We stayed in town this weekend too. How could we resist biking along Park Avenue without cars, taxis and busses whizzing by and threatening to send us careening straight to Bellevue? After our leisurely ride and a civilized stop for brunch somewhere, we may ride over to Central Park to go on a fledgling watch. Did Pall Mall hatch a new family this year? We intend to find out. We’ll finish the weekend with an outdoor concert or maybe even a dance party. Take a look below. What will you do this weekend?
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
Good Morning America Summer Concert Series: Kenny Chesney
8:30 a.m.–9:00 a.m.
In the Good Morning America Summer Concert Series, a range of talented and famous musicians performs every Friday morning from May 22 to August 21. Today’s performance is by Kenny Chesney.
Central Park opens to the public at 6 a.m. and audience members will be permitted to enter the park starting then. Concerts are free and open to the public. Entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive at 6 a.m.
“Good Morning America” airs live from 7 to 9 a.m., with concert performances usually starting around 8:30 a.m. Concert takes place at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
2009 Toyota Concert Series on the Today Show: Flo Rida
8:30-9:00 a.m.
On Friday mornings from late April through September, the Today Show hosts live performances on its Rockefeller Center stage. Access to the concerts is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis outside of the Today show’s Window on the World Studio at 49th Street and Rockefeller Center. Today’s concert is by Flo Rida.
Performances run from 7 – 10 a.m., so if you want to ensure a good spot, plan to arrive early.
Shakespeare in Riverside Park: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
6:30 p.m.
Join Hudson Warehouse, the Other Shakespeare in the Park, for their free production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a popular Shakespeare comedy.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream tells the tale of the strange events that occur when mischievous forest fairies magically transform the romantic fate of two young couples. Performances take place in Riverside Park at the North Patio of Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument (89th Street). Contact hudsonwarehouse@aol.com for more information.
Summer on the Hudson: GlobeSonic Sound System Dance Party
7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.
Join hundreds of partygoers in celebrating the fifth anniversary of our GlobeSonic on the Hudson open-air summer dance parties, and dance the night away with the GlobeSonic Sound System DJs. Located at Riverside Park South, Pier I, free. Call 212-408-0219 for more information.
Jazzmobile: Jazzberry Jam
7:00 p.m.
Jazzmobile provides arts education program of the highest quality via workshops, master classes, lecture demonstrations, arts enrichment programs, outdoor summer mobile concerts, special indoor concerts, and special projects. Tonight Jazzberry Jam performs at Marcus Garvey Park, 122nd Street and 5th Avenue.
River to River Festival: BPC Parks’ Sunset Jam on the Hudson
7:00 p.m.
Improvise on African, Latin and Caribbean rhythms in a drumming circle led by master drummers. Instruments provided or bring own. Fridays through August 28.
The River To River Festival takes place each summer from June through August, in a variety of public venues that canvas all of Downtown New York – from Chambers Street down to the southern tip of Manhattan and across the island from river to river. Tonight’s venue is Robert E. Wagner Jr. Park. Call 212-417-2000 for more information. Free.
Slavic Soul Party!
7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Slavic Soul Party performs fiery Gypsy brass, soulful Balkan anthems and hipgrinding funk that crackles with the energy of New York City. Event takes place at Lincoln Center at Damrosch Park. Free. Call 212-875-5000 for more information or visit LCoutofdoors.com.
Central Park Summerstage Dance: Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company with Martha Wainwright
8:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
A very special evening of dance and music that will feature a world premiere by choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, set to new music by Martha Wainwright, both commissioned by City Parks Foundation. Come to the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Enter the park at 69th Street and 5th Avenue. For more information visit www.summerstage.org.
Public Theater Shakespeare In the Park: The Bacchae
8:00 p.m.
JoAnne Akalaitis returns to The Public Theater to present Greek tragedy as it was always meant to be seen – in the open air of the city. This visionary interpretation, featuring a lush choral score by Philip Glass, re-imagines the classic story about what happens when a government attempts to outlaw desire.
For over 50 years, The Public has been proud to bring free performances to over 100,000 people each summer at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This long-standing tradition has joined esteemed artists with audiences from all over the world to celebrate Shakespeare and other classic works. Free tickets are available both in person and online to the general public. Tickets start being distributed at 1 p.m. on the day of the performance–get there early to get one!
Hudson River Park’s River Flicks for Kids: Madagascar — Escape 2 Africa 8:00 p.m.
Join family and friends at Hudson River Park’s Pier 46 for a screening of Madagascar – Escape 2 Africa. Great fun for the whole family! Call 212-627-2121 for more information. Showing at Pier 46 at Charles Street.
The American Folk Art Museum presents Free Music Fridays
45 West 52nd Street; 5:30 to 7:30 pm
The museum trustees and staff invite the public to explore the galleries free of charge, have a drink in the cafe, and enjoy live music in the stunning atrium. This Friday music is by Daniel Park, Lara Ewen and Kitty Baby.
