By Troy Segal
Yes, we know Manhattan claims to be the center of the NYC universe. But in fact, a lot of fascinating talks, screenings, and activities unfold constantly in the other four boroughs — and even the islands — of our fair city. Here’s a sampler of some in the upcoming weeks that should tempt even the most entrenched Manhattanite.
The Bronx: The New York Philharmonic takes it to the parks, as it does every summer — specifically, Van Cortlandt Park on July 15; the musical evening features violinist Joshua Bell performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and fireworks as a finale.
Staten Island: A former sailors’ retirement community, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center houses botanical gardens, historic buildings, a farm and a music hall. July 18 is the date of Sprinklerfest, a kind of park fair with live music, food, a dunking tank and, as the name implies, dozens of sprinklers to get under and cool off.
Governors Island: Celebrate the power of verse at the weekend-long New York City Poetry Festival, which not only features 250 reciting poets, but also a beer garden, a crafts fair, and writing games for kids, July 26 & 27.
Queens: Dedicated to all things cinematic, the Museum of the Moving Image hosts a August 3 screening of the modern film noir Chinatown, whose mysteries will be unraveled at a subsequent talk with film critic Kenneth Turan.
Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown
Brooklyn: Whether you love cats or hate ‘em, you’re bound to enjoy a lecture on demonically-possessed felines — their (shape-shifting) image throughout the ages, and how to tell if your kitty is possessed, August 7 at the new Morbid Anatomy Museum in Gowanus.
© Aaron Rose Courtesy Museum of the City of New York
Manhattan extra: Just can’t think of traveling? Take a virtual trip out to Coney Island and a trip back in time, with a curated gallery tour of photographer Aaron Rose's series of shots taken at the beach there in the early 1960s, at the Museum of the City of New York, July 27.
