Film Forum

This West Village hub of art house cinema continues its quest to promote new indie and underground releases, as well as a wide array of repertory selections. It remains the only autonomous nonprofit cinema in New York City. Selections this summer will include a tribute to silent film maestro Erich von Stroheim, including his Greed, The Merry Widow, Queen Kelly and Sunset Blvd. During the month of June, Film Forum will run a tribute to spaghetti westerns programmed by Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan and Bruce Goldstein. Flicks will include Death Rides a Horse, Django, The Big Gundown and the Man with No Name trilogy. 
filmforum.org 

Downtown

IFC Center

This downtown mecca for independent feature films, documentaries and short films offers several series for cinephiles this summer. Short Attention Span Cinema: Films from the New York Times’ Op-Docs will play short opinion documentaries covering events both historical and current, with a special evening screening with filmmakers and guests from the Times’ editorial staff to be scheduled for June. Additionally, the Queer/Art/Film spring/summer series, curated by Adam Baran and Ira Sachs, continues, including Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom, I Could Go On Singing and Rope. Ifccenter.com 

Downtown

Movie Nights on the Elevated Acre 

A few select Monday evenings this summer, New Yorkers can climb up to the Elevated Acre to catch free outdoor films. The first screening, on June 18, is of Stella Days, a new film starring Martin Sheen as a priest in 1950s Ireland who struggles to reconcile a modernizing country with its cultural and religious traditions when he brings electricity and Hollywood to his small town. June 25, Collaborator, starring Martin Donovan and David Morse, brings two childhood pals with different lives into a violently tense hostage situation; the film is Donovan’s writing and directing debut. The final installment, July 9, is Side by Side, a documentary that follows Keanu Reeves through the history of cinema as he interview Hollywood icons like James Cameron, David Fincher, David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and Steven Soderbergh.
June 25-July 9, seating opens at 6 p.m., films begin at 8 p.m. or sunset. The Elevated Acre, 55 Water St., rivertorivernyc.com/events/film.

Downtown

Movies Under the Stars in Riverside Park

As usual, Bryant Park’s summer film schedule features a slate of timeless classics. But let’s face it: That lawn is too damn crowded. Fortunately, for those who’d prefer not to trip over a dude in a bowler hat and miss the climax as we search for our blanket whenever we use the Port-a-Potty, there are a number of other city parks with outdoor films. Most notable is Pier 1 in Riverside Park, which follows up its invasion film-themed 2011 with an eclectic mix that includes Cinema Paradiso (July 11), Amélie (Aug. 1) and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (Aug. 8). Chairs await you, and you won’t need to arrive four hours early to snatch one. 
Wednesday evenings, July 11-Aug. 15, 8:30 p.m.; free. Pier 1, Riverside Park South, 70th St. at the Hudson River, riversidepark.org.

Upper West Side

Film Society at Lincoln Center

Getting psyched for Prometheus, Ridley Scott’s maybe-prequel to his classic 1979 space horror film, Alien? May 25-June 3, the Film Society pays tribute to the 74-year-old director with a retrospective of his versatile career. Past and Prologue: The Films of Ridley Scott will present a complete inventory of his work, including Blade Runner and the three movies that earned him Oscar nods: Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. Also, in preparation for the 50th annual New York Film Festival this fall, the Society will take a look back at highlights from the first 49 years. Films include Gates of Heaven, The Last Metro, My Own Private Idaho and Hoop Dreams.
Filmlinc.com.

Citywide

50 Years of the New York Film Festival

One of the world’s premier film festivals, the NYFF is leaping into its 50th year with a series of screenings showcasing the most important movies from years past, from memorable mainstream successes like 1993’s The Piano to lesser-known gems such as the 1994 flick Lamerica, about Italian con men in Albania. The 50th edition of the fest kicks off in late September, but there’s no better way to prepare yourself than with these screenings—and perhaps some afternoon sunbathing on Lincoln Center’s divine Illumination Lawn.
Ongoing, locations and times vary; $13. filmlinc.com 

Citywide

French Institute Alliance Cinema

The annual Films on the Green series, celebrating French and American literature brought to the big screen, is presented by French Institute:Alliance Française and never fails to inject a bit of joie de vivre into the summer film scene. This year’s movies, screening in parks around the city beginning June 1, include OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, a spy film parody from Michel Hazanavicius—the Academy Award-winning director of The Artist—as well as the cult favorite animated film Persepolis and the Truffaut classic Jules et Jim. Packing a baguette and some brie is practically mandatory.
fiaf.org 

