A City that Truly NEVER Sleeps

“There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.”

-Simone de Beauvoir

New York City has a reputation of being “the City that never sleeps” because there is ALWAYS something to do regardless of the time of day. The hustle and bustle of the city seemingly appears to be non-stop. Seriously though, the subway runs 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. So, even on Christmas Day at dawn, you can get somewhere. Moreover, there seems to ALWAYS be a restaurant or convenience store open regardless of the time, as I have definitely found myself having my fair share of dinners past midnight or running out to the store in the wee hours of the night being in dire need of something. And lets not forget the city’s nightlife. There are numerous clubs and bars that are easily open until 4:00 AM, if not later, and aside from this, most people do not find themselves hitting the town until at least midnight. 

    While New York City certainly lives up to its reputation of being a city that never sleeps, thinking about the fact that just a few years ago beloved music venues had to close their doors seems unreal. What is even more unreal is that just a few years ago, many have declared New York’s vibrant nightlife culture “fizzling out.” Thankfully, the City Council saw this as a huge issue, because what is New York without its vibrant nightlife? The City Council decided to put an end to this and the Office of Nightlife was created, a department within the Mayor’s Office of Entertainment and Media. New York’s hospitality industry is a $29 billion industry that employs over 250,000 people; making this addition essential to their economy, culture, and identity. 

The concept of this new office, an office of nightlife, exists in cities all around the world, such as London, Berlin, Amsterdam. These cities have a vibrant nightlife culture just like New York. The fact that New York adapted this trend is a sign that New York recognizes the significance it has on contributing to the creation of a global community, since nightlife is truly a part of New York’s culture. The City cannot afford to lose, especially as the City continues to evolve and grow.