Downtown Alliance

Infinite Jest Fest
2026-02-23 19:00 (America/New_York)
Fifth meeting of the Infinite Jest Monthly Read-Along Bash group. Read pages 508-601 (plus relevant endnotes) for this month’s gathering. We’ll have free drinks upstairs when you arrive :) .

Pinky Swear
2026-02-24 18:00
Book reading and signing by Danielle Girard, author of Pinky Swear.

Ave Generosa: Marian and Lenten Reflections
2026-02-24 18:00
Expect to be deeply moved by the soprano and alto voices of the Trinity Choir during this evening of choral music that glorifies Mary, compassion, and the spirit of Lent. With Hildegard von Bingen’s luminous Ave generosa at its center, the program also presents Francis Poulenc’s Litanies à la Vierge noire and Marian gems by Maurice Duruflé, Bernat Vivancos, Edvard Grieg, and Ola Gjeilo. A trio of newer composers  (Zanaida  Stewart Robles, Ily Matthew Maniano, and Margaret Rizza) add their perspectives to timeless themes of mercy, devotion, and divine joy.

Downtown Beats Chorus
2026-02-25 13:00
Directed by the Church Street School of Music, the Downtown Beats adult chorus is open to all who love to sing. Learn contemporary and classic songs, and perform at community events throughout the year.

Her Hidden Fire
2026-02-26 11:00
Celebrate the launch of Her Hidden Fire with author Clíodhna O’Sullivan in conversation with author of A Stage Set for Villains, Shannon J. Spann. In a world where dragons soar through the skies and magical abilities are an elite privilege, the ruling family of Ailm’s Keep is on a knife-edge: Can their son Ionáin prove that he can channel magic, or will his entire family be cast out in disgrace?

Mister Groove
2026-02-27 18:00
Musical performance.

The Magic School Bus: Lost In The Solar System
2026-02-28 11:00
When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip! But when rivalries both old and new threaten to tear the students apart, our young heroes must learn to pull together or risk getting forever lost in the solar system. Hop on the Magic School Bus for a ride in this new musical adaptation based on the original book series published by Scholastic. TheaterWorksUSA. Ages 4 +.

Lunar New Year: Lion Dance
2026-02-28 13:00 - 14:30
Meet at the Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan side entrance at 1:00 PM sharp to kick off a Lunar New Year celebration with a live lion dance and festive procession through Gotham Park. The event wraps with a performance, with celebrations continuing throughout Chinatown.

Rooted & Rising
2026-02-28 19:00
26th season gala, with performances, auction, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, dance party.

Trina Basu & Ramamurethy: Natural Elements
2026-02-28 19:00
Arun Ramamurthy and Trina Basu bring a dazzling, cross-cultural violin dialogue to the PAC NYC Lobby Stage. Rooted in South Indian Carnatic music and shaped by jazz, folk, and improvisation, their performances blur genre lines with virtuosity and heart.

America at 250: Anna Sokolow’s “Rooms”
2026-03-01 14:00
Rooms, choreographed by Anna Sokolow with a jazz score by Kenyon Hopkins, examines the psychic isolation and unfulfilled desires of characters isolated in their small, city apartments. The controversial and groundbreaking 1955 work breathes with the loneliness and alienation following the breakdown of wartime solidarity, when the threat of atomic annihilation, the 1952 polio epidemic, and the Red Scare hung like invisible contagions and created a mood of pervasive uncertainty and dread throughout the country. An enduring masterpiece, Rooms still conveys the anxiety and isolation of today.

Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music
2026-03-02 14:00
Singers of all levels, as well as listeners, are welcome to join in the choruses throughout the free Chantey Sing, lead or request a song in the round-robin, or just listen.

An Archaeology of Plastics: From Small Things Forgotten to the Synthetic Revolution
2026-03-03 14:00
Small plastic things forgotten, to riff on historical archaeologist James Deetz, are born from scientific innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. As a case study, I consider the ubiquitous though taken for granted polyethylene T-shirt bag. Low-cost, convenience, and durability are some reasons it is accorded utilitarian value. But at what price, in what kind of conditions, and for how long? In answer, I track the lifecycle of this plastic artifact, “excavating” backwards from landfill (or incinerator) to recycling facility to storage space to factory floor. This contextualization reveals typological attributes and degradation processes that refute commonsensical narratives, most of which have been industry generated, about the plastic bag’s harmlessness and inevitability. Beyond description, analysis of small plastic things forgotten also invites us to draw inferences about the human condition as it has unfolded from the early 20 th century onward. An archaeology of plastics—not just of polyethylene bags but also of Bakelite buttons, nylon stockings, PET bottles, red Solo cups, dental floss picks, etc.—certainly evidences the Plastic Age, as prior writers have remarked. Here I argue for plastics as the catalyst of a more sweeping Synthetic Revolution. Relationally speaking, what attributes does this revolution share with prior ones (i.e., Neolithic, Urban, Industrial), and how is it distinctive? There is also a sense of evolution in the revolution. Does the Synthetic Revolution’s radical transformation of societies, ontologies, ecosystems, and species herald progress or retrogress? Or does the linearity of cultural evolutionary logic prove inadequate for understanding life on a damaged planet?

