ART

AN AMERICAN OVERVIEW The National Academy’s 182nd Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, an uncurated exhibit, features artworks created by members of the Academy that encompass as broad a scope of modern art as possible. “The 182nd Annual Exhibition at NAM, for all its conservatism, is full of surprises and can be viewed with outright pleasure,” wrote James Gardner in The New York Sun on May 31. Selections from the exhibit include Will Barnet’s “Enclosure/Enveloping Forms” (2003), top, and Robert Cottingham’s “Women–Girls” (2002), above. Through Sunday, June 24, Wednesday and Thursday, noon–5 p.m., Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Ave. at 89th Street, 212-369-4880, free.

WOMEN BUILT TO FIGHT The BravinLee gallery hosts a reception to celebrate the opening of the “Vogue Series,” an exhibit of works on paper by Marcia Kure. Ms. Kure’s technique is inspired by the ancient cave drawings of southern Africa and the Uli wall murals of Nigeria In this show, Ms. Kure depicts a small army of voluminous female figures using pigment derived from the West African kola nut. The images evoke glamour, even as they present a commentary on the impersonal sexuality of fashion and advertising. Tomorrow, 6 p.m. through Friday, July 13 Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. BravinLee, suite 211, 526 W. 26th St. between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-462-4404, free.

BROOKLYN STROLL ArtWalk07 is Brooklyn’s 4th annual free outdoor arts festival, organized with public funds by the New York Council on the Arts and the Brooklyn Arts Council. The festival spans Atlantic Avenue through the neighbor hoods of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and Downtown Brooklyn. Highlights include an art show at a brownstone on Dean Street that features a wooden sail boat constructed by Jason Gandy in the front yard: The entire brownstone becomes an open house, featuring works by Katie Merz, Paul Benney, Russell Busch, Gabriele Schafer, and Nick Fracaro. The festival’s starting point is one of many empty store fronts that ArtWalk took over to mount shows: The performance art troupe Circus Amok presents its work throughout the day. Saturday and Sunday, 1–6 p.m. starting point at 533 Atlantic Ave. between Third and Fourth avenues Brooklyn, free. For complete infor mation, go to atlanticavenueartwalk.com.

BRIGHT MOMENTS, BIG CITY The Tabla Rasa gallery hosts a reception to celebrate the opening of “Bright Moments,” an exhibit of abstract-expressionist oil works by painter Danny Simmons. Mr. Simmons is also a collector and philanthropist who converted a section of his Clinton Hill loft to form his Corridor Gallery, where the work of young artists is nurtured. Saturday, 2 p.m., exhibit through Saturday, October 6, Thursday–Saturday, noon–5 p.m., Tabla Rasa Gallery, 224 48th St., between Second and Third avenues, Sunset Park Brooklyn, 718-833-9100, free.

FAMILY

LITTLE STRINGS Midori & Friends founded by the violinist Midori, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing music education pro grams to public school children throughout New York City. More than 100 public school students participate in the second annual Midori & Friends Children’s Music Festival, performing classical, jazz Latin, and hip-hop pieces. Featured guests include jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill, pop classical violin duo Nuttin’ but Stringz, and the African percussion ensemble Forestdance. Storyteller David Gonzalez is the host of the concerts. Saturday, 3 p.m., Borough of Man hattan Community College Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Cham bers St., between Greenwich Street and the West Side Highway, 212 767-1300, free.

FILM

VIVA ITALIA “Open Roads: New Italian Cinema,” features 12 films and a selection of shorter films by Italy’s most prominent directors today. The series opens with Mario Monicelli’s “Desert Roses” (“Le Rose del deserto,” 2006), about an Italian medical unit that marches into Egypt during World War II ex pecting to find victory. Instead, the unit runs into difficult and danger ous situations. Tonight, 6:30 p.m. Film Society of Lincoln Center, Wal ter Reade Theater, 165 W. 65th St. at Amsterdam Avenue, 212-875-5600 $11 general, $7 students, seniors and members.

VANISHED WORLD As part of its Film Day series, the Yeshiva University Museum hosts “Jews in Poland, 1930s,” an afternoon screening of movies about Jewish life in pre-World War II Poland The program is presented in conjunction with the ongoing exhibit “And I Still See Their Faces: The Vanished World of Polish Jews.” Among the highlights is “Children Must Laugh” (1935), one of few surviving pre-war documentaries about this theme, which screens at noon. “Yiddle With His Fiddle” (1936), a Yiddish musical folk com edy about a penniless man and his daughter who decide to become traveling musicians, screens at 2 p.m. The executive director of the National Center for Jewish Film at Brandeis University, Sharon Puck er Rivo, introduces the films. Sunday, noon–4 p.m., exhibit through Sunday, June 24, Yeshiva Universi ty Museum at the Center for Jewish History, 15 W. 16th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-294 8330, free with museum admission, $8 general, $6 students and seniors.

FOOD & DRINK

DUTCH SURPRISE The Grand Central Oyster Bar presents its annual Herring festival, featuring the arrival of nieuwe maatjes herring from the Netherlands, prized for their succulent and toothsome flavor. Fried meatballs, or bitterballen, are also featured. The festival lasts for three weeks. Begins today, noon, Grand Central Oyster Bar, Grand Central Terminal, 42nd Street, between Park and Lexington avenues, 212-490-6650, menu items are à la carte.

MOUTHWATERING SPECTACULAR The fifth annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party takes over Madison Square Park this weekend, featuring pitmasters and their handiworks from across the country. Pitmasters this year include Michael Rodriguez from the Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas; Chris Lilly of Big Bob Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Ala.; Ed Mitchell of Mitchell’s BBQ in Wilson, N.C., and John Wheeler of New York’s Rack & Soul. Seminars feature speakers including food writers Jane and Michael Stern and Matt and Ted Lee, restaurateur Danny Meyer, and chefs Fred Thompson and Ron Lieber. Saturday and Sunday, noon–6 p.m., Madison Square Park, between 23rd and 26th streets and Fifth and Madison avenues, 646-747-0584, free, food can be paid for at tables with cash, credit cards, or a BubbaFastPass, $100.

MUSIC

THE CHAPERONE OFF-STAGE As part of its “Live at Lincoln” series, Barnes and Noble Lincoln Center Triangle presents a performance and CD signing by cast members of award-winning Broadway show “The Drowsy Chaperone.” In the musical-within-a-comedy, a devoted musical theater fan plays his favorite cast album on a turntable as the musical literally bursts to life in his living room, telling the tale of a brazen stage starlet trying to find her true love. The production features music and lyrics by Tonyaward winners Lisa Lambert and Gregg Morisson. Featured guest performers include cast members JoAnne Worley, John Glover, Beth Leavel, and Peter Bartlett. Friday, 5:30 p.m., Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Center Triangle, 1972 Broadway at 66th Street, 212-595-6859, free.

READINGS

SOCIETY LADY The author of “The Last Mrs. Astor: A New York Story,” Frances Kiernan, reads from her newly published biography of the ailing 105-year old philanthropist, Brooke Astor. Ms. Kiernan, a former editor of the New Yorker magazine and a friend of Mrs. Astor, tells the story of the socialite’s life and marriage to Vincent Astor. In the wake of her husband’s death in 1959, Mrs. Astor used the more than $67 million bequeathed to the family foundation to benefit the city of New York and its cultural institutions. Refreshments are served. Tonight, 6 p.m., the Corner Bookstore, 1313 Madison Ave. at 93rd Street, 212-831-3554, free.

PERSONAL JOURNAL The Bryant Park Word for Word reading series presents four authors who discuss the art of memoir writing for budding writers and readers. Authors include Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Carole Radziwell, Kevin Sessums, and Danielle Trussoni. The reading is hosted by the author of “Straight Up and Dirty” (HarperCollins), Stephanie Klein. Today, 12:30 p.m., Bryant Park Reading Room, between 40th and 42nd streets and Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-274-0343, free.

BOOKSTORE BACCHANAL The author of “The Uncertain Hour” (Bloomsbury), Jesse Browner, reads from his newly published historical novel, as the McNally Robinson Bookstore and the book’s publisher host a Roman “bacchanal,” including wine, food, and conversation. The book’s action takes place during the course of a single evening in 66 before the common era. Titus Petronius, a Roman aris tocrat who has been falsely impli cated in a crime, is planning his sui cide. Between a string of flashbacks Petronius muses on his past and comes to philosophical conclusions about the meaning of life. Tomor row, 7 p.m., McNally Robinson, 52 Prince St., between Mulberry and Lafayette streets, 212-274-1160 free.

SOIRÉES

GREAT LAWN, GREAT FOOD The Central Park Conservancy’s annu al Taste of Summer benefit fea tures chefs from restaurants in cluding Fred’s at Barneys, Osteria del Circo, Thalassa, and Sushi Sam ba. Chef Jean-Georges Vongericht en cooks for a VIP café. The Con servancy works to raise funds to improve the grounds and land marks in Central Park. Tonight, 7 p.m., Central Park Bandshell, mid park at 72nd Street, 212-310-6691 $350.

TALKS

AVOIDING HARM’S WAY “Civilians Under Fire: From Iraq to Somalia the Struggle for Humanitarian Space” is a talk featuring members of Doctors Without Borders /Médicins Sans Frontières about the challenges that aid workers face in delivering humanitarian assistance in sites of dangerous conflicts. Panelists include the executive director of MSF-USA, Nicolas de Torrenté, the head of MSF activities in Nigeria, Greg Elder, and the manager of MSF programs in Haiti, Uganda, and Nigeria, Marie Noelle Rodrigue. The conversation is moderated by a writer and journalist, Scott Anderson. Tonight, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. talk, Cooper Union, the Great Hall, 7 E. 7th St. at Third Avenue, 212-353-4195, free.

EAT UP ON SCREEN In anticipation of the upcoming NYC Food Film Festival later this month, the James Beard Foundation presents “Beard on Film,” a roundtable discussion featuring directors whose films are featured in the upcoming festival. Filmmakers include George Motz, Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly, and Natasha Dow Schull and Hillevi Zazel Loven Trailers of the three films are shown. Chef Harry Hawk of the restaurant Schnack provides re freshments. Friday, noon, James Beard Foundation, 167 W. 12th St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues 212-627-2308 ext. 243, $35 general $30 members, $10 students.

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