Cheap and Free NYC Weekend Events, June 17-19, 2011

Happy Father's Day weekend! Plenty of cheap and free events to do with Dad in NYC this weekend!

Also don’t forget to check out my June Summer Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/cheap-and-free-nyc-summer-guide-june.html) and my Summer Movie Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/cheap-and-free-nyc-summer-movie-guide.html) for more cheap and free event picks going on this weekend and beyond!

Friday June 17, 2011

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! PEELS is hosting an ice cream social this afternoon featuring ice cream, sorbet, and sherbet! 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., PEELS Restaurant, 325 Bowery (Corner of 2nd St.) single scoop, $1.50 for a single scoop, and $3.00 for a double scoop!


The Books, Junip (with Jose Gonzalez and Doveman with Thomas Bartlett are all appearing at tonight’s Celebrate Brooklyn concert! 7 p.m., Prospect Park Bandshell, suggested donation of $3!


One of the answers to the eternal question of what Arnold Schwarzenegger did before becoming governor of California is answered yet again during tonight’s screening of Conan the Barbarian, 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., 92Y Tribeca, 200 Hudson at Canal, TK price! Buy tkts here: http://www.92y.org/Tribeca/tickets/production.aspx?pid=72255

David Bowie rocks out in Labyrinth tonight complete with Muppet magic! 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, $7-$10! Buy tkts here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/168049

Saturday June 18, 2011

Crack those knuckles, warm up those hands, and play it again Sam, when free pianos just ripe for the playing return to NYC (through July 2, 2011! http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/street-pianos-returning-with-reinforcements/

Get out to an old-fashioned ball game with Dad at the Bartow-Pell Mansion! Watch the New York Mutuals play the 1864 way-with no helmets or gloves! A raffle for the game ball and free house tours are also part of the event! Registration requested (did not specify about registration on ws, so perhaps call this number: 718-885-1461 or take your chances the day of) and the cost is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 6-17!


I didn’t realize Central Park had so many of them-do you think you can guess? Bridges! Learn all about the park’s connecting structures during this walking tour, 11 a.m., meet at the North Side of Columbus Circle, West 59th Street and Central Park West, free!


Can Adam Sandler actually be a Dad? Find out at this screening of Big Daddy! 2 p.m., Sony Wonder Technology Lab, 56^th and Madison, screenings are free, but is recommended that you call (212) 833-8100 to make a reservation!


Strawberries are sweet in the summer! See how many you can chow down on at the Williamsburg Smorgasburg Strawberry Shortcake Eating Contest, 11 a.m., East River Waterfront (bet North 6th and 7th St.) free!


Plus NYC Pride Week (nycgo.com/gay) starts today with a rally at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield (72^nd and Fifth Ave.) 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., free!


And the Muppet Vault is open today at the Bell House featuring Bonds + Blondes Muppet episodes! Does that make Miss Piggy a Bond Girl? Does Kermit have a license to kill? 2 p.m., The Bell House, 149 7th St., Brooklyn, $8!

Saturday and Sunday June 18 and 19, 2011

Join Discovery Walking Tours as they walk The High Line and the Meatpacking District! “A walk through the gritty but hip Gansevoort Historic District, also known as the Meatpacking District with a special stop along the newly opened High Line – a new and long anticipated public park that once served as an elevated rail line. Other stops include the Titanic Memorial Arch, the “R and L” restaurant, and sites associated with Alexander Hamilton and author Herman Melville, 11:30 a.m., Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18!


Take Dad out to the ball game (figuratively!) with Discovery Walking Tours’ Father’s Day Doubleheader: The Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn Dodgers! “Two tours for the price of one for Fathers Day Weekend. First, a walk across the bridge to cover its creation and early history, with a discussion of the Roeblings, the designers of the bridge, as well as the sacrifice and dramatic story of the immigrant workers that built it. Then gear up for a tour of sites in Brooklyn Heights associated with the Dodgers, including Leo Durocher and Duke Snider’s home, the place where the Dodger name was derived, and the site where Jackie Robinson and Sandy Koufax were signed,” 2:15 p.m., Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18!


