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

► thru 10/31: oktoberfest celebrations: throughout nyc >>

► thru 9/29: 13th annual lungs (loisaida united neighborhood gardens) harvest arts festival: 30+ lower east side community gardens. >>

► thru sun (fri 5pm, sat 11am-11pm, sun 11am-7pm): 18th annual anarchist book fair + festival: various locations. >>

► thru sun (fri 6-9pm, sat 11am-7pm, sun 11am-6pm): brooklyn art book fair 2024: recess and marc agger (clinton hill). >>

► sat 10am-4pm: the national arts club community day: the national arts club (gramercy). >>

► sat 10am-5pm: 34th annual west 104th street block association yard sale: west 104th st bet. west end ave + riverside drive. >>

► sat 11am-3pm: astoria park alliance’s third annual classic car show. shore boulevard along astoria park. >>

► sat 11am-5pm: la feria: print media fair: 20 cooper square, 3rd floor (noho/east village). >>

► sat 11am-5pm: new york queer zine fair: the lesbian, gay, bisexual + transgender community center (greenwich village). >>

► sat 11am-6pm: annual brooklyn flea record fair: marsha p. johnson state park (williamsburg), next to smorgasburg. >>

► sat 12pm: 67th annual german-american steuben parade: fifth avenue from 68th street to 86th street. >>

► sat 12-8pm: 13th annual all about downtown street fair: newark ave bet. grove st. + coles st. (jersey city) >>

► sat 1pm: poseidon’s parade: boardwalk at beach 105th st. to 95th st. (rockaway beach). $5+ for marchers, free for spectators. >>

► sat 2-8pm: jersey city night market: journal square-magnolia landing. >>

► sat 3-7pm: art crawl journal square (jersey city). >>

►sat 8pm: 13th annual morningside lights procession: morningside heights. >>

► sat + sun (10am-4pm): west side community garden’s annual arts and crafts festival: 89th st. bet. columbus + amsterdam aves. >>

► sat + sun (10am-6pm): 11th annual nyc hot sauce expo: industry city (sunset park). $15 adv, $20 day of. >>

►sat + sun (12-7pm): sneaker con: maimonides park (coney island), $30 admission. >>

► sun 10am-7pm: broadway flea market + grand auction: w. 44th + 45 sts., shubert alley, and the times square pedestrian plaza between 45th + 46th sts. >>

► sun 12-6pm, 5:30pm-1am: eighth annual house of yes block party + after party: house of yes (bushwick). >>

► sun 1-9pm: pasar malam: indonesian food bazaar: culture lab (lic). >>

friday

sponsored: thru 9/29: fall for dance festival: don’t miss the ‘wildly popular and popularly priced’ (the new york times) fall for dance festival! returning to city center for its 21st season, this year’s festival features five genre-spanning programs, including a.i.m by kyle abraham, complexions contemporary ballet, dutch national ballet, gallim, gandini juggling, m.a.d.d. rhythms, sara mearns, free pre-show dance lessons, and more. whether you’re interested in seeing artists from around the world or around the corner, fall for dance has something for you—for the affordable price of just $30 ($23 if you buy at the box office). get tickets today! >>

thru 9/29: university open air: immigrant teachers, professors, and academics who were trained outside of the u.s. share their knowledge with the public at a series of outdoor free classes held on the grounds around the prospect park boathouse. >>

sponsored: thru sun: negroni week on myrtle avenue: get ready for a week of sipping and savoring during negroni week on myrtle avenue! seven local restaurants and bars are stirring things up with exclusive negroni menus—from the timeless original to creative twists that showcase the creativity and flair of our neighborhood’s mixologists. so whether you’re a negroni connoisseur or a curious first-timer, enjoy these limited-time offerings and don’t miss your chance to try these unique drinks, support local businesses, and discover what myrtle avenue has to offer. >>

thru sun: climate film festival: presented in partnership with guardian us, nyc’s first and only climate-focused film festival presents 59 films over three days at the explorer’s club (ues) and dctv firehouse cinema (chinatown). $18. >>

thru sun: imagine this women’s film festival: the ninth annual imagine this women’s film festival celebrates the work of women, bipoc, lgbtqia+, and underrepresented filmmakers from around the world, with over 90 films and screenplays from 20+ countries. look cinemas (hell’s kitchen) and maysles documentary center (harlem), free-$15.50. >>

