15 of the coolest and quirkiest classes you can take in NYC

Maybe you've done LARP (Live Action Role Play) or maybe you've played Dungeons and Dragons and you now want to try your hand at a real sword. Gotham Swords or Gotham European Martial Arts Collective (GEMAC for short) is here for that.

They offer classes at Ripley-Grier Studios near Times Square. GEMAC teaches Longsword: Fundamentals, Greatsword (outdoors), Sidesword and Cape (this sounds incredible), Sword Fitness, German Historical Fencing: Skills and Applications and more. You can book a class at Gotham Swords here. Beginner and All Level classes do not require special gear to participate, just wear comfortable athletic clothing and gym shoes.

But just know it's harder than it looks! 

Located above Industry City's Japan Village lies Bobinage, which is part retail, part creative space. Here, creatives of all levels (including those of us who haven’t touched a machine in years) can take classes, learn new skills or even book an open sewing session to work on their latest project.

A few months ago, the studio started up Sewing Summer Camp. Due to its popularity, Bobinage extended the series, now offering fall day camp classes from now until the end of October. All year long, the studio offers classes with specific focuses, like blazers, baby tees and more.

A home for all things very mindful, very cutesy and very daring over demure is Susan Alexandra (33 Orchard Street on the Lower East Side). Known for her whimsical bags and playful jewelry, the brand is all about everything beaded and bright. Its bejeweled nature has attracted many famous faces, including Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber.

The Lower East Side Shop is a spectacle to behold with technicolor dog collars and leashes, bejeweled peacock fruit bowls and hand-beaded bags made to look like slices of watermelons. Even the door handle is beaded—a beaded peeled banana, that is. A few nights a week, this colorful wonderland hosts Bead Nights for a DIY evening of crafting and cocktails for $78/person. You'll get to make two necklaces or a necklace and bracelet during the relaxing evening. 

You'll leave this class with a warm bag full of bagels, a few tidbits of baking history and the knowledge of how this NYC staple gets made. During the class, learn how to shape mounds of premade dough into glorious bagels. 

NYC Bagel Tours is part of BagelUp, an organization dedicated to uplifting the culture and history behind New York's iconic bagel. The organization includes the annual festival, New York Bagel Fest, alongside classes ($150/person) and tours ($59/person) throughout the year. 

At this class, make your own throw pillow worthy of a home goods store shelf. It's hosted by Ruti Wajnberg, the founder of Find the Thread, an upholstery company based in Brooklyn that specializes in bringing new life to the cushions of well-loved furniture.

The workshop, which takes about three hours at $115 per person, is a challenging but low-stakes, fun night out for friends looking to expand their skills (and pillow collection). Wajnberg provides wine and cheese as well as all the materials needed to craft the perfect project: fabric, zippers, synthetic down inserts and industrial-grade machines.

You can sign up for Find The Thread’s monthly pillow-making class at findthethread.com; no experience necessary.

The name really says it all: Make bonsai in a bar! These teeny tiny trees are the definition of "happy little trees." 

The pros from Bonsai Bar will teach you the fundamental skills and techniques behind the art of bonsai while you sip your drink and have some fun with your friends. The teachers will also help you as you pot, prune and design your very own bonsai tree. 

Bonsai Bar events pop up all over the city at locations like Brooklyn Brewery, the Bronx Brewery and SingleCut Beersmiths Queens Taproom.

At Sip & Stitch, create your very own custom handbag with the guidance of purse pro Anthony Luciano. As a longtime handbag artisan and a fashion expert, Luciano will share tips and tricks for making a handbag that's perfect for your style. 

The lively workshops are held in Luciano’s Garment District studio. Start by picking your leather color and texture, then walk through each step of the process, from cutting to gluing to making final touches. While the workshop is called Sip & Stitch, there’s technically no “stitching” involved, so don’t be intimidated. 

Several workshops fall under the Sip & Stitch umbrella, from a classic handbag to a unisex option. Prices range from $175 to $275, with adult beverages and snacks provided at the higher price point. 

Bike New York promises, "whether you are 18 or 80, we’ll get you rolling in no time." With their helpful training methods, the promise rings true. 

The biking organization offers free (and judgment-free) Bike Skills 101: Learn to Ride classes for adults and kids. Whether you're 13 or 36, the incredible teachers at Bike New York are here to help. There are also free practice sessions, so you can keep your skills sharp.  

There are a lot of cocktail-making classes in New York, but Manhattan’s first legal distillery to open since Prohibition, Great Jones, does it just right. Set within its underground speakeasy, its two-hour class, The Shake Up, explores how to make two actually-delicious cocktails with its smooth whiskey—but that’s not all.

The class begins with a tour of the distillery, a welcome drink, snacks and samples before the class begins. Then, the mixologist will explain step-by-step on how to make two drinks (like a Boulevardier and a Paper Plane), giving tips and tricks along the way, including how to use (and open) a cocktail shaker.

The Shake Up can be booked here for at 7pm on Wednesdays and at 3pm on Saturdays for $110.

Make a hip, abstract piece of neon art in this one-day course at Brooklyn Glass. You'll start with an introduction to the art, history and sceince of neon making. The class ends with a wiring and mounting demonstration, so that you can light and hang your neon creation at home.

The best part of your new neon art is the fact that you can tell all your visitors about making it with your own two hands. 

The price of class includes glass, bending materials, one power supply, and wiring for $330. 

If you pride yourself on your exquisite taste in coffee, you’ll want to sign up for a cupping workshop at Joe Coffee. Discover the step-by-step procedure that the pros use to evaluate the aroma, flavor and mouthfeel of freshly roasted beans and see how much your palate can detect. Think of it as wine tasting for caffeine addicts.

The class costs $40, but being able to be a true coffee snob is priceless.

Odd as it might sound, vodka can have medicinal properties —and not just in a martini after a long day. Learn to distill various herbs and plants into vodka- and vinegar-based tinctures at Remedies Herb Shop in Brooklyn. You’ll leave with up to three two-ounce bottles full of the good stuff.

The class costs $77/person but the tinctures are a value of $102.

The profession of cobbler doesn’t only pop up in fairy tales: New York City still boasts a few old fashioned within its city limits. Make some shoes of your own in a DIY course at Brooklyn Shoe Space.

You’ll measure, design and cut out your pattern, then choose the material and begin production of a pair of boots or sneakers. While the tuition fee ($2,000) might seem like a hefty price to pay for a pair of shoes, think of all the useful experience you’re gaining! 

If you find yourself on Long Island, in Greenport specifically, book a class to make your own gin. 

Matchbook Distilling Company hosts a Create Your Own Gin Experience every Saturday for $100/person. With only 10 seats available, classes are intimate, informative and each person walks away with their own bottle to take home. You'll get a chance to tour the warehouse, learn about the distillery's process, and then make your very own with guidance from the pros.