cultural fests / food events / markets / shopping events (free admission, unless noted otherwise):
► fri-sun: annual east harlem giglio festival: pleasant avenue between 114th + 116th streets (east harlem). >>
► fri-sun: holy rosary church’s annual la festa italiana: 344 6th street in jersey city. >>
► sat 10am: jamaica rising day parade: starts at church ave + ocean ave, proceeding north on ocean ave to lincoln rd. >>
► sat 10am-5pm: greenlight bookstore sidewalk sale: greenlight bookstore (fort greene). >>
► sat 10am-8pm: the 42nd st. card show: the westin nyc grand central (midtown east). $15 general, $25 early entry. >>
► sat 11am-4pm (+ 10/24): maum market: asian makers market: pier 17 (seaport). >>
► sat 11am-8pm: brooklyn film camera summer yard sale: brooklyn film camera’s backyard (east williamsburg). >>
► sat 12-7pm: black vegfest: lincoln terrace park (crown heights). >>
► sat 1-7pm: 13th annual stoops summer festival: block party and art crawl: decatur st between lewis ave + stuyvesant ave (bed-stuy). >>
► sat 5-7:30pm: 14th annual hindu lamp ceremony: brooklyn bridge park’s pebble beach. >>
► sat + sun (9am-5pm): 36th hong kong dragon boat festival at flushing meadows corona park (queens). >>
► sat + sun (12-8pm): african pop-up festival: hillel plaza at flatbush/nostrand. >>
► sun 11am: 44th annual national dominican day parade: sixth avenue from w 39th to w 54th streets. >>
► sun 11am-5pm: the market series: studio shipley + friends art market: studio shipley (prospect heights). >>
► sun 12-6pm: moshimoshi market: the whale building (sunset park). >>
► sun 1-4:45pm: book swap: jefferson market library (greenwich village). >>
sponsored
ISLA, the new production by Hit the Lights! Company, is an original family history from founding company member Samantha Blain. In this true-life Caribbean coming-of-age story, three sisters travel to Miami via the 1960’s Freedom Flights. This magical, musical performance features a full original songbook and a live Latin jazz-influenced score. Cinematic projections, recorded interviews with Blain’s mother, and an extended cast of handmade shadow puppets showcase the sparkling craft of HTL’s technical team.
ISLA is an intergenerational experience. Bring the whole family.
See it live from August 8 to August 29 at WP Theater.
Use code SKINT15 for 15% off tickets.
friday
fri thru 8/23: the tank’s limefest: the tank’s annual limefest, curated by meghan finn and hanna yurfest, showcases new productions by women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming artists. the tank (midtown), $23+. >>
sponsored: extended thru 8/15: limited $25 tickets just released for the saviors off-broadway!: atlantic theater company is thrilled to present the world premiere play the saviors! this ‘must-see exceptional play’ (theatermania) comes from playwright bubba weiler and director jack serio, fresh off of their acclaimed production of well, i’ll let you go with a cast featuring crystal finn (cold war choir practice), ivan howe (netflix’s ‘eric’), julius rinzel (the antiquities), and stanley simons (the iron claw). when a lost young man takes shelter in their church, two altar boys desperately cling to each other as their changing faiths, lives, and bodies threaten to tear them apart. playing now at the linda gross theater (336 west 20th street)! >>
fri thru sun: summerstage: the city parks foundation presents its 40th season of free and benefit performances across the city. this weekend: funk flex birthday r+b picnic with jon b / fonda rae / taana gardner / strafe / dres from blacksheep / dj m u at central park’s rumsey playfield (fri 7-10pm); funk flex birthday fest with crystal waters / cynthia / frankie cutlass / force mds / sunshine anderson / greg nice/ cl smooth at staten island’s snug harbor (sat 6-9pm); bobby sanabria multiverse big band / charlie aponte / judy santos / dj lucy euclid + dj medina at staten island’s snug harbor (sun 5-9pm). free admission. >>
sponsored: fri + sat (various times): flop house comedy club: nyc’s friendliest indie comedy club—with great comics and a cozy atmosphere—has some incredible lineups this weekend! save 50% with promo code ‘skint’ on tickets to these shows at 362 grand street in williamsburg: friday 8pm, 9:30pm, and 11pm; and the east village location is back at 201 allen st store 2 friday + saturday at 8:00pm. new: monthly member’s pass ($20) to see as many shows as you want + happy hour drinks + secret drop in announcements! >>
