image by Jen Chou

After SOLD OUT performances of TITANIC, TMNT and STAR WARS, the Usual Rejects are back and ready to bring you SEND A MANIAC TO CATCH A MANIAC: DEMOLITION MAN! A Staged Parody Fan event for the ages.

Trivia! Raffle Prizes! Audience Participation! Sign up for our silent auction for a chance to play God and deal out beers to the cast! Thaw our from your cryo-fluid, grab some Taco Bell and join us for a tale of mayhem between Spartan and Phoenix. With names like that you know there is only one way this can end: violence and explosions!!! But watch your mouth! Remember there is no-swearing! It’s the year 2032 after all. Do you even know how the three-seashells work? Come find out before it’s too late.

Starring: David Rey, Lenny Thomas, Caroline Orlando, Christina Elise Perry, Laura Clare Browne, and Kirk Gostkowski

One complimentary drink with each ticket!
Save $5 on advance tickets with promo code “SKINT” HERE

SEND A MANIAC TO CATCH A MANIAC: DEMOLITION MAN
August 8 + 9 (doors open at 7:30pm)
The Chain Theatre
312 W 36 Street, 4th Floor (Between 8th and 9th ave)

Please check your dates and times before booking your ticket. There are no refunds or ticket exchanges unless the event is cancelled.

ALL AUDIENCE MUST BE 21 YEARS AND OLDER

USUAL REJECTS SHOWS ARE A FUNDRAISER FOR CHAIN THEATRE
The event is a fundraiser for Chain Theatre, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to supporting independent film and theatre in New York City.

sponsored post

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

► sat 11am-6pm: smorgasburg x suntory present: japan meets brooklyn – matsuri: smorgasburg (williamsburg). >>

► sat 3-9pm: jersey city night market: city hall ancillary lot. free admission (pay-as-you-go). >>

► sat 3:30-7pm: brooklyn art meetup: maria hernandez park (bushwick). >>

► sun 12-7pm (rain date: 8/9): third annual summer blockfest hip-hop festival + community celebration: 770 jackson street, hoboken. >>

► sun 1-7pm: phoenicia flea at strong rope brewery: red hook. >>

sponsored
image by Jen Chou

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.

Special Events Include:
• The Usual Rejects: a DEMOLITION MAN fan event on August 8 & 9 | 7:30 pm
A staged parody event with trivia, prizes, audience participation, and drinking games. From the team behind sold-out spoofs of Titanic, TMNT, and Star Wars. Tickets include a complimentary drink!
• Industry Panel with Geoffrey Cantor on Sunday, August 17 | 2PM
Join Geoffrey Cantor (Daredevil, The Punisher) for a candid discussion on career longevity and indie film survival. Tickets are Free. Reservations required.

Past guests have included Oscar-winning writers, Emmy-nominated creators, and industry legends like Richard LaGravenese and Richard Price. The 2025 festival continues this legacy of discovery and excellence. Chain Theatre’s past collaborators include Eric Bogosian, Jesse Eisenberg, and John Patrick Shanley sharing new work with Off-Broadway audiences.

2025 Chain NYC Film Festival
AUGUST 7-17
The Chain Theatre
312 W 36 Street, 3rd & 4th Floor (Between 8th and 9th ave)
All screenings are $13 in advance and $15 at the door
MORE INFO AND TICKETS

friday

thru the season: rooftop cinema club: take your movie night to new heights at rooftop cinema club, the annual open-air movie series held at the third floor skylawn rooftop of the embassy suites hotel in midtown. catch cult favorites, classics, and newer releases all season long, with provided wireless headphones to help block out the city buzz. soda, beer, wine, cocktails, popcorn, candy, hot dogs, pretzels, nachos, pizza, and more are available for purchase to make it a full night out. this month’s screenings include american psycho, before sunrise, camp beverly hills, clueless, dirty dancing, do the right thing, friday the 13th, grease, sinners, stand by me, taxi driver, twilight, when harry met sally, and many more. $12-29 admission (15% off for military, 10% off for students). >>

thru september: rooftop movies at yotel times square: take in a flick on the rooftop terrace of the green room 42 at yotel times square. food and drinks will be available for purchase. this month’s selections include birds of prey, ferris bueller’s day off, titanic, and more. $21+. >>