Say 'Ciao!' to Italian cuisine during Discovery Walking Tours’ Little Italy History and Tasting Tour, “What better way to enjoy a tour of an ethnic neighborhood than to take bite out of it as well -- YUM!! Join us on a walk through Little Italy exploring the trials and triumphs of the Italian immigrant. Along the way, we will sample ethnic specialties from pizza and cannolli to mozzarella and prosciutto bread. Stops include the Church of the Most Precious Blood; Mulberry Street; Banca Stabile, the oldest Italian cheese shops in the United States and where the Sons of Italy were formed,” 11:30 a.m., call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservation! $26 (includes food-that’s how it’s on the Cheap Chick list…)

Sunday June 19, 2011

Nosh along NYC with your Dad during Big Onion’s special Father’s Day Multiethnic Eating Tour! Stops will be made in the LES enclaves of the Jewish East Side, Little Italy, and Chinatown! 1 p.m., $20, but reservations are required. Please email info@bigonion.com with your name, the date you wish to attend, and the number of people in your party. Big Onion will send a confirmation email in reply.

Find some flavorful fish on Father’s Day! Pick up a box lunch with Dad to enjoy outside at the Beer Table’s Father’s Day Fish Fry in the Street! Boxed meals are $12 each and include fried catfish, hush puppies, and cole slaw! 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., 427 B 7th Ave. bet 14th and 15th Streets, $12!


Laugh it up for free today at the NY Laughs comedy show in Washington Square Park, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., free!


The New York Scandia (referring to Scandinavian I believe…) is giving a free performance today! 2 p.m., Fort Tryon Park, on Billings Lawn, below Heather Gardens at 193^rd St., free!


It may seem dangerous (esp. given the possible seven years of bad luck factor (!), but today you can play with mirrors and glass to create optical toys like kaleidoscopes and anamorphic drawings. artist Yuka Otani will be leading this class, which is inspired by the exhibit “Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities.” Anyone age six and up can participate in this workshop, and all art materials will be provided, but please note space is limited! 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, $10 fee per person includes admission and materials!


The River-to-River Festival debuts today with the Bang on a Can Marathon featuring 12 hours of “genre-defying music featuring over 150 astounding musicians and composers from throughout the world,” 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., World Financial Center Winter Garden, free!


Puppets are apparently the dominant attraction at the Cantastoria Festival, whose opening festivities you can attend this afternoon, 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier One, DUMBO, free!



Find more books than you possibly have room for (hello, windowsill bookshelves, anyone?) at the Community Book Swap to Benefit Housing Works Bookstore Café! BYOB (Bring Your Old Books) and get new ones! 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Public Assembly, 70 North 6th St., Brooklyn, $1 donation is suggested, as portion of proceeds will go to Housing Works, plus prizes from local bookstores and other businesses will be raffled off!


Join 'the Circle of Life' at the Bell House's Lion King sing-a-long plus all sorts of trivia and other contests! Doors open at 7 p.m. doors open, movie begins at 8 p.m., The Bell House, 149 7th St., Brooklyn, $15!


Plus you could grab a bite with dad at the Food Truck Rally in Prospect Park (http://www.prospectpark.org/calendar/event/foodtrucks) or punk it up on Governors Island during their Punk Music Festival! 50+ bands are expected to take the stage at this free event! http://punkisland2011.blogspot.com/p/about.html today!

Plus all weekend…Start planning that vacay with Housing Works’ Travel Sale going on thru Monday), save 30% off all travel guides, travel writing, and foreign language books (http://www.housingworks.org/events/detail/summer-travel-sale-all-day-friday-6-17-monday-6-20), Northside Open Studios events are happening all weekend (http://www.northsideopenstudios.org//), as are events at the similarly-name, but not to be confused Northside Music Festival sponsored by the L magazine (http://www.thelmagazine.com/blogs/NorthsideFestivalNews/), a variety of artsy events are happening in Queens during the Queens Art Express Event (http://queensartexpress.com/), and it’s movies galore in Brooklyn during the Bamcinemafest (http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=11930, which is happening through 6/26 and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival (http://www.hrw.org/iff/), which is happening through 6/30!

Cheap and Free NYC Summer Movie Guide, 2011

One of the best things about summer in the city are all the cheap and free movie nights there are! Here’s a comprehensive list of summer films, many held outside in four of the five boroughs!

