Weekend Guide: Atlantic Antic, Soul in the Horn and Mk.gee at Brooklyn Paramount

By Joshua Encinias

Fall’s first full weekend kicks things off with an almost endless list things to do, and because it’s both Atlantic Antic weekend and Climate Week in the city, much of it’s happening outdoors.

On Friday, you can try the exclusive sundae from Caffè Panna in Greenpoint, a one-day-only collab inspired by Chef Philippe Massoud’s Lebanese dessert at ilili. Buy some and take a stroll to Domino Square, the new one-acre public plaza that opened this week at Domino Park.

Saturday brings the return of Bk Backyard after they moved to a new home at 151 Banker Street (five blocks down from the OG location). Join them on Saturday and Sunday for reopening celebrations and libations. RSVP here. Speaking of local watering hole celebrations, Windsor Terrace’s beloved corner bar Double Windsor is celebrating its 15th anniversary on Saturday and going all out with special exclusive brewery collabs you won’t find anywhere else.

Our Weekend Guide is jam-packed with big cultural gatherings like the Magical Girls Festival at Japan Village on Saturday, the ongoing Brooklyn Book Fest, Lettuce at Brooklyn Bowl and more.

Get out there and enjoy autumn.

Friday, September 27

Oktoberfest in Brooklyn
Various times and locations
In our guide to this year’s best Oktoberfest parties in Brooklyn, you’ll find traditional festivities at spots like Williamsburg’s Radegast Hall & Biergarten and Bay Ridge’s Schnitzel Haus. There’s also an Oktoberfest cruise, a fundraiser for the Brooklyn School German, and events at Brooklyn Crab.

The Brooklyn Book Festival
Various times and locations, ongoing until Monday
The annual Brooklyn Book Festival runs through the 30th, spotlighting writers of all genres: fiction and nonfiction, poetry, prose, and graphic storytelling, international and local, for adult and young readers alike. Events are free, but plenty of books will be for sale.

‘Picture Day’ by Levon Hawke
Ongoing until October 6
Quick and Dirty Theatre Company, a new group based in Red Hook, presents the world premiere of “Picture Day,” a play by Levon Hawke, at Coffey Street Studios. The play explores the hidden lives we all lead and the unspoken truths that shape us. Set in an ordinary living room, it follows five roommates as they navigate their chosen family dynamics, explore their sexuality and identity, and confront the complexities of modern male friendships. With the arrival of the mysterious “Picture Guy,” each character must face their deepest secrets. 153 Coffey Street. Tickets are $50.

‘The Voices in Your Head’ at St. Lydia’s
Ongoing until October 6
Egg & Spoon Theatre Collective is remounting the hit dark comedy “The Voices in Your Head,” produced in association with Billy McEntee and Those Guilty Creatures and returning to St. Lydia’s from September 9 to October 6 in the wake of its celebrated, sold-out world premiere in January. “The Voices in Your Head” follows eight New Yorkers as they exchange stories, escape the ridicule of the outside world, and build an oasis, even as individual needs test the group’s stability. The New Yorker’s theater critic Helen Shaw said of the show, staged for an audience of 20 each night at a cozy, storefront church, “If you need a morsel of sweet weirdness, acted by top-shelf Off-Off megastars, try The Voices in Your Head — warm, witty, bonkers.” 304 Bond Street. Tickets are $39.72.

Brooklyn Heights Designer Showcase
Friday through November 6
The biennial event offers a rare opportunity to visit a historic home in Brooklyn Heights while discovering the work of cutting-edge designers who are selected to add their unique touch to their rooms, blending old with new Brooklyn chic. 182 Clinton Street. $50 general admission. Other prices vary.

3rd Annual Adult Film and Theatre Festival
Friday through Sunday
Adult Film is an actor’s collective in Bushwick focused on the relationships between actors, writers, and directors. Members live and work on three floors of their Bushwick brownstone where they produce intimate plays, hold acting classes, screenings, and more. AF’s third Film and Theatre Festival takes place this weekend and next where you can expect six days of short film and feature film screenings from local NYC filmmakers. Two one-act theatre pieces will also be performed, “This is the Rill Speaking” by Lanford Wilson, and “Savage/Love” by Sam Shepard. 350 Cornelia Street. Tickets are $33.85.

Smith Street Stage’s ‘Richard II’
Friday and Saturday
Smith Street Stage’s “Richard II” production taps into timely political themes, exploring the transfer of power and its consequences (sound familiar?). “Richard II” provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the fragility of leadership and the forces that drive change. Smith Street Stage is committed to demystifying and making Shakespeare’s work relatable and accessible, inviting audiences to see the contemporary world reflected in these very old stories. 291 President Street. Tickets begin at $25.