thru 8/31: snl ticket lottery: want to see saturday night live live? the show’s free ticket lottery opens 8/1 and runs through the end of the month for a chance at free tickets. didn’t get lucky? you can still try for standby tickets starting at 10am the thursday before each taping. >>

thru sun (various dates thru 8/9): 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 weekend: baand together dance festival (thru sat), national book foundation panel: celebrating 20 years of literary debuts (fri 5pm), nelly swing (fri 6:30pm), dj bembona (fri 10pm), paris to patagonia: karen kamensek conducts bizet’s symphony in c (fri + sat 7:30pm), globalfest (sat 4:30-11:30pm), and more. >>

thru sun (various times): summerstage: summerstage presents a series of free outdoor shows this weekend: doug e. fresh + funk flex hip-hop appreciation park jam and bbq featuring doug e. fresh, taana gardner, strafe, grandmaster melle mel + scorpio, and more at crotona park in the bronx (fri 6-9pm), ghanafest-ny presents: kidi, skrewfaze, and dj chvmeleon at crotona park in the bronx (sat 6-9pm), and taiwanese waves presents: enno cheng, abao + nanguaq girls, bulareyaung dance company, and chinatown records at rumsey playfield in central park (sun 6-10pm). >>

sponsored: fri + sat: flop house comedy club: nyc’s friendliest indie comedy club—with great comics, a cozy atmosphere, and no drink minimums—has some incredible lineups this weekend! save 33% with promo code ‘skint’ for any of these shows: at 362 grand street in williamsburg – ashley gavin, anthony moore, and sean millea (friday 8pm + 9:30pm); colleen genevieve, brittany carney, and caitlin peluffo (saturday 8pm + 9:30pm); at 83 1st ave in the east village – ashley gavin, usama siddiquee, david drake, shaunak godkhindi, and mia wilson (saturday 8:30pm + 10pm). food, snacks, and drinks will be available for purchase. >>

fri + sat (fri 6-9pm, sat 12-4pm): open worlds at momi: as part of ‘open worlds’ free community programs, museum of the moving image (astoria) hosts a bollywood disco talk and party with dj rekha, filmmaker saleem nasir gondal, and critic and film comment editor devika girish (friday), and an afternoon with cinematographer mia cioffi henry (sorry, baby) and film programmer shayana filmore on the art and science of cinematography and film lighting, with a focus on the impact of black innovations in the field (saturday). >>

fri + sat (various dates thru 8/16): 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: mireya ramos and the poor choices, morley, and talibah safiya (fri 6pm doors); gogol bordello, puzzled panther, and pons (sat 6pm doors). >>

fri various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
clueless at hunter’s point south park (lic) >>
moana 2 at bethune park (jersey city) >>
moana 2 at twenty-four sycamores park (lenox hill) >>
purple rain at transmitter park (greenpoint) >>
wicked at southpoint park (roosevelt island) >>

fri 10am-9pm (monthly): first friday at poster house: enjoy free admission, extended hours, and special programming at poster house’s first friday. today’s programming includes a subway-inspired printmaking workshop, a screening of dr. strangelove, or: how i learned to stop worrying and love the bomb, a neighborhood advertising walk + critique, and more. note: some activities require separate, paid tickets to participate. poster house (flatiron). >>

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: eric d. clark, ok williams, dj spanish fly, and masaaki. moma ps1 (lic) $25+ general, $20+ students. >>

fri 6pm: first novel friday: join the center for fiction for an evening celebrating a selection of notable debut novels. the night begins with a happy hour reception in the lounge (cash bar), followed by author readings, discussion, and signings in the auditorium. tonight’s novels feature characters searching for a sense of self and place in the world while being pulled in many directions, with authors naomi xu elegant (gingko season), benedict nguyễn (hot girls with balls), stephanie wambugu (lonely crowds), and moderator torrey peters (detransition, baby). the center for fiction (fort greene), $5+ admission. >>

