Founded by Amanda Stern in 2003, this iconic, long-running series was chosen by New York Magazine, The Village Voice and NY Press as the best reading series in NYC, and singled out by the New York Times Magazine for helping to “Keep downtown, NY alive,” The Happy Ending Series features the most interesting storytellers, writers, musicians, raconteurs and personalities, and requires the reader to take one public risk, while the musicians, who perform two short sets with their original, lyric-driven music, are required to play one cover song and try to get the audience to sing along.