Whew. Feels like just last week we were telling you all the ways to spend your Memorial Day Weekend. But as they say, time flies when it’s a chaotic election year, longtime local institutions are closing left and right, and the G train is shut down. Find something fun to do this weekend — you deserve it.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 30
GRIEF BOOK GIVEAWAY
Ok, while this first event may not be the “fun” we’re talking about, it is, ultimately, still very important. Friday is National Grief Awareness Day, dedicated to the near-universal emotion and experience that many find difficult to navigate. To help, Greenpoint Library will be giving out books about grief from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is free while supplies last.
CREST CLOSING
It’s officially an end of an era. If you’re looking to pay your final respects and maybe get one last relic, Crest Hardware‘s last day of operation after over 60 years in Williamsburg is Friday. This follows weeks of bittersweet gatherings, from wakes to art sales to a final farewell festival. It will be deeply missed.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
PANDAN PROJECT 2.0
For the second time this summer, Thai restaurant Zaab Zaab is hosting a one-day pop-up in collaboration with other Southeast Asian celebrating “all things pandan.” Along with Zaab Zaab, Honeycakes, a Brooklyn-based home bakery; Moonman, a purveyor of coconut-based kaya jam; and Vietnamese coffee brand, Kinhfolk, are participating in the pop-up, promising a variety of sweet and savory food and drinks from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Tickets are sold for hour-long slots for $5.04 (including fees) and are available here.
PAINT WITH PUPS
Dogs and art go way back, from Andy Warhol’s “Portrait of Maurice” to the iconic “Dogs Playing Poker” to Picasso’s abstract single-line sketch of his Dachshund Lump. And now you can add your own best friend to these ranks. Le Doggie Cafe is hosting a Paint with Pups event where you can paint your dog, with your dog. This dog-friendly two-hour painting session includes a glass of prosecco or lemonade per person, provided art supplies, and ample belly rubs (for the pups). The class will be led in English and Spanish.
Tickets are $28.52 (including fees) and available here.
GHOST LIMB FILMS
Have a sci-fi/horror Saturday night courtesy of director Chris Frieri and Film Noir Cinema. At 7 p.m., the cinema will be screening Frieri’s film The Orbitrons
— about an Earthling encountering visitors from a planet with a sexually-charged society of dominant females and subservient males — followed by a Q&A with Frieri and four of his other black-and-white ’90s shorts from his studio, Ghost Limb.
Tickets are $12.51 (including fees) and available here.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
TRANSMITTER PARK GARDENING
After a summer of debauchery, heat waves, and beyond, it’s no surprise that our parks could use a little TLC. This weekend, NYC Parks’ It’s My Park series takes over WNYC Transmitter Park for a volunteer-driven cleanup and gardening session, including weeding, watering, mulching, and planting from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Be prepared to get dirty!
Volunteering is free, but registration is required here.
CHARITY SOCCER TOURNAMENT
In 2021, the local youth soccer community suffered the tragic loss of beloved coach Mark Burzynski after a battle with stage-4 cancer. Burzynski was a dedicated girls soccer coach and his passing inspired the Coach Mark Soccer Fund, which hosts an annual Labor Day Weekend soccer tournament starting at 10 a.m. to raise funds which will be used to assist low-income players with soccer costs. The coed tournament consists of 20-minute 7×7 games with playoffs, semifinals, and finals, and the winning team will be awarded $700. Both teams and free agents are welcome to register and each team will receive t-shirts.
Team registration is $500 and individual registration is $60; sign up here.
END OF SUMMER BLOCK PARTY
There’s no need to leave town to find a good party. From 3 p.m. until late, Please Tell Me will be sending off the summer with vibes, music, and cocktails in equal measure. The pop-up will feature curated tunes from eight DJs, handcrafted Jamaican patties, desserts, and sides by Tosh’s Patties; specialty cocktails with fresh-pressed juice, and free giveaways from buzzy probiotic soda brand Olipop.
RSVP for free here.
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