Weekend Guide: Finneas at Warsaw, and the new ‘BQ’ Flea

By Joshua Encinias

We’re speeding towards Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos, and this weekend, Brooklyn is abundant in autumnal activities.

Brooklyn Paints hosts a special Dia De Los Muertos Paint & Sip date night on Friday for you and a special someone. Also on Friday, Newfest, NYC’s premier LGBTQIA film festival is screening films and shorts at BAM and both Nitehawk locations.

The Classic Apple Pie Half-Marathon and 5K kicks-off your Saturday with an adrenaline high followed by a sugar rush as participants scarf down some pie at the finish line. Finneas, the brother and song-writing partner of Billie Eilish, comes to Warsaw to play some new tunes Saturday night, and Gertie hosts a “Break Fast” party in celebration of Yom Kippur.

The William Vale hosts their Vale Patch, their creative take on the traditional pumpkin patch on Sunday. Brooklyn Flea keeps things going with their newest location, the delightfully named BQ Flea, and Doll Parts (Brooklyn’s premier Dolly Parton cover band) play a show at Littlefield on Sunday night.

Get out there and enjoy the fall leaves before they’re all gone.

Friday, October 11

The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival at BAM and Nitehawk
Ongoing until October 22
Just as New York Film Festival wraps up, NewFest comes to BAM and both Nitehawk locations to celebrate the 36th anniversary of its annual New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Don’t miss the queer cultural event of the fall, featuring a thrilling lineup of highly anticipated LGBTQ+ films from around the world. The schedule includes over 140 narrative movies, documentaries, short films, TV series, panel conversations, and more — plus parties!

Oktoberfest Parties at Black Forest
Ongoing until Saturday, October 26
Black Forest’s Brooklyn locations in Fort Greene and Cobble Hill will host Oktoberfest parties every weekend through October 26. Now in its 11th year, you can check out the festivities over six Fridays and Saturdays — with some Sunday daytime events sprinkled in. Each party will feature authentic decorations, a live German oompah band, drink and food specials, and a stein-holding and costume contest with prizes. The party kicks off on September 21 with traditional keg tapping ceremonies, filling your steins with the freshest bier right from the keg! Tickets start at $15 for entry, and you can add on three hours of unlimited beer for $45. 733 Fulton Street, Fort Greene & 181 Smith Street, Cobble Hill.

Halloween Harvest at Luna Park
Ongoing until October 27
Luna Park switched from summer to fall faster than Joey Chestnut can down a dozen glizzies. Their annual Halloween Harvest is underway with Halloween-themed activities, including pumpkin decorating, balloon twisting, face painting, tractor racing, and trick-or-treating. Oh, and plenty of apple cider and pumpkin-spiced treats are for sale throughout the park.

Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch Paw-rade
Ongoing until October 31
Need a pumpkin? Browse Greg’s collection of gourds in all shapes and sizes and tons of Halloween decor. On Saturday, Greg’s will host a Paw-rade and doggie costume contest for your furry friends at 1 p.m. Visit anytime between 2 and 8 p.m. with the kids for pumpkin carving and painting with all supplies included. Located at Greenwood Park beer garden, 555 Seventh Avenue.

Black Lagoon Pop-Up at Someday Bar Brooklyn
Ongoing until October 31
The acclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon opened to the public beginning October 1 and run through the 31st at Someday Bar. Black Lagoon is an immersive Halloween bar pop-up where mixology meets the macabre, a dark celebration for those who revel in the mysterious and bizarre, where guests can transport themselves to a world that blurs that line between reality and the supernatural.

Empire State Music and Arts Festival
Friday to Sunday
The Empire State Music & Arts Festival has returned for its 10th year, running October 7 to 13 at several venues throughout the borough (Grey Studios, Purgatory, Brooklyn Brewery and more). Promising to “transcend the boundaries of your average NYC festival,” the event offers two seven-day ticket tracks: One for artists (that includes artist development, network building, and studio time) and one for patrons (that includes a week-long immersion into multi-genre artistic ingenuity and community).

