cultural fests / street fairs / food events / markets / shopping events (free admission, unless noted otherwise):
► fri + sat: casita maria’s annual south bronx culture festival: father gigante plaza (south bronx). >>
► sat 10am-5pm: the pottery fair: the old stone house in park slope’s washington park. >>
► sat 11am-1pm: high line plant sale + talks: the high line at 14th street. >>
► sat 11am-3pm: the annual harlem wellness festival: marcus garvey park. >>
► sat 11am-6pm: fad (fashion art design) market at the seaport: seaport square between piers 16 + 17. >>
► sat 11am-6pm: thredup presents: the wedding guest list pop up: 21greene (soho). >>
► sat 12-5pm: the annual africa day celebration: the plaza at the africa center (east harlem). >>
► sat 12-5pm: the annual lic springs! community street festival: vernon boulevard bet 46th + 50th aves (long island city) >>
► sun 10am-5pm: home goods bazaar at grand bazaar nyc: 100 w 77th st at columbus ave (indoors + outdoors). free admission. >>
► sun 11:30am-4pm: israel day on fifth parade: fifth ave from 62nd st to 74th st. >>
film fests / series:
► fri thru 6/4: urban odysseys: after hours, bicycle thieves, good time, the daytrippers, tokyo godfathers, and more. bam (fort greene), $17 general, $12 senior. >>
► fri thru 6/5: the 10th segal center film festival on theatre + performance: new films alongside a major retrospective celebrating robert wilson. cuny’s martin e. segal center (midtown) and anthology film archives (east village), free-$14. >>
► fri thru 6/7: the 29th brklyn film festival: bric (fort greene), sutton studios (greenpoint), wythe hotel (williamsburg), an online. various prices. >>
► fri thru 6/11: marilyn 100: 13 films celebrating marilyn monroe’s 100th year. film forum (south village), $18. >>
► fri thru 7/9: something borrowed, something blue: all that heaven allows, coming to america, crazy rich asians, monsoon wedding, moonstruck, and more. the paris theater (midtown), $17 general, $15 seniors/students. >>
► mon thru 6/7: 18th annual new york city independent film festival: the producers club (theater district). $20. >>
► mon thru 6/10: the 16th annual art of brooklyn film festival: 100 sutton, feirstein graduate school of cinema, film noir cinema, tom kane theatre, and online. various prices. >>
► mon thru 6/29: be gay, do crime: bad education, law of desire, pink flamingos, strangers on a train, women who kill, and more. nitehawk cinema (williamsburg and prospect park). $15-17. >>
► mon thru 6/29: scream scene’s macabre mondays: the shining, night of the creeps, drag me to hell, midsommar, and dead alive. baker falls (les), free admission. >>
sponsored
You’re invited to HB Studio’s first annual The Light We Carry Festival running May 30 to June 5! We are celebrating the modern American theater with a week of free and low-cost programming that spotlights the legacy of one of NYC at the nation’s most influential acting schools.
Festival highlights include:
• A conversation with award-winning actors Christopher Abbott, Jessica Hecht, Mercedes Ruehl, Marsha Mason, and Peter Francis James, moderated by Victor Slezak at The Lucille Lortel Theatre
• A conversation at NYU Tisch regarding the future of actor training featuring representatives from HB, The Neighborhood Playhouse, The Barrow Group, T. Schreiber Studio and Theatre, and Terry Knickerbocker Studio
• A rare full-length screening of the 1963 film Cleopatra at the IFC Center, starring HB founder Herbert Berghof
Also, join us at HB Studio at 120 Bank Street for an interactive exhibition, free masterclasses, live performances and daily tours of HB’s studio spaces; and much more!
Whether you’re a past student, a current practitioner, curious about becoming a new student or simply want to know more about the tradition of American theater, we invite you to join us for The Light We Carry.
HB Studio is New York City’s premiere artistic center for actors, playwrights and directors at every level of achievement. For more than 80 years, we have provided a powerful haven for theater makers, free from commercial pressures and open to beginners and professionals alike. We have historically been and continue to be committed to promoting accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion into all the aspects of our organization in service of a more generally equitable society.
