Spend summer’s waning days enjoying the city’s parks and waterways.

South Street Seaport/Financial District

South Street Seaport Photography Class
Join PhotoUno photography school for this two hour class to find out how to capture the essence of South Street Seaport. Class attendees will take photos using techniques relating to background blur and ISO for low lighting situations, panning shots, use of fill flash and long exposures. You’ll need to bring a digital camera that allows you to go up to to f22 to ensure long exposures.
Tuesday, August 20, 7-9PM
South Street Seaport, 11 Fulton Street
$45

George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic
George Clinton and the Parliament/Funkadelic machine ruled the R&B charts during the ’70s, capturing over 40 R&B hit singles and three platinum albums.
Thursday, August 22, 7PM
Beekman Beer Garden, 89 South Street
Tickets: $25-$30

Greenwich Village

Julianna Barwick at Judson Memorial Church
Locally-based songbird Julianna Barwick is celebrating the release of her latest album, Nepenthe, recorded in the haunting landscapes of Iceland, at the classically beautiful Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village.
Tuesday, August 20, 7PM
Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South
Tickets: $15-20

Midtown West

Cosmopolitan Magazine Presents Nanny Diaries Authors in Bryant Park
Get a sneak peek at The First Affair, A Novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, the same authors who brought you The Nanny Diaries, before it hits the shelves.
Wednesday, August 21, 12:30 - 1:45PM
Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues
$Free

Pirate School Harbor Cruise for Moms and Dads
Join the Mommy Poppins gang aboard Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship for a pirate-themed sail in New York Harbor. Kids will learn knot tying, hoisting the sails and other nautical know-how. Kids’ comedian Dave Engel will perform his version of “Pirate School!” Plus: face painters, custom temporary tattoos, goody bags and more. A special pirate-themed cruise aimed at dads happens at 10AM (though moms and dads are welcome).
Tuesday, August 20, 10AM and noon
Pier 17, South Street Seaport
Kids: $25; adults: $39

Fort Greene

2013 MTV Video Music Awards
The Grammys’ hip teen sibling rocks Brooklyn for the first time in its 18-year history as a celebration of what’s new and what’s now in the world of pop music. Performing live at this year’s awards will be show-opener Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kanye West, Robin Thicke, Bruno Mars, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and many more.
Sunday, August 25, 9PM
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn
Ticket prices vary for this (officially) sold-out event; see Craigslist and ticket outlets for tickets.

Fort Greene Park Literary Festival
Drawing upon the rich and diverse literary history of Fort Greene Park and its surrounding neighborhoods, this summer literary event provides a means for self-expression and creativity for the area’s young people and builds community through arts and literature with young writers from all over New York City. Young writers from the NYWC summer youth workshops in Fort Greene Park will share poetry and prose alongside some of Brooklyn’s most prized literary talent.
Saturday August 24, 2PM
Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn
$Free
Citywide

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival
The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival annually assembles some of the world’s finest musicians who reflect Parker’s musical individuality and genius to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.
August 21-25; See site for events and venues
$Free