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

► fri-sun (fri 1-6pm, sat 11am-6pm, sun 11am-5pm): manhattan vintage clothing show: metropolitan pavilion (chelsea). $20 general, $15 students. >>

► fri-sun: 49th annual saint george’s seventh street ukrainian festival: east 7th street bet 2nd + 3rd aves (east village). >>

► sat 10am-5pm: metropolitan postcard club show + sale: church of the village (greenwich village). $3 admission. >>

► sat 10am-6pm: annual murray hill park avenue day: park ave bet 34th + 39th streets. >>

► sat 10am-6pm: annual graham avenue fiesta: graham avenue (ave of puerto rico) from boerum st to broadway (east williamsburg). >>

► sat 11am-3pm: annual harlem wellness festival: marcus garvey park. >>

► sat 12pm: annual turkish american festival parade: madison ave from 38th st to 25th st. >>

► sat 12-5pm (monthly thru december): queens craft brigade: katch gastropub (astoria). >>

► sat 12-7pm: 19th annual dance parade + festival: 17th st + avenue of the americas to west 8th street, thru st. marks place to tompkins square park. >>

► sat + sun (10am-6pm): 50th annual ninth avenue international food festival: ninth avenue between 42nd + 57th streets (hell’s kitchen). >>

► sat + sun (11am-6pm): fad market: nycxdesign pop-up market: st. paul’s church (boerum hill/cobble hill). >>

► sun 10am-3pm: annual brooklyn grange and city growers’ plant sale + family farm day: brooklyn grange (sunset park). >>

► sun 10am-5pm: rugged + riveted: the denim + indigo bazaar at grand bazaar nyc: indoors and outdoors at 100 w 77th st at columbus ave (uws). >>

► sun 10am-6pm: annual fabulous fifth avenue fair: fifth avenue from sterling street to 12th street (park slope). >>

► sun 10am-6pm (+ various dates thru the season): japan fes japanese food festival: fifth avenue bet 13th-14th street in park slope, brooklyn (note: this is a section of the fabulous fifth avenue fair). >>

► sun 10am-6pm (monthly thru 9/6): korea fest: greenpoint ave bet 47th + 48th sts in sunnyside, queens. >>

► sun 11am: nepal day parade: madison ave from 38th st to 24th st. >>

► sun 11am-3pm (rain date 5/25): annual mmpcia stoop sale: mount morris park historic district (central harlem). >>

► sun 11am-6pm: annual hoboken spring arts + music festival: washington street bet. observer highway + 7th street (hoboken, nj) >>

► sun 11am-6pm: philippines fest presents: ubeland new york: fifth avenue bet 10th-11th street in park slope, brooklyn (note: this is a section of the fabulous fifth avenue fair). >>

► sun 1:30pm: 71st 17th of may norwegian american day parade: bay ridge. >>

► sun 2-7pm: academy records + friends record fair: union pool (williamsburg). >>

► mon thru 5/24: chinatown restaurant week: 18 participating restaurants. >>

see all the art and design at these exhibitions and events (free admission, unless noted otherwise):

► fri 4-7pm: the new school’s end-of-year print show: l2 open work space (greenwich village). free admission. >>

► fri thru sun: ridgewood open studios: opening kickoff and after party friday, open studios sat + sun. free admission. >>

► fri thru ? (fridays-sundays 11am-6pm): mmuseumm new exhibit: 4 cortlandt alley (tribeca). >>

► sat 10am-6pm: madison avenue spring gallery walk: participating galleries on madison avenue and side streets from east 57th st to east 86th st. >>

► sat 12-6pm: industry city open studios >>

► sat + sun (12-6pm): lic arts open studios >>

► sun 12-6pm: mana contemporary jersey city spring open studios >>

► mon + tues (6-8pm): new york school of interior design: bfa thesis exhibition (mon, upper east side) and mfa thesis and mps studio projects exhibition (tues, nomad). >>

► thru 5/21: nycxdesign festival: various locations and prices. >>

film fests / series:

► fri 12pm-8pm: annual sva bfa animation celebration screening: sva theatre (chelsea) and online. free admission. >>

► fri thru 5/29: jack lemmon 100: the apartment, the odd couple, glengarry glen ross, grumpy old men, some like it hot, and more. film forum (south village), $17. >>

