Immerse yourself in multiple forms of artistic expression from Cubist face painting to balloon activities to zines and everything outside and in-between at Saturday's LIC Block Party presented by the SculptureCenter. A variety of tents will spring up around the venue, providing a slew of activities and performances from noon until 5 p.m. Enjoy the sounds of Mariachi Flor de Toloache, an all-female mariachi group, while you make your own pom poms or discover your future with a Tarot reading.
Over the course of the day, Free Style Art will help visitors create a "large-scale temporary sculpture inspired by the changing architectural landscape" of the neighborhood and a mobile, public park will be set up inside a trailer (seen here above, parked in DUMBO). Inside the SculptureCenter's galleries, visit the art bazaar where artists and designers will sell their affordable and functional art and objects, including sculpture, clothing, books and more.
Also this weekend:
Looking for a furry friend to warm you through the chilly winter nights? Come find that special animal in Union Square this Sunday at Adoptapalooza. The event, a partnership between the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and the Petco Foundation, hopes to pair pets with loving hoomins, and will bring over 200 dogs, cats and rabbits to the park who are ready to find their forever homes. From noon until 5 p.m. come give a pup a scratch, see Wally the skateboarding dog or—if you already have a Fido of your very own—give him a lesson in canine manners from a certified Petco trainer. There will also be microchipping for cats and dogs in case they get lost in the concrete jungle.
Hirsute heroes (and heroines!) come out in force for the Coney Island Beard and Moustache Competition going down on Saturday from 8 - 10 p.m. Awards are given for the best of the bush, in categories like best natural moustache, best natural beard, best sideburns and a "Best in Show"/"Worst in Show." For those with non-blessed follicles, an award is also given for the best fake in the bunch. There will be music—"tiki"-style by Fisherman—strait razor demos plus sideshow and burlesque performances.
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke makes a rare solo NYC appearance at P.S. 1 in Long Island City on Saturday, where he'll be doing a DJ set for the last "Warm Up" party of the summer. He'll be joined by Rustie, Holy Other, Maria Minerva, Justin Strauss, and every hipster and their mother. Advanced tickets are all sold out, but if you're inclined to squeeze the last bit of marrow out of summer—or just want to see how Yorke's transformation into Comic Book Guy is coming along—P.S. 1 will be releasing a limited number of tickets at noon. You'll want to line up early, but how early is anyone's guess. Do you feel Lucky?
Vegans like Yorke will want to avert their gaze from Randall's Island this Saturday when Meatopia erects its City of Meat. According to founder Josh Ozersky, "Meatopia is about passion, knowledge, engagement, and people who actually give a damn about what they're eating." Also: gorging on flesh like a 17th century French monarch: "Beef, pork, veal, lamb, squab, duck, quail, you name it." The meat jag doesn't come cheap: tickets are $148.69. Then again, that includes unlimited beer (to take the edge off all that meat) liquor tastings, and ice cream. Pat LaFrieda is roasting a 1,000 pound steer (presumably as revelers clad in leather loincloths bang gongs next to a giant idol of a golden calf) and chefs like Marc Forgione, Anthony Goncalves, and Danny Bowien will be there.
Newsletter contributions by Christopher Robbins and John Del Signore.
