Having moved to NYC three years ago, I have come across some of the most wonderful event spaces imaginable. This is the city that never sleeps, so when it comes to events, parties, and bars, this city really goes to town.
My list was long, but I chose 5 very different event spaces in NYC that are the must-sees… the ones that will take your breath away… the truly memorable. If you are planning an epic party or just a get-together over cocktails you should find something on my list to suit you. Even, if you are just in New York for a quick visit – you do have to check these locations out.
1. Rooftop of the Wythe Hotel
Wythe Hotel, 80 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Housed in a renovated factory building on the Williamsburg waterfront, the Wythe Hotel embraces local flavor by blending grungy industrial looks with luxe hospitality. This 100 year old building is what’s left of an old cooperage that was renovated in 2011. The hotel has some wonderful details, from the floor-to-ceiling illustration by Brooklyn based Artist Duke Reiley, depicting the history of Brooklyn in the lobby, to the Steve Powers decorated adjacent building with vintage Brooklyn logos, to give non-view rooms a piece of art to look out on. The skeleton of the original building remained relatively untouched, a three-story glass and steel add-on by architect Morris Adjmi sure does maximize the Manhattan skyline views and allows for the wonderful rooftop terrace and cocktail bar. This is the “go to” place for anyone visiting New York. Come here for cocktails soak up the views get a real feel for the scale of the city from across the river. https://www.wythehotel.com/
2. Intrepid Air Craft Carrier
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Pier 86, 12th Ave and 46th Street, Manhattan, NY 10036Intrepid3
Launched in 1943, the aircraft carrier Intrepid fought in World War II, surviving five kamikaze attacks and one torpedo strike. The ship later served in the Cold War and Vietnam, and then went on to serve as a NASA recovery vessel in the 1960’s. She was decommissioned in 1974 and today the Intrepid is berthed on the Hudson River and is home to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. If you have any interest at all in aviation or space travel, this museum is the place to come. The carries deck has hosted concerts by the The Roots, open air screenings of Top Gun and the likes over the summer months to soccer matches, contemporary dance performances and weddings. This venue is big enough to host all of them (probably all at the same time). It’s an experience. http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/
3. House of Vans
25 Franklin Street, Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY 11222
This amazing building once housed an old cinema and lay derelict for years until the well-known street and skate brand took it over. Situated in the heart of Greenpoint Brooklyn, House of Vans is a 25,000 square-foot skateborder’s paradise right on the water, with a concrete bowl, recently upgraded outdoor street course and live music stage. For the past three years, House of Vans has programmed an amazing line up of free live music parties encompassing acts such as LCD Soundsystem, The Melvins and most recently Charles Bradley, art shows and skate events. All with the primary goal of strengthening the culture of skateboarding. It’s a real Brooklyn spot. I even took my Mum here and she loved it. https://www.vans.com/en-us
4. Mister Sunday
Industry City, 220 36th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232
When I came to this city first I was lucky to get invited by some locals to this wonderful event and it’s become my summer staple ever since. Dancing in the sunshine to disco, house and beats with this fun loving crowd is the best way to end any weekend. This year Mister Sunday moved from its old home; a beautiful quaint tree lined grove in Gowanus, Brooklyn to this new bigger location at Industry City.
Industry City was designed in the early 1900’s to provide wholesalers in nearby Manhattan with an inexpensive location from which to import, export and manufacture goods. Now this collection of 8 story warehouses plays host to artist’s studios, tech start up’s, and business… basically a whole pool of interesting Brooklyn creatives. So, what better place to host a Sunday afternoon dance party? In a street block between two beautiful warehouse buildings there are birch trees, garden lights strung from end to end, all revolving around the familiar Mister Sunday disco ball and dance floor. Set out with seating, 2 bars that serve homemade sangria and local beer, food stalls from some of Brooklyn’s finest pizza restaurants and taquerías. This party caters for all; you can bring the kids and you bring your dog! If you come to New York in the summer months you have to come here and dance your socks off at least once! https://mistersaturdaynight.com/
4. Museum of The Moving Image
Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Avenue, Astoria, Queens NY 11106
The one thing this city has a lot of is cinemas and auditoriums, and to be honest there are so many beautiful ones it was hard to pick which was going to make it into my top 5. But, I chose the Museum of Moving Image in Queens, as it has multiple breathtaking spaces. The renovation by architect Thomas Leeser is unworldly to say the least. With seamless surfaces that curve from floor to ceiling. Sloping floors and angled walls, you feel like you have walked into a mix of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and George Lucas’s THX 1138. For me, the main theater topped it all. It’s just a jaw dropping sight. This dramatic, amphitheater 267-seat theater is designed with a screen of classic proportions adorned with over 1,000 electric blue triangular panels. Ingeniously designed, the triangular panels can be peeled away if needs be, when the space has to be transformed from a movie theater to a live performance space. If you come to this city. You HAVE to see this. https://movingimage.org/
Connie Bree is a producer and curator originally from Ireland, who now runs THE CONNIE BREE MACHINE, a creative production agency based in Brooklyn NY. http://www.theconniebreemachine.com/
