Art Shows & Paddling in Gowanus! Bats & Bourbon @ Green-Wood! ‘Sound Bath’ @ BK Conservatory!
Plus: ‘Crooklyn’ & ‘Trainspotting!’ Drank & Draw @ BK Museum! Battle of BK History!
Welcome back to the often-imitated, never-replicated Park Slope events newsletter. As always, links to sources are in (parentheses) after each event. Follow our IG for updates as events change.
Book Now
We have a habit of knowing what sells out.
🔥🍿'Princess Mononoke' @ Nitehawk on 8/21: “When a massive demon erupts from the forest and rampages through a rural village, the town’s elders send their last prince, Ashitaka, west to investigate the cause of the outburst. Ashitaka discovers a bustling industrial town, Irontown, whose inhabitants are clearing out large swaths of surrounding forest to fuel their monstrous forges. The blind industrial encroachment sends a plague through the forest, putrefying everything it touches and endangering the life of the ancient Great Forest Spirit.”(9:15 PM, Nitehawk)
🔥🤣Beth Stelling on 9/20: “Stelling is a comedian, writer and actress based in Los Angeles. Her new Netflix special “If You Didn’t Want Me Then” topped every ‘Best of 2023’ list. Her half-hour special is also on Netflix in the first season of The Standups. Conan O'Brien produced Beth’s previous hour special for HBO Max called “Girl Daddy.” ”(7:30 PM, The Bell House, $35.45)
🔥🤣Poly Diaz (Late Show, Early Show Sold Out) on 9/21: “Diaz is a Venezuelan stand-up comedian, writer, and actress based in México City. Doing stand-up since she was 21 years old, she has opened for Richie O ́Farril, Sofia Niño de Rivera, Daniel Sosa and Marcello Hernández.”(10:00 PM, Union Hall, $18.98)
Get Involved
🙋🏽🌳Park Pitch In: Green And Go on Sunday “Help Prospect Park Alliance keep our park green and vibrant! Explore the park while tackling litter and helping with other greening opportunities. Supplies can be checked out at various locations around the park and include all necessary tools for your volunteer experience.” (11:00 AM, Prospect Park)
🦑August Monthly Meeting & Paddle on Thursday 8/15: “Socialize with the Dredgers at our BUNKER (2 19th St, off of 3rd Ave) for a casual volunteer orientation (sign-up here), member catch-up and paddle! We’ll gather at 6:30 to start the orientation and aim to be on-water around 7:15. Meet at the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club 19th St. Launch, 2 19 St, Brooklyn, (off of 3rd Ave.). If you plan to join the paddle, wear sunscreen and bring a bottle filled with water. Close-toed shoes are recommended, and wear clothing you don’t mind potentially being splashed. Use a restroom before arrival, as we have limited facilities on-site. All paddlers must sign a waiver.”(6:30 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
News and Openings
Arts Gowanus’ Pride-themed public art exhibition repeatedly vandalized in Park Slope: “On Aug. 7, Arts Gowanus program director Emily Chiavelli headed to the Old Stone House to replace part of the organization’s Pride: All Day, Every Day exhibit. The public art show, featuring the works of more than 100 queer artists printed on banners and hung on the fences around the Old Stone House, had been vandalized again. Since the exhibit went up in June, Arts Gowanus has had to replace a quarter of the banners after they were destroyed.” (Brooklyn Paper)
Breadivore Bakery Soft Opening on 5th Ave and 12th Street this Weekend: “Getting ready for this weekend 🤞” (Breadivore IG)
90-year-old faces eviction of his Brooklyn home after discovering decades-old scam: “Cortez bought the house in 1969 for $20,000, long before the million-dollar condos went up and the Barclays Center moved in. Now the house is valued at close to $3 million. Cortez's attorney said this type of fraud is common in gentrifying areas.” (ABC 7)
Events
Events with a 🔥 emoji are going fast.
