Happening This Week, in “This Week In & Around Chelsea”

Pick of the Weekend / 10th Precinct Sector C Build the Block Meeting / Help Plan the Renovation of Penn South Playground / Tribeca Film Festival / Free Classes at Pier 57 / Affordable Housing Applications / Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea / CSA Food Share / 

PICK OF THE WEEKEND: It’s Mitch and Drew…And We’ve Never Felt Younger! | Sunday, June 18, 7pm at The Green Room 42 (570 10th Ave. at W. 42nd St., 4th floor of Yotel) and via livestream | Viral video maven Drew Droege and Bridesmaids scene-stealer Mitch Silpa—each plenty amusing and super-super gay on their own—combine forces for one hour of queer sketch comedy. Featuring work includes the Two Old Queens Who’ve Just A Minute To Catch Up, gay dates from Hell, 1950s housewives on the brink, plus, the originators assure us, “a handful of other newborn sketches. There will be wigs and references to Designing Women.” For more info and tickets ($27.50-$42.50 plus processing fee; Livestream tix, $21.50 plus processing fee), click here.

Precinct Sector C Build the Block Meeting: Wednesday, June 14, 5pm at Bella Abzug Park (542 W. 36th St.) | As May 31’s Community Council meeting drew to a close, it was noted that during the Council’s July through August summer hiatus, local residents, business owners, and stakeholders could still access the latest crime statistics and voice their concerns via Q&A by attending Build the Block meetings, one of which—for Sector C—happens this Wednesday. (The 10th Precinct is divided into three Sectors: A, B, and C.) Sector C covers West 29th Street to West 43rd Street, from Ninth Ave. to the Hudson. Two NCOs, or Neighborhood Coordination Officers, are assigned to a sector for the duration of their tour as 10th Precinct Police Officers. Tasked with establishing new relationships with members of the community and maintaining existing ones, NCOs “are given the time and flexibility to make strong bonds with the community they serve,” notes the NYPD. These quarterly public Build the Block meetings are your chance to interact with your Sector NCOs, pose questions, and get answers. “All meeting times, dates, and locations are subject to change,” further notes the NYPD, adding, “Please call your local precinct and speak to a Neighborhood Coordination Officer to verify correct meeting information.” To find your Build the Block Sector and meeting info, click here. Search results for the 10th Precinct’s Sectors A and B suggest checking back later in June for info on their third quarter meeting dates and locations. Meantime—and for that matter, any time—contact your Sector C NCOs via email: PO Marian Bencea at MARIAN.BENCEA@nypd.org and PO Daniel Sendrowski at DANIEL.SENDROWSKI@nypd.org.

The 2023 Tribeca Film Festival: Through Sunday, June 18 and Online, June 19-July 2 | Opening Night, Centerpiece, Closing Gala, and Beacon Theater music events aside, the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) remains, at its core, a collection of feature-length and short films (250 of them this time around). There are 40 entries in the Tribeca Talks/Tribeca Talk Industry series featuring, respectively, conversations with filmmakers and an exploration of the business side of entertainment. Highlights (objectively chosen) include June 16’s Creating Compelling Indian Content for a Global Audience. Back again this year, a slate of Games and Immersive programming. Sadly, the demise of W. 23rd Street’s Cinépolis Chelsea means that stalwart TFF screening venue is no longer in play–but Chelsea remains well-represented by the 2023 participation of the SVA Theatre. For those not able or willing to seek out all TFF has to offer in the brick and mortar world, Tribeca at Home brings the festival, well, home from June 19 to July 2 with offerings available on platforms including Roku, firetv, and Apple TV.

Free Classes at Pier 57  | “Ever give someone a birthday card, graduation card, or condolence card and wished you had made it yourself, and that something could spring to life upon opening said card? Well sometimes wishes do come true.” Talk about a narrative hook! If this class is as tongue-in-cheek fun to take as its descriptive text is to read—and we’ve every reason to believe that’s the case—then Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful lifelong practice of people making cards that spring to life upon opening. What’s more, the class (which its creator whimsically insists is actually an “Academy) is free of charge and no advance sign-up is necessary. Chelsea’s own Gustavo is your instructor, and those instructions “pop” out at you Wednesdays, 6pm, in Pier 57’s Seahorse Classroom. For more info, click here.

Elsewhere on the schedule of free weekly instructional events, Gustavo is your guide once again, when school’s in for the Finger Puppet class—Tuesdays, 4-5pm at Pier 57’s ROOM. Puppetry enthusiasts and absolute beginners alike can learn how to craft an original creation from the raw material of poster board cylinders, air drying clay, and pure imagination. It’s appropriate for, the instructor tells us, “ages 4 to 104.” Sorry 1-,2-, and 3-year-olds—go find your fun some other place! Okay, sorry. Quit crying. You guys are babies! Speaking of which, instructor Rachel has something special for babies and toddlers: Her Musikgarten classes (ages 0 to 3 years) happen Tuesdays at 10:15am and 11:15am, offering “a chance for families to learn to connect with children in a musical setting.” Finally, on Thursdays at 6pm, Rachel’s Ukulele class is just for adults—ironic, because by the end of this one-hour class, you’ll feel like a kid again. Designed for any level of experience but with distinct notes of instruction for first-timers, Rachel makes sure that by hour’s end, everybody will be able to contribute good-sounding stuff to the group jam session. Best of all, no uke required! There will be some on hand for those who have yet to make the plunge and purchase one of the quirky little instruments. All of these classes run through July and are the brainchildren of Smartworks, an instructional business founded and staffed by married couple Gustavo and Rachel. For more info on all sorts of Pier 57 classes, click here. For all things Smartworks, click here.

Affordable Housing Applications Now Open: Deadlines are June 16 and June 26 | First up, 505 West 54th Street is the location. Apply Online Today! If you prefer a paper application to be mailed to you, please send a self-addressed envelope (with your full name and address) to: West 54th Apartments c/o CMP Consultants, Inc. / P.O. Box 220 / Valley Stream, NY 11582. The application deadline isFriday, June 16. Do not submit more than one application per household. To view the announcement, click here. Affordable housing units await at 606 West 30th Street (30th & 11th Apartments).Apply Online Today! If you prefer a paper application to be mailed to you, please send a self-addressed envelope (with your full name and address) to: 30th and 11th Lottery / c/o Settlement Housing Fund, Inc. / 247 W. 37th Street, 19th Fl. / New York, NY 10018. Theapplication deadlineisMonday, June 26. Do not submit more than one application per household. To view the announcement, click here.