Bonsai trees, Beres Hammond and a drunk ‘Mummy’: 15 things to do this weekend

By Ethan Jakob Craft

There is an almost comically varied range of events and activities to choose from this weekend. There’s a pub crawl, a burlesque show, a crash course in bonsai cultivation, a family-friendly Lego building workshop, and a drink-along stage reading of 1999’s “The Mummy,” wherein the actors get plastered too, just to name a few.

So, if you’re bummed that your totally illegal rooftop pool got busted, there are still plenty of things for you to do out there this weekend.

Here’s a selection of things to do in Brooklyn this weekend.

Friday, August 12

Watch a ’90s movie in the park
5 p.m.
Join filmmaker Warrington Hudlin and his “special guests” for a special outdoor screening of 1990 comedy film “House Party” in Prospect Park this Friday evening. Part of the seventh annual Hip Hop Film Festival, which is going through August 20 across Brooklyn and Harlem, the “Doin’ It In The Park” film event is free to attend — and the forecast calls for great weather — so bring a blanket, snacks and plenty of friends to lay out and kickstart the weekend.

Swing by an open mic night
Throughout the evening
Brooklyn is brimming with talent. This Friday alone, EastVille Comedy Club in Boerum Hill is hosting two “open mic extravaganzas” at 4 and 5:30 p.m., with tickets ranging from $10 for general admission to $30 for front row seats with VIP entry. Or if amateur stand-up isn’t your speed, Bushwick coffee shop Nook is hosting a musical open mic night at 9 p.m., with performers playing one original song each; it’s free to attend as a guest, though registration is required if you’d like to sing on stage.

Drink along with a live stage reading of ‘The Mummy’
8 p.m.
Who among us doesn’t love a good cinematic drinking game? Well this Friday, A Drinking Game NYC presents its one-night-only show (well, one night per month) that adapts a cult classic film — in this month’s case, it’s “The Mummy” starring Brendan Fraser — for the stage, with both the audience and the actors reading the script’s original lines drinking along to a series of verbal cues. It’s hosted by the Bell House in Gowanus, not far from multiple subway stations, with tickets either $18 if purchased in advance or $20 if purchased day-of; doors for the 8 p.m. show open at 7:30.

Crawl between Williamsburg’s best pubs
8:30 p.m.
Meet some new friends and explore the best of Williamsburg’s nightlife at this neighborhood pub crawl, hosted by Blondie’s Crawl Brooklyn, that stops everywhere from open-air watering holes to underground dance clubs to “a funky neighborhood spot with a retro vibe” (you might be able to guess where). Tickets are $34 each, with the group event’s exact meeting point revealed after purchase; the crawl runs until midnight and, obviously, you must be at least 21 years old to attend.

Saturday, August 13

Learn the art of cultivating bonsai trees
11 a.m.
Learn the basics of potting, pruning and protecting the Dwarf Umbrella Tree at this beginner-friendly bonsai workshop, hosted by Matthew Puntigam at his Dandy Farmer bonsai shop on Clermont Avenue, which is essentially across the street from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Tickets to this ultra-intimate class — limited to just six students, so act fast if you’re interested — are $75 each and include the materials you might need: one bonsai tree, an artisanal pot, and all the soil, rocks, gardening tools and instructions you’ll need to successfully repot it.

Chow down at a Black vegan festival
12 p.m.
Black VegFest is an “unapologetically Black vegan festival” that’s taking over part of Commodore Barry Park from noon to 8 p.m. this Saturday, with plenty of plant-based food vendors, cooking demonstrations and panel discussions throughout. General entry is free, although there are multiple add-ons available, including a book signing event by Black VegFest founder Omowale Adewale for $14.95 or a scheduled trip to Liberation Farm in Sullivan County later in the year for $75. Donations are also welcome.

Take your kids to build Lego robots
12 p.m.
In my childhood, 20 Lego bricks of any shape, size or color could pass for a rocket ship with enough imagination, but Lego building has come a long way since then. And Saturday afternoon’s Lego robotics class hosted by youth STEM organization S.T.E.A.M. Champs Brooklyn is a perfect example of that, with children of all experience levels invited to explore the basics of coding and robotics via Lego at its free one-hour crash course at 275 Flatbush Avenue Extension. It’s free to attend with pre-registration.

