The Miss Subways talent show is back, eat all the bacon and drink all the beer in Queens, then cleanse your palate at Vegandale, watch the women of RuPaul’s DragCon werk it, and more things to do in NYC this weekend.
18 amazing things to do in NYC this weekend
More than 100 acts take over three stages inside the McKittrick Hotel this Sunday for the 12-hour New York Hot Jazz Festival. Jane Kratochvil
The champions of the subway
There are people in New York City who not only still love the subways, they’re willing to dance and sing about it onstage. Join the City Reliquary Museum and the transit-oriented teens of NYC at Littlefield this Thursday for the second Miss Subways Pageant, a raucous talent competition where subway lovers compete to be voted the unofficial champion of the rails. Sept. 27, doors at 7 p.m., 635 Sackett St., Brooklyn, $20-25, littlefieldnyc.com
Upgrade your space with art
You probably can’t paint your apartment, but that’s no excuse to leave your walls bare. The Affordable Art Fair at the Metropolitan Pavilion brings more than 70 local, national an international galleries showcasing over 300 artists, with pieces that start at just $100 for everything from sculptures to photographs, large and small, classic to contemporary. There are also workshops and tours. Sept. 27-30, $10-$80, affordableartfair.com
Take it (almost) all off
They’ve literally made an art of taking off their clothes, and the best of the best burlesque dancers come together to celebrate their performance discipline for four nights during the New York Burlesque Festival. In addition to performances, there are also parties, panels and classes. Sept. 27-30, free-$270, thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com
The year’s largest vegan food festival
Randall’s Island transforms into a vegan paradise this weekend to offer a taste of the hottest products and most Instagram-worthy dishes on the growing meatless food scene. Vegandale showcases dozens of restaurants including two dozen some from as far afield as Texas, Switzerland and Australia, with a total of 125 vendors and sponsors, including craft beer, wine and spirits. Sept. 29-30, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., vegandalefest.com
An empowering day for women of color
The year’s largest gathering to celebrate and unite women of color, the Circle of Sisters Expo, returns to Javits Center this Saturday. Over 40,000 are expected for a fun-filled day of performances, celebrity panels with guests including Cynthia Erivo, Bobby Brown, En Vogue and Wendy Williams, seminars and a sprawling marketplace of fashion and products, all presented by 107.5 WBLS. Sept. 29, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. $20-$25, wbls.com
All the bacon and beer in the tri-state area
If you like bacon or beer, there’s only one place to be this weekend: The Bacon and Beer Classic, with a new home at the USTA National Tennis Center. The national tour stops in Queens this Saturday with over 50 local restaurants serving up original bacon dishes and 50 local and national breweries, plus tons of games, a bacon-eating contest and live music. Sept. 29, 1-4 p.m. and 7-10 p.m., Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, $69-$135, baconandbeerclassic.com
A slightly healthier Oktoberfest
Work for your beer and brats during Hike-toberfest 2018, all to support the upkeep of Van Cortlandt Park. Join a 4-5 mile hike or a more leisurely 2-mile hike on Saturday afternoon, followed by an Oktoberfest celebration with yard games alongside German food by Loreley Restaurant & Biergarten and beer from Yonkers Brewery, KelSo, Captain Lawrence and Alewife. Proceeds benefit the park. Sept. 29, 2-7 p.m., Van Cortlandt House Museum, 6036 Broadway, Bronx, $25-$75, eventbrite.com
Party with RuPaul
RuPaul’s DragCon sashays back into New York City for an expanded three-day schedule of runway shows, panels, marketplace and photo ops with the series’ top drag talent all at the Javits Center, plus off-site parties. Kids age 10 and under get in free — never too early to see how fabulous they can grow up to be! Sept. 28-30, $40-$70, rupaulsdragcon.com
Watch elephants fly (sort of)
