Here’s What’s Happening (in order of appearance)

Pick of The Week / MCB4 District Needs Survey / Public Programs at Vanderbilt University–NYC / Hell’s Kitchen Culture Crawl: October 19-25 / GAG Doc at New Fest / Chelsea Green Park Halloween Fest Call for Vendors / Free Events in Bella Abzug Park /  

Pick of The Week (next week, that is…)

Kintsugi: The Art of Mending | Thursday, October 22, 7pm-9pm at Neighbor (176 9th Ave. at W. 21st St.) |  An art form that offers a second act for ceramics that are cracked, chipped, or otherwise broken, Kintsugi is a contemplative, accepting alternative to slapdash repair work or wholesale recycling. Arrive with a damaged object (no glass, please) and learn how to mend it by applying golden Kintsugi lacquer to the cracks in a manner that announces its beautiful imperfection, as opposed to camouflaging its flaws. The symbolism is not lost on contemporary artist Bianca Valencia Crisculo, the event facilitator who’ll work conversation about Kintsugi’s life lessons into this transformative, two-hour experience. To reserve tickets ($84), Click Here.

Through October 19: Take the Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) District Needs Survey | As part of the Statement of District Needs that will figure into the City Budget for Fiscal Year 2028, MCB4 is currently working to determine top priorities for improved government services and capital investment. Make sure your voice is reflected in the final report, by filling out MCB4’s online District Needs Survey. (Note: The Survey, which can be accessed by clicking here, allows for your anonymity.) Only those who live and/or work in the MCB4 coverage area (see the below map) are asked to participate. For a link to MCB4’s Instagram with a QR code for the Survey, click here. To see what was prioritized last year, click here for the 2027 Statement. The Survey will be available to take through October 19. For all things MCB4—including a calendar that previews monthly committee meetings—click here. 

Open to the Public, Oct. 15/Nov. 10 at Vanderbilt University—NYC | Students are on the ground at Vanderbilt University’s Chelsea campus—and so is the public, via ongoing programs and initiatives. On October 15, The Working Class and Democracy in America is well-timed, taking place just weeks before the midterm elections. Vanderbilt’s Center for Global Democracy brings together a panel including Nick Carnes (Professor of Public Policy and Political Science, Duke University) and Emily Cherniack (Founder/Executive Director, New Politics). The event was sold out, but a few additional seats had been made available as we published this listing. Try your luck by clicking on the “Register” link here. Also upcoming, Vanderbilt NYC is part of Open House New York Weekend. The public is invited to drop by for a “Drop-In” from 12pm to 4pm on Sun., Oct. 18. Details here.

Tuesday, October 27, it’s another installment of the new monthly series Cocktails and Community, in which invited guests (aka you, member of the general public) are invited to sip and schmooze at this Happu Hour-set opportunity for conversation and connection. This month’s Cocktails and Community has Vanderbilt University Landscape Architect James Moore as the special guest. on hand to discuss campus landscaping and trees—and anything else that comes up in conversation. To RSVP, click here. November 10, Artists and the City: Emerging Voices in Conversation is the inaugural program of Vanderbilt and the Whitney’s multi-year partnership. Registration is currently closed. Additional seating info will be shared through Vanderbilt NYC newsletters. More programs and initiatives will be announced in the coming months.

Friday, October 16: NewFest Presents the U.S. premiere of Gays Against Guns (a documentary) | 6:45pm at the SVA Theater (333 W. 23rd St. btw. 8th/9th Aves.) | Founded following the Pulse nightclub massacre of 2016, Gays Against Guns (GAG) has spent the past decade on the frontlines of America’s gun violence epidemic through a series of very public, highly theatrical protest actions that pointedly convey the group’s deeply felt grief, outrage, and resolve. Paul Rowley, an Irish immigrant, directs this collection of footage from street actions and candid personal reflections—including some sharp observations by the “Pope of Trash” himself, filmmaker John Waters (whose cutting wit pairs well with GAG’s hardwired self-awareness). To watch the trailer, click here. The October 16 screening will be followed by a Q&A. Tickets are $19.50 for the screening and $14.50 for a Virtual Single Ticket (Oct. 15-30). To purchase, click here.

Hell’s Kitchen Culture Crawl: October 19-25 | Presented by the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance Arts Committee, this week-long Culture Crawl is a soul-enriching sprint through Hell’s Kitchen arts and culture institutions for theatre, music, dance performances, open studios, and interactive art activities—many of them free, or offering exclusive discount codes. Venues include Baryshnikov Arts, Signature Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, Theatre Row, and The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts.

Also, after feasting on food for the heart and soul, redeem ticket stubs for deals and discounts at participating restaurants located along the crawl. Click here for the full schedule and more information.

It’s My Park Day: Saturday, October 24, 10:30am-12:30pm at Clement Clarke Moore Park (10th Ave. at W. 22nd St.) | On designated days throughout this month—which is flying by so quickly, it’s scary—city-owned, recreational patches of green have been taking part in It’s My Park Day. On October 24, that “Day” is observed locally, when the West 400 Block Association hosts a Halloween-themed celebration in Clement Clark Moore Park. That date’s creeping up on us, so here’s what you need to know: It’s costume-optional, but organizers encourage doing so, as a way to take your October 31 outfit for a test run. Craft table fun, sweet treats, and pumpkin-carving are on the agenda, which we’re told is written in BLOOD!!!… Wait, no, we read the press release wrong; that’s “written in STONE!!!.” Oh, and when you’re ready to say your day in the park is dead and buried? You’ll be sent home with daffodil bulbs to take home for tree pits and or backyards. (Email Allen if you’d like to help plant in the park, and/or join the Clement Clarke Moore Park Gardening Club aoster@earthlink.net).

Open Call Seeks to Scare Up Vendors for Halloween Fest at Chelsea Green Park | Friends of Chelsea Green—the boosters who bring free music, movies, movement, and more to Chelsea Green Park—are working like demons, to make sure their annual late October block party lives up to its reputation as the neighborhood’s most monstrous mash of costumes, crafts, and candy. “We’re getting ready for the Mad Scientists Halloween Fest at Chelsea Green Park,” they say, “and we’d love to have more of our local businesses and neighbors participate.” If you have a local business, nonprofit, side hustle, craft, activity, or organization—or just something fun you’d like to share with the neighborhood—you can set up a table. The event happens at Chelsea Green Park (W. 20th St. btw. 6th/7th Aves.) on Sunday, October 25, 11am to 3pm. Vendor link: https://tinyurl.com/FoCGHalloween26. Have other ideas? Let the Friends know by sending an email to ChelseaGreenPark@gmail.com. 

Free Outdoor Events in Bella Abzug Park (524 W. 34th St. btw. 10th & 11th Aves.) | Brought to you by the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance (HYHK): Through October, instructors from Bien Good Well lead yoga classes at 6pm on Mondays, at 5pm on Wednesdays, and at 10:30am on Saturdays. Please bring your own mat. For the kids, Mike Messer Music offers acoustic concerts on Tuesday mornings. Click here to visit the HYHK Event Calendar, where you can sign up for classes and find info on all of the free programming.

—-Listings Compiled by Scott Stiffler

—END—