It may be a bit rainy tomorrow, but the rest of the weekend looks lovely, and we’ve got a lot going on in the neighborhood that will be worth heading out for either way. If you’re looking for something to do close to home this weekend, there’s a protest for free expression in China at the library featuring several authors and artists, a conference on health, an art opening, a few author chats, and even a chance to dance. Details on those events and more:
PEN’s Literary Protest For Free Expression In China
When: Thursday, April 10, 7-9pm
Where: Central Library plaza
What: This protest against Beijing’s efforts to silence Ai Weiwei and other Chinese writers and artists will include readings of works by Chinese writers including Ai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo, and Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti, plus never-before-seen video from Ai Weiwei will be projected onto the facade of the Brooklyn Museum down the street.
How much: Free!
Head On: 120 Minutes vs The Grind
When: Friday, April 11, 10pm
Where: Littlefield, 622 Degraw Street
What: The dance battle will pit songs that might have appeared on each of those MTV shows — think The Flaming Lips vs Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch — against each other for your booty-shakin’ pleasure. Two DJs enter, but only one leaves — who will bring the better tunes?
How much: $5 at the door, or free with mailing list sign-up
Brooklyn Free Clinic What’s Next: Reimagining Health
When: Saturday, April 12, 11am-9pm
Where: Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 4th Avenue
What: Speakers from across many disciplines will explore the psychological, social, and biological aspects of health and medicine in Brooklyn. Plus, local artists and performers will display their work and talents, and registration includes two free drinks during happy hour.
How much: Free, RSVP here
Gotham: Writers In New York, Presents Lydia Davis
When: Saturday, April 12, 4pm
Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza
What: The author discusses her new story collection, Can’t and Won’t, filled with powerful, compact stories reveal the mysterious, the alienating and the pleasurable within the patterns of daily life. She’ll be in conversation with Rob Spillman.
How much: Free!
Art Opening: Vigorous Showa
When: Saturday, April 12, 8-10pm
Where: J-LABO, 300 7th Street
What: See the mixed media pieces of Yuichi Sugai and the video art installations of Miho Morita, examining and commemorating a period of rapid growth and evolution in 20th century Japan. The opening night of the exhibit, which runs through April 19, features a live music from the band Water Brain with a performance by Blue Muse Dance.
How much: Free!
Isle Of Rhodes
When: Saturday, April 12, 8pm
Where: The Rock Shop, 249 4th Avenue
What: The band, made up of South Slope musicians Rob Farren and Colin Behram, brings its “fairly large sound for a two-piece band” to the neighborhood.
How much: $5, tickets available in advance
Brooklyn By The Book: Katherine Boo
When: Sunday, April 13, 1pm
Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza
What: Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Boo will be in conversation with author Amy Waldmanfor for the paperback debut of Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, a hard-hitting and emotionally charged chronicle of children and families struggling to survive in Mumbai’s slums.
How much: Free; RSVP to be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of the book
The Muppet Vault: Comedy!
When: Sunday, April 13, 8pm
Where: Union Hall, 702 Union Street
What: The show will include selections from Muppet Show and Sesame Street episodes featuring comedy legends like Bob Hope, Milton Berle, and Phyllis Diller, plus some of the funniest clips and songs from classic Muppet movies and specials, and a few you’ve never heard of.
How much: Free!
Image via Macmillan