fri 6:30pm (monthly): lower east stories: p+t knitwear bookstore + café (les) presents a storytelling salon where each month brings a fresh theme and fresh tales. tonight’s theme: ‘third chances.’ hosted by matt storrs. $10 admission ($5 of the ticket price can be applied towards any item in the bookstore or café). >>

fri 7pm (monthly): immigrant jam comedy: german-born, nyc-raised comedian and actor lucie pohl (overwatch) celebrates all things cross-cultural, international, and delightfully different at the immigrant jam stand-up show, featuring immigrant and first generation comedians. tonight’s lineup reps china, colombia, germany, jamaica, pakistan, and romania with performers eva evans (netflix presents), fareeha khan (comedy central), felipe torres medina (colbert), peng dang (tiktok), and more. a portion of the proceeds will go to new women new yorkers. caveat (les), $18.76 with promo code ‘jamily’ (reg. $24-25). >>

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 pianist and composer orrin evans and the grammy award–nominated captain black big band. >>

fri 7:30pm + 9pm (ongoing): free fridays at magnet theater: magnet theater (chelsea) introduces free fridays, where you can catch two of their flagship improv shows — premiere: the improvised musical and the friday night show — for exactly zero dollars. first come, first served. >>

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 sabeen sadiq, alex pavone, gracie canaan, naomi karavani, and moe yacub. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>

fri 9pm: the drunk texts: harry the first, or the knave who hath liv’d: random access theatre celebrates harry potter’s birthday with harry the first, or the knave who hath liv’d, a shakespearean retelling of harry potter and the sorcerer’s stone that combines drinking games, improvisation, and audience participation. the rat nyc (dumbo), $10-12. >>

fri 9:30pm: awkward sex… and the city storytelling show: from cocaine-infused one-night stands to ibs flare-ups during cunnilingus, comedian natalie wall and guest storytellers share the humor of awkward dating and sexual encounters. caveat (les), $12 adv, $15 door. >>

saturday

sat thru 8/10: catvideofest 2025: catvideofest returns to the big screen with cool kitty clips of all kinds, from fresh submissions to sourced animations, music videos, and iconic internet gems. bonus: a portion of ticket proceeds from every show will go to local animal shelters and/or animal welfare organizations. alamo drafthouse manhattan (8/2-6), ifc center (8/2-3), museum of the moving image (8/2-10), nitehawk cinema williamsburg and prospect park (8/2-10), and syndicated (8/2-6). various prices. >>

sat + sun 6pm: shakespeare in the garden: stag + lion theatre co. presents their take on shakepeare’s as you like it in west side community garden’s floral setting. free admission. >>

sat + sun (7pm): blank page theatre co’s 2025 summer new works festival: discover new stories based on today’s social climate at blank page theatre co’s 2025 summer new works festival. now in its fourth year, the festival presents four original plays centered around year’s theme of diversity, equity, and inclusion, chosen from more than 150 submissions. the tank (midtown), $23. >>

sat various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
i am not your negro at james baldwin lawn in st. nicholas park (harlem) >>
the day the earth blew up: a looney tunes movie at carroll park (carroll gardens) >>

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 1pm: wnyc’s public song project concert: history remixed. wnyc’s public song project invited musicians and hobbyists alike to submit song covers and musical adaptations of books, poetry, films, and more, showcasing the creative potential of the public domain. join host simon close for an outdoor concert on the brooklyn public library’s central library plaza (prospect heights) featuring winning submissions, plus performances by winners of the anthem to us project, which asked new yorkers to reimagine a new national anthem. free admission. >>

sat 1:30pm: how embarrassing is jesus? a queer psychedelic comedy: award-winning and -losing writer lauren duca (of teen vogue, tucker carlson, buzzfeed, and how to start a revolution fame) tries to figure out if jesus can be saved in this comedy directed by obie-award-winning trans performance artist becca blackwell. caveat (les), $15 adv, $20 door. >>

sat 5pm doors (thru 8/17): rise up nyc: the rise up nyc summer concert series returns with 10 free outdoor concerts across the five boroughs. tonight’s manhattan edition features johnny gill and big daddy kane outside of the apollo theatre in harlem. >>