Head to Washington Street — said to be the most photographed block in Brooklyn — on Friday for the DUMBO Business Improvement District’s second annual block party. There will be food from local eateries, live music and arts&crafts. But at 6 p.m., all eyes will be on the sky for The Great #DUMBODrop when thousands of toy elephants descend on the street — adopt one for $20 for a chance at prizes including a $500 shopping spree. Sept. 28, 4-9 p.m., between York and Plymouth streets, free, dumbo.is
Eat pastries by a master chef
Dominique Ansel Bakery makes room among the Cronuts and other seasonal treats for a guest turn by renowned French-Swiss pastry chef Amaury Guichon. It’s the first time Guichon will be making his pastries available to the public in New York, serving three of his signature items: a Hazelnut Ring, Pavlova and the Chocolate Cylinder. Sept. 28-30, 8 a.m. while supplies last, 189 Spring St., dominiqueansel.com
Go on an early chocolate bender
You may be too old to trick-or-treat, but luckily there’s the Big Chocolate Show. Meet over 50 modern Willy Wonkas while satisfying your sweet tooth with tons of samples, check out cooking demos and panels during afternoon or evening sessions. For the true afficionados, there are separately ticketed tasting classes — if you can resist the urge to just eat the whole bar in one sitting. Sept. 29-30, New Yorker Hotel, 481 Eighth Ave., $25-$276, bigchocolateshow.com
Join a 14-hour jam session
The musical traditions of New Orleans come to Williamsburg for the massive jam session that is Brooklyn Comes Alive, spread across the Brooklyn Bowl, Rough Trade and the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday. More than 50 artists will bring their passion projects, join their heroes onstage and form one-day-only supergroups, plus special tributes to Prince and Steely Dan. Sept. 29, 2:30 p.m.-4:30 a.m., $50-$275, eventbrite.com
The heat is on
There’s more to heat than hot sauces, though there will be plenty of those at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Chile Pepper Festival. You’ll also find spicy chutneys, mouth-tingling chocolates and dozens of other vendors selling every kind of spicy treat, plus six bands playing everything from South Korean rock to New Orleans brass and “fiery feats” like sword-swallowing and fire breathing. Sept. 29, $25, bbg.org
Queens Night Market returns for fall
The Queens International Night Market returns to the grounds of the New York Hall of Science for its fall season on Saturday nights starting this weekend. Sample the world of cuisine from more than 50 food vendors serving up everything from Persian love cakes to Malaysian ramly burgers, with nothing costing more than $6, plus vendors, performances and live music. Sept. 29-Oct. 27, 6 p.m.-midnight, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, queensnightmarket.com
All the stars come to Central Park
Good deeds are their own reward, but the annual Global Citizen Festival in Central Park is still a nice reward for fighting poverty worldwide. You can only get into the exclusive star-studded concert by accruing points through activism. Your reward it top talent like Cardi B, The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, John Legend and Hugh Jackman. Sept. 29, 2 p.m., Great Lawn, globalcitizen.org
The sailing event of the year
Forget the America’s Cup, the Red Hook Regatta is the ultimate boat event of the year. Teams of slightly crazy DIY-ers create seaworthy (they hope) craft to compete at Valentino Pier. There are additional 3D-printed boat races and boat-building activities for the youngest kids, with food and live entertainment. Sept. 29, free, pioneerworks.org
Lords and ladies, head uptown
Hear ye, hear ye, the Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park requests the pleasure of your company for a special day of revelry — all free to the public. The park is transformed into a medieval market town with banners and flags, plus minstrels and musicians, jesters and knights jousting on horseback. Sept. 30, whidc.org
An endurance festival of swing and jazz
Dress your best (there will be prizes!) but wear comfortable shoes for the New York Hot Jazz Fest, which brings over 100 artists to three stages for a 12-hour marathon of music across the McKittrick Hotel. The brunches are sold out, but there are still general admission tickets available starting at 4 p.m. and lasting through a Midnight Speakeasy Party going on until 2 a.m. Sept. 30, $59-$69, 530 W. 27th St., mckittrickhotel.com
