14 things to do in Brooklyn this weekend

By Daniel Karel

Classical concerts in catacombs, Brasil by way of Dumbo, food tours in Williamsburg and jazz on secret rooftops… Summer is in full swing, and Brooklyn is showing no signs of burnout following Pride and Independence Day Weekends.

The full rundown:

Friday, July 9

Divine Williams’ Photo Exhibition “Rise of a Movement: BLM”
6-10 p.m.
Trinidadian photographer Divine Williams spent the last seven years traveling the country documenting the evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement. The results of that work are on display this Friday and Saturday at the new Blank Slate gallery in Sunset Park. Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m., and Saturday hours are from 1 to 10 p.m.

Brasil Summerfest in Dumbo
6:30-9:30 p.m.
A bevy of Brazilian musicians will be performing at this two-night event under The Archway in Dumbo, including Sao Paulo percussion master Luan Barbossa and the band Forrobodo. Brazilian bites will be on offer, and visual artists Alice Quaresma and Chiara Banfi will be projecting their work onto the Manhattan Bridge. The event runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., with tickets ranging from $17 to $30.

Pianist Min Kwon performs “America the Beautiful” at the Green-Wood Cemetery
6–10:30 p.m.
Last week we recommended a classical concert on a floating barge. This week we’re pointing you to a performance in the Catacombs at Green-Wood Cemetery. For her pandemic-inspired project America/Beautiful, pianist Min Kwon asked 70 leading composers to write variations on “America the Beautiful. She will perform the composite results in the gothic venue, following a whisky tasting from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $80 and the event runs until 10:30 p.m.

Ooooh Comedy! at The Tiny Cupboard
7:30–9 p.m.
Bushwick’s favorite hipster comedy club The Tiny Cupboard will be hosting a night of female and LGBTQIA+ comics, headlined by Boston Comedy Fest winner Liz Glaser and Kate Willet of the Tonight Show. This night of laughs is free to attend, and will kick off around 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 10

Six Foot Platform: OPERACDAES
12–9 p.m.
What happens when you stuff an opera singer inside of a Zoltar-inspired arcade machine? The answer is OPERACADES, a performance art installation that will be rolled onto Dumbo’s Washington Street this Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. This unique pop-up is the latest installment in Brooklyn Arts Council’s Six Foot Platform Experimental Residency Program, which will continue hosting off kilter arts events on Washington Street through September 4. Free to attend.

Just Gowanus: An Interactive Performance Tour by The Artichoke Dance Company
2-4 p.m.
The Artichoke Dance Company will combine performance art and environmental education in this interactive tour of Gowanus, home to NYC’s first superfund site. The performers will “illuminate the area’s history from an environmental justice perspective,” from 2 to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. The event will kick off at The Salt Lot in Gowanus, and tickets are going for $30.

Brooklyn Food Tour: The Flavors of Williamsburg
12 – 3 p.m.
Brooklyn is stuffed with eateries. Given the glut, a guiding hand can be useful. This walking tour will hit some of Williamsburg’s best, from the Polish pierogie specialists at Northside Bakery to the taco masters at Tacombi. An expert guide will color the conversation with historical tidbits, and by the end of the tour you should feel full and well-versed in borough lore. Tickets from $60, from 12 to 3 p.m.

Queer Art Summerfest at 3 Dollar Bill
2–8 p.m.
The inaugural Queer Art Summerfest, hosted by drag queens Vinny Gaga and Vicky Deville, will kick off this Saturday at 3 Dollar Bill, located at 260 Meserole Street. This marketplace slash fundraiser will feature DJs, raffle prize packs valued up to $800, and the chance to donate to GLITS Inc., which creates “holistic solution to the health and housing crises faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals.” The event runs from 2 – 8 p.m. and is free to attend.

“Big Canoes”: The Public Paddle Series by the North Brooklyn Boat Club
12–4 p.m.
Grab your mates and paddle up the Newton Creek with the North Brooklyn Boat Club. This Saturday, the Public Paddle Series will feature “big canoes,” and is launching from the boatyard at 51 Ash Street in Greenpoint. Find tickets on Eventbrite for the 12 to 2 p.m. slot, or walk-up and snatch tickets for 2 to 4 p.m.

Sunday, July 11

$5K for PS20
9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Lace up your running shoes and join this student-led 5k fundraiser in Fort Greene Park. All proceeds will help the PTA at PS20, a.k.a. “The Clinton Hill School,” promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the education system. The event is free to attend.

Green Meadows Farm
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Let your little ones roam around Green Meadows Farm at the Aviator Sports and Event Center at 3159 Flatbush Avenue from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will have the chance to milk “Katie the Milk Cow,” operate a “BIG!! BIG!! Bulldozer” [Editor’s Note: This seems ill-advised], and go on a “happy hayride.” Tickets cost $12 for everyone over the age of two.

The Return of The Giglio Feast
Mass at 11:30 a.m., first lift at 1:30 p.m.
After the pandemic forced the 2020 Giglio Feast to cancel—only the second time the event has been cancelled since 1903—the historic 12-day Italian feast is back in Williamsburg this year, highlighted by Sunday’s lifting of the Gigilo, a papier-mâché adorned, seven-story tall aluminum tower. The first lift will happen at 1:30 p.m., following an 11:30 a.m. mass.

Greenwich Village Orchestra in Prospect Park
5 p.m.
While the curtains close on another balmy Brooklyn weekend, catch this free, “joyous summer musical” in Prospect Park, courtesy of the Greenwich Village Orchestra and conductor Barbra Yahr. This performance marks the return of the GVO after a pandemic hiatus, and the orchestra will celebrate by performing the best of Mozart, Beethoven and Walker. The event begins at 5 p.m.

Stewart Cutler Blues Band at Pandemusic
Doors at 7 p.m., Show at 7:45 p.m.
Jazz and blues on a secret rooftop in Williamsburg with picturesque views of the Manhattan skyline? Good luck finding a better date night option. The Stewart Cutler Blues Band will be gracing the Pandemusic stage, a venue that was a lifeline for jazz and blues musicians over the past year. The 90-minute concert kicks off at 7:45 p.m., with tickets ranging from $25 to $65.