COMEDY
Anyone can be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for any reason, and based on this genius idea (which itself is pretty Pulitzer-worthy), comedians came up with Pulitzer Surprises. The likes of Zach DiLanzo and Joanna Hausmann pitch their own best submissions to the audience live onstage. They then interview a real Pulitzer winner, before the audience votes on which idea should be nominated — and their choice is entered! Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m., Union Hall, 702 Union St., Brooklyn, $6-$8, unionhallny.com
ARTS
Mimicry is the purest form of flattery, and there’s no better way to pay tribute to the master of animation, Hayao Miyazaki, than with an exhibition in homage to his imaginative characters, creatures and worlds. The Miyazaki Art Show will offer pieces inspired by movies like “Ponyo” and “Princess Mononoke,” created by over 100 international artists, some of whom will be at the opening night party from 6-9 p.m. There’s also free wine and beer, and tickets are just $5. Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Spoke Art Gallery, 210 Rivington St., free-$5, spoke-art.com
MUSIC
DEMI x JBL “Tell Me You Love Me” Pop-Up
Demi Lovato is partnering with electronics brand JBL for a pop-up to promote the singer’s sixth album. DEMI x JBL will have a listening station for each track of “Tell Me You Love Me,” featuring a complementary piece of editorial art from the album’s studio shoot. There will also be murals by Lora Zombie, a music video-inspired Boomerang experience and a fan-made photo installation that will be created over the two days. Sept. 29-30, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Highline Gallery, 446 W. 14th St., Free
SEASONAL
Cookout season isn’t done yet, and the beer-centric German folk festival is just getting warmed up. Head to Loreley Restaurant and Biergarten, which kicks off a month of Oktoberfest events — including the Oktoberfest Beer Tasting Dinner ($35; Oct. 4) — with a Hofbrau keg tapping and pig roast this Saturday. And it’s free! That’s right, you can sip some cold brews and enjoy slow-roasted pork in the lingering afternoon heat of a long summer, then come back throughout October for other thematic tastes at Loreley. Sept. 30, noon till late, Loreley, 7 Rivington St., free, loreleynyc.com
ARTS
Watch male comedians try to live up to society’s standards for women in the Miss Ogynistic Beauty Pageant. You know they’ll hit the right notes because the show also stars former Miss America Kirsten Haglund and two former Miss New Yorks, Joanne Nosuchinsky and Iman Oubou, as well as TV’s Eboni K. Williams. You’ll leave not only laughing, but also patting yourself on the back: All proceeds benefit battered women’s shelters and the Voices of Women Organizing Project. Sept. 30, 9:30 p.m., The Duplex, 60 Christopher St., $15-$20, theduplex.com
COFFEE
Normally we wouldn’t understand why an event would start at 9 a.m. (for the first session VIPs), but it does make sense for the NYC Craft Coffee Festival, which takes places this Sunday and features 20 roasters and coffee shops vying for a special place in your heart — or at least in your brunch rotation. You can sample them all while listening to live tunes from Arin Maya or Olivia Castriota. Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 2-4:30 p.m., Villain, 307 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, $35-$45, nyccraftcoffeefest.com
FREE
Has it only been a year since sushi burritos came into our lives? It feels like a summer staple already. Come and celebrate the first anniversary of Sushirrito’s arrival in NYC at their original Flatiron shop, where they’ll be handing out free grilled kanpachi collars, sushi burritos and drinks, plus shaved cream by Snowdays. If you like what you eat, through the month of October Sushirrito is donating $1 for every Sumo Crunch sushi burrito to City Harvest. Oct. 1, noon-4 p.m., 12 W. 23rd St., free, sushiritto.com
LIFESTYLE
Randall’s Island becomes a green playground for all things vegan this Sunday when Ecorazzi brings its massive food fest (10,000 are expected) to NYC for the first time. You won’t just be noshing on meat-free eats like burgers and mac ‘n’ cheese from vendors like L.A.’s Southern Fried Vegan and Snackrilege from Portland — there will be craft brews and wine to sample, too. Plus games, live music and lots more entertainment. Oct. 1, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Randall’s Island, $20, vegandrinkfest.com
PARTY
All ages are welcome to this afternoon of music and dance in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month put on by Ballet Hispanico. The free block party, taking place in front of the company’s residence on the Upper West Side, will feature live performances by the ballet’s various troupes, in addition to traditional Latino music by Los Hacheros, a half-hour dance class for adults, crafts for kids, fundraising raffles and food from local vendors. Oct. 1, 2-6 p.m., W. 89th St. between Columbus and Amsterdam aves., free, ballethispanico.org
SPICY
The food’s not the only thing that’s spicy at the Chile Pepper Festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary at the Brooklyn Botanic Museum during a daylong event this weekend. Also heating up the gardens will be international jazz bands like Red Baraat and the Lost Bayou Ramblers. However, that’s not to brush off the food — and beverages — which will include samples from the likes of Raaka Chocolate, Mama O’s Kimchi and Hell’s Kitchen Hot Sauce. Oct. 1, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Brooklyn Botanic Museum, 990 Washington Ave., $20-$25, bbg.org
HALLOWEEN
October is without a doubt one of the most fun months to be a regular at Nitehawk Cinema. In addition to their previous popular offerings, like A Nite to Dismember: The Haunted Library (five films about scary books, from midnight until dawn; Oct. 28) and a run of classics during Halloween at Nitehawk (Oct. 6-31), this year they’ve also added series like New Horror (Oct. 1-21) and Mario Brava Mondays — pretty self-explanatory! Oct. 1-31, Nitehawk Cinema, 136 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, prices vary, nitehawkcinema.com
ARCHITECTURE
While we might prefer Archtober had something to do with dry and sassy commentary, you can’t completely rule it out when it comes to the enthusiasts attending events during Architecture and Design Month, aka October. All across NYC, Archtober events will celebrate engineering, building and decorating infrastructure. Some are panels, some are walking tours and some even take place by boat! They’re a mix of free and ticketed activities for all ages. Oct. 1-31, various locations and prices, archtober.com
