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NYC is rightfully known for its nightlife, whether that means an open bar, an evening of DJs spinning mixes on turntables or a wild scene set around a functioning hot tub in the center of a dance floor. (No, really—that happens.) It's a fact, folks: the City's after-dark entertainment is just as innovative as it ever was. It's often said that New York is the City that never sleeps. In case you were wondering, here are just a few reasons why.

August 31–September 2
Made Event is back for the third edition of the three-day house, electro and techno fest Electric Zoo. Headliners include David Guetta, Tiësto and Boys Noize, to name just a few. For more information, visit madeevent.com.
 

Fridays
Fridays and Saturdays at the Apollo Music Café 
The cozy Apollo Café keeps the crowd entertained during late evening hours. The weekly music series starts at 10pm and takes place in a balcony-cum-lounge where food and drinks are on offer. The performances feature a range of artists and genres, encompassing R&B, hip-hop, soul, jazz, pop, funk and rock, with a smattering of crossover musicians who defy categorization.

Girls & Boys at Webster Hall
It takes two to tango—or, in the case of this Webster Hall standard, a crowd of 2,000+ ladies and gents in the venue’s Grand Ballroom, as it floods with neon luminance and flashing lights. With a techno throwdown featuring some of the biggest names in dance music, this is not your grandfather’s polka party. Get your groove on to a raw and pumping bass, and hear some of the hippest electronic beats drop at the weekly rave. Past DJs have included MSTRKRFT, Justice, Simian Mobile Disco, Vitalic, A-Trak, Bloody Beetroots, Rusko, Neon Indian and more.

Spencer's Gifts at Santos 
Culture-watchers are betting that this two-floor party will stay as magnificent as ever this winter. The party made its debut back in early July of last year, under the guidance of Santos creative director Sean Hanratty. Santos owner Spencer Sweeney, a multimedia artist and painter, provided the playlist for the shindig’s premiere, which was meant to be a Friday night outlet for friends. Yet the event has been bumpin’ ever since. For just $10, partygoers can rock out in this 8,000 square-foot, bi-level venue for a music performance piece crafted by the likes of British rockers and LA beat makers. Past shows have featured performances by musicians such as Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, Geneva Jacuzzi and the French electronica composer Koudlam.

Trash! at The Studio at Webster Hall 
DJ Jess and Alex Malfunction helm this long-running evening in the basement of East Village party palace Webster Hall. Expect punk, new wave, indie, Brit pop and the like, plus a crowd that's ready to boogie. For more info, visit websterhall.com.

Saturdays
DJ Huggy Bear Saturdays at the Ace Hotel 
As his moniker would suggest, this NYC spin doctor claims he accepts hugs—not requests. That’s okay: he’s got the sort of taste you can trust. Huggy Bear (aka Stephen Barr) and his residency at the Ace were recently nominated for “Best New Party” at Paper magazine’s 2011 Nightlife Awards. The DJ plays a mix of soul, funk, jazz and hip-hop in the lobby of the hotel until 3am every Saturday. For more info, visit acehotel.com.

Mousse at Bedlam  
Spend Saturday night with the art-fashion-nightlife crowd, as man-about-town Greg K. (of the Misshapes) and hostess Sophia Lamar entertain a gay-friendly crowd. Despite the bar’s Victorian-asylum theme, the crowd actually dances—no straightjackets, thanks—to disco, alternative beats and, doubtless, a little Rihanna. For more info, visit bedlamnyc.com.

Sunset Saturdays at PH-D Rooftop Lounge
PH-D at the Dream Downtown hotel offers cocktails to the backdrop of a sunsetting sky every Saturday from 5 to 10pm. You can savor it all from the confines of the space’s enclosed terrace. Enjoy appetizers like mini-cheeseburgers and lettuce wraps along with a selection of drinks, among them a range of tequila and sweet mojito pitcher specials. DJ Kiss spins from 6 to 10:30pm. The venue closes for a short time after the crepuscular viewing, with the rooftop nightclub reopening at 11:30pm. Large groups should call beforehand for reservations. For more info, visit facebook.com/phdrooftopny.

Sundays
Nouveau York at Le Bain
The good times never stop at André Balazs’ west-side party palace, the High Line–straddling edifice whose rooftop lounges have long been inseparable from the City’s nightlife scene. Sundays at Le Bain (one of the aforementioned drinking dens), Nouveau York holds sway from 9pm to 2am. Recent guest DJs have included Justin Miller, Jacques Renault and Parisian techno guru Rone. For more info, visit facebook.com/nouveauyork. 

Smiths/Morrissey Night at Sway 
Proving that misery actually does love company, Smiths/Morrissey Night at Sway has been ongoing for almost a decade now. Whether you're a die-hard fan of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (which practically promotes The Smiths on every page) or think Moz's bitterness is as perfect as his neatly coiffed sideburns, this weekly tribute is for you. The music is courtesy of Brian DeGraw and Ben Cho; the angst, on the other hand, is all yours. For (slightly) more info, visit swaylounge.com.

Mondays
Deep Space at Cielo
DJ François K.'s paean to Jamaican-inspired dub continues. The weekly celebration of spacey sounds and laid-back dance vibes features frequent guest DJs and a well-heeled crowd of appreciative party people. For more info, visit deepspacenyc.com.

