We are careening into pride month and the holiday season, and the city is starting to dress up accordingly. Its weekend offerings are getting better and better. Finding your way around town might cost you a bit more than usual, but the return on your investment will be well worth it. These precious two (and a half!) days are guaranteed not to leave anyone without options with everything from intense intellectual stimulation, to the kind of wild dance parties that become the stuff of legends. Get planning:
Friday, November 18th
PICASSO
Even the art averse can’t claim ignorance when it comes to the Cubist who enjoys almost as much name recognition as the Kardashian clan. The Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires is opening the country’s first retrospective dedicated to Picasso, and you can see it through February 28th of next year. The museum’s director and curator of the expo, Victoria Noorthoorn, included 74 unique pieces which span the many stylistic changes which define his artistic career. The invaluable pieces made it here thanks to a loan from the Musée national Picasso-Paris, and you can see them up close for only AR $20.
MAMBA | Av. San Juan 350 | 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
ILLUSTRATION
Even if you have no aspirations towards a career in illustration, this one’s worth checking out. Illustrating genius, Augusto Consthanzo will be heading up a free conference about his body of work and career trajectory, with advice for anyone looking to work in the industry. Costhanzo has made a name for himself designing images for everyone from Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair, to the latest bottle for Absolut Vodka. Needless to say, he’s doing ok for himself. Not only will you be able to pose questions to the prolific artist, but the Arte Digital de Escuela Da Vinci has also set up an expo of their students’ current works and a networking event as part of the agenda. There’s no charge to get in, but make sure you sign up here to get your name on the list.
Arte Digital de Escuela Da Vinci | Av. Corrientes 2037 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
HARRY POTTER
The Arte Digital de Escuela Da Vinci is on a roll, and if you make it our to see Augusto, you might as well stick around for the Experiencia Transmedia: Harry Potter. Riding the wave of the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the school is giving you the inside scoop into how characters like Kreacher are created and brought to life. Illustrators, digital sculptors, video game designers, and stop-motion designers will be in house giving lectures and demos. Your ticket to learning how to make wrinkly, bald house elves is totally free, but you have to fill out this form to reserve your spot.
Arte Digital de Escuela Da Vinci | Av. Corrientes 2037 | 2:00 PM – 8:30 PM
LECTURE
The Biblioteca Nacional has a knack for convincing some pretty brilliant minds to grace its halls, and Friday evening is no different with the presence of historians Carlo Ginzburg and José Emilio Burucúa. The two have a scheduled an audience facing tête-à-tête with subjects ranging from pop culture to Aby Warburg’s cultural theories. Get your front row seat to watch the Italian and Argentine history buffs exercise their gray matter, and leave with plenty of ammo to convince your parents that binge watching The Real Housewives isn’t turning your brain into mush. The event is free and will take place in the Auditorio Jorge Luis Borges, but don’t forget your ID to be able to get into the library.
Biblioteca Nacional | Agüero 2502 | 6:00 PM
ART
This is the last weekend that you can get your LaChapelle fix at La Usina del Arte. The infamous ‘Kitsch Pop Surrealist,’ is best known for his racy, vibrant photos of celebrities like David Bowie and Britney Spears. More than 80 of his photographs have been hanging on the walls at the museum, and they represent both his perspective on the celebrity status and some of his more experimental works. The exhibition is free, so don’t miss your chance to delve into David’s world before his pieces are packed up for their next adventure.
La Usina del Arte | Caffarena 1 | 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
BOMBA
If you’re hanging out in Zona Norte this weekend, La Bomba del Tiempo is coming to you! They’re bringing their signature beats to the new Centro Cultural San Isidro along with guest artist Eme Cuatro. The funky soul group will be opening for everyone’s favorite beat kings, and then Bomba will take over with some rhythmic fireworks that will surely get your feet moving. You can get discounted tickets for AR $130 as long as you get them in advance here. Go north and help give the infant cultural center a percussive welcome.
Centro Cultural San Isidro | Av. Libertador 16138 | 8:00 PM – 1:00 AM
BLUES
You guys, Annika Chambers is here. The Texan powerhouse is helping kick off the Buenos Aires Blues Festival with the Brazilian Igor Prado band. You can get more information about who else will be sharing the stage, and why they’re awesome here. More importantly, take a quick second to listen to Chambers’s dark, soulful pipes in her I’m a Woman cover here. The festival is already in its fifth year, and is making a quality Blues experience outside the deep south a legitimate possibility. Tickets start at AR $350 and you can get them here.
