This weekend’s activities include Sneaker Con‘s long-awaited return to New York City, a one-woman play about political trailblazer Shirley Chisholm and a sneak peek of the Sundance Award-winning documentary about Chris Smalls‘ crusade to unionize the Amazon warehouse in Staten Island.
Film
“Union”
Maysles Documentary Center — 343 Lenox Ave., Manhattan (Harlem)
Sun. Sept. 22, 12 noon
The Sundance award-winning documentary, chronicling Chris Smalls’ crusade to unionize Amazon’s Staten Island warehouse, will be screened ahead of the 5th Annual Albie Awards, where it will be honored Sept. 25. and its Oct. 18 wide release.
Shot during the COVID-19 lockdown, the 102-minute film captures the Amazon Labor Union‘s grassroots campaign to unionize thousands of co-workers with no prior organizing experience, no institutional backing, and a crowdfunded budget of $120,000.
Directed by Brett Story and Stephen Maing, the sneak peek will be followed by a masterclass with Blair McClendon and Malka Zouhali-Worrall, the film’s editors.
Tickets start at $20.
Outdoors
Sneaker Con 2024
Maimonides Park —1904 Surf Ave, Brooklyn (Coney Island)
Sat. Sept. 21 and Sun. Sept. 22, 12 noon – 7 p.m.
Sneaker Con finally returns to its birthplace after a seven-year absence. The brainchild of Sneaker News founder Yu-Ming Wu, the much-anticipated event is expected to attract thousands of sneakerheads who will buy, sell, trade and discuss footwear.
Key sneaker culture figures, including Jae Tips, Nigel Sylvester, Steven Smith, and former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury will be in action as well as Influencers like Mayor, Flash Garments and Swerve Strickland.
More than 400 sneaker vendors will be on site alongside experts from eBay sneakers who can give buyers and traders an authenticity guarantee. The event will also feature giveaways, auctions, claw machines and a trading pit.
Tickets start at $32.64
Theater
“Unbossed and Unbowed: The Shirley Chisholm Story”
BRIC House — 647 Fulton St., Brooklyn (Fort Greene)
Sat. Sept. 21, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
As Vice President Kamala Harris makes her historic run for president, Shirley Chisholm, whose shoulders she stands on, is getting another look, due in large part to Oscar-winner Regina King’s recent Netflix biopic and a new museum exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York.
Now, award-winning writer, actress and educator Ingrid Griffith brings her one-woman show about the trailblazing political leader to Brooklyn, where Chisholm was born.
Griffith’s play chronicles the journey of the first Black woman in Congress, from her early years in BarBados to her trailblazing political career as the first woman and African American to seek a major party nomination for president.
Tickets start at $25 (plus fees)
Family
Emerson Collective’s Climate Science Fair
The High Line Observation Deck — 456 High Line, Manhattan (West Side)
Through Sept. 23, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Bill Nye The Science Guy will make a special appearance at this year’s “public display of climate optimism” on Sunday morning. But throughout the weekend, over 30 exhibitors will showcase their solutions to help tackle global warming, anchored in four areas: energy, food, home and nature.
The family-friendly event presents a unique opportunity for attendees “to explore, learn, and be inspired by real-world climate solutions from entrepreneurs, nonprofits, scientists, and advocates making a meaningful impact in communities nationwide,” organizers say.
Free.
Eats
ChainFEST NYC
Randall’s Island Park — 20 Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan (Randall’s Island)
Sat. Sept. 21, 12 noon – 4 p.m.
Fast food foodies and chain restaurant connoisseurs can go hog wild this weekend when the Los Angeles-based festival makes its way to New York City for the first time.
Founded by actor, author and entrepreneur B.J. Novak and Michelin-starred chef Tim Hollingsworth — fresh off of judging the 2024 season of “The Great American Recipe” competition, the immersive food festival will feature gourmet dishes and new offerings from KFC, Panda Express, Red Robin, Krispy Kreme, Red Lobster and Portillo’s.
ChainFEST will also have a live entertainment element, produced by Medium Rare, the producers behind Shaq’s Fun House, Kelce Jam, and Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate.
Tickets start at $99.99 with all food included.
Music
The Heavy Heavy
Music Hall of Williamsburg — 66 N 6th St, Brooklyn (Williamsburg)
Sat. Sept. 21, 8 p.m.
The British retro rock band, made up of Georgie Fuller and William Turner, kick off their nationwide tour in Williamsburg.
The duo will perform the bright psychedelic pop/folk music from their debut album “One of a Kind.” UK singer-songwriter Fonteyn — also influenced by the greats of the 60s and 70s — will open the 18 and over show.
Tickets start at $36.
Comedy
Silent Stand-Up Comedy Festival
Pier 57 — 25 11th Ave. Manhattan (Chelsea)
Sun. Sept. 22, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fresh off of her Emmy win on Sunday, “The Daily Show” correspondent Dulcé Sloan will co-headline the first-ever Silent Stand-Up Comedy Festival alongside “Saturday Night Live” rising star Devon Walker.
The NYLaughs event features an inventive concept where attendees listening to live comedy on personal headphones. The show will feature family hour, musical improv, and a stand-up showcase.
Free, but must register in advance for personal headphones.
If you have an upcoming weekend event you’d like to submit for consideration in an upcoming roundup, please email: nycevents@nydailynews.com with the details. Consideration does not guarantee inclusion.
