Sake shots, disco dancing and the Atlantic Antic: 14 things to do this weekend

By Ethan Jakob Craft

This weekend is a great time to practice your Brooklyn ABCs. Let’s run through a few together:

A is for the Atlantic Antic, the city’s largest and oldest street festival; B is for Blocktoberfest, which is bringing dozens of craft brews to the Brooklyn Navy Yard; C is for cycling, about which there’ll be a free repair and upkeep seminar hosted by 718 Cyclery; D is for dating app, which comedian Lane Moore spotlights in her critically acclaimed “Tinder Live!” comedy show; E is for… Well, you get the point.

There is a lot going on, beginning this Friday, September 30. So get to it.  Weekend activities from A to Z await you.

Friday, September 30

Pick up some fall reading at the Brooklyn Book Festival
Throughout the weekend
The Brooklyn Book Festival is running across the city from September 25 to October 3, with the primary festival day and its Literary Marketplace happening at the Brooklyn Borough Hall and adjacent Columbus Park this Sunday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday, the BBF’s dedicated children’s day will be held at Brooklyn Commons at MetroTech from 10 o’clock in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, plus there’ll also be a number of panels, parties and conversations dubbed “Bookends” going on at venues around Brooklyn on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Additional details on timing, locations and participating authors can be found online.

Swing back a shot or two for World Sake Day
5 p.m.
September 30 is World Sake Day, apparently, and Mika in Bushwick is throwing its second annual sake tasting event that evening to celebrate. Located not far from the Morgan Avenue L line stop in East Williamsburg, the Japanese beer hall will have a dozen different kinds of the fermented rice alcohol on offer, plus a selection of Japanese food and an on-site pop-up market featuring a number of local Japanese artisans. Tickets to the event are $45 each and include tastings of 12 unique sakes, plus a souvenir tasting glass for attendees to keep.

Head to a Pavement concert in Flatbush
8 p.m.
If you attended the behind-the-scenes tour of the historic Kings Theatre last weekend — or, hey, even if you didn’t — this week will give you a perfect opportunity to see the former cinema palace in Flatbush in action, because indie rock band Pavement will be playing a show there at 8 p.m. on Friday night, though please note that the venue encourages attendees to arrive at least 90 minutes (!) before showtime. The concert is nearly sold out, but if you’re a diehard Pavement fan, a handful of tickets can still be had online for between $100 and $150.

Transcend time at a psychedelic disco party
10 p.m.
“Dance like you’re ‘quaaluded’ all night long and enjoy stunning drag performances” to the tune of remixed 1970s and ’80s disco classics, say the organizers of “Quaaluded,” an all-night party that’ll bring the likes of DJ TS Hermaphrodite and LGBTQ+ performer Marcel the Artist to the Post Bar in Bed-Stuy this Friday. Tickets are available online for $5 each, as well as at the door, and costumes are encouraged; music will be bumping from 10 p.m. until at least 2 a.m.

Saturday, October 1

Tie one on at Blocktoberfest 2022
1 p.m.
September and October in Brooklyn reliably bring a number of boozy, vaguely German-themed events to bars and beer gardens across the borough, with this weekend’s main attraction being Blocktoberfest 2022. Taking over a massive parcel outside of Building 77 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the afternoon bash will feature ales, lagers and ciders from more than three dozen independent New York City breweries, plus on-site food vendors and live entertainment throughout. General admission for this popular annual event is already sold out, but “Late Bird” tickets can still be had for $65 each or VIP entry for $85; both include unlimited beer samples, though the latter also allows you earlier entry to the festival and comes with a color-changing souvenir cup.

Take your kids to the annual Children’s Harvest Festival
1 p.m.
The annual Children’s Harvest Festival is back this Saturday at Saratoga Farms, an urban ecological center in Bed-Stuy near the intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Fulton Street. Hosted by the Campaign Against Hunger, this is an all-ages affair with families in the neighborhood and beyond invited to stop by throughout the afternoon for “face painting, scavenger hunts, performances, free food, games and more.” The event runs until 4 p.m. and is free for all to attend.

