Archives and alcohol: 10 things to do in Brooklyn this weekend

November 7, 2019 Scott Enman

This weekend's events are filled with drinking festivals. Image via Pexels

1. Cider till you drop

There are a lot of beer festivals, but not so many dedicated to cider — until now. Cider Week New York City is taking the Big Apple by storm this weekend. The event will showcase orchard-based cider across numerous locations, including seven spots in Brooklyn. We recommend heading down to Michelin-starred restaurant La Vara in Cobble Hill or attending a five-course cider pairing dinner at Brooklyn Cider House in Bushwick.

Friday through Sunday at various times and locations. Prices vary. More info here.

2. Beer till you drop

Beers at DeKalb Market Hall. Photo courtesy of DeKalb Market Hall

Head down to DeKalb Market in Downtown Brooklyn for a Beer Crawl, where you literally might be crawling by the time you taste all 16 beers from eight breweries. Be sure to indulge in more than 40 food choices to soak up all that alcohol.

Sunday at DeKalb Market from 2-6 p.m. From $45. More info here.

3. Wine till you drop

Scenes from the Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival at Industry City. Photo by Arthur de Gaeta

Brooklyn Crush Wine and Artisanal Food Festival is bringing a curated selection of wines and ciders to Industry City this weekend. Expect bold reds, crisp whites and sparkling selections from Brazil, Spain and South Africa, as well as many other countries. There will also be delicious hors-d’oeuvres.

Saturday from 1-10 p.m. at Industry City. From $47. More info here.

4. Study whiskey (till you drop?)

Kings County Distillery. Photo courtesy of Kings County Distillery

Green-Wood Cemetery and Kings County Distillery of the Brooklyn Navy Yard are teaming up to take people on a trolley tour of Green-Wood’s “permanent residents” who are connected to whiskey. Expect to see graves of former distillers and the single casualty of the Brooklyn Whiskey Wars of the 19th century.

Saturday from 2-5 p.m. at Green-Wood Cemetery. $40. More info here.

5. Revisit the books of your youth

Andrew Cotto. Image courtesy of the author.

Brooklyn author Andrew Cotto will be reading from his award-winning debut novel “The Domino Effect” at Williamsburg’s Leonard Library where Betty Smith wrote “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” Though Cotto’s book is geared toward young adults, anyone who remembers the thrills and challenges of adolescence will enjoy it.

Thursday at the Leonard Library at 6:30 p.m. Free. More info here.

6. Learn the history of your home

Learn more about your home and Brooklyn as a whole at the Brooklyn Historical Society. Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Historical Society

Learn the secret history of your block or home at the Brooklyn Historical Society’s intensive “If These Walls Could Talk” workshop in the beautiful Othermer Library. You’ll learn how to research and find archival images, records and documents.

Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Brooklyn Historical Society. $45. More info here.

7. Spend some time with Brooklyn’s most notorious dead

Green-Wood Cemetery. Photo by Steve Acres.

Before learning about Green-Wood’s whiskey-related residents, learn about its most notorious dwellers with tour guide Ruth Edebohls, who will tell about the lives of murderers, gangsters and schemers buried at the cemetery.

Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Green-Wood Cemetery. $25. More info here.

8. Eat, watch and listen

Pioneer Works. Photo by Walter Wlodarczyk

Pioneer Works in Red Hook is hosting a day filled with live music, food and art. There will be tunes from Boy Radio, three exhibits on view at the museum, open studios from 10 artists and six different programs throughout the day like stargazing and origami.

Sunday from 4-9 p.m at Pioneer Works. Free. More info here.

9. See some art

The Other Art Fair. Photo courtesy of The Other Art Fair

Head down to Greenpoint for the Other Art Fair at the Brooklyn Expect Center. The biannual event, which started in London, showcases the work of roughly 130 emerging artists at an affordable price.

Thursday through Sunday at various times at Brooklyn Expo Center. Prices vary. More info here.

10. Laugh until your ribs hurt

EastVille Comedy Club has numerous shows every weekend. Image via Pexels

You don’t have to travel into Manhattan to find quality comedy. With nine shows, including several open mic sessions, you’re bound to find a hilarious performance at Boerum Hill’s EastVille Comedy Club.

Multiple shows at various times. Prices vary. More info here.

Follow reporter Scott Enman on Twitter.