► fri thru 6/29: hitch! the original cinema influencer: 30+ films by alfred hitchcock, a dozen hitchcockian classics by other directors, plus documentaries, shorts, and more. paris theater (midtown). $17 general, $15 seniors / students / people with disabilities / military / first responders. >>

► sat 2-8pm: fourth annual sva masters in film directing apple box short film festival: sva theatre (chelsea). free admission. >>

► sat 7pm: changing minds young filmmaker festival: village east by aangelika. $10. >>

friday

sponsored fri thru sun: get insider access to the city’s best secrets this weekend with new york adventure club! explore the society of illustrators, go inside the little red lighthouse, explore grand central terminal, discover downtown manhattan’s subway history, go on a secret eats of arthur avenue or chinatown food crawl, enjoy secret parlor jazz with a bbq dinner, and more! or, head to lyndhurst mansion or the seaside village of city island. adventure awaits! >>

sponsored: fri + sat (8pm, 9:30pm, 11pm): this weekend at flop house comedy club: amber singletary (hbo), caitlin reese (hbo), graham kay (the tonight show), brittany carney (comedy central), tatiana frank (don’t tell), demetrius fields (tik tok), jake velazquez, mia wilson, and ronnie lordi. nyc’s friendliest indie comedy club, with great comics, a cozy atmosphere, and no drink minimums—right in the heart of williamsburg. use promo code ‘skint’ to save 33% on tickets! >>

fri various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
despicable me at twenty-four sycamores park (lenox hill) >>
inside out 2 at lawn area in commodore barry park (fort greene) >>
wicked at hudson yards public square and gardens >>

fri 5-10pm: decade downtown dance party: as part of the whitney free friday nights programming and decade downtown celebration, the meatpacking district museum hosts a dance party paying tribute to three decades of club music and culture with dj justin strauss and dj shannon. free admission (ticket reservation required). >>

fri 6:30pm: brooklyn poets spring workshop showcase: teachers and students from brooklyn poets’ spring workshops share their work during an evening of readings at the organization’s home base in brooklyn heights. doors open at 6pm for a reception. free admission. >>

fri 7pm (monthly): kweendom: come out for the kweendom lgbtq+ comedy and storytelling show, featuring performances by ben hawes, justin alicastro, chloe cunha, riylan mills, and kendra dawsey. pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free admission (donations are welcome and will benefit the here to pee tour). >>

fri 7pm: ¡vaya! latin music series: mambo legends orchestra: the grammy-nominated, 21-piece mambo legends orchestra comes to lincoln center’s david rubenstein atrium (uws) for an evening of music and dancing. free admission. >>

fri 7:30pm: the story collider podcast’s science storytelling show: ‘revelation’: storytellers share true, personal stories about science on the theme of revelation at the latest edition of the story collidershow. hosted by julio chávez and tracey segarra. qed (astoria), $15. >>

fri 7:30pm: defector media presents ten minute quarters: a wnba comedy show: join other wnba fans for a night of stand up, games, giveaways, and special guests to get you hyped for saturday’s new york liberty season opener. hosted by nora jefferies and jasper wang. littlefield (gowanus), $14.31+ with promo code ‘skintwnba’ (reg. $18.67+). >>

fri 7:30pm doors (monthly): best night ever comedy show: audrey black and akshay sampath (cracked) host a night of stand-up at el santo taqueria (east williamsburg / bushwick). tonight: andy haynes (snl), joey dardano (wild n out), zubi ahmed (ramy), geoffrey asmus, divya gunasekaran, and alex boswell. $12.51 adv, $16+ day of. >>

fri 7:45pm doors (thru august and beyond): rooftop films summer series: the popular rooftop films series, one of the word’s longest-running and largest outdoor showcases for indie film, returns for its 29th season. the summer series includes over 40 free and ticketed events across nyc, featuring new independent feature films, short film programs, family screenings, and live performances. tonight’s season opener: ‘this is what we mean by short films,’ plus live music from gold casio, filmmaker q+a, and an after-party. green-wood cemetery, $20. >>

fri 8pm: laugh it off: bring your problems to the laugh it off show, where audience members submit their everyday problems and comedians try their best to ‘fix’ them. boyb. melrose podcasts (east village), $16. >>

