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5 Things to Do in Harlem This Weekend

By Gustavo Solis | September 19, 2014 3:50pm | Updated on September 19, 2014 5:33pm
 Laundromats will transform into art exhibits, children will learn to pack Revolutionary War-style ration packs and dozens will march through Harlem while carrying their favorite books.  Those are just some of this weekend’s events going on in Harlem and East Harlem. If you want to spend Saturday and Sunday on your couch, don’t come uptown.
This Weekend in Harlem
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HARLEM — Laundromats will transform into art galleries, kids will learn to make Revolutionary War-style ration packs and dozens of people will carry their favorite books as they march through Harlem.

It's happening this weekend at events throughout the neighborhood.

Here is a look at some of the events:

The Laundromat Project Field Day — Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

The Laundromat Project, an organization that connects people through art, will host exhibits, workshops and neighborhood walking tours in Harlem for the second year in a row.

“This is a really great opportunity to connect, meet people of the community and be heard,” said Petrushka Bazin Larsen, program director for the Laundromat Project.

Field Day is a showcase of all of the work the organization has been doing all year and will turn laundromats into art spaces. The idea is to take advantage of a place were everyone has to go to do a chore by using it as a cultural watering hole, Bazin Larsen added.

The Laundry Room on 143 W .116th St. will host the Harlem Street Jam, which will have music, dancing, poetry and games. The Laundromat at 361 Lenox Ave. will have an interactive art exhibit featuring local artist Beluvid Ola-Jendai.

There will also be walking tours highlighting the area's cultural history between the two laundromats.

The event is free but you must RSVP here.

African American Day Parade — Sunday at 1 p.m.

Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard is the official parade route for the 45th annual African American Day Parade. It will feature floats, music and Ijeoma Eboh, the newly crowned Miss Harlem Shake.

“You should go because it’s going to be a great time, if seeing me isn’t enough incentive to go,” joked Eboh, a PhD candidate at Columbia University. “It’s going to be a celebration of the culture that Harlem has to offer.”

Eboh has lived in Harlem since starting her studies, which include researching the history of asthma in the African American community, specifically looking at Harlem and Harlem Hospital and what they have done to help treat the disorder.

Literacy Across Harlem March — Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Starting from La Casa Azul Bookstore at 143 E. 103rd St. and Sister’s Uptown Bookstore at 1942 Amsterdam Ave., two groups will march to Marcus Garvey Park while carrying their favorite books. Along the way they will pass the homes of Harlem's literary heroes like Langston Hughes and Ralph Ellison.

"It's going to be an intergenerational reading adventure throughout our community," said education advocate and founder of Total Equity Now Harlem Joe Rogers. 

Having one group start in the west side and one group start on the east side is a tribute to Harlem's various cultures, Rogers added.

The free literacy march will have scavenger hunts for books written by Harlem authors and pit stops at local cafes and will end with a small festival at the park. 

People are encouraged to walk with their favorite book and donate it to a local homeless shelter. Rogers has not picked out a book yet but he is leaning toward "The Autobiography of Malcolm X."

Africa Center Open House — Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For the first time ever, the Africa Center at 1280 Fifth Ave., formerly known as the Museum for African Art, is opening its doors to the public. The building is still being renovated but the organization will host a street fair in its outdoor plaza and first floor.

“It’s a festival, it’s an open house, it’s basically a way to introduce ourselves to our neighborhood,” said Phil Conte, the center’s executive vice president.

The free party will feature art exhibits, live music, food and dancing. After the open house there will be a concert from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

238th Anniversary of the Battle for Harlem Heights — Saturday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Battle for Harlem Heights was George Washington's first victory of the Revolutionary War. He had been defeated in Long Island and fled Brooklyn before setting up camp at the Morris-Jumel Mansion, said Naiomy Rodriguez, the visitor services manager.

To celebrate the victory, children will be able to fill their own rations packs and learn to build military tents. There will also be hands-on cooking demonstrations. 

The special event is free with general admission.