‘Drag Race,’ Mulchfest and a half marathon: 16 things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

Let us not talk of New Year’s resolutions. Let’s talk goals. Like, having a fun weekend — and putting that rotting Christmas tree to good use.

There’s a lot going on this weekend. First up, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” returns on Friday for season 16, and Arlo Williamsburg has a great viewing party for you to kiki with Brooklyn’s queer coterie. There is a strong local peg here: Brooklyn queens Dawn and Megami are competing for the crown. Also on Friday, Oh My Rockness brings NYC’s Hardest-Working Bands of 2023 in concert to Baby’s All Right.

Looking for something a little less nightlife-y? Biofreeze those weary joints and get moving on Saturday morning at The Woolly Mammoth Half Marathon & 5K. Prospect Park hosts their annual Winter Tea that afternoon, too.

Saturday night sees the 17th Annual 50 First Jokes returning to The Bell House for two shows. And Sunday has Park Slope’s Down to Earth Farmers Market where you can buy local produce for the winter months. In celebration of the new “Mean Girls” movie musical, Divatronic presents an ode to Tina Fey’s opus at 3 Dollar Bill. The show features OG “Mean Girls” actor movie, Daniel Franzese.

Here are our picks:

Friday, January 5

Mulchfest!
All Day
Technically, Christmas ends on Friday (the twelfth day, but you knew that). Still, it’s time to ditch your dried-out tree. But where? Mulchfest 2024 is here to help turn your tree trash into something transformative. Mulchfest is a city-wide event that puts used Christmas trees to good use. Pack away the decorations and drop off your tree at participating NYC parks all across the borough. Free.

Final weekend of Frost Fest at Luna Park
Friday through Sunday
Coney Island has been hosting its first annual Frost Fest at Luna Park seaside since November. For its final weekend, visitors can take full advantage of the skating rink, select rides and attractions, holiday lights and décor, shopping and festive food options to fulfill any holiday cravings that may still linger. 1000 Surf Avenue. Ticket prices vary.

‘Drag Race’ Season 16 Premiere Party
7 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Enjoy a night of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent at The Werk Room, a “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Season 16” viewing party at Arlo Williamsburg on Friday night. This week only: five local queens featured on Season 16 will be in person, including Brooklyn’s own Dawn, Megami, Manhattan queens Nymphia Wind, Plasma, and Amanda Tori Meating. Meet-and-greet pricing is available on Eventbrite. 96 Wythe Avenue. Tickets start at $18.

Circles IV: Les Six
7:30 p.m.
In 1920, Jean Cocteau brought six young composers together to take on the establishment and bring French music into the Modern Era. More than 100 years later, Brooklyn Art Song Society presents these system-bucking works, including Georges Auric’s Alphabet (7 Quatrains de Raymond Radiguet) and Louis Durey’s Trois Poèmes de Pétrone. 119 Pierrepont Street. 119 Pierrepont Street. Tickets are $35.

The Exponential Festival Presents
7:30 p.m.
On Friday, The Exponential Festival presents “Two Sisters Find a Box of Lesbian Erotica in the Woods” by Emma Horwitz and Bailey Williams at The Loading Dock Theatre. In their words: “In every woods, there is a box. The box is full of lesbian erotica. We are going to read some for you.” 170 Tillary Street. Seats are $23 and $10 floor seats are available first come, first served.

NYC’s Hardest-Working Bands of 2023: Live in Concert
8 p.m.
Start your year of concert going with Oh My Rockness’s Hardest-Working Bands of 2023 at Baby’s All Right on Friday night. You can see titsdickass, Starcleaner Reunion, Skorts, Frida Kill, Two-Man Giant Squid and Nara’s Room — all up-and-coming bands hand-selected by the curators extraordinaire at Oh My Rockness. 146 Broadway. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the show.

The Fourth Annual ‘Loving The Alien: A Bowie Tribute Dance Party’
9 p.m.
“Let’s Dance” … on Friday! Come to littlefield and celebrate David Bowie’s 77th birthday. DJ Steve Reynolds will spin the hits and deep cuts from The Thin White Duke’s 50-year career and the venue will screen Bowie’s best videos and memorable movie appearances. 635 Sackett Street. Tickets are $7.

