By Joshua Encinias
This weekend sees the return of the triumvirate that is 4/20, Earth Day and Record Store Day. Nice. The sun should cooperate this weekend. Either way, there’s no shortage of things for you to do indoors and outside the bulk of the weekend.
Cypress Hill will be swinging through town to celebrate the very sane-in-the-membrane legalization of weed. The Lifted 420 Festival has 12 hours of green-filled fun for you at The Meadows and the Weed Auntie will pop up at the annual FLAMER picnic in Prospect Park.
The hit indie dark comedy “The People’s Joker,” which reimagines the DC character and features an all-star comedic supporting cast, continues its run at Nitehawk Williamsburg on Friday. Time Out hosts a spring beverage festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park Saturday afternoon, and you can hear Dolly Parton the way she was never meant to be experienced: on a bunch of ukuleles, on Saturday night.
The House of Yes throws its annual Earth Love Fest on Sunday with events inside the venue that spill out into a block party. The Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra performs a concert of movie music that afternoon.
And if you’re on the market for a different kind of green, the New York Restoration Project is distributing free trees across the city beginning this Saturday. Register to receive yours.
Friday, April 19
‘The People’s Joker’ plays to Nitehawk Williamsburg
Various dates and times
Indie hit “The People’s Joker” has come to Brooklyn and audiences can’t get enough (truly, look at its Letterboxd reviews). In this absurdist autobiographically-inspired dark comedy, a painfully unfunny aspiring clown (Vera Drew as Joker the Harlequin) grapples with her gender identity while unsuccessfully attempting to join the ranks of Gotham City’s sole comedy program in a world where comedy has been outlawed. Uniting with a ragtag team of rejects and misfits, Joker the Harlequin forms an illegal anti-comedy troupe that places her on a collision course with the devious caped crusader controlling the city. 136 Metropolitan Avenue. Ticket prices vary depending on your showtime.
Ceramic Exhibition: Fermentation bed wraps-up
The exhibit runs through April 21
One of Japan’s emerging artists has launched a solo exhibition, “Fermentation Bed,” at Cibone Brooklyn in Greenpoint. U-Turn Ushiro is a ceramist from Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture, considered one of Japan’s pottery hubs. U-Turn’s various ceramics are will be displayed, featuring pieces that can be incorporated into your every day; these functional ceramics aren’t just works of art only meant to be admired. 50 Norman Avenue.
College Days at Luna Park
Opening at 12 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. every day through April 30th
Enjoy Coney Island’s Luna Park on Friday with special discount pricing for college students. You can have a day at the beach and glizzy or two … after you ride the Cyclone at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusem*nt Park. See Luna Park’s spring calendar for more upcoming college day pricing. 1208 Surf Avenue.
Dear Old Nicki: A Fashion Exhibition Celebrating Nicki Minaj
Admission every half hour beginning at 1 p.m.
Immerse yourself in Nicki Minaj’s iconic fashion and explore the exhibit featuring the rap star’s wardrobe at your leisure. The exhibit is situated on the outside City Point, facing Albee Square between Fulton and Willoughby. 445 Albee Square W. Tickets are $24.420
Chocolate Workshop with Cannabis Chef
5 p.m.
Learn how to make your very own THC- and CBD-infused chocolates at The Malin Williamsburg, where expert chocolatiers will guide you through the process, sharing tips and tricks along the way while you choose your own dosages and flavors. 109 N 12th Street 9th Floor. $125.
Record Store Day Presents Scary Pockets
Doors at 6 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
Record Store Day kicks of Saturday, but music fans can hit up Brooklyn’s official Record Store Party at Brooklyn Bowl on Friday night. Presented by Dogfish Head, folks can kick-off their record store celebration early with musical performances by Scary Pockets and Ariel Posen, giveaways, and Happy Hour beer specials. 61 Wythe Avenue. Tickets start at $30.
‘Drag Race’ Season 16 Grand Finale Party
6:30 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Enjoy a night of charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent at The Werk Room, with the finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 16 viewing party at Arlo Williamsburg on Friday night. Two of the top three contestants, Plane Jane and Sapphira Cristál, will be there in person. 96 Wythe Avenue. Tickets start at $12.50.
Cypress Hill ‘We Legalized It’ Tour
7 p.m.
Legendary hip-hop group Cypress Hill brings their “We Legalized It” 2024 tour to Brooklyn Steel on Friday night with special guests The Pharcyde and Souls of Mischief. Since forming in South Gate, California in 1988, the group consisting of B-Real, DJ Muggs and Sen Dog became the first Latino-American hip-hop group to achieve mainstream success. They are known for blending heavy metal and Latin music influences with hip-hop. 319 Frost Street. Tickets are $75 plus fees.
Banana Fever Ball
10 p.m.
If you ask this writer, Nymphia Wind will win ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 16 on Friday night. You’re in luck because Nymphia is hosting the Banana Fever Ball at Three Dollar Bill at 10 p.m., just after the winner is crowned. Come celebrate Nymphia Wind’s journey on “Drag Race,” with performances by Nymphia Wind herself, alongside Manila Luzon, Megami, Mirage, and other iconic drag performers from NYC. Hosted by the fabulous Plasma! 260 Meserole Street. 100 tickets remain so get one while you can!
Saturday, April 20
Fort Greene Greenmarket
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Buy your 4/20 munchies at Greenmarket on Saturday morning. With vendors selling everything from sweet treats to affordable staples to sustainably raised meat, this weekly market has a bit of everything. Drop by anytime between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the southeast corner of the park.
Earth Rocks!