sat 5-9:30pm (monthly): first saturdays at brooklyn museum: ‘en fuego’: brooklyn museum hosts a full evening of live music, talks, film screenings, hands-on art, tours, and more. tonight’s ‘en fuego’ edition celebrates artists from the caribbean diaspora in the lead-up to the west indian day parade. free admission includes museum general admission (rsvp required). >>

sat 6-10pm (rain date 9/20): silent disco: tune in to your vibe at the monthly silent disco event at riverside park’s pier i, with three djs spinning tunes of different genres straight into your wireless headphones (provided). free admission (a credit or debit card is needed for the check-in process to use the required headphones). >>

sat 7pm (monthly): tom d’s big new york show: comedian and licensed nyc tour guide tom delgado takes you through different aspects of nyc each month, with history, comedy, trivia with prizes, and special guests. tonight’s show features shane torres (conan), tom mccaffrey (comedy central), and sheila foster (professor at columbia law school and author of co-cities). save $5 with promo code ‘tomdnyc’ >>

sat 7pm (monthly): flopsauce comedy show: the monthly stand-up showcase where comedians dish out their latest failures (flops) and successes (sauces) returns for more servings. featuring fareeha khan, christine fiala, delia kemph, guy awn, angela sawyer, and lukas arnold. hosted by kayla kirk and emily baker. secret pour (bushwick / bed-stuy), free admission. >>

sat 7pm: a.i. vs human comedy roast battle: a human rapper takes on machine-learning a.i. in a comedy/rap roast battle of the times. hosted by harmon leon. the players theatre (greenwich village), a limited number of $10 tickets are available with promo code ‘theskint’ (reg. $42). >>

sat 7:30pm (monthly): feel the news with marcela onyango: in this monthly variety comedy show, ‘radical lefty’ comedian marcela onyango breaks down the latest headlines—helping you decide whether to be mad, glad, or just deeply confused. each show supports direct action efforts, raising funds for mutual aid projects. tonight’s guests include katrina davis, tawanda gona, amanda gordon, mo reyes, nat towsen, and sophia v. friends and lovers (crown heights), $10. >>

sunday

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: ted leo and aitis band. note: according to union pool’s instagram, admission is first come first served and rsvp is not required for entry. >>

sun 5pm (weather permitting): free outdoor movie: carnegie hall presents: bizet’s carmen at bryant park (midtown). >>

sun 5pm: rejected shorts: writer and comedian michelle cohn (vulture, mcsweeney’s) hosts a show where nyc writers and comedians join together to celebrate scorned satire, bad headlines, jokes that don’t land, and other art smacked with the cruel hand of rejection. featuring river clegg (the new yorker), liz hynes (john oliver), taylor kay phillips (mcsweeney’s), marcela onyango (feel the news), pat cassels (samantha bee), leah abrams (limousine reading series), and michelle chan bennett (bada swing!). caveat (les), $15.67 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $24-25) >>

sun 7pm: know it alls: is ghosting socially acceptable? does nature or nurture win in the end? watch comedians with strong convictions battle it out over debate topics like these and more at the know it alls show. hosted by catherine lindsay. eris mainstage (williamsburg), $12 adv, $17 day of. >>

monday

mon thru 8/24: the tank’s limefest: the tank’s annual limefest returns with 22 new, ‘zesty’ productions by emerging theater artists and creative teams who identify as women, non-binary, or gender nonconforming. the tank (midtown), $23+. >>

mon various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
blades of glory at bryant park (midtown) >>
damn yankees at the hudson (inwood) >>
grease at astoria park (queens) >>

mon 4:30pm, 7pm (monthly): angelika ‘classics’ screening series: village east by angelika’s ‘classics’ screening series celebrates iconic films. next up: richard linklater’s dazed and confused (1993), starring wiley wiggins, jason london, matthew mcconaughey, parker posey, and ben affleck. $19. >>

mon 6:30pm (mondays thru 8/11): 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 continues tonight with zachary noah piser (redwood). free admission. >>

mon 7pm: david levithan + jens lekman: songs for other people’s weddings: writer david levithan (every day, nick + norah’s infinite playlist) and singer-songwriter jens lekman celebrate the launch of their new book songs for other people’s weddings at strand bookstore (union square) with a discussion and performance. $10 admission, $28 ticket option includes a copy of the book. >>

