Weekend Art Events: September 1-4 (Labor Day & West Indian American Day Celebrations & More)
It’s Labor Day Weekend! Where has the summer gone?
There’s still fun to be had even if you’re not heading out of town, to the beach, or to a barbecue. Check out our list of events below and enjoy the long, holiday weekend!
NYC Unicycle Festival
When: Thursday-Sunday, August 31-September 3
Where: Various locations
What: With bicycles increasing in popularity across NYC, will unicycles start to get some love too? The 8th Annual Unicycle Festival will feature long distance rides, public shows, unicycle sports, a learn-to-ride area, a trials course, workshops, and a “one wheel parade across Brooklyn” from the Brooklyn Bridge to Coney Island.
How Much: Free, see schedule of events here.
Brooklyn Bug Festival
When: Friday-Sunday, September 1-3
Where: Various venues in Bushwick, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg
What: NYC’s first festival dedicated to entomophagy, or the practice of eating edible insects. The weekend event is packed with presentations, cooking demos, cocktail socials, an outdoor market, and a VIP Bug Banquet.
How Much:Tickets $0—$199 for VIP All Access Pass
Omar Souleyman
When: Friday, September 1, 6pm doors/8:30pm show
Where: Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg
What: The Syrian singer performs in support of his recently released third album, To Syria, With Love which includes techno odes to his homeland.
How Much: Tickets $22—$25
Bargemusic Labor Day Festival
When: Friday, September 1, 8pm
Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Fulton Ferry Landing, 1 Water Street, DUMBO
What: “A Celebration of Contemporary Women Composers by Women Performers” featuring work by Laura Kaminsky, Yoko Sato, Dalit Warshaw, Alexandra du Bois, Milica Paranosic, Gity Razaz, Whitney George, and Marti Epstein performed by Ursula Oppens (piano), Nancy Allen Lundy (soprano), Dalit Warshaw (piano), Kathleen Supove (piano), and Yoko Reikano Kimura (shamisen)
How Much: Tickets $35, $30 seniors, $15 students
West Indian American Day Junior Carnival Parade
When: Saturday, September 2, 9am to 5pm
Where: Starts at Kingston Avenue & St. Johns Place, travels west on St. Johns to Franklin Avenue then south to President Street and onto the Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights
What: A celebration of Caribbean-American culture, history, music, and food for the kids featuring characters and a junior band competition.
How Much: Tickets $5
Bargemusic Labor Day Festival
When: Saturday, September 2, 8pm
Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Fulton Ferry Landing, 1 Water Street, DUMBO
What: “A Celebration of Contemporary Women Composers by Women Performers” featuring work by Laura Kaminsky, Yoko Sato, Dalit Warshaw, Augusta Read Thomas, Nina C. Young, Paula Matthusen, and Milica Paranosic performed by Ursula Oppens (piano), Nancy Allen Lundy (soprano), Dalit Warshaw (piano), Jennifer Choi (violin), Kathleen Supove (piano), and Yoko Reikano Kimura (shamisen)
How Much: Tickets $35, $30 seniors, $15 students
Bey is Bae
When: Saturday, September 2, 11:59pm to 4am
Where: Baby’s All Right, 146 Broadway, Williamsburg
What: A Labor Day Weekend tribute dance party honoring Beyonce’s birthday.
How Much:Tickets $10
J’Ouvert
When: Monday, September 4, 6am to 11am
Where: Starts at Grand Army Plaza, travels south down Flatbush Avenue, east on Empire Boulevard, and south down Nostrand Avenue to Midwood Street, Prospect Heights/Crown Heights/Prospect-Lefferts Gardens
What: This festival’s normal start time has been pushed back from 2am to 6am as part of safety measures including beefed up police presence and increased lighting following a series of violent incidents the past couple of years. The colorful celebration of Caribbean culture includes “masquerade” that historically pokes fun of the ruling classes and politics of the past year. The festivities start before sunrise, end before noon, and lead up to…
West Indian American Day Carnival Parade
When: Monday, September 4, 11am to 6pm
Where: Eastern Parkway from Schenectady Avenue to Grand Army Plaza, Crown Heights
What: This popular event celebrates the culture, history, music, and food of Caribbean-Americans and attracts more than 1 million attendees each year. Expect lots of revelers dressed in spectacular costumes, a long procession of vibrant floats, and lots of music and dancing.
Labor Day Extravaganza
When: Monday, September 4, 2pm to 2am
Where: House of Yes, 2 Wyckoff Avenue, Bushwick
What: A red, white, and blue themed 12-hour dance party and barbecue.
How Much:Tickets, free before 4pm, $10 after 4pm
Being Well: In Search of Utopia?
When: On view from Thursday, August 24 through Sunday, October 8
Where: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd Street, Park Slope
What: Curated by Katherine Gressel, this group exhibition examines the artists’ roles in defining and facilitating community health and wellness at a time when many are anxious about the future of healthcare and social services in America. The exhibit asks: “What would a ‘Utopian’ state of community health and wellness look like and how are current efforts succeeding or failing?”