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 caitlin reese (hbo), mycal dede (don’t tell comedy), dan carney (run club), elle orlando (@_elleorlando_), alex castagne, and dwayne paul cullen. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>

fri 9:30pm: would you rather? comedy show: hosts maggie maxwell and andre medrano ask comedians to make tough choices at the would you rather show. featuring nonye brown-west (npr), anthony devito (colbert), jacob williams (colbert), and anna roisman (mtv). caveat (les), $15 adv, $20 door. >>

fri 10pm: sade night: smooth operators and soldiers of love make their way to the long-running sade night new york city party. the onyx room at house of yes (bushwick), $10.30. >>

saturday

sat (various times): eurovision song contest finale viewing parties:
► brooklyn art haus (williamsburg): $10 admission. >>
► footlight underground at the windjammer (ridgewood) >>
► hardware bar (hell’s kitchen) >>
► rise bar (hell’s kitchen) >>
► q.e.d. (astoria): $10 admission. >>
► the liberty nyc (midtown west) >>

sat + sun (various times): 15th annual sacred sites open house: the new york landmarks conservancy presents its annual sacred sites open house, a weekend when more 60 congregations across the city and state open their doors for guided and self-guided tours, lectures, and musical performances celebrating their architecture and history. free admission. >>

sat + sun (sat 11am-2:30pm, sun 11am-2:30pm): free bike helmets: the department of transportation continues its bike helmet distribution program this weekend, offering free, personally-fitted helmets at juniper valley park in middle village, queens (sat) and tecumseh playground on the upper west side (sun) while supplies last. can’t make it? more dates and locations should be announced periodically through summer. >>

sat + sun (sat 2:15pm + 7:30pm, sun 3pm): how the land lies at governors island: as part of the inter­ven­tions mul­ti­dis­ci­pli­nary per­for­mance series, gov­er­nors island arts presents how the land lies, an outdoor performance piece incorporating movement and scrolling led signs that explore how language influences mobility. direct­ed and chore­o­graphed by lau­ra cemin (italy/​finland) and bian­ca hisse (brazil/​norway). free sat 2:15pm; 2-for-1 tickets available for $20 sat 7:30pm + sun 3pm. >>

sat various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
king richard at lincoln terrace park (crown heights) >>
wicked at renaissance playground (harlem) >>

sat (waves start at 7am, 7:15am, 7:40am, and 8:05am): rbc brooklyn half marathon: cheer on thousands of runners as they race 13.1 miles from the brooklyn museum, through prospect park, down ocean parkway, and across the finish line on the coney island boardwalk. >>

sat 11am-3pm: kite festival: queue up the mary poppins soundtrack for brooklyn bridge park’s annual kite festival at pier 5—the only day of year when kite flying is open to the public in the park. bring your own kite, purchase, or make one on site. kites are $10-30, admission is free. >>

sat 11am-4pm: governors island arts season launch party: gov­er­nors island arts sea­son kicks off with a free, all-ages launch par­ty featuring a dj set by miss alicia, outdoor performances and activations, guided exhibit tours of an island-wide group show, artmaking activities for all ages by red hook art project, and more. food and drinks will be available for purchase. free admission. >>

sat 3pm (season finale): washington heights chamber orchestra: ‘landscapes’: washington heights chamber orchestra wraps the season with a program that pays musical homage to the distant lands that are a part of our heritage, including fela sowande’s african suite for strings and tchaikovsky’s serenade for strings. fort washington collegiate church (washington heights), $20 general, $10 seniors/students. >>

sat 3pm (season finale): metropolitan music community spring concert: kings county concert band, grand street community band, and brooklyn wind symphony close their season with an afternoon concert showcasing a diverse range of works. grand street campus high school auditorium (east williamsburg), $10-20 general, free for students. >>

sat 6pm (monthly): the astigmatism comedy show: a book-ish standup comedy show highlighting diversity in laughter and literature: comedians alexis bradby, kristal adams, and isabelle pierre bring together underrepresented voices in comedy and literature for ‘the tiny desk of comedy’ at p+t knitwear bookstore (les). $15 admission includes $5 that can be applied towards any purchase in the bookstore or café. >>

sat 6:30pm: bollywood community dance: join imge dance company for a performance and community dance workshop rooted rooted in indian classical, hip-hop, and contemporary dance at battery park city’s esplanade plaza. free. >>

