The Mars Volta, Oktoberfest part deux, and Yom Kippur: 21 things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

School is barely back in session, and it’s finally starting to feel like fall. With a weekend lineup like the one below, you can feel the borough stirring to autumnal life.

You can kick Friday off with YO BK Flow Rooftop Yoga at Arlo Williamsburg at 9 a.m., or you can sleep in and hit up one of the many concerts on Friday night, including The Mars Volta, Death Grips and Uncle Waffles. Feeling intrepid? Brooklyn-based indie comedy “What Doesn’t Float” will cross the river to the Roxy Cinema in Manhattan for a full weekend of screenings.

Saturday is packed with Oktoberfest parties at breweries across Brooklyn, and that night you can catch ex-Arcade Fire member Will Butler with his new band Sister Squares at Elsewhere. Get Yom Kippur started early on Sunday night at The Park Slope Jewish Center, or for a cheekier evening, you can roast comedian Brett Gelman at The Bell House.

Finally, it’s not this weekend, but it’s for a good cause: The Grand Kyiv Ballet‘s American tour makes a stop at Kings Theatre on Tuesday, September 26, to perform “Snow White” in support the renovation efforts at the Kyiv State Choreographic College, a significant institution in Ukraine.

Check out these 20 events happening all over Brooklyn (plus one in Manhattan) this weekend:

Friday, September 22

‘What Doesn’t Float’ plays at Roxy Cinema
All weekend
The new indie comedy “What Doesn’t Float’ is an anthology film of seven stories all based in New York. The one thing the characters have in common is they’re all relatably at their wits end with life in the city. The project is produced by and stars Pauline Chalamet (“The Sex Lives of College Girls”), and the movie plays at the Roxy Cinema in Manhattan beginning on Friday, with cast and crew Q&As throughout the weekend.

YO BK Flow Rooftop Yoga Classes at Arlo Williamsburg
9 a.m.
Start the weekend off bright and early with rooftop yoga at Arlo Williamsburg. YO BK founder Kate Durand leads the class every Friday at 9 a.m. paired with unbeatable views of the New York City skyline. The hourlong Vinyasa Flow class is suitable for all levels. The class is first come first serve, but you can secure a spot by booking in advance. BYO mat, towel and water. 96 Wythe Avenue. It costs $35 for drop-ins and the class is complimentary for hotel guests.

The Enchanted Masquerade: A Queer Ball
5:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Get ready to dance the night away at The Enchanted Masquerade: A Queer Ball. Wear your most fabulous outfit, and don’t forget to don a mask. Your ticket includes unlimited select cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a spoken word performance, a saxophone sonnet and a DJ who will keep you moving all night. The Queer Ball is open to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ and allies. 26 Bridge Street. Tickets are $77.

Death Grips at Brooklyn Steel
8 p.m.
Death Grips, the hip-hop trio who inspired David Bowie’s final album “Blackstar,” play at Brooklyn Steel on Friday night. Come out for the group’s first tour post-pandemic for a night of electronic noise rap. 319 Frost Street. Tickets start at $67.

The Mars Volta at Kings Theatre
8 p.m.
The Mars Volta broke a decade of silence from the group in 2022 with their sixth album, a self-titled release. The band’s lead duo Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala bring their style of prog rock to Kings Theatre in Flatbush on Friday night. Teri Gender Bender opens. 1027 Flatbush Avenue. Tickets start at $50.

Silent Disco at Creatures of All Kind Rooftop
8 p.m.
Who doesn’t love a silent disco? Who doesn’t love rooftop views in Williamsburg? Creatures of All Kind has both for your grooving pleasure on Friday night. The night boasts three live DJs on the rooftop at Coda Hotel. Wear your best club outfit, and Creatures of All Kind will provide glow-in-the-dark gear. 160 N 12th Street. Tickets are $22.

Uncle Waffles at Avant Gardner
10 p.m.
The “Princess of Amapiano” Uncle Waffles brings her brand of deep house, jazz, vocals and percussion to the Great Hall at Avant Gardner on Friday night. The lineup also includes DJ Moma, Sydney Love, Tyla, 2wo Bunnies and AQ. Watch her video for “Asylum” to get a taste of her delicious vibe. 140 Stewart Avenue. Tickets are $54.