Saturday, January 6

Woolly Mammoth Half Marathon & 5K
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Get ready for a Mammoth good time at the Woolly Mammoth Half Marathon & 5K at Veterans Pier on Saturday morning. This run marks the first of the NYC Parks’ Winter Series, where you can choose between the Half Marathon or the 5K. Then stick around for some sweet snacks from All Round Foods. Shore Road and Bay Ridge Avenue. Registration is $40.

The Met: Live presents ‘Nabucco’ at BAM
12 p.m.
Ancient Babylon comes to life in this classic Met staging of biblical proportions — and you can watch a recording of the performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Saturday afternoon. Baritone George Gagnidze stars as the imperious king Nabucco, alongside soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska, reprising her thrilling turn as his vengeful daughter Abigaille. Daniele Callegari conducts Verdi’s exhilarating early masterpiece, which features the ultimate showcase for the great Met Chorus, the moving “Va, pensiero.” 30 Lafayette Avenue. Tickets are $34.

Winter Tea in Prospect Park
2 to 4 p.m.
The Prospect Park Alliance will serve Winter Tea at the Prospect Park Boathouse on Saturday Afternoon. Bundle up and meet at the Boathouse for a short nature walk through the park, followed by tea, music, and a multilingual poetry performance. Bring your own tea bowls and cups and the Alliance will provide the tea. 101 East Drive. Free.

17th Annual 50 First Jokes
Shows at 6:30 and 10 p.m.
50 First Jokes wants you enter 2024 laughing. The Bell House welcomes 50 established and up-and-coming comedians to perform the first joke they wrote in 2024. Come out for a comedy show that’s called fast, loose, and fun for everyone. Or at least everyone over 21. 149 7th Street (Between 2nd and 3rd Ave). Tickets are $30.

Sunday, January 7

Ice Skating at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Open now through March 1
The first-ever ice rink beneath the Brooklyn Bridge is open to the public until March. Glide offers scenic views of Manhattan, food and drink selections, and a new spot for ice skating this winter. Discounts and free tickets are available for residents. See Glide’s website for details. Emily Warren Roebling Plaza 11201. Tickets are $10 for kids, $15 for adults

Park Slope’s Down to Earth Farmers Market
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Got the winter blues? Head over to Park Slope on Sunday for a dose of Vitamin D and produce from local farmers and cooks. This year the market celebrates 20 years of serving the community, and you can buy from Brooklyn businesses like Kimchi Kooks, La Trafila Pasta, Rooted Enterprises, Sixteen Mill Bakeshop, and more. Meets at The Old Stone House on 4th Street, off 5th Avenue, at Washington Park.

‘Mean Girls’ at 3 Dollar Bill
7 to 11 p.m.
Divatronic presents an ode to the “Mean Girls” musical at 3 Dollar Bill. The performance features OG “Mean Girls” actor Daniel Franzese (Damian Leigh), along with Julian Cookies, Jan Sport, Marcia Marcia Marcia and Luxx Noir London. 260 Meserole Street. Tickets are $40.

Steve Martin Presents
7:30 p.m.
SNL’s Andrew Dismukes and Michael Good’s long-running variety show of the city’s best comedians made the jump from Manhattan to Brooklyn in 2023, and their first show of 2024 is coming to Union Hall on Sunday night. But, no, that Steven Martin isn’t involved. Sunday’s lineup includes Dismukes, Good, Maddie Peck, Charlie Bardey, Marcia Belsky, and Fareeha Khan. 702 Union Street. Tickets are $12.

Monday, January 8

‘The Voices in Your Head’ premieres at St. Lydia’s
7:30 p.m
St. Lydia’s presents a new hour-long new play, “The Voices in Your Head.” With performances from January 8 to 29, the dark comedy is about an idiosyncratic support group who gather to share a bizarre bond. Over an hour-long meeting, eight New Yorkers of varying backgrounds exchange stories, escape the ridicule of the outside world, and build an oasis, even as individual needs test its stability. The play is presented by St. Lydia’s, Billy McEntee and the independent theater collective Those Guilty Creatures. 304 Bond Street. Tickets are $28.