Bushwick brunches and back-to-school bashes: 14 things to do this weekend

By Ethan Jakob Craft

This summer is slowly drawing to a close, but this is also a time of returning: Children are readying themselves for another academic year. Wildflowers are rejuvenating Shirley Chisholm State Park. And Women of Color in Cannabis are reviving their “Spliffnic” for a third straight year, giving you an event better excuse than usual to light up in Prospect Park.

There’s plenty to do if you know where to look, which is, in part, is why we’re here. Here’s what’s going on in Brooklyn this weekend:

Friday, August 26

Listen to a free concert by a Broadway star
3:30 p.m.
In the final installment of its four-day Broadway Forever pop-up concert series, Downtown Brooklyn will invite Tony-winning star Matt Doyle of “The Book of Mormon” and “War Horse” fame for a free outdoor performance. The show will take place at Albee Square at the corner of Fulton and Bond streets, kicking off at 3:30 in the afternoon. (The forecast is currently calling for a chance of thunderstorms on Friday, so maybe check online before the show.)

Say salute! at the 18th Avenue Feast
6 p.m.-ish
Running for an impressive 11 straight nights, this year’s 18th Avenue Feast — also known as the Feast of Santa Rosalia — will come to a close on its stretch of the avenue between 68th and 75th Streets in Bensonhurst . Attendees can enjoy carnival games and rides, a variety of food and beverage vendors, and live (mostly Italian) music from approximately 6 to 10 p.m. each night through Sunday. Just a few blocks away from the 79th Street D and 20th Avenue N/Q/W subway stops, the fair is completely free to attend, with up-to-date details available on the event’s Facebook page.

Take a shot every time you see an animal
7 p.m.
The nature documentary series “Planet Earth” has been near-perfect since its debut in 2006 (!), but Williamsburg bar Easy Lover may have found a way to improve upon it: by drinking along. Hosted by comedians Brian Morabito and Stephen Buckley, this Friday’s Drunk Planet Earth event is billed as “Mystery Science Theater meets Animal Documentary,” with audience members getting progressively hammered while trying to stump their two hosts with animal trivia questions. The engaging two-hour documentary screening is free and open to everyone 21 and over.

Check out an all-women and nonbinary comedy show
8 p.m.
“Sit back, chill out and laugh” at Beef Curtains Comedy, and stand-up show exclusively featuring female and nonbinary comics this Friday night. Hosted by Geneva Rust-Orta and Reid Pope, this show will include a series of 20-minute sets by comedians including Shatha Yas, Kate Sisk and Asha Ward, with attendees also able to enter a raffle for a good bag from Shag: A Sexy Shop. It’s happening at New Women Space on Woodpoint Road in East Williamsburg, with tickets available online for $15 a pop.

Saturday, August 27

Commemorate the 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn
All weekend
There is a battery of Battle Week events this weekend, including a play at Old Stone House on Saturday and a Battle of Brooklyn Bike Tour that kicks off on Sunday at 10 a.m. Costumed Revolutionary War interpreters, musicians and more will be at Green-Wood Cemetery for Battle of Brooklyn Day on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. (a donation of $5 per person to support programming at the cemetery is recommended). For a complete lineup, visit the Battle Week event page online.

Get ready to go back to school at Atlantic Terminal Mall
1 p.m.
We’re just a couple of weeks away from the first day of school in New York City, and Atlantic Terminal Mall is hosting a free outdoor Back To School Bash from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Organized in partnership with groups like Brooklyn Bridge Parents and the borough’s YWCA, this celebration will feature everything from backpack giveaways and free haircuts to more than 20 kid-friendly activities, including but not limited to a bouncy castle, arts and crafts corner, and more. This event at 139 Flatbush Avenue is free to attend.

Celebrate Japanese culture in Industry City
2 p.m.
For the second year in a row, the Japan Village Summer Festival will be returning to Industry City, inviting Brooklynites to experience live music with Japanese instruments, traditional dance performances, Japanese summer snacks and drinks, and more. With activities for all ages, this outdoor event — which may head inside in the event of rain — will run from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and it’s completely free. More details can be found on Japan Village’s website.

Spark up for the 3rd annual ‘Spliffnic’
2 p.m.
For the third consecutive year, Brooklynites who partake are invited to pack their pipes, pens and papers for a puff-puff-pass “Spliffnic” at Prospect Park. Happening from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, there will also be complimentary food and desserts for when you inevitably get the munchies at this by-donation event. It’s happening near the green space’s Parkside entrance and is hosted by Women of Color in Cannabis, though you don’t need to be a WOCC (pronounced “woke”) member to attend.

Scream and shout at a hip-hop music festival
All evening long
The Traffic Jam Music Festival will be taking over Coney Island’s famous Luna Park on Saturday, August 27, bringing renowned hip-hop headliners and independent artists alike onto the stage for this one-day-only concert. With a line-up that includes the likes of Nizzle Man, Big Zen, Lord Ju and Steph G, this performance will begin at 2 p.m. and run until around 11 p.m.; early bird tickets have sold out, but general admission is still available for $40 per person, with a number of $100 VIP tickets that include complimentary drinks still up for grabs as well.

Sunday, August 28

Check out the 45th Annual Brighton Jubilee
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Now in its 45th year, the multi-block neighborhood festival features multiple entertainment stages, multinational music and tons of merchandise and informational booths, as well as kiddie rides and food. More than 125,000 people attended last year. Brighton Beach Avenue, from Corbin Place to Coney Island Avenue.

Take the family to a wildflower festival
10 a.m.
Head to Shirley Chisholm State Park this Sunday and enjoy the flowers while they’re still blooming, because the Starrett City conservation area is hosting its family-friendly Wildflower Festival this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. In addition to appreciating the sunflowers and goldenrods, attendees can also take advantage of a free book giveaway by the Brooklyn Book Bodega, a kids’ bike swap if they’re in need of the next size up, and all-ages “Pollinator Puppet Shows” at 10:30, 12:30 and 1:30.

Dine at a drag brunch
2 p.m.
Brooklyn’s longest-running drag brunch is running once again this weekend, with queens Nancy Nogood and Emi Grate returning to Dromedary Urban Tiki Bar this Sunday for an afternoon of bottomless mimosas. Happening near the intersection of Irving and Myrtle avenues in Bushwick, there’s no additional cover charge for admission for this three-hour brunch, though attendees are encouraged to bring their “best tipping dollars.”

Scale artificial boulders at an LGBTQ+ climbing event
3 p.m.
Whether you’re belay certified or a first-time climber, Crux is designed to accommodate LGBTQ+ participants of all experience levels at its inaugural event at The Cliffs, an indoor rock climbing gym in Gowanus. Entry to the group activity is free if you’re a Cliffs member, or $15 for a non-member day pass, which includes the rental of appropriate shoes and climbing gear; if you plan to attend, save some time by filling out the climbing gym’s participant waiver in advance.

Sip some grog at ye olde fantasy tavern night
7 p.m.
Don’t just daydream about side-questing your way through Middle Earth: make it your reality with a night of “comedy, camaraderie, and song.” Williamsburg bar Crystal Lake’s “Fantasy Tavern Night” runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, an immersive event that will have you rubbing elbows with weary travelers, crooning bards and other pointy-hatted folke, complemented by hearty pub fare and pints and craft ale from the realm of Kings County. Tickets are $30 each, and all are encouraged to come in character or costume.