Citywide

Rooftop Film Festival

The Rooftop Film Festival kicked off its 16th year of “Underground Movies Outdoors” on May 11 with a collection of the best new short films from around the world. Be the first of your friends to see one of the many independent films that are being premiered at the festival. Venues include the Old American Can Factory in Brooklyn, Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens and Solar One, a solar-powered arts center in Kips Bay. Movies are preceded by live music and followed by a Q & A with directors and an after-party.
Through Aug. 18; $12. rooftopfilms.org.

Midtown

HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival

Now in its 20th year, this film festival in the heart of Midtown will feature a fun slate of classic and more recent films that will compete with blocks of glittering skyscrapers for your attention. Kicking off with Alfred Hitchcock’s legendary Psycho, the fest will include screenings of The Wizard of Oz, Roman Holiday, Rebel Without a Cause, All About Eve and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Keep in mind that this series features some of the more competitive seating in town, so get there early and plan to be cozy with your neighbors.
June 18-Aug. 20, films start at sunset. Bryant Park, enter at E. 40th St. & 5th Ave. bryantpark.org.

Midtown

Intrepid Museum Summer Movie Series 

Spending a summer evening aboard the magnificent ship Intrepid is draw enough, but throw in some crowd-pleasing military-themed movies, and it becomes a must-see. On Friday, May 25, bring your aviators, decide who in your group is Maverick and who is Iceman and memorize the lyrics to “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling,” because the series kicks off with Top Gun. Subsequent screenings include Spider-Man (that one from way back in 2002), the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek, Jason Segal in The Muppets and everlastingly glorious classics Jurassic Park and The Goonies. Films start at sunset on the Flight Deck, but come early for prime seating.
May 25-Aug. 17, 7:30 p.m.; free. The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, W. 46th St. & 12th Ave., intrepidmuseum.org.

Midtown

New York Asian Film Festival 

This self-described “two-week orgy of popular Asian cinema” celebrates its 11th year this summer. Highlights include the opening night screening of director Pang Ho-Cheung’s Vulgaria, a movie about movie-making that was shot in only 12 days and revolves around gangsters, lawyers, the sex film industry and all manner of sleazy fun; the director himself will be attending. Korean action director Chung Chang-Wha will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. His 1972 movie Five Fingers of Death, which will be shown at the festival, launched the American kung-fu obsession when it was one of the first Asian films to find Western success.
June 29-July 12; $13. Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center, 165 W. 65th St., and The Japan Society, 333 E. 47th St., facebook.com/nyaff.

Upper East Side

Central Park Film Festival

Now in its 10th year, this festival is known for pairing themed movies—past favorites have included Coal Miner’s Daughter and Dreamgirls—with live DJs for a week every August. The gates around Rumsey Playfield open at 6:30 and visitors are free to relax and frolic—no glass bottles!—until the screenings begin. The roster for this year’s fest has yet to be announced, but there’s rarely a bad pick in the bunch; with a whole summer guide’s worth of things to do, who knows how much time you’ll even have left in your schedule.
Aug. 21-25; films start at 8. Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, enter at E. 69th St. & 5th Ave., centralparknyc.org.

Upper West Side

Manhattan Film Festival 

The MFF is in its sixth year as a festival and its second year as a forum for indie filmmakers to actually make some dollar bills off their work. Fifty percent of ticket sales go right back to the filmmakers, so they can hopefully continue to make awesome independent movies instead of working at Starbucks. The lineup is still being created, but highlights from last year include Under Jakob’s Ladder, which won for best period piece and best actor, based on the true story of a chess game that led years later to the captivity and torture of its victor in a Soviet detention camp. Winner for best dramatic feature, White Irish Drinkers centers on two brothers in 1975 Brooklyn who plot to rob a theater during a Rolling Stones concert. It’s safe to say you can expect some interesting on-screen scenarios again this year, plus the knowledge that your ticket is directly supporting the filmmakers.
June 21–July 1. manhattanfilmfestival.org.