mon 7:30pm (monthly): miss manhattan non-fiction reading series: elyssa goodman and r.c. gstaad iii’s monthly showcase for nonfiction writers returns for an evening of readings by samantha mann (dyke delusions), arianna rebolini (better: a memoir about wanting to die), ben seagreen (rupaul’s drag race), and holly mitchell (mare’s nest). niagara bar (east village), free admission. >>

mon 8pm: the moth storyslam: the popular community-based open mic storytelling competition, where anyone can share a five-minute tale based on the evening’s theme to an attentive audience, returns to the bell house (gowanus). tonight’s theme: ‘childish.’ $19.65. >>

mon 9pm: jena friedman: motherf*cker: comedian and writer jena friedman (indefensible, the daily show) works out her new hour about motherhood, grief and this current political moment before she premiers it at the edinburgh fringe. q.e.d. (astoria), $15. >>

mon 9:30pm: the ultimate set-up: an improvised dating game: watch sparks fly or hilariously fizzle at the ultimate set-up, an improvised dating game where bold singles and the friends who volunteered them take the stage. hosted by matchmakers dr. romeo smoocherson and dr. darcy tenderfield, this show pairs participants on stage, with the audience and the singles deciding who’s a match. after the show, matched couples get free drinks, while everyone else is invited to mix and mingle the old-fashioned way. caveat (les), $15 adv, $20 door. >>

ongoing

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

stay safe and healthy
– the skint

tuesday

thru 10/29: wagner park reopening: after a two-year closure for resiliency improvements, downtown’s wagner park reopens to the public. the 3.5-acre waterfront space will host a lineup of free events through october, kicking off with an outdoor performance by taylor mac 7/29 at 7pm. >>

thru thurs (various dates thru 8/9): 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: baand together dance festival (thru sat), salsa en tacones (weds 6pm), toño rosario (weds 8pm), warriors listening party with lin-manuel miranda and eisa davis (weds 9:30pm), funk + soul dance party with urban bush women (thurs 6:30pm), ammoye (thurs 7:30pm), and more. >>

tues various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
elf and party girl at domino park (williamsburg) >>
the devil wears prada at pier 17 heineken riverdeck >>

tues 7pm: letters + sodas: lic reading series: writer lana schwartz (build your own romantic comedy) brings together comedians and writers for a night of standup, humor pieces, fiction, and essay readings at the greats of craft (lic). featuring meg reid (the onion), just lunning (the hard times), james folta (esquire), pooja reddy (kutti gang), brian gresko (the atlantic), and shem pennant (say less comedy). $5. >>

tues 7pm: nyc magic ensemble: expect the unexpected as the nyc magic ensemble presents a night of magicians and mentalists at young ethel’s (south slope), featuring performers carl mercurio, sara crasson, and mike kurylo. $10 (a limited number of 2-for-$15 tickets are also available). >>

tues 7pm (tuesdays thru 8/17): live at the gantries: kupferberg center for the arts presents live at the gantries, an annual outdoor concert series at gantry plaza state park (lic) showcasing local artists. tonight: afro-colombian ensemble rebolú. free admission. >>

tues 8pm: rooftop films: new york non-fiction 2025: 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: jessica earnshaw’s baby doe at the old american can factory (gowanus), followed by filmmaker discussion and a reception. $20. >>

tues 8pm: live band karaoke at arlene’s grocery: choose from a wide assortment of rock and pop songs and take the stage with your very own live band (nakatomi5) backing you up at arlene’s grocery (les). $10 adv, $15 door. >>

sponsored

The number-one song of the land in the summer of 1995 was a meaningful gem from a trio called TLC. Party Like It’s 1999: Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls Edition will mark that 30th anniversary by giving you double shots of T-Boz, Chilli and Left Eye all night long. Plus DJ Steve will also serve up our usual mix of the best rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop and dance tunes from the 1990s and 2000s!

Unhitch that overall strap, lace up your Docs, tie that flannel around your waist, put on some frosted lip gloss and set your VCR to record Dawson’s Creek and Gilmore Girls — Party Like it’s 1999 is Brooklyn’s best 1990s and 2000s dance party where you’ll shake it to the best pop, rock, hip hop and R&B jams all night long!