Children’s Dance Class at Jane’s Carousel
9:30 a.m.
Calling all tiny dancers! Jane’s Carousel is having a free dance party hosted by their friends HYPE Dance Community on Friday morning. Littles (ages 0-3) and their caretakers will love this movement class that boosts self-confidence in a playful, engaging way. The class ends with the letter of the day, storytime, and stickers. 1 Old, Dock Street. Free.

Nature Walk at Governors Island
2 to 3:30 p.m.
Take the fer­ry over to Governors Island’s green oasis for a spe­cial guid­ed tour to dis­cov­er and con­nect with the wildlife that calls this place home. Led by the Gov­er­nors Island Nature pro­gram along with insect ecol­o­gist Amy Berkov, these month­ly tours will take par­tic­i­pants on a jour­ney through Gov­er­nors Island’s diverse nat­ur­al areas. You’ll get to learn about these resilient, built land­scapes direct­ly from the peo­ple who know them best, and get the chance to par­tic­i­pate in dif­fer­ent com­mu­ni­ty sci­ence projects. Sep­tem­ber’s Nature Walk will be focused on how cli­mate change is impact­ing insect pop­u­la­tions, both on the Island and around New York City, in hon­or of Cli­mate Week NYC.

Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival
Friday 5 to 8:15 p.m.; Saturday noon to 8 p.m.
The Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival (DBAF) is an annual celebration of Downtown Brooklyn’s cultural community and the artists who inspire the borough’s creative spirit. The showcase of acclaimed local arts organizations and artists includes interactive and immersive activations, a celebration of James Baldwin’s centennial, a drumming workshop for families, sets by DJ Spinna and more. The Plaza at 300 Ashland. Free.

Paola Prestini’s ‘Silent Light’ opera
7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. Sunday
In “Silent Light,” based on Carlos Reygada’s Acclaimed 2007 Film, a fraught love story unfolds in a Mennonite community in the plains of northern Mexico. “Silent Light” is composed by Prestini, with a libretto from Royce Vavrek, directed by Thaddeus Strassberger and conducted by Christopher Rountree. Engaging the aural, visual, and olfactory, and harnessing the uniqueness of National Sawdust’s architecture and Meyer constellation sound system, the production immerses audiences in a socially cloistered and sensuously expansive environment. National Sawdust, 80 N 6th Street. $80.66 – $85.66, plus fees.

Soul in the Horn
10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Soul in The Horn is a global lifestyle, music, technology and entertainment brand with a core mission to lift the collective vibration. Resident DJ Natasha Diggs welcomes Ron Trent, Josh Milan (Live Band), Sunny Cheeba, Blue Nefertiti, Miranda Nicole, Kervyn Mark, Ian Friday to the SITH stage at 99 Scott Studio on Friday night. Expect surprise special guests and the SITH horn and percussion sections. As per usual, SITH promises this will be a music, dance and fashion extravaganza. 99 Scott Avenue. The remaining tickets are $45.

Saturday, September 28

All Things Go Festival
Saturday and Sunday
All Things Go Festival hosts their first NYC edition at Forest Hill Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. Featuring headliners Renée Rapp, Muna, Chappell Roan, Janelle Monáe, Ethan Cain, Julian Baker and Brooklyn’s own Del Water Gap, we’re looking at something like Lillith Fair for Gen Z. Unfortunately, it’s sold out. But you can hop on the festival’s waitlist or try your luck with resellers. 1 Tennis Pl., 11375.

Pop-Up Audubon at Prospect Park
Saturday and Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. each day
Meet at the Nethermead arches as Prospect Park celebrates Trees Appreciation Month on Saturday and Sunday. You’ll create autumn leaf window clings to decorate your home. Next, you’ll gain hands-on experience in citizen science as you explore the Prospect Park environment and witness how changing temperatures affect the trees. Free.

Magical Girls Festival at Japan Village
12 to 8 p.m.
The Magical Girls Festival is a day-long celebration of magical girls from Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, PreCure, Tokyo Mew Mew and more. The free one-day market will have over 20 vendors selling goods inspired by magical girl anime. There will also be activities like guided journaling with sheets created by Jacque Aye and “Magical Girl Movement & Mobility” classes by Geek Girl Strong’s Robyn Warren, along with giveaways and musical performances. 934 3rd Avenue.

