The 5 Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Adventures in New York City This Weekend

NEW YORK, NY — Election fatigue got you down? This weekend, tear yourself away from your twitter feed and run into the light, Carol Anne! Start off Friday honoring our vets and then find yourself a safe cultural space where you can get away from it all. The Patch Culture Hound rounds up five excellent diversions this weekend in every price taste and range. USA! USA!

VETERANS DAY PARADE

Where: Fifth Avenue, from 25th Street to 52nd Street, Manhattan [map]

When: Friday (11/11) from 11:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

What: The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — never forget! After such a bruising election process, won't it feel good to come together as one and honor those who've served our nation during Friday's Veterans Day Parade? We know, it's not supposed to feel good, but these days, we take what we can get. See some great marching bands, drum and bugle corps, and groups from the four branches of the armed forces, plus floats, a bald eagle or two, and more bagpipers per square meter than anywhere in Scotland! For more information and a complete schedule, go here.

How much: FREE! (But freedom itself? Not free.)

ANIME AFTER DARK

Where: Nitehawk Cinema, Williamsburg, Brooklyn [map]

When: Friday (11/11) and Saturday (11/12) at 12:10 a.m.

What: Whoever first said nothing good happens after midnight never checked out the Anime After Dark film series at Williamsburg's pubby Nitehawk Cinema, which continues through the last weekend of this month. This Friday and Saturday, at the witching hour, check out the throbbing action classic Macross Plus, in which two teenage test pilots — they exist, dammit! — compete for glory in the skies while a love triangle brews down on the ground. (In Japanese with subtitles.) And be on the lookout for epic anime classic Akira next weekend (11/18-19) and The End of Evangelion after that (11/25-26). For a complete screening schedule and to purchase tickets, go here.

How much: Tickets are $12.

INTRO TO QUEENS WALKING TOUR: LONG ISLAND CITY

Where: Long Island City, Queens [map]

When: Friday (11/11) at 3 p.m. and Sunday (11:13) at 9:30 a.m.

What: Get your mind off current politics for a while and instead explore the boom-and-bust past of one of New York City's most up-and-coming neighborhoods — Long Island City — on the Intro to Queens Walking Tour. Over about two hours, this gentle mile-and-a-half loop takes you from rail yards and raw industrial areas to the gleaming skyscrapers and lovely new waterfront park along the East River. And this weekend, you'll find half-price discounts here.

How much: Half-price tickets are $16 (normally $32).

MOUSE: THE PERSISTENCE OF AN UNLIKELY THOUGHT

Where: St. Ann's Warehouse, DUMBO, Brooklyn [map]

When: Friday (11/11) at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday (11/12) and Sunday (11/13) at 3 and 7:30 p.m.

What: Acclaimed British comedian and monologist Daniel Kitson returns to St. Ann's Warehouse through November 27th with the U.S. premier of his newest one-man show Mouse: The Persistence of an Unlikely Thought. Alternately funny and thoughtful, the piece follows the tale of William, a writer struggling in his office to complete a story about a woman and a talking mouse. But an accidental telephone call leads to a deeper discussion of friendship and loneliness. We could all use one of those right about now. For more information and to purchase tickets, go here.

How much: Tickets are $26

THEE OH SEES

Credit: Amdo Photo

Where: Bowery Ballroom, Lower East Side (11/12) [map] and Warsaw, Greenpoint, Brooklyn (11/13) [map]

When: Saturday (11/12) and Sunday (11/13) at 8 p.m.

What: Hard on the heels of their latest record A Weird Exits, which came out this summer, psych-rock insurgents Thee Oh Sees will release a second EP this month entitled An Odd Entrances. This weekend, the enterprising among you can still get tickets to either of two sold-out shows to see legendary front man John Dwyer and his cohort tear it up. Remember: When all else fails, we still have rock. For tickets, go here.

How much: Tickets are $22 and up on third-party sites

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