Thursday, 8/8
🏠Conversations Wid De Bush Woman: Book Launch Event: “This unique book launch will feature 8 inspiring authors reading excerpts from their new books. The event is hosted by author Najamil Lezama aka BUSH WOMAN.”(6:00 PM, Lefferts Historic House)
🎶Zacchae’Us Paul: “Zacchae’us Paul is a young multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter of the highest caliber. His music is a kaleidoscope of styles and sounds that enriches the soul and nourishes the mind. Rooted in the vibrant city of Atlanta, GA, his inspired music delves deep into the very fabric of society, tackling pressing issues such as reparations for historical injustices and the empowering love and spirituality embodied by black women.”(6:30 PM, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music)
🧘🏽Prospect Park Yoga With Brooklyn Flow: “Brooklyn Flow, Prospect Park Alliance and NewYork-Presbyterian present free, outdoor yoga on the Long Meadow. Brooklyn’s finest yoga teachers from different studios around the park lead free, outdoor group yoga classes in a low-pressure, beautiful environment.”(7:00 PM, Prospect Park)
🔥🤣Lucas Zelnick: “A stand-up comedian born, raised, and based in New York City, who challenges his cushy upbringing through punch-heavy material. Lucas’s stand-up clips have exploded online, where he has received over 100M views and 500K+ followers across Instagram and TikTok. In 2022, Lucas established a strong baseline for himself as a touring comedian, selling out 8 shows at Zanies Chicago.”(7:30 PM, The Bell House, $30.3)
🦑Guided Sunset Paddle: “After a short presentation where you and your crew our outfitted with safety gear, we embark on a narrated voyage filled with questions and conversation on how recreation can have a positive influence on improving and encouraging environmental awareness and activism in an urban setting.”(7:30 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
📷Signal: An Evening Of Audiovisual Art: “Curated by Testu Collective & Brian Wenner, SIGNAL is an evening of performances showcasing boundary-pushing talent in electronic music and visual arts with each artist using different modes of technology.”(8:00 PM, Littlefield, $15)
🪦Nocturnal Navigators: Green-Wood Bat Walk: “As the sun sets over Green-Wood’s historic landscape, nocturnal creatures begin to stir—namely, the bats! Join bat biologist Nic Comparato for a unique and thrilling glimpse into the secretive lives of the bat species that call the Cemetery home, including the little brown bat, eastern red bat, and hoary bat. Experience a live sonar demonstration, used by biologists to identify different bat species, and delve into the captivating ecology of the world’s only flying mammals.”(8:30 PM, Green-Wood Cemetery, $30)
Friday, 8/9
🌳Nature Exploration: Wildlife Appreciation: “Join Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs on Thursdays and Fridays at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.”(12:00 PM, Prospect Park)
🛼90S Hip Hop Dreamland Roller Disco: “Each Dreamland Roller Disco includes: Retro DJs spinning the hottest dance floor grooves from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today; An MC who narrates the spectacle as it unfolds; Tons of rad, Instagram-able moments including a red carpet where you can take photos.”(7:00 PM, LeFrak Center @ Lakeside, $28.45)
🪦Green-Wood After Hours: “Long after Green-Wood’s gates close to the public, explore its historic grounds under the cover of night. You’ll weave through the Cemetery’s stunning landscape and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This not-to-be-missed walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public.”(7:00 PM, Green-Wood Cemetery)
🎶Celebrate Brooklyn! Jesse Royal: “Royal, a Jamaican reggae sensation hailed for his impeccable rhythms and vivid storytelling, will bring his resonant messages of hope, love, and consciousness to the Bandshell.”(7:30:00 M, Prospect Park)
Saturday, 8/10
🛒Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket: “This community destination brings together a mix of shoppers from the nearby neighborhoods of Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, and beyond. Runners, dog-walkers, families, and food lovers all converge to buy from the huge array of farm fresh products, and to participate in the programming and cooking demonstrations that take place every Saturday all year long.”(8:00 AM, Prospect Park)
