Park Slope Weekend Events Spotlight: September 17-20

The fall is getting closer! If you’re hanging around the Slope this weekend and looking for adventure, we’ve got everything from an exhibition by a local photographer, to live jazz, as well as theater in a garden. Don’t miss some of our favorite events from around the area:

Sanctuary, New Photographs by Amy Williams
When: Thursday, September 17 – Sunday, October 18, with Opening Reception on Sunday, September 20, 4-7pm. Regular Gallery hours: Thursdays and Fridays, 4-7pm and Saturdays and Sundays, 11am-7pm
Where: 440 Gallery, 440 6th Avenue (between 9th and 10th Streets)
What: This solo exhibition marks Amy Williams‘ sixth and final exhibition at the 440 Gallery, presenting photographs that were shot at the Okefenokee Swamp located in Southeast Georgia. Sanctuary explores abstraction in an ecologically pristine environment where lily pads appear to dance on the surface of swirling dark swamp water. Throughout, the artist shows her continued work in an analog process, shooting with a Holga medium format film camera and hand printing each image in collaboration with master printer, Gunar Roze.
How much: Free.

Transforming Food
When: Saturdays and Sundays in September, 2-4pm
Where: Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park
What: Roll up your sleeves and learn all about cooking the old fashioned way. Families can look forward to making popcorn with fresh herb butter, apple pies on a rotating basis, churning butter, grinding corn, and pealing apples.
How much: $3 suggested donation.

Communal Spaces: a garden play festival
When: Saturdays and Sundays in September, 5pm
Where: Warren/St. Marks Community Garden, 619 Warren Street between 4th and 5th Avenues
What: This festival of performing theater in gardens is presented by The Motor Company. Each performance will feature two plays: An Apple Today, written by Charly E. Simpson and directed by Megan Weaver, as well as enter a garden, written by Dominic Finocchiaro and directed by Lillian Meredith.
How much: Free.

Music by David Meder, Rick Rosato, and Ari Hoenig
When: Tuesday, September 8, 9:30pm
Where: ShapeShifter Lab, 18 Whitwell Place (between 1st and Carroll Streets)
What: An exciting new trio led by versatile pianist and composer David Meder, the winner of the 2013 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, and recipient of two DownBeat Magazine Awards for “Best Instrumental Jazz Soloist. Joining Meder is veteran drummer Ari Hoenig, whose credits include such luminaries as Gerry Mulligan, Chris Potter, Mike Stern, Kenny Werner, and Herbie Hancock. Bassist Rick Rosato, who has studied with Larry Grenadier and Ben Street, currently performs internationally with the likes of Gilad Hekselman, Aaron Parks, Ben Van Gelder, and others. Together, these three musicians play their collective arrangements of jazz standards, as well as original compositions.
How much: $8.

New Monthly Ethics and Law Breakfast
When: Sunday, September 20, 10-11:30am
Where: Congregation B’nai Jacob, 401 9th Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)
What: The ancient Jewish tradition has much to say about contemporary life questions. Over the course of the Ethics and Law Breakfast series we will be tackling moral questions from all areas of life: from medical ethics to questions of criminal law to environmental responsibility and inter-personal morality. This month’s guest speaker is Justice Michael Gerstein, a New York City Criminal Court judge, who will be joining Rabbi Menashe Wolf in discussing “Repentance and Forgiveness in Law.”
How much: $10.

Smorgasburg
When: Sunday, September 20, 11am-4pm
Where: Breeze Hill, Prospect Park
What: Even if you’re lighting up those barbecues for Labor Day weekend, be sure to leave room for the gastronomical delights waiting for you at the Prospect Park Smorgasburg. With 100 vendors featuring prepared and packaged cuisines from all over the world, you’ll definitely want to check it out.