Downtown

Sunshine at Midnight at Landmark Sunshine 

Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema is a consistently cool place to see movies both underrated and wildly popular. In addition to their excellent concessions menu (vegan sweets, pizza-stuffed pretzels, Peet’s Coffee), they’re holding midnight screenings of a grab bag of favorites almost every weekend this summer. Flicks to catch include Raiders of the Lost Ark, Zoolander (which promises special guests), Rosemary’s Baby, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Duck Soup. The most amazing part of the series has to be The Room, which runs Saturday, June 2, as well as Aug. 3 & 4, when director/writer/star Tommy Wiseau will be there in the flesh. The film has become a cult classic, and Wiseau has attempted to market it as a “black comedy,” which may be accurate now but clearly wasn’t the intention when the film was made. It’s so excruciatingly bad that it guarantees a hilariously good time. Bring friends and be prepared to say, “Wait, are they serious?” at least 90 times during the first half-hour of the movie.
$10. Sunshine Cinema, 143 E. Houston St., landmarktheatres.com. 

Upper West Side 

Museum of Arts & Design 

This is the place to go for random screenings of strange movies from the ’80s, like the June 15 showing of Mother’s Day (on Father’s Day, natch), a low-budget Charles Kaufman film about a trio of ladies on a camping trip who are kidnapped by a pair of sadistic brothers led by their deranged mom. Good summer fun! Or check out Hellroller on June 22, about a serial killer confined to a wheelchair who doesn’t let his disability get in the way of his passion for slaughter. If horror isn’t to your taste, see Steven Soderbergh’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape screens on June 21 or Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story on June 28, or catch any of the curated series (like the one of “videos exploring inter-dimensional travel”) in July.
$10. 2 Columbus Circle, madmuseum.org.

Prosecutors offered accused East Side Starbucks bomber Kyle Shaw a plea deal July 27 that could let Shaw serve three-and-a-half years in prison, according to District Attorney Cy Vance"s office.

Shaw was arrested on arson charges and criminal possession of a weapon July 2009 for setting a homemade bomb outside of Starbucks on East 92nd Street and Third Avenue.

No one was injured, but the bomb shattered windows and destroyed a bench Memorial Day 2009. Shaw, who was 17 years old, has been out on bail since his arrest. He has no criminal history and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.

An 85-year-old man died after a July 29 hit and run on the Upper East Side. The elderly man was crossing First Avenue at East 84th Street around 5 p.m., when a gold Nissan Maxima smacked into him. The driver of the Nissan fled the scene, according to police.

The victim was rushed to Cornell Hospital in critical condition, and succumbed to his injuries Sunday, Aug. 1.

The police did not report any updates on the Nissan Maxima.

The new Italian restaurant at Lincoln Center finally has a name; Lincoln. The Patina Restaurant Group, which will operate Lincoln, decided to forgo an Italian name, and instead will pay homage to its home on the Upper West Side.

“It seemed a natural to have the Lincoln Center name associated with such an iconic structure,” Reynold Levy, president of Lincoln Center, told the New York Times.

Prato and Oasi, which mean meadow and oasis respectively in Italian, were other leading name contenders for the restaurant, because they reference the restaurant’s rooftop public lawn.

The $20 million, 120-seat freestanding restaurant, led by Per Se chef Jonathan Benno, will open sometime in September.

Lieutenant Brian Mohammed, a fallen police officer who served on the Upper West Side, was honored Friday with a plaque dedicated in his name at the 20th Precinct station at 120 W. 82nd St. between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. Mohammed died from illnesses he contracted as a result of his work on the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero in the weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. Mohammed was 43 years old, and served the NYPD and the Upper West Side’s 20th Precinct for 17 years. He is survived by his wife and child.

The only evidence of the two violent muggings in Riverside Park July 5 was the wanted posters plastered on almost every street lamp. Otherwise, bikers, dog walkers and sun bathers filled the park, just like any other summer day.

Police are still searching for the suspected Riverside Park attacker, whose sketch is plastered throughout the area.

No arrests have been made in the attacks, but park-goers are still enjoying their time in Riverside Park. They have just become more aware of their surroundings than usual.

“I always need to be alert,” said Megan Strong, who just moved to the city from Seattle. “I think there will be more protection now in the park.”

One dog walker, sitting on a bench, goes through Riverside daily with his pack of canines.

