Is everyone enjoying the spring weather? Grab a friend or a date, get out there, and enjoy yourselves! We’ve got book fairs, carnival dancing, improv shows, and plenty of other events to get you moving!
Fri 11: BHQFUBF Book Fair
33 34th St, Brooklyn, 6th Floor, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Free
Are you a bookworm looking for a way to refresh your shelves? Buy! Sell! Trade! Donate! Head over to the unpronouncable BHQFUBF for a good time/opportunity to hear readings and performances by some of Brooklyn’s premier writers and artists. BHQFU, when it’s not book fairing, is a free art school, supporting public programs and exhibitions. Check them out, and bring some books to trade!
Fri 11: Brazil vs Colombia Carnival Dance Party
Black Bear Bar, 70 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, $10-$15
The weather is heating up and so is the party! It may be Lent, but that’s no reason to leave carnival in the dust of Ash Wednesday. Get dressed up and dance all night – be sure to say the “pollo” at the door for free entry- if you’re not too chicken!
Sat 12: Queer Collage Party
No, this is not a queer college party, so there aren’t going to be any make out rooms or bottles of vodka, although I’m sure you could sneak in a flask, though that’d be a dick move since they’re selling beer and wine. No, this is good, old fashioned, glue-and-magazine page, collage fun! Make your own personal spirit board or share one with a friend. Bring a little snack to share and get to stickin’!
Sun 13: Just Food Conference
Teachers College, 525 W 120th St, 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM, $40-$65
Have you ever wanted to start a community garden, or even just learn more about the economic inequalities in our food system? Do you want concrete tools for making actionable, tangible changes in your neighborhood? Spend your rainy Sunday inside, learning about ways you can spend your summer outside. With workshops like “urban agriculture” and “policy and advocacy,” you and your friend or lover can turn those rambling wine bar conversations about how you wish you could do something into a plan for action.
Mon 14: The Little Prince Film Screening
Morris W. and Fannie B. Haft Auditorium, FIT, 227 W 27th St, 7:00 PM, Free
Scott Foundas of Variety says that The Little Prince is a “timeless depiction of childhood wonderment,” so why not check it out and meet the director? Mark Osborne also directed Kung Fu Panda, so feel free to try to sneak in a question about Jack Black’s acting process.
Mon 14: Thank You for Coming Out!
Magnet Theater, 254 W 29th St, 10:30 PM, $7
Thank You for Coming Out is a show that features all the stuff you want to see in improv: storytelling, hilarious montages, and musical improv. It also happens to be produced and performed by The Magnet community’s beloved LGBTQ community. This month, all proceeds go to the organization LIVE OUT LOUD!, which supports LGBTQ teens all over the country. Head on over!
Tues 15: And I Must Scream: an Examination in Body Horror in Japanese Animation
Morbid Anatomy Museum, 424 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, 7:00 PM, $8
When I think about body horror, I think about being so grossed out thinking about a video I had watched of the Tree Man of Indonesia at a party in college that I became sick and had to go home… where I watched the video again. It’s not that guy’s fault or my fault; it’s a function of our evolutionary DNA to be physically disgusted and simultaneously drawn to the physically bizarre.
Join JR Pepper, art historian specializing in anime and Victorian spirit photography, as he delves into some of the delightfully creepy art that Japan creates that lives solidly in the realm of body horror.
Weds 16: Reclaiming our Ancestors
Schomburg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, 6:30 PM, Free
Those of us who have enjoyed PBS’s show Finding Your Roots know that for many Black Americans, finding out about family heritage isn’t as easy as heading to the local library and finding out where the Coyle family headed before they ended up in Cincinnati. In this fascinating panel-discussion, the descendants of William Grimes, Dredd Scott and revolutionary memoirist Jeffrey Brace discuss their paths to learning about their famous ancestors.
Thurs 17: PurimCon 2016
The Jane, 113 Jane St, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM, $20 (advance) – $30 (door)
Purim is still a week away, but why not start partying now? Throw on your best costume and head over to The Jane for a night of fun. The first fifty attendees get to enter a raffle, and the best costumes can win all sorts of prizes. Enjoy some signature cocktails and get your dance on with DJ Amir.