‘The Dreamer Examines His Pillow’ by John Patrick Shanley
Friday through Sunday
John Patrick Shanley, playwright and screenwriter of “Moonstruck” and “Doubt,” has penned “The Dreamer Examines His Pillow,” a play about dreamers, about lost souls, real people struggling to communicate and discover their reason for existence. They fight, they yell, they laugh, they claw, they drink, they screw, they alternatively cover and confront, they spew themselves onto life, right or wrong. Performances will take place this weekend and the following weekend. 350 Cornelia Street. Tickets are $28.52.

Dia De Los Muertos Paint & Sip
6 p.m.
Join Brooklyn Paints for a fun and creative evening at their Dia De Los Muertos Paint & Sip date night. Unleash your inner artist as you celebrate this traditional Mexican holiday with a twist., Grab your partner or a friend and head over to 1134 Broadway for a night filled with painting, sipping, and good company. Instructors will guide you through creating your own unique Dia De Los Muertos masterpiece, and all painting supplies will be provided. Tickets are $33.85.

Heavy Horror Hope Film & Music Fest
6:30 p.m.
Visit Lucky 13 Saloon on Friday night for an evening of horror films and live music. Get ready for a spine-chilling experience filled with scares and entertainment in a festival showcases four local award-winning short horror film directors, as well as a private screening of the internationally award-winning feature “The Coffee Table,” plus, some of the best local heavy metal acts from NYC and beyond. 644 Sackett Street. Tickets are $15.71.

John Zorn’s ‘Cobra’ at 40
8 p.m.
Completed in October 1984, saxophonist-composer John Zorn’s landmark “Cobra” premiered to both acclaim and consternation at Roulette that same month. This October, Zorn returns with a stellar lineup of a dozen of New York’s leading improvisers to celebrate Cobra’s 40th Birthday. Featuring three generations of creative musicians with Zorn himself at the helm. 509 Atlantic Avenue. Tickets range from $37.50 to $45, including fees.

Dustin Lowman Album Release Show
8 p.m.
Dustin Lowman celebrates the release of his folk-rock album “Invulnerable” with a night of rousing music at the Jalopy Theatre in Red Hook. Lowman is the host of “His Back Pages,” a quarterly Bob Dylan deep cuts series, at Manhattan’s Cafe Wha?, and performs throughout the northeast at music festivals. The night’s line-up includes John Shakespear and Lily Talmers. 315 Columbia Street. Tickets are $15.

Saturday, October 12

NYC Vintage Clothing Pop-Up Shop
Saturday and Sunday
Shop vintage from Brooklyn stylist closet sale including archive designer pieces, leather, outerwear, boots, and more at the Vintage Pop Up. Preowned designer goods and curated vintage pop up at Unearth Vintage Thrift Store in Brooklyn from the closet of Brooklyn Stylist Alexis Kahler. 159 Smith Street.

The Classic Apple Pie Half-Marathon & 5K
9 a.m.
You’ll love this race to the core, crust us. Make your way to Veterans Pier on October 12 for The Classic Apple Pie Half-Marathon and 5K that morning. Choose between the half-marathon or 5K and enjoy the fall sights and sounds along the boardwalk. Afterward, pick up your well-earned pie as well as some treats from All Round Foods. Registration is $43.

Grand Panamanian Parade
10:30 a.m.
Performers from Panama and across the U.S. will showcase their talents before the judges’ review stage at President Street at the largest parade of its kind. The parade itself culminates in a “spectacular” Street Festival at Classon Avenue and Eastern Parkway and will feature Panamanian and American cuisines, merchandise, Panamanian artifacts and live music and entertainment. For more info and parade route along Franklin Avenue, check their website.

Free Books from the Brooklyn Book Bodega
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Brooklyn Book Bodega has an excess of well-loved and overstocked books for kids and adults. You can register at the link above to attend their Brooklyn Navy Yard Book Hub this Saturday. They will allow you to browse for 45 minutes and select as many books as you can carry (maximum 100 books). Please bring your own bag or luggage. 141 Flushing Ave, Suite 407. Free, although registration is required and donations are appreciated. The event is for ages 10 and up.

Fall Photo Walk
1 to 7 p.m.
Grab your camera, shoot some film, and enjoy a scenic stroll through Bushwick’s iconic industrial landscape — from Brooklyn Film Camera to the new home of Bushwick Community Darkroom — led by the teams from NYCQPC and Limitless Studios. Free, but reservations required. 855 Grand Street.