Party Like It’s 1999: Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls Edition
Saturday, August 9 10:30pm – 3:30 am
Doors: 10:00pm | Show: 10:30pm

Littlefield
635 Sackett Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
• R to Union Street, then
one block to Sackett Street
• 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, Q to
Atlantic Avenue or Pacific Street. 9 blocks south to Sackett Street

GET TICKETS

wednesday

weds thru 8/5: silent movie week at moma: the museum of modern art presents its third annual silent movie week, featuring seven recently restored silent films from 1923-28. the series opens with walter ruttmann’s berlin: symphony of a city, presented with live musical accompaniment in the abby aldrich rockefeller sculpture garden (weather permitting). museum of modern art (midtown), $14 general, $12 seniors, $10 students. >>

weds various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
captain america: brave new world at rainey park (lic) >>
dark toons at brooklyn commons park (downtown brooklyn) >>
dirty dancing at resiliencity park (hoboken) >>
kung fu panda 4 at tompkins square park (east village) >>
mean girls at prospect park (prospect park) >>
the grand budapest hotel at pier i in riverside park south (uws) >>
sponsored: up at parklife (gowanus). note: food/drink purchase required. >>

weds 12-6pm: 50% off eileen’s special cheesecake: say cheese(cake)! eileen’s special cheesecake shop in nolita is celebrating its 50th anniversary (and national cheesecake day) with 50% off all individual and 6-inch cheesecakes. while supplies last. >>

weds 6pm (wednesdays thru 8/13): summer concerts at hudson yards: the annual concert series returns to the public square + gardens at hudson yards for eight weeks. tonight: country singer–songwriter brittney spencer with an opening set by dj chachi. free admission. >>

weds 7pm (monthly): not in my backyard! a political comedy roundtable: a panel of opinionated nyc comedians, journalists, and politicians debate the local issues causing drama in your neighborhood’s facebook group. each show will also include a pop quiz on nyc knowledge. hosted by cody lindquist (our cartoon president) and charlie todd (improv everywhere), with panelists anthony atamanuik (what we do in the shadows), lindsey boylan (campaign to stop cuomo), and catherine vaughan (abundance new york). ucb (east village), $10 adv, $15 day of. >>

weds 7pm: artists + beers: pair cinema with cervezas at ‘artists + beers,’ a semi-monthly screening series highlighting short films, docs, and music videos by local filmmakers. hosted by nancy pop, curran banach, and chip parham. all night skate (bed-stuy), free admission. >>

weds 7pm (wednesdays thru 8/13): jazz at pier 84: jazz up your evening with the jazz foundation of america’s free outdoor concerts at hudson river park’s pier 84 (hell’s kitchen). the season continues with pucci amanda jhones. >>

weds 8pm: ambush comedy show: the ambush comedy show buzzes into hellrazor barber shop in williamsburg with a lineup featuring sarah tollemache (comedy central), ashton womack (the daily show), ashlynn salzano (that time of the week), alex dragicevich, and tim smith. hosted by josh johnson, brittany cardwell, and lucas connolly. free admission. >>

weds 9:30pm (weekly): friends with caveats: expect everything from stand-up and character performances to music and even powerpoint presentations at caveat’s weekly comedy show, ‘friends with caveats.’ tonight’s lineup features myq kaplan (comedy central), adam mitrani (why aren’t you more famous?), rebecca weiser (reductress), nikolai vanyo (vocabaret), ben miller, jimmy ong, and chesarae. hosted by delia kemph. caveat (les), $10 adv, $15 door. >>

thursday

thurs thru 8/17: the little shakespeare festival: ‘not your english teacher’s shakespeare’: frigid new york’s annual little shakespeare festival invites indie theatre companies to put their own spin on the bard’s classics. this year’s 10 productions include a shakespearean parody of the princess bride, a telenova-style hamlet, and more. under st. marks (east village), $20-25. >>

thurs thru 8/10: 48th asian american international film festival: the annual asian american international film festival, presented by asian cinevision, presents 11 days of indie films and programming at asia society, welcome to chinatown hub, regal union square, and online. various prices. >>

