Things To Do This Weekend In New York City & Roosevelt Island - Beach Burlesque, Roosevelt Live Concert, Grucci Fireworks & Tweetup Photoshoot

You Tube Video of Alex Battles & Whiskey Rebellion at Johnny Cash Birthday Bash

Looking for fun or interesting things to do on Roosevelt Island or in some other part of New York City this Memorial Day weekend? Here are some suggestions.

For Friday night, Newyorkology suggests heading to Coney Island for:

Burlesque At The Beach:The Great Fredini and Bambi present:
OLD SKOOL BURLESQUE & VAUDEVILLE
9PM THURSDAYS & 10PM FRIDAY NIGHTS ALL SUMMER LONG!
At Sideshows by the Seashore!!

Every Thursday & Friday during the Summer season, The Great Fredini & Bambi The Mermaid present our popular Burlesque on the Beach program- A revival of the most glorious and notorious of the "girlie revues" in Coney Island history. The sumptuous decor, fabulous bubble machine and swell girls make burlesque one of Coney's hottest attractions! Every week brings all new shows with outrageous acts in Teaser's Wine Baths. A blend of old style burlesque, sideshow freaks, strange women, new vaudeville and toe tappin' music... its fireworks after the fireworks!

There is no other place to be on Saturday afternoon at 4 PM than Roosevelt Island for the Roosevelt Live Concert Series on the Riverwalk Commons. Performing will be Alex Battles & The Whiskey Rebellion and Dock Oscar & The Ambassadors Of Love.. Both bands sound pretty good and the event is a Don't Miss according to Free NYC.

Despite the Macy's July 4 Fireworks show being moved this year to the Hudson River, we can still enjoy some East River Fireworks by the Grucci Family on Sunday night and celebrate the Queensboro Bridge Centennial Birthday.

“Fireworks by Grucci New York”

Sunday, May 31 at 9:15PM
Where: from the tip of Roosevelt Island.

Viewable from the FDR Drive Promenade and Pavilion Park in Manhattan; Roosevelt Island, in Queens at Gantry Park, and Water Taxi Park and the Greenpoint and Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn.

On Roosevelt Island this weekend, in addition to the Roosevelt Live Concert on Saturday afternoon and Sunday's Queensboro Bridge Centennial Celebration Grucci Fireworks, the Farmers Market is open as usual on Saturday as is Gallery RIVAA, the Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association which is exhibiting a celebration of the Queensboro Bridge Centennial - Connecting Islands and Generations. An opening reception will be held on Sunday from 2 -7 PM. Another suggestion - RIOC has produced a great self guided tour map (PDF File) of Roosevelt Island for any visitor or resident looking to stroll the Island and learn something more about it.

Also on Sunday, Roosevelt Island 360 reports:

The ONGOING word on Twitter is that this Sunday May 31st there will be an "AdoramaPix Tweetup/Shootout" here on Roosevelt Island....

The MTA is reporting no Manhattan Bound Roosevelt Island F Train subway service this weekend so plan accordingly.

F Coney Island - bound trains run on the E line from Roosevelt Av to 42nd Street
Weekend, 12:01 AM Sat to 5 AM Monday, May 30 - June 1.

RIOC is not reporting any Tram service advisories for the weekend but expect larger crowds due to the lack of Manhattan bound subway service. Also, the passenger elevator is out.

Please be advised there was a malfunction of the mechanical equipment on the Manhattan Tram Station passenger elevator. The wheelchair lift will be in operation until the service to the passenger elevator is restored.

Check out some other ideas on what to do in New York City this weekend from the NY Times Urban Eye and Spare Times, Free NYC, NY Post Weekend Calendar and Newyorkology.

Take Normal Roosevelt Island F Train Weekend Subway Service to a Wild Ride on the Coney Island Cyclone!

You Tube video of Roosevelt Island F Trains running in both directions

According to the MTA there will be regular F Train service to and from Roosevelt Island this weekend. That makes it two in a row for normal weekend subway service but be aware there is a Roosevelt Island Tram advisory for Sunday. From RIOC:

On Sunday, June 1st, The Tramway will be operating on a rush-hour schedule from 6:00 AM to noon to accommodate passengers during a film shoot.

There are two theater productions taking place here this weekend, including Roosevelt Island's version of Shakespeare in the Park right here on the Rivercross Lawn. Here's some more information from RIOC:

Shakespeare in the Park Series on Roosevelt Island
"Much Ado About Nothing"
Where: Rivercross Lawn
When: May 31st- June 1st
Time: 2:00pm

And:

Once Upon a Mattress
presented by the Main Street Teen Theatre
When: Friday May 30 at 7:30 pm.
Sat May 31 at 2pm and again at 7:30 pm.
Sun Jun 1 at 2 pm and again at 7 pm.
Mon Jun 2 at 7 pm.
Where: Howe Theatre, Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance, 548 Main St. (entry behind video store).
Evening performances $15 (Seniors and students $10), matinees $12 ($8).
Reservations and information call 212-371-4449.

There are plenty of other things to do this weekend including the Third Annual Governors Island Island Family Day. Our friends at the Governors Island Alliance sent the following information:

On Saturday May 31, the Governors Island Alliance hosting its Third Annual Family Festival. It’s an afternoon of FREE fun events including music, theatre, and dance performances, circus clowns, tours with National Park Service rangers, and harbor explorations. The event takes place on the green lawns of beautiful Governors Island.

There is free ferry service from Manhattan and a Polo match as well. Check out Newyorkology for a listing of many other things to do in NYC this weekend.

Or, take the F Train down to Coney Island and ride the Cyclone. Wheeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

You Tube video of Coney Island Cyclone

Return of Regular F Train Service for Roosevelt Island But Sunday Tram Shutdown For Rescue And Evacuation Drills

You Tube video of Portland Oregon Tram Test Rescue

MTA is reporting that there will be regular Roosevelt Island F Train service in both directions this weekend. Unfortunately, there is a Tram advisory for Sunday morning through early afternoon. From RIOC:

On Sunday, April 13th, 2008. The Tramway will be shutdown from 6AM to 2 PM.
This schedule is necessary in order to perform cabin rescue and evacuation drills..
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this change.

No complaint here. We do not want a repeat of the April 18-19, 2006 fiasco when Roosevelt Island tram passengers were stuck overnight dangling over the East River depicted here in NY Times video. Below is NY 1 video recap of incident and follow up safety tests.

Find more videos like this on www.truveo.com.

Video from Truveo

And a link to New York City Council Hearing on the "Tramway Incident".