In the words of the great poet, Rihanna, "cheers to the freakin' weekend."
Even though it was a short week (s/o to 'Murica), we still struggle particularly hard through this week, mostly because the city was the approximate temperature of Satan's butthole.
WE ARE MELTING.
But nonetheless, we refuse to let the sweltering temps prevent us from thoroughly enjoying our weekend, no matter how tempting it is to remain in the safety of our air conditioned apartments.
There's just too much dope stuff going on in NYC over the next couple of days.
Now that summer is in full swing, the city is coming alive, and we want to take full advantage. Read on to discover all the funtivities that we'll be getting into this weekend.
Friday, July 8th
1. Come Out & Play 2016
This annual summer event lets us adults embrace the childhood we never quite grew out of.
It kicks off on Friday, July 8th with After Dark, which will turn the Manhattan Bridge Archway Plaza into an arcade with social party games, large physical video games and wild new street games.
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The fun moves to Governors Island on Saturday, July 9th for Field Day, an all day smorgasbord of field games and sports against the beautiful backdrop of NYC.
2. Beer Float Ice Cream Social
Beer? Ice cream? Classic movies? It really doesn't get any better than that.
Long Island City' Big Alice Bewing will be hosting an epic event combining all our favorite things on Friday, July 8th from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In addition to screening classics like The Sandlot and Heavyweights, Big Alice will be serving up beer floats created with delicious ice cream provided by Oddfellows. #yaaas
3. You Are Not Alone: Improv Inspired By Mara Wilson & Friends
If that name sounds familiar, you're not going crazy.
Mara Wilson, who starred as the title character in 1990s classic Matilda, is now a writer, activist, and host of her own show, What Are You Afraid Of?
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This Friday night she'll join forces with May Wilkerson, Alyssa Limperis and more for an evening of storytelling inspiring improv, in cooperation with You Are Not Alone: An Uplifting Show About Depression.
All proceeds from the event will benefit mental health awareness organization Project UROK.
Saturday, July 9th
4. Whiskey Fried
How does whiskey, hand-crafted cocktails, and incredible fried food sound to you? We’re guessing pretty damn good.
Which is precisely why you’ve got to check out this year’s Whiskey Fried Classic, an upscale backyard barbecue event featuring liquors from dozens of distilleries and local bars paired with Southern-inspired dishes from over 20 restaurants.
Deliciousness in the form of Bareburger, Jacob’s Pickles, Sweet Chili, and The Donutologist are just a small sampling of what you can expect from this event. Get your tickets here!
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5. NYC Bodypainting Day
Just when you thought this city couldn't get any crazier.
This Saturday July 9th, NYC will celebrate its third annual Bodypainting Day, in which 100 nude models will have their bodies covered in intricate designs by mega-talented artists.
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This year's theme is "Inner Beauty", celebrating body types of all shapes and sizes. The artists will be encouraged to draw inspiration from their model's energy and personality as they work.
The event goes down at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza near the United Nations starting at 12 p.m., but once the creations are completed at 4 p.m., the models will hit the road together to show off their body paint around the city.
6. Greatest Day Ever!
This annual event brings together some of the best new talent in NYC for the ultimate summer celebration. You’ll get to catch incredible performances by up and comers like Baauer, Slink, 4B, Grandtheft, and many more.
It all goes down at The Brooklyn Mirage on Saturday, July 9th from 2 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Get your tickets right here!
Sunday, July 10th
7. Bastille Day
There's no better way to enjoy the last day of weekend like strolling around a street fair. Head over to the Upper East Side this Sunday for the annual NYC celebration of Bastille Day, an event chock-full of French culture, food and entertainment.
For over ten years, Bastille Day on 60th Street, presented by the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF) has been the largest public celebration in New York commemorating France’s Independence Day (July 14, 1789) and its historic friendship with the United States.
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This year’s event will feature chocolate and wine tasting, kid’s events, and even a performance from the cast members of the Tony-award winning music, An American in Paris.
It all goes down from noon to 5 p.m. on July 10th, on East 60th Street from 5th Avenue to Lexington Avenue.
8. 5050 Music & Arts Festival
Music festivals are the perfect way to celebrate summer in the city.
Head over to The Paper Box in Brooklyn this Sunday for this all day concert event featuring the talents of No Malic & The Reloaded Band, 821, Brobie Fresh, and more.
Events are going down both indoors and out, so you don't have to worry about completely melting in the summer heat.
Check out 13 Best Absolutely Free Things to Do in NYC This July.
[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]