1. The always fabulous Franklin Park Reading Series presents a night of rad women, from memoirists to novelists to poets: Molly Crabapple, Rachel Glaser, Noy Holland, Sanderia Faye, and Kma Sullivan. (Monday, FREE)
2. Sycamore Bar’s monthly star sign party is all about Scorpios. There will be tarot readings, flower crowns, drink specials, and, of course, cosmic connections. (Monday, FREE)
3. Surely you’ve heard that it’s NYC Cider Week? Tonight, join Edible Brooklyn for a Scandinavian evening featuring Nordic-inspired snacks and Rekorderlig’s Spiced Apple Hard Cider. (Tuesday, $10)
4. Learn something you probably should have been taught in school at the Society for Advancement of Social Studies’ evening of lectures on Top Secret Government Projects, from the Stargate Project to government assassination attempts to animal-inspired military tech. (Tuesday, FREE)
5. Head to Berg’n for a crash course on the history of board games from the brainiacs at the Brooklyn Brainery, from chess to Monopoly to Catan, then settle in for several hours of open gaming—there will be plenty of board games on hand, but feel free to bring your own. (Wednesday, $7)
6. The New York Comedy Festival is on all week, so there are special editions of all your fave shows. Tonight is Picture This!, where animators illustrate comedians’ standup in real time, with jokesters including Ilana Glazer, Chris Gethard, and Sean Patton, and illustrators including Bryan Brinkman, Mike Hollingsworth, and Rachel Gitlevich. (Wednesday, $5)
7. From Sleep No More to International Fringe Fest and now at Threes Brewing, William Popp hosts the latest Calloway’s Salon, a night of “skin, songs, and maybe a little dancing,” with Taylor Myers, Lauren Elder, Adam Barruch, and special guests. (Thursday, $15)
8. This week is the 2015 MIX NYC Queer International Film Festival. The program tonight, “New Wave, No Wave, Tidal Wave: Feminisms Old & New,” includes seven short works, touching on genital mutilation, experimental medical texts, Audrey Lorde, and more. (Thursday, $13)
9. It’s the start of a very yummy new series: Whisk & Whiskey, featuring the authors of A Course in Cheese and the Cocktail Whisperer for tastes and libations at the new Archestratus Books. (Friday, FREE)
10. Tonight is the latest installment of everyone’s favorite live nighttime talk show, Late Night Basement, with Cecil Baldwin & Dylan Marron, Adam Conover, and music by Khary Durgans. (Friday, FREE)
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