Things to Do in NYC: August 2024 Highlights
Free highlights from the August 2024 Blankman List
As I write this, at long last I have a ‘4’ in the tens digit of my age. At this point in my life, I’m increasingly picky about what I’m willing to spend time on and am grateful that it still includes writing the Blankman List. The August 2024 list of things to do in New York City includes most of the events below, plus many more.
When it comes to what else I spend time on, a lot of that just feels like . . . life. Health, family, job, and so on.
I still try to make time for the things that I love. I ended up with an especially exhausting itinerary for the week of my birthday, filled with some of the things (and people) I love:
July 6: Cats: The Jellicle Ball
July 7: Empire: The Musical
July 8: Illinoise
July 9: 54 Sings Beyoncé
July 10: Romeo & Juliet
Two of those were with friends, two with my husband, and Romeo & Juliet was simply me. I made time for other things I love, too. Good food. Long runs. Lazy mornings. Treasure hunting at thrift stores. Playing with our cat, Billie.
One pursuit I’ve long loved is wordplay. For this month’s highlights, I shamelessly scratch a lexicological itch.
Each trio of events below is connected to a four-letter word that can be made from the letters of AUGUST. This list covers all nine possibilities, at least according to the latest version of the Scrabble dictionary. The events themselves are wide-ranging and include concerts, art exhibitions, social meetups, and even a talk on graph theory.
Disclaimer: before going anywhere, please confirm the date, time, location, cost, and description using the listed website. Any event is at risk of being rescheduled, relocated, sold out, at capacity, or canceled. Costs are rounded to the nearest dollar and may change. I try to vet quality and describe accurately, but I may misjudge. All views are my own.
GAST: To scare
In Act 2, Scene 2 of Shakespeare’s King Lear, Edmund says, “Or whether gasted by the noise I made,/ Full suddenly he fled.” The word GAST is now an obsolete synonym for to scare, and it doesn’t have to be October to engage with horror and darker topics around NYC.
Monday, August 12–Tuesday, August 20: Tobe Hooper in the 1980s
Film series featuring the controversial 1980s genre films of Tobe Hooper, director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre; time depends on film
$15–$30 entry, depending on category and purchase method
The Museum of Modern Art [MoMA], floor T2/T1
11 W 53rd St (Midtown, Manhattan)
Saturday, August 17: Death Cafe
Informal, group-directed discussion of death “with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives”; 3:30–4:30 pm
Free
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL), Room 304
455 5th Ave (Bryant Park, Manhattan)
Tuesday, August 20: Tales from the Crypt: Demon Night
Screening of 1995 black horror comedy film; 9:30 pm; part of Terror Tuesday
$17
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Brooklyn
445 Albee Square W, 4th Floor (Downtown Brooklyn)
GATS: Revolvers or pistols
The most common meaning for GATS is as the plural of gat, which is a revolver or pistol. The Blankman List does not include gun-related events, nor are there many in NYC to include in the first place. So I’ll turn instead to the slang term for biceps, as in “show me ’dem guns!” There are plenty of events to help keep you fit around the city.
Every Friday: Adult Ninja Night
Open play on ninja warrior courses and obstacles, with refreshments and alcohol for sale; 8 pm
$29
Ferox Ninja Park
72 Noble St (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)
Saturday, August 10 & Saturday, August 17: Yoga on the Stoop
Outdoor yoga followed by guided meditation; 10–11 am
$20 (bring your own mat; includes admission to the Brooklyn Museum)
Brooklyn Museum, Iris Cantor Plaza
200 Eastern Pkwy (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
Friday, August 16: Taylor Swift Dreamland Roller Disco
Taylor Swift-themed outdoor roller skating with live DJ; 7–10 pm (6:30 pm doors)
$28 (includes roller skate rental)
LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park
171 East Dr (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
GUST: Brief rush of wind
Though I imagine all of us have experienced a GUST of wind, the American Meteorological Society clarifies that it is usually less than 20 seconds long, making it more transient than a squall. Here I branch out from a gust of wind to events covering the classical elements of earth, wind, air, and fire.
