Here’s What’s Happening

This Week In & Around Chelsea

Meet My Friend Speed Dating / Free Programming in Bella Abzug Park / The Rhythms of Carnival: A Cuban Musical Adventure / The Sweat Sessions / HYHK Alliance Needs Assessment Survey / Food Bag Program: Fresh Food for Seniors / Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea /

Meet My Friend Speed Dating: Tuesday, July 30, 7pm-9pm at The Tippler (in Chelsea Market, 425 West 15th Street) | In a classic cocktail bar nestled below Chelsea Market, local relationship building organization We Met IRL hosts this maybe-matchmaking, diversity-minded event. The premise: Each attendee brings a companion for a real-life singles experience. Each ticket is valid for two people ages 25–35, ideally of the opposite sex. If you’re the imbibing type who knows what you like (and knows your limit regarding the use of social lubricants), you’re in luck: The Tippler serves specialty cocktails, artisanal spirits, beers, and wine. Tickets are $65 for two people and can be purchased in advance here.

The Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance Presents, Through October, Free Programming in Bella Abzug Park ( (W. 34th to 35th Sts., 10th to 11th Aves.) | From fitness classes to dance to music to movies, free events abound in Bella Abzug Park. They’re brought to you by the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance. Thursdays in August, 8pm-10pm, summertime’s free Movies in the Park series returns. Kick back, relax, and enjoy a great film. The films begin 15 minutes after sunset. Public bathrooms are located on site. Movies will be screened in the park by the entrance closest to W34th St and Hudson Blvd East. Free popcorn while supplies last! As for the selections? August 1: Shrek; August 8: Black Panther; August 15: Mamma Mia!; August 22: Spy Kids; and August 29: Crazy Rich Asians. Free yoga classes taught by instructors from Bien Good Well are offered Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm and Saturdays at 10:30am. To register, click here. Tuesday, July 30, 4pm-6pm at the Paradise Cafe Kiosk in Bella Abzug Park, bring your dog for Happy Hour (aka “Yappy Hour”) food and drink specials, along with giveaways for you and your dog. Dogs must be leashed at all times.

Every other Thursday in September and October, Vinyl  Nights fills Bella Abzug Park with dance-demanding classics of the 70s, 80s, and beyond, as spun by veteran NYC DJs working with, yes, real vinyl records. For more info, click here. Public space programmers from Street Lab will be popping up in Bella Abzug Park in August, bringing interactive activities for kids of all ages. 

The Rhythms of Carnival: A Cuban Musical Adventure / Sunday, August 4, 5:30pm at Chelsea Green Park (140 West 20th St. btw. 6th & 7th Aves.) | Friends of Chelsea Green and Worlds Arts East invite you to take a musical journey featuring the Cuban rhythms of cha cha, mambo, Cuban son, conga, and more. Cuban musical maestro Chino Pons leads the band (Grupo Irek  ) and director/choreographer Erica Olivares Bowen leads the audience in a Cuban-inspired Carnival procession.

The Sweat Sessions: August 8/22 | 45-Minute Classes at 5:30pm, 6:30pm, & 7:30pm  at Hudson River Park’s 14th Street Park (10th Ave. btw. W. 14th & 15th Sts.) | The Meatpacking BID, the Wellth Collective, and the Google Store team up to bring you free, al fresco fitness classes from some of NYC’s top trainers and gyms/boutiques. Yoga, bootcamp, dance cardio, boxing, pilates and more are sure to make you sweat thanks to the challenging pace and the series’ cruel-to-be-kind placement on the calendar (if not the height of summertime heat, then likely to hover around whatever number ends up claiming the top spot). New this year, to Sessions: You’ll have the opportunity to borrow a Google Pixel Watch or Fitbit Versa 4 to track your workout. (Bring a government issued ID to the session, to borrow the equipment and track the number of calories burned, Active Zone Minutes, and more.) For the full schedule of Sessions content, click here. To RSVP (required), click here. Note: Proper athletic attire must be worn.  Arrivals after 10+ minutes into a class will not be permitted to participate. Notices of cancellation or postponement due to inclement weather will be emailed in advance of each class. Participants must supply their own mat (because it’s gonna get, you know, all sweaty).

Take the HYHK Alliance Needs Assessment Survey | The Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance (HYHK), the area’s BID (Business Improvement District), is exploring an expansion of its boundaries. If acted upon, the Alliance’s area of coverage would newly embrace parts of 9th, 10th, and 11th Aves. north of West 42nd Street. Part of the “active exploration”process involves activating local residents, business owners, and property owners within the proposed expansion area to participate in a brief but telling Needs Assessment Survey. The results will reveal specific concerns to address. “As a neighborhood stakeholder, your input is extremely valuable,” says the Survey’s online recruitment page. If you have questions or comments or would like a printed copy of the Survey, send an email to HYHKexpansion@hyhkalliance.org. To take the Survey (and learn more about it before you do), click here.

Food Bag Program/Fresh Food for Seniors | Don’t balk at the program’s title. Sure, it’s well-designed with seniors in mind—but local residents of all ages are able to participate. By doing so, they’ll have access to fresh fruits and vegetables from farms near New York City, for just $10 a bag.

Last year, notes NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher, “We distributed 1,309 bags of fresh produce as part of this program.” Starting on Monday, July 1, notes the Council Member, you can “visit one of our participating senior centers (see list below) and sign up for the program by paying $10 for a bag. The following week, you’ll pick up your pre-packed food bag, filled with the fruits and vegetables that are in season.”

This program is offered by Bottcher’s District 3 office in partnership with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “Our team,” says the Council Member, “gets together in the morning on delivery days to prep the bags…and we always need volunteers! If you’re interested in volunteering, please click here.”

Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea: Satudays, 9am-2pm | Seasonal, local food by vendors you can rely on for the basics and trust when it comes to embracing new cuisine and ingredients is the great strength of this weekly Market that pops up Saturdays, 9am-2pm, on West 23rd Street Off of Ninth Ave. A tip worth taking: Click here to sign up for their newsletter, and every week you’ll get a preview of what’s so special about the next Market.  Also a source of food for thought in advance of each Saturday’s Market: A visit to its online presecce (click here to do so). A new addition for 2024: Textile Recycling! Bring your linens, old clothes, shoes, torn, stained, or new to recycle (look for the green bin). Also Note: Food Benefit Programs are welcome. Go to the Manager’s Tent to use your SNAP EBT card and get tokens to spend with the vendors. Matching Health Bucks are available ($2 for every $2 withdrawn, up to $10). FMNP vouchers can be used June-November. For a full explanation of benefits, visit this link. NYC residents who have questions about the FMNP program can dial 311.

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