City Week: July 2-8

a selective listing of recommended cultural and community events

compiled by max a. goldstein and alice robb friday, july 2 museum sale-the metropolitan museum of art begins its summer sale, with up to 50 percent off selected merchandise, including the museum store's elegant jewelry, illustrated books, home décor and more. the metropolitan museum of art, 1000 fifth avenue, 212-570-3894; 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., free.

caribbean music-rockstone productions presents the pan man, a musical about lypo tom and his family on the island of trinidad, and lypo's attempt to win his school's talent show by playing "pan music." the cast features david duncan, karen holder and ryan joseph, directed by michelle mannette-gomez. baruch performing arts center, 55 e. 25th st., 646-312-5073 or www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac; 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., $15 to $30. saturday, july 3 parks and recreation-the arsenal gallery presents before they were parks, an exhibition exploring the surprising history of 36 of new york city's parks. photographs, artifacts and memorabilia document these parks' transformation from burial grounds, estates and jails to the green spaces we cherish. the arsenal gallery in central park, 64th street and fifth avenue inside central park, third floor, 212-360-1311; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., free.

best bookbinders-the grolier club decides that you can judge a book by its cover with an exhibition highlighting some works by the world's best bookbinders. "bound for success" features 117 superb bindings from the 2009 international bookbinding competition, organized by the british group designer bookbinders. the exhibit runs through july 31.the grolier club, 47 e. 60th st., 212-838-6690; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free.

twain's new york-to mark the anniversary of 100 years since his passing and to share stories about mark twain's decades-long relationship with new york city, upper west sider peter salwen leads a walking tour of fascinating and little-known twain-related landmarks and sites in lower manhattan. meet at the southwest corner of broadway and spring street, 917-620-5371 or www.salwen.com/twain.pdf; 11 a.m., $20.

glimpse the galaxy-for nearly 20 years, the hubble space telescope has dazzled the world with unprecedented views of the cosmos. the new imax film hubble offers viewers a chance to witness historic spacewalks and stunning images of galaxies far, far away. leonardo dicaprio narrates. american museum of natural history, central park west at west 79th street, 212-769-5200; 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $14 to $24. tuesday, july 6 kids' broadway-the tudor city greens outdoor concert series continues with "a child's garden of verse: songs by, about, for and with children." the concert is hosted by broadway performer raissa katona bennett (phantom of the opera, chess) and features a host of award-winning broadway and cabaret performers. south park of tudor city greens park, enter at tudor city place between east 41st and 42nd streets, between first and second avenues, 718-791-5739; 12 p.m., free. love at feinstein's-renowned vocalist eric michael gillett performs classic songs from the great american songbook in a tribute to one of america's most beloved composers, harold arlen. the show, dubbed hooray for love-gillet sings arlen, features arlen songs such as "blues in the night," "got to have me go with you" and "this time the dream's on me." loews regency, 540 park ave., 212-339-4095 or feinsteinsatloewsregency.com; 8:30 p.m., $25 to $40 with a $25 food and drink minimum.

classical central park-the jupiter symphony chamber players performs in central park as part of the naumburg orchestral concert series, the oldest free outdoor concert series in the united states. the band performs friedrich dotzauer's "cello quintet in d minor, op. 134," johann sebastian bach's "piano concerto in d minor" and felix mendelssohn's "octet in e-flat major, op. 20." central park, naumburg bandshell, 72nd street cross-drive, 212-501-7809 or www.naumburgconcerts.org; 7:30 p.m., free. wednesday, july 7 stand-up comedy-legendary comedienne joan rivers presents an evening of her newest and most outrageous riffs on hollywood, pop culture, celebrities and awards show fashions. the laurie beechman theatre, 407 w. 42nd st., 212-352-3101; 9 p.m., $30 plus $15 food or drink minimum.

prohibited-the museum of the city of new york transforms its terrace into a sizzling speakeasy. enjoy live music by the moonlighters while sipping cocktails that were popular during the prohibition era. at that time, juice, sugar, water or bitters were typically added to the bootleg or smuggled alcohol to mask the bad taste and poor quality. former borough historian cal jones provides free tours of the exhibit america's mayor: john v. lindsay and the reinvention of new york. museum of the city of new york, 1220 fifth ave., 212-534-1672; 6 p.m., $15.

samurai play-japanese director yukio ninagawa returns to lincoln center with a production of musashi, a play about a rivalry between fictional japanese fighters musashi and kojiro. musashi is part of the lincoln center festival 2010, a collection of plays, musicals, dances and more that continues until july 25. david h. koch theater, 20 lincoln center plaza, 212-870-5570; 7:30 p.m., $35 to $100.

movies and more-the annual "summer on the hudson" festival kicks off with a series of movies under the stars. pack a picnic, bring a blanket and lose yourself in neverending story as the sun sets over the hudson river. other upcoming events include kayaking, yoga, peewee soccer and basketball. movie screens at pier i in riverside park south, west 70th street at the hudson river, 212-408-0219, www.riversideparkfund.org; 8:30 p.m., free.

wonderful hector coris-acclaimed cabaret vocalist hector coris presents one of the final new york city performances of his solo show life is wonderful, which earned him the 2010 mac award for outstanding male vocalist. don't tell mama, 343 w. 46th st., 212-757-0788 or www.donttellmamanyc.com; 7 p.m., $14 with a two-drink minimum. thursday, july 8 ? young tappers-tap city intensive, where tap students from across the country take classes taught by a star-studded faculty, presents tap future, by students attending the tap city intensive. symphony space, 2537 broadway, 212-864-5400; 7 p.m., $12 to $22.

shakespeare's parking lot-the drilling company presents shakespeare's love's labours lost as part of its shakespeare in the park(ing) lot series. love's labours lost will be preformed every thursday through saturday until july 28, and is directed by kathy curtis. municipal parking lot, corner of ludlow and broome streets, 212-873-9050 or www.drillingcompany.org; 8 p.m., free.

hip hop-cityparks kids continues its summer 2010 programming with a hip-hop performance by secret agent 23 skidoo. morningside park, 123rd street and morningside avenue, 212-360-8359; 10:30 a.m., free.

balkan band-the jewish museum's summer nights series continues with ansambl mastika, one of new york's best balkan bands. the band draws its music from europe, the mediterranean basin and the middle east. the jewish museum, 1109 fifth ave., 212-423-3337; 7:30 p.m., $12 to $15.