Things To Do In Mount Vernon

School may be back in full swing, but this week brings plenty of chances to enrich your mind outside of a classroom too. You can take in Pulitzer-winning images at Photoville, learn to make lanterns at the Morningside Lights festival, or have a revelatory theatrical experience at the much-discussed play “This Is Our Youth.” As always, don’t forget to check Groupon for more things to do in New York City. This Is Our Youth Midtown West | Ongoing Kenneth Lonergan’s caustic coming-of-age comedy—about a teen deciding what to do with the $15,000 he’s stolen from his abusive father—has plenty of complex emotional terrain to explore. Luckily the cast is up for the job: Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson have all received raves for their performances. (Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St.; $89–$96 on GrouponLive; buy tickets here) Morningside Lights Morningside Heights | Saturday, September 20, to Saturday, September 27 This weeklong art event has quite the payoff: participants in its daily workshops will produce more than 100 lanterns, which will then be displayed during a grand procession on the final day. The process is collaborative and takes the entire week, meaning you may start a lantern someone else will finish or pick up where someone else left off. (Morningside Park; free) Photoville Brooklyn | Thursday, September 18, to Sunday, September 28 Repurposed shipping containers serve as the display space for this large-scale photo exhibition, which will show off such works as Jeff Bauman’s acclaimed Boston Marathon photo essay “Beyond the Finish Line.” When you’re not browsing the exhibits or attending the hands-on workshops, you can grab a bite at the Smorgasburg Beer Garden. (Pier 5, Brooklyn Bridge Park; $3 suggested donation) Rock of Ages Midtown West | Ongoing One-time American Idol semifinalist Constantine Maroulis recently returned to the jukebox musical that earned him a Tony nomination in 2009, but he won’t be back long. If you want to catch him in character singing “I Wanna Rock,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and other ‘80s hits, you’ll have to do it by October 26. (Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St.; $49–$99 on GrouponLive; buy tickets here) The Haunted Pumpkin Garden Bronx | Saturday, September 20, to Friday, October 31 Kids in costumes populate the daily parade during this family-friendly festival, which features some of the most intricate gourd-based sculpture you’re likely to encounter this fall. Certain weekends promise special events, such as a live-bat animal program and a display of gigantic pumpkins from all over North America. (New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd.; $8–$25; buy tickets here)

From onscreen acapella to formerly obscure indie rock, musical performances dominate this week’s list of things to do. However, if you’d prefer silence to soaring melodies, don’t think we forgot you: a child-friendly art exhibit on the Upper West Side provides plenty of peace and quiet. Enjoy, and as always, check Groupon for more great things to do in New York City. Coney Island Sand-Sculpting Contest Coney Island | Saturday, August 16 Soaring castles and elaborate statues rise along the Coney Island shoreline during the annual sand-sculpting contest, a decades-old tradition that gives out awards for both adult and child artists. The sculptors must finish by 3 p.m., when judging begins; stop by earlier to see their works in progress or enjoy live music and activities. Event organizers are also soliciting donations to help Brooklyn families still rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy. (on the Boardwalk near Wonder Wheel Park; judging begins at 3 p.m., award ceremony at 4:30 p.m.; free) “Pitch Perfect” South Street Seaport | Saturday, August 16 Whether you think acapella is aca-awesome or aca-awkward, musical comedy Pitch Perfect (2012) is just subtle enough to extract laughs. Anna Kendrick stars as Beca, a hip college freshman who gets roped into singing with a totally un-hip all-female acapella group, the Bellas. Beca’s initially hostile attitude toward the music slowly melts as she makes friends with the members of the group, played by an ensemble cast that includes Rebel Wilson as brash “Fat Amy” and Hana Mae Lee as the world’s creepiest soft-talker. Sea breezes carry the Bellas' tight harmonies (and Kendrick's surprisingly skillful rapping) to audiences' ears at this outdoor screening, part of South Street Seaport's Front/Row Cinema series. (Front St. & Fulton St.; 8 p.m.; free) Courtney Act Midtown | Wednesday, August 20, and Thursday, August 21 Courtney Act is a drag overachiever. Named one of FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women—despite not being a woman—she has also won Australian Idol and competed on Season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Her show Boys Like Me intersperses dance-ready pop songs with stories about her adventurous love life. This is your last chance to see her at Laurie Beechman Theatre before she leaves on her international tour. (407 W. 42nd St.; 9:30 p.m.; $22 w/$15 food & drink minimum, or $40 VIP ticket with meet & greet; buy tickets here) Arcade Fire Park Slope | Friday, August 22, to Sunday, August 24 When orchestral indie rockers Arcade Fire won a Best Album Grammy in 2011, confusion reigned among the viewing audience. The funniest gaffes were recorded for posterity on the Tumblr “Who Is Arcade Fire?”—a question that still seemed apt back then. In 2014, it’s a little harder not to know the band’s name. With a #1 best-selling album in 2013—the James Murphy–co-produced Reflektor—Arcade Fire proved they could top charts and fill stadiums with their epic, dance-inflected sound. Electronica impresario Dan Deacon and the recently reunited Unicorns open for them on their three nights at Barclays Center. (620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn; 7:30 p.m.; $35–$85; buy tickets here) “Madeline in New York: The Art of Ludwig Bemelmans” Upper West Side | Through October 19 The New York Historical Society celebrates the 75th anniversary of the iconic little French schoolgirl with this exhibit of 90 original works by her creator, illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans. Visitors can admire drawings from all six Madeline books as well as panels from the mural Bemelmans painted in the playroom of Aristotle Onassis’s yacht. Stop in at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. Tuesday–Friday for a live reading from one of the Madeline books. (170 Central Park West; free with $6–$19 museum admission) Photo of Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest courtesy of Astella Development Corporation.