thru sun (7pm): 15th annual making moves dance festival: the jamaica center for arts and learning presents three programs of comissions and works-in-progress by queens-based choreographers and dance companies. jamaica performing arts center (queens), free admission. >>

fri + sat (7pm): happy clothes: a film about patricia field: ifc center (greenwich village) screens michael selditch’s profile of legendery fashion designer patricia field, happy clothes, which features tributes from colleagues and friends like sarah jessica parker, lily collins, vanessa williams, and others. field, selditch, and performer daphne rubin-vega will be in-person for q+a following select showings. $18 general, $15 seniors >>

fri + sat (fri 6pm, sat 3pm): baby teeth film festival: the annual baby teeth film festival, dedicated to sharing the work of trans, non-binary and gender queer filmmakers, returns with two days of free screenings at herbert von king cultural arts center (bed-stuy). after-party sat 6:30pm at kaleidoscope studios (bushwick). >>

fri + sat: (8pm): the chelsea symphony: ‘aspiration’: the chelsea symphony kicks off its 19th season with the world premiere of composition fellow aidan gold’s swallowtail, william grant still’s symphony no. 1 (afro-american symphony), and johnnes brahms’s concerto for violin and cello in a minor, the composer’s final work for orchestra. the dimenna center for classical music (midtown), $30 adv for premium seating, or $20 suggested donation at the door. >>

fri (various times): free outdoor movies (weather permitting):
a bug’s life at robert moses playground (murray hill) >>
barbie at hudson yards public square + gardens >>
the little mermaid (2023) at irving square park (bushwick) >>

fri 3-7:30pm: third annual john coltrane festival: a packed lineup of musicians pay tribute to jazz great john coltrane at richard rodgers amphitheater in marcus garvey park (harlem). free admission. >>

fri 6pm: character night: discover new, unusual, and funny characters, impressions, and bits created by a lineup of imaginative performers. hosted by otter lee (tooning out the news). magnet theater (chelsea), $10. >>

fri 6pm (fridays thru 9/27): stand-up comedy at new-york historical society: comedian, tour guide, and nyc history nerd tom delgado hosts an early-bird hour of comedy with a gotham spin at the new-york historical society museum + library (uws). tonight: kc shornima (snl), pat burtscher (patty cakes, and petey deabreu (comedy central). free with museum admission (pay-as-you-wish hours tonight are 5-8pm). >>

fri 7pm, 8:15pm: nerd nite: 19th season kick-off (monthly): nerd is the word at nerd nite nyc, where you’ll hear fun-yet-informative presentations on a wide range of subjects. tonight’s topics: uap/ufo sightings, how tv medical dramas both inspired and ruined one real-life doctor, and a sperm scientist tell-all. littlefield (gowanus), $12 for the presentations at 8:15pm, add $4 to play pre-show trivia at 7pm. >>

fri 7pm (monthly): kweendom: come out for the kweendom lgbtq+ comedy and storytelling show, featuring performances by tessa skara (high maintenance), david mills (bbc), ricky sim, annabeth mann, and slim. hosted by bobby hankinson. pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free admission (donations are welcome and will benefit immigration equality). >>

fri 7-10pm (fridays thru 10/25): dreamland roller disco: lola star’s themed skate parties continue at prospect park’s lefrak center for the fall season. tonight’s theme: 70s shimmer disco. $25 admission includes skate rental. >>

fri 7:30pm doors: best night ever: comedy music party: comedy, music, and party combine at audrey black and akshay sampath’s best night ever. featuring jaoukie young-white (fallon), kc shornima (snl), asha ward (snl), harris alterman (comedy central), ella yurman (late stage live), justin catchens (vulture), and andrew durso. el santo taqueria (east williamsburg / bushwick), $10 adv, $16 day of. >>

fri 7:30pm: ¡vaya! latin band dance music series: orquesta broadway: cuban charanga band orquesta broadway returns to lincoln center’s david rubenstein atrium (uws). free admission. >>

fri 8:30pm: bitches brew comedy show: see what all the brew-ha-ha is about at this women-produced and-hosted comedy show, returning to the back room at halyards (gowanus) with stand-up by zahid dewji, alexis bradby, mike bramante, brittany cardwell, elle orlando, and shahyan jahani. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>

