offManhattan

· The Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Centennial exhibit ends this Sunday, September 5. [bbg.org]

· Eat good food and explore another borough at the Asian Feastival this Monday in Queens; proceeds go to the Food Bank For NYC. [AF]

· The 2nd Annual Hamptons Black International Film Festival is September 2-5. [thrillist]

· All your favorite food trucks will gather on Governors Island this Sunday—think Jerk Chicken sandwiches, Peppermint & Chip ice cream, Peking Duck dumplings, local craft beer—for an event called Parked; bring your picnic blanket and have a nice lazy Labor Day weekend. [MeanRedProductions]

· The Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival concludes its season this weekend with Troilus and Cressida and The Taming of the Shrew at Boscobel Mansion. [HVSF]

· The Westchester Cycle Club’s Golden Apple Bike Ride is this Sunday. [oM]

· The New York City Unicycle Festival celebrates its first annual event this Saturday. [NewYorker]

· Enjoy a free hot dog when you buy a beer at the Stone Brewing Company BBQ in Brooklyn this Saturday. [Sycamore]

· The last of the free Friday Night Fireworks at Coney Island is tomorrow. [TONY]

· On Saturday, trot north of NYC for an evening horseback ride, hayride and fireside cookout; public transportation, beer, and wine included. [OutdoorBound]

· Free kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. [oM]

· Your alternative to watching the Emmy’s could be swing dancing and Sam Adams swigging at the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden (which turns 100 this year) on Sunday at 7p.m. [BohemianHall]

· Learn to make four vegan-friendly desserts—including blueberry cheesecake, fudge brownies, and apple pie—with rockstar green chef Judita this Sunday afternoon. [BrooklynKitchen]

· Take the kids to the New York Aquarium for a wet smooch at the seal encounter before catching the fireworks show on the Coney Island boardwalk on Friday. [ConeyIsland]

· The 165th annual Dutchess County Fair is this weekend in Rhinebeck; take the bus or train. [hvmag]

· Enjoy MamaMancini’s Meatballs on Saturday at the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene. [BrooklynFlea]

· The Jazz Age Lawn Party returns to Governors Island one last time this year on Saturday and Sunday with Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra, so get our your suspenders and “dip-me” shoes. [GovIsland]

The man who made Barack Obama an even more dazzling candidate for President with his “Hope” “Change” and “Progress” posters, has been busy with a campaign of his own. Shepard Fairey’s latest street piece, “Providence Industrial”, is located on Aborn between Washington and Westminster. Although the notorious artist took a commission of $5,000, raising money for AS220, a non-profit, grassroots community arts space, is the impetus behind the design.

oM exchanged emails with the Rhode Island School of Design graduate about his new 38-foot-by-80-foot mural, his old stomping grounds in the “Creative Capital,” what he plans to paint next—and if his hands will make a return to the walls of NYC.

· The MTA wants to give you the nostalgic ride of your life this Saturday. [mta.info]

· A bike rental program rolls out onto Grand Army Plaza. [HOB]

· A bassonist and a violin player walk into a bar. . . find out what happens next Friday night at Sycamore on Cortelyou Road. [TONY]

· Take your creative kid to an inspiring event on Saturday, when young writers from NY to Jamaica will share their work at the Fort Greene Summer Literary Festival. [BrooklynBased]

· Join in the Brooklyn hullabaloo for a good cause on Sunday at The Farm to Folk Fest. [greenpointers.blogspot]

· Taste and judge 20 beers from Brooklyn’s top 20 homebrewers on Saturday. [brooklynwort]

· Bring your bike onto Metro-North (no permit needed) for this Hudson Valley ride over the longest pedestrian bridge in the world, past historic mansions, and ultimately to Dutchess Community College for a mountain bike stunt show; you’ll get a free t-shirt too. [bikenewyork.org]

· Kick things up a notch at your next party with some new summery herb and spice-infused cocktails; learn from a drinks maestro at Ger-Ni’s Culinary and Herb Center on Friday night. [CulinaryHerbCenter]

· The Brooklyn Kitchen presents the Raw Food, Fast and Easy class this Sunday, August 15, so come hungry for Thai coconut smoothies, chia pudding, veggie wraps, and chocolate truffles. [thebrooklynkitchen.com]

