The Brooklyn Magazine 2023 Summer Entertainment Guide
Summer has arrived as it always does, with a blast of hope, a faint whiff of hot garbage and more things to do than humanly possible.
We’re here for you. Brooklyn Magazine has compiled the best of this summer’s concerts, movies, patriotic hotdog eating events, pop-up markets, drag shows, festivals and, of course, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! annual series.
We’re even hosting a few events of our own: Our movie series, “Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn,” will run for 12 consecutive weeks starting sundown Thursday, June 29, in Fort Greene Park. Presented in partnership with Paramount+, the series will offer free screenings of fan favorites — “Wakanda Forever,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Big Lebowski” and others — for four weeks in Fort Greene, followed by four in Prospect Park’s Long Meadow and four more in McCarren Park. Check us out online for more details.
Then you can strut your way into July with drag-superstar Jinkx Monsoon’s “Everything at Stake” tour at Kings Theatre, and, of course, check out Macy’s Fireworks display on July 4 from the borough’s best viewing spots.
During the swamp-ass days of August, you can cool off by seeing “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” in theaters, or heat things up even more at the second-annual Rum Festival in Williamsburg.
Come September, you can get your jerk and soca on at the West Indian American Day Parade and J’Ouvert celebrations on Labor Day, or try the oysters at Outstanding in the Field on Governors Island.
Here is our completely incomplete and thoroughly unscientific rundown of the best in entertainment and culture Brooklyn has to offer this summer.
All summer
Brooklyn Pop-Up
Brooklyn Pop-Up hosts its ongoing curated outdoor retail events every weekend throughout the summer with a revolving group of local artisans, vendors and DJs. Look for the market in Fort Greene Park on Saturdays, and in front of the Brooklyn Museum on Sundays.
July 1
Jinkx Monsoon’s ‘Everything at Stake’ tour
Drag queen Jinkx Monsoon, fresh off her stint on Broadway as Mama in “Chicago” and her second first-place finish on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” comes to Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre. Jinkx brings a decade’s worth of songs and infamous covers for an eclectic night of drag … at a time when quite literally everything is at stake for performers nationwide.
July 4
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
Coney Island’s famous wieners take center stage on July 4 for Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Join the crowd of 35,000-plus who gather on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues to watch a few brave souls suck down Brooklyn’s favorite glizzies. Catch it in person or on ESPN.
Independence Day Fireworks
It’s fireworks season — you know, from roughly July 1 to early September, when nightly sky-booms terrorize our pets. Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks hasn’t announced the best Brooklyn viewing locations as of writing. But keep an eye on Macy’s website for where to keep an eye on the sky.
July 5 to July 16
Annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast / Giglio Festival
Williamsburg celebrates 100 years of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 5. When early Nolani immigrants moved to Brooklyn, they brought the feast along, and this year the party goes through July 16. Insider tip: Visit on July 9 for Giglio Sunday to witness the Dance of the Giglio and Boat. And bring your dollar bills, because this lady accepts tips!
July 12
‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’
Tom Cruise dominated last summer with “Top Gun: Maverick.” This year, he’s back for another round as super-spy Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.” If you’re going to go, you might as well see his death-defying stunts on an IMAX screen.
July 15 and 16
FAD Market pop-up on Governors Island
Hop on a Brooklyn ferry the third weekend of each month this summer for FAD Market’s pop-up to get your fix of fashion, art and design on Governors Island. More than 35 makers, designers, artists and small businesses will be on hand to sell handcrafted apparel, jewelry, food and more. The pop-up’s other summer dates are August 19 and 20,
and September 16 and 17.
July 17
Drake and 21 Savage come to Barclays Center on July 17 on the rapper’s first tour since 2018. The duo is touring in support of their recent album, “Her Loss,” of which all 16 tracks debuted on Billboard’s Hot 100 List. Come get in your feelings while Drake gets in his.
July 21
‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ in theaters
Robert Oppenheimer might’ve dropped his first bomb 15 years before Barbie debuted, but they’re both getting their first major motion picture on July 21. Barbie is probably the only one who’ll be getting a sequel, though.
July 22
Enjoy food and culture from across the Black diaspora at the African Pop-up Festival on July 22. There will be grub, drinks, music, art and markets from Brooklyn’s African and Caribbean communities at this family-friendly event at Hillel Plaza in Flatbush.
July 24 to August 20
The 31st annual Restaurant Week returns to Brooklyn late-July and, once again, lasts nearly a month. If it’s anything like last year, there’s going to be plenty of Brooklyn-based restaurants to choose from; in 2022, more than 50 borough restaurants participated. Expect old faithfuls like the Meatball Shop as well as some new favorites in 2023.
July 30
Have you ever wanted to swim in the East River? If so, you’re weird. But you’re also in luck. Join the Brooklyn Bridge Swim on July 30, organized by Urbanswim.
July 31
The Brooklyn Night Market is back for its second year at Industry City. Head over on June 26, July 31 and August 28 for Brooklyn’s best cuisine, community and culture. You can expect live performances from local musicians and activities for the family, plus a makers’ market.
August 4
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ in theaters
It’s the dog days of summer, so why not cool off at the Alamo Drafthouse and see the newest spin on the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”? Seth Rogen is behind the relaunch, and from the looks of it, these turtles are played by actual up-and-coming teen actors. Get your pizza fix.
Snoop Dogg’s H.S. Reunion Tour 2023
Join Martha Stewart’s bestie for a ’90s throwback at Barclays Center. Wiz Khalifa will perform, as will Too Short, Warren G and Berner, with special guest DJ Drama. Head over to Atlantic Avenue to drop it like it’s hot.
