Tall ships and Tinder slips: 12 things to do this weekend

By Ethan Jakob Craft

Just because it’s winter that doesn’t mean you have to hunker down and wait for the spring thaw. Quite the opposite! Now’s your chance to bundle (and mask) up and get out of the house to try your hand at something new. This weekend’s to-do list includes a little glassblowing, a smattering of birdwatching, and a dash of the intricacies of operating a World War I-era sailing ship.

Here’s your weekend itinerary. And it should go without saying, if you’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive in the current uptick in coronavirus cases, get tested and do what you can to keep others safe.

Friday, December 17

Lost Voices: An Immersive Experience
1 to 7 p.m.
This gripping art exhibition in Williamsburg isn’t the stuff of snobby high society, but rather a display curated by young local Brooklynites as part of El Puente’s Young Lords Youth Council. The showcase, held at 114 Taylor Street, is free to attend and open to the public.

A Piano Lives in Brooklyn!
7 p.m.
Join pianist Kathleen Supové at floating concert venue Bargemusic, moored just south of the Brooklyn Bridge, for an evening of music and poetry. If you can’t make it on Friday night, there’ll be another performance on Thursday, Dec. 23. Tickets are $35.

Discotechnique
10 p.m. until the early hours of Saturday
On the surface, “holiday” and “disco” aren’t two words that seem to go together, but Bushwick’s House of Yes nightclub is looking to disprove that, drumming up a special edition of its monthly Discotechnique dance party that’s blending retro hits with modern-day ugly Christmas sweaters. Many priority entry tickets have already sold out, though there’s still space to be had after midnight—just act fast.

Saturday, December 18

Open Studios: Winter in the City
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
UrbanGlass’s massive studio on Fulton Street is hosting a roster of both free and paid activities including custom beadmaking, glassblowing to craft your own paperweight, and working on a community paper mosaic. Space is limited and advanced registration is required.

Winter Wonderland
12 to 5 p.m.
If you haven’t had your photo taken with Santa yet, there’s still time for that and more at Green Meadows Farm at Floyd Bennett Field this weekend, with a family-friendly Winter Wonderland agenda that also includes hayrides, candy hunts, hot chocolate and plenty of barnyard animals to feed. Entry is $12.

Tour the Brooklyn Army Terminal
2 p.m.
Usually off-limits to the public, this weekend is one of the rare occasions where visitors will be granted access to the sprawling Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park. Join Turnstile Tours’ last two-hour walking tour of the year and learn about both the wartime and modern history of this architectural marvel; adult entry is $25, while seniors and military personnel can enjoy a modest discount.

A Very Merry Holiday Concert
7 p.m.
Gather to hear a full orchestra and choir play more than a dozen iconic wintertime songs including “Silent Night” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” at this holiday concert held Saturday night at Brooklyn Heights’ St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church. General admission tickets range start at $40, though guests with a valid student ID are eligible for half-price entrance.

Tinder Live! With Lane Moore
8 to 10 p.m.
Lane Moore’s critically acclaimed “Tinder Live!” finally makes effective use of the endless stream of horny, cringey dudes in this town. Also featuring ex-HQ Trivia host Scott Rogowsky as an opening act, this 21-and-over performance is happening at Littlefield in Gowanus on Saturday night; tickets start at $18.

Sunday, December 19

Try your hand at birdwatching
9 to 11 a.m.
Winter birding season has arrived in the city—at least according to the people who know what they’re talking about. No matter your age or birdwatching expertise, head out to Shirley Chisholm State Park in East New York this Sunday for a two-hour guided hike, putting your identification booklets and binoculars to use as you learn about the migratory species that call the borough home each winter. The hike is free to join, though advanced registration is required.

American Field
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Get your last-minute Christmas shopping done with a boozy drink at this weekend-long pop-up holiday event at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. Food trucks, craft beer and local products will abound; pre-registration is recommended, though tickets have recently been marked down from $5 to free.

Channel your inner sailor
12 to 3 p.m.
The “Statsraad Lehmkuhl,” Norway’s oldest and largest tall ship, or barque, is currently sailing up the Eastern Seaboard and will host an “Open Ship Day” this weekend when it docks at Brooklyn Bridge Park as part of a United Nations-backed 55,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe. The three-masted vessel is open to all ages and completely free to board; more information—including a map of its epic journey—can be found on its website.

The Charlie Brown Christmas Special … live
2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Every word and move of this children’s holiday classic is re-enacted at this live adaption, as it has been each winter for more than a decade. With an ensemble cast hailing from everywhere from the Metropolitan Opera to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, The Charlie Brown Christmas Special Live is back this weekend for three shows a day at The Muse on Moffat Street in Bushwick. Tickets are $10.50