friday
reserve free tickets for the shed’s ‘open call’ series: running june 26 – july 25, the shed’s annual open call series presents four performance works by early-career artists that deal with living through climate change, migration, and collective responsibility. >>
thru 10/30 (tuesdays 6pm + fridays 9am): rooftop yoga on the brooklyn grange rooftop: brooklyn grange, a rooftop farm at brooklyn navy yard, welcomes all experience levels for free yoga classes with skyline views. byo yoga mat and water bottle. free admission. >>
thru 10/25: revolution women: through love letters, petitions, military correspondence, archeological objects, paintings, and more, the new york historical’s revolution women exhibition explores how the american revolution and the experience of war shaped the lives of women in new york—and how women shaped the revolution in return. the new york historical (uws), $24 general, $19 seniors, $13 students, pay-what-you-wish 5-8pm on fridays. >>
thru 6/3: we are pat: dctv’s firehouse cinema (chinatown) presents we are pat, rowan haber’s documentary exploring the evolution of gender identity and comedy from the 90s to now through the lens of julia sweeney’s androgynous snl character. q+as will follow select screenings with the filmmakers plus musician/professor jd samson, writer linden crawford, filmmaker penny lane, and others. $16. >>
thru sun: the jersey city jazz festival: the jersey city waterfront overflows with music as the annual jersey city jazz festival brings three days of free performances to exchange place plaza. this year’s lineup includes latin, funk, big band, and global sounds across multiple outdoor stages, plus food vendors, dancing, and more. >>
fri 7pm (season runs thru 9/11): bryant park picnic performances: new york city opera: 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 honors america’s 250th anniversary with an evening showcasing the richness and vitality of american opera and musical theater, featuring vocalists larisa martínez, latonia moore, marnie breckenridge, kristin sampson, jason karn, franco pomponi, and brian major. >>
fri 7:30pm: tale storytelling show: harmon leon (this american life, the new yorker) hosts an evening of performances by some of the city’s best storytellers. tonight: michele carlo (pbs), gastor almonte (comedy central), jackie marashlian, lawrence decker, and shareef taher. the red room at kgb bar (east village), save $10 on tickets with promo code ‘discountskint’ or if you mention the skint at the door (reg. $15). two-drink minimum. >>
fri 8:13pm (+ 7/11-12): manhattanhenge: catch the striking urban sunset that happens only twice a year, when the setting sun lines up with manhattan’s street grid. score a front-row seat from the east ends of 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th streets, as well as tudor city overpass in manhattan and hunter’s point south park in lic. >>
fri 8:30pm: this sucks. a bad comedy show.: dave ross hosts a stand-up show that saves the worst for last: performers telling intentionally awful jokes while the audience pelts them with fake tomatoes. pine box rock shop (buswick), $10. >>
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 alingon mitra (colbert), kate willett (netflix), julia hladkowicz (america’s got talent), peng dang (vulture), and kendall farrell. free admission (a tip jar will be passed around at the end of the show). >>
fri 8:30pm: good sis presents: sisney: drag artist soraya sis and friends pay tribute to disney’s animated classics. c’mon everybody (bed-stuy), $13.39. >>
sponsored: fri 9:30pm: comedy special taping: katie hannigan and tatiana frank: join the live audience for this back to back special taping! katie hannigan (colbert, comedy central) delivers a sharp feminist reality check on marriage and aging, and tatiana frank (don’t tell comedy) brings her dry, self aware humor to this one night only event at the bell house (gowanus)! click ‘unlock’ on the right hand side of the ticketmaster page and enter passcode ‘skint’ to access $17.90 tickets (reg. $25.65). >>
saturday
thru 9/16:outdoor fitness at domino park: brooklyn’s domino park brings movement to the williamsburg waterfront with a fitness series offering pilates, boxing, and dance cardio on saturdays at 10am, sunday yoga at 10am, and sunrise yoga on wednesdays at 6:30am.
