Best Things To Do In New York City This Weekend
This weekend you can go see a so-bad-you'll-love-it movie, frolic beneath the cherry blossoms, or learn more about the coral reefs off of Cuba. Read on for details, and have a great time! By Jessica Allen.
More: Best Spring Food Festivals In NYC
Have you ever left a theater, shaking your head in frustration at the badness of the movie you just paid good money to see? The Bad Film Fest eliminates the frustration, because its movies promise to be even worse than you could possibly imagine. The fourth annual festival features cartoon penises, a documentary with related arts and crafts and a woman wearing underwear full of chicken eggs. Thursday, April 28, through Sunday, May 1, see schedule for details, tickets required.
More: Celebrate Cherry Blossom Season In NYC
For many New Yorkers, spring simply hasn't sprung until the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden have opened. The garden's annual Sakura Matsuri celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, with more than 60 performances and events, ranging from taiko drumming to a parasol society fashion show to hip-hop artist Akim Funk Buddha and his Origami Dance Crew. Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, see schedule for details, $25, tickets required.
More: Best Independent Bookstores In New York City
Last year's first-ever holiday devoted to Independent Bookstores was so successful, the fine folks behind it are hosting another one this year. Participating bookstores in NYC include Books of Wonder, Strand, Greenlight, WORD, and the Astoria Bookshop. Go forth and browse, chat, wander, celebrate these vital retail establishments and community spaces, and, most importantly, read! Saturday, April 30, see participating stores for hours and events, free.
The Source Project, at Symphony Space, "pays tribute to the influence of African culture on the New World," with a particular focus this year -- the festival's first -- on Cuba and Afro-Cuban culture. Among the scheduled events are documentaries, talks (including one describing and highlighting the area's coral reefs), concerts (some with their very own cocktails!), and displays of various visual arts. Sunday, May 1, through Sunday, May 8, see schedule for details, tickets required.
Attention all foodies who love to read, all readers who love to eat, and everyone in between: the fifth annual Food Book Fair is taking place this weekend. This year's events include a workshop on food styling and photography, a workshop in cocktail making, and a panel about food as fashion. The so-called "Coachella of writing about eating" is a can't miss event for anyone who cares about food culture, food systems, and the craft of writing. Sunday, May 1, and Monday, May 2, see schedule for details, tickets required.
