Free Fall Fests

If you're in New York this weekend, here are a few ways to enjoy the start of the season, in especially glorious and unseasonable weather ... fo' free.

The Dumbo Arts Festival is a massive, all-weekend-long gathering of 150+ studios, 35+ galleries, arts organizations, music, performance art, dance, film, theater, etc.

On Saturday, experience Oktoberfest in Greenpoint, complete with free pretzels and sausages.

The bi-annual St. Mark's Church Block Party is Saturday as well - check out vendors offering vintage clothes, antiques, and snacks from neighborhood standbys like Veselka.

Sunday, head to Brooklyn Heights for the 36th annual Atlantic Antic Street Festival for ten blocks of food, festivities and fun ... you just might catch the Beastie Boys. Plus free admission to the Transit Museum and Brooklyn Historical Society.

Rather stick to the city on Sunday? Celebrate all things apple on Orchard St (ha) between Broome and Grand at NYC Apple Day.

Happy fall - fingers crossed for some foliage!

Island in the sun

I know it's only midweek, but I know I'm not the only one looking ahead to the weekend. If yours isn't already jam-packed, I've some outer-borough and off-island Saturday events to share that just might strike your fancy.

If it's live music you're after, catch the ferry to Governor's Island to sway to sunny tunes from The Morning Benders with Freelance Whales and The Wild Nothing at 8pm. Free.

Get to Governor's early to get your buzz on by sampling beers from over 100 breweries at the 4th Annual NYC Brewfest from 3:30-8pm. Win tickets here, pay $55 for general admission (unlimited sampling), or just $25 for Music Lovers Tickets (includes water taxi transportation).

For the weird and wonderful, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade is a can't-miss summer tradition. Wave your freak flag high (registration to march in the parade ends tomorrow at midnight), or just watch - it's free.

Until then, happy humpday!

Beat the heat

Memorial Day weekend is approaching, which means summer is finally officially upon us! If you're staying local for the holiday, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the season. Here's a few:

Water Taxi Beach's Memorial Day Party, 11am-11pm: from 4-6, nab clams, shrimp and oysters for 80 cents apiece, and slurp $6 pints of Sixpoint and Gaffel plus $9-12 cocktails all day long.

What better way to celebrate Fleet Week than by doing it on a boat? Join Wayne Kramer and political rap group The Coup on the 31st for their Rocks off Concert Cruise show.

Speaking of boats, the Intrepid's free Summer Movie Series begins Friday with a Flight Deck screening of Top Gun.

Relish your hot dog, and the fact that you're not stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Grilling is for those with tricked-out rooftops or suburban backyards. Do it up city-style and celebrate the opening weekend of BKLYN Yard with PARKED: eats from NYC's best food trucks. I have a feeling Van Leeuwen's is going to rake it in.

Sip a summer seasonal, slather on the SPF, and blast some songs of summer:
Admiral Radley - I Heart California
She & Him - In the Sun
Dom - Living in America
Quadron - Pressure
Math & Physics Club - Jimmy Had a Polaroid
Sleigh Bells - Tell 'Em

More of my warm-weather playlist to come. Happy holidays!