August 24, 2010 08:00AM EDT

Price of a Movie: 8.24.10

Get cultured with The Ice Storm author Rick Moody, see Travolta start a disco inferno, and Bird is the word this weekend… and best of all, everything’s free!

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"Word for Word Author" with Rick Moody and John Wesley Harding

Hey all you midtown office drones! Instead of noshing at the local Subway, take your $5 foot-long to Bryant Park and check out this lunchtime talk and mini-concert with author Rick Moody and songwriter John Wesley Harding. Moody will read from his new book The Four Fingers of Death, the novelization of the 1963 horror flick, The Crawling Hand, and will join Harding for a musical performance.

Where: Bryant Park Reading Room, 42nd Street side of Bryant Park, Manhattan
When: Wednesday, August 25, 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM
Price: Free!

    

Central Park Conservancy Film Festival: Saturday Night Fever

As Tony Manero, John Travolta hustled his way into our hearts, becoming one of the most indelible New York City characters ever committed to celluloid. So what better way to pay tribute to the king of the disco floor than to screen Saturday Night Fever against the backdrop of the iconic New York skyline, in Central Park?
 
Not a Bee Gees fan? Then come on Saturday night to see the winner of the viewer’s choice: Serendipity or Manhattan. (Seriously, is this even a competition?) Get there early for a good spot and hear guest DJs spin at 6:30 PM.

Where: Sheep Meadow and the 72nd Street Cross Drive, Central Park, Manhattan
When: Thursday, August 26, or Saturday, August 28, 8 PM
Price: Free!  
    


Studio on the Street: Nina Katchadourian

At this open studio, New York-based artist Nina Katchadourian reveals her newest project, What I Did This Summer (and no, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays no part in it). She modeled the show on a back-to-school essay, made up of works crafted over the summer as an artist-in-residence, including a "fleet" of carved bark boats and a sound work with people trying to mimic the noise of the vuvuzela horn—y’know, those buzzzzzzzzzing things that drove you crazy during the World Cup.

Where: Forever & Today, 141 Division Street, Manhattan
When: Opening reception, Friday, August 27, 6 PM to 8 PM
Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29, 12 PM to 6 PM
Price: Free!



The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival

The two-day fest serves up piping hot jazz in ’hoods where Bird mainly lived and worked: Harlem and the East Village. Each features a lineup of talented musicians who reflect Parker’s musical individuality—so expect some excellent jazz and blues all weekend long.

Things kick off on Saturday at Marcus Garvey Park with performances by Grammy Award-winning pianist McCoy Tyner and the JD Allen Trio, among others. On Sunday, at Tompkins Square Park, you can catch jazz great Jimmy Scott (still crooning at age 84) along with sultry blueswoman Catherine Russell.  

Where: Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park, Manhattan
When: Saturday, August 28 and Sunday, August 29, 3 PM to 7 PM
Price: Free!    
   

Photo by Mitch Waxman

Tug & Barge Week

Water Taxi? Whatevs. This weekend, hop on an antique tugboat for a trip around the New York Harbor, or landlubbers can tour a historic barge docked at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It’s all to raise awareness for the Tug Pegasus Preservation Project and the Waterfront Museum, which will host a benefit on Tuesday, August 31. The 1907 Tugboat Pegasus can only hold 40 people per trip, so reserve your spot by emailing info@tugpegasus.org.

Where: Pier 6, Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn
When: Saturday, August 28 through Monday, August 30, 1 PM to 5 PM for barge and tug tours; Saturday and Sunday, 1 PM and 3 PM for tug trips
Price: Free! 

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