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party
Shows at 12:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Move over, Barbie, it’s Hot Wheels’ turn. The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party kicks up some dirt at Barclays Center on Saturday for an afternoon and evening of neon-draped big-wheel monster trucks. See your kid’s favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks like Mega Wrex, Boneshaker, Gunkster and the all-new Brooklyn Nets Monster Truck. There’s also a dance party, laser light shows and Hot Wheels toy giveaways. 620 Atlantic Avenue. Tickets are $37 to $87.

The First Annual Carroll Park Olympics
Opening Ceremony at 2 p.m., Closing Ceremony at 5 p.m.
The First Annual Carroll Park Olympics is a community event at Carroll Park with fun and slightly ridiculous competitions for all ages. Join for the Opening Ceremony at 2 p.m. and the Closing Medal Ceremony at 5 p.m. Family-friendly competitions include scooter races, a stroller speed challenge, a car seat installation contest, and even an Ikea furniture race. All proceeds will benefit a local non-profit supporting homeless and at-risk families in Brooklyn. No registration is needed, just come, compete and enjoy the fun. Court St., Smith St., bet. Carroll St. and President St. Free.

Double Windsor’s 15th anniversary celebration
Noon until 2 a.m.
Fifteen years of burgers and beers and so much more. Celebrate 15 years of the Double Windsor friends, families and the community that endures. The bar has collaborated with local brewers Barrier and KCBC for anniversary collabs exclusively available for the party (and more widely available the following week). 210 Prospect Park West.

Prospect Park Moon & Magic Ride
7:15 to 8:15 p.m.
The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space hosts a night bike ride on Saturday night. Meet at Grand Army Plaza entrance to Prospect Park across the street from the arch where the Saturday Greenmarket takes place. You’ll discover the park at night with a peaceful ride that visits its little-known treasures. Bike lights are recommended.

Comedy Ghost Walk
7:30 p.m.
Comedy Ghost Walk is a show where comedians lead you on an evening of ghost-themed stories and jokes at McCarren Park. At each section of the walk, a comedian will tell a harrowing tale of ghastly ghouls, sadistic spirits and murderous mayhem. Are the stories true? You’ll have to go (and Google) to find out. 776 Lorimer Street. Tickets are $7.18.

Lettuce at Brooklyn Bowl
8 p.m.
Psychedelic funk band, Lettuce, will perform at Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday and Sunday nights. The performance is part of Brooklyn Bowl’s 15-Year Anniversary Celebration. Originating in Boston in 1992, the ensemble has collaborated with the likes of Bootsy Collins, Talib Kweli, John Scofield, go-go legends Jungle Boogie & Big Tony and more. Plus, they just released their “Live in Tokyo” live album remastered with two bonus tracks in celebration of its 20th anniversary. 61 Wythe Avenue. Tickets are $55.35.

Sunday, September 29

The 49th Atlantic Antic Festival
12 to 6 p.m.
Brooklyn’s largest and oldest street festival returns on Sunday! The Atlantic Antic Festival began in the 1970s to reintroduce fellow New Yorkers and visitors to Atlantic Avenue with dining, shopping, and opportunities to explore its history. The long-running tradition returns with live music, fresh eats and drinks and more artisanal vendors than you can possibly visit. Festival map.

Blocktoberfest 2024
1 to 5:30 p.m.
Blocktoberfest is pouring out a feast of hoppy delights on September 29. It’s the city’s only event featuring nearly every member of the NYC Brewers Guild, and there are even drinks for non-beer drinkers. New this year: Blocktoberfest will be indoors in the taproom of Brooklyn Brewery. The fest has several different ticket levels so imbibe to your wallet’s delight. If you really want to treat yourself, the first 100 VIP ticket holders to arrive will receive a delicious and complimentary pretzel from Sigmund’s Pretzels. 79 North 11th Street. Tickets start from $19.98.

Kevin Iso: ‘finna run this hour’
7:30 p.m.
Comedian and actor Kevin Iso — of “Flatbush Misdemeanors,” “That Damn Michael Che,” “Atlanta” and “High Fidelity” — is bringing an hour of fresh material to Union Hall. 702 Union Street. $18.98

Mk.gee at Brooklyn Paramount
8 p.m.
Mk.gee, singer of “Are You Looking Up,” performs at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre on Sunday night. Mk.gee’s sound is mysterious as it is adventurous. Nicole Kidman was spotted at his recent Nashville show, so see Mk.gee when he visits Bk on Sunday. SEES00000 is the opener. 385 Flatbush Ave Extension. Tickets are $89.44.