From kimchi-covered hot dogs to frothy Oktoberfest brews, this week’s list of things to do is brimming with deliciousness. But that’s only a taste of things to come—read on for more events and happenings, including a musical revival and an opportunity to hear Silent Bob break his silence. And, as always, check Groupon for more great things to do in New York City. Munich on the East River Gramercy Park | Saturday, October 11, and Sunday, October 12 This Oktoberfest bacchanal hosted by East Village brewhaus Zum Schneider brings oompah bands, burly strongmen, and vast quantities of cold, frothy German beer to a quaint blue-and-white tent by the river. Guests quaff huge Masskrüge—liter steins—of brews like Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen and HB Traunstein Festbier and, after 5 p.m., tuck into dinners of soft pretzels, weisswurst, and other traditional German fare. (E. 23rd St. at the river; Noon to 10 p.m.; $25 general admission, $100 VIP; buy tickets here) Fat Man on Manhattan: An Evening with Kevin Smith with Special Guest Jason Mewes Midtown | Saturday, October 11 20 years after the slacker comedy Clerks launched him to indie-comedy stardom, writer and director Kevin Smith will “get up close and personal” with fans at this event, which closes out New York Super Week’s epic pop-culture nerdfest. Appearing alongside Smith at the Hammerstein Ballroom is his frequent co-star Jason Mewes, who’ll likely overturn audience expectations by letting Silent Bob do most of the talking. (311 W. 34th St.; $20–$40) NYC Makers: The MAD Biennial Columbus Circle | Through Sunday, October 12 The Museum of Arts and Design’s first-ever biennial shines a spotlight on artisans, artists, and designers who create exquisitely beautiful things—only some of which you would normally find in a museum. Visitors gaze upon a creepily globular pink face mask by artist Zach Blas, but also a pair of beach-tennis paddles from design team Fredericks & Mae. (2 Columbus Circle; $12–$16) Hot Dog Happy Hour with Mo Rocca West Village | Friday, October 17 Cooking-show host and CBS correspondent Mo Rocca celebrates one of America’s most iconic snacks at this Groupon-exclusive hot dog tasting, part of the Food Network Wine and Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE. In the airy outdoor space of The Standard, High Line’s beer garden, guests feast on bun-swaddled treats from Walter’s Hot Dogs’ classic franks to Asiadog’s kimchi- and curry-smothered fusion creations. (848 Washington St.; 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; $75; buy tickets here) On the Town Times Square | Through November 23 Three sailors on scant 24-hour shore leave scour the Big Apple for their dream dates—or any date—in this madcap Leonard Bernstein–scored musical. The original, which first appeared on Broadway in 1949, gave us such hits as “New York, New York,” as well as a movie version starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly; the New York Times called Tony Award–winner John Rando’s 2014 production at the Lyric Theatre “one of those rare revivals that remind us what a hit show from long ago was really about.” (213 W. 42nd St.; $35–$79 through GrouponLive; get tickets here) Munich on the East River photo by Jonathan McPhail Photography. Photo of MAD Biennial opening night by Gulshan Kirat.