Saturday, September 23

Oktoberfest in Brooklyn
Various times and locations all weekend
If you missed any of last week’s Oktoberfest festivities, the annual beery bonanza is back again this weekend. There will be no shortage of steins, sausages, lederhosen and feats of strength on display all over the borough. Here’s a smattering of events in Brooklyn this weekend:

• Dekalb Market Hall and Sixpoint Brewery will host Oktoberfest Bash on Saturday from 12 to 10 p.m. Festivities will include paper crafts inspired by German gingerbread cookies for kids 3 to 10 years old, Sixpoint games for adults, and music for all ages. The Street Beat Brass Band and Shaghorns will perform a mix of music featuring traditional German, Oompha, Polka and throwback tunes. 445 Albee Square West. Free.
• Bk Backyard Bar will be serving up select beers, signature cocktails from Misguided Spirits, great food and lawn games galore, kicking off at 7 p.m. Friday. GA Tickets start at $15 and include entrance into the event. 86 N. 11th Street. VIP Tickets start at $40.
• Both of Black Forest’s Brooklyn locations (Fort Greene and Cobble Hill) are hosting Oktoberfest parties on weekends from September 16 through October 21. Tickets start at $15 for entry, and you can add on three hours of unlimited beer for $45.
• Radegast Hall will also have a brass band, stein holding competitions and a ceremonial keg-tapping on September 23 and 30. 113 N 3rd St. 7 to 11 p.m.

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Industry City
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The second annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Industry City’s courtyard 1/2 happens on Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy a day of shopping from various Latin vendors. There will be a variety of gifts and novelties available, handmade from different Latin American countries and American culture, from jewelry to handmade bags and clothes. 220 36th Street.

The best Black Food Co-ops
12 to 5 p.m.
The Central Brooklyn Food Co-op (CBFC) and RiseBoro Community Partnership host Black Food Rising event on Saturday to spotlight up-and-coming Black co-operative food businesses. The event will feature cooking and wellness education demonstrations such as dishes celebrating African diaspora and Tea Lounge where visitors can taste various tea blends. 1360 Fulton Street. Free.

‘Funny Stuff,’ a sculpture show
Wednesday through Sunday, 2 to 9 p.m., through October 13
What’s so funny about sculpture? Find out for yourself at Andrew Logan Projects in Red Hook. Beginning Saturday and running through October 13, a troupe of New York City artists and comedians will show their humorous works. 384 Van Brunt Street. Free.

Will Butler + Sister Squares at Elsewhere
6:30 p.m.
Fresh out of Arcade Fire, former band member Will Butler didn’t wait long to pull together a new musical project: Will Butler + Sister Squares. Comprising friends and family members, the group releases their debut album on Friday. To celebrate the record release, the group will perform at Elsewhere on Saturday night. Jo Firestone and Foul Witch open. (Read our interview with Butler) 599 Johnson Avenue. Tickets are $31.

Nothin But Anthems: One Night Only in BK
10:30 p.m.
The NBA Tour, aka Nothing But Anthems, comes to the all-new Bohemia in Williamsburg on Saturday night. Promising a night of all hits, no misses, the NBA Tour has music by DJs Moochie, Milhouse and Strick. Entry is free before 11:30 p.m., but make reservations at the link to reserve a table with bottle service. 160 N 12th Street.

Sunday, September 24

Yom Kippur
Sunday and Monday
The Park Slope Jewish Center has a full schedule of events in person and on Zoom for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) beginning on Sunday at 6:10 p.m. with an evening Kol Nidrei (“all vows”) service, followed by services throughout the day on Monday, including youth programs. See PSJC’s website for their complete schedule and event details. 320 8th Avenue.

The Brooklyn Book Festival
Various times and locations
The annual Brooklyn Book Festival returns this weekend and will run through October 2, spotlighting writers of all genres: fiction and nonfiction, poetry, prose and graphic storytelling, international and local, for adult and young readers alike. Events are free, but plenty of books will be for sale.

Autumn Equinox Collective Exhale
12 to 1 p.m.
Join the Brujas of Brooklyn, and take a collective exhale into fall. On Sunday, the Brooklyn Brujeria Festival at Von King Park will mark the official start of the fall season in the Northern Hemisphere. Through guided breathwork and meditation, you’ll tap into the energies of balance that the equinox offers. 670 Lafayette Avenue. $25 suggested donation.

Brett Gelman: Welcome to the Jaddyverse
7:30 p.m.
Come see Brett Gelman’s brand new show “Welcome to the Jaddyverse” at The Bell House on Sunday night. Gelman promises to “penetrate your subconscious in the deepest, most frightening and stupidest of ways.” As he performs, audience members will have the opportunity to participate in an “overly critical and irresponsibly judgmental Q&A,” where they will be given the floor to provide Gelman with feedback. 149 7th Street (Between 2nd and 3rd Ave). Tickets are $36.

‘Berman’s March’ at Rooftop Films
Doors open at 7:15 p.m.
The new indie movie “Berman’s March” follows Charlie, played by Charlie Robinson, as he travels an evolving American landscape to reunite with a group of friends he hasn’t seen in a decade. When he arrives, he finds they’ve changed as well. The movie plays at Rooftop Films on Saturday night in Industry City. Before the movie, Troy Mercy performs some live music, and after the screening, there’s a Q&A and party. 33 35th Street. Free.