Have a drink at the Brooklyn Rum Festival
2 p.m.
More than a dozen rums from around the world will be on offer at this Saturday’s Brooklyn Rum Festival, which is returning to the city for its third (albeit nonconsecutive) year. Games, food and music will supplement the usual trappings of rum cocktails and rum-based goodies, with the boozy party running from 2 to 6 p.m. at 23 Meadow St. in East Williamsburg. General admission tickets are $65 per person, or $60 per if bought in blocks of two or more, and each include two complimentary cocktails from the festival’s main bar, a souvenir glass for rum tastings, and a scoop of rum-infused ice cream while supplies last.

Jerkfest Day Festival
3 – 5 p.m. or whenever the chicken runs out
Want some chicken with your rum? Don’t be a jerk and head to Coney Island’s Art Walls for this jerk chicken festival, featuring beats by DJ Norie, Bobby Konders, Jabba and Bless the Child. $60 gets you unlimited jerk chicken and one complementary rum punch. $115 for two people. 3050 Stillwell Avenue.

Jam to hip-hop’s greatest 2000s hits
11:30 p.m.
“Goodies” is a night to celebrate the best of 20-year-old hip-hop — think OutKast, Missy Elliot, O.G. Kanye, Snoop Dogg and more — at the Knitting Factory on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, though attendees may want to have a nap earlier in the day, because this late-night party only gets going at 11:30 p.m. and runs until 4 a.m. Sunday. Entry for this 18-and-over event is free to the first 50 people who RSVP, or $10 per person after that.

Sunday, August 14

Attend ‘Fan Appreciation Day’ at a WNBA game
2 p.m.
At the time of publication, almost all available spots in the Women’s National Basketball Association playoffs remain up for grabs, and the city’s very own New York Liberty are among the teams clamoring for a spot ahead of their regular season’s final match-up this Sunday against the Atlanta Dream. Playing at Barclays Center, tickets to the consequential game are available online for less than $30, with the organization also touting “Fan Appreciation Day” specials from 50 percent off hot dogs and popcorn to Liberty merch giveaways.

Fred Thomas of the James Brown Band at Union Pool
2 p.m.
Union Pool is back open after a fire ripped through the block, shutting it down earlier this year. Get on the good foot and catch a killer free live set on Sunday as Fred Thomas, a former bassist for James Brown, brings his brand of funk to Brooklyn. Thomas provided the backbone to a string of Brown’s 1970s-era number one hits, including “Hot Pants,” “Make It Funky”, and “Papa Don’t Take No Mess.” 484 Union Ave.

Watch the preparation of a bluefin tuna
3 p.m.
Carving a fish may sound like a mundane activity first, but this isn’t your everyday dinner prep. Hosted by Bushniwa, guests can expect a true showcase in celebration of the Bushwick Japanese restaurant’s fourth anniversary, which will invite an expert sushi chef to masterfully slice and dice a 300-pound tuna to create a world-class meal right before your eyes. At $125 each, tickets to this culinary performance-slash-sushi feast aren’t cheap, but they do include unlimited drinks and “authentic Japanese dishes” throughout the five-hour event, so arrive hungry.

Gaze at a burlesque show
6 p.m.
The Sweet Spot is a “high-energy; heart-pumping; down-right decadent-dancing; laugh-out-loud burlesque stage production celebrating the sexier side of life,” say producers BurrowsInk, who have taken their audience-favorite show to over 30 cities including right here in Brooklyn, where the performers will take to this Sunday. This variety act’s “all white edition” — meaning the dancers only wear white — can be found at the Bell House in Gowanus; remaining reserved seating tickets are $40 per person, for which doors open at 5:30 p.m., while standing room only admission with 6 o’clock entry is $20.

Beres Hammond and Third World live in Coney Island
7 p.m.
Sunday is for lovers in Coney Island. Beres Hammond is a Jamaican singer whose career dates back to the 1970s and is best known for his brand of lovers rock and dancehall-tinged hits from the ’90s. He’ll be performing with Kingston group Third World, one of the longest-running reggae bands of all time and serious live performers in their own right. They’ll all be at the Coney Island Amphitheater Sunday, where the remaining tickets start at $106 and are going fast. 3052 W 21st St.