cultural fests / street fairs / food events / markets / shopping events (free admission, unless noted otherwise):

► sponsored: fri 6:30-10pm: intrepid summer beer wine and spirits fest: intrepid museum (hell’s kitchen). save 40% on advance tickets with promo code ‘theskint’ >>

► fri-sun: annual east harlem giglio festival: pleasant avenue between 114th + 116th streets (east harlem). >>

► sat 10am-8pm: brooklyn bites by blundstone: rooftop food festival: brooklyn grange at sunset park (brooklyn). >>

► sat 12-7pm: spike’s joint pop-up poster + book stoop sale: at filmmaker spike lee’s 40 acres and a mule hq (fort greene). bonus: lee be in attendance for signings. >>

► sat 12-7pm: black vegfest: lincoln terrace park (crown heights). >>

► sat 2-8pm: yoga block party: graham ave between scholes and meserole (east williamsburg). >>

► sat 2-8pm: k-pop foodie fest: magnolia landing (jersey city). >>

► sat + sun (9am-5pm): 35th hong kong dragon boat festival at flushing meadows corona park (queens). >>

► sun 10am-5pm: handmade in the boroughs bazaar at grand bazaar nyc: indoors and outdoors at 100 w 77th st at columbus ave (uws). >>

► sun 11pm: 43rd annual dominican day parade: sixth avenue from w 39th to w 54th streets. >>

► sun 12-7pm: a great day in harlem (part of harlem week): general grant national memorial (morningside heights). >>

► sun 12-9pm (monthly thru 9/6): korea fest: steinway street between 31st ave + broadway in astoria (queens). >>

► sun 1pm: frozen treats takedown: threes brewing (gowanus). $30. >>

► sun 2pm: jo firestone presents the first annual pie tasting festival: littlefield (gowanus), $15. >>

► sun 4:30-8:30pm: chinatown block party: mosco street (chinatown, manhattan). >>

► sun 5-8:30pm: ninth annual indian independence day celebration: exchange place plaza in jersey city. >>

► sun thru 8/17: 28th annual nyc black pride: various locations and prices. >>

► mon thru 8/24: grand street summer restaurant week: east williamsburg. >>

sponsored
image by Jen Chou

friday

thru 9/14 (previews 8/7-20): free shakespeare in the park: twelfth night: the public theater’s free shakespeare in the park returns to central park’s revitalized delacorte theater with a star-studded production of twelfth night directed by saheem ali and starring lupita nyong’o, junior nyong’o, sandra oh, khris davis, peter dinklage, jesse tyler ferguson, daphne rubin-vega, moses sumney, john ellison conlee, and b. five ways to get free tickets: in-person at the theater in the park, at an in-person lottery at the public theater in noho, in-person at select distribution points in the five boroughs on specific dates, in-person standby line at the theater in the park, and via a digital lottery on the todaytix app. >>

thru 8/31: alan turing + the queen of the night: the life story of mathematician and computer scientist alan turing merges with the enchanting world of mozart’s the magic flute in a new queer fantasy musical by michael vegas mussman and payton millet. the players theatre (greenwich village), tickets for $20+ with promo code ‘fantasy1912’ (reg. $34+). >>

sponsored: thru 8/17: chain nyc film festival: the chain theatre is thrilled to announce the 2025 chain nyc film festival. a cinematic celebration of bold voices and original storytelling, this year’s festival features over 160 films from around the globe—narratives, documentaries, shorts, web series, and animated works—plus panels, filmmaker events, and an awards ceremony. chain theatre (garment district / hell’s kitchen), $13+. >>

thru 8/14: bad survivor with alex dvorak: join writer/director alex dvorak and producer/director katie north at a screening of their short (11 min) indie dark comedy bad survivor. inspired by true events, the film follows a sarcastic young cancer patient who struggles to adjust to life at home during her first day in remission. note: dvorak and north will be in-person at all screenings. quad cinema (greenwich village), $10. >>

thru sat (season ends saturday): lincoln center’s fourth annual summer for the city: lincoln center’s annual arts festival brings two months of free and choose-what-you-pay music concerts, performances, dance parties, film screenings, and more to its upper west side campus. this week: silent discos with dj lucha (thurs 9pm) and hourglass (fri 10pm), a social dance with cait jones (fri 6:30pm), brooklyn rider string quartet 20th anniversary performances (thru sat), ruidosa fest (sat 4pm), and more. >>