sat thru 8/15: the 13th queensboro dance festival: the annual queensboro dance festival presents free outdoor performances all across the borough. the season kicks off with an opening event on saturday featuring all 20 queens-based dance companies. >>
sat + sun (12-6pm): greenpoint open studios: hundreds of greenpoint artists and designers open their studios to the public in this annual community event. free admission. >>
sat 10am-6pm: 15th annual bushwick collective block party: bushwick collective, an outdoor art gallery and collective, returns with a blowout featuring live music, djs, graffiti, street art, food and merch vendors, a beer garden, and more. scheduled to perform: n.o.r.e., nems, honey bxby, lil dee, tony touch, statik selektah, termanology, buckshot + dj evil dee of black moon, and more. free admission. >>
sat 11am: carnegie hall citywide at hudson yards: hudson yards teams up with carnegie hall citywide for a free family film series pairing live music with animated classics. each screening opens with an interactive performance by carnegie hall’s ensemble connect, introducing the musical themes and storytelling behind the film. today’s feature: disney’s beauty and the beast (1991). >>
sat 11am-3pm: free bike helmets: the department of transportation keeps its free bike helmet program rolling, with personally fitted helmets available for riders of all ages at prospect park’s west drive entrance. while supplies last. >>
sat 11am-4pm (rescheduled from 5/9 due to weather): brooklyn quilters guild spring 2026 fence show: more than 50 quilts go on display along the fences of holy name church in windsor terrace for this outdoor showcase by members of the brooklyn quilters guild. inspired by the theme ‘i want you to know,’ the 36″x36″ quilt designs range from traditional to modern. free admission. >>
sat 12pm: the world before your feet: the museum of the moving image (astoria) hosts a free screening of jeremy workman’s 2018 documentary chronicling matt green’s quest to walk every single block of nyc. following the screening, dr. catherine hartley discusses the effects of new experiences, like taking different routes, on brain health. then, attendees are invited to join green and workman on a meandering walk through astoria and long island city. >>
sat 12pm-11pm: forever brewing grand opening party: raise a glass as forever brewing officially opens its hybrid brewery and homebrew shop in the former strong rope brewing space in gowanus. the debut features a limited edition grand opening beer menu, a plinko game with prizes, and a raffle for a $150 gift card with every drink purchase. baba’s pierogies will be on site starting at noon, with vernon’s grille’s food truck serving greek eats at 4pm. >>
sat 1-5pm: red hook regatta: the red hook regatta is back at valentino pier, where remote-controlled, 3d-printed, and d.i.y boats race through an obstacle course along the waterfront. free admission. >>
sat 2-10:30pm: the seventh annual broad statements festival: the rhythm method string quartet presents an all-day celebration of music by women, non-binary, and gender-diverse composers, spanning a wide range of styles and sounds. the cell theatre (chelsea), free admission. >>
sat 4-8:15pm: circus academy new york’s party on the pier 40 rooftop: circus academy new york kicks off summer with an open house high above the west side, where guests can try their hand at juggling, aerials, trampoline, and trapeze. stick around for sunset performances featuring high-flying acts and hudson river views. $20 admission includes access to the activities (not including trapeze) and show, $45 ticket option includes a swing on the trapeze and a drink. >>
sat 5pm: yacht rock community sing: ‘rosanna’ by toto: join the yacht rock choir at the gowanus dredgers boathouse for a community sing by the water. in this two-hour, open-to-all singing experience, you’ll learn toto’s iconic 1982 hit ‘rosanna’ in 4-part harmony, then perform it together outdoors in the gowanus waterfront park. free admission ($10 suggested donation). >>
sat 5pm: bad movie night brooklyn: summer kick-off double feature: sip a cold one while watching two cheesy 90’s action classics with other bad movie enthusiasts: expect no mercy and the original mortal kombat movie. wild east brewing co. (gowanus), free admission. >>
sat 6pm: all quiet on the western front + live score: aesop’s sound fables hosts a screening of lewis milestone’s all quiet on the western front (1930) at the 15th street friends meeting house (gramercy park), accompanied by an original score performed live by a guitar and tuba duo. q+a with the musicians will follow. $15 adv, $20 day of. >>
sat 6-11pm: the third annual biancarnival: comedian bianca dot hosts this experimental comedy carnival and live variety show, drawing a crowd for a one-night mix of spectacle, alt comedy, and interactive carnival booths designed by performers. rubulad (bushwick), $21 adv, $23 door. >>
sat 6:30-9pm: noo arts: we are nature season opening: right to flight: noo arts opens its rooftop season on the kingsland wildflowers green roof in greenpoint with right to flight, a live performance and installation raising awareness about the migratory birds that die each year colliding with new york city buildings. the evening features sculptural birdhouses modeled on nyc skyscrapers, a human-size ‘grief nest’ of community messages, and sunset performances inspired by extinct birds. donation-based admission >>
sat 7pm doors (thru august): rooftop films summer series: teenage mutant ninja turtles: rooftop films returns for its 30th summer of indie screenings across rooftops, parks, and other open-air spots around nyc. tonight: teenage mutant ninja turtles at red hook’s coffee park. free admission. >>