“A lot of people were worried. My friends and fellow dog walkers were very concerned,” said the dog walker, who did not want to give his name.

Another dog walker sitting next to him on the bench said he is more cautious about walking in certain parts of Riverside Park.

“I haven’t gone through the bird sanctuary since the incident,” said the other dog walker, a longtime Upper West Side resident. “It’s a very narrow path surrounded by trees… I avoid most desolate places.”

The police sketch posted throughout the park is of the man police believe attacked two women in the early morning hours of July 5.

The first reported attack happened around 6 a.m., when a 19-year-old woman, a freshman at Barnard College, was jogging in the park. While running close to the tennis courts near West 120th Street, the suspect grabbed her and pushed her into a wall. She struck her head and lost consciousness. The woman was found unconscious on a park bench when someone called 911. After being taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, she was treated for bleeding on the brain, a fractured cheek bone and cuts to her face and neck. Her iPod had been stolen.

After the news reports on the violent mugging of the 19-year-old jogger, a second woman came forward to report a similar attack.

The 48-year-old woman said her attacker struck at 6:20 a.m. inside the park near West 98th Street and Riverside Drive. While walking her dog, the suspect came up from behind and repeatedly struck her in the head. She told police the man kicked her in the chest and stomach while she was on the ground before fleeing. Nothing was reported stolen.

NYPD released a sketch of the man after the second victim came forward. He is described as being 5-feet, 8-inches, in his twenties, and having a thin build and black hair. He was last seen wearing blue shorts.

The police found surveillance video of the suspect an hour after the attacks, walking down a street with an iPod in his hand, possibly belonging to his first victim.

Lynn Dele McRimmon, a gospel singer who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years, was shocked when she learned of the attacks.

“We have to be more alert and more discerning about the environment that we are in,” McRimmon said.

There are already efforts to spread the word to find the suspect and step up awareness in the park. Borough President Scott Stringer joined members of two community boards in the area Sunday, July 11, to hand out flyers.

“We’re distributing the description of the alleged attacker. We want it out far and wide and we’re going to stay on this until he is apprehended,” Stringer said in a phone interview after the rally. “The more we get the awareness out and the more we get the alleged attacker’s picture out—[that] will aid the police in doing the job they have to do.”

Compiled by Max A. Goldstein and Alice Robb

Friday, July 2

Museum Sale—The Metropolitan Museum of Art begins its summer sale, with up to 50 percent off selected merchandise, including the museum store’s elegant jewelry, illustrated books, home décor and more. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, 212-570-3894; 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Free.

Caribbean Music—Rockstone Productions presents The Pan Man, a musical about Lypo Tom and his family on the island of Trinidad, and Lypo’s attempt to win his school’s talent show by playing “Pan Music.” The cast features David Duncan, Karen Holder and Ryan Joseph, directed by Michelle Mannette-Gomez. Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 E. 25th St., 646-312-5073 or www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., $15 to $30.

Saturday, July 3

Parks and Recreation—The Arsenal Gallery presents Before They Were Parks, an exhibition exploring the surprising history of 36 of New York City’s parks. Photographs, artifacts and memorabilia document these parks’ transformation from burial grounds, estates and jails to the green spaces we cherish. The Arsenal Gallery in Central Park, 64th Street and Fifth Avenue inside Central Park, third floor, 212-360-1311; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Free.

Best Bookbinders—The Grolier Club decides that you can judge a book by its cover with an exhibition highlighting some works by the world’s best bookbinders. “Bound for Success” features 117 superb bindings from the 2009 international bookbinding competition, organized by the British group Designer Bookbinders. The exhibit runs through July 31.The Grolier Club, 47 E. 60th St., 212-838-6690; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Free.

Twain’s New York—To mark the anniversary of 100 years since his passing and to share stories about Mark Twain’s decades-long relationship with New York City, Upper West Sider Peter Salwen leads a walking tour of fascinating and little-known Twain-related landmarks and sites in lower Manhattan. Meet at the southwest corner of Broadway and Spring Street, 917-620-5371 or www.salwen.com/twain.pdf; 11 a.m., $20.

Glimpse the Galaxy—For nearly 20 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has dazzled the world with unprecedented views of the cosmos. The new IMAX film Hubble offers viewers a chance to witness historic spacewalks and stunning images of galaxies far, far away. Leonardo DiCaprio narrates. American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at West 79th Street, 212-769-5200; 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $14 to $24.

