Things To Do In Westwood

This week’s list of things to do includes a hip-hop reunion tour, a 165-foot zipline, South Indian dancers, and Hamlet as performed by Gary Busey (not really). Enjoy, and, as always, check Groupon for more great things to do in New York City. Photo of Ragamala Dance by Alice Gerbura. Summer Streets Lower Manhattan | Saturday, August 2 Pedestrians and cyclists will rule Park Avenue for a few brief hours this Saturday, when the city shuts down a 7-mile stretch of asphalt for the first of three Summer Streets events this August. The car-free stroll from Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park would be pleasant in itself, but the city’s also provided a multitude of free amusements along the way. Inside the Park Avenue Tunnel, a seven-block-long immersive sound installation mimics the sonic effects of diving deep under the sea. At 34th Street, the Whole Foods City Picnic keeps crowds nourished with free food and drink samples. Further downtown, a 165-foot zipline sends harnessed participants zooming across Foley Square. Performances by African drummers and jugglers, parkour and cooking demonstrations, and a PAWS dog park round out the day. (Park Ave. from the Brooklyn Bridge to 77th St.; 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; free) Jurassic 5 Midtown | Saturday, August 2 Fresh off a globe-trotting reunion tour, Jurassic 5 shows no signs that their energy’s slackening. The “Quality Control” group brings their nostalgic old-school hip-hop to Best Buy Theater this Saturday. The best part of J5 has always been the interaction between the rappers’ voices: anchored by Chali 2na’s deep baritone, they play off each other like a barbershop quartet that just happens to spit rhymes. Their first post-reunion single, the White Stripes–sampling “The Way We Do It,” is evidence that the years haven’t erased that playful vibe. (1515 Broadway; show at 8 p.m., doors at 7 p.m.; $42.50–$50; buy tickets here) The One I Love Sunset Park | Monday, August 4 The directorial debut of famed author and Twitterer Charlie McDowell, this indie romantic comedy made a splash when it premiered at Sundance this January. Some of the reasons were obvious, including moving performances from Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, Top of the Lake). But some are more obscure, like the surreal, high-concept plot twist that most reviewers have refused to reveal. (Feel free to scrutinize the trailer for hints.) Come see what the fuss is about at Rooftop Films’ sneak-preview outdoor screening at Industry City, which will be followed by a Q&A with the director and stars, plus an after-party sponsored by New Amsterdam Spirits. (220 36th St., Brooklyn; doors at 8 p.m.; $13; get tickets here) Ragamala Dance in Song of the Jasmine Upper West Side | Thursday, August 7 Classical South Indian dance meets contemporary jazz in this Walker Art Center–commissioned show, whose Lincoln Center Out of Doors performance is also its New York premiere. Composer and saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa interweaves his meandering melodies with traditional Indian instruments to soundtrack the elegant, flowing movements of dance troupe Ragamala Dance. Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers and the Chinese-American Arts Council Dancers open. (Damrosch Park Bandshell, between Amsterdam Ave. & W. 62nd St.; 7:30 p.m.; free) Fringe Festival Multiple locations | Friday, August 8, through Sunday, August 24 Now in its 18th year, this sprawling multi-arts event will fill more than 20 theaters this month with off-the-wall indie performances from around the globe. Offerings range from Gary Busey’s One-Man Hamlet (which doesn’t actually feature Gary Busey) to Dust Can’t Kill Me, a folk musical about the 1930s Dust Bowl, to Njozi Ensemble Company’s Ain’t She Brave: an Ensemble of Poetry. ($18 per show, $85–$500 for a multi-show pass; buy tickets here)

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.

This week’s agenda includes a poet-led rock band, a 40-mile bike ride, indie-pop handclaps, and frothy pints of craft beer. If that’s not enough to keep you busy, you can always check Groupon for more great things to do in New York City. New York City Poetry Festival Governors Island | Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing a Pulitzer Prize–winning poet front a rock group, here’s your chance. The fourth annual NYC Poetry Festival brings Paul Muldoon’s folk-and-roots band Wayside Shrines to Governors Island to headline a weekend that will include readings from more than 250 poets, including Mark Doty, Joyelle McSweeney, and Matthea Harvey. In-between sets, browse indie crafts and booksellers’ wares, fuel up with snacks from food vendors including Morris Grilled Cheese and Mud Coffee, or quaff pints in a beer garden sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery. (free; register here) The Epic Ride Greenpoint | Sunday, July 27, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cyclists zip along 40 miles of picturesque waterfront during this Brooklyn Greenway Initiative–sponsored ride, which loosely follows the path of the proposed Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. Starting in Greenpoint, riders pedal their way along the Queens shoreline to Rockaway Beach, where they can celebrate their feat with a dip in the ocean or a beachside after-party with food vendors. ($30 BGI members, $40 general admission; register here) Ingrid Michaelson Central Park | Wednesday, July 30, at 6 p.m. This spring, singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson’s “Girls Chase Boys” became her highest-charting single in eight years, buoyed in part by a Robert Palmer–esque music video full of made-up male models. But Michaelson's back catalog is full of even more sweet, upbeat pop. This Wednesday at Central Park Summerstage, the concert crowd can look forward to clapping along with her 2006 hit “The Way I Am” or whipping out their best air ukulele during the chilled-out ballad “Be Ok.” (at Central Park SummerStage; $30, $25 in advance; buy tickets here) Good Beer SoHo | Thursday, July 31 Sponsored by Edible Manhattan, the sixth annual Good Beer festival lets suds aficionados celebrate the end of July Good Beer Month in style. Guests match pints from craft brewers such as Brewery Ommegang, Oskar Blues Brewery, and KelSo Beer with bites from the likes of Luke’s Lobster, Brooklyn Cured, and Roni-Sue’s Chocolates. (at 82Mercer, 82 Mercer St.; $65 general admission; buy tickets here) Finding Fela West Village | Friday, August 1 Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti may have a hit Broadway musical to his name, but there’s always more to his life story than can fit onstage. Academy Award–winner Alex Gibney’s documentary Finding Fela, which opens at the IFC Center this weekend, attempts to fill in the gaps left by FELA! by delving deep into Kuti’s legacy as a performer and political activist. The result may feel a little like program notes for the musical (whose scenes feature prominently in the film), but for fans of Kuti, it’s still worth a look. (323 Sixth Ave.; $14 adults, $10 children and seniors, $9 IFC members; tickets not yet available) Photo of Ingrid Michaelson by Shervin Lainez.