9 virtual things to do this weekend: Loisaida Festival, guided meditation, dachshund fiesta, and more
If you’ve run out of Netflix shows and can’t look at another jigsaw puzzle, there is still plenty of ways to stay entertained this weekend. From a virtual stand-up comedy show and a spring fiesta for dachshunds to guided meditation and a historic discussion on New York City’s Chinatown, we’ve rounded up nine virtual events to keep boredom at bay.
Friday
Guided meditation and teaching from the Brooklyn Public Library
4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Wind down and get ready for the weekend by learning how to meditate and manage stress. The class–organized by the Brooklyn Public Library–will be led by Dr. Chok Tenzin Monlam, a longtime practitioner of Buddhist meditation and Tibetan yoga.
Room of Jokes: EastVille Comedy Club
9 p.m.
EastVille Comedy Club is bringing the laughs to your living room. On Friday, comedians Hari Kondabolu and Molly Austin perform, test new jokes, and interact with viewers at random through Zoom during the “Room of Jokes” event. The cost of admission is a donation ranging from $1 to $50, with proceeds benefiting the club’s survival fund.
Virtual Teens Take the Met
11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and more than two dozen New York City cultural organizations are coming together for an all-day free event for teens. The first-ever Virtual Teens Take the Met will take place on the @metteens account and other social media platforms and will feature art-making, music, performances, and more. Learn more and register your teen here.
Saturday
Dachshund Spring Fiesta
12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
This Saturday afternoon, the Washington Square Park Conservancy and the Dachshund Friendship Club is taking its annual Dachshund Spring Fiesta virtual for a full hour of adorableness, including a sing-along to the “Dachsong.” Tickets are free, but dachshund lovers should register here.
The Battle for Chinatown: Then and Now
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Coinciding with Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this month, the Third World Newsreel is presenting an online event focused on New York City’s Chinatown with a film and virtual discussion. There will be a live stream of the short film Here to Stay, followed by a conversation with filmmakers Christine Choy and ManSee Kong, as well as representatives from groups like the WOW Project and CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities. RSVP here to receive the Zoom link for the event.
DJ David Guetta performs live from NYC for COVID-19 relief charity
7 p.m.
Grammy Award-winning DJ and producer David Guetta is teaming up with Mayor Bill de Blasio for a virtual charity event on Saturday night. Guetta will go live from New York City with a performance that kicks off after the nightly 7 p.m. clap for frontline workers; it will be available to stream on his Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Twitch. Viewers will have the opportunity to donate to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City during the performance to help COVID-19 relief efforts.
Sunday
The [Virtual] Loisaida Festival 2020
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
One of the largest Latinx celebrations in New York City will still happen this year, with the historic event taking place virtually on Sunday. The Loisaida Festival, a 30-year-old tradition, which takes place in the East Village the Sunday before Memorial Day every year, will go live on YouTube and Facebook Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The theme–Cuenta Con Nosotros– will highlight the dedication of Latinx essential workers who have been on the frontline of the crisis. See the full line-up of performances and films here.
The Free Black Women’s Library May Meet up
12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
A conversation focused on the work and influence of author Octavia E. Butler will take place on Sunday. Hosted by the Free Black Women’s Library, which is a pop-up library with books written by black women, the event includes conservation with the founders of the Octavia E. Butler Legacy Network, professors Moya Bailey and Ayana Jamieson. Sign up to be part of the discussion here.
Memorial For Us All
6 p.m.
The Lincoln Center is hosting its weekly interfaith memorial in remembrance of community members lost to the pandemic. Opera star Ailyn Pérez will lead the fifth Memorial for Us All on Sunday with a broadcast available on Lincoln Center’s Facebook and YouTube. Community members are invited to submit the names of a neighbor, friend, or loved one to honor here.