Tennis Noir
2026-03-05 14:00
Book reading and signing by John Shepphird.

A Defiant Woman
2026-03-05 18:00
Book reading and signing by Karen E. Olson, author of A Defiant Woman.

Natalie Tenenbaum
2026-03-05 18:00

Fresh Prints
2026-03-05 18:00
This open house features a breadth of printing equipment that you will be invited to use. Come see how the designers at Bowne lock up limited edition designs that showcase some of the more eccentric parts from the Seaport Museum’s printing and graphic arts collection.

Films at the Museum: “Liliana” Screening and Talkback
2026-03-05 19:00
Liliana is a documentary by Ruggero Gabbai that retraces the testimony of life senator Liliana Segre linked to her arrest, deportation and poignant final farewell to her father. The film is based on juxtapositions, cross-references and contrasts between the historical account and the contemporary portrait of one of the most important women on the Italian scene. The docu-film highlights lesser-known aspects of the senator, revealing a modern cultural and political figure who is passionate about conveying a message of freedom and equality to the younger generations.

Downtown Beats Chorus
2026-03-06 14:00
Directed by Church Street School of Music, the Downtown Beats adult chorus is open to all who love to sing! Learn contemporary and classic songs and perform at community events throughout the year.

Trash
2026-03-07 00:00 - 2026-03-28 00:00
Tim and Jake are Deaf roommates sharing an apartment in the city—but not much else. They’re polar opposites, each with very different views on what it means to be Deaf in a hearing world. When it comes to taking out the trash, they spiral into a comic and insightful examination of their personal garbage and their perceptions of each other’s lives. Performed almost exclusively in ASL (American Sign Language), Trash employs surprising theatrical devices that allow all audiences to understand the play (and each other) in profoundly new ways.

Maya Lin: Artist Architect of Light and Lines
2026-03-07 10:30
Read-aloud about Maya Lin, an artist-architect who uses lines, light, and space to tell meaningful stories. We will read “Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines” which shares the story of how she designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. After the story, young architects will design and build small sculptures of their own, inspired by something important to them. Our hands-on program invites children and families to explore how art and architecture can help us remember people, places, and ideas.

Mary Oliver, Holding On To Wonder
2026-03-07 11:30
Book reading. This lyrical picture book biography of beloved American poet Mary Oliver shows young readers ages 7 – 10 how her love of nature and sense of wonder inspired her art.

Kids Holi Celebration
2026-03-07 18:00
Enjoy the fan-favorite Holi Puppet Show presented by WonderSpark Puppets and The Culture Tree, and a vibrant book reading of Kahaani Rangeeli (Colorful Story) by award-winning author Anu Sehgal. The Seaport Museum will also offer a hands-on, Holi-inspired activity perfect for guests of all ages.

Lolise
2026-03-07 19:00

Hoppy Rabbit Playdate
2026-03-08 11:00 - 12:30
Open session where families can bring children to a cozy indoor playground space to play, socialize, and meet children and families interested in exploring Chinese language and culture. All are welcome.

Copland: A Story About America
2026-03-08 11:30
Reading of a spirited picture book biography about composer Aaron Copland and the birth of modern America.

Governors Island Ice Sculpture Show
2026-03-08 12:00 - 15:00
Ten artists will be paired with a professional ice carver from Okamoto Studio during the free public event, where visitors are invited to witness this real-time ice carving. The Ice Sculpture Show will also feature ice carving workshops from Okamoto Studio, a DJ set from Miss Alicia with sound by Karlala Soundsystem, and more activities for visitors. Makina Café will be open in Colonels Row alongside additional food trucks with winter-themed treats.

Declaration: Little-Known Stories of American Independence
2026-03-09 18:30 - 19:30
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s founding. Join historian Robert Watson for this talk exploring some of the fun and intriguing stories behind the stories as well as common myths and misconceptions about both remarkable events.

The Greenies
2026-03-10 18:00
Book launch. The Baby-Sitters Club meets The Breakfast Club in this fun and fresh graphic novel about a girl who reluctantly joins the Environmental Club at her new school–and finds friendship and community where she least expects it.

The Gods of New York
2026-03-10 18:00 - 20:00
Between 1986 and 1990, New York City seemed to be on the rebound from the fiscal collapse of the 1970s. But beneath the surface, the city was coming apart at the seams. Racial conflict, the AIDS epidemic, widening inequality, media sensationalism and political realignment were tearing at its civic fabric. Out of that turbulence, the modern city we know today was born. Join acclaimed author and journalist Jonathan Mahler for a discussion of this pivotal era as chronicled in his latest book, “The Gods of New York.”
