Here’s What’s Happening This Week 

Summer Outing / ree Outdoor Events in Bella Abzug Park / Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea /F

Chelsea Community Church’s 25th Annual Summer Outing: Sunday, August 23, 9am to 2pm | Celebrating a marriage’s quarter century mark is easy: Whether Traditional or Modern, the gift is something silver. But if the “Big 25” is a local summer outing, the appropriate gift is the one you give yourself—by clearing this Sunday’s calendar, from 9am to 2pm. Those are the hours that members of Chelsea Community Church and friends will be seen pairing good eats with uncommon knowledge.

Here’s the event-by-event timetable: Things begin with a nod to the most important meal of the day, as the group meets for breakfast at Empire Diner (210 10th Ave./W. 22nd St.). Although orders can range from a lone cup of Joe to more lumberjack-appropriate options, a Church member familiar with the menu notes, “Favorite items include buttermilk biscuits and rye pancakes.” By 10:15, the High Line (W. 23rd St. & 10th Ave.) provides a scenic, elevated view of Chelsea—while on the ground, arborist Wayne Kammerer takes you on a stroll from W. 23rd to W. 14th, pointing out some of the High Line’s indigenous trees along the way (including flowering dogwood and gray birch). Then, from 11:15am to 11:45am, a walk through Chelsea Market (enter at W. 15th St. & 10th Ave.) encourages those who’ve not arrived with a bag lunch to pick up some take out (for the impending picnic lunch).

From 12:45pm to 1pm, the group’s gathering at Little Island (W. 14th St. & 11th Ave.) has Church member Gloria providing some background on the Hudson River Project, which the aforementioned island hovers above. Things wrap up from 1pm to 2pm with another occasion for grub and gab (and maybe some grace-style personal reflection; it is, after all, Sunday). The official location has you partaking of a picnic lunch, at the Meatpacking District’s 9th Ave. & W. 12th St. outdoor plaza. Want something fancier, and indoors? You’ll be in visual distance of Serafina (“for those who might prefer a restaurant meal,” say organizers). As for how to participate in the Outing—full schedule or individual stops—send an email to E. Diane Nichols, via beacon195@aol.com. Find out more about Chelsea Community Church with an online outing to their website, viewable here.

Free Outdoor Events in Bella Abzug Park (524 W. 34th St. btw. 10th & 11th Aves.) | Summer is in full swing–and with it, the roster of free events and activities offered annually by the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance (HYHK) is about to reach the busiest period.of its May through October season. From music to movies to mindful movement, there’s something for every age and inclination. Regarding the just-invoked matter of movies–see directly below, the rundown of free flicks happening on a weekly basis next month, followed by info about ongoing events.

Ongoing Bella Abzug Park-based events: Now through October, instructors from Bien Good Well lead yoga classes at 5pm on Mondays and Wednesdays, as well as mat pilates, Saturdays at 10:30am. To register, click here . On select Thursdays and Saturdays, Vinyl Nights is a DJ dance party that gets you moving to the grooves that defined NYC in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.  For the kids, Mike Messer Music offers acoustic concerts on Tuesday mornings. Click here to visit the HYHK Event Calendar, where you’ll find info on all of their free programming.

Down to Earth Farmers Market Chelsea: Saturdays, 9am-2pm on West 23rd St. off Ninth Ave. | An April through December presence in Chelseda for over a decade, this opportunity to eat well while supporting local vendors is a win-win. See the below flyer for details. To sign up for the Market’s email newsletter (sent every Thursday), click here.

—-Listings Compiled by Scott Stiffler

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