fri 9pm (monthly): cheap therapy by hoes with feelings: stand-up comedy meets group therapywhen hoes with feelings podcast hosts karolena theresa and melissa rich provide laughs and unsolicited advice to guest comedians and the audience. after each comic’s set, they’ll receive a ‘therapy session’ to unpack an issue and see what’s really hiding behind the jokes. audience members are also invited to enter their names for a chance to have a ‘session’ on stage. featuring emily panic and larry owens. the living room at arlo soho, $15.71 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $23.18). >>

saturday

sat (various times): free outdoor movies (weather permitting):
luther: never too much at brower park (crown heights) >>
kung fu panda 4 at brighton playground (brighton beach) >>

sat 11am-2:30pm: free bike helmets: the department of transportation continues its bike helmet distribution program this weekend, with an opportunity to get a personally fitted one at fort greene park (brooklyn). while supplies last. >>

sat 10am (season ends today): yoga on the brooklyn museum’s plaza steps: open your hips and heart at a yoga flow class and guided meditation session, held outdoors on the giant steps of the brooklyn museum’s iris cantor plaza (indoors in the event of inclement weather). all experience levels welcome. $20 ticket includes museum admission. >>

sat 11am-3pm: paws on parade: dog parade and social: bark in the park! akc museum of the dog and bryant park team up for the annual dog parade and social, an afternoon gathering for pups and people that culminates in a parade around the park. free admission. >>

sat 3pm (+ 10/6, 11/17): queer history walking tour of the east village: trace the queer history of manhattan’s east village from the turn of the century to the turn of the millennium, with subjects including bathhouses of the 1910s, activists of the 1960s, and drag kings of the 1990s. hosted by the close friends collective and henry street settlement, the tour will begin at the public theater and end at village works bookstore. free-$20. >>

sat 3-7pm: harlem dance club’s interactive dance + music fest: mothership six: take off at harlem dance club’s sixth annual dance and music festival, an afternoon filled with live drumming, stepping, west african, hip-hop, funk, disco, swing, and more. richard rodgers amphitheater in marcus garvey park (harlem), free. >>

sat 3:30-10pm (+ online thru 9/27): sva’s 14th annual socdoc thesis showcase: the school of visual arts presents four thesis films from the mfa social documentary film class of 2024, followed by a filmmakers’ reception. sva theatre (chelsea), free. >>

sat 6pm (+ 9/27): no swimsuit required: public art fund launches no swimsuit required, a series of films, performances, and sound installations in empty nyc public pools during their off-season. september’s events will feature experimental 16mm and digital films that explore bodies of water, accompanied by live performances by sound artists eli keszler (9/21) and maria chávez (9/27) at hamilton fish pool–an olympic-sized pool and architectural landmark on the lower east side. free admission. >>

sat 6pm: the astigmatism comedy show: no prescription required. bespectacled ‘black girls with poor vision but an eye for funny’ alexis bradby and kristal adams host a night of comedy at p+t knitwear bookstore (les), with guests shalewa sharpe, jenny zigrino, jj matisse, bri giger, carlette jennings, and rowana abbennsetts-dobson. $15 admission includes $5 that can be applied towards any purchase in the bookstore or café. >>

sat 7pm: campfire tales storytelling show: gather ’round the proverbial campfire for a night of storytelling, music, and more by writers, comedians, and musicians. featuring jameer pond, james mwaura, savannah desormeaux, max higgins, viv ford, and brett altman. hosted by nick hornedo. fiction bar/cafe (williamsburg), $10. >>

sat 7pm (monthly): a drinking game nyc: moulin rouge!: a drinking game nyc casts actors in a live staged reading of a beloved 80s/90s/00s movie and turns the whole thing into a drinking game. join them tonight as they stumble through moulin rouge! (2001). the bell house (gowanus), $20 adv, $25 day-of. >>

sat 7pm: dark urges: a burlesque tribute to baldur’s gate 3: gather your adventuring party for bhaal babes burlesque’s tribute to role-playing video game baldur’s gate 3, featuring performances, gogo, raffles, vendors, and more. costumes encouraged. littlefield (gowanus), $15+. >>

sat 8pm: stop making sense party: this must be the place. indie arcade bar/event space wonderville’s talking heads-themed party will screen jonathan demme’s 1984 concert film stop making sense twice through the evening, with dj set from romeo alfa and rx-69 in-between. wonderville (bushwick), free admission. >>