Metropolitan Museum of Art and Martini Bar
Depictions of Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Women
7:00 p.m., Tours Sign, Great Hall
The social roles of women are clearly defined in paintings such as Honoré Daumier’s The Laundress (ca. 1863) and Edward Hopper’s Tables for Ladies (1930). There is a free tour with Museum admission. Since the Museum is open until 9:00pm, why not end the evening at the Museum’s Martini Bar on the Balcony?
The American Museum of Natural History/Hayden Planetarium Rose Center for Earth and Space
In collaboration with MTV2, the Museum of Natural History has developed SonicVision, a groundbreaking digitally animated alternative music show. SonicVision takes audiences in the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater on a mind-warping musical roller-coaster ride through fantastical dreamspace. With a mix by Moby and featuring tracks from Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay, Queens of the Stone Age, Prodigy, The Flaming Lips, Fischerspooner, Spiritualized, Audioslave, Stereolab, Boards of Canada, David Byrne and Brian Eno, Goldfrapp, Zwan, White Zombie, and Moby, the music ignites this one-of-a-kind computer-generated musical and visual experience, which uses next-generation digital technology to illuminate the Planetarium’s dome with a dazzling morphing of colorful visions. SonicVision is presented every Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., in the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum’s Rose Center for Earth and Space.
Cocktail Fridays at the Cooper Hewitt Museum; 6-9 pm
Enjoy summer cocktails and light fare in NYC’s largest private garden. Jazz trio, Ed Fuqua Group performs. The Cooper Hewitt Museum is located at 2 East 91st Street. Admission is free with museum admission. This is the last Cocktail Friday of the summer, so don’t miss it.
SATURDAY AUGUST 15
NYC DOT Presents: Summer Streets 7:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.
This event takes a valuable public space – our City’s streets – and opens them up to people to play, walk, bike, and breathe. NYC DOT will temporarily close Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to motor vehicles. Stores and vendors along the route have planned loads of fun activities for all to enjoy.
Modeled on other events from around the world including Bogotá, Colombia’s Ciclovia, Paris, France’s Paris Plage, and even New York’s own Museum Mile, this event will be part bike tour, part block party, a great time for exercise, people watching, and just enjoying summer mornings.
Summer Streets take place on three consecutive Saturdays in August (August 8, 15, 22) from 7:00 am – 1:00 pm. The route will connect the Brooklyn Bridge with Central Park and there will be recommended connections along low-traffic streets to the Hudson River Greenway, Harlem and Governors Island allowing participants to plan a route as long or short as they wish. Visit www.nyc.gov for more information.
Summer on the Hudson: Kayaking on the Hudson
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Join the Downtown Boathouse for complimentary kayaking and explore the Hudson River first hand! No need to make a reservation; just walk right up and wait on (a bit of a) line. Paddle time is 20 minutes per slot (you can paddle more than once depending on crowds). Don’t worry if you’ve never kayaked before: the nautical experts provide the equipment and the know-how—all they ask is that you know how to swim, wear a life jacket, and have fun! Kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult in the same boat. Kayaking will be available Saturdays & Sundays, May 16 – October 11 at Riverside Park South, 72nd Street and the Hudson River. Call (212) 408-0219 for more information.
Fledgling Watch
10:00 a.m.
Join the Rangers as they search for the young Red-tailed hawk fledglings of Inwood Hill Park. Come to the Inwood Hill Nature Center, Inwood Hill Park. Enter park at West 218th Street and Indian Road. Call 212-304-2365 for more information.
Canoe the Meer 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Join friends and family for a fun-filled day of canoeing and water safety. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat. First-come, first-served. Ages 8+. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Life jackets will be provided. Harlem Meer near Lasker Pool. Call (212) 628-2345.
Family Day Puppet Pageant: Beautiful Princess Rat of the MTA
2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Come watch this performance by the Puppeteers’ Cooperative, with support from the Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, and Red Hook Community Center. Puppet Pageant takes place at Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center. Call 212-875-5000 for more information of visit LCoutofdoors.com.
Family Day: Bubble Does the Beatles 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
New York pop band Bubble exposes young ears to the music of the Beatles by recreating their greatest records, here reprising their sellout performance of the record Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which was never intended to be performed live, complete with a rock orchestra of strings, horns, sitars, tablas, harp, and more! Concert takes place at Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center. Call 212-875-5000 for more information of visit LCoutofdoors.com.
CityParks Dance: Tania Isaac Dance Ballet Noir
4:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Part personal documentary, part social commentary, Tania Isaac Dance is a physically explosive marriage of modern and Caribbean aesthetics. Ballet Noir features artists of diverse cultural backgrounds in groundbreaking, innovative, and inspiring works focusing on making ballet more accessible to the masses. Event takes place at East River Park Band Shell (along the East River between Grand and Jackson streets). Call 212-360-8290 for more information.
