Hope you’ve been staying warm! Luckily, this weekend is forecasted to reach a balmy 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If that excites you, here are some ways to celebrate locally.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21
OPEN SEWING HOURS
If you have any sewing projects you’ve been dying to pick back up but your machine is out of commission, Brooklyn Craft Company is there for you. Join open sewing hours from 4 to 7 p.m. for self-guided sewing on their machines. Advanced sewing skills are not needed, but basic machine sewing knowledge is required (no instructors will be present), and you’ll need to bring your own materials and project. Not quite there yet? Their Sewing 101 classes are a good start!
Registration is $10 and available here.
JAZZ AND JOURNALING
If your idea of a cozy Friday night includes journaling set to a soundtrack of relaxing live jazz, you’re in luck. Jazz and Journaling is back for another monthly installment at McCarren Park House at 6:30 p.m. Journaling Classes founder Emily will kick things off with mindfulness prompts before turning it over to attendees for a free flow of journaling with a mini jazz concert.
Registration is $35 and available here.
KWEENDOM: LGBTQ+ COMEDY
Need a laugh? Who doesn’t! Enjoy jokes from a lineup of LGBTQ+ comics including Veronica Garza (MTV), Matt Storrs (NPR), Sunny Laprade (Dolls On Tour), Poppy J. Snacks (Bear Back Burlesque), Jonnea Herman (Zanies Chicago), and host Bobby Hankinson (SiriusXM) during Kweendom, a comedy series lauded as “consistently dope” (Time Out NY) and “extremely gay” (Thrillist). The show — at Pete’s Candy Store starting at 7 p.m. — will also be collecting and matching (up to $50) donations for LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrant rights organization Immigration Equality.
The show is free and you can RSVP here.
CRINGE SHORT FILM SCREENING
Acknowledge the horror that is unfettered internet access during Film Noir Cinema screenings of Cringe, a short film directed by and starring Ian Hunt alongside CW Headly, Catherine Zini, and Alon Elian. The short follows three podcasters who decide to torment an online personality for fame and followers. There will be three screenings 40 minutes apart starting at 8 p.m. and live music and drinks will follow.
Tickets are $5.04 and available here.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
GARDENING SEMINAR
Join the Greenpoint Library and gardening expert and educator Leslie Fiske for another edition of the library’s beginner-friendly gardening seminar from 10:30 a.m to 12 p.m. This installment on urban gardens will teach the basics about starting an outdoor garden regardless of area size and space, amount of sunlight, or level of knowledge.
The program is free for adults and young adults 14+ and entry is first come, first served.
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.
PAINT ‘N WINE
No such thing as too much painting. Sip, paint, and unwind at Owlee Café & Studio for a Paint ‘n Wine session from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Entry includes a painting kit, one glass of wine, and guided instruction through three different painting options for artists of all levels.
Tickets are $55.20 and available here.
LIVE JAZZ
Continue the smoothest weekend ever with a live performance by the Ezra Beber Quintet at Williamsburg Music Center from 9:30 to 11 p.m. The night promises soulful melodies and captivating rhythms up close and personal.
Tickets are $28.52 and available here (there’s also a student discount).
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23
SUPERHERO MUSIC AND MOVEMENT
Here’s a perfect option for stir-crazy toddlers. Ferox Ninja Gym is hosting a Superhero Music and Movement class featuring Juliette and Ella’s Play Date representing some of kids’ favorite caped crusaders for a morning of enriching play for kids ages 0-4. Starting at 9:30 a.m., the class, led by professional singers and dancers, will encourage kids to become part of the show with superhero-inspired songs and other classic kid-friendly tunes before breaking out for open play. Costumes are encouraged!
Registration is $45 and available here.
BLACK FEMME SELF-LOVE YOGA WORKSHOP
As Black History Month continues, SPARŚA is hosting a workshop with Black Girl Fight Club and The Soul & Sky focused on self-love, healing, self-expression, and sisterhood for Black femmes from 2 to 5 p.m. The event will include a grounding yoga practice, sister circle discussion, art session, and gift bag all dedicated to reconnecting with your inner child and tapping into community care.
Registration is $38.12 and available here.
WINE POETIC
The weekend’s mindfulness and art continue with a unique Wine Poetic event at Hana Makgeolli blending wine, spirits, poetry, and history from 7 to 9 p.m. The event will present the life and work of South Korean poet, essayist, and critic Kim Hyesoon as poems bleed into mini lectures, intriguing discussions, and writing exercises set to an immersive tasting experience guided by Hana Makgeolli’s founder and lead brewer, Alice Jun.
Tickets are $39.19 and include a glass of Takju 16; register here.