Tuesday, July 6

Kids’ Broadway—The Tudor City Greens outdoor concert series continues with “A Child’s Garden of Verse: Songs By, About, For and With Children.” The concert is hosted by Broadway performer Raissa Katona Bennett (Phantom of the Opera, Chess) and features a host of award-winning Broadway and cabaret performers. South Park of Tudor City Greens Park, enter at Tudor City Place between East 41st and 42nd streets, between First and Second avenues, 718-791-5739; 12 p.m., Free.

Love at Feinstein’s—Renowned vocalist Eric Michael Gillett performs classic songs from the Great American Songbook in a tribute to one of America’s most beloved composers, Harold Arlen. The show, dubbed Hooray for Love—Gillet Sings Arlen, features Arlen songs such as “Blues in the Night,” “Got to Have Me Go with You” and “This Time the Dream’s on Me.” Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave., 212-339-4095 or feinsteinsatloewsregency.com; 8:30 p.m., $25 to $40 with a $25 food and drink minimum.

Classical Central Park—The Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players performs in Central Park as part of the Naumburg Orchestral Concert Series, the oldest free outdoor concert series in the United States. The band performs Friedrich Dotzauer’s “Cello Quintet in D minor, Op. 134,” Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Piano Concerto in D minor” and Felix Mendelssohn’s “Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20.” Central Park, Naumburg Bandshell, 72nd Street Cross-Drive, 212-501-7809 or www.naumburgconcerts.org; 7:30 p.m., Free.

Wednesday, July 7

Stand-up Comedy—Legendary comedienne Joan Rivers presents an evening of her newest and most outrageous riffs on Hollywood, pop culture, celebrities and awards show fashions. The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42nd St., 212-352-3101; 9 p.m., $30 plus $15 food or drink minimum.

Prohibited—The Museum of the City of New York transforms its terrace into a sizzling speakeasy. Enjoy live music by The Moonlighters while sipping cocktails that were popular during the Prohibition era. At that time, juice, sugar, water or bitters were typically added to the bootleg or smuggled alcohol to mask the bad taste and poor quality. Former borough historian Cal Jones provides free tours of the exhibit America’s Mayor: John V. Lindsay and the Reinvention of New York. Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave., 212-534-1672; 6 p.m., $15.

Samurai Play—Japanese Director Yukio Ninagawa returns to Lincoln Center with a production of Musashi, a play about a rivalry between fictional Japanese fighters Musashi and Kojiro. Musashi is part of the Lincoln Center Festival 2010, a collection of plays, musicals, dances and more that continues until July 25. David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, 212-870-5570; 7:30 p.m., $35 to $100.

Movies and More—The annual “Summer on the Hudson” festival kicks off with a series of movies under the stars. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket and lose yourself in Neverending Story as the sun sets over the Hudson River. Other upcoming events include kayaking, yoga, peewee soccer and basketball. Movie screens at Pier I in Riverside Park South, West 70th Street at the Hudson River, 212-408-0219, www.riversideparkfund.org; 8:30 p.m., Free.

Wonderful Hector Coris—Acclaimed cabaret vocalist Hector Coris presents one of the final New York City performances of his solo show Life is Wonderful, which earned him the 2010 MAC Award for Outstanding Male Vocalist. Don’t Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th St., 212-757-0788 or www.donttellmamanyc.com; 7 p.m., $14 with a two-drink minimum.

Thursday, July 8  

Young Tappers—Tap City Intensive, where tap students from across the country take classes taught by a star-studded faculty, presents Tap Future, by students attending the Tap City Intensive. Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, 212-864-5400; 7 p.m., $12 to $22.

Shakespeare’s Parking Lot—The Drilling Company presents Shakespeare’s Love’s Labours Lost as part of its Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot series. Love’s Labours Lost will be preformed every Thursday through Saturday until July 28, and is directed by Kathy Curtis. Municipal Parking Lot, corner of Ludlow and Broome Streets, 212-873-9050 or www.drillingcompany.org; 8 p.m., Free.

Hip Hop—CityParks Kids continues its summer 2010 programming with a hip-hop performance by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. Morningside Park, 123rd Street and Morningside Avenue, 212-360-8359; 10:30 a.m., Free.