fri + sat (season finale): lincoln center’s summer for the city: lincoln center’s annual campus-wide arts festival returns with two months of free and choose-what-you-pay concerts, performances, film screenings, dance parties, and more. this weekend: zayra pola (fri 6:30pm); jamaica day with speaker breaker, black uhuru, and dj max glazer (sat 5:30pm, 8pm, 10pm); and more. >>
fri + sat: bric celebrate brooklyn!: new york city’s longest-running, free, outdoor performing arts festival presents a summer of concerts and performances at prospect park’s lena horne bandshell. this weekend: globalfest with dakhabrakha, yeison landero, sally baby’s silver dollars, and sunju park (fri 5-10pm); a celebration of aaliyah with res, serpentwithfeet, ralph mcdaniels, brittany spanos, and more (sat 3-8:30pm). free admission. >>
fri + sat (12-9pm): nomad jazz festival mainstage: the second annual nomad jazz festival wraps up with two days of concerts on madison square park’s oval lawn, featuring performances by vocalist josé james, pianist george cables, saxophonist ben wendel, the jazz gallery all-stars with renée neufville, and many more. saturday’s schedule includes family programming and a food market. free admission. >>
fri various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
► ford v ferrari at wnyc transmitter park (greenpoint) >>
► superman (2025) at booker t. washington playground (manhattan valley) >>
► the princess and the frog at tilden playground (east flatbush) >>
► wicked: for good at berry lane park (jersey city) >>
fri 4-10pm (fridays thru 8/28): moma ps1’s warm up music series: moma ps1’s popular outdoor party series returns for another summer of sounds in the courtyard from 26 artists and collectives. this year’s lineup reflects the historical roots of global subgenres—from dub, techno, gabber, house, and hyperpop to avant-garde improvisation and sound art—and the contemporary musicians building on these influences. bonus: explore the museum’s exhibitions until late. tonight: badsista (são paulo), toccororo (barcelona), toxe (new york), and nguyendowsxp (new york + hanoi). moma ps1 (lic) $25+ general/$20+ students in advance, $35+ general/ $30+ students day-of. >>
sponsored: fri 5:30-9pm: louis vuitton first fridays at the frick collection: experience the frick after hours—for free! grab your friends for a free evening of art and culture with after-hours gallery access, live music, drinks and bites, exciting talks, and more. these events are offered on the first friday of each month (except september and january). advance registration is closed, but walk-ups are welcome! >>
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 world cup theme: ‘sun-kissed.’ hosted by matt storrs. $10 admission. >>
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 india, pakistan, romania, trinidad, uruguay, and more with performers ayanna dookie, adam mamawala, juan nicolòn, danish maqbool, and annick adelle. a portion of the proceeds will go to new women new yorkers. caveat (les), $15.67 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $24-25). >>
fri 7pm: bryant park picnic performances: the annual summer performance series is back with two dozen free music, dance, and theater events in the heart of midtown. blankets and bistro chairs are provided for use. bring your own picnic or purchase food and drinks from on-site vendors. next up: new york city opera presents a celebration of ella fitzgerald with three-time grammy award-winning soprano latonia moore. >>
fri 8pm: the moth’s community engagement showcase: hear five stories selected from the hundreds shared through the moth’s community program, which hosts storytelling workshops with community organizations, cultural institutions, and non-profits. tonight’s theme: ‘how the light gets in.’ roulette (boerum hill), $17.50. >>
fri 8pm: graveyard shift comedy: laugh…if you dare, at graveyard shift, a comedy show with a haunted twist at the twisted spine horror bookstore + café (williamsburg). hosted by nick hornedo and gary simons with performers tessa belle (vulture’s comedians to know), katrina davis (comedy central), chloe radcliffe (fallon), andrew durso, and kyle jp, plus cartoons by greg nussbaum (the new yorker). $15. >>
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 zubi ahmed, myke dédé, grace lobo, sabeen sadiq, lizzy cassidy, and sam speedy. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>