sat 7pm: club video: 10th edition: micah phillips (comedy central) and whitley watson (adult swim) host a video party featuring new experimental and comedy short films from independent creators at silo (bushwick). the only rules that industry pros and first-time filmmakers had to adhere to: nothing over three minutes, and nothing that’s been screened before. stick around for an afterparty with the filmmakers and dj john swan. $15. >>

sat 7pm (monthly): a drinking game nyc: clueless: a drinking game nyc comedy troupe lovingly (and drunkenly) reenacts an 80s/90s/00s movie and turns the whole thing into a drinking game. join them tonight as they stumble through clueless (1995) at the bell house (gowanus). $25.05. >>

sat 7pm (season finale): the master chorale: the master chorale presents its final concert of the 2024-2025 season, featuring fauré’s requiem alongside cecilia mcdowall’s stabat mater— both with full orchestra. st. bartholomew’s church (midtown), $10. >>

sat 7:30pm: tarot parade arcana crawl: creek to river: join in a joyful, tarot-themed night parade along and in the waterways of long island city. participants will dance and play, accompanied by live music and hundreds of led-lit, hand-held bamboo and paper sculptures. meet up early (2-6:30pm) for last-minute costume-making. free. >>

sat 8pm: fun gutter: punks and punchlines meet at fungutter, a stand-up comedy show with a punk house band. tonight’s show, hosted by sasha von didkovsky and caleb clark, features standup from tommy bayer and rylan sylvester, a comic reading by cartoonist alex krokus, and musical comedy from josh nasser. the cobra club (bushwick), free admission. >>

sat 8pm (season finale): new york repertory orchestra 2024-25 season: the all-volunteer, community-based orchestra is back with a new season of concerts, concluding tonight with a program that includes works by aaron copland, katie jenkins, and carl nielsen. the church of st. mary the virgin (theater district), free ($15 suggested donation). >>

sat 8pm: pataphysics audiovisual concert series: sink into a multi-sensory scene at the latest installment of delight factory’s bi-monthly pataphysics audiovisual concert series, pairing ambient and downtempo music and visuals by ezekiel honig, todd polenberg, joshue ott, and sean smith. delight factory (ocean hill), $20. >>

sat 10pm: meat cats comedy presents: sunday sauce: whet your appetite for absurdity at britt migs and irina chelidze’s comedy show, serving up snackable stand-up by geoffrey asmus, amber singletary, j.p. mcdade, julia desmond, karthik raj, and alex babbitt. union hall (park slope), $12 adv, $15 door. >>

sunday

sun thru 6/15 (sundays at 6pm): music in a garden: the annual music in a garden concert series returns to the west side community garden, offering early-evening performances in a flower-filled oasis. expect an eclectic lineup—from classical and spanish guitar to afro-cuban and moz-jazz—all in an intimate outdoor setting. west side community garden (uws), free admission (donations welcome). >>

sun 8am: 40th annual aids walk new york (8:30am sign-in opens, 9am dance warm-up and opening ceremony, 10am walk): join thousands for the 40th annual aids walk new york, the world’s largest and most visible hiv/aids fundraising event. the walk loops through central park in support of gmhc and public health organizations in the tri-state area, and is free to participate (no fundraising minimum required). rain or shine. >>

sun 11am: the branches journal spring release party: the branches, a new journal of literature and philosophy, celebrates the release of its spring 2025 issue with readings from featured authors, discussion, and a potluck picnic in central park. free admission. >>

sun 1-4pm: brooklyn books and boos: brooklyn horror society and twisted spine books team up for an afternoon of horror readings by nine authors at wild east brewing co. (gowanus). free admission (books will be available for purchase). >>

sun 2pm: sixth annual poets afloat: after spending time writing poetry during micro-residencies on ships around new york harbor, a crew of seven local poets come together for a waterfront afternoon of readings on the deck of the south street seaport museum’s permanently-moored 1885 tall ship, wavertree. donation-based admission. >>

sun 7pm: say less: a too truthful comedy show: buckle up for an evening of overly personal jokes and stories scored by a live band at the say less comedy show. hosted by niccolo aeed and shem pennant. ucb (east village), $15 adv, $20 day of. >>