(THIS MOVIE SERIES ENDS TONIGHT June 15, 2011) Stuyvesant Town: Movies take a different shape here as you watch “Movies on the Oval” with munchies served from gourmet food trucks! Lawn chairs are encouraged here! http://dguides.com/newyorkcity/blog/upcoming-events/free-movies-on-the-stuyvesant-oval-in-brooklyn-through-june-15-2011/

Bryant Park: Watch movies in a green oasis among the shadow of midtown’s office towers and the New York Public Library during this Monday night summer event staple. Designate someone with a blanket to get there early to snag seats-they go quickly, (gravel area opens at 4 p.m., lawn at 5 p.m.) but it’s a great excuse to picnic with friends before the show starts! Or if you’re the designated space-saver, bring your laptop, Bryant Park has free Wi-Fi. Remember to get up and dance during the HBO opening sequence-it’s tradition! http://www.bryantpark.org/plan-your-visit/filmfestival.html

Films on the Green: Visit France through film this summer with subtitled movies! Appropriately enough the movies are inspired by a “summer” theme and take place at parks across the boroughs. http://www.frenchculture.org/spip.php?article4245

Movies With a View: The Brooklyn Bridge is the perfect backdrop for your Thursday movie night! Plenty of food vendors are available for pre-movie noshing as well! Seats go quickly so an early arrival is beneficial here too! Music is played before the movies start! http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/go/programs-/-events/syfy-movies-with-a-view

Hudson Riverflicks: The water’s waves provide a soundtrack and the view to movies on the Hudson River’s Pier 54. Friday nights are for the kids (http://www.riverflicks.com/RFkids.html), and Wednesdays are for the grown-ups (http://www.riverflicks.com/RFgrownups.html)! Here there are rows of seats and areas to set blankets on the ground. Most early arrivals can get chairs, but they’re not guaranteed! Often there is free popcorn given away at these screenings as well!

Intrepid: Is that a battleship in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? You’ll have to figure it out as you watch a movie while you’re actually on the water on Friday nights. Cheap Chick Cheap Tip: Unlike most summer movies, this event is ticketed and access to the ship will be literally closed off once all the tkts have been distributed, so get there early to wait in line (other outdoor movies you’ll likely able to sit and save space and come and go as you please) and be sure your friends can get there before the boat closes up and tkts are gone! http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/Summer-Movie-Series.aspx

Rooftop Films: Movies with a different sort of view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines, that change venues each week, films on topics ranging from friendship to lesbian extraterrestrials to indie wrestling to autism! Most flicks are $10, but there a few free movies here and there. Local bands precede the movies tho seating type and availability varies by location (often chairs are available, but are v. much first-come, first-served, so you may want to bring a blanket just in case!) They don’t sell food or snacks here so bring your own! http://rooftopfilms.com/

Socrates Sculpture Park: Find a spot among the outdoor art at this Queens Park. Sked not up yet, but check the ws for an updated listing! http://www.socratessculpturepark.org/programs/outdoorcinema.php

Movies Under the Stars With Habana Outpost: Classic movies are served up in this eco-restaurant on Sunday nights. Be sure to try a smoothie mixed by bicycle or some “home-style Latin food with unique Cuban and Central Mexican accents.” http://cafehabanablog.wordpress.com/events/ (scroll down for movie list.)

Red Hook Summer Movies: Head to the far reaches of Brooklyn to watch free movies on the pier of Valentino Park with your friend and mine, Lady Liberty in site. Films start at 8:30 p.m. http://redhookfilms.org/

McCarren Park: Ball fields aren’t just for baseball anymore! The folks at the L magazine are hosting this Wednesday night summer film festival in Brooklyn! Bringing your own seating is a necessity here, so bring something comfy to rest your bottom on! There is also food and drink for all and music as well! http://www.thelmagazine.com/blogs/SummerScreenNews/

Snug Harbor Staten Island Movies: Take the ferry over to Staten Island for free movies on Friday nights at the Snug Harbor Botanic Gardens’ South Meadow Stage. http://www.snug-harbor.org/special.html

Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre: Downtown NYC becomes your personal movie theater as films are screened during the River to River Festival on the elevated acre (55 Water Street, between Broad and William Streets in Lower Manhattan). Tkts are free BUT can either be reserved online, or by picking them up at the stairs to the entrance at 55 Water St. at 6 p.m. (the show starts at sunset or 8pm.) Short films precede the feature screening. http://www.rivertorivernyc.com.