fri 10pm: neverender: an alt/indie dance party: dance to tame impala, passion pit, mgmt, lcd soundsystem, empire of the sun, grouplove, and more. requests welcome! baby’s all right (williamsburg), $15.98 general, promo $26.29 for two tickets. >>
saturday
sat thru 8/22: time:spans contemporary music festival: the time:spans festival of 21st-century music returns to the dimenna center for classical music (midtown west) with alarm will sound, the international contemporary ensemble, talea ensemble, jack quartet, pamela z, claire chase, and more performing works by georg friedrich haas, györgy kurtág, philippe manoury, and other contemporary composers. $20 general, $10 students/seniors. >>
sat + sun (1-6pm): fourth annual show brain fest: 10 bands take over tompkins square park (east village) for two afternoons of free, all-ages concerts. saturday: loose buttons, garret elias, improvement movement, ista, and persona 749; sunday: dogpark, the booyah! kids, shilpa ray, alex orange drink, and mary shelley. >>
sat 7am-3pm (saturdays thru 8/22): the annual nyc summer streets festival: more than 20 miles car-free streets will be open to pedestrians and cyclists for five consecutive saturdays of walking, running, biking, skating, fitness classes, performances, family activities, free bike helmet distributions (select dates), and more. 8/8 + 8/15 7am-3pm manhattan; 8/22 9am-5pm the bronx + brooklyn. >>
sat 10am-5pm: fake tech ad art show: the future of tech is. comedians harris alterman and dave ross, the duo behind the viral fake tech subway ads, take over an old west 4th st subway newsstand with parody startup posters, a make-your-own fake ad station, free merch, and more. free admission. >>
sat 1:30pm: get work: comedians interview for real jobs: watch comedians sit down with actual hiring professionals and attempt to land real jobs. the catch? they’re given terrible fake résumés they won’t see until they take the stage. hosted by dan vetrano and nick felton. caveat (les), $14.90 with promo code ‘skinterview’ (reg. $18.76-20). >>
sat 2-10pm: bastid’s bbq: dj scratch bastid’s travelling block party fills the seaport’s fulton and front streets with music, food, and drinks. this year’s lineup features jungle brothers, kool dj red alert, skratch bastid, buckshot + evil dee of black moon, kurious, l3ni, dj mell starr, tdi muzik, dj gi joe, dj bizzon, and more. free admission. >>
sat 7pm: esperanza spalding + kayla farrish: five-time grammy winner esperanza spalding and dancer, theater and filmmaker kayla farrish present an evening of new music and dance, crafted live at downtown’s robert f. wagner, jr. park. free admission. >>
sat 7:30pm (monthly): flopsauce comedy show: the monthly stand-up showcase where comedians dish out their latest failures (flops) and successes (sauces) returns for more servings. tonight’s show features britt migs, parker sublette, brandon ash-mohammed, sam lippman, and interesting sisters. hosted by kayla kirk and emily baker. secret pour (bushwick / bed-stuy), free admission. >>
sat 7:30pm doors: bad movie night brooklyn: the mangler: sip a cold one while watching 1995’s the mangler with a room full of bad movie fans at the twisted spine horror bookstore + café (williamsburg). free admission. >>
sat 8pm doors: rooftop films summer series: sour minnows: rooftop films returns for its 30th summer of indie screenings across rooftops, parks, and other open-air spots around nyc. tonight: sour minnows, followed by q+a with filmmaker harrison atkins and actors suzanna son, david brown, and chase williamson, plus an after party. the old american can factory (gowanus), $22. >>
sat 8:30pm (weather permitting): free outdoor movie: grease at west 12th st. + boardwalk in coney island >>
sat 8:30pm: the fantasy tavern: grab a drink with wizards, elves, and pirates at the fantasy tavern, an interactive show and party featuring a cast of colorful characters performing sea shanties and drinking songs. costumes and nerdy t-shirts encouraged. caveat (les), $21 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $35-45). >>
sat 11:30pm (+ 10/9): mx. nobody pageant: brooklyn’s longest running all-gender, all-genre, all-skill level drag competition returns for its ninth edition. tonight’s third round: tv eye (ridgewood). $20-25. >>
sunday