Binki at the Music Hall of Williamsburg
This fresh voice blends indie rock, hip-hop and funk into bedroom pop that sounds somewhere between Prince and TV on the Radio. Binki has some of the best new music to grace the Music Hall of Williamsburg this year.
August 11
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals at Kings Theatre
Whether you love Ryan Adams (some of his covers from Taylor Swift’s “1989” rival the originals) or you hate the guy (last year the FBI cleared him of charges of sexting an underage fan), he’s still a symbol of New York’s early aughts rock scene. On August 11, he’s bringing his band, The Cardinals, to Kings Theatre ‘cause he still loves New York, New York.
August 12
The Brooklyn Rum Festival is back for a second pour. This year it’s bringing 50 rum distilleries from around the world and serving complimentary cocktails for your festival tasting cup. There’ll be food vendors and music, and if you buy a VIP ticket, you’ll receive a souvenir glass and premium cigar.
August 18
Vibe like it’s 2004. Iceland’s Sigur Rós plays at Kings Theatre on August 18 in a brand-new show with the 41-piece Wordless Music Orchestra. Drawing from their seven albums as well as new songs, the band promises the Orchestra will take their songs to breathtaking musical heights.
‘Blue Beetle’ in theaters
Don’t let superhero fatigue get you down. “Blue Beetle,” DC Comics’ first movie to star a Latino hero, hits theaters in August. The movie features Xolo Maridueña as the titular beetle who becomes a host to an ancient alien biotechnological relic that turns him into a superhero. Heavy is the head that wears the beetle exoskeleton.
August 19
Found Footage Festival Vol. 10
Take a guided visual tour through a hilarious trove of VHS finds at the Bell House. Just some of the random shit the Found Footage Festival will show includes Pizza Hut training videos from the ’90s, a striptease tape from 1985 called “Males In Motion” and a mysterious New Age video called “Elimination: The First Step.”
John Cale at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!
The legendary Velvet Underground founding member is performing one of the non-benefit (read: pay-what-you-will … read: free) concerts at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park this summer. The Welsh musician has had an endlessly fascinating career stretching the five and a half decades since he parted ways with V.U. A can’t-miss show, with folk singer Tomberlin opening.
August 19 and 20
Greenpoint Terminal welcomes the Renegade Craft Summer Market to Brooklyn for two days in August. Renegade Craft is a leader in showcasing the best of indie craft and design, having first brought their market to Brooklyn in 2005. This year they’re stationed with a gorgeous waterfront view of the city from Greenpoint Terminal, and the newest trendsetting goods for summer 2023.
August 23
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Benefit Concert: Alex G and Alvvays
Do you ever have a good cry to Frank Ocean’s “Self Control”? The soulful guitar is played by Philly rocker Alex G, and this August he’s bringing opener Alvvays for a show in Prospect Park benefiting BRIC. Drop a few bucks to see them in concert at the Lena Horne Bandshell and help BRIC share the arts with all Brooklynites.
August 27
The Battle of Brooklyn and The Meaning of Freedom
Every summer, Green-Wood Cemetery welcomes Brooklynites to its free exploration of the Revolutionary War’s largest battle, which happened on today’s cemetery grounds. There are events for the family and history scavenger hunts led by the Center for Brooklyn History.
September 4
West Indian American Day Parade
The West Indian American Day Carnival Association throws one of Brooklyn’s most joyful celebrations every year. On Labor Day, you’ll find thousands of Brooklynites of Caribbean descent celebrating a year’s worth of preparation and practicing in a gorgeous, colorful display of original outfits, costumes and floats. The parade route is on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.
September 6
If you need another reason to hop on the Brooklyn Heights ferry to Governors Island there’s this: The Billion Oyster Pro- ject’s Outstanding in the Field happens on September 6. You’ll learn about the project’s initiative to restore New York harbor’s oyster reefs and will visit the oyster shell pile along Buttermilk Channel, finishing with a luxurious dinner on the island. Bon appétit.
September 8
Everyone’s favorite big, fat Greek family is back for a final get together in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.” This time, the Portokalos family travels to Greece, where, naturally, hijinks ensue. Actor Michael Constantine, who played Windex-loving patriarch Gus, passed away between films, and part three will pay tribute to him as only his Big Fat Greek family can.
September 9
James Austin Johnson: The Age of JAJ with Andrew Dismukes
SNL’s James Austin Johnson and Andrew Dismukes wrap up the summer in Brooklyn with a standup show at the Bell House. Johnson’s known for his impressions of Presidents Biden and Trump, and Dismukes has made a name for himself with outrageous sketches and shorts. See two of SNL’s finest on September 9 in Brooklyn.
September 15
Albert Hammond Jr. in Williamsburg
The Strokes’ guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. brings his solo show to the Music Hall of Williamsburg on September 15. This year marks the 25th since he moved to New York and became rock royalty (having a famous rock star dad probably didn’t hurt), so expect the show to be a victory lap of sorts.
‘Challengers’ in theaters
Luca Guadagnino, the director behind the movies “Call Me By Your Name” and “Bones and All,” returns in September with “Challengers,” starring Zendaya. The movie centers on a comedic love triangle, with actors Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor pining for the love of one woman. Expect this romcom from Guadagnino to be unlike any you’ve ever seen.
This article originally appeared in the summer 2023 issue of Brooklyn Magazine. Want it delivered to your door for a nominal fee (plus a free hat)? Click here to subscribe.
