MUSIC
Standing in front of a stage is basic. At the You Are Here Festival, which only comes to NYC once every two years, artists are scattered among a giant maze so every time you turn a corner there is a new sound to discover. Each of the five-night festival has a musical theme — crystallized grime, anyone? — and tickets are just $10 (or $15 at the door). June 30-July 4, Knockdown Center, $10 The Queens native returns home for two nights to play us his latest album, “Stranger to Stranger,” while also, of course, throwing in some of the hits that made him and Art Garfunkel the household names they are today — far beyond Flushing. June 30-July 1, 7:30 p.m., Forest Hills Stadium, 1 Tennis Place, Queens, $54.50-$164.50 ARTS
Artists and Fleas reached out to several talented creators and asked:“Why NY?” Their answers will be on display as part of the newest exhibit at Chelsea Market. Each participant was invited to showcase a piece expressing what brought them to NYC and why they decided to call it home. “Why NY?” complements the usual weekly rotation of 30 artists who sell their works in the market’s gallery/shop space year-round. July 1-Sept. 30, Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave., free “Photographs by Larry Silver, 1949-1955”
Following World War II, teen Larry Silver traveled the streets of the city with his first camera, grabbing black-and-white shots of now-iconic sites like the Macys Parade, the Empire State Building and the original Penn Station. This weekend, you can see these important pieces of NYC history on display at the New York Historical Society with “Photographs by Larry Silver, 1949-1955.” It’s a startling look back on a time when the nation was recovering from war and the city was defining its now-familiar urban shape. July 1-Dec. 4, New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, $20 DRINKS
There are three ways to raise multiple glasses of suds to freedom, eagles and America this weekend. You can celebrate with the Official July Fourth Pub Crawl on Monday by registering at Bar None (98 Third Ave.) and trawling participating bars in the East Village for discounted drinks from 5 to 9. Or, if you’ve already got Fourth of July plans, choose the IndepenDance Day Pub Crawl on July 2 and party from 3 to 9 p.m. July 2 & 4, 3-9 & 5-9 p.m., multiple locations, $3-$5 FOOD
It’s America’s Independence Day, but it’s also Bastille Week in France. And how better to celebrate the two cultures whose revolutions inspired one another than with food? That’s the idea behind NYC French Restaurant Week, now in its seventh year. French-inspired restaurants like Bistro Vendome, Tartinery and Deux Amis offer prix-fixe menus priced symbolically at $17.89, $35.78 or $178.90. French Restaurant Week supports Action Against Hunger International. July 4-17, multiple locations, $17.89-$178.90 JULY 4
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest
This is the 100th anniversary of Nathan’s on Coney Island. Rumor has it the hot dog eating challenge began when two immigrants fought over who was the most patriotic on a sunny Independence Day in 1916. New Yorkers have always been strange, strange people. The women face off at 11 a.m. followed by the men’s event at 12:40 p.m. July 4, 10 a.m., Nathan’s Coney Island, 1310 Surf Ave., free COMEDY
Every year, the Peoples Improv Theater shouts “we will not go quietly into the night!” and basically tries to one-up itself with 12 hours of comedy on July Fourth. Why not? The tradition turns six with IndieFest 2016. The show runs from noon to midnight with troupes rotating hourly, all for $20. There’s a cookout and bar for the comedians and guests alike to enjoy, so it’s a party vibe with a comedy show excuse, basically, and something about freedom — but mostly jokes and beer. July 4, noon-midnight, The PIT, 123 W. 24th St., $20 DANCE
Wasabassco’s Big Burlesque 4th of July Pre-Fireworks Celebration
As Americans, it’s our right — nay, our civic duty — to get almost-naked, or at least cheer as others get almost-naked, in a public space on the Fourth of July. That’s why Wasabassco’s Big Burlesque 4th of July Pre-Fireworks Celebration should be on your radar this Monday. The show, which features holiday-themed burlesque acts from Mischief Molly, Peekaboo Pointe, Stormy Leather and Gal Friday, ends by 9, so you’ll have time to make the fireworks. July 4, 7-9 p.m., City Winery, 155 Varick St., $22-$25 COMEDY
Everyone’s a wisecracker when they’re passing around a pitcher with friends, but the joke’s often on the jokester once her or she steps up to the stage during Punderdome 3000, New York’s pun competition show since 2011. Given a topic on the fly, the first 18 competitors (single or duo) to sign up have to come up with their best zingers and have the audience rate their witticisms with claps. It’s a brutal but often hilarious affair, hosted by Jo Firestone and her Rodney Dangerfield impersonator dad, Fred. July 5, 8 p.m., Littlefield, 622 Degraw St., Brooklyn, $8-$10 FILM
Hudson RiverFlicks: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Hudson River Park’s outdoor movie series kicks off this Wednesday with the unlikely hero of the Oscars, “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Big Hit Wednesdays are devoted last year’s blockbusters (Friday nights are family films), so catch them all summer long with free popcorn — not to mention stunning Hudson River views. Screenings start at sundown, around 8:30 p.m. July 6, 8:30 p.m., Hudson River Park’s Pier 63 at W. 23rd St., free
Music maze, artists answer ‘Why NY?’ and more things to do in NYC
Village Roadshow Pictures