🧘🏽Yoga On The Stoop @ Brooklyn Museum: “Meet us on the plaza steps for a morning of yoga and meditation, open to all levels and led by local instructors. Open your hips and your heart in this gentle flow class, followed by a guided meditation to start off your weekend.”(10:00 AM, Brooklyn Museum)
🍿😺Catvideofest 2024: “The world’s #1 cat video festival is back with screenings in theaters across the USA and around the world starting August 2024! Each year, across the country, local theaters partner with nearby cat-focused charities, animal welfare associations and shelters alike — a portion of ticket proceeds from every show goes directly to local cats in need. Proceeds from Nitehawk shows will go to Sean Casey Animal Shelter.”(11:00 AM, Nitehawk)
🦑Tiziana Mazziotto And Joe Banish: Patterns & Textures: “An exhibition of textured abstract paintings by Tiziana Mazziotto and abstract, visually-textured photographs by Joe Banish that are inspired by and depict the urban concrete and natural water environments that surround us. The patterns, textures, and colors present are at once familiar, yet each hints at something more than the sum of its parts.”(1:00 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
🥃🪦Revolutionary Spirits @ Green-Wood: “Delve into the storied past of distilled spirits in Brooklyn with Green-Wood and our neighbors at Fort Hamilton Distillery. The experience begins with a trolley tour of the Cemetery to uncover the influential figures of the Revolutionary War and the distillers who left their mark on the early days of New York. Then, the trolley will take you to Fort Hamilton Distillery in Industry City where you can discover and taste the New World Gin that has NY history distilled into each bottle.”(3:30 PM, Green-Wood Cemetery, $50)
🛼Lakeside Roller Dance Night Featuring Roller Wave: “Featuring Music, Food, Special Guest DJs,Beverage ”(6:00 PM, LeFrak Center @ Lakeside, $24.18)
Saturday Night
🪦Green-Wood After Hours: See Friday listing. (7:00 PM, Green-Wood Cemetery)
🎶Celebrate Brooklyn! Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul: “Adigéry & Pupul will transport you into a world of thought-provoking beats and exhilarating melodies. Defying conventions, the electrifying duo navigates issues like cultural appropriation and post-colonialism with infectious synth concoctions and an impressive ease. ”(7:30 PM, Prospect Park)
🦑Unheard-Of Ensemble: Ginger Flavored Bubblegum: “Join Unheard-of Ensemble and the Gowanus Dredgers for an expanded version of Ginger Flavored Bubblegum. The work explores transcendence from grief by honoring poet, filmmaker, and artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha – who was murdered only a few days after the publication of her poetic autobiography, “Dictee.” Using selections of poetry from Dictee, this expanded version explores grief using Unheard-of Ensemble, electronics, and videography by Phong Tran (who some might recognize from his electronic set last season).”(8:00 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
Sunday, 8/11
🪦Birding In Peace @ Green-Wood: “Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful early morning walking tours to discover the many birds that make Green-Wood their home—at least temporarily. Green-Wood’s official birding checklist will be made available to all attendees, or you can print it in advance here.”(6:00 AM, Green-Wood Cemetery, $20)
🧶Brooklyn Pop-Up Market @ Brooklyn Museum: “Stop by our market to shop one-of-a-kind, handmade items from local artisans. This weekly event features more than 20 vendors offering artwork, jewelry, fashion, home and apothecary goods, and more.”(10:30 AM, Brooklyn Museum)
🍖🍛🌮🥙Smorgasburg: “Presented in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, is considered the “Woodstock of Eating.” The celebrated open-air food fair is back in Prospect Park for the 2024 season! Over 60 local businesses will gather on Breeze Hill, near the Lincoln Road entrance, to offer a range of food and drink every Sunday.” (11:00 AM, Prospect Park)
🙋🏽🌳Park Pitch In: Green And Go: See Get Involved above. (11:00 AM, Prospect Park)