IFC stranger Than Fiction Summer Documentary series: Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. see movies on subjects so strange, they have to be true, in the air-conditioned comfort of the IFC Center and hosted by Thom Powers and Raphaela Neihausen! http://stfdocs.com/

Czech Movie Night: Every Tuesday night “Czech” out Czech movies (with subtitles) on the rooftop of the Bohemian National Hall at dusk! These movies are free, but capacity is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. http://www.bohemiannationalhall.com/index/upcoming/lang/en

Coney Island: Rock and Roll down by the boardwalk with summer movies screened at the Coney Island Museum! Tkts are $6 and benefit the non-profit group Coney Island USA. There is a “pre-show at 8:15pm featuring classic drive in trailers, shorts, old commercials and more. Films start at 8:30pm. Bar and concessions available.” http://www.coneyisland.com/films.shtml

Did I forget any movie nights? Any tips for movie-goers that I haven’t included? Feel free to share!

Cheap Chick NYC Cheap and Free Weekend Events, June 10-12, 2011

Be sure to also check out the first part of my Summer Guide for June for tons of other events this weekend and through the summer! http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/cheap-and-free-nyc-summer-guide-june.html

Friday June 10, 2011

Not to be confused with the Ron Howard sitcom (don’t look for the Fonz!) “Those Happy Days”/”Nos Jours Heureux” screens in Washington Square Park, Place Info? 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., free!

Rooftop Films screens films about the city where you live in their New York Non-fiction shorts festival tonight, Doors open at 8 p.m., with music from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the first movie starting at 9 p.m., Open Road Rooftop (Lower East Side, Manhattan) at New Design High School, 350 Grand Street, $10! Tkts can be bought here (http://rooftopfilms.ticketleap.com/rooftop-films-new-york-non-fiction/) or at the door!

David Bowie as a vampire? Sounds like a neck-biter to me! Catch a screening of Hunger, also starring Susan Sarandon and Catherine Deneuve (also a vampire!) 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, $7-$10!

Still working on that great American novel, hmm? Share your work-in-progress in public at the bi-monthly reading series Just Working on my Novel. Tonight’s theme is Ten-minute Tales and the show is being hosted by author of Emma Straub! If you want to read, your piece must take less than ten minutes and you need to email russ@russcomm.net to sign up. Or just watch others read their stuff! Word Bookstore, 126 Franklin St., free!

Friday and Saturday June 10 and 11, 2011

Join Sigourney Weaver as Ripley and her crew encounter…yup, you’ve got it! An Alien! Alien screening at Midnight, Landmark Sunshine, 143 Houston St., $13!

Take in a free movie festival to celebrate the opening of the new Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center theater, 165 W. 65th St. (bet. Amsterdam and Broadway), 10 p.m., Tickets are available an hour before show time, free! More info here: http://filmlinc.com/page/event/detail/filmcenterlaunch/jrq

Saturday June 11, 2011

Join Discovery Walking Tours for their Gotham City Ghost Tour at Twilight! “A tour of the historic, infamous and macabre of Greenwich Village history, laced with ghost stories ghost stories along the way. Stops include Edgar Alan Poe’s home; the hanging elm, a legendary public execution site in New York City; the cemetery at St. Mark’s, and the burial ground at Washington Square. And you thought only subways ran beneath the city streets!” Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18!

Would an Earnest by any other name smell as sweet? Just ask one of the characters in the Importance of Being Earnest, the Oscar Wilde play on-tap tonight! 2 p.m., Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place, $20-$25! Buy tkts here: http://www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu/calendar/earnest

Laugh out loud at BAMcafé Live’s Comedy Night! The event is curated by Ben Weber and Meg Griffiths and tonight features performances by Elon James White and Andrea Rosen! 9:30 p.m., BAM, 30 Lafayette Ave., free! http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=3296

Nosh on foods found in nature with “Wild Man” Steve Brill’s 4-hour long tour through Central Park’s edibles, 11:45 a.m., meet at 103^rd Street and Central Park West , $20 suggested donation! PLEASE CALL (914) 835-2153 24-hours in advance (i.e. Friday) for a reservation. Here is more info about the tour: http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Public%20Tour%20Stuff/Sign%20Up.html

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden goes local with its Homegrown Festival featuring Brooklyn plants and food plus tons of activities including how to make foods like kimchee, pickles, jams, syrups, herb butter, and even one on how to make your own paper! There will also be book signings, local bands, and special garden tours, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 900 Washington Ave. (Directions: http://www.bbg.org/visit/directions/), free with $10 admission!

Plus free kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge’s Pier One starts today! http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/go/programs-/-events/kayaking-and-community-rowing

Saturday and Sunday June 11 and 12, 2011

Crafts go indie at the Renegade Craft Fair, featuring handmade goods, workshops, and food! 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., free to enter!