Balkan Band—The Jewish Museum’s Summer Nights series continues with Ansambl Mastika, one of New York’s best Balkan bands. The band draws its music from Europe, the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Ave., 212-423-3337; 7:30 p.m., $12 to $15.

Compiled by Max A. Goldstein

Ongoing

Harlem History—The art exhibit Coming Out: A Historical Retrospective of New York’s Trailblazing LGBT Institutions spotlights LGBTQ organizations and people who changed the history of Harlem, including Black AIDS Institute and FIERCE. Through July 12. Casa Frela Gallery, 47 W. 119th St., 917-991-4760, www.casafrela.com.

Thursday, June 24

Pride Ride 2010—Take an historical guided tour through New York and see relics of the LGBT community that date as far back as the late 1800s—and we’re not just talking about some of the drag queens. For information, visit www.bikethebigapple.com.

Friday, June 25

Masquerade—The mosaic marble floors and 65-foot ceilings at Capitale set the stage for an insane Pride soiree, featuring rope artists, jugglers and a $500 prize for Best Costume. DJs Fonseca and Calagna promise a beat-heavy dance party at “Desire: A Masquerade Ball.” Capitale, 130 Bowery, www.leechappell.com; 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., $30.

Pride Plays—Check out “Too Much PRIDE Makes The Baby Go Gay: 30 Gay Plays in 60 Straight Minutes.” New York Neo-Futurists presents 30 short plays that reveal the struggle, the joy, the power of being out and proud in New York City in support of acceptance and freedom for all the world’s citizens. June 25 and 26. The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th St.; 10:30 p.m., $20.

Saturday, June 26

Run Time—Proceeds from the 5-mile Front Runners New York Lesbian and Gay Pride Run, sponsored by GLBT-affiliated Front Runners, benefit SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Top male and female finishers get prize money. Race starts in Central Park, at West Drive and West 67th Street, www.nyrr.org; 9 a.m., $40.

Marching Orders—Since 1993, the annual NYC Dyke March and After Party from Midtown to Washington Square Park has been the prelude to the annual Gay Pride Parade. The party continues at Ginger’s, the march’s only official sponsor, later that night. Bryant Park, West 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue; 5 p.m.

Head to Harlem—Eat, drink and knock down a pin or two at “Bowl with Pride,” the closing event at Harlem Pride 2010, the neighborhood’s first Pride Week celebration. Harlem Lanes, 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., 646-755-9333; 7 p.m.

Sunday, June 27

Parade View—In its third year, Hades Music: The Parade Party takes place 11 floors up as the parade goes on below, giving partiers great views. Continuous house music and drinks will be flowing. 267 Fifth Ave., 347-525-5683, www.theparadeparty.com; noon to 7 p.m., $31.

Global Party—Dance on the Pier has a little international flavor this year, as British DJ outfit Freemasons is set to spin. But they’ll keep the States in the playlist with songs by New York singer Wynter Gordon, not to mention fireworks and a surprise musical performance. Pier 54, West Side Highway and West 13th Street, www.nycpride.org; 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., $75 to $100.

Compiled by Max A. Goldstein

Friday, June 25

Salsa Lessons­­­­­—Learn to shine on the dance floor to Latin beats. No partner is necessary at the New York Society for Ethical Culture’s “No Excuse Salsa Lessons,” for ages 18 and up. New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 W. 64th St., 212-874-5210, x113; 7 p.m., $20.

Good Value—Short on cash? An Upper West Side weekend fair offers everything for free, from haircuts to dinners to dance classes. Tonight, the portrait and scrapbook boutique Portrait Bug offers free pictures for any occasion (dating profile pictures, family portraits, etc.), a value of $25 or more. Other participating stores include The Little Shop of Crafts, Blondi’s Hair Salon, The Corner, Rita’s and Elia Hair Salon. For more information about the “Free-for-All” weekend, call 917-806-4072 or visit www.littleshopny.com. Portrait Bug, 2466 Broadway, 212-600-4457; 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Free.

