By Tracy Zwick
Labor Day, the symbolic (if not the official) end of summer, is right around the corner. But why dwell on it? The forecast calls for great weather over the next few days, and there are some fun things going on around town. So … let’s weekend!
August 22nd to 24th
U.S. Open Kids Day and Main Draw: Saturday, August 23rd and Sunday, August 24th at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens; Kids Days is free, no tickets required; main draw tickets here
It’s a huge weekend for the U.S. Open with its annual free Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day on Saturday, and, for the first time, Day 1 of the main draw has moved from its usual Monday start to this Sunday. To kick things off Saturday, the pros will be all over the grounds doing their final warm-ups before competition starts Sunday. There’ll also be a “family festival of activities” including on-court activities, face painting, roving entertainers, and a stadium show featuring Dude Perfect with special guests like defending champion Aryna Sabalenka. Gates open at 9:30 a.m.; the show starts at 11. Then Sunday, half of the 256 pros competing in Round 1 singles will be in action across a bevy of courts that span the entirety of the grounds. It’s single-elimination, so plan to go see your favorite player in case they make an early exit. Schedules can be found on the US Open app. Tickets via Ticketmaster or sites like StubHub and SeatGeek – a grounds pass is the way to go!
Check out WSR’s Guide to the U.S. Open and follow WSR to learn more about the Open, ways to experience it and how UWSers are working, volunteering at and competing on tennis’s biggest stage.
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Friday, August 22nd through Sunday, August 24th; events and locations here; free
Returning for its 33rd year, this three-day celebration of the late great saxophonist for whom it’s named starts today with free live jazz concerts in the neighborhoods where Parker lived and worked. That includes Marcus Garvey Park between West 120th and West 124th streets just east of Malcolm X. Boulevard. Tonight, starting at 7 p.m., Ron Carter’s Big Band, a 17-piece ensemble, will be joined there by vocalist April May Webb. For Night 2 on Saturday, the legendary Branford Marsalis Quartet will headline a show chock full of jazz legends, which will wrap up a full day of music that kicks off when DJs start spinning at 2 p.m.
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More and more you are highlighting events outside of the UWS. It kind of makes it seem like there is nothing going on in our neighborhood. Seems kind of silly to be called the UWS rag and spend so much time on an event in Queens.
While a UWSer, I sppreciate seeing the Rag’s coverage of the Open.