Updated: December NYC Fragrance Events
Some (more) upcoming happenings for fragheads
Here are a few additional fragrance events coming up this week. We are truly blessed with an abundance of scented happenings:
Olfactory Art Keller presents "Long Night Moontime": A Guided Aromatic Encounter with Amy Anthony on Wednesday, December 11th. Adams will present aromatic materials such as frankincense and pine needles. Participants will “feel scent by going beyond perception and recognition, thereby connecting to the scent on a deeper, emotional and physiological level [and] will talk about strategies of engaging with smells beyond the analytical mind.” The encounter includes a frankincense water tasting (!) and attendees will receive a 5ml bottle of frankincense oil as a gift. If I weren’t already committed to seeing the Rockettes with my bff and his boyfriend on Weds evening I’d be there. Tickets here
Credo Beauty on Prince Street will host a lil party featuring Ourside and a few beauty brands on Thursday, December 12th from 4-6PM. The event includes some gift with purchase specials, including the notorious expensive Oishii strawberries, which I once shamefully purchased and enjoyed, but vow never to buy again because $1/berry is outrageous. Ourside’s Nostalgia is of my favorite jasmine perfumes—it has the heft you want from a heady white floral, but it’s lightened up a bit with grapefruit and mint (it’s also one of the only perfumes I like that includes grapefruit in its listed notes—it tends to turn rubbery and flat on me). Free RSVP here
Viscose Journal Issue 7: Scent will launch at Storefront NYC’s book bash this Saturday, December 14th and Sunday, December 15th from 12-6PM. The journal contains essays by NYC fragrance luminaries Jessica Murphy and Andreas Keller, amongst other great contributors. I wish I had known that it wasn’t yet released in the US because I took them literally when they said it is OUT NOW and went to all of their NYC stockists to look for it (3 Iconic Magazines locations, 2 McNally Jackson locations, Mast Books, and Assembly NY). None of the sales associates even knew what I was talking about when I asked about it! Defeated, I finally ended up ordering it online, like a sucker (I hate buying things online with the exception of eBay purchases).
Anyway, you can pick it up this weekend and avoid paying $14 for shipping.
Also at Olfactory Art Keller this Sunday, December 15th from 11-2PM, is Distilling Memories: A Distillation Workshop and Performance with Amy Anthony. In addition to learning about various scent extraction methods, participants are invited to bring a sentimental material to be distilled into a communal fragrance essence, a sample of which will be distributed to all in attendance. Tickets here
Finally, I recommend stopping by any street-side Christmas tree vendor and tarrying for a bit. This is the one time of year where the NYC sidewalks smell great and we should all take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the wintry transformation while it lasts. I recently learned that most tree vendors will give you free trimmings from trees they’ve sold, so even if you don’t have room for a full tree you can take a bit of the olfactory holiday spirit home with you.
Happy sniffing!
Everything below this line was previously published, but scroll down a bit if you are seeing this post for the first time; there are additional upcoming events for the 10th-14th in the list.
December is shaping up to be a busy month for NYC fragrance enthusiasts.
Today (Tuesday, December 3rd), from 5-7PM, Scent Bar on Elizabeth Street is hosting Italian perfume house Nobile 1942 for an evening of gourmand-focused sniffing.
On Wednesday, December 4th, from 6-8PM Stéle is hosting a launch party for indie darling Amphora Parfum’s newest releases, Baby Boy and Virginal. RSVP required. Don’t miss this one!
ScentXplore, the international niche fragrance convention, is back for its 5th edition from Thursday, December 5th through Saturday, December 7th. The list of exhibitors can be found here and the program of events can be found here. I am particularly looking forward to meeting Michael Edwards at the signing for his new book American Legends. Expect lots of samples, free drinks, and convivial conversations with fellow fragrance enthusiasts. Check out the afterparty on Saturday evening if you can. Last year I witnessed Jeremy Fragrance doing push ups in the middle of a room for no discernible reason. I hear he is looking for a wife. Perhaps I will charm him and this time next year I will be Mrs. Fragrance.
Muse is hosting a launch party salon for Zernell Gillie’s Jazz. Gillie will introduce his newest creation and discuss the connections between music and fragrance. He may even dj a set for the party. Thursday, December 5th from 6-9PM. Dress code is “holiday festive;” tickets are $10.
Not fragrance related but definitely worth checking out: Lynn Yaeger is hosting a closet sale at Screaming Mimi’s vintage from 5-8PM on Friday, December 6th. Expect a bounty of rare antique, vintage, and designer pieces from this fashion legend.
The Oddities Flea Market returns Saturday, December 7th from 11AM to 6PM. While the focus of the market is on art and antiques, there are usually a few fragrance vendors there as well, typically (though not exclusively) with a witchy/occult bent. Might be a good break during the third day of ScentXplore. Tickets are $30 for 1PM entry or $60 for early entry starting at 11AM.
A second event at Stéle this week, this time it’s the launch party for Mabelle O’Rama’s Phoenix Flame on Sunday, December 8th from 6 to 8PM.
Also on December 8th, Leonora Zoninsein will lead another fragrance composition workshop at Olfactory Art Keller at 1PM.
Speaking of Olfactory Art Keller, their excellent fall show Missense featuring works by Maxwell Williams and Sean Raspet is on view until December 21st.
Next Tuesday, December 10th, from 5 to 7PM Scent Bar is hosting an event with French fragrance house D’Orsay highlighting their extrait collection. This event has yet to be announced (a Scent Bar employee told me about it when I stopped in earlier today), so consider this a SMELL WORLD EXCLUSIVE !!
Stéle is hosting an event with Arquiste next Thursday, December 12th from 6-8PM. I’ve been told Carlos Huber and Rodrigo Flores Roux will be in attendance.
HEART is hosting a launch party for Are.na’s 2025 book, Document. Copies of the book will be available along with drinks and readings. Friday, December 13th from 7-9PM.
Arabelle Sicardi is co-hosting a Sample Swap alongside Sable and Tynan of Smell Ya Later on Saturday, December 14th from 6 to 9PM in Williamsburg. This should be a swap with tons of great options. They are also offering a decanting station for additional fragrance sharing.
Finally, The Fragrance Alliance Network has a ton of classes and events coming up this month. If I were not already double-booked I would check out the Origins of American Perfumery class on December 7th.
That’s all for now! I will definitely make an appearance at many of these events, awkwardly avoiding eye contact while I yap about chypres or whatever and handing out business cards with my Substack info because that’s networking, baby!
I’m so thankful that I happen to love fragrance and also happened to live in New York. Hopefully I will see you at one of these events!