1. An Evening of Queer Screenings at the New Museum
The New Museum, August 23, 7:30 p.m.
Beginning with a film shot at Chicago’s oldest leather bar and a video documenting the marriage of a feminist porn actress and a bisexual junkie, this series of short films examines marriage, family, and community through the perspective of queer life.

2. Video Game Summit at the Museum of Arts and Design
Museum of Arts & Design, August 24-26
A three-day, action-packed series of talks, parties, and “video game play-scapes”
hosted by the Babycastles collective and Keita Takahashi, the man behind the addictive Japanese game Katamari Damacy.

3. Craft Party at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park, August 24
You’re invited to the 3rd Annual Etsy Craft Party, an evening of how-tos and do-it-yourself craft projects, including stenciling, painting, and postcard making.

4. Afro-punk and a Battle for the Streets
Commodore Barry Park, August 25 & 26
This year’s 8th annual Afro-punk Festival features an impressive line up, including Erykah Badu, Gym Class Heroes, Janelle Monae, Das Racist and more. Also returning: NYC’s largest street skate competition, the Nike Battle For the Streets.

5. For the 1940s Hipster
Various locations, through August 26
Bird lives! The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival celebrates Parker’s genius with concerts at Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park.

6. Travel to the Edge of the Universe
American Museum of Natural History, August 28
Sky To Space, a monthly planetarium tour, offers an interactive glimpse of our nighttime sky and, no big deal, a scientific depiction of the known universe.

7. Art from the Streets of Iran
Openhouse Gallery, August 23-25
Street art duo ICY AND SOT bring their Tehran-based work to New York, presenting a stencil art installation addressing themes of war, peace, hope, and despair.

8. Inspiring Exchanges Between Artists and Writers
Peanut Undergound, through September 10
Twenty artists and twenty writers paired off at random to produce a book of original artworks and handwritten texts.

9. Ain’t No Party Like an Abstract Party
Local Project, August 25
A collaboration consisting of video and painting by Jason Orrell and Brian Edgerton, Abstract Party will “reinvigorate abstraction’s utopian aspirations.” Wait, what?