter festivals and the weird, niche museum closings that people scramble for at the last second.
The big hitters: Under the Radar and Winter Jazzfest
Most people think January is dead. They're wrong. This weekend is basically the peak of the Under the Radar Festival. It’s been running since 2005, but this year it’s spread across 20 different venues. If you want something that isn't a polished Broadway machine, look for Narcissister’s latest work. It’s her first proscenium presentation, and it’s predictably wild.
Then there’s the music. Winter Jazzfest is currently in full swing. You might have missed the Manhattan marathon on Friday, but the Brooklyn marathon on Saturday the 17th is where the energy is. We’re talking 100+ groups. It's the kind of night where you buy one ticket and just bounce between venues in Bushwick or Williamsburg until 3:00 AM.
Keep an eye out for Adam O’Farrill’s set. He’s been a standout this year. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it’s the best way to forget it’s freezing outside.
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Last chance museum runs
If you’re a "do it later" person, your time is up for a few major exhibits. This is the final weekend for Divine Egypt at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It closes January 19th. Most people go for the gold masks, but this show is more about the feline-faced and canine deities. Over 250 objects. It’s massive.
The Whitney is also wrapping up its Sixties Surreal exhibit on Monday. If you haven't seen the psychedelic side of the 1960s art scene, go on Sunday.
Meanwhile, over at the Morgan Library & Museum, they just opened a focus on Caravaggio’s "Boy with a Basket of Fruit." It literally opened yesterday. It’s one of those "one-hit" shows where you go to see a single, world-class masterpiece and then leave to grab a coffee. Simple.
Why you should skip the "Big" Broadway shows (for now)
Look, Hamilton and The Lion King aren't going anywhere. But if you want to see something with a bit more grit, Tracy Letts’ thriller Bug just opened at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. It’s tense. It’s paranoid. It’s exactly the kind of play that feels right in the middle of a New York winter.
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Also, Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages is closing next week (Jan 25). If you want that cult-teen energy, this is the weekend to grab those off-Broadway seats before they're gone for good.
Food: The pre-Restaurant Week strategy
Technically, NYC Restaurant Week doesn't start until Tuesday, January 20th. But here is what most people get wrong: they wait for the official start to try and book.
Reservations have been open for over a week. If you haven't booked your $30 lunch or $60 dinner at spots like Bobo yet, you’re basically fighting for scraps. Use this weekend to scout the menus. Nearly 600 restaurants are participating this year.
If you want something more immediate and less "white tablecloth," head to Hen House on 1st Ave. They’re doing a pop-up called "The Torta Pounder." It’s a soujouk chopped-cheese meets chile relleno torta. It’s chaotic. It’s messy. It’s exactly what you want to eat when you’re walking through a wind tunnel on 14th Street.
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The MLK Day overlap
Since Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Sunday the 18th has some heavy-hitting cultural events. There’s a free concert at Brick Presbyterian Church featuring the Young People’s Chorus of NYC and the Harvard Glee Club. Baritone Lester Lynch is performing. It’s one of those rare "Old New York" moments that feels genuinely moving rather than performative.
Real talk on the weather
Check the forecast. Seriously. Saturday looks like it might actually hold some snow, which means the Wollman Rink at Central Park will be a nightmare of people trying to get "the shot" for social media.
If you actually want to skate, go to Industry City in Brooklyn. It’s more "chill" (pun intended) and you can grab a decent drink immediately after without waiting in a 40-person line.
Actionable steps for your weekend
- Saturday Morning: Hit the Brooklyn Curry Project at Nimbus Kitchen. Get the masala dosa. It's crispy, buttery, and worth the trek to Downtown Brooklyn.
- Saturday Night: Winter Jazzfest Brooklyn Marathon. Don't try to see everyone. Pick three acts and stay for the whole set.
- Sunday Afternoon: The Met. See the Egypt exhibit before it vanishes on Monday.
- Sunday Evening: Check your Restaurant Week reservations for the upcoming week. If you don't have them, get on Resy now.
New York doesn't slow down just because it's January. It just moves indoors. Grab a heavy coat, download the MTA app (because the L train will definitely be doing something weird), and get out there.