Fagtasia: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
4 p.m.
What better way to spend a Saturday night than with Fagtasia as they present an all-femme shadowcast performance of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”? The show fuses live singing, dance, and dazzling performances that pay homage to the iconic movie and its timeless songs. 260 Meserole Street. Tickets begin at $15.

Yom Kippur ‘Break Fast’ Party at Gertie
5:30 p.m.
Modern diner and community space Gertie in Williamsburg is hosting evening gatherings in honor of the High Holidays featuring special guests and family-style meals. End your fast with good food and great company this Saturday night, where guests will be treated to an all-you-can-eat “break-fast” spread, complimentary coffee, tea and juice, smoked fish from Acme, and sweet treats from Fan Fan Donuts. The party is open to everyone, so grab a friend or loved one and join the celebrations. 357 Grand Street. Tickets are $55.

Finneas at Warsaw
8 p.m.
Finneas brings his “For Cryin Out Loud” tour to Warsaw on Saturday night. You might know him for writing songs with his sister Billie Eilish, but Finneas has a career and brilliant songs all of his own. The show is currently sold out, but The NY Post is giving away tickets and you can always try third-party resellers. 261 Driggs Avenue.

Afrobeats to the World
11 p.m.
Get ready to groove at Afrobeats to the World! Dive into a high-energy experience at The Brooklyn Monarch, where electrifying rhythms and music bring Afrobeats and African culture to life. With amazing dancers and top DJs, this is your chance to connect, celebrate, and dance. 23 Meadow Street. Tickets are $25.24.

Sunday, October 13

Brooklyn Flea
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Brooklyn Flea’s newest market, BQ Flea, is located under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway along Meeker Avenue between Union and Lorimer Avenues, smack dab in the middle of North/South/East Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Join in the thrifting fun every Sunday this month with over 50 vendors on hand.

Fall Fest Atlantic Terminal Mall Plaza & Fort Greene Place
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Atlantic Terminal Mall and Brooklyn Bridge Parents are hosting a free, family-friendly fall festival on Atlantic Terminal’s outdoor plaza and car-free Fort Greene Place on Sunday. They will set up an urban pumpkin patch with over 1,000 pumpkins waiting to be decorated by the kiddos. The outdoor plaza will feature arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, block building, haunted trucks to enter (if you dare), soccer, and a costume dance party. Kids are encouraged to come in costumes. 139 Flatbush Avenue. Free.

The William Vale’s Pumpkin Patch
12 to 3 p.m.
With spooky season upon us, The William Vale will transform into an autumn wonderland with its spooktacular Vale Pumpkin Patch on Sunday, a fall affair for all ages. Taking place at The William Vale’s Vale Park, two and four-legged friends alike are welcome to revel in the season by picking the perfect pumpkin, savoring delicious fall treats and beverages from Leuca, and partaking in a kid and pet costume contest, along with an array of festivities including face painting, balloon artistry, live portraits and more. 111 North 12th Street.

Brooklyn Rocks! Fashion Camp 360 X Primark Fall Collection Runway Show
1 p.m.
Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and City Point will turn Abolitionist Place into a dynamic runway by Fashion Camp 360. In a celebration of Brooklyn’s community spirit, Primark will donate all clothing modeled during the show to aspiring fashionistas. Free. 227 Duffield Street.

YES Halloween Market
1 to 7 p.m.
Hit the apple cider and get spooky because YES Halloween Market is back! Shop local, support the arts, and find the best Halloween look ever. Shop from a curated collection of creations and creatures from the weird, wild, and wonderful. Explore many vendors with goods including – artisan jewelry, crafts, candles, cards, clothing, gifts, arts, textiles, festival wear and more. Plus, YES has drink specials and cocktails all day long. 2 Wyckoff Avenue. Free.

Doll Parts Presents: 1974 A Dolly Parton Experience
8 p.m.
Doll Parts, Brooklyn’s premier Dolly Parton cover band, will play the show at Littlefield on Sunday night. This show will celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic songs ever recorded, “Jolene.” 1974 was one of Dolly’s most prolific years that gave us not just “Jolene,” but the legendary “I Will Always Love You” (which, incredibly, she wrote on the same day). Fun extras will include a ‘Dolly vs. Jolene’ costume contest, special prizes, guest hosts, and a burlesque performance from Corvette Le Face. 635 Sackett Street. Tickets are $18.67.