Discovery Walking Tour is hosting History’s Mystery: Governors Island and Revolutionary and Civil War Manhattan! "For Flag Day weekend, first a walk through Lower Manhattan with stops associated with both conflicts, from the site of the 1863 Draft Riots to Federal Hall and the grave of Alexander Hamilton. Other stops include places associated with Lincoln, Walt Whitman, and George Washington. The tour ends with a free option to Governors Island, once a secluded military installation and site of the Reagan–Gorbachev 1988 Summit and one of history’s great mysteries, where we can see locations associated with both wars, including the site of a Revolutionary War fort and a Confederate prison camp,” 11:45 a.m., Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18!

Take out some tacos as Camarena Tequila Taco Truck gives out free Mexican food in Brooklyn! More info here, but follow on FB and Twitter for specific location info!

Sunday June 12, 2011

Jewish and Chinese cultures converge at the Egg Rolls and Egg Creams Festival on the LES! (and the Cheap Chick must say the egg creams are **** good! 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Eldridge St. bet. Canal and Division, free!

Set the world on fire with lit mags! Many of these paper-bound pubs are on sale for just $2 and many of the editors and publishers will be on-hand to meet-and-greet you! 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Housing Works Bookstore, 126 Crosby St., $2 for the mags, free to talk!

Travel back in time through houses during the Historic Mount Morris Park Neighborhood Annual House Tour in Harlem! Self-guided and architectural tours will be offered, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Everything starts at The Pelham Fritz Community Center, 18 Mount Morris Park West (aka Fifth Avenue) and West 122 Street, tkts are $20 in advance, $25 day of, and can be bought here: http://mmpcia.org/site/2011/05/05/the-historic-mount-morris-park-neighborhood-announces-its-21st-annual-walking-tour-of-homes-sunday-june-13-from-11-am-to-4-pm/

The grand finale to BeFitNYC Launch Week is the BeFit Fitness Festival! Take fitness and dance classes and even learn how to play Quiddich, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Washington Square Park, free!

It’s Anne Hutchinson’s birthday today! Before you hit Google, check this out: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Hutchinson). Join the Bartow-Pell Mansion as they celebrate her 420^th year with colonial crafts, herbs, music, Native American storytelling, and a talk about her life, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Bartow-Pell Mansion, (in Pelham Bay Park) 895 Shore Road, Bronx (Directions: http://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/visit/directions.php), free! Registration requested, am assuming you call this number 718.885.1461 to get registered, not sure if you need to pay regular admission price of $5 either.

Chill out this weekend with some cool snacks during the Frozen Hot Chocolate Plus walking and eating tour hosted by Walking Tours Manhattan. Stops include Ronnybrook Farms, Arte del Gelato, Milk & Cookies, and Jacques Torres, meet at the Starbucks at 76 9th Avenue, and 15th St., look for the person in the red baseball cap! Purchases are optional though a $5 donation to benefit the Food Bank For New York City!

Pus the Figment Art Festival takes over Governors Island (http://newyork.figmentproject.org/), and the Brooklyn Folk Fest (http://www.brooklynfolkfest.com) are happening all weekend long!

Cheap and Free NYC Summer Guide, June 2011 (Part One!)

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Cheap Chick NYC Cheap and Free Weekend Event Picks, June 3-5, 2011

Friday June 3, 2011
Travel through France via film tonight at Films on the Green, which is screening favorites from the country famous for its wines and cheeses! Tonight The Swimming Pool/La Piscine is on the marquee, 8:30 p.m., Central Park, Cedar Hill, free!

Stargaze down by the Brooklyn Bridge with telescopes and professional astronomers on-hand, 8:30 p.m. to Midnight, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1 (A,C to High St., F to York), free!

“Drag” yourself to a screening of Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar starring Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo, 10:15 p.m., 92ndY Tribeca, 200 Hudson St. (at Canal), $10, buy tkts here: http://www.92y.org/shop/92Tri_event_detail.asp?category=92Tri+92YTribeca+Film888&productid=T%2DMM5FJ09

Plus the Noguchi Museum is pay-what-you-wish tonight as part of its First Fridays Program (http://www.noguchi.org/visitor-info/hours)!


June 3 and 4, 2011
Hook yourself up with dance performances, free kayaking, art workshops, photography exhibits and more during the Red Hook Festival! 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., P.S. 15,71 Sullivan St between Richards and Van Brunt Streets, free!


