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15 spectacular things to do in NYC this weekend

Written by
Jennifer Picht
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Fri 24

Holy Trinity: Beyonce x Rihanna x Nicki Minaj Dance Party; Baby’s All Right; midnight; $10
World, stop. Carry on. Prepare for a nonstop night of sweaty jubilation to the tunes of Illuminati overlord Beyoncé, dark princess of hip-hop Rihanna and rap’s reigning bad girl, Nicki Minaj. Philadelphia DJs Dame Luz and Wassup Gina bring this party to Brooklyn and spin remixes of hip-hop jams from TLC, Fat Joe and beyond. Just be ready to get the lyrics of “Work” wrong in front of a roomful of strangers.

Puppet Playlist; Triskelion Arts; 7pm; $15
Watch a team of puppeteers and musicians team up to create original, unusual, and adoring performative tributes to their favorite artists. The June edition brings talented fans of the eternal country goddess Dolly Parton together for three wild shows. We can't wait to see puppet versions of Lilly Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton from 9 to 5

Awesome Aughts: Music of the Early 2000s; Union Hall; 10pm; free
Belt out every lyric of “What a Girl Wants” and “No More Drama” at this all-night tribute to the best hip-hop, R&B and pop songs from the days when boy bands still had “frosted tips” and Beyoncé was best known as a member of Destiny’s Child. 

The Pride Kickoff Rally; Hudson River Park, Pier 26; 7pm; free
Before the glittery spectacle of the LGBT Pride March and the rest of the Gay Pride Weekend festivities, get pumped up…with a glittery spectacle! Big-name performers often take the stage—Lady Gaga performed in 2013—while local politicians, comedians, and other members of the LGBT community offer both serious and silly takes on Pride themes. For newcomers and longtime Pride celebrants alike, the Pride Kickoff Rally serves as both a party starter and a reminder that it's not all about partying.

Swedish Midsummer Festival; Robert F. Wagner Park; 5pm; free
For 20 years, Battery Park has hosted one of the world’s largest Scandinavian summer solstice celebrations outside of Sweden, with more than 3,000 guests showing up to dance around the midsummer pole. If roaring rounds of folk dancing and pro fiddling wipe you out, grab a spiced herring crêpe from Crepes du Nord or malt balls from Fika, and chill out on the grass. For the perfect keepsake, you can even make your own ceremonial flower wreath.

Sat 25

SuperCinema at the McKittrick Hotel; 10:30pm; $50–$115
The hotel behind the immersive theater experience Sleep No Moreinvites you to pass through the Emerald Gates and enter a lurid, fully realized Oz, complete with costumed guests, wild performers and flowing champagne. Costumes are mandatory, but with a range of choices that include Tin Man, Flying Monkey and Auntie Em, you’ll be able to do it up—yellow-brick-road style. Beware: Once you enter Oz, you’ll never want to click those heels together again. 

BangOn! NYC 54 Short Shorts Edition; 291 Vandervoort; 10pm; $20–$35
For the 54th edition of its mind-blowing party series, BangOn! is harkening back to the days when Times Square wasn't so family-friendly, Diana Ross was slaying it in Mahogany, and leisure suits and bell bottoms were de rigueur for any night out at the club. Get ready for a delirious night of performance art inspired by the Factory, insane projections, moonlight silent disco and plenty of disco balls. Better re-learn your Donna Summer lyrics.

Adoptapalooza; Riis Park Beach Bazaar; noon; free
As if Riis Park Beach Bazaar wasn’t already the cat’s pajamas, it’s now hosting the summer edition of this Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals event, at which you can meet more than 150 dogs and cats looking for new homes, see bizarre animal talent show performances, get free microchipping for your pet and even book a glamour shoot with a doggie photographer. By day’s end, you and your companion will be able to walk off into the beach’s beautiful sunset. 

The Freedom Party; Industry City; 6pm; $20
Classic party jams abound at the Freedom Party, as DJs Marc Smooth, Cosi and Herbert Holler spin soul music from the ’70s through the present day (everything from R&B and house to Afrobeat and dancehall) for the city's longest-running Friday-night dance party. Just remember: "no fist pumping or pointing at the DJ (unless you really want to)."

NYC Pride VIP Rooftop Party; Hudson Terrace; 2pm; $45–$85
For those who don't feel like cramming into packed events with the partying masses, this rooftop shindig, presented by the official Pride organizer, offers a more elite alternative. Perch on the lovely Hudson Terrace roof deck and groove to music by globe-trotting DJs while you await a gorgeous sunset over the river. Oh, and don't worry about Mother Nature: Hudson Terrace's retractable roof ensures you won't be getting soggy no matter what that bitch throws at us.

Sun 26 

Only in Queens Summer Music Festival; Flushing Meadows-Corona Park; 1pm; free
Queens brings its A-game for this celebration featuring the best of what the borough has to offer. Check out tours of the 1964 World’s Fair grounds, including the Tent of Tomorrow, Queens Museum and Queens Library. After refueling with bites from Sam’s Fried Ice Cream or any of the fest’s other vendors, head to the SummerStage concert at 4:30pm and get down to ’90s-tastic sets by House Party duo Kid ’n Play and smooth-moving master Ginuwine. It’s going to be an epic day. 

Morbid Anatomy Flea Market; Villain; noon; $1
Collect rare books and antiques, eerily cute taxidermy and repurposed skulls at this bustling fair full of morbid curiosities. The Morbid Anatomy Museum has culled together some of its favorite artists to bring you jewelry and decor from beyond the grave. Just make sure it's dead before you wear it.

NYC Pride March at various locations; noon; free
Our favorite parade of the year paints Fifth Avenue all the colors of the rainbow. More than 80 floats, 350 marching organizations and thousands of spectators come together for a celebration of love, equality and a whole lot of drag queens.  March begins at Fifth Ave and 36th St and proceeds south to the reviewing stand at Fifth Ave and 8th St before turning west on Christopher St to Greenwich St.

Mister Sunday; Nowadays; 3pm; $20
The sun is finally out and teasing you to get out and have some fun! Justin Carter, an avant-garde DJ-composer, and Eamon Harkin, with a flare for Detroit techno, know how to get a party started. This year, the weekly Mister Sunday summer series moves from its previous Industry City location to the outdoor bar-meets-restaurant venue, Nowadays, located on the edge of Bushwick. There’ll be plenty to eat from with Country Boys Taqueria and Nowadays’ vegan and veggie-friendly kitchen, some fresh, locally brewed beer and sangria, sodas from Brooklyn Soda Works and no restrictions on dogs or kids! 

Baby Wants Candy; Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre; 3pm; free
From the somehow-synchronized choreography of the opening number to the group reprise, this crowd-pleasing Chicago improv troupe creates a new musical every night.

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