Weekend Guide: J. Cole, Buju Banton, First Saturday

And a fistful of metal

“Only in New York” is a phrase that can mean just about anything. Only in New York can you find a club with cutting-edge comedy downstairs and a bocce court upstairs; only in New York can you go from foraging for food to seeing great R&B in just a few subway stops; only in New York do you have the choice between Fringe Festival-bound one-person shows and Buju Banton-hosted parties. We’ve got all of those options, and many more, in this latest edition of the Weekend Guide.

Thursday, July 30

Union Hall 20th Anniversary Party! @ Union Hall
4 p.m.

You know it, you love it. Your favorite comedy club-slash-bocce ball court is turning 20, and it’s a party from 4 p.m. until closing time. Prizes, giveaways, an open bocce competition (of course), and, best of all, beer will be at 2006 prices all night.

Foraging Walk with Robin Greenfield in Brooklyn @ The Peristyle, Prospect Park
6 p.m.

Given where things seem to be headed, now is probably time to learn how to find your own food. Greenfield is an activist in the middle of a year-long commitment to forage every bit of his food and medicine. During that time, he’s traveling around to share his knowledge. He’ll show you how to forage safely, and even find some medicinal plants.

Daniel Caesar: Son of Spergy Tour @ Barclays Center
7:30 p.m.

Caesar’s first-ever headlining arena tour is underway, and we’re getting him on only the third date of a trek that will take him all over the world. Hopefully YesJulz will not be on the guest list.

Friday, July 31

NYC Metal Festival 2026 @ Polish & Slavic Center
6 p.m.

Get your devil horns ready! The heaviest festival in the city will be headlined by Warrior Soul. Also on the bill: Spread Eagle, Metalfier, Killcode, Brand of Julez, Piwnica, and The Stoned.

All the Feelings Tour with Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Stars @ Brooklyn Paramount
6 p.m.

The Canadians are coming! The aughts’ top north-of-the-border indie rock powerhouses are teaming up for the aptly named All the Feelings Tour, which hits Brooklyn tonight.

DJ Kevlar Album Release Show: Transitions & Transformations @ Friends and Lovers
7 p.m.

DJ Kevlar’s new album features a ton of incredible guests, including Open Mike Eagle, Che Noir, Abstract Rude, Eligh, and Von Pea. To celebrate the record, he’s putting on this event hosted by Sam Sellers and including a ton of special guests: ScienZe, Odario, Elizabeth Chan, Deborah S. Craig, Wavy Bagels, and many more. Every ticket comes with a digital download of the album.

J. Cole: The Fall-Off World Tour @ Barclays Center
8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday)

C0le, one of the biggest rappers of his generation, said his career would conclude with The Fall-Off, the album he teased for years and finally dropped in February. Where that leaves him as an artist is unclear, but his Brooklyn shows may serve as both homecoming (Cole went to college one borough away) and coronation.

Soul in the Horn: The Real Summer Party @ 99 Scott
10 p.m.

Yes, Soul in the Horn events always have an incredible lineup of DJs. But this one will have something extra: singer Monique Bingham, the voice behind so many of your favorite house tracks, will be in the…um…house.

Saturday, August 1

Tequila Fest NYC 2026 @ Brooklyn Navy Yard
3 p.m.

Yes, per the name, there will be free tequila punch (while supplies last). But you’ll also be able to get free BBQ and jerk chicken, and dance the afternoon away to top DJs. Of course, the event is 21+.

DESCENDANTS: An Afro House Experience @ Elsewhere
4 p.m.

DJs from Portugal, London, Kenya, and even NYC will be on hand to spin the best Afro house, Gqom, and more. Make sure to show up and show out, as “expressive, colorful dress” is encouraged.

First Saturday: Where Brooklyn Meets the Caribbean @ Brooklyn Museum
5 p.m.

First Saturdays are always fun, no matter the theme. But this one promises to be extra great. A steel pan orchestra, a Haitian konpa movement workshop, a lecture about jazz’s Caribbean history from the one and only Donald Harrison, a Panamanian marching band, and of course incredible DJs will all be part of the evening.

Fireflies and Sunset Ecology @ Greenway Botanical Garden at the Naval Cemetery
8 p.m.

It’s getting towards the end of firefly season, so this might be your last chance to see them in all their glory. At the same time, you’ll get to learn about them from an expert gardner and even engage in a little catch-and-release.

Sunday, August 2

Free Canoeing on the Gowanus Canal @ Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club Boathouse
9 a.m.

We’ve recommended this before, and we’ll keep doing it. What’s better than canoeing? Canoeing for free, especially when it’s just a subway ride away.

Sapphest V @ Brooklyn Art Haus
2 p.m. (and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.)

The city’s best sapphic-themed playwriting competition and play festival is back. Check out seven original 10-minute plays put together, each inspired by a song—which you can guess afterwards!

Guilt Free by Maddie Silverstein @ Singers
7 p.m.

Comedian Silverstein’s debut solo show is on its way to the Fringe Festival, so you can get a sneak peek here. It takes on the ridiculousness of diet culture and the intense pressure to remain thin at all costs.

Jamaica Pre-Independence Celebration and Album Release Party Hosted by Buju Banton @ Polygon Rooftop
7 p.m.

Buju’s new LP, Too Too Bad, is here. He’ll be at Polygon to celebrate its arrival, alongside Platinum Kids, DJ Norie, and DJ Prostyle.