Saturday June 4, 2011
Explore the Upper West Side with Big Onion Walking Tours! “Stops could include: Lincoln Center, the Dakota and Ansonia apartment houses, Dante Square, and sites associated with Rudolph Valentino, Rabbi Stephen Wise, and the Parlor Mob,” 11 a.m., meet at the Northeast corner of 59th Street and Central Park West at Columbus Circle, at the US Maine Memorial, $15!

Give the New York Public Library a big hug today (literally!) as you form a human chain around the building to show draw attention to proposed library cuts! Please arrive before 2 p.m. and don’t be late-the hug will take place promptly at 2 p.m., Main Library (Main Library-with the lions-give them a pat for me!), 41st St. at Fifth Ave., free!

Learn how to samba with sea lions…and the percussion band Samba New York! You and the sea lions can jam Latin-style with the band! 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Prospect Park Zoo, Sea Lion Court, 450 Flatbush Ave., free with admission ($8 for adults!)


Plus The Brooklyn Museum is free (and open late) tonight as part of its First Saturdays program (http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php)!


Saturday and Sunday June 4 and 5, 2011
Celebrate the High Line’s second birthday with Discovery Walking Tours! Take the High Line Birthday Bash: The High Line and Meatpacking District Walking Tour, A walk through the gritty but hip Gansevoort Historic District, also known as the Meatpacking District with a special stop along the High Line – the public park now celebrating its second anniversary -- that once served as an elevated rail line. Other stops include the Titanic Memorial Arch, the “R and L” restaurant, and sites associated with Alexander Hamilton and author Herman Melville,” Sat: 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Sun: 11 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18!

Get your art on, as Atlantic Avenue is transformed into an art lover’s paradise of pop-up galleries and performance art spaces during the Atlantic Ave. Art walk! 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Atlantic Avenue bet. Brooklyn Bridge Park and Fourth Ave., free!

Cavort in the Cloisters’ gardens this weekend! “Tours, family workshops, special gallery talks, and an embroidery demonstration” will be focused on the theme “Women and the Medieval Garden.” Cloisters Museum, 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park, A train to 190th Street, free with museum admission ($20 recommended) Cheap Chick Cheap Tip: Also gets you same-day admission to the Met!


Plus watch films made in New York during 1911 at the Museum of the Moving Image (http://www.movingimage.us/films/2011/06/04/detail/making-movies-in-new-york-1911/)


Sunday June 5, 2011
Clear out the bookshelves (and windowsills, pantries, ovens, and bathtubs!) to make room for all the books, CDs, and DVDs you can get for just $1 at Housing Works’ Open Air Book Fair! Plus take a $20 and stuff it full of clothes from the thrift stores and enjoy music and eats! 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Crosby bet. E. Houston and Prince, free to look, pay for purchases!

How many single slices can you scarf down in a single sitting (quite alliterative, non?) during this pizza-eating competition! Find out today at the 7th Annual Brooklyn Pizza Eating Contest! 3 p.m., Rocco’s Pizza, 7818 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, free to watch (contest entry closed)! For more info go here: http://www.roccospizzaon5th.com/

Tell the story of your life at Gotham Writer’s Workshop’s free Memoir Writing Class taught by Cullen Thomas! 6 p.m, McNally Jackson, 52 Prince St., bet. Lafayette and B’way, free!

Live out your Mary Poppins fantasy at the Williamsburg Kite Festival! Fly your machine on the Williamsburg waterfront, and if that tires you out, crafts, food, rides, and games plus music from AudraRox and Hungry March Band round out the affair, 12 p.m., CitiStorage, 5 N. 11th St., Brooklyn, free to enter, activities range from $1 to $5!

Israel gets its own parade today, with more than $30,000 participants expected! 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fifth Ave. from 57th to 74th Streets, free!

Dance the night away on the Hudson River waterfront with lessons on dances including salsa, cha-cha and bachata! 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Pier One at Riverside Park South, free!


All weekend long Bank of America cardholders get free museum admission at certain New York museums and cultural institutions (http://museums.bankofamerica.com/), visit artists’ enclaves’ during Bushwick Open Studios (http://artsinbushwick.org/bos2011), Croon at the moon while celebrating music, poetry, and dance during the Howl! Festival (http://www.howlfestival.com/), see what new movies are screening in Kings County during the Brooklyn Film Festival (http://www.brooklynfilmfestival.org/), the World Science Festival is going strong (http://worldsciencefestival.com/), and catch free concerts in each borough performed by St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble (http://www.oslmusic.org/)!