Saturday, August 17–Sunday, August 18: Flame Con X
Tenth annual convention dedicated to LGBTQ+ comics and pop culture; 12–8 pm (Sat), 12–6 pm (Sun)
$39 for a one-day pass
Sheraton New York Times Square
811 7th Ave (Times Square, Manhattan)
Through Saturday, August 31: in the whirlwind or in the storm: Visual Artist AIRspace Resident Exhibition 2023–24
Group art exhibition on theme of sanctuary; 12–6 pm; every Wednesday through Saturday
Free
Hosted at Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space
88 Essex St [inside Essex Market] (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
Saturday, August 31: Earth Hound, Nested Houses, Big Sigh, TV Moms
Local alternative rock bands at a dive bar; 7:30 pm (7 pm doors)
$10
Berlin
25 Ave A (East Village, Manhattan)
GUTS: Bowels
The literal meaning of GUTS refers, of course, to the bowels and entrails inside us all. Fortunately, we are more than our entrails. “Guts” can also mean courage, just as “blood” can mean family, “brains” can mean intelligence, and so on. There are plenty of events around the city to help us explore what’s inside us.
Friday, August 2–Saturday, August 17: Kara & Emma & Barbara & Miranda
Dramatic comedy play following the journeys of four women “through a tapestry of internal monologues”; 7 pm
$23–$54
The Tank
312 W 36th St (Midtown West, Manhattan)
Thursday, August 8: The Selves
Group art exhibition featuring portraits that reflect each artist’s memories, transience, and self-awareness; 10 am–6 pm; through Aug 9
Free
Nicola Vassell Gallery
138 10th Ave (Chelsea, Manhattan)
Sunday, August 25: The Chat Room
A variety comedy show on the topic of embarrassing posts that comedians Julia Zhen and Sara Bergmark wrote on the internet as teenagers; 5 pm (4:30 pm doors)
$10 advance / $15 at door
Union Hall
702 Union St (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
STAG: Someone attending an event alone
STAG most commonly refers to an adult male red deer, though the animal has given way to other meanings, including someone who attends an event alone. I fully encourage exploring the city alone but also seek occasional Blankman List events whose purpose is to socialize and meet new people.
Saturday, August 3: Queer Out: First Saturday Brooklyn
Casual social meetup focused on the LGBTQ+ community; 4–7 pm; part of Queer Out! Fun & Free Social Adventures
Free
Central Library
10 Grand Army Plaza (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
Wednesday, August 7: The Feels NY, Edition 34
“Mindful,” evidence-based singles mixer event; 6:30–9:30 pm
$96–$106 (use promo code “Blankman” for 20% off)
The Knife Factory
347 Maujer St (East Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Tuesday, August 13: Gowanus: Chess & A Beer Meetup
Chess-focused social meetup for players of all skill levels; 7–10 pm; part of Brooklyn Chess & A Beer Meetup
Free entry; $5–$9 per glass
Strong Rope Gowanus
574 President St (Gowanus, Brooklyn)
TAGS: Touches in the game of tag
Tag can mean a lot of things, though it often has something to do with a small, separate part, such as the small piece of fabric that has the size on it or a short statement representative of a larger body of work (see tagline). One instance of TAGS that many of us are familiar with is the act of making someone else “it” in the game of tag. This August, tag your inner child and enjoy games and sports around NYC.
Thursday, August 15: Staten Island FerryHawks vs. Long Island Ducks
Minor league professional baseball game with $5 draft beer promo; 6:30 pm; series against Ducks Aug 13–15
$16–$49
Staten Island University Hospital Community Park
75 Richmond Terrace (St. George, Staten Island)
Sunday, August 18: PaleyGX Minecraft Build Challenge
Timed Minecraft design competition with prizes; 2:30 pm (1:45 pm check-in)
Free with museum admission, which is $20 general / $16 student / $16 senior
The Paley Museum
25 W 52nd St (Midtown, Manhattan)
Tuesday, August 27: Wonderville’s Last Tuesday of the Month Playtest
Help to playtest games currently in development (or bring a game to playtest!); 7–10 pm; last Tuesday of every month
Wonderville
Free entry (food and drink available for purchase)
1186 Broadway (Bushwick, Brooklyn)
TAUS: Greek letters
Tau is the nineteenth letter of the Greek alphabet (uppercase: Τ, lowercase: τ). Considering the age and influence of the Greek language, the letter has come to take on many meanings, especially in math and science. While I won’t guarantee TAUS in your experience, there are some events where their presence is a bit more likely.
