News

18 amazing things to do in NYC this weekend

Written by
Jennifer Picht
Photograph: Shutterstock
Advertising

Fri 30

Affordable Art Fair Metropolitan Pavilion; 11am; $18, senior and students $10
For an $18 ticket, you can shop original paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures from 70 galleries, priced at $100 to $10,000. Now you can upgrade your flat without downgrading your wallet. 

Taking Back Sunday + You Blew It! Irving Plaza; 7pm; $35
If sing-to-the-rafters emo punk is your thing (still), you probably already have a ticket to see pop-punk stalwarts Taking Back Sunday, joined here by You Blew It!, a fine young Florida band that takes cues from the late-’90s Midwestern emo scene.

Sat 1 

Lit Crawl NYC at various locations; 6pm; free
Wander through downtown bars and bookstores with a merry band of brainiacs at this bar-crawl literary-convention mash-up. Listen to readings from novelists and poets at Botanica, Bluestockings and other spots; play Nerd Jeopardy at KGB Bar; drown your sorrows at a breakup-themed drinking (and reading) game at RPM Bar, all while throwing back shots with writers, publishers and readers. Beyond the tarot readings, vaudeville shows and Great Gatsby-themed cocktail hour, this year’s event features panels and readings by the magazine Hyphen, Frank Conniff, Harmon Leon, Mitchell S. Jackson and other literati who are down for a good drink.

World Maker Faire New York Hall of Science; 10am; $35, weekend pass $65
Builders and tinkerers of all ages and stripes convene at this massive gathering, which is now in its fourth year. More than 650 creators will show off their inventions—such as origami earrings and a battery-less universal remote—while instructing visitors on how to replicate them at home. The super-charged science fair also offers demonstrations of emerging technologies, talks with head honchos from NASA and Disney, and hundreds of DIY projects that you can try yourself, because you never can have too many 3-D–printed water-bottle carriers that convert into dog bowls.

Kickoff to Fall Queens County Farm Museum; 11am; free
Fact: Nothing says autumn like an intricate corn maze, wooden bins filled to the brim with just-picked apples and a pumpkin patch overflowing with gourds. All three of these iconic seasonal staples are present at this annual festival, which celebrates the season’s return to Queens County Farm Museum. Tap your toes to country & western band Savannah Sky while sipping crisp apple cider, get lost in the Amazing Maize Maze, and watch the farm’s flock of Cotswold and Romney sheep get a new hairdo during a shearing demonstration. (It’s going to be baaadass. 

NYC Pagan Pride Day Washington Square Park; 11am; free
Washington Square Park welcomes Pagans, Wiccans, Druids and other denominations to share rituals and celebrations at this annual fest. Join in on drum circles and workshops like “Ancient Egyptian Runes,” peruse magical jewelry and books, and try your hand at tarot at this magical community gathering.

Autumn Crafts Festival Hearst Plaza (at Lincoln Center); 11am; free
This gathering of artisans brings together a selection of leather, textile and brass crafts from all across the United States as well as Australia and Israel. For two weekends, 250 stalls showcase woodwork, glassware, ceramics and other mediums. Demonstrations in pottery, metal and other crafts are offered on both days.

Oktoberfest Cruise Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise; 9am; $65
Brought to beer lovers by Circle Line Sightseeing as an upgrade to the usual Dayliner route to Bear Mountain, the two-and-a-half hour Oktoberfest Cruise up the Hudson gives gorgeous views of New York's natural beauty through sightseeing windows while guests dine on classic German food and beer. All the staples are covered, with traditional Bavarian pretzels and choice of two plates: a Schaller & Weber bratwurst or thin-pounded pork schnitzel, both served with sauerkraut and warm potato salad. Diners can supplement the meal in the cafe, stocked with salads, sandwiches, snacks and a full bar serving beer, wine and cocktails. While aboard, German oom-pah and polka bands will serenade party cruisers. 

Art Mart 396 Johnson Ave; 11am; free
The modern marketplace masterminds of Shwick bring you this colossal fair, at which filmmakers, jewelers, designers, chefs, performers and other artists show off unique and experimental pieces. Pick up jewelry inspired by your psychological profile from Haus of Jung, check out light fixtures that look like subway cars from Smash Industries, and try on chromatic duds from DR3AM3R. If you need to refuel after all the shopping, indulge in a cookies-and-candy waffle from Clinton Hall or gluten-free funnel cakes from A Lil’ Bit of Fun. We dare you to walk out of this market empty-handed.