Film Screening: Jazz on a Summer’s Day
7:00 p.m.–9:30 p.m.
Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, and enjoy an afternoon of multicultural fun in Central Park’s most intimate natural playground!
A Clearing in the Forest is the Central Park Conservancy’s series of FREE multicultural performances and family art workshops. Led by a range of established and emerging performing artists from some of New York City’s leading cultural institutions, and featuring live music and dance, puppets, storytelling, and crafts, these programs are fun for all ages.
Programs take place in The Peter Jay Sharp Children’s Glade* and on the Great Hill. Enter Central Park at West 106th Street. For more information, please call (212) 860-1370, visit www.centralparknyc.org/clearing.
SUNDAY AUGUST 16
Theater for the New City: Tally Ho!, or Navigating the Future
2:00 p.m.
Theater for the New City’s award-winning Street Theater Company presents Tally Ho!, or Navigating the Future a rip-roaring musical which will tour City streets, parks and playgrounds throughout the five boroughs.
The production, free to all New Yorkers, has book, lyrics and direction by Crystal Field and musical score composed by David Tice. It’s about a young bank teller’s adventures in high finance with the big bankers and the heads of industry. The tale gets cosmic as Hera and Athena jump in to help when toxic assets and old mortgages join the runoff from the earth–the dead batteries, pesticides and rotting garbage–that have begun piling up on Mount Olympus. The piece will be written dynamically as events of state and the world unfold.
The production will play in the Central Park Bandshell. Call 212-254-1109 for more information.
Harlem Meer Performance Festival: Jazz by the New Amsterdam Musical Association
2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Join the Central Park Conservancy for the 2009 season of this popular FREE concert series that features the best in local emerging and established Latin, Jazz, World, and Gospel artists.
Performances take place at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues, inside the Park). Please call (212) 860-1370 or visit www.centralparknyc.org/performancefestival for more information.
NY Laughs: Laughter in the Park 2009
2:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Laughter in the Park is New York’s only free outdoor comedy series. Every week, we present two hours of comedy at one of six different city parks. This week NYLaughs is at the Marcus Garvey Park Amphitheater. Enter via Mt. Morris Park West at 122nd Street.
NYLaughs, Inc. is a unique non-profit that wants to change the cultural landscape of the Big Apple through humor. We seek to elevate the comic arts and provide laughter for free to New Yorkers on a consistent basis by producing free live comedy shows in New York City’s public spaces; from its parks and streets to its subways. We want to make New York a better place through laughter! Call 718-419-5515 for more information.
Summer on the Hudson: Lawn Party, Music and More
3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Celebrate the Hudson River Quadricentennial and come out and play some “old skool” games kids played hundreds of years ago in colonial New York, such as hoops, sticks, lawn bowling, and more! Lawn party takes place at Riverside Park South Locomotive at 62nd Street.
Heritage Sunday: La Mora’s Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Dance, Sidiki Conde, & Tokounou Caracumbe
3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Heritage Sunday’s song-and-dance troupes hail from Cuba, Guinea, and Peru, bound by a deep rootedness in West African traditions. Oyu Oro’s dancers step lively to the transplanted rhythms of the Yoruba people. Sidiki Conde faces down a disability at the helm of a fine Afro-pop band that is as high energy as it is inspirational. Caracumbe’s intensity brings with it a declaration that the time of recognition has come for Peru’s black population. This event takes place at Lincoln Center, Damrosch Park. Call 212-875-5000 or visit www.LCoutofdoors.com.
CityParks Dance: Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company 4:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Christopher Wheeldon, choreographer and artistic director of Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company, and Morphoses’ dancers will mark their first outdoor show by presenting an exciting and interactive program that includes an educational component, a session of dance instruction, and a short performance. Event takes place at the East River Park Band Shell (along the East River between Grand & Jackson streets). Call 212-360-8290 for more information.
Summer on the Hudson: Acoustic Sundays – Los Soneros de Oriente
7:00 p.m.
Enjoy spectacular sunsets over the Hudson as you listen to some of New York’s best jazz, R&B, and world music. This week, Los Soneros de Oriente performs!
Taking their name from the region of Cuba that is most famous for Son Montuno, Los Soneros de Oriente represent a huge history and lifelong commitment to traditional Cuban music. Composed primarily of former members of the great band, Son del la Loma, Los Soneros pay a tribute to that group and its founder, the late Armando Sanchez, who dedicated his life to the maintenance of Son. This is the music of the countryside and the mountains, based on the Clave and Tres, with the trumpets toasting the top. The overall feel is one of comfort and dignity; it is easy to dance to and is guaranteed to leave you with a warmth of feeling that is Cuban to the core. Event takes place at Riverside Park South, Pier I at 70th Street. Call 212-408-0219 for more information.
