THEATER
The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park
June 3-July 6, 8 p.m.
Delacorte Theater
81 Central Park West
Free, 212- 539-8500
www.publictheater.org
Because you didn’t get your fill of Shakespeare (or Christopher Marlowe, for you conspiracy theorists) in high school, you can catch some classic ‘Speare free in Central Park. First up are Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe are Beatrice and Benedick in the rom-com “Much Ado About Nothing.” Directed by three-time Tony winner Jack O’Brien, catch the Sicilian summer tale with a new NYC backdrop.
Labapalooza! A Festival of New Puppet Theater
Thursday-Sunday
St. Ann’s Warehouse
29 Jay St., Dumbo
$20-$25, 718-254-8779
www.stannswarehouse.org
For nine months artists in the Puppet Lab of St. Ann’s Warehouse work on puppets, narratives, sets and honing their skills for the annual Labapalooza! festival. See what they’ve been experimenting with in shows like “Gulliver’s Travels” and “Frances Faye’s Folk Song Sing-A-Long.” Jim Henson would be proud!
Bushwick Open Studios
Friday-Sunday
Various Bushwick Art Galleries
Bushwick, Brooklyn
Free
www.artsinbushwick.org
Squeeze onto the overcrowded L train and get off at Morgan for a festival that’ll blow your mind. Featuring over 500 artists, shows and host spaces, BOS enters its eighth year with one of its biggest open studios yet. Events include a launch party with local bands ($10), an electronic music showcase and a show featuring the works of local Bushwick high schoolers.
Voice Afire Pocket Opera & Cabaret Present: An Evening of Music, Wine and Kafka Shorts
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Tenri Cultural Institute of New York
43A W. 13th St.
$25, 212-645-2800
www.alfamaarts.com
Kicking off with a wine reception featuring some Portuguese red, white and ports, the night eases into a musical performance inspired by Kafka’s parables. Actors Eric Gravez and Paula Llapur will play out the scenes while violinists Artur Kaganovskiy, Julianne Klopotic and Ann Roggen, along with cellist Lawrence Zoernig, play the tunes. Hopefully, no one will morph into a bug in the morning.
SPORT
OutdoorFest
May 30-June 8
Free
www.outdoorfest.org
This inaugural 10-day “outdoor adventure festival” spans all five boroughs to discover the outdoors amid the concrete jungle. Whether you’re a nature lover or an exercise enthusiast, all skill levels can find an event on the massive schedule, which includes a mix of fitness — bouldering, slacklining, parkour — and general outdoor interest — foraging, photography, birding. While all events are free, some limit the group size and require advance registration.
Thumbwrestle Mania
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Black Rose Boutique
517 Franklin Ave., Bed-Stuy
Free, 347-750-5386
www.brooklynxrooftops.com
Have you been pumping iron with your thumbs? Taking vitamins, saying your prayers, the whole Hulkamania thing? Well, you don’t need 24-inch pythons for this one. Go thumb-to-thumb with other thumb-wrestling maniacs, win prizes and enjoy delicious food and drinks at Brooklyn Rooftops and Toy Sldrs’ first of many co-sponsored outings.
MUSIC
Destination Moon Music and Arts Festival Spring 2014
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Hostelling International
891 Amsterdam Ave.
$10-$20
www.destinationmoon.us
Catch groundbreaking indie rock bands performing on a solar-powered stage among interactive art installations in the backyard of a historic 19th century complex. Bands include Porches, Rivergazer, Big Tusk and more, as well as artwork curated by Oxheart artist collective. Buy a presale ticket for a chance to win an iPad Mini.
CONVENTION
BookCon 2014
Saturday, 9 a.m.
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
655 W. 34th St.
$30-$35, 212-216-2000
www.thebookcon.com
It’s like ComicCon but for nerds … err, a different kind of nerd. Besides hearing your favorite authors speak on panels and getting their autographs, there will be speed dating, screenings and all things book-related. Special guests include Amy Poehler, Carl Hiaasen, Grumpy Cat, Mario Batali and more.
STREET FAIR
Open Air Street Fair
Sunday, 10 a.m.
Crosby Street, between Houston and Prince streets
Free, 212-334-3324
www.housingworks.org
Now in its 10th year, the Open Air Street Fair will have tons of donated books, records and CDs available for only $1 a pop. The soundtrack will be provided by Two Boots Americana Jamboree, including a band called the Harmonica Lewinskis, who must be amazing based on their name. Other fun includes bike repairs, giveaways, food, Van Leeuwen ice cream and goods from Soho Thrift Shop.
SCREENING
“Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey: Unafraid of the Dark”
June 4, 6:30 p.m.
The Paley Center for Media
25 W. 52nd St.
$15, 212-621-6600
www.paleycenter.org
At this screening of the final episode of “Cosmos,” host Neil deGrasse Tyson and the show’s executive producers will discuss how they used the latest in digital technology to expand Carl Sagan’s original vision. Who knew science could be this much fun?
COMING UP
Craft New York Rare Beer Festival
June 5, 6 p.m.
Brooklyn Brewery
79 N 11th St., Williamsburg
$100, 718-486-7422
www.thinknydrinkny.com
If you’re a fan of locally sourced food and craft beer made right here in New York state, then put on your drinking pants, because 26 craft breweries will be slinging samples of their best suds. The Queens Kickshaw will provide the food while you sip on a variety of rare, original and award-winning beers.