Check out First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum
5 p.m. onwards
October 1 marks the first Saturday of the month, which means the Brooklyn Museum will be putting on its monthly slate of programming for the public to enjoy throughout the afternoon and evening. It’s hosting a pop-up market featuring local vendors and artisans between 5 and 9:30 p.m.; there will be musical performances throughout the evening from groups like Brazilian drumline Fogo Azul and Brooklyn’s own Strings N Skins; a book signing and discussion with author Natasha Gordon-Chipembere, and much more. Most of the individual events are free to attend, or free with admission, but check the Brooklyn Museum’s online calendar for exact times and locations ahead of time.

Catch a one-act play
6 p.m.
The 2022 Brownstone Play Festival is happening in the city this weekend, which “consists of short dramatic and comedic one-act plays, each written by an emerging playwright and professionally directed by veteran storytellers from the NYC theater scene,” organizers write. Half a dozen performances will take place across both Saturday, when the event starts at 6 p.m., and Sunday, when it starts at 3:30. The venue is the theater at Bed-Stuy’s Union United Methodist Church, with individual tickets available for $25 per person, per day, or $15 if bought in blocks of 10 or more. Check out the Brownstone Play Festival’s Google Calendar for full details.

Learn the fine art of bicycle maintenance
6 p.m.
If you’re interested in cycling to any extent (and why wouldn’t you be living in a city like ours?), 718 Cyclery in Park Slope is hosting a hands-on bicycle maintenance workshop for beginners at Principles GI Coffee Shop, a queer-owned cafe a few blocks over in Gowanus. It’s free to attend, with 718 Cyclery breaking down each class into five simple sections that attendees can follow along with as they learn the best practices for maintenance and upkeep on their two-wheeled contraption.

Experience Brooklyn’s dating scene vicariously with ‘Tinder Live!’
8 p.m.
Lane Moore’s critically acclaimed comedy show “Tinder Live!” is back in Brooklyn once again with special guests Mike Drucker and Jordan Carlos, who will join in as Moore swipes through her dating app in real time while offering tips to would-be daters, navigating questionable DMs and matching one-on-one with horny New Yorkers. The 21-and-over performance is happening on Saturday night at Littlefield in Gowanus, with general admission tickets up for grabs for $20 each.

Sunday, October 2

Enjoy the day with an all-ages 5K
9 a.m.
This Sunday morning, regardless of your age, head to Paerdegat Park in East Flatbush where Brooklyn’s “Youth to Seniors” 5K walk and run wellness event will honor breast cancer survivors and those who’ve lost their battle against the disease. It’s a family-friendly (and largely non-competitive) race for parents, grandparents, children and just about anyone else who wishes to join; participation is by donation, with medals being given to all walkers and runners, who are encouraged to wear pink.

Pick up some fresh food at a farmers market
10 a.m.
It may feel a bit chilly in New York this weekend, but the McGolrick Park Summer Farmers Market (questionable key word: “summer”) is still running in Greenpoint this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Plenty of local vendors peddling food, produce and more will be hawking their wares at the park, so stock up your pantry before winter arrives.

Amble along Atlantic Avenue
12 p.m.
The Atlantic Antic describes itself as “a New York institution,” and rightfully so. Back for its 47th year this Sunday, this sprawling annual street fair (Brooklyn’s oldest and largest) will take over a stretch of Atlantic Avenue from Hicks Street near the water to Fourth Avenue by Barclays Center from noon to 6 p.m. Highlights of the afternoon include a kids’ zone with pony rides and a bouncy castle, food tastings from many of Atlantic Avenue’s finest restaurants, and special deals from Brooklyn retailers, vendors and artists. Allocate enough time because, hosts say, “you’ll want to spend the day, as there is just so much to see and do!”

Learn the history of báhn mì at a hands-on workshop
2 p.m.
In the latest installment of Nafas, an exhibition of dozens of international artists and a five-week festival “celebrating the union between food and art,” the Invisible Dog Art Center on Bergen Street in Cobble Hill is hosting a báhn mì workshop by Sherry Muyuan He. Don’t get your hopes up if you’re after a filling meal — organizers make it clear that no actual food is involved — but for the true foodie, you’ll be able to learn the history of the sandwich while being guided through making your own 3D paper version over the course of about 20 minutes. It’s free to participate.