thurs various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
a minecraft movie at tanahey playground (les) >>
ferris bueller’s day off at coney island beach at w 12th street >>
men in black at union square park >>
monsters university at boyd mcguiness park (jersey city) >>
the matrix at brooklyn bridge park – pier 1 harbor viewn lawn >>

thurs (various times): summerstage: summerstage presents a pair of free outdoor shows tonight: frankie negrón, christian alicea, and funk salsa urban at crotona park in the bronx (5-9pm) and summer dayes 2025 with the yussef dayes experience, fkj, venna, and salin at rumsey playfield in central park (6-10pm). >>

thurs 12:30pm (season ends today): broadway in bryant park: broadway comes to bryant park as stars perform some of their biggest hits at this annual lunchtime performance series. today: ‘disney on broadway’ with aladdin, beauty and the beast, and the lion king). hosted by lite fm’s cubby and christine. free admission. >>

thurs 6pm (season ends tonight): live at the archway: summer music + art in the dumbo archway: sights and sounds fill the public plaza underneath the manhattan bridge in dumbo. tonight: psychedelic cumbia group chicha libre and chelsea bonosky. food and drink will be available for purchase. rain or shine. free admission. >>

thurs 6:30pm: winging it: an open mic night at lofty pigeon books: share your script, your poem, your music, your jokes, or just your support at this open mic night held at kensington’s lofty pigeon books, hosted by comedian, performer, author, and new yorker cartoonist emily flake. light refreshments will be served, and attendees will save 10% on store purchases. free admission. >>

thurs 6:30pm (season ends tonight): summer music series at bushwick inlet park: soak up the sounds and skyline river sunset at the friends of bushwick inlet park’s fifth annual summer music series. tonight: carol sudhalter quintet. 86 kent shoreline esplanade (williamsburg), free admission. >>

thurs 6:30pm (thursdays thru 8/14): sunset salsa: dance into golden hour at hudson river park’s sunset salsa series, returning to pier 76 (midtown west) for the summer. led by performer and instructor talía castro-pozo, each night kicks off with a beginner salsa lesson—open to first-timers and seasoned dancers alike—followed by an open dance party with guest djs. free admission. >>

thurs 7pm (monthly): golden spiral comedy show: at mindy raf and katie compa’s golden spiral comedy show, stand-up set lengths follow the fibonacci sequence (5, 8, 13, and 21 minutes each). tonight’s show at whiskey cellar nyc (east village) includes guests kendra dawsey, sue funke, jilberto soto, and leighann lord. advance ticket purchase includes a raffle ticket for a free drink. a limited number of tickets are available for $7.18 with promo code ‘skintspiral’ (reg. $10.38+). >>

thurs 7pm doors (season ends tonight): river + blues concert series: settle in for sunset sounds at nelson a. rockefeller park, where the annual river + blues concert series brings global and american folk, roots, and blues artists to the waterfront. bring a blanket or lawn chair, pack a picnic (or purchase snacks and drinks on-site), and enjoy the music with hudson river views. tonight: lady blackbird with opener dj blessed. free admission. >>

thurs 7:30pm (season ends tonight): astoria park concert series: central astoria ldc’s annual concert series returns with four nights of live music on the ditmars side lawn at astoria park. tonight: the sky high band (90s/2000s hits). free admission. >>

thurs 9:30pm: fightin’ words! a language game show: three contestants compete in a series of word-based games to win the ultimate prize: a new word of their creation will be added to the people’s lexicon. featuring guest contestants michael cruz cayne, whitley watson, and rachel coster. hosted by jerzy gwiazdowski. $13.61 with promo code ‘skintwords’ (reg. $18.76-20). >>

thurs 10pm: happy birthday, kate: a kate bush party: bush bash! dj bright light bright light’s annual dance party celebrating all things kate bush returns to c’mon everybody (bed-stuy). $12.36. >>

ongoing

our roundup of 70+ ongoing events and attractions: restaurant week, friday night fireworks in coney island, shakespeare in the parking lot, chain theatre’s summer one-act festival, free outdoor fitness classes, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint