Drag, dance and drink: 13 things to do this weekend

By Ethan Jakob Craft

It’s going to be a cold, cold weekend in Brooklyn. With the impending weather combined with the fact that seemingly everyone and their mother is (or has been) infected with Covid-19, it may seem like the perfect occasion to stay home by yourself with a good book, or a video game, or whatever weird thing it is you like to do.

But if you’re warm-blooded and not at home isolating, the city is still alive and buzzing with semi-socially distanced, vaccine-required events. And this weekend, there’s no shortage of comedy, drag shows, free-flowing wine, hyper-competitive Wii Sports showdowns, and just about anything else your heart desires.

Here’s our official to-do list for this weekend, so bundle up and enjoy the borough.

Friday, January 14

Go get a Covid-19 test
Right now, maybe?
Look. The good news is that there’s a “glimmer of hope” that we may be at the tail end of the Omicron surge. But this will be a mainstay of Brooklyn Magazine’s weekend to-do lists for the foreseeable future, because Covid-19 case numbers are exponentially higher in New York right now than they’ve ever been, and it’s key to get tested if you’re experiencing any symptoms or have been in close contact with a positive case in order to get the pandemic under control. Use this map to find Covid-19 testing locations in the borough and their holiday hours, or simply text “COVID TEST” to 85548. 

Hi, Hello: a comedy show
7:30 p.m.
Featuring a rotating cast of comedians you’ve probably seen on Netflix, HBO and Comedy Central, this show at a self-described “intimate hole-in-the-wall venue”—a.k.a. Fiction Bar/Cafe in Williamsburg—is just $5 to attend, and while the exact line-up of comics is kept under wraps until the curtain lifts, the event’s description all but guarantees a night of laffs.

Calling all drag fans!
8 p.m.
Fans of “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” already know that season 14 of the show is here, and Echo Bravo restaurant and bar in Bushwick is hosting a viewing party. The event this Friday—and every Friday for as long as new episodes are airing—will be hosted by Brooklyn’s own Sarah Creamin’ Onion, so gather the girls (however you define that) and check it out; entry is free.

Gimme, gimme, gimme your best dance moves
9 p.m.
If you’ve been feeling cooped up, head over to Brooklyn Bowl in north Greenpoint this Friday for Gimme Gimme Disco, a ’70s-themed dance party inspired by everyone’s favorite Swedish supergroup: ABBA. Proof of vaccination and masks for this 21-and-over show are required, with remaining tickets starting at $15; doors open at 6 p.m., with the extravaganza officially getting underway at 9 p.m.

Saturday, January 15

Rekindle your love of play
10 a.m.
Remember how much fun you used to have on the playground at recess back in the day? Me neither, really, but this weekend, New Yorkers can rediscover just how much fun it can be with Infinite Play, a series of outdoor events for “misfits, wildlings and nonconformists.” If that sounds like you, then the inaugural 2022 event is happening at McGlorick Park in Greenpoint and costs $25. “Cold, rain, snow, and mud are no match for play, joy, and laughter,” the get-together’s online listing says—though if you do attend, bundle up, because this Saturday’s high is forecasted to be several degrees below freezing.

Indulge your inner sommelier
1 p.m. or 6 p.m.
The Brooklyn Wine Fest is back, allowing legal-age connoisseurs to take their senses to Napa, Bordeaux and Rioja without the need for any of that pesky stuff like PCR tests, plane tickets or passports. The celebration of vin is going down at the Brooklyn Expo Center in two three-and-a-half hour blocks: one from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and another from 6 to 9:30 p.m.; tickets are $70 for general admission, but just $15 for designated drivers.

Participate in Nerd Nite
7 p.m.
Head over to Littlefield in Gowanus on Saturday for Nerd Nite’s first in-person event of the year, featuring three homemade presentations about personal passions—this weekend’s themes include “maggots in the ER, humanitarian projects gone wrong, and the quirky lives of philosophers”—as well as team trivia. Trivia’s up first, with doors for that opening at 6:30 p.m.; there are two tiers of tickets, available for either $12 (presentations only) or $16 (the complete package), so choose wisely.

Compete in the Olympics… kind of
7 p.m.
If you can’t wait for the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month—or don’t have the athletic prowess to compete—Bushwick video game bar BrookLAN has you covered with the return of its Wii Sports Olympics this weekend. While guests are required to adhere to either a two-drink minimum or purchase an all-day gaming pass, the event itself is technically free to attend and features a $100 prize pool.

Dance the night away
10 p.m.
Get your groove on at Tainted Love, an ’80s dance party hosted by local DJ Jane Elizabeth that’s rooted solidly in New Wave but will cover all sorts of hit songs—both beloved and under-the-radar—spanning the late ’70s to the early ’90s. This 21-and-over celebration is happening at the Bell House on 7th Street in Gowanus, and entry is free.

Sunday, January 16

Support Black-owned businesses
12 p.m.
At this Sunday’s Brooklyn Pop-Up Show, small Black-owned businesses from all over the borough will gather to showcase everything from handbags to home decor to gourmet food. Also featuring live music and delicious eats, this event is happening at the Cortelyou Annex on Marlborough Road in Flatbush, and is completely free to attend (though you’re probably going to want to bring your wallet).

Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2 p.m.
This coming Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and to honor the late activist’s legacy around what would’ve been his 93rd birthday—King’s actual date of birth was Jan. 15, 1929—Community Conversation and Collaboration Inc. is hosting its annual community day of service, distributing critical resources to the borough at large. The three-hour event is taking place at 1585 Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy and is free to attend.

Body and Soul: 25th Anniversary
4 p.m.
Join New York artists Francois K, Danny Krivit, Joe Claussell and others for an intimate celebration of music and art, also honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, at Brooklyn Steel this Sunday. Advance tickets start at $25; this show is restricted to guests 21 and up.

Winter Jazzfest: Summer of Soul
5 p.m.
In line with Winter Jazzfest’s 2022 “Feel Good” theme, the event and Moon31 have teamed up to create a day to screen, discuss, and engage with Questlove’s award-winning debut film, “Summer of Soul,” which includes never-before-seen footage of the Harlem Cultural Festival from nearly 50 years ago and includes interviews with original performing artists, attendees and current-day Harlem residents. It’s happening at Roulette in Boerum Hill; tickets start at $25.