sun 8pm (monthly): beanie babe comedy: the standups and the stuffed animals are full of beans at this comedy show, where a donation will get you a vintage beanie baby to take home. featuring jared waters, kelly bachman, rene fuentes, amanda gram, abd benedict + florentine. hosted by rebecca kaplan. young ethel’s (south slope), free admission (donations optional). >>

sun 8pm (monthly) disasterpiece movie night: empire of the dark: from the weird to the wondrous, disasterpiece unearths bad movies for a watch party complete with drinking games, trivia, pizza, and more. tonight: 1991 satanic panic action movie, empire of the dark. wonderville (bushwick), free admission. >>

sun 9pm (monthly): you are not alone: an uplifting show about depression: improvisers and artists that battle depression and mental illness in their day-to-day lives create scenes inspired by personal experiences, showing how laughter can be the best medicine. hosted by aaron gold and michael serpe. magnet theater (chelsea), $10. >>

monday

mon + tues (5:30pm): american symphony orchestra chamber series at bryant park: american symphony orchestra presents its annual series of outdoor concerts on the upper terrace of bryant park. this week’s program: salon 1898: cuban dance music at the turn of the twentieth century. free admission. >>

mon 6pm (season finale): miller theater’s pop-up concert series: the columbia university school of the arts’s musical happy hour returns for a new season of hour-long concerts where the audience is permitted to sit onstage with the performers and enjoy a free drink. tonight: harpist parker ramsay and arnie tanimoto, the first-ever viola da gamba major at the juilliard school, present a collection of baroque works, composers, and genres that influenced j.s. bach. columbia university’s miller theatre (morningside heights), free admission. >>

mon 7pm (monthly): and scene: anything could happen when actors and improvisors share the stage at ‘and scene,’ where the actors know their lines ahead of time and the improvisers make up their parts with no prior knowledge of the scenes. featuring josh sharp (jared + ivanka), maris brau (law + order: svu), connor ratliff (the george lucas talk show), anthony atamanuik (what we do in the shadows), and more. hosted by mick szal. $18.76 with promo code ‘brick’ (reg. $24-25). >>

mon 7:30pm: dirty little secrets improv show: see your secrets turned into comedy gold at the dirty little secrets show, where your anonymously-submitted confessions serve as inspiration for improv performers. the wara theatre (east village), $14.61 with promo code ‘skintsecrets’ (reg. $23.18). >>

mon 7:30pm: not a boy, not a girl comedy show: two-year anniversary: will morrison hosts this comedy show outside of the gender binary, returning to crystal lake (williamsburg) with standup by deanne smith, mila myles, erica green, lou gonzalez, jr., and mateo rodriguez-hurtado, plus a drag performance by virgo rising. $10. >>

mon 7:30pm (season finale): music mondays concert series: the music mondays concert series returns for its 22nd season presenting dynamic lineups of classical and contemporary chamber music ensembles at advent lutheran church (uws). tonight: claremont trio and metropolitan opera tenor paul appleby present a program featuring works by fauré, schubert, and jessica meyer. a casual reception will follow the performance. free admission (note: if reservations are sold out, there will be a standby line at the performance). >>

ongoing

our roundup of 60+ ongoing events and attractions: rooftop cinema club, summer on the hudson, the met fifth ave’s new roof garden commission, brooklyn cyclones baseball season, bargemusic, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint

Theatre for a New Audience Presents

PROSPEROUS FOOLS
Starring and Written by Taylor Mac
Directed by Darko Tresnjak

GET A NEW DEAL TICKET TO ANY PERFORMANCE FOR JUST $20!*
If you are 30 years old or under OR a full-time student of any age, you can purchase a $20 New Deal ticket (up to $95 value). Choose your seat, choose ticket type New Deal (change from Standard), and use promo code NEWDEALSKINT. ONE ID PER TICKET, FOR OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS – SEE BELOW.

SINGLE TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE FOR $65** WITH CODE SKINT65!

GET TICKETS AT TFANA.ORG

Written by and starring the MacArthur genius and incomparable force of theatrical nature Taylor Mac, Prosperous Fools, inspired by Moliere’s Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, is a brilliant and courageous exploration of philanthropy and its hypocrisies; a retooled comedy of manners for an age with no manners.

