Dance, nosh, and stroll into Pride Month: 18 things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

The weather in Brooklyn is going to be that bitch again this weekend with highs in the mid-80s on Friday and mid-60s on Saturday. So we’ve picked the borough’s best indoor and outdoor events for both t-shirt and sweater weather.

The 26th Brooklyn Film Festival begins Friday and runs all weekend with something for every taste, plus, you can nab a special chocolate ganache donut by Tony’s Chocolonely at Cloudy Donut Co. for National Donut Day. Saturday brings Tastes of Park Slope and the Fifth Avenue Art Stroll, Brooklyn Museum’s Pride-themed First Saturday, and a “Transformers” movie pop-up. And on Sunday, you can explore Brooklyn’s unique Czech history, or kick off Pride Month at GayRidge.

It’s all feast (no famine) in the borough this weekend:

Friday, June 2

Brooklyn Film Festival
All weekend
The 26th Brooklyn Film Festival returns for the weekend with 155 new movies from every genre. Not sure you want to sit through a bunch of feature-length movies and docs? The fest also has shorts and animated projects for every taste. Movies will play at Windmill Studios, Wythe Hotel, and The Center for Fiction. Come see what festival programmers have cooked up for this year’s edition! Various ticket packages are available.

‘Seven Sins’ by Company XIV
Various dates and times through the weekend
Company XIV’s biblical sensation, “Seven Sins,” is Austin McCormick’s mythical dreamscape inspired by the fall of man and the seven deadly sins. Returning to Théâtre XIV this weekend, the queer pop starlet and XIV’s resident songwriter LEXXE turns to her Puerto Rican Catholic upbringing for inspiration to write original songs for the show. This year she plays the Devil. Tickets are on sale and 14 percent off this month with the code “PRIDE.” 383 Troutman Street. Ticket prices vary.

National Donut Day at Cloudy Donut Co.
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Gourmet chocolatier Tony’s Chocolonely has teamed up with Brooklyn-based vegan donut shop Cloudy Donut Co. to create a limited-edition chocolate ganache donut that debuts on Friday in celebration of National Donut Day. The treat was crafted using Tony’s Chocolonely’s 70 percent dark chocolate bars and will be available at Cloudy Donut’s Brooklyn Heights location. The first 100 shoppers will receive a free donut and customized Tony’s dark chocolate almond sea salt bar. 14 Columbia Place.

Launch’s 8th Annual Walkout to End Gun Violence
10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Each spring, the 7th grade curriculum at Launch Charter School incorporates the issue of gun violence and what actions can students take to address it. Launch’s annual walkout — held on National Gun Violence Awareness Day — holds considerable significance for some of the student organizers, who have been directly impacted by gun violence. There will be a rally at Restoration Plaza after the walkout that will include student speeches, dance performances, and singing by students. The day starts at Launch Charter School (1580 Dean Street) and marches to Restoration Plaza (1368 Fulton Street).

Brooklyn Art Book Fair
6 to 9 p.m. and various times through the weekend
The Brooklyn Art Book Fair returns for a second year to Amant for a weekend showcasing publications, original artwork, and editioned works by underrepresented and emerging artists and writers. See their Instagram for a full rundown of participants and events. The indoor event is fully masked at all times, so take note before you go. 306 Maujer Street. Free.

ChrisMastersDance presents MAUSOLEUM
7:30 p.m. on Friday and various times through the weekend
“Mausoleum” is a dance work at the Brooklyn Academy of Music that investigates overconsumption of media, addiction to drama, the inertia that concretizes unsustainable forms of life and work, and the inextricable link between love and loss. The “overstimulating” (their word, not ours) and non-stop piece is directed and conceived by Chris Masters, and choreographed and performed by cove barton, Sabrina Canas, Abigail Linnemeyer, and Marcus Sarjeant. 30 Lafayette Ave. Tickets are $35.

79.5 album release party
Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9
Brooklyn’s pop-disco-R&B vibe queens 79.5 invite you to their record release party at Brooklyn Made on Saturday night. Dance to their luscious licks all night with special guests Psymon Spine + lovetempo and Razor-N-Tape DJs. 428 Troutman Street. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the show.

Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey dance party
11 p.m.
We know you wanna dance with somebody so this is the party for you: C’mon Everybody hosts a Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey dance party late on Friday. Leave it all on the dance floor cause you might meet the one to always be (your) baby. 325 Franklin Avenue. Tickets are $15.

Saturday, June 3

Photoville opening weekend
Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday
Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday
Brooklyn Bridge Park is once again the hub of this annual two-week event photographic extravaganza, which begins Saturday, with free open-air exhibitions, interactive workshops and, of course, those iconic shipping containers that act as mini-galleries. Grand opening weekend takes place at the recently opened Emily Warren Roebling Plaza and features more than 55 exhibitions of various art and food on sale from Smorgasburg. Free, consult Photoville’s website for weekend celebration details.

Tastes of Park Slope and Fifth Avenue Art Stroll
12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Tastes of Park Slope partners with the Fifth Avenue Art Stroll to help you nosh as you peruse the work of artists and artisans down Fifth Avenue between First and Third Streets. For $40, you can sample four savory & sweet treats, cocktails and tapas, and much more. Seeds in the Middle, a food insecurity initiative, receive proceeds from the event, so come out for a good cause and a good time on Fifth Avenue.

‘Transformers: Battle in Brooklyn’
3 to 7 p.m.
Ahead of “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” Hasbro will host “Transformers: Battle in Brooklyn,” a special fan event at the intersection of Waterbury and Scholes Streets on Saturday. The event is free and features fun-filled Transformers-themed activities, product displays, a ’90s graffiti-style mural, and “more than meets the eye” surprises.

FAD Market: Summer Pop-up
11 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 3 and 4
This summer, FAD Market continues its monthly pop-up at Dumbo’s Empire Stores from June to August. Discover over 30 talented makers, artisans, and small businesses who live and create in the borough and beyond. Check out a curated selection of Dumbo’s best goods including handmade jewelry, apparel, body and skincare, tableware, and artisanal packaged food. 55 Water Street.

Brooklyn Museum: First Saturdays, ‘Pride’
5 to 10 p.m.
The Brooklyn Museum celebrates 25 years of its flagship First Saturdays program this weekend. Pride is their first theme of the season, welcoming people of all ages to celebrate the LGBTQ+ creative communities of Brooklyn. A variety of musical acts will light up the stage, such as New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, Huda Asfour, Ivy Sole, and the Dragon Sisters. There are also art-making activities, an exhibition tour of “Oscar yi Hou: East of sun, west of moon” led by the artist himself, who will talk about themes of chosen family and queer community. The event is free, but registration is required and spots fill up fast, so get your ticket ASAP. 200 Eastern Parkway.

Animation Block Party
7 p.m.
Animation Block Party celebrates 20 years in business on Saturday. Ahead of the festival, which runs August 18 to 20, this one-night program highlights keynote award winners and behind-the-scenes footage from the festival’s best work over two decades. A longtime friend of the festival Xiongliang (Ben) Li created a beautiful poster of Brooklyn’s skyline to commemorate the big anniversary. Join the block party at the Peter Jay Sharp Building at BAM. 30 Lafayette Avenue. General admission tickets are $16 and $8 for BAM members.

Rooftop Films presents ‘Flamin’ Hot’
7:45 p.m. doors open, 8:45 p.m. movie begins
Rooftop Films will present the New York premiere of Eva Longoria’s directorial debut “Flamin’ Hot” on Saturday night. The movie tells the inspiring true story of the Frito-Lay janitor who disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican-American heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon. Brooklyn Army Terminal, 80 58th Street. Tickets are free with registration.

Sunday, June 4

Run to the Verrazzano 4-miler
9:30 a.m. to noon
Lace up your sneaks and run the boardwalk in Brooklyn bright and early this Sunday. The run starts and finishes at the American Veterans Memorial Pier and the route takes gives you breathtaking views from the boardwalk. Plus, you have some well-deserved treats from All Round Foods waiting for you at the finish line. Rain or shine a Veterans Pier on Brooklyn Shore Road and Bay Ridge Avenue.

Czech History in Brooklyn
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Learn about Czech history in Brooklyn. You’ll visit the historic First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn Heights, the home church of Charlotte Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1923), the Brooklyn-born First Lady of newly formed Czechoslovakia in 1918, and Rev. John Howland Lathropa led a relief program in Czechoslovakia following World War II. The song “Aj lúčka, lúčka široká” is traditionally sung on this occasion in Czech and its text will be available to non-Czech speakers in phonetic transcription. 119-120 Pierrepont Street. Free.

GayRidge Pride 2023
Noon to 4 p.m.
Start Pride Month with GayRidge at Owl’s Head Park on Sunday. Their annual Pride picnic takes place on Pride Hill, overlooking scenic New York City Bay. Bring your beach blankets and your favorite South Brooklyn takeout to enjoy a beautiful day outside with fellow GayRidge members, friends, and family. Enjoy live entertainment, drag performances, field games, crafts, LGBTQIA+ resources, and much more. Colonial Road and 68th Street and Shore Road.