sat 8:30pm: improvised disaster movie: meteors and twisters and volcanoes, oh my! improv group help me i’m drowning performs an hour-long disaster movie based on audience suggestions. brooklyn comedy collective pig pen (williamsburg), $10 adv, $13 day-of. >>

sat 9pm doors: the fantasy tavern: villains + princesses edition: partake in potion-packed revelry at the fantasy tavern, an interactive show and party featuring a cast of colorful characters performing drinking songs celebrating all things pop culture, fantasy, and d+d. costumes and nerdy t-shirts encouraged. caveat (les), $21.73 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $35). >>

sunday

sun thru 9/30: 19th annual brooklyn book festival: nyc’s largest free lit fest returns with nine days of bookish events featuring more than 200 local and international authors. starting with a virtual day (sun 12-5pm) and a series of ‘bookend’ events (sun thru 9/30, citywide), the fest culminates with a children’s day (9/28 10am-4pm at brooklyn commons at metro tech) and the main festival day and outdoor marketplace (9/29 10am-6pm, brooklyn borough hall and surrounding nearby venues). various prices (most events are free). >>

sun thru 9/28: banned books week at the new york public library: as book bans and challenges rise, the new york public library stands against censorship and celebrates stories of all kinds with a series of free events, programs, book recommendations, an online exhibition, and more. >>

sun 12-4pm: green-wood open doors: step into green-wood cemetery’s nineteenth-century mausoleums, which are usually closed to the public. docents will be on hand at each location to shed light on the final resting places. $30. >>

sun 12-6pm: jum henson birthday celebration: museum of the moving image (astoria) commemorates muppet master jim henson’s birthday with an afternoon featuring special guests and discussion, a puppet workshop, a book signing, a collectible swap meet, live music in the courtyard, an official jane henson aphitheater gallery dedication, and more—anchored by the jim henson exhibition. various prices. >>

sun 5pm (monthly): the literary saloon: the center for fiction (fort greene) hosts a monthly mixed-genre reading series, focusing on local, emerging talent and diverse voices. curated and hosted by wesley straton (the bartender’s cure), tonight’s edition features authors chanice hughes-greenberg (studio magazine), helen phillips (hum), cherry lou sy (love can’t feed you), and ledia xhoga (intrepid times). drinks will be available for purchase from the café + bar. free admission (donations welcome). >>

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 alison leiby (the marvelous mrs. maisel), liz hynes (last week tonight), jonathan van halem (tooning out the news), and more. caveat (les), $15 with promo code ‘nothanks’ (reg. $20-25). >>

sun 7pm: collage poetry workshop: cut and paste your way to creating heartfelt poems at this collage poetry workshop. all materials provided. otto’s shrunken head bar (east village), $5. >>

monday

mon 4:30pm, 7pm (monthly): movie musical mondays: a monthly series of iconic musicals hits the big screen at village east by angelika, continuing the season with robert greenwald’s xanadu (1980), starring olivia newton-john, michael beck, and gene kelly. $18. >>

mon 7pm (+ tues at the schomburg center for research in black culture): maya wiley and molly jong-fast: remember, you are a wiley: civil rights activist, attorney, and professor maya wiley discusses her new memoir, remember, you are a wiley, in a conversation with political analyst and author molly jong-fast in the rare book room at strand bookstore (union square). $5 admission, $32 ticket includes a copy of the book. >>

mon 7pm (monthly): ‘an evening with…’ screening series: cinema 123 by angelika’s newest series celebrates stars in iconic films. next up: arthur penn’s bonnie and clyde (1967), starring faye dunaway and warren beatty. cinema 123 by angelika (ues), $22. >>

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. batsu! (east village), $15 with promo code ‘dirtydirtydirty’ (reg. $20). >>

mon 7:30pm: not a boy, not a girl comedy show: will morrison hosts this comedy show outside of the gender binary, returning to crystal lake (williamsburg) with standup by spencer meade, edson montenegro, joan flaherty, james roselle, sarah thomas, and creamjob. $5 adv, $10 door. >>

mon 8:30pm: top shelf stories: julia whitehouse hosts an evening of storytelling from srilatha rajamani, nate cocca bates, barb morrison, connor ratliff, and one selected audience member. ucb theatre (east village), $10 adv, $15 day of. >>

ongoing

our roundup of 70+ ongoing events and attractions: vivian maier: unseen work at fotografiska, the amazing maize maze at queens county farm museum, movies, and more. >>

stay safe and healthy
– the skint