Company: Sierra Boggess, Kaliswa Brewster, Aerina Park DeBoer, Megumi Iwama, Taylor Mac, Jason O’Connell, Ian Paget, Jennifer Regan, Cara Seymour, Jennifer Smith, Em Stockwell

Polonsky Shakespeare Center: 262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217

* Each New Deal ticket holder must be 30 years of age and under, or a full-time student. A valid ID proving eligibility must be presented for each ticket purchased. IDs must be presented at entry beginning two hours prior to curtain. Failure to show proof of age or student ID will result in a surcharge for a full price ticket.

** $65 ticket discount offer expires 6/29/2025. Full price up to $95. Subject to availability. All internet and phone orders are subject to a handling fee. The offer may be discontinued at any time. Not valid for previous purchases.

Box Office hours are Monday–Saturday, 1–7pm and it can be reached at 646-553-3880 or tickets@TFANA.org.

Face masks are encouraged, but not required.
Click here to learn more about our policy on refunds and exchanges.

Design by Paul Davis Studio / Paige Restaino

Deloitte and Bloomberg Philanthropies are the 2024-2025 Season Sponsors.

Principal support for Theatre for a New Audience’s season and programs is provided by the Bay and Paul Foundations, The Jerome and Marlène Brody Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Jerome L. Greene Foundation Fund at the New York Community Trust, The Dubose & Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund, The Polonsky Foundation, The SHS Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Thompson Family Foundation.

Theatre for a New Audience’s season and programs are also made possible, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities; Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

sponsored post

tuesday

thru 6/29: (tues-sun 11am-8pm): ‘the forest within’: step into ‘the forest within,’ a new immersive installation at genesis house (meatpacking district) created in collaboration with gwyneth paltrow, floral designer heff leatham, and genesis house. inspired by the infinite power of nature, the installation reimagines the korean forest-offering thought a blend of physical and digital design—offering moments of reflection along the way. free admission, no tickets or reservations required. >>

tues thru 5/25: fit graduating student exhibition: the fashion institute of technology’s 2025 graduating student exhibition presents the work of more than 600 graduates in 16 areas of study from the school of art and design. the exhibition will be on view in several spaces on fit’s campus on west 27th street in chelsea. free admission. >>

tues 4:30-7:45pm: free dead in the park concert: stella blue’s band brings the spirit of the grateful dead back to central park’s naumburg bandshell—the same spot where the dead played to a crowd of 5,000 in 1968. for the sixth annual free dead in the park concert, the cover band will perform two sets to raise awareness and funds for riverkeeper’s efforts to help clean the hudson river. free admission (donations welcome). >>

tues 7:30pm: booze + build: let your inner kid run wild (with a drink in hand) at booze + build, a playful night of building brick fun for grown-ups where you use a set of freestyle bricks to bring your wildest ideas to life. plus, enjoy games, challenges, and prizes along the way. come solo or team up. building sets are available for purchase if you would like to take your creation home. q.e.d. (astoria), $12 admission. >>

tues 7:30pm (season finale): central chamber series: ‘dreams and passions’: the central chamber series at central presbyterian church (ues) presents an evening concert featuring works that touch on the themes of dreams, passions, and memories. tonight’s season finale program includes boccherini’s quintet no. 4 for guitar and strings ‘fandango’ and tchaikovsky’s ‘souvenir de florence.’ $20 general, free for students with id. >>

tues 7:30pm: forbhidden people: an elven burlesque: let bitsy brûlée, persé fanny, and rosie tulips cast a spell on you at their burlesque and variety show celebrating the mystical and magical realm of icelandic folklore. footlight underground at the windjammer (ridgewood), $10-20 sliding scale admission (no one turned away for lack of funds). >>

sponsored – giveaway

We’re giving away an eight-week package of summer lessons! To enter to win, just drop us a line via this form by 11:59pm Tuesday, 5/13/2025. The winner will be picked at random and notified on Wednesday, 5/14/2025. Good luck!

Bantam Studios is bringing booze back for beginner classes this summer! Each class, students will learn the basics on their instruments in a group setting, and learn a piece to play for a recital on Friday, August 22nd. Group classes are held in the instructor’s private studio in Park Slope, are limited to 9 students, and include 2 drinks* (wine + beer) per student each class. *Must be 21+.