· Eco-Fashion: Going Green exhibit at FIT explores the industry’s relationship to the environment. [fitnyc.edu]

· Brooklyn’s got a brand new beer garden. [loreleynyc.com]

· Summer streets is back this Saturday, August 14 so enjoy the free bike and skate rentals on the 6.9 mile car-free route between Brooklyn Bridge and Park Ave.  [nyc.gov]

· Celebrate a new brew, the Brooklyn Detonation Ale, and nibble on dumplings from The Dump School, with Brooklyn Brewery at the Lullwater Lounge in Prospect Park. [prospectpark.org]

· The 2^nd Annual NJ Beer & Food Festival will include beer seminars and a Sam Adams dinner at the Crystal Springs Resort this weekend. [crystalgolfresort.com]

· Embrace the car-free roads of New York City on August 7, 14, 21 when the 3rd annual Summer Streets event takes over the five boroughs and features a refreshing surprise; it’s worth staying in town for. [nyc.gov]

· See “American in High Style” at the Brooklyn Museum before it ends August 1. [oM]

· Fairmont is bringing BMW cruise bikes to all its U.S. hotels for guests to rent for free. [hotelchatter.com]

· In addition to mingling with actors Kevin Klein and Kerry Washington, learn about landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s “green” life and work during a special documentary screening at Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park this Wednesday, August 4 at 8pm. [theolmstedlegacy]

· The Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival is next weekend. [harrahs.com]

· MTA will raise fares. [newyorkpost]

· Stone Barns Center presents Summer on the Farm Weekend August 7-8 with free seasonal tastings, flower workshops, egg picking, scavenger hunts, and more. [stonebarnscenter.org]

· Corinne Bailey Rae performs at the Beach at Governors Island on August 6. [thebeachconcerts.com]

Bike travel provides many positives to the rider and the environment. The good people at SummerStage now add the high roller treatment to the list. In partnership with Transportation Alternatives, SummerStage will be rolling out the red carpet of convenience with FREE bike valet parking at all East River Park events. This August, SummerStage is celebrating its 25th anniversary by extending beyond their programming in Central Park with over 100 music, dance and theater programs in all five boroughs.

So how does the bike valet service fit into their master plan? The current valet program promises to give greater access to cyclists at the East River Park venue, provide an incentive to utilize alternative means of transportation, and promote the use of green spaces in the Lower East Side. They’re making a significant statement in support of the growing bike culture of New York with an emphasis on sustainability and community. “This is the first time SummerStage is offering free bike valet service,” said Karen Overton, City Parks Foundation Catalyst Coordinator. “It is a pilot program, but we do intend to continue it going forward next year.” The service launches Wednesday, August 4th and runs through 13 days of free music, dance, and theater. Such events include local indie-rock darlings White Rabbits, a rowdy re-imagining of the epic poem Beowulf, the socially conscious Wideman/Davis Dance group, and a tribute to the Faina All-stars featuring DJ Lucho and a variety of the city’s top Latin players. (A full schedule and breakdown on the varied multi-cultural performances can be found at SummerStage.org.)

· Get a slice of pizza and peruse Brooklyn Grange farmers market veggies at Roberta’s on Sunday 11-5pm. [Robertas]

· Celebrate Brooklyn! presents a D.I.Y. art fair and talent-packed concert, “Field of Dreams (Un Mundo Nuevo)” on July 24 in Prospect Park; $3 suggested donation. [bricartsmedia]

· Relish diner takes an indefinite nap. [grubstreet]

· Celebrate the City of Water Day Festival with free fishing on Governors Island, listen to whale tales on a tanker ship in Red Hook, or go kayaking (and learn rolling skills) at Brooklyn Bridge Park. [nytimes]

· The LaGuardia Performing Arts Center hosts the borough’s 1st International Theater Festival, ongoing through July 29. [lagcc]

· Step aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum tonight for a free film screening of The Goonies. [tony]

· The 1st Annual Kemble Park Tavern Craft Beer Festival in D.C. starts this Sunday, July 25-July 31, and includes nightly complimentary tastings, beer and food pairings, and $4 American craft beers. [girlmeetsfood]

· Get your tickets for a ride in the sky in advance of this weekend’s 28th Annual NJ Balloon Festival. [oM]