Thursday, August 1: Cyborg Reading Group
Discussion about selected readings on the ethics, social implications, and myths in reproductive science; 7–8:30 pm (6:30 pm doors)
$7 (includes light refreshments)
Genspace NYC
132 32nd St, Suite 108 (Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn)
Wednesday, August 7: Piecemeal Puzzle: the Graph Reconstruction Problem
Public presentation on the classic math problem of graph reconstruction by IBM research scientist Rik Sengupta; 4 & 7 pm; part of Math Encounters
Free (registration required)
Museum of Mathematics
11 E 26th St (Madison Square, Manhattan)
Thursday, August 15: Facts Machine: A Science Comedy Show & Science Trivia Showdown
Comedy show about science, followed by science-themed trivia; 7 pm (6:30 pm doors); fourth Thursday of every month
$15–$25, depending on date of purchase
Caveat
21A Clinton St (Lower East Side, Manhattan)
TUGS: Boats
To tug (or for that matter, the noun tug) can mean many things, though they nearly all refer to pulling in one way or another. For this reason, tug can refer to a tugboat—a small boat designed to pull other vessels through water. Considering how much water surrounds New York City, it’s no surprise that there are many ways to enjoy boats within its boroughs.
Every Friday in August: La Barca After Darka
Late night yacht party with DJ playing house, Latin, and hip-hop music; 11 pm–1:30 am; every Friday through Aug 30
$35
La Barca Cantina
81 North River Piers (Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan)
Most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays: Skyline Kayak Tour
Introduction to basic kayaking, followed by kayak tour along the west side of Manhattan; time depends on day
$65
Pier 84 Boathouse in Hudson River Park
555 12th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan)
Sunday, August 4: Masterworks Series: Beethoven, Haydn, Dvořák
Chamber music for piano, violin, and cello performed on a floating steel barge; 4 pm
$35
Bargemusic
1 Water St (Dumbo, Brooklyn)
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UTAS: Lizards
An uta refers to any of the side-blotched lizards belonging to the genus Uta. There isn’t a whole lot happening in NYC right now pertaining to this common desert reptile. However, there are a whole lot of ways to exalt our fellow chordates.
Saturday, August 3: Broadway Barks
Pet adoption event hosted by Broadway stars Bernadette Peters and Sutton Foster showcasing animals available for adoption; 3–6:30 pm
Free entry
Shubert Alley
Between 44th St & 45th St / 7th Ave & 8th Ave (Times Square, Manhattan)
Monday, August 5: The Gorilla (1927)
Screening of the digitally restored 1927 silent film The Gorilla with live piano accompaniment; 7 pm; part of Silent Movie Week 2024
$14 adult / $12 senior / $10 student (cost is estimate; tickets not available until Jul 29)
The Museum of Modern Art [MoMA] Floor T2/T1, Theater 2
11 W 53rd St (Midtown, Manhattan)
Friday, August 9–Saturday, August 10: Professional Bull Riders: Maverick Days
Inaugural homestand for the professional bull riding team New York Mavericks; 7:45 pm
$30–$152+
Barclays Center
620 Atlantic Ave (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)
P.S. I’ve long dreamt of somehow finding the time to write Scrabble: The Musical. So in an act of pure indulgence on my 40th goddamn revolution around the Sun, I present to you a brief love poem where Cameron and Kate profess their love to one another.
Cameron:
It’s a lexicological love story, an etymological fate.
Betwixt prepositional and split infinitive phrases for you, Kate, I state:
That in order to lexicologically live, give mixing up letters a chance,
For if you mix up the letters of CAMERON, you’ll be giving way to ROMANCE.
Kate:
It’s a lexicographical graphical novel that illustratively tells a dictionarial drama
Where I take all the letters of CAMERON
And get a rearranged story of ROMANCE.
Together:
A typological tale, a dialectical dance,
An anagrammatical fable in which the moral involves semantic role labeling,
A rearranged story, a rearranged story,
A rearranged story of romance.