Bantam Studios Music Lessons for Adult Beginners was created by Ginger Dolden and Pete Lanctot in 2012 to address the growing needs from their adult private students and to provide the opportunity to many of the people in their community who always “wished they could learn.” Beginner guitar, ukulele, and violin classes are designed for adults who want to join a community of students looking to incorporate music into their lives in a fun and casual environment.

To celebrate 10+ years of booze beginner classes, we’re opening up 10 slots — at 2015 pricing! Use code SUMMEROF2015 for $250 tuition!

Summer 2025 Schedule
First week of class: June 30 – July 2
Last week of class: August 18 – August 20
Recital: Friday, August, 22
Tuition: $360

Guitar Beginner Classes
Monday: 7pm – 8pm, June 30 – August 18
Tuesday: 8:15pm – 9:15pm, July 1 – August 19
Teacher: Pete Lanctot

Violin Beginner Classes
Tuesday: 7pm – 8pm, July 1 – August 19
Wednesday: 8:15pm – 9:15pm, July 2 – August 20
Teacher: Ginger Dolden

Ukulele Beginner Classes
Monday: 8:15pm – 9:15pm, June 30 – August 18
Wednesday: 7pm – 8pm, July 2 – August 20
Teacher: Pete Lanctot

Instrument rentals are available for students who do not own one.

Questions? email: hello@bantam-studios.com

wednesday

weds thru 5/28: new york studio school 2025 mfa thesis exhibition: new york studio school of drawing, painting and sculpture (greenwich village) opens its doors for the annual mfa thesis exhibition, showcasing work from 13 graduating artists across two floors. opening reception 5/15 5-8pm. free admission. >>

weds + thurs (6-8:30pm weds, 6-10pm thurs): dance party at bryant park: meet at the bryant park fountain for the 11th annual themed outdoor dance party series. this week’s finale: brazilian samba and forró with bossa brazil band (weds 6-8:30pm) and a latin festival with sebastian natal + the orchestra and flaco navaja + the razor blades (thurs 6-10pm). both evenings include a dance lesson at 6pm, and thursday’s event features an additional lesson at 8pm. all experience levels are welcome. free admission. >>

weds various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
becoming astrid at stuyvesant square (manhattan) >>
in the mood for love at fort greene park (brooklyn) >>

weds 10:30-11:30am (monthly thru 10/15): tai chi on the high line: get elevated at this monthly series of free, morning tai chi sessions on the high line at little west 12th street. advance registration is encouraged, but walk-ups are welcome. >>

weds 6pm: amy larocca: how to be well: journalist amy larocca presents her new book, how to be well, a researched and personal exploration of the wild world of the $3.7 trillion wellness industry and its impact on women. the corner bookstore (carnegie hill), free admission. >>

weds 7pm (monthly): fantastic fiction: the speculative-fiction reading series, hosted by editor ellen datlow and writer matthew kressel at kgb bar (east village), welcomes daryl gregory (when we were real) and carol gyzander (discontinue if death ensues: tales from the tipping point contributor). free admission. >>

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 and chip parham. all night skate (bed-stuy), free admission. >>

weds 7:30pm: we have fun: a stand-up show: hosts zach sims and dan wilbur bring the fun-ny to young ethel’s (south slope), with stand-up by kath barbadoro (comedy central), caitlin reese (hbo), trey galyon (showtime), and michael miller (external use only comedy). free admission. >>

weds 7:30pm: well well well! comedy: chuckles for charity. co-hosts griffin leeds and nora jefferies present an all-lgbtq+ comedy show at the rosemont (williamsburg), with proceeds benefiting the ali forney center. featuring jay jurden (fallon), spike einbinder (los espookys), allison o’conor (decadence), and indigo asim (reductress). $9 suggested donation. >>

weds 8:30pm: top shelf stories: julia whitehouse serves up an evening of carefully crafted storytelling at ucb (east village). tonight’s show features guests jeff hiller, andrew mcgill, jake cornell, and seth herzog, plus one open mic slot reserved for an audience member. $10 adv, $15 day of. >>

