New Haven’s stage is set for one of the most eclectic weeks in memory.
Monday, January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Books & Company in North Haven holds a Swap-O-Rama. “Bring any puzzles, jewelry, nail polish, perfume, sunglasses, wallets and purses that you no longer want/use.” Then take home whatever you do want.
The Peabody Museum’s annual MLK Day celebration kicks off at noon with a family-friendly community fair, “hands-on” crafts/activities and musical performances, then moves to an open mic at 4 followed by an adult-oriented invitational poetry slam at 5.
Tuesday, January 20
MLK remains a focus in the nave at Sterling Memorial Library, where an exhibit of artifacts highlighting King’s 1964 visit to Yale to receive an honorary degree is publicly accessible from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Starting at 8 p.m., a two and a half-week run of “celebrated clown” Julia Masli’s ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hits the stage at Yale Repertory Theatre, where the show will be “entirely different every night based on audience participation. … Something bothering you? Julia is ready to help!”
Wednesday, January 21
At 6:30 p.m., RJ Julia in Madison hosts David Borges, “the New Haven Register’s UConn men’s basketball beat writer since 2007,” for a discussion about his recently published book, Hurley’s Heroes: UConn’s Return to College Basketball’s Elite.
At 7 at Toad’s Place, noticeably German font of goth rock anthems and ballads Lord of the Lost headlines a bill opened by The Birthday Massacre, a Canadian goth/industrial rock band with ’80s pop sensibilities.
Thursday, January 22
A small “hands-on beginner workshop” at MakeHaven aims to teach you how “to operate a sewing machine with confidence—no experience required.”
From 6 to 8 p.m., an artist reception for SyncopAtioN, a new show at The Gallery at mActivity, features David Ottenstein and his photographs; Anne Doris-Eisner and her paintings on paper; and other refreshments too.
Friday, January 23
At 6 p.m. in Yale’s Humanities Quadrangle, a director’s screening of Videoheaven (2025) “looks at the sociocultural phenomenon that was—and in some lucky places still is—the video store. Clips from more than 100 films, TV shows, and commercials highlight how these once-ubiquitous stores changed how we engage with movies.” Afterward, stay for a conversation between director Alex Ross Perry, Best Video’s Rob Harmon and the Yale Film Archive’s Brian Meacham.
At 7, a trivia night at Armada Brewing draws on “ancient myths, heroic legends, and timeless folklore from around the world.”
A late 9:30 standup show, presumably added after the 7:30 sold out, features New York-based Australian comedian Aaron Chen at Hamden’s Space Ballroom.
Saturday, January 24
From noon to 4, the next installment of the New Haven Museum’s What’s in the Whitney Library? series covers “Roots and Routes,” “exploring the history of New Haven’s park system through the maps, parks department reports, and personal records that shaped the city’s green spaces.”
At 6:30 at New England Brewing’s Woodbridge location, Pints & Pasties presents “a night of career day-themed burlesque.”
At 7, local history museum and event space Lost in New Haven “presents an immersive evening of live music and art led by New Haven–based electronic musician and producer Ionne,” a.k.a. Maurice Harris, with support from experimental guitarist/composer Trevor Babb and jazz pianist Dylan Rowland. “The event bridges sound, story, and visual imagination, blending the electricity of contemporary electronica with the organic warmth of live instrumentation in a performance that mirrors the museum’s own spirit—where heritage and modern creativity meet.”
At 8, Stella Blues hosts “Tall Tees,” a 2000s hip hop/R&B dance party. “Throw on a fresh white tee, some Timbs, your favorite throwback jersey or jersey dress, and bring your whole crew.”
Sunday, January 25
Bridging town and gown as its namesake once did, the 2026 Charles Ives Organ Recital at Center Church on the Green begins at 4 p.m. and features Yale Institute of Sacred Music organist Melissa Brassard.
Written by Dan Mims. Image, featuring Ionne, sourced from @ionnemusic. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations, prices and other details before attending events.