🔥🍿Sundays On Fire: Secret Hong Kong 35Mm Feature: “A ‘90s remake of one of Hong Kong’s most iconic martial arts movies, this mean piece of work dismembers all its ideals of chivalry, fairness, and respect in a berserker rage, then feeds the corpse to the pigs. Reimagining ancient China as a slaughterhouse where the strong take and the weak die, this movie is also one of the most revolutionary action films ever made, exchanging the precision and clarity of classic kung fu combat for a whirling, slicing tornado of tempered steel. Unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, it’s a psychotronic phantasmagoria of scars and tattoos, mutilation, amputation, sexual frustration, and sharp, heavy chunks of pig iron splitting muscles and breaking bones.”(12:00 PM, Nitehawk)
🌳Nature Exploration: Wildlife Appreciation: See Thursday listing. (12:00 PM, Prospect Park)
🦑A Persistence Of Cormorants Poetry Reading: “A summer-long poetry reading series on our shoreline featuring accomplished and exceptional poets from the New York area, many of who live in Brooklyn. On each of the scheduled Sundays, from 1:30 to 3:30, up to four featured poets will read for 10 to 15 minutes each.”(1:30 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
🎶🛁Sound Bath @ BK Conservatory Of Music: “Led by Alan Thompson, please join us for a 60-minute immersive and restorative experience using breath and sound to invite therapeutic effects to the mind, body, and spirit. This sound healing experience begins with guided breathing, as we tune into our auditory senses, followed by a gradual, continuous and progressive sequence of tonal centers and harmonic shifts using crystal singing bowls, and various types of instruments.” (5:30 PM, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, $40)
Monday, 8/12
🔥🤣Binchtopia - The Goodbye La And Hello New York Tour: “Join Julia Hava and Eliza McLamb as they bid farewell to Los Angeles and say hello to New York in this special live show.”(7:30 PM, The Bell House, $35.70)
Tuesday, 8/13
🎶Stomp, Clap And Sing With Corey: “Music With Corey is a fun, immersive, educational music experience curated by renowned kids music instructor, Corey J. Feldman. We will freeze dance, we'll play the guessing game, and we'll even do some magic! Corey's music performances are perfect for kids ages 0-6+ with familiar songs, family-friendly covers, and a host of originals (find his album on Spotify!). Corey does classes, pods, lessons, and parties, but it's always a party when you join Music With Corey.”(10:30 AM, Central Library)
📕Silent Book Club Of Death: “If you’re passionate about reading and about death, grief, and mortality, the Silent Book Club of Death is for you. We’ll start with a quiet hour of reading alone together—bring your own book on these topics or borrow one from our library—followed by the opportunity for discussion. ”(6:00 PM, Green-Wood Cemetery)
🍿'Angel' @ Nitehawk: “A video store staple of the mid-to-late 1980s, the box cover of Angel was alluring with its dual images of its lead: she’s a school girl by day (pigtails, knee socks) and street walker by night (hot pants, high heels)! Herein lies the story of Molly, aka Angel (Donna Wilkes), a 15 year old who excels in school and maintains a secret lifestyle, taking care of herself as a sex worker since both her parents split. Although she’s in good company with her chosen family, a serial killer is targeting Hollywood Boulevard, creeping ever closer to Angel.”(9:15 PM, Nitehawk)
Wednesday, 8/14
🛒Wednesday Greenmarket At Bartel-Pritchard Square: “Nestled inside Prospect Park's tree-shaded southwest corner, this much-loved weekday market is where South Slope and Windsor Terrace residents stock up on locally grown staples.”(8:00 AM, Prospect Park)
🎻🦑The Boathouse Jam: “Hosted by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club to activate our shoreline while fostering the continued resurgence of acoustical collaborations in Brooklyn. We are inclusive of all – young & old, new & seasoned musicians. Just bring a smile and your musical instrument and/or your voice to join our one night makeshift band.”(6:00 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
🤣Mo Welch: “Welch is an LA based comedian, actress, writer and cartoonist. Mo’s book How To Die Alone: The Foolproof Guide To Not Helping Yourself Featuring Blair was released in 2019 by Workman Publishing and is based on her Instagram comic strip Blair which has over 115k followers (link below). She sold and developed a TV pilot version of BLAIR at HBO Max with Chelsea Handler producing.”(7:30 PM, Union Hall, $18.98)