Trastienda Club | Balcarce 460 | 11:30 PM
TANGO
Pride month is upon us, and here’s an excuse to kickstart the festivities (and to re-watch our favorite video). Spearheaded by Mariana Docampo and Augusto Balizano a decade ago, the 10th International Tango Queer Festival celebrates the LGBTQ community with the country’s most recognizable cultural export. Friday night’s activities include an afternoon workshop, followed by a lesson and práctica at Milonga La Marshàll. DJ Anna Jorgensen will make sure that guest performers Walter Venturini and Cristiano Bramani (Tango Queer Italia), and Yuko Artak and Liliana Chenlo have plenty of inspiration to effectively demonstrate why defined gender roles are a hindrance. All of the classes and Milongas range from AR $100 to AR $150 and you can get your tickets at the door.
El Beso | Riobamba 416 | 10:30 PM
PARTY
Dorothy’s back! Step into her world for an evening where an international lineup of DJs like Paulo Pacheco and Aron Abikzer will make you temporarily forget about any unpleasantries in the world. Come together with your fellow party seekers to work towards the common goal of dancing, drinking, and general merriment. Your ticket to the kind of fun only Dorothy can provide will cost AR $250 and we recommend getting them in advance here.
The Bow | Punta Carrasco and Av. Costanera Rafael Obligado | 11:00 PM – 7:00 AM
Saturday, November 19th
CLOTHES
Unique looks are easy to put together when you’ve got over 170 stands of the best local clothing designers to choose from. Grita Diseño not only has threads unlike any you’ll find at the local mall, but also shoes, accessories, home decor, and even eco-friendly products. The massive clothing sale is being held in the Auditorio Buenos Aires and there’s no charge to get in. Get all of your Christmas shopping done in an afternoon, and make sure you don’t leave yourself off your list because like Kendrick always says, “what love got to do with it when you don’t love yourself.”
Auditorio Buenos Aires | Av. Pueyrredon 2501, 2nd floor | 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
SKATE
Why walk when you can roll? Patín en Linea, the biggest roller blading community in the city, is turning fifteen and wants your skate-clad company as their birthday present. Glide through the Bosques de Palermo with a giant group of fellow skaters on one of their predetermined routes for an afternoon of sightseeing, making new friends, and general awesomeness. The event is free to join, but there is one very important criteria you must satisfy to be able to participate: the ability to use your brakes (that is, without bringing down another skater or that innocent kid crossing your path). If you’ve got the whole stopping thing under control, get in on the action for the three hour jaunt! Don’t forget your skates.
Bosques de Palermo – El Rosedal | Av. Infanta Isabel and Av. Pedro Montt | 3:00 PM
FESTIVAL
Argentine activist, poet, novelist, musician, playwright, writer, and composer Maria Elena Walsh is one of the most inspiring ladies in recent history, and the Espacio Cultural Nuestros Hijos is honoring her life’s work with their 6th annual Maria Elena Walsh Festival. The activities they’ve got on deck are perfect for the kids in your life, or the kid that lives inside of you. Lighten up your afternoon with live music, circus workshops, a book fair, and Vibra: a display of comically giant instruments that you can play on (and Instagram). Walsh wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Your only ticket obligation is a voluntary contribution to the cultural center.
Espacio Cultural Nuestros Hijos | Av. del Libertador 8151 | 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
BEER
The Hipódromo de Palermo has had some pretty awesome excuses to get you to visit in the past few weeks, but this may trump them all. The Beer in Buenos Aires festival has chosen the horse race paradise to set up shop, and will be overflowing with hoppy goodness well into the evening. Your ticket will get you a souvenir glass, at least one included tasting, and access to all the live bands performing in honor of the beverage. They start at AR $400, and if you’re willing to shell out a bit more, you’ll automatically be entered into drawings for all inclusive trips to places like Mendoza and Iguazu. Thanks beer! There’s even a free app designed specifically for the event to help you plan your boozy afternoon.
