Park Slope Planner: The Best Events September 18-21

There are a whole bunch of fun events coming up in the neighborhood this weekend — from a reading celebrating female writers, to a theater and dance performance that glows in the dark, to a ton of local Brooklyn Book Festival Bookend events, to a sexy cocktail hour. That, and so much more, so get out there and enjoy something interesting.

And if you’re looking for more kid-friendly stuff coming up this weekend, be sure to checkout our children’s events roundup!

Battle Of The Books
When: Thursday, September 18, 6:30pm
Where: Pacific Standard, 82 4th Avenue
What: Late Night Library’s 2014 Annual Battle of the Books is a bracket-style competition that pits debut books against each other until one is deemed worthy of the Late Night Library Championship Belt! Featured books are read by published authors and book industry professionals who didn’t write the books themselves. This year’s event will be hosted by Julia Fierro, author of Cutting Teeth and founder of The Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop.
How much: $5 suggested donation.

Word*Rock*&Sword: A Festival Celebration of Women’s Lives
When: Thursday, September 18, 7pm
Where: Barbes, 376 9th Street
What: Authors Jacqueline Woodson, Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, Liza Jessie Peterson, and Ayana Byrd will read selections, as part of Toshi Reagan’s annual celebration of creative women. There will be a book signing following the event, as well.
How much: Free, but donations are welcome.

Daring To Lead: Gail Sheehy And Reshma Saujani Talk Risk, Ambition, And Success
When: Thursday, September 18, 7pm
Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza
Author and journalist Gail Sheehy and Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani discuss the need to embrace risk and failure and to boldly chart your own course.
How much: Free!

Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels: A Panel Discussion
When: Thursday, September 18, 7pm
Where: Community Bookstore, 143 7th Avenue
What: Michael Reynolds (editor in chief, Europa Editions), Ann Goldstein (translator), and author and critic Carmela Ciuraru will discuss critically acclaimed (and mysteriously pseudonymous) Italian novelist Elena Ferrante and her Neapolitan series, My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, and her latest release, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay. Discussion moderated by Community Bookstore’s Ezra Goldstein.
How much: Free!

Rough Draft
When: Thursday, September 18, 7pm-midnight
Where: Elberta Restaurant & Bar, 335 Flatbush Avenue
What: With the use of a computer and projector, writers will get a chance to “freestyle” write to music or a work of art chosen at random. They’ll play a song, and the writer will write whatever comes to mind.
How much:

Art Opening: Gail Flanery’s Coloratura
When: Friday, September 19, 6-9pm
Where: 440 Gallery, 440 6th Avenue
What: Primarily a printmaker, Flanery creates one-of-a-kind monotypes by manipulating inks and printing plates and later adding pastel or pencil to the print. See her solo show in person and take the chance to speak with her about her work.
How much: Free!

World War 3 Illustrated: Cartoonists Presentations and Performances
When: Friday, September 19, 6-8pm
Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza
Through journalism, autobiography, and fiction, the cartoonists of WW3 have been chronicling the events that have shaped the world. WW3 editors and artists, including Peter Kuper, Seth Tobocman, Paula Hewitt Amram, James Romberger, and Nicole Schulman, will give a visual history and perform works from the magazine live.
How much: Free!

Ecological Poetry In The Age Of Climate Crisis
When: Friday, September 19, 7pm
Where: The Old Stone House, 366 3rd Street
What: Prize-winning poets Daniela Gioseffi, Nancy Mercado, and Pamela Laskin will read their poetry and poems by Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Marilyn Nelsen, Allen Ginsberg, Pablo Neruda, Ernesto Cardenal, and others from the e-anthology, Eco-Poetry.org. Plus, there will be an open mic for people to read their favorite ecological poem — one of their own or by another.
How much: Free!

Sound Syndrome: SoHo Heartbreaker
When: Friday, September 19 & Saturday, September 20, 8pm
Where: BAX /Brooklyn Arts Exchange, 421 5th Avenue
What: Rogue doctors. Sensationalized news reports. Missing victims. These are not just common occurrences in war-torn countries; this is the picture of SoHo in the year 2032, played out in this merging of theatre and dance that features glow-in-the-dark choreography.
How much: $20-$30, available in advance.

Seafood Cooking Demonstration With Hiroko Shimbo
When: Saturday, September 20, 11am-2pm
Where: Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket, Prospect Park West at Flatbush Avenue
What: Hiroko Shimbo, author of The Sushi Experience and Hiroko’s American Kitchen, will demonstrate how Japanese culinary techniques can be applied to the seafood available in our region. She’ll be joined by Stephanie Villani of Blue Moon Fish, a GAP vendor that fishes out of Mattituck, NY.
How much: Free!

Summer’s End Cocktail Hour
When: Saturday, September 20, 4pm
Where: Babeland, 462 Bergen Street
What: Learn some tricks to keeping your love life hot as the weather cools down. There will be spiked lemonade, oral sex tips, and a chance to win the Minna Limon, a lemon-shaped toy “that is 100% sweet (not sour).”
How much: Free!

Fantagraphic’s Family Tour
When: Saturday, September 20, 8pm
Where: Bergen Street Comics, 470 Bergen Street
What: Signings by cartoonists Eleanor Davis (How To Be Happy), Simon Hanselmann (Megahex), Jesse Reklaw (Couch Tag), and special guests Michael DeForge (Lose #6) and Patrick Kyle (Distance Mover), courtesy of Koyama Press. Party the night away with the best in comics!

Food Truck Rally
When: Sunday, September 21, 11am-5pm
Where: Grand Army Plaza
What: There’s enough lovely weather left this season to enjoy a lobster roll or an ice cream sandwich al fresco in the park — and the food trucks are still here!

Photo via Sound Syndrome: Soho Heartbreaker