“It is not living that matters, but living rightly,” Socrates is purported to have said. Living rightly here in New York means taking advantage of all that the city has to offer, and it doesn’t get much better than free summer events in parks across the five boroughs.
Special gatherings and performances continue into September at Socrates Sculpture Park, at 32-01 Vernon Blvd. in Queens, many held in conjunction with Suchitra Mattai’s “we are nomads, we are dreamers” installation, consisting of works made with saris and the land (a pocket full of posies, becoming, phala, A Nomadic Garden), in addition to three plant-based pieces: Landon Newton’s TILT (what if these plants get out), Mamoun Nukumanu’s Earth Resonance, and Kimberly Chou Tsun An’s Yours, mine, ours: Community Garden. Each of the below events is free; some require advance registration.
Daily through August 25
Suchitra Mattai: “We are nomads, we are dreamers,” site-specific commission including a pocket full of posies (Broadway Billboard), becoming (vintage saris and net), phala (vintage saris, rope, chain), and A Nomadic Garden, 9:00 am - sunset
Sundays through September 29
Yoga at Socrates, Vinyasa Yoga with Astoria Yoga, 10:00 am
Tuesdays through August 27
Sunset Meditation, with Mindful Astoria, 7:00 pm
Wednesdays through August 14
GROOVE NYC, dance sessions for kids 5–10 years old, cofacilitated by Maria Gutierrez and GROOVE college interns, 11:00 am
Saturdays through October 19
Farmstand 2024, fresh seasonal local produce, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Saturday, July 27
Socrates x Aurora Commons/WE-Lab Field Guide: Power in Ceremony, facilitated by Ana Polanco and Nisha Purushotham, advance RSVP required, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Saturday, July 27
Kayaking at Hallet’s Cove, noon - 3:00
A walk around Socrates Sculpture Park, with stops at all current art pieces (video by twi-ny/mdr)
Sunday, July 28
Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Nueva York’s Annual Guelaguetza Festival, noon - 6:00
Saturday, August 3
Field Guide — Deep Looking: Points of Connection Abound, advance RSVP required, 11:00 am
Sunday, August 4
Kayaking at Hallet’s Cove, noon - 3:00
Tuesday, August 6
Queensboro Dance Festival: Dances Around the World’s Boro, Argentine Folk with Silvana Brizuela Weigel, 6:00
Wednesday, August 7
Queensboro Dance Festival: Dances Around the World’s Boro, Soca with carNYval dancers, 6:00
Thursday, August 8
Artist Picnic, advance RSVP required, 6:00
Tuesday, August 13
Queensboro Dance Festival: Dances Around the World’s Boro, Social dance circles with Greek American Folklore Society, 6:00
Wednesday, August 14
Queensboro Dance Festival: Dances Around the World’s Boro, Japanese Yosakoi dance with 10tecomai Yosakoi Dance Project, 6:00
Sunday, August 18
Hip to Hip Theatre Company: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Kids & the Classics Children’s Workshop at 4:30, performance at 5:00
Saturday, August 24
Socrates x Noguchi Field Guide — Upcycling: Potential of Paper, advance RSVP required, 11:00 am
Sunday, August 25
Closing Celebration, “Suchitra Mattai: We are nomads, we are dreamers,” with Barkha Dance Company, 2:00
[You can follow Mark Rifkin and This Week in New York every day here.]
living rightly: summer at socrates