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

Pick of the Week / MCB4 Town Hall / West Side Fest Events / Free Programming from HYHK (Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance)  /  Music, Art, & More at Verdi Cannabis /  Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea

*****PICK OF THE WEEK*****

JACKIE BEAT: BIRTHDAY CLOWN / Sunday, July 20, 7pm at 
The Cutting Room (44 E. 32nd St. btw. Park & Madison Aves.) | Not all drag queens are bubbly confections whose witty nature is calibrated to feed America’s insatiable appetite for TV-friendly catchphrases. There are also drag queens like Jackie Beat, whose profanity-laced pop song parodies have more ways to mention wieners than Inuit languages have words for “snow.” Currently residing in Los Angeles, the one time longtime NYC gal is making her way back to The Big Apple the only way she knows how–by crossing the country with a new show that will be road-tested once it arrives at The Cutting Room (44 E. 32nd St. btw. Park & Madison Aves.) on July 20. By then, Palm Springs and Chicago will be among the cities already amused, thrilled, and mortified by Jackie Beat: Birthday Clown. It’s a celebration of Beat’s 35+ years in show business and the shrouded-in-mystery summertime birthday of a certain special lady. Expect many new and classic Jackie Beat parodies based on catchy if overexposed songs by the likes of  Chappell Roan, Katrina & The Waves, Duran Duran, and The Bangles. To purchase tickets ($25-$42) click here.

Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) Hosts a Town Hall With Elected Representatives on The NYCHA Fulton/Elliott-Chelsea Proposal: Wednesday, July 9, 6pm / In-Person at PS 33 (281 Ninth Ave. btw. W. 27th/28th Sts.) and Live Streaming on MCB4’s YouTube Channel | The telling use of “Proposal” (as opposed to “Proposals”) in the title of this event isn’t likely to please the vocal bloc with a proposal of their own: Renovate NYCHA’s Chelsea properties as opposed to the scenario this event intends to explore: Demolish all buildings at both locations and build apartments for current NYCHA residents and future market-rate newcomers–with all dwellings managed by Related Companies. As for the evening’s structure: Speaking at a Thursday, June 26, 2025 meeting of MCB4’s Housing, Health & Human Services (HHHS) committee, HHHS Co-Chair Joe Restuccia noted the July 9 event “will be live streamed [via MCB4’S YouTube channel], but people cannot participate if they are online. In order to participate, you need to be in person.” An RSVP is recommended; click here to do so. As for the evening’s structure, Restuccia noted, “The goal will be to ask questions of elected officials. First, there’ll be a moderated portion of a panel. They’ll be asked…the questions you submit in advance [via the RSVP form], then we’ll open it up to the floor to ask questions–and it’s going to be managed, because we know there was a Town Hall with our Assembly Member [Tony Simone] and Congress Member [Jerry Nadler] a few weeks ago that was turned into chaos…We’re not having chaos.” Restuccia encouraged attendance via RSVP but assured, “If you show up at the door [sans RSVP], you will be let in, no problem.”

West Side Fest 2025 at Hudson River Park: Free Events From Friday, July 11 through Sunday, July 13 | The West Side Fest–a free, three-day collection of artmaking, dance, and craft opportunities–offers several hands-on activities at locations within Hudson River Park. Friday, July 11, 6:30pm at Gansevoort Peninsula, Jazz on the Beach beckons you to “enjoy a free live concert on the beach by one of New York’s premier modern Latin bands, Sonido Costeño.” On Saturday, July 12 at 1pm, Shoreline Strolls invites you to “learn about the fascinating ecosystems from HRP’s River Project team. Grab your binoculars for bird watching or dabble in the salt marsh.” On Sunday, July 13 at 11am, Painting Nature provides all the art supplies you’ll need, as professional artists guide you through the creation of a unique work of art you can take home. Click here for the full schedule of West Side Fest events set to take place at local cultural destinations including Poster House, Hudson Guild, the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Shed, Little Island, the High Line, Dia Chelsea, and The Joyce Theater.

****ONGOING EVENTS****

Free Programming from HYHK (Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance)  | HYHK is back with another season of free and fun programming for all ages in Bella Abzug Park (524 W. 34th St.). Among the events offered–all of them free and open to the public–are a series of yoga classes from Bien Good Well (Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm,  Saturdays at 10:30am). In the Music & Dance category: On select Thursdays and Saturdays through October, Vinyl Nights and DJ The Real offer one of the city’s best dance parties, powered by music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Wednesdays in June, July, and August, enjoy free salsa and bachata classes, a live band, and dancing in partnership with Somos Latin Dance and Paradis in the Park. And for the kids, head to the playground at Bella Abzug Park on Tuesday mornings through October, for acoustic concerts with Mike Messer Music. For a full HYHK events schedule and to register for free classes, click here.

Events at Verdi Cannabis (158 W. 23rd St. btw. 6th & 7th Aves.) | Legal cannabis distributor Verdi Cannabis offers free arts programming via gallery-style displays of artwork on their walls, and a live Thursday night music series called The Green Room. Owen Lloyd and the Sweet Dreams are booked for July 10’s Green Room, performing from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. On July 17 at 6:30pm, High-Fi 4 commands the stage. Closing out the July series will be John Dell at 6:30pm on July 24 and Real Intentions (sponsored by Jaunt) on July 31.’ As for special events: From 12:30pm to 2:30pm on Thursday, July 10, Verdi presents the SAM (Special Audiences and Musicians) Ensemble at Selis Manor (For the Blind), right accross the way from Verdi’s West 23td St. location). Having premiered on May 16, Wake and Bake Fridays with A-Roastia Coffee is a coffee cart pop-up next scheduled for 9am on Friday, July 27. “The goal is to always have something fun, interesting, and unique happening here at Verdi,” says Assistant GM and Events Coordinator Kenny Cunningham (featured in this Q&A segment). To keep up with what else is up with Verdi, click here to visit their website. To visit the EVENTS page of their website, click here. 

Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea | It takes place every Saturday, 9am to 2pm, West 23rd St. off 9th Ave.  For more info, click here. Down to Earth Markets brings together two kinds of vendors: local farmers and area food and crafts makers using locally sourced ingredients. Their mission is to ensure a future for small scale agriculture and food production in the New York area by creating vibrant marketplaces where community thrives, and shoppers connect directly to the local food system.

—Compiled by Scott Stiffler

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—Listings Compiled by Scott Stiffler

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