sponsored: thru sun: get insider access to the city’s best secrets this weekend with new york adventure club! explore grand central terminal and the subterranean lirr station; unlock the private gilded age mausoleums at woodlawn cemetery; go on a walking tour of greenwich village and visit the iconic hangouts of beat generation legends; and much more this weekend and beyond with new york adventure club! >>

thru sun (various times): summerstage: summerstage presents a series of free outdoor shows this weekend: tony vega, la excelencia, and ariacne trujillo at coney island amphitheater (fri 7-10pm); rakim, positive k, sweet tee, jeski love, nice + smooth, dj chubby, and host ralph mcdaniels of video music box at stapleton waterfront park in staten island (sat 6-9pm); a celia cruz celebration with issac delgado, alain perez, aymee nuviola, brenda navarrete, and melvis santa in central park (sat 7-10pm); la sonora ponceña, judy torres, linda epo, dj millo, and hosted vinnie medugno at stapleton waterfront park in staten island (sun 5-9pm); the originals featuring rich medina, stretch armstrong, and tony touch at central park (sun 5-10pm). >>

fri + sat (6pm doors): 47th annual bric celebrate brooklyn! festival: new york city’s longest-running, free, outdoor performing arts festival returns to prospect park’s lena horne bandshell for two months. this weekend: adrian quesada and trish toledo (fri); lyricist lounge presents: raekwon the chef only built 4 cuban linx 30th anniversary show (sat). >>

sponsored: fri + sat (7:30pm doors): demolition man: fan parody event: after sold out performances of titanic, tmnt and star wars, the usual rejects are back at the chain theatre with ‘send a maniac to catch a maniac: demolition man,’ a staged parody fan event filled with trivia, raffe prizes, audience participation, and more. bonus: ticket includes a complimentary drink. save $5 with promo code ‘skint’ >>

fri various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
encanto at john jay park (ues) >>
sing sing at transmitter park (greenpoint) >>
sonic the hedgehog 3 at triangle park (jersey city) >>
the warriors at gil scott-heron amphitheater in st. mary’s park (bronx) >>

fri 4-10pm (fridays thru 8/22): warm up 2025: kick off your summer weekends at moma ps1’s warm up, the popular outdoor music series spotlighting underground and emerging electronic talent from around the world. dance in ps1’s open-air courtyard, featuring yto barrada’s installation le grand soir, and explore the museum’s exhibitions until late. tonight: marie davidson, loka, concrete husband, and fred moten with brandon lopez. moma ps1 (lic) $25+ general, $20+ students. >>

fri 6-9pm: sounds at sunset: brooklyn bridge park’s intimate outdoor music series returns for four nights this season. tonight: igmar thomas’ revive big band. free admission. >>

fri 6-10pm: bpl’s plaza performance series: dj max glazer takes over brooklyn public library’s plaza (prospect heights). free admission >>

fri 7pm (monthly): vocabaret: ‘changes’ edition: wordplay takes center stage at vocabaret, a monthly variety show for language lovers. five of nyc’s wittiest wordsmiths serve up slideshows, games, and other entertainment—all inspired by a new theme each month. hosted by sam corbin, tim donnelly, jerzy gwiazdowski, ally spier, and nikolai vanyo. caveat (les), $18.76 with promo code ‘caveatorb’ (reg. $24-25). >>

fri 7pm: poets house’s summer nights: poetry meets music outdoors at the season finale of poets house’s summer nights. hosted by brad walrond in robert f. wagner park (battery park city), tonight’s event features poets danez smith and m.s. redcherries with indie band speedy ortiz. free admission. >>

fri 7pm: bryant park picnic performances: bryant park’s annual summer performance series is back with 25 evenings of free live music, theater, and dance in the heart of midtown. bring your own picnic or purchase food and drinks from on-site vendors. blankets and bistro chairs are provided for use. next up: carnegie hall’s citywide series presents singer-songwriter dez duron (maybe happy ending, the voice). >>

fri 7:15pm: angelheaded hipster: the songs of marc bolan + t. rex with ethan silverman and john cameron mitchell: roxy cinema (tribeca) hosts a screening of ethan silverman’s new documentary angelheaded hipster: the songs of marc bolan + t. rex, followed by a discussion with silverman and john cameron mitchell (hedwig and the angry inch). $18 >>

fri 7:30pm: the existentialists comedy show: adrienne hunter and jer wenick bring together a panel of ‘radical leftists’ and a lineup of comics to perform their most controversial material to ask the age-old question: ‘can anyone even say anything anymore?’ featuring sabrina wu, sophia wilson pelton, michael abber, esther fallick, bridget foley, and amanda gordon. rabbit hole bk (bushwick), $15 adv, $18 door. >>