Museum Movie—Psychic Jeffrey Wands introduces Don’t Look Now (1973). The film tells the story of a couple who try to recover from the death of their daughter and end up communicating with worlds beyond. The British film, directed by Nicholas Roeg, is the latest installment in the museum’s Remember You Will Die: Death Across Cultures exhibition. Wands hosts the radio show Psychic Sundays, and has made many television appearances. Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17th St., 212-650-5000, x344; 9:30 p.m., Free with $7 bar minimum.

Big Apple Samurai—Check out an exhibit commemorating the 150th anniversary of a visit from more than 70 Japanese samurai, six years after Commodore Matthew Perry compelled the nation to open its ports to the United States. Samurai in New York: The First Japanese Delegation, 1860 includes rare 19th-century photographs, ephemera related to the visit, newspaper accounts and works of art and adornment revealing Japanese influence. Through Oct. 11. Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave., 212-534-1672; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $6 to $10.

Saturday, June 26

Gallery Tour—New York Gallery Tours offers a tour of seven Chelsea galleries. The tour showcases this month’s most fascinating exhibits in painting, sculpture, electronic media and photography. The tour is led by Rafael Risemberg, Ph.D. Meet at 526 W. 26th St., 212-946-1548; 1 p.m., $20.

Salsa Party—The group You Should Be Dancing presents “Swing N’ Salsa,” a swing and salsa dance party at Club 412. The Matt Ray String Quartet performs in the swing room, while Martin Vincentes Y Su Rico Timbao perform in the Latin Room. Lessons are available before the dance party begins. Club 412, 412 Eighth Ave., 4th floor, 212-244-0011; 7 p.m., $10 to $18.

Crafty—A paint-a-thon for adults and children takes place at Little Shop of Crafts. Drop by for an evening of wood and plaster painting, beading and more at the East Side (431 E. 73rd St., 212-717-6636) and West Side (711 Amsterdam Ave., 212-531-2723) locations. 7 to 9 p.m., Free.

Kids Dance—Friends of the High Line hosts three creative classes for kids. The classes emphasize dance through the use of spontaneous, innovative and unique body movements under the instruction of choreographer Lydia Bell. The class is open to kids 8 and up and accompanying adults. Chelsea Market passage, High-Line Park and West 14th St., register at www.thehighline.org; 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Free.

Operatic—A performance of La Fancuilla del West takes place at the Inwood House. The performance is directed by Ah Ram Lee and Anne de Fiogls and conducted by Robert Butts. Inwood House, 320 E. 82nd St., 212-861-440; 7 p.m., $20 to $35.

Sunday, June 27

Sound Garden—The West Side Community Garden continues its concert series with a performance by Sweet Plantain, a classical Latin string quartet. West Side Community Garden, West 89th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, www.westsidecommunitygarden.org; 6 p.m., Free.

Monday, June 28

Revamped Kleban—Amas Musical Theatre presents a free staged reading of a new musical, Saving The MuSE. Originally titled Gallery, the piece was developed in the mid-1980s as an art-focused revue of new songs by Edward Kleban (lyricist, A Chorus Line). After an initial workshop, the project was shelved and Kleban died before he returned to it. Linda Kline (A Class Act) has reorganized the songs and drafted a book that sets them in a museum under financial threat. Featuring Cindy Cheung, Dee Hoty and Harris Duran, and directed by Paul Wolfson. Ripley-Grier Studios, 520 Eighth Ave., 212-563-2565; 6 p.m., Free.

Tuesday, June 29

East vs. West—Lincoln Center’s first Midsummer Night Swing of the season features a battle of the bands between the East Coast George Gee Orchestra and the West Coast Bill Elliot Swing orchestra. The month-long festival features artists from a variety of genres, including salsa and swing music, and audience dancing. Dance lessons at 6:30 p.m., live music from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park, West 62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues, 212-721-6500; 6:30 p.m., $17.

Plaza Music—The series Cool Music for Warm Summer Days kicks off with a performance of Porgy and Bess, by the Harlem Jubilee Singers. The series, now in its 31st season, is presented by the Rudin Family. Plaza area of 345 Park Ave., 212-407-2400; 12:30 p.m., Free.

Wednesday, June 30

Grease in the Park—Rydell High hits the Upper West Side as Grease opens Summer on the Hudson’s “Movies Under the Stars” series. Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance? Viewers are encouraged to dress as their favorite character. The series screens movies every Wednesday night for the next seven weeks. Pier One, West 70th Street and Riverside Park, 212-408-0219; 8:30 p.m., Free.

