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Best Things To Do In New York This Weekend July 21-23

By Jessica Allen

There's always tons to do in this city, winter or summer, rain or shine. But this weekend offers you five fun festivals -- whether you're into jerk cooking, avant-garde circus acts, anime or all of the above. Read on for details.

Lincoln Center Festival
150 West 65th St.
New York, NY 10023
(212) 721-6500
www.lincolncenter.org

Discover, or remind yourself, of what a true treasure Lincoln Center is at the art and performance center's summer festival. Scheduled performers range from Compagnie XY, a circus collective from France that specializes in "daredevil feats," to dancers with the Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet, who'll be joining forces for a history-making performance of Jewels, by George Balanchine, to the Bohemian Trio, which plays music from the Americas and Cuba. Now through Sunday, July 30; see schedule for detailstickets required.

Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film
333 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
(212) 715-1258
www.japansociety.org

Presented by Japan Society, a nonprofit committed to strengthening the ties between Japan and the United States, Japan Cuts is the largest festival of Japanese movies in North America. Here's what you're in for, according to the organizers: "a thrilling slate of epic blockbusters, shoestring independents, radical documentaries, mind-bending avant-garde, newly-restored classics, and breathtaking animation." Many of the films will be followed by Q&As with directors and actors. Now through Sunday, July 23; see schedule for detailstickets required.

Summer Shorts
59E59
59 East 59th St.
New York, NY 10022
(212) 753-5959
www.summershortsfestival.com

Summer is short, and so is your attention span. OK, so that's not the official tagline of this theater festival, but it could be. The annual festival offers attendees the chance to see the premiere of short plays by playwrights both established and up-and-coming, among them Neil LaBute, Graham Moore, Chris Cragin-Day, and Melissa Ross. This year's work explores ambition, religion, feminism, philosophy, Ayn Rand and a rather unfun wedding. Friday, July 21, through Saturday, Sept. 2; see schedule for detailstickets required

Come Out and Play Festival
DUMBO + Governors Island
New York, NY
www.comeoutandplay.org

If your idea of play involves moving a joystick, then this festival is for you. For the 12th straight year, the Come Out and Play Festival encourages the 10-year-old in all of us to come out and play through street games, family-friendly fun, and good, old-fashioned running around. The fun kicks off on Friday night, with an adults-only interactive street party in DUMBO, followed by a day of giant games and new sports on Governors Island. Wear your sneaks, pack your water bottle, and get ready to feel like a kid again. Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22; see schedule for details; free.

Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival
Roy Wilkins Park
17701 Baisley Blvd.
Queens, NY, 11434
(718) 425-1177
jerkfestivalny.com

For the uninitiated out there: the seventh annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival doesn't celebrate numskulls, dolts, or nitwits. Instead, it promotes the great Caribbean tradition of jerk cooking. More than 20,000 hungry folks will arrive in Queens' Roy Wilkins Park to sample the amazing flavors that talented chefs can tease out of spices and meats. These same chefs will also be offering demos and competing for the coveted Dutch Pot Trophy. Some 30 booths in all. Live music and a special kids' zone too! Sunday, July 23; noon to 8 p.m.; tickets required.

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