Pollo at Pulqueria
This Doyers Street gem is making quite a spectacle in the media, perhaps due to its secretive locale. Residing in the bowels of an abandoned Vietnamese eatery in Chinatown, Pulqueria boasts delicious Mexican cuisine and specialty cocktails. On Monday nights, local resident and DJ Jeremy Parker spins for “Pollo,” a party for those daring to stay out late on a weeknight. Expect an artsy, hipster demographic and a swarming dance floor with new guest DJs every week. The venue features variations of pulque, a traditional alcoholic beverage that looks like milk and is made from agave. For more info,visit facebook.com/pulquerianyc.

Tuesdays
East Side Social Club at The Blind Barber 
This barbershop-turned-cocktail den hosts a weekly Tuesday-night party with special guest DJs and killer cocktails. For more info, visit facebook.com/eastsidesocialclub.

On Top Tuesdays at Le Bain
The club on the 18th floor of The Standard hotel features floor-to-ceiling windows (in the bathrooms), a hot tub in the middle of the dance floor (that gets used), performances from nightlife legends, and a regular Tuesday night courtesy of party promoter Susanne Bartsch. For more info, visit susannebartsch.com (warning: link is NSFW).

Tech Tuesdays at the Tribeca Grand Hotel 
Peripatetic DJ and man-about-town Steven Rojas hosts this weekly Tuesday night shindig, dedicated to the titans of tech and the fans and followers who love them. The party starts at 7pm (with an open bar until 8pm), and features a variety of special guests. Recently, these have included DJ Retweet, Frankenmack and Sean Fightcats, as well as those electro-wizards from Hot Chip. For more info, visit grandlifehotels.com.

Wednesdays
Amateur Night at The Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater's weekly Amateur Night has quite a historical pedigree, having featured the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Lauryn Hill and Billie Holiday over the years. Music lovers, gawkers and aspiring superstars have two options: sink or swim by showing off their talents (or lack thereof) for the audience, or sit in on the acts and judge the performances. We’re assuming you’ll pick the latter and do your best Simon Cowell.

Friends at Westway
DJs Austin Peters and Florencia (Flo) Galarza, the head DJs of this all-night dance party, are aiming to make “Friends” the destination for the 2012 party season. The event debuted again in early January with Galarza and Peters spinning, as Hakeem Waxwood and Vanna Youngstein hosted. Also on display were set-piece paintings (yes, paintings) by rapper Ricky Rozay. A former gentlemen’s club, the Westway has become a bit more scene-y in its new incarnation, although the décor hasn’t changed much—partygoers can still expect red spotlights, mirrored walls and a light-up dance floor. The weekly dance party features a mix of hip-hop and party hits—and maybe some classic chart-topping hits (the 2007 tune “Lean Like a Cholo” made the playlist one recent week). Fun bonus fact: “The Westway” was the name of a huge public works project devised to put New York City's West Side Highway underground, first planned in 1971 and eventually canceled in 1985. The current club is the only Westway that’s still buzzing over here.

Roots at Cielo
Dance lovers get their fix every Wednesday night at this Meatpacking club from DJs Louie Vega and Kevin Hedge. The duo offers a selection of Latin- and jazz-influenced beats, and they help anchor the City's house-music scene. For more info, visit cieloclub.com.

Sci Café at the American Museum of Natural History
This evening, which takes place the first Wednesday of every month, combines pursuits both intellectual and visceral. Patrons mingle, enjoy cocktails and conversation, and are treated to scientific discussions on a variety of topics. Past events have featured experts on everything from using snake venom to battle cancer to the secrets of the sleeping brain. For more information, visit amnh.org. 

Shaken & Stirred Burlesque at The Delancey
Every Wednesday at 9:30pm, Sugar Shack Burlesque brings a bit of vaudeville to The Delancey. Expect a fresh lineup of campy stars weekly, along with go-go dancers and DJs, including hostesses Scooter Pie and Runaround Sue, who intend to spin you deep into a decadent, lipstick-stained night. For more info, visit sugarshackburlesque.com.  

Thursdays
55 Presents Deep in the Heights at Negro Claro Lounge
Every third Thursday of the month, the house-music aficionados of 55 host an evening of entertainment uptown at Negro Claro Lounge (3805 Tenth Ave. at 204th St.). Expect deep house, Afro- and Latin-beat, tribal, soul and electro rhythms to keep the dance floor popping, all courtesy of DJ LES/537 and DJ E. In addition to the usual body-rocking, the event features art shows (including “live painting”). For more info, visit facebook.com/welcometo55.

Dance. Here. Now. at Cielo
Last July, the Dance. Here. Now. festival kicked off on Governors Island, bringing some of the best house DJs around to the City. This winter, the festival comes to Cielo for a new dance party. For more info, visit danceherenownyc.com. 

DJ Eleven at Von Bar
Hip-hop and wine might not sound like they go together, but Thursday nights at Von will change your mind about that. Sip on some vino and listen to the hip-hop sounds of Eleven from DJ crew The Rub. He plays some old-school classics and newer hits for devoted fans in the basement of this cool local watering hole. For more info, visit vonbar.com.