The NYC Experience That Combines Sipping Cocktails And Acrobatics

When cocktail night turns into a mind-blowing, immersive, acrobatic experience, you might be on to something. Throw in "goddesses" and descriptors like "nouveau" and "lunar," and you quickly enter the realm of otherworldliness. Leave it to New York City to create such a place and make it relatively affordable to boot.

The world has grown accustomed to highly artistic live entertainment through the global fame of Cirque du Soleil, a former 20-strong clan of Canadian street performers now numbering 1,300 artists from 50 countries. But finding tickets and joining throngs of spectators to the lavish Cirque du Soleil shows are a challenge, to say the least. Now there's an option that's way more intimate, lets you mingle with "moon goddesses," and comes with enough "lunar cocktails" to satiate even more adventurous cocktail palettes.

It's not a drop-in kind of place, notes Fever, so reservations are a must. But once inside, you're welcome to free-roam and follow your instincts. Here's where to find the experience and what to expect.

Lunar lounging and after-party fun

New York's newest acrobatic cocktail experience takes place at MoonRise NYC in Manhattan, a surreal lunar-themed lounge featuring the Moonrise Theater. In addition to limited special shows such as "Moonrise," which takes place on specified Saturday nights, the lounge opens on Friday nights year-round for the Lunar Cocktail Experience. The cocktail part comes from five unique moon-themed concoctions, which are part of the admission price. Get ready for transport to another universe, beginning at entry when you interact with "goddesses" from various moon phases. They each have distinct personality traits and use astrological charts to identify your lunar muse, explains Secret NYC.

It's a free-range kind of experience, so guests are welcome to meander through candlelit lounge spaces within the "temple," which come bathed in moon-glow shades of blue, dramatic décor, and themed art. Meanwhile, mystical storytelling and performances merge elements of circus art, theater, dance, and aerial acrobatics. Goddesses circulate the room serving the five themed cocktails, with additional options at the venue bar, according to Fever.

The entertainment evolves throughout the evening, and everyone gets a free invitation to an Afro Beat after-party. If you just can't get enough of the cerebral experience or need a unique date-night plan, check the schedule for the more structured "MoonRise" shows on select Saturday nights. The performances offer general admission seats, cushioned loveseats for couples, and VIP options with a bottle of Champagne.