sun 12-6pm: (monthly): pioneer works second sundays: pioneer works’ free monthly open house celebrates creativity across art, music, science, and community, with open studios, performances, and programming spread across three floors and the garden. pioneer works (red hook), free admission (donations welcome). >>
sun 2pm doors: movies at the palace: season of courage: all the president’s men: united palace’s movies at the palace screening series returns with a lineup celebrating bold heroes, big dreams, and unforgettable stories. the season continues with all the president’s men (1976), with a pre-show reading of richard nixon’s resignation speech. united palace (washington heights), $10. >>
sun 2-6pm (season finale): union pool’s 14th annual summer thunder concert series: the free daytime backyard concerts series wraps the season with sun ra arkestra, led by marshall allen. rain or shine. >>
sun 3-8pm: soul summit: the soul summit house music party returns for another massive outdoor dance party at brooklyn’s fort greene park. free admission. >>
sun 7:30pm: meat cats comedy presents: sunday sauce: whet your appetite for absurdity with britt migs and irina chelidze’s comedy show, serving up snackable stand-up by olivia carter, spike einbinder, shaunak godkhindi, adrienne hunter, gary simons, and daniel simonsen. union hall (park slope), $12 adv, $15 door. >>
sun 8pm: haus of the drag-on: house of the dragon season three finale viewing party meets drag show. c’mon everybody (bed-stuy), free admission. >>
sun 8:30pm: the accessible comedy show: this inclusive stand-up show brings together deaf and hearing comedians and audiences, with every performance interpreted in both asl and voice. deaf comics sign their sets with voice interpretation, while hearing comics perform alongside asl interpreters, bridging two communities over comedy. ucb (east village), $15. >>
sun 8:30pm (weather permitting): free outdoor movie: the clash of the titans at athens square (astoria) >>
monday
mon thru 8/16 (7pm): 45th annual battery dance festival: nyc’s longest-running free public dance festival returns to downtown’s robert f. wagner, jr. park with six evenings of waterfront performances by dance companies from around the world. this year’s fest kicks off monday with four beginner-friendly dance workshops starting at 4pm. >>
mon various times (weather permitting): free outdoor movies:
► a minecraft movie at new york hall of science (corona) >>
► catch me if you can at bryant park (midtown) >>
► superman (2025) at astoria park (qwueens) >>
mon 6-8pm: karaoke monday: disney sing along: step through a bodega and head upstairs to a reverie room’s hidden cabaret for a night of disney karaoke. all ages. donations welcome and bodega purchases encouraged. >>
mon 6:30pm (season ends today): broadway by the boardwalk: broadway comes to the waterfront for hudson river park’s annual outdoor performance series. the season concludes tonight with mandy gonzalez (hamilton, in the heights, wicked, sunset blvd.) and christopher james tamayo (maybe happy ending). free admission. >>
mon 7pm: now we’re cooking with matthew broussard: social media cook matthew broussard (@acooknamedmatt) serves up recipes, techniques, and kitchen wisdom for home cooks from his new cookbook, now we’re cooking: all-purpose, laid-back recipes. the powerhouse arena (dumbo), $5 admission includes a store gift certificate, $37 ticket option includes a copy of the book. >>
mon 8pm: franklin park reading series: the crown heights bar and beer garden’s summer season continues with an evening of fiction from deb olin unferth (earth 7), julie buntin (famous men), elizabeth crane (that may not mean what you think), patricia park (ambrosia lee drops the mic), sarah wang (new skin), and rebecca chase (talking to the wolf). books will be available for purchase from indie bookseller unnameable books. free admission. >>
mon 8:30pm: achilles wheel comedy: host meredith dietz brings together a lineup of stand-ups for a high-energy set that doesn’t end when the jokes do. after each performance, comics stick around for an improvised onstage interview, then face a magic wheel packed with audience-submitted prompts, dares, and challenges. ucb (east village), $15. >>
ongoing
our roundup of 70+ ongoing events: catvideofest, summer restaurant week, coney island friday night fireworks, shakespeare in the park, and more. >>
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