sat 8pm: string orchestra of brooklyn (sob): founding sob conductor eli spindel leads the orchestra through a program of tragic love stories, featuring music from romeo and juliet by tchaikovsky and berlioz, and excerpts from two works–bernard herrmann’s score to alfred hitchcock’s vertigo and erich wolfgang korngold’s opera die tote stadt–that drew from the same source material: the 1892 novel bruges-la-morte by georges rodenbach. the church of st. luke and st. matthew (clinton hill). $15 general, $10 seniors/students in advance, $20 door. >>
sunday
sun 1pm: the branches journal spring issue release party: the branches, a new journal of literature and philosophy, celebrates the release of its spring 2026 issue with readings from featured authors, discussion, and refreshments in central park (the pond lawns at the south end of the park, 60th street + 5th avenue). free admission. >>
sun 4pm doors: movies at the palace: season of courage: terminator 2: judgement day: 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 terminator 2: judgement day (1991) and a pre-show experience. united palace (washington heights), $10. >>
sun 6:30pm: asian american film thing: asian american filmmakers and performers take the spotlight during an evening of narrative fiction, documentaries, animations, music videos, comedy, music, drag, and live performance at littlefield (gowanus). hosted by angel yau and josh burstein. a limited number of tickets are available for skint readers for $8.70-11.79 with promo code ‘skint’ (reg. $14.86-18.71). >>
monday
mon thru the season: rooftop cinema club: catch movies under the open sky at the embassy suites skylawn rooftop in midtown, where this seasonal series screens a mix of cult favorites, classics, and newer releases. wireless headphones help block out the city noise, and drinks and classic cinema concessions are available for purchase. screenings thru june include before sunrise, casablanca, grease, high fidelity, pretty woman, sinners, taxi driver, the first wives club, the golden girls, and many more. $21.75+ admission (15% off for military, 10% off for students). >>
mon thru the season: rooftop movies at yotel times square: soccer sundays, musical mondays, date night tuesdays, and spooky wednesdays await on the green room 42’s rooftop at yotel times square. food and drinks will be available for purchase. june’s selections include the little mermaid, when harry met sally, get out, ronaldo, rent, and more. $23.48 ticket includes a cocktail/mocktail of the day and popcorn. >>
mon 6pm (mondays thru 6/22): piano mondays at the high line: a reimagined pride tradition: the high line channels classic nyc piano bar energy into an open-air pride singalong led by lance horne of club cumming and a rotating cast of broadway musicians. on the high line spur at 30th st + 10th ave, free admission. >>
mon 6-8pm: read on the lawn day at bryant park: bring a picnic blanket and a book to the bryant park lawn for a laid-back evening of communal reading, breakout book discussions, and ambient music among fellow readers. free admission. >>
mon 7pm: queer speed dating uno: groups of four players will switch tables every 10 minutes, making for quick strategy shifts and opportunities for new connections. boyfriend co-op café + bar (bed-stuy / bushwick), $7. >>
mon 7pm (monthly): biology on tap: pride edition: bio and beer blend at the biology on tap speaker series, featuring talks, trivia, and prizes. tonight: hear from two scientists about gay bugs, gay machines, and what being a queer person in science is like these days. pete’s candy store (williamsburg), free admission ($5 suggested donation). >>
mon 7pm (monthly): living radio: contemporary radio drama, with a revisionist twist: living radio stages live performances of five short radio plays inspired by the news, with results ranging from wacky to reflective. under st. marks theater (greenwich village), pay-what-you-can admission ($7 min). >>
mon 7pm doors (thru august): rooftop films summer series: the brittney griner story: rooftop films returns for its 30th summer of indie screenings across rooftops, parks, and other open-air spots around nyc. tonight: alexandria stapleton’s documentary about wnba star brittney griner. gansevoort plaza (meatpacking), free admission. >>
mon 7:30pm (monthly): miss manhattan non-fiction reading series: elyssa goodman and r.c. gstaad iii’s monthly showcase presents an evening of readings from writers michelle young (the art spy), jason irwin (these fragments I have shored), jee leong koh (the pillow box), and ava emilione (pen america). niagara bar (east village), free admission. >>
sponsored: mon 8pm: carnegie hall for $14: masterwork festival – gabriel fauré and jake runestad: join manhattan concert productions for gabriel fauré’s requiem, often referred to as the ‘lullaby of death.’ fauré’s chilling yet comforting score frames death as peaceful rest, a deviation from other requiems. joining this classic on the program is jake runestad’s proud music of the storm. based on the poems of walt whitman, runestad’s piece invites audiences to connect with the natural world and advocates for its protection. use code ‘clb53914’ to access $14 tickets (up to a $121 value)! >>
mon 8pm: david cross: shootin’ the sh*t, seein’ what sticks: get in on the joke as comedian david cross (mr. show, arrested development) works out new material at littlefield (gowanus). $9.73-15.89 with promo code ‘cross7’ (reg. $18.71-24.36). >>
ongoing
our roundup of 60+ ongoing events: free shakespeare in the park, free kayaking, rooftop cinema club, and more. >>
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