House of Love: Dance Party & Sensual Experience House of Yes; 9pm; $15–$30
Cast your inhibitions aside as you enter this psychedelic, sensually stimulating fun house. Within moments of walking in, you’ll be invited into secret rooms, BDSM dungeons, pop-up massage booths and blindfolded adventures. While the DJs bring the house down with synth beats, dancers of all genders strip onstage, jump into bubble baths and twirl down aerial installations. The party encourages free love, but affirmative consent is required. Costumes are also mandatory, so get creative. 

Ghostbusters + Marshmallow Roast Videology Bar & Cinema; 9:15pm; $15
Pay tribute to the definitive NYC movie monster, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, at this marshmallow-roasting celebration of Ghostbusters past and present. While the 1984 classic plays in the screening room, you can get wasted and dip into sweet fluff like you just defeated Gozer. Just don’t yell “This chick is toast!” too much. 

Spiced Cider Burlesque Albatross Bar; 8pm; $10
Leave Netflix at home and watch some of NYC's most creative burlesque performers bring your favorite TV characters to life. Check out acts inspired by Stranger Things,Game of Thrones and more by the likes of Anja Keister, Mary Cyn, Tiny D, Dick Move, Lewd Alfred Douglas, Logan Laveau, Foxy Squire, Carriage Return, Sweet N'Lo and Spiced Cider. 

My Dog Loves Central Park Fair Naumburg Bandshell; 11am; free
Calling all dog owners and puppy lovers! The Central Park Conservancy is hosting a special program for you and your four-legged furry friends on Saturday. Use this as an excuse to walk your dog in one of the city's prettiest parks and then pick up some pup-tastic merchandise, get a dog license, play games or even find a new best friend! 

NYC Craft Coffee Festival Villain; 9am; $35–$45
Kicking off this year's NYC Coffee Week is a Kings County festival of beans, boasting blends from more than twenty different small-batch roasters and independent cafés, including Ithaca's Gimme! Coffee, Toby's Estate in Brooklyn and East Harlem's Uptown Roasters. Coffee samples are unlimited, but another 10 bucks gets you an extra hour of caffeinating. Beyond brews, snack on for-purchase biscuits and scones from Brooklyn Biscuit Company and puffy bites from Doughnut Plant, and kick back to live vocals from local outfits like Ida Blue and DJ Joe Crisp.

National Beer Mile Floyd Bennett Field, Aviator Sports and Events Center; 1pm; $35–$70
There are no losers at this Bronx Brewery–sponsored race, where participants run a quarter mile, drink a beer, run another quarter mile, drink another beer—you get the picture. We guarantee you've never felt better post-workout. After you've finished the race, hit the after party for more free brews. 

Must Love Beards NYC: Cuffing Season Tour Space Ibiza New York; 2pm; $18.02–$22.76, men free
Men, whiskered or not, get in free to this tea dance celebrating the unshaven, where you can bust a move to trap, r&b, soca and afrobeat on four floors of beard-filled heaven. Women, take note: you must buy tickets in advance; in order to ensure the event is gender balanced, there will be none sold at the door. 

Sun 2 

Brooklyn Hip Hop Art Run UrbanGlass; noon; $25
Marnie Kunz’s group Runstreet aims to make running actually enjoyable, with trots past beautiful art and a bangin’ soundtrack to keep joggers moving. For this dope dash, you and the running crew blaze past Downtown Brooklyn, Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy. While you run at a relaxed pace, jam to classics by Wu-Tang Clan, DMX and M.I.A. (you’ll be shocked by how fast four miles can fly by with Lil’ Kim blasting in your ears). Along the way, you can check out street art, including murals of the Notorious B.I.G., and there are photo breaks, so you can Instagram your athletic lifestyle and solid music taste. 

The Lowline Tour at The Lowline; 10am; $10
Walk through the prototype lab of the upcoming underground, solar-powered park, the Lowline. Check out more than 60 different plant species, and see what the future of urban recreation looks like.

Popular on Time Out

    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising