By Tracy Zwick
Whether you want to beat the heat with air conditioning, or brave it by venturing out, there’s plenty to keep you occupied in and around the neighborhood this weekend.
Let’s Weekend!
June 20th to 22nd, 2025
See a Movie!
With high temperatures in the forecast, why not stay cool at the movies? I’m hoping to see “Citizen Weiner” – a comedy-documentary by the team behind “Bad Shabbos” – at New Plaza Cinema Saturday at 4:45 p.m. Zach Weiner and Daniel Robbins made “Citizen” during the pandemic when Weiner, an actor living on the UWS, decided to run for New York’s City Council with cameras in tow. With primary elections underway, it’s timely, close-to-home and air-conditioned. Robbins and Weiner will be on hand for a Q&A after the show.
One of my all-time favorite flicks, “The Muppet Movie” is also screening on Saturday – but at Symphony Space at 11 a.m. It’ll be followed by a Q&A with Frank Oz, the director and the voice of Miss Piggy and Fozzie the Bear!
Sports Fans Unite!
Fanatics Fest NYC bills itself as “a celebration of all things sports” and it takes place this weekend at the Javits Center on the West Side at 11th Avenue between West 34th and 38th streets. It also claims to be “the world’s largest arena for sports and collectibles,” with exhibitor booths, exclusive merchandise and stars galore. LeBron James, Tom Brady, Jay-Z, Joe Burrow, Derek Jeter, Suni Lee, John Cena and many, more athletes and sports-media personalities will be on site for photo-ops, panel discussions and games, including QB skills and pitching accuracy. Tickets start at $20 for kids and $60 for adults. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got questions for Bears QB Caleb Williams, who’ll be in conversation Friday.
Take a Free Guided Tour of NYC!
All day Sunday, rain or shine, the Guides Association of NYC will be celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam with several free guided tours of the city, including one in Central Park that ends near the Dakota at 72nd Street and Central Park West. There’s also a tour of the subway, a tour of Spanish Harlem and a tour called “The Forgotten Jews of Harlem.” Advance registration is required.
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Those tours sound amazing. It is also suppose to be 93 degrees on Sunday so I am. Bit iffy about a walking tour
Hanging out in a movie theater seems ideal
All of the free guided tours are fully booked.
It is absolutely gorgeous out there today, Friday. I hear it’ll be sizzling later on, but for now, it is fantastic. I hope everyone gets to take a stroll – down a block, around the neighborhood, in the park. Fab. Take care, all!
WSR got clown’d in Weiner
I’m really starting to question the bias coming from some Upper West Side residents—and especially the Upper West Side RAG. Usually, whenever there’s a parade or street event, they post about it nonstop. But this time? Nothing.
There were no clear parking signs, and now I wake up to massive parade vehicles parked right outside my apartment. It’s obvious something big is happening today, and from what I can tell, it looks like an Ethnic celebration. So why the silence?
Why does the UWS RAG only seem to promote certain parades, but stay quiet when it’s not the usual crowd? I’m not saying anything for sure, but it’s hard not to notice the double standard. They need to do better—because this kind of selective visibility sends a message, whether they admit it or not.
What are we outraged about today?
A supposedly, indeterminately “ethnic” celebration (you didn’t ask?) has failed to generate “nonstop” (really? nonstop?) notifications on the WSR?
Sound the alarm! The “usual group” (who, exactly?) has insidiously suppressed all information about the celebration, thus sending a message of some sort and inconveniencing one A.G., WSR reader, who would have liked to know why there are big trucks parked outside her door.
And here we all thought that the upcoming election and the dangerous heat wave are our biggest concerns this week. Thanks for the correction.
Is there a schedule for open streets for the rest of the summer? I’d like to bring a few visitors over from the UES and go to a restaurant etc., but last time I did that open streets delayed buses for hours, and obviously we couldn’t grab a cab or call an Uber into the area in order to get home. I’d just like to be forewarned so I can decide which areas are the best to avoid on weekends.