10 a.m. daily
Brooklyn Children’s Museum turns Earth Day into Earth Week with its Earth Rocks! festival during Spring Break from April 20 to 27. Bring the kids for a week of STEM-inspired activities and performances taking place in its brand-new makerspace called Nature’s Engineers. The week is organized around four overarching themes: Grow, Sustain, Care, and Explore. 145 Brooklyn Avenue. Tickets start at $14.
Time Out Spring Beverage Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park
2 p.m.
Join Time Out Join us at the Emily Warren Roebling Plaza for an outdoor beverage festival filled with delicious drinks, good food and live music. Whether you’re a fan of craft beer or a wine connoisseur, this event should have something for you. Come sip, relax, and enjoy the beautiful views of the park and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. 11 Water Street, Under the Brooklyn Bridge. GA is free and food and beverages will be for sale.
FLAMER picnic in Prospect Park
2 to 7:30 p.m.
Come to Prospect Park for this queer-owned cannabis brand’s annual 4/20 picnic for community, sound baths and meditations led by Bushwick’s Weed Auntie, presented by the Travel Agency. RSVP for details.
Pelah Kitchen’s Something Sweet
3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For the second installment of their “Something Sweet” series, Pelah Kitchen has teamed up with Solo Scoops for something sweet at the Milk & Pull cafe in Bed-Stuy. Jenneh Kaikai will be serving up sheet cakes and some brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies for some ice cream sandwiches. Bring the kids. 348 Malcolm X Boulevard.
Lifted 420 Festival
4 p.m. to 4 a.m.
The Lifted 420 Festival returns to Brooklyn at The Meadows with a 12-hour celebration of all things ganja. Featuring music by DJs Tony Touch & Skribble, there will also be vendors from all over the country. Expect music, art, food, culture and more surrounding the High Holy day of 4/20. 17 Meadow Street. Tickets start at $30.
Ukulele Cabaret: Night of 1000 Dollys
5 to 9 p.m.
Twenty sensational ukulele virtuosos will strum their hearts out at Ukulele Cabaret: Night of 1000 Dollys on Saturday night. They’ll belt out beloved covers of Dolly Parton’s timeless tunes, all in the cozy confines of Ukulele Cabaret’s new venue in Brooklyn’s Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse. Beer and wine will be available by donation to support Dredger’s mission for waterfront access and education about shoreline neighborhoods. Dress Code: Sparkles, Rhinestones, and Country Charm. 165 2nd Street. Free.
‘Farming While Black’ screening
6 p.m.
Seed Brklyn‘s Oasis Gallery will host an immersive experience celebrating the new documentary film”Farming While Black,” which examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation of Black farmers reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots. Stick around after the screening for a discussion and performance by Naima Penniman, Soul Fire Farm’s Director of Education and internationally acclaimed poet. 1217 Bedford Avenue. Free. RSVP here.
High Barbie: 4/20 comedy show
8 p.m.
High Barbie! High Ken! Laugh, dance and get lifted at Priya Blunts’ second annual 4/20 comedy show and party that puts a spotlight on femme comics and performers (as seen on Netflix, HBO, BET and more) in the heart of Bushwick. 21 Meadow Street. Starting at $9.31
‘Sparkle Hour’ at Brooklyn Comedy Collective
8:30 p.m.
Welcome to the Sparkle Hour! This variety show, hosted by Philip ‘Sparkle,’ features his favorite queers taking the stage with stand-up, song, dance, and surprises galore in a cynicism-free space. Leave the irony at the door, honey. Featuring A Twink and a Redhead, Charlene Kaye, Dylan Adler, and Nikki Cimoch. 167 Graham Avenue. Tickets are $17.
Sunday, April 21
Brooklyn Museum Pop-up Market
10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., every Sunday through mid-November
Brooklyn Pop-up happens this Sunday for its weekly artisan market with 30-plus vendors at Brooklyn Museum. Hosted at the museum’s front plaza, this year the pop-up expands its food offerings and will offer new activations and other initiatives to bring Brooklyn together. Oh, and there’s a DJ set every afternoon. 200 Eastern Parkway. Free.
Re-dye and recycle pop-up at Talea
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It’s spring; time for a sustainable closet refresh! Instead of buying a whole new wardrobe, why not refresh the items you already have? Bring in that perfectly worn-in but slightly stained white t-shirt, that tired tote bag or that dress you’ve been photographed in one too many times to be re-dyed and given a whole new life, courtesy of Nadia from Stuydyed. She’ll re-dye them at her studio, and have them ready to pick up at the Talea Williamsburg taproom one week later. Talea, 87 Richarcson Street. Starting at $5.
Earth Love Fest: A House of Yes Block Party
12 p.m.
House of Yes celebrates its annual Earth Love Fest on Sunday with a daylong celebration spilling from inside the venue to the street. It’s part dance party, part sustainability workshop in honor of Earth Day. Food vendors, climate experts, and a gaggle of gays will be on hand to celebrate their MOTHA, Earth. And stick around because there’s a 21+ afterparty. 2 Wyckoff Avenue. Free.
Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra: At the Movies
2 to 4 p.m.
Relive big-screen musical moments as the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra celebrates the movies. Under the baton of Felipe Tristán, the Symphony’s orchestra in residence presents the fourth concert of its 50th anniversary season, featuring beloved scores from films including “Jurassic Park,” “Star Wars,” “Aladdin” and “Toy Story.” Tickets are $15 for ages 65+ and Museum Members and $20 for non-members; same-day tickets are $25 at the door. Free for ages 16 and under.