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 includes emily menez, molly brown, paula croxson, josh gondelman, kurt cruz, andy vega, kat thek, ben lillie, and brian morabito. hosted by mckenna moore. caveat (les), $10 adv, $15 door. >>

thursday

thurs thru august (thursdays thru saturdays from 8pm-11pm): ‘path of liberty: that which unites us’: walk through a six-acre outdoor art exhibition featuring featuring more than 40 large-scale portraits, landscapes, and personal stories that offer a look at what it means to be american. located next to united nations headquarters at freedom plaza (between east 38th street and east 41st street and first ave and fdr drive). free admission (timed reservations are encouraged). >>

thurs thru 5/21: nycxdesign festival: the annual nycxdesign festival celebrates all things design with exhibits, talks, tours, and trade shows across nyc. many free. >>

thurs thru sun: annual queens new music festival: random access music presents four days of concerts highlighting music by 50 contemporary composers, with performances from ram composers/players, vox novus fifteen minutes of fame, hypercube, queens school of music guitar studio, nakedeye ensemble, mantra percussion, and pianist ju-ping song. secret theatre (woodside), $20 general, $10 students/seniors. >>

thurs 5-8pm: pretty in thrift: shop a collection of vintage clothing and accessories curated by pretty in thrift’s stefany mohebban at housing works (soho). prices start at $10. free admission, $15-20 ticket option includes an open bar. >>

thurs 6pm: building the metropolis with alexander wood: in a discussion on his new book, building the metropolis: architecture, construction, and labor in new york city, 1880–1935, historian alexander wood spotlights the architects, laborers, and political forces who literally built new york city during a transformative half-century—when nearly a million buildings, dozens of bridges and tunnels, hundreds of miles of subway lines, and thousands of miles of streets were erected to meet the needs of a booming population. the new york transit museum (downtown brooklyn), $15 admission. >>

thurs 7pm (monthly): facts machine: science, comedy + trivia: scientists and comedians share the stories behind their favorite facts, ‘conduct experiments’ (play drinking games), and probe their knowledge with a trivia challenge loosely inspired by tonight’s theme: flowers. hosted by scientists and pub trivia hosts em costa, noah guiberson, and rob frawley. caveat (les), $14.64 with promo code ‘theskint’ (reg. $24-$25). >>

thurs 7:30pm: when we’re in charge with amanda litman: run for something cofounder amanda litman celebrates the launch of when we’re in charge, her no-nonsense guide for millennials and gen zers ready to shake up the status quo. she’ll discuss the book—which draws on advice from over 100 next-gen changemakers—with teen vogue editor-in-chief versha sharma, with a q+a and signing to follow. greenlight bookstore (fort greene), free admission, $28 ticket option includes a copy of the book. >>

thurs 7:30pm (monthly): pete’s reading series: hear from literary icons and newcomers alike at this long-running reading series, hosted by temim fruchter and brian gresko. tonight’s event features anelise chen (clam down) and emma smith-stevens (the australian). pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free admission. >>

thurs 7:30pm: friends of mozart: friends of mozart, a nonprofit organization dedicated to performing mozart’s music, works from his era, and pieces inspired by his infuence, celebrates its 50th anniversary season with an all-mozart concert at christ + st. stephen’s episcopal church (uws). free admission. >>

thurs 8pm: constellation prize: an astrology-based comedy game show: stand-up meets the stars at constellation prize, a show where comedians perform short three-minute sets—then a panel of astrologers and other comedians try to guess their zodiac sign. hosted by obo gilmore. starr bar (bushwick), free admission. >>

thurs 8pm (monthly): mean girls entirely from memory: watch as blindly-cast ten bones theatre company performers attempt to recreate mean girls (2004)—without the help of scripts or rehearsals. as chaos ensues, drinks are drunk while the players are challenged to incorporate lines written by the audience and create ‘deleted’ scenes. littlefield (gowanus), $12 adv, $14 day of. >>

thurs 10pm: ‘we fix u’ with dina hashem and matt koff: comedians dina hashem and matt koff (the daily show) host an evening of standup comedy and ‘therapy’ at union hall (park slope). after the jokes, audience volunteers are invited to talk out a personal problem—and receive some questionable guidance in return. tonight’s guest performers: mike recine, liza treyger, and emmy blotnick. $10 adv, $15 door. >>

ongoing

our roundup of 60+ ongoing events and attractions: rooftop cinema club, summer on the hudson, the met fifth ave’s new roof garden commission, brooklyn cyclones baseball season, bargemusic, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint