Weekend Guide: Ghostface Killah, Meshell Ndegeocello, a brat rave and the movies of ’99

By Joshua Encinias

Politicians have co-opted Brat Summer. So before it’s completely uncool (too late?), you have time to enjoy a brat rave at the Brooklyn Monarch on Friday night. Or throw back to the summer of ’99 and enjoy a weekend of movies that are turning 25 this year at both Nitehawk locations.

Saturday sees the return of the Brooklyn Beach Sports Festival to Coney Island with competitive and non-competitive sports alike. The Brooklyn Navy Yard hosts the Brooklyn Summer Beer Wine and Spirits Fest for day-into-evening drinking, and the Brooklyn Comedy Collective parodies HBO’s “Succession” with their show Ludicrously Capacious Comedy on Saturday night.

Sidetalk hosts Gorilla Fest on Sunday with headliners Ghostface Killah and Coney Island’s own Gorilla Nems. And you can close the weekend out with some laughs at the Hot Gossip Comedy Show at Union Hall. Special guests will include SNL’s Michael Longfellow and ex-Daily Show correspondent Jaboukie Young-White.

Can’t wait for tomorrow to start your weekend? Head to Coney Island Beach tonight, August 1, for our free screening of “Love & Basketball,” plus special pre-film activities brought to you by the Brooklyn Nets and NY Liberty in partnership with The Lay Out. Get there early to enjoy a pre-film painting experience and basketball games on the beach at 6 p.m., followed by the movie at sunset. RSVP here for free popcorn.

P.S. Labor Day is exactly one month away. Wear your whites before it’s too late.

Friday, August 2

57 Brooklyn eateries participate in Restaurant Week
Going on now through Sunday, August 18
Restaurant Week is back for the summer and Brooklyn has 57 participating restaurants. It’s actually a month-long grub fest, so you have from now through August 18 to enjoy the “week.” There are options at different price points, including many restaurants offering two-course lunches and three-course dinners. For example, Nami Nori in Williamsburg is offering a two-course lunch special from 12 to 2:30 p.m. for $30 from Monday to Friday. See more options near you linked above.

Aquatheater
See their website for showtimes
The Aquatheater is an interactive show at the New York Aquarium on the Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island. Their revamp introduces new music, script, and the aquarium’s California Sea Lions. “Sea Lion Celebration: Sea Lions in the Big City” asks the age-old question whether California sea lions have what it takes to be considered “New Yorkers.” More information is available at the aquarium website linked above and you can see upcoming daily schedules here. 602 Surf Avenue.

Olympics Viewing Parties in Brooklyn
Friday through Sunday, August 11 at various times

• Bk Backyard is the sportiest place in Williamsburg you can watch the Olympics. Catch soccer, rugby, archery and everything in between at your leisure for the next two weeks. If you happen to be watching a match from Monday to Thursday, you’ll receive 50 percent off drinks at the bar from 5 to 7 p.m. 86 N 11th Street.
• The Hull Sports Bar at Seamore’s will show every Olympic event. Visit 5 times between now and August 11 and you’ll receive a Seamore’s x Two Robbers Olympic t-shirt and a free round of drinks on your next visit! 66 Water Street.
• Or head over to Japan Village in Sunset Park where Sake’s Bar on the 1st Floor and Red Shrine on the 2nd floor will show the games. 934 3rd Avenue.
• More places to watch the Games are listed in our roundup here.

Movies for the Class of ‘99 at Nitehawk
Various dates throughout August
Congratulations to The Class of ‘99! It’s been 25 years since you graduated, and received what turned out to be one of the most iconic years in cinema of all time. Nikehawk invites you to look back on the films from 1999 that became instant classics (“Fight Club”), others that have brought immense joy over the years (“The Mummy”) and a few that are only recently receiving the love they deserve. The series runs the entire month at Nitehawk Williamsburg and Prospect Park.

Pink Water Presents: Sunset Sessions
6 p.m. to 12 a.m.
We can’t get enough rooftops and the rooftop bar rooftop ART Williamsburg hosts an insane rooftop party every Friday night. With a rotating lineup of the city’s most talented DJs, Sunset Sessions let you celebrate the weekend poolside with a cocktail in hand. Drinks aren’t free but entry is. Get there early because the line is massive every Friday night. 96 Wythe Avenue.

Dirty Circus Variety Show
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Created and curated by House of Yes Co-Founder Anya Sapozhnikova, the Dirty Circus Variety Show will unfold in three acts. “A variety show dedicated to the raw and the raunchy,” this is not for the faint of heart. Expect aerial acrobatics, absurdity, and circus shenanigans. 21+. 2 Wyckoff Ave. Tickets are $46.

Celebrate Brooklyn! Presents: Meshell Ndegeocello
7 p.m.
Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello will unveil her new album “No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin.” Let yourself be ignited by the passion and legacy of Baldwin’s storytelling and activism. And prepare to be moved by the night’s opener Talibah Safiya, a Memphis-born soul artist whose captivating lyrics and minimal instrumentation evoke powerful and undeniable emotions. The Lena Horn Bandshell, 141 Prospect Park West. Free.

‘Fun & Slutty’ with Jonathan Van Ness
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Emmy-nominated television personality, two-time New York Times best-selling author, comedian, podcaster, celebrity hairstylist and founder of JVN Hair, Jonathan Van Ness is fresh off of two successful worldwide comedy tours. Catch his wild and unfiltered comedy here in your own back yard. The Bell House, 149 7th Street. $50.90.

Friday Night Fireworks at Coney Island
Every Friday at 9:30 p.m. through August 30
Didn’t get enough fireworks last month? You’re in luck because Coney Island has them every Friday for the rest of the summer. Kick off your weekend with Luna Park’s dazzling and free fireworks show. For the best views, stand on the Boardwalk between West 10th Street and West 23rd Street. Free.

Chlomosexual Presents “brat rave”
10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Calling all brats: Chlomosexual is back this month with the Charli xcx inspired “brat rave” at The Brooklyn Monarch. The party is brat meets Berlin techno club but in a 30k square foot Brooklyn warehouse. See you on the dance floor. 23 Meadow Street. Tickets are $30.

Saturday, August 3

FitnessWalk: Prospect Park
8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
FitnessWalk was born in Italy in 2018 and combines sports walking with fitness exercises and music. Through the use of wireless headphones, participants follow the instructions of a professional personal trainer who guides the sports walk and its various exercises. Join the fun in Prospect Park on Saturday morning. Ocean Avenue & Parkside Avenue, 11226. Registration is $28.

Brooklyn Beach Sports Festival
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Why lounge on the beach when you can sport on the beach? NYC Parks is partnering with the National Calisthenics Awards to host competitive and non-competitive activities alike on Saturday. Think calisthenics displays, tug o’ war, cornhole, meditative stretching, Jenga and more. Kick off your flip-flops and come play at Coney Island. West 10th Street Boardwalk Entrance. Registration is required on-site.

Performance and Workshop with Mark Morris Dance Group
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mark Morris Dance Group returns to Brooklyn Park Bridge for a special, outdoor performance and an all-ages family-friendly workshop at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn. The workshop begins at 2 p.m., where all ages and abilities are invited to dance with the company, followed by a performance at 3 p.m. The repertoire will include “Water,” “Words”and the world premiere of a new work “Hello Stranger” — a trio set to four songs by the Carter Family and created specifically for this outdoor event. Words will be performed with live music by a pianist, who will also be providing musical interludes between pieces. 80 Furman Street. Free.

Smorgasburg Williamsburg becomes the Peanut Explorers Market
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The National Peanut Board and Jon Kung, a well-known Chinese American chef, have collaborated to transform Smorgasburg Williamsburg into the Peanut Explorers Market this Saturday. In a collaboration with the beloved New York food festival Smorgasburg and its most popular vendors, 10 peanut-centric, global dishes will be available during the limited-time Peanut Explorers Market. Chef Jon is on a mission to show people how easy and fun it can be to try new foods, especially with familiar flavors like peanuts at the center. 90 Kent Avenue.

‘Veselka’ screening and Q&A
11:45 a.m.
New York City’s beloved Ukrainian restaurant Veselka is best known for its borscht and varenyky, but it has become a beacon of hope for Ukraine. Come for a rare screening of the documentary “Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World,” a thoughtful exploration and celebration of family and community, followed by a Q&A with writer/director Michael Fiore and film subjects Jason Birchard and Tom Birchard (second- and third-generation Veselka owners) and employee Vitalii Desiatnychenko. Nitehawk Williamsburg, 136 Metropolitan Avenue. $19.75

‘Jack & the Beanstalk’ puppet show
Saturdays and Sundays through August 11 from 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.
Park Slope’s Puppetworks was founded in 1980, and this weekend, you can see their summer performance of “Jack & the Beanstalk” featuring an original song score and a “live” Giant. The show is suggested for ages 2 and up and lasts 55 minutes. Registration is suggested as walk-in admission is not guaranteed. Email them here. 338 Sixth Avenue (at 4th Street). Tickets are $10 for children and $11 for adults.

Brooklyn Summer Beer Wine and Spirits Fest
Session 1 at 1 p.m. and Session 2 at 6 p.m.
Enjoy an afternoon or evening at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Back Lot with your favorite local brew or exotic wine. Guests can enjoy beer, wine, and spirit samples for the session paired with live entertainment, food, and games. Your ticket comes with a souvenir sample glass that allows you to sample any alcohol offered. 141 Flushing Avenue. Tickets start at $19.

Ludicrously Capacious Comedy
8:30 p.m.
Ludicrously Capacious Comedy is a mix of standup, blind corporate ambition, and hilarious competition in a spoof of HBO’s “Succession” at the Brooklyn Comedy Collective. At LudCap Comedy, standup comics compete for the highly coveted and lucrative position of Chief Joke Officer. Whether or not you’re a fan of the hit show, come watch standup comedians perform their sets and ascend the corporate ladder. 167 Graham Avenue. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 the day of the show.

Sunday, August 4

Tompkins Avenue Open Streets Vendor Market
12 to 6 p.m., every Sunday through October 6
The Tompkins Avenue Open Streets Vendor Market is run by vendors, for vendors. Their outdoor market in Bed-Stuy maximizes exposure and profits for creators, so everything you buy has a bigger impact on their bottom line. On Sundays, they will host a mix of food, retail, and makers selling goods you won’t find anywhere else. Tompkins Avenue between Gates and Monroe Avenues.

Azure Day Party at the Arlo Williamsburg Rooftop
3 to 10 p.m.
Come dance the summer away at Azure Day Party, every Sunday through September. Kick-off of the party at ART Williamsburg, for a cocktail in their lounge with top DJs spinning the night away. You can also enjoy rooftop views by the poolside. 96 Wythe Avenue. Tickets are $75.

Gorilla Fest hosted by Sidetalk
5 to 9 p.m.
Coney Island’s own Gorilla Nems is known for his viral videos (“Don’t Ever Disrespect Me!”), iconic catchphrase (“Bing Bong!”) and is an accomplished underground rapper. For the Gorilla Fest in Coney Island, he’s assembled an impressive cast of characters, including the legendary Wu-Tang Clan MC Ghostface Killah, DJ Drewski, Statik Selektah, Scram Jones and Tony Touch. 3052 W 21st Street. Free.

‘Obvious Child’
7 p.m.
Rooftop Films is hosting a screening of the A24 comedy “Obvious Child” — “the most award-winning abortion-themed rom-com ever made,”: starring Jenny Slate — to celebrate the film’s 10-year anniversary. It’s free, but RSVPs are encouraged. Industry City Courtyard 5/6. 51 35th Street Brooklyn.

Hot Gossip Comedy Show
7:30 p.m.
Comedian and local gossip Jonathan van Halem pauses his perpetual gab-sesh to discuss audience-generated gossip as well as host an evening of stand-up comedy at Union Hall. This month’s show features Michael Longfellow (SNL), Molly Kearney (SNL), Sabrina Wu (“Joyride”), Jaboukie Young-White (“Big Mouth”) and Langston MacDiarmid. 702 Union Street. Tickets are $12.