Smorgasburg returns, plus 15 other things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

It’s the first weekend in April and you know what that means: Smorgasburg is Smorgasback, baby!

The venerable foodie bazaar returns on Saturday and Sunday and boasts a stellar lineup of new vendors.

But first, Friday brings the 8th Annual Sideshow Hootenanny to Coney Island and House of Yes. If you need your fix of sword swallowing and fire breathing, they’ll have it on hand all weekend long. Also on Friday, Caroline Rose brings the Metropolis Ensemble to Brooklyn Steel to perform orchestral compositions of her songs.

The Bell House hosts a Swedish pop star dance party on Saturday night. The NYC Queer Birders meet at 10 a.m. on Sunday for a morning of bird watching at Forest Park (details below). Looking to get hitched in style? The first Brooklyn Wedding Fair comes to The Green Boutique in Gowanus that afternoon.

Here are our picks for the weekend.

Friday, April 5

The Art of the Benshi 2024 World Tour
Various times Friday through Sunday
The Art of the Benshi 2024 World Tour, presented by the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, opens at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Friday and goes through Sunday. The tour offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the artistry of three of Japan’s celebrated benshi: “movie orators” who, since the days of Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope, have breathed life into silent film. The performances include an ensemble of musicians from Japan. 30 Lafayette Avenue. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for the general public.

8th Annual Sideshow Hootenanny
11 a.m. on Friday and 12 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday
The 8th annual Sideshow Hootenanny in partnership with Coney Island and House of Yes runs Friday through Sunday with the country’s only large-scale gathering of sideshow performers, producers and fans. Join us for a weekend of sword swallowing, fire breathing, flesh piercing, contortionists, magicians, feats of strength, jugglers, human blockheads, broken glass walkers and more. Various locations. Tickets start at $34.

Brooklyn Music School benefit concert
7 p.m.
Music for the Moon: A Benefit Concert for Brooklyn Music School & Brooklyn Moon Cafe takes place on Friday night at the Brooklyn Music School in Fort Greene. The night’s performers include ESREAC (featuring Mark Kelley from The Roots), turntablist DJ Logic, members of Living Colour, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Emanuel Casablanca, poet Sharrif Simmons, DJ and producer CX KiDTRONiK, award-winning poet Carl Hancock Rux and Emmy award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright. Local political representatives including Crystal Hudson, Laurie Cumbo, and Hakeem Jefferies will also be in attendance. 126 St Felix Street. General admission tickets are $25.

April Fools Comedy Jam
8 p.m.
One of Brooklyn’s biggest comedy shows of the year comes to Barclays Center on Friday night. The April Fools Comedy Jam features Tracy Morgan, DL Hughley, Young Jeezy, GloRilla,, Bruce Bruce, Rip Micheals, Nephew Tommy, Cocoa Brown, Jess Hilarious, London Brown, Chaunté Wayans, Brian Hooks, Loni Love, Torrei Hart, and DJ Envy. Tickets start at $47.

Caroline Rose at Brooklyn Steel
8 p.m.
Caroline Rose is on tour in support of her GRAMMY-nominated, critically acclaimed album, “The Art of Forgetting.” Her performance at Brooklyn Steel features the Metropolis Ensemble, performing orchestral compositions of her songs. 319 Frost Street. Tickets start at $40.

Daft Disko, French House & Disco Party
10 p.m.
Daft Disko returns to Schimanski late on Friday night with an evening of disco and house beats. You’ll hear music by Daft Punk, Stardust, Breakbot, Flight Facilities, Giorgio Moroder, Modjo, Chic, Purple Disco Machine and many more synthlords. 54 North 11th Street. General admission tickets are $15.

Fire in the Hole
11 p.m.
Are you a fan of (gay) redheads? Maybe you are one? C’mon Everybody has a party on Friday night for the most teased (and it turns out, one of the most fetishized) hair colors. This party for gingers and their admirers has music by DJ Sean McMahill. 325 Franklin Avenue. Tickets are $12.