fri 8pm (monthly): boyz in the woods comedy: kenice mobley, tawanda gona, josh stokes, and kofi thomas host this standup-meets-trivia show, where audience members can win free drinks by answering pop culture and hip-hop trivia questions between sets. featuring vanessa jackson (snl), onika mclean (hbo), murahd shawki (@murahdshawki), and angel contreras. friends and lovers (crown heights), $12 adv, $15 door. >>

fri 8:30pm: bitches brew comedy show: this women-produced and-hosted comedy show conjures up big laughs in the back room of halyards (gowanus). tonight’s performers include jenny zigrino (comedy central), anjelica scannura (don’t tell comedy), camille roberts, ryan ergo, geneva rust-orta, and megan mcmurty. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>

fri 9pm: drop up video: a panel of comedians riff on the music videos that we love to hate. featuring max higgins, robbie goodwin, annie lockwood, kevin o’brien, trey gaylon, and justin thompson. pine box rock shop (bushwick), $5. >>

saturday

sat thru 8/23: time:spans contemporary music festival: time:spans, an annual festival of 21st-century music, returns to the dimenna center for classical music (midtown west) for two weeks. this year’s performers include ensemble nikel, jack quartet, international contemporary ensemble, no hay banda, sixtrum percussion, talea ensemble, yarn/wire, and many others. $20 general, $10 students/seniors. >>

sat + sun (8am-6pm): 12th annual taiwan: a world of orchids: immerse yourself in a display of hundreds of orchids, talk with orchid experts, make orchid crafts, participate in a tea ceremony, shop vendors, and more at queens botanical garden’s taiwan: a world of orchids weekend. included with regular admission ($6 general, $4 seniors/students). >>

sat + sun (1pm-8pm): nomad jazz festival: bring a blanket and settle in for the sounds of world-class jazz in madison square park. the inaugural nomad jazz festival, curated by the jazz gallery’s rio sakairi, spans two full days and features live performances by lizz wright, ravi coltrane, brandee younger, roy hargrove big band, michael mayo, dabin ryu trio, arta jēkabsone, caracas trio, and melissa almaguer. free admission. >>

sat + sun (1:30-6pm): show brain festival: show brain’s third annual festival takes over tompkins square park (east village) with two days of music, featuring performances by daddy long legs, the thing, dion lunadon, dead tooth, 95 bulls, the mystery lights, natvie sun, fine mess, and more. all ages. free admission (donations welcome). >>

sat various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
elemental at field 62 in randall’s island park >>
labyrinth at fosun plaza at 28 liberty street (lower manhattan) >>
sonic the hedgehog 3 at p.s. 155 playground (east harlem) >>
the great dictator at valentino pier (red hook) >>
the warriors at coney island beach + boardwalk at west 12th street >>

sat 7am-3pm (saturdays thru 8/23): nyc summer streets festival:the annual summer streets festival turns nyc into a car-free playground, with over 400 blocks open for walking, running, biking, and exploring across five saturdays. enjoy free performances, fitness classes, kids’ activities, and more. today: manhattan (from the brooklyn bridge to broadway and dykman street). >>

sat 3:30-7pm: great jazz on the great hill: jazzmobile’s annual outdoor concert returns to central park’s great hill with performances by lezlie harrison, josh evans, wallace roney, jr., and the george gee swing orchestra. enter the park at 106th street + central park west. free admission. >>

sat 7pm (+ 8/12-16): 44th annual battery dance festival: new york city’s longest-running free public dance festival returns to battery park city’s robert f. wagner park (8/9) and nelson a. rockefeller park (8/12-16) with six evenings of waterfront performances by diverse dance companies from new york and around the world. >>

sat 7pm doors: rooftop films presents: ‘url in irl: tales from the timeline’: the popular rooftop films series, one of the word’s longest-running and largest outdoor showcases for indie film, returns for its 29th season. tonight: ‘url in irl: tales from the timeline,’ a program of short films that dive into how the virtual shapes our irl identities, connections, delusions, and discoveries. q+a with the filmmakers and an afterparty will follow. industry city courtyard 5/6 (brooklyn), $20. >>

sat 8:30pm: improvised road trip movie: buckle up! improv group help me i’m drowning performs an hour-long improvised road trip movie based on audience suggestions. brooklyn comedy collective pig pen (williamsburg), $10 adv, $15 day of. >>