🍿🌳Outdoor Cinema @ Parklife: 'Trainspotting' “Heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends — Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Tommy (Kevin McKidd). He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane (Kelly Macdonald), along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can’t escape the life he left behind when Begbie shows up at his front door on the lam, and a scheming Sick Boy follows.”(8:00 PM, Littlefield)
🍿'Crooklyn' @ Nitehawk: “Though the title may sound menacing to outsiders, Crooklyn is actually Spike Lee’s most tender and affectionate film. The screenplay was penned by Spike, his brother Cinqué, and their sister Joie, semi-based on her childhood growing up with all brothers, their Jazz musician father (an excellent as always performance from Delroy Lindo), and their no nonsense, loving mother played in a top tier turn by the one and only Alfre Woodard. This film is a love letter to Bed-Stuy in the 70s, childhood summers, and most of all to the Lee’s mother, Jaquelyn”(9:15 PM, Nitehawk)
Thursday, 8/15
🙋🏽🌳Ecozone Volunteer Crew Open House: “Join an upcoming Open House to learn about joining a committed group of volunteers that work alongside Prospect Park Alliance gardeners in “EcoZones” to keep Brooklyn’s Backyard green and vibrant! The EcoZone Volunteer crew will work on important forest restoration and landscape improvements: helping to remove invasive plants, plant new trees, shrubs and groundcover, maintain trails, and tackle tree care to support our urban forest.”(9:00 AM, Prospect Park)
🍼Prospect Park Stroller Walk: “Calling all parents and caregivers with children! Join a Prospect Park Alliance Naturalist at the Prospect Park Audubon Center for a leisurely stroll along Prospect Park’s waterways. Embrace the sound of streams and songs of birds. Enjoy fragrant flowers and explore the towering trees of Brooklyn’s Backyard. Please note that this walk leaves promptly at 10 am from the Prospect Park Audubon Center.”(10:00 AM, Prospect Park)
📕Exploring Primary Source Documents From The Battle Of Brooklyn: “In commemoration of the 248th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, Webber has assembled some of the most compelling documents that inform historians' understanding of Brooklyn’s Revolutionary period.”(6:00 PM, Old Stone House)
🦑August Monthly Meeting & Paddle: See Get Involved above. (6:30 PM, Gowanus Dredgers)
🎶Plaza Performance: sexdeathvoid: “A Brooklyn-based experimental music duo. Their improvised compositions are reflections of and odes to the city and its people. The recent release of their nearly 10 hour long album, “Cityscape in Full Relief,” placed them squarely at the forefront of electronic music innovation. ”(7:00 PM, Central Library)
🥃✏️Drink And Draw: Ancient Egyptian Art: “Sip and sketch at the Brooklyn Museum this summer! Drink and Draw is open to all levels and accompanied by a refreshing beverage and musical vibes by a local DJ. In August, get inspired by figures, sculptures, and pottery in our ancient Egyptian art collection. Then, sketch from live models and experiment with materials in a casual class led by teaching artist Natalia Munoz Durango. Plus, enjoy tunes from DJ Amber Valentine.”(7:00 PM, Brooklyn Museum)
🧘🏽Prospect Park Yoga With Brooklyn Flow: “Brooklyn Flow, Prospect Park Alliance and NewYork-Presbyterian present free, outdoor yoga on the Long Meadow. Brooklyn’s finest yoga teachers from different studios around the park lead free, outdoor group yoga classes in a low-pressure, beautiful environment.”(7:00 PM, Prospect Park)
🤣’Magic Mike’ Entirely From Memory: “Performers will attempt (and most likely fail) to recreate "Magic Mike'', without the aid of scripts, rehearsals, or sobriety. All they will have will be their memory, a recent viewing of the film, and a lot of wigs. How certain are we that they'll succeed? So certain that we're making it harder for them.”(8:00 PM, Littlefield, $12)
🛼Taylor Swift Dreamland Roller Disco: “Each Dreamland Roller Disco includes: Retro DJs spinning the hottest dance floor grooves from the 70s, 80s, 90s and today; An MC who narrates the spectacle as it unfolds; Tons of rad, Instagram-able moments including a red carpet where you can take photos.”(7:00 PM, LeFrak Center @ Lakeside, $28.45)
Did we miss an event? Are you doing a stoop sale? Put in the comments!