Thursday, July 1

New Jazz—The BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, a creative forum for musical exploration and development, highlights the best new jazz compositions of the past year at its 22nd Annual Summer Showcase Concert. The concert features a performance by the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra. Christ and St. Stephen’s Church, 120 W. 69th St., 212-220-3000; 7:30 p.m., Free.

Jewish Southern Fiddle—The Jewish Museum’s Summernights Concert Series returns with Margot Leverett and the Klezmer Mountain Boys. The ensemble combines Southern fiddle tunes with Eastern European Klezmer melodies in the first installment of the three-concert summer series. The Jewish Musuem, 1109 Fifth Ave., 212-423-3337; 7:30 p.m., $12 to $15.

Senior year for the typical college student means partying and an abundance of free time before entering the working world. For Lane Bodian, however, the last year at Franklin & Marshall was spent trying to win asylum for a Cameroon man under attack for his political views.

Bodian, a soccer player who grew up in the East 70s and attended Westminster Boarding School in Connecticut, got involved in the case through a class, “Human Rights and Human Wrongs. Although he could not elaborate on the case"s details because it has yet to go before a judge, he said the situation was dire.

“If he went back to Cameroon, Bodian said of the man, “he would suffer serious repercussions. He might be killed.

A soccer team trip in March 2008 brought Bodian and fellow soccer player Matt Melino, from Westfield, N.J., to Africa. The team had been engaged in an ongoing effort in the impoverished city of Khayelitsha, South Africa, to teach HIV/AIDS prevention to children using soccer as a platform. They expanded the project to include construction of a new soccer field in memory of a fellow teammate, Chris Campbell, who collapsed and died while running just before the start of the fall 2007 season.

Lane Bodian was inspired to get involved in human rights after a soccer team trip to South Africa.

“That trip really inspired me and Matt to do more, and I think that it inspired us to sign up for this class, Bodian said.

Dr. Susan Dicklitch, an associate dean at Franklin & Marshall, co-teaches the class with lawyers from the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center, a non-
profit legal services organization. Other pro-bono law firms worked with the class, providing students with internship opportunities. The students worked in pairs with lawyers on asylum and immigration cases, helping to write affidavits, compile human rights research and compose internal legal memos that showed the strengths and weaknesses of the cases.

Bodian and Melino were assigned a Washington, D.C., lawyer who was working on the Cameroonian man"s case. The two traveled to the capitol to help the lawyer question the man about his story.

“It was really intense talking to him. He told us he was tortured for his political beliefs, Bodian said. “It was eye-opening listening to what this man went through, and to see what one man is capable of doing to another.

After a four-and-a-half-hour follow-up interview via Skype with the asylum seeker, the seniors began to research and write an affidavit for the man"s trial. Their work yielded 490 pages documenting the crimes and conditions of the politically repressed in Cameroon in an effort to prove to the judge at the upcoming trial that their client would be in serious danger if he returned home.

Although everyone in the class worked on composing legal documents, Bodian and Melino"s affidavit was much longer than was required. The pair also went to unusual lengths in their travel to Washington, D.C., and their efforts to enlist help from a friend who spoke French, the asylum-seeker"s language. Bodian said he was amazed at the opportunity he was given to work so closely on a real case.

“We were doing the work of law school students and lawyers. It was unbelievable that we were able to do this and just be undergraduates, said Bodian, who is confidant that their work will help the man gain permanent residency in the United States.

Dicklitch said the case had not yet proceeded to its merits hearing, but that Bodian and Melino should feel proud of their work.

“My hope is that students will realize the impact that they can have on another person"s life's even if they don"t win asylum for the client, Dicklitch wrote in an email. “I want them to realize that they can make a difference's not even's but because they are college students.

Bodian said his experiences in a city with so many immigrants helped him appreciate the significance of his work.

“I think growing up in New York exposes us to a whole variety of culture and different people, he said. “Now, when I see a guy on the street, I think twice before I make a judgment, because everyone has their own unique story.

Although the students missed out on free time during their senior year, Bodian, who hopes to work in law or politics on Capitol Hill, said the effort was worthwhile.

“We decided that working with asylum seekers would be more meaningful than some extra down time, Bodian said. “I"m still looking for a job, so I guess right now is my down time.