Saturday, April 6

Smorgasburg is back
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in Marsha P. Johnson Park
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday Breeze Hill in Prospect Park
Is it really spring until Smorgasburg returns? The weekly seasonal outdoor food market returns Saturday, April 6 to Williamsburg‘s Marsha P. Johnson State Park, marking its 14th season, with 70 vendors in all. On April 7, the weekly Prospect Park location reopens on Breeze Hill. Read our preview of this year’s best new vendors.

Ceramic Exhibition: Fermentation bed
11 am. to 8 p.m.; exhibit runs through April 21
One of Japan’s emerging artists has launched a solo exhibition, “Fermentation Bed,” at Cibone Brooklyn in Greenpoint. U-Turn Ushiro is a ceramist from Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture, considered one of Japan’s pottery hubs. U-Turn’s various ceramics are will be display, featuring pieces that can be incorporated into everyday, not just works of art only meant to be admired. 50 Norman Avenue.

A Current Affair: Pop-Up Vintage Marketplace
12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
Shop vintage apparel this weekend at A Current Affair in Industry City. Bringing together over 70 premier vintage retailers and private dealers from both coasts and beyond, A Current Affair will make their wares available at the Box Factory inside Industry City on Saturday and Sunday. 51 34th Street. Tickets are $20 per day or $50 for both days, with an early preview entry time on Saturday.

Spencer Glassman: Child Star
8:30 p.m.
“Spencer Glassman: Child Star” from the Brooklyn Comedy Collective is billed as full of unhinged characters, cringe-slam-poetry, depressing dating app commercials and “earnest” folk music. The show presents a queer commentary on celebrity culture, lovingly mocks musical theatre and celebrates the neuroses of a woman scorned. 167 Graham Avenue. Tickets are $17.

Fred Thomas of the JB’s 
9 and 10:15 p.m.
James Brown’s principal bassist since 1971, Fred Thomas can be heard on hits such as: “Hot Pants,” “Papa Don’t Take No Mess,” “Make it Funky,” “Get on the Good Foot,” “I Got Ants in My Pants,” “Stoned to the Bone,” and instrumental classics like “Pass the Peas” and “Gimme Some More.” In his own Brooklyn-based band today, Fred Thomas is front and center singing, playing bass and tearing into a mix of blues and soul classics and hits the hits he recorded on. Bar LunÀtico, 486 Halsey Street.

Party Like It’s 1999: The Sign of Swedes Edition
10 p.m.
Party Like It’s 1999: The Sign of Swedes at The Bell House celebrates Sweden’s biggest pop stars, including Ace of Base, Robyn, The Cardigans, and the A*Teens, plus songs brought to life by Sweden’s biggest producer, Max Martin (Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, N’Sync and Kelly Clarkson). Plus they’ll play all your favorite ’90s and ’00s requests. Join DJ Steve Reynolds for Brooklyn’s best 90s and 00s party. 149 7th Street (Between 2nd and 3rd Ave). Free.

Sunday, April 7

Queer Birding
10 a.m.
NYC Queer Birders is a birding collective launched by Anna Kremer and Hannah Kirshenbaum for LGBTQ+ folks to come together and observe the city’s birds. Their next gathering is on Sunday morning at Forest Park – Pine Grove (meet at Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South). Check out our recent profile of the Queer Birders while you’re at it.

Brooklyn Wedding Fair
12 to 5 p.m.
The Green Boutique in Gowanus will host the first Brooklyn Wedding Fair on Sunday afternoon. The fair gives couples the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with photographers, event planners, dessert vendors and other local businesses, while enjoying food, drinks, and live music. 530 Third Avenue.

Steve Martin Presents
7:30 p.m.
The long-running variety show featuring the city’s best comedians returns, hosted by Andrew Dismukes of SNL and Michael Good. Head over to Union Hall to see Lea’h Sampson, Ian Levy, Nataly Aukar, Tyler Wolk, and Drew Anderson. And as always, no, Steve Martin won’t be there. 702 Union Street. Tickets are $12.