sat 9:30pm: story-oke: sing and tell: part karaoke, part confessional. story-oke invites performers and audience members alike to share a true story about their connection to a song – or the song itself – and then sing the hell out of it. tonight’s premiere features stories about neil diamond and thai culture, wicked inspirations, the story of chess the musical, and more. plus, whatever you, the audience, brings to the stage. hosted by shyaporn theerakulstit. caveat (les), $13.61 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $18.76-20). >>

sponsored: sat 10:30pm: party like it’s 1999: don’t go chasing waterfalls editions: brooklyn’s best 90s and 00s dance party returns with a night of the biggest hits that ruled the 1990s and 2000’s. tonight’s edition celebrates the 30th anniversary of tlc’s ‘waterfalls’ with double shots of t-boz, chilli and left eye all night long, plus all of your favorite pop, r+b, rock, hip-hop, and dance tunes spun by dj steve reynolds. tickets are only $5 (plus $2.42 eventbrite fee). >>

sponsored
image by Jen Chou

sunday

sun thru 9/24: cyberpunk: envisioning possible futures through cinema: the academy museum of motion pictures and the paris theater team up for a screening series highlighting a dozen cyberpunk-themed films: blade runner: the final cut, escape from new york, existenz, ghost in the shell, neptune frost, robocop, strange days, testsuo: the iron man, the matrix, the terminator, videodrome (director’s cut), and world on a wire. the paris theater (midtown), $17 general, $15 seniors. >>

sun 12-6pm: (monthly): pioneer works second sundays: pioneer works’ free monthly open house celebrates creativity across art, music, science, and community. with programming spread across three floors the garden, this month’s edition features open studios with current artists-in-residence, live music, hands-on workshops, solar gazing, and more—culminating in the legendary looks mini-ball, a runway competition inspired by felix rodriguez’s exhibition legendary looks: my ballroom story. pioneer works (red hook), free admission (donations welcome). >>

sun 2-6pm (sundays thru 8/24): union pool’s 13th annual summer thunder concert series: williamsburg’s union pool hosts free afternoon concerts every sunday thru summer. today: gunn – truscinski duo, real young, lazy horse, and dj brian turner. note: according to union pool’s instagram, admission is first come first served and rsvp is not required for entry. >>

sun 6pm (monthly): public victories: from running the dishwasher to running a marathon, four performers—and one audience member—share true stories of personal triumphs, big or small, at the public victories storytelling show. featuring allie lawrence, joanna briley, jayden heather malsky, and whitney chanel. hosted by mary-alice mcnab. young ethel’s (south slope), free admission (donations welcome). >>

sun 7:30pm doors: outdoor movie: annihilation on the rooftop at noosphere arts (greenpoint). $5+ suggested donation. >>

monday

mon various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
inside out 2 at astoria park great lawn (astoria) >>
the godfather at bryant park (midtown) >>
veneno: primera caída – el relámpago de jack at the hudson (inwood) >>

mon 3:45pm, 7pm, 10:15pm (monthly): 35mm series at angelika: experience a series of ‘classic’ films in their original 35mm format at village east by angelika (east village). tonight: martin scorsese’s goodfellas (1990), starring ray liotta, robert de niro, joe pesci, and lorraine bracco. $21. >>

mon 6:30pm (season ends today): broadway by the boardwalk: enjoy show tunes with a view at broadway by the boardwalk, an annual summer concert series featuring broadway stars performing at clinton cove in hudson river park. this outdoor event invites guests to bring blankets, stretch out on the grass, and take in an evening of music right by the water. the season concludes tonight with anthony rapp and adam pascal(rent). free admission. >>

mon 7pm: nyc magic ensemble: expect the unexpected as the nyc magic ensemble presents a night of magicians and mentalists at caveat (les), featuring performers carl mercurio (broadway magic hour), matt szat (kimmel), and mike kurylo (gift of magic). $20 general, 2 for $30. >>

mon 8pm (monthly): franklin park reading series: the crown heights bar and beer garden’s reading series presents an evening with writers kashana cauley (the payback), katie yee (maggie; or, a man and a woman walk into a bar), emily hunt kivel (dwelling), samuel ashworth (the death and life of august sweeney), duncan b. barlow (awry), and quincy scott jones (how to kill yourself instead of your children). books will be available for purchase from indie bookseller unnameable books. free admission. >>

ongoing

our roundup of 70+ ongoing events and attractions: summer restaurant week, friday night fireworks in coney island, free outdoor fitness classes, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint