The ladies of MeanRed Productions are the resident directors of BKLYN Yard (formerly The Yard) an outdoor space on the Gowanus Canal that plays host to a myriad of delightful outdoor activities during the sunny season. Joseph Alexiou dropped by the space to visit as Jenny Gottstein, Jen Lyon and Katie Longmyer pranced around in bikinis covered up by blue jumpsuits—nobody was taking chances that close to the water. Read more

Joe Parker might not be in a band, but he’s been a big part of the summer music scene in Williamsburg for years. Parker ran the Slip ‘N Slide at the McCarren Park Pool Parties, where countless revelers peeled off their clothes and tossed themselves down the slick runway, and this year he’ll be back at the parties’ new location in East River State Park. What is it, besides the free beer, that keeps him coming back? Henry Melcher investigates. Read more

Brooklyn Biking Over a month before Bastille Day, Brooklyn gets Frenchy with the Tour de Brooklyn, a 23-mile bike ride that starts and ends at Coney Island. With plenty of spots still open, joining the tour promises views of picturesque spots like Greenwood Cemetery, Sunset and Prospect Parks. The somewhat newer Tour de Queens and Tour de Bronx will take place later on in the summer, and they are equally free (but possibly less French). June 7, Surf Ave. & W. 19th St., Brooklyn, www.tourdebrooklyn.org; 8 a.m., FREE Rollerblading in Central Park With the young kids rocking ’90s fashion again, there is no shame in dusting off your elbow pads and joining Thursday Evening Skate. This free group, run by certified Central Park state patrollers, meets Thursdays at 7. The route around the traffic-free, 6.1-mile loop (the 5.2 mile version without “Heartbreak Hill” is available as well) is for moderately experienced skaters, and helmets and wrist guards are required. Afterward the group eats dinner—at its own expense—at the Amsterdam Ale House. Thursdays, Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park, www.skatecity.com; 7 p.m., FREE Read more