Hipódromo de Palermo | Av. del Libertador 4101 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 AM
FOOD
The absolute best thing about cooking classes is that you get to eat your final exam. Expand your baking horizons with the Russian pastry workshop hosted by the Escuela de Lengua y Cultura Rusas. You’ll spend the afternoon making Kartoshka and Jvórost, and learning why they’re significant in Russian Culture. Tickets to mastering the soviet sweets will cost you AR $180 and include the class, the ingredients, and of course, resulting sugar high. Get yours in advance by emailing info@escueladeruso.com, and hurry because class size is limited.
Escuela de Lengua y Cultura Rusas | Pres. Luis Saenz Peña 259 – PB F | 6:30 PM
MUSIC
We’re finally consistently experiencing weather that begs for outdoor activities, so hopefully you’re not sick of the Bosques de Palermo just yet. They’ve convinced Argentine metal group, A.N.I.M.A.L, to play a free concert for grateful fans right in the Rosedal. A.N.I.M.A.L has been a huge player on the rock scene since the 90’s and has collaborated with bands like Megadeth and Metallica. Their rose encompassed concert will be a rare chance to see them live without shelling out a single cent, so get there early to score a good spot because you certainly won’t be the only one in the audience.
Bosques de Palermo – El Rosedal | Av. Infanta Isabel and Av. Pedro Montt | 7:00 PM
MUSIC
If you’re having trouble submitting to the metal vibe, Juventus Lyrica is here to provide a pretty stark contrast, with their final performance of Madama Butterfly. Even if you’re not an opera buff, Puccini’s masterpiece is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire and will surely leave you with more than one hauntingly beautiful ear-worm to last you well into the coming week. You can find out more about Juventus Lyrica and its commitment to young performers here, and if you’re jonesin’ for that ear-worm a little early (or just want to hear what we imagine divine intervention in composition sounds like), click here. Tickets start at AR $180.
Teatro Avenida | Av. de Mayo 1222 | 8:00 PM
VIDEOGAME
One of the integral parts of a well executed video game that is often overlooked is the element of sound. Team up with PowerUp to make sure it’s overlooked no more at the Powerup – Música de Videojuegos y Anime en Vivo. This ode to the audio element to your favorite games is being held at the ultra hip ND Teatro, and will feature live musicians playing all of your favorite video game and anime hits, while giant projections stream in the background. Tickets to the unapologetic nerd fest start at AR $200 and you can get yours at the door.
ND Teatro | Paraguay 918 | 9:30 PM – 11:45 PM
PARTY
Niceto Club knows the formula to make a party worth giving up your Saturday night for, and it starts with top-notch music. Help them welcome Portuguese DJ Li-Polymer for his first stint in Buenos Aires at their all night affair. Polymer is becoming a huge name on the scene for his deep and progressive house tendencies, and will surely justify a sleepless night. Tickets start at AR $150 as long as you get them in advance here.
Niceto Club | Niceto Vega 5510 | 11:59 PM – 7:00 AM
Sunday, November 20th
ART
One the greatest gifts that MTV gave us in the early 2000s came in the form of Pimp My Ride (we miss you, Xzibit!). There’s no telling if we’ll ever have access to that level of genius again, but Kustom Art is here to at least provide a festival full of the visual element, live at Tecnópolis. The event dedicated to the art of pinstriping, kustom graphics, lowbrow art, and car & bike culture, is bringing together some of the best geniuses of the genre for an afternoon full of swagger. Check out some serious vehicle updates, and take home kustom merchandise for a measly AR $150 entrance fee. You can get your tickets for at the door and kids under 12 get in free!
Tecnópolis | Av. de los Constituyentes and Av. General Paz | 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
INDIA
We’ve spent a lot of time lately celebrating the cultural (and of course, gastronomic) heritage of various countries, so it seems like high time to focus on the spiritual element. Ratha Yatra is paying homage to India’s rich spiritual culture with an afternoon dedicated to its practice. Get yourself to Recoleta for an opening ritual, parade, dance performances, and mantra chanting. There will also be free vegetarian food tastings starting at 4:00 PM and mindful music, meditation, and yoga workshops. The whole thing is free to attend, and if you feel so inclined, you can sign up to volunteer by emailing mahasundari.d.d@gmail.com.
Ratha Yatra | Av. del Libertador 1473 | 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
CLOTHES
It’s way too easy to spend a boatload of cash on clothing in Buenos Aires, and Casa de Árbol has come up with a solution to the problem. Their Todo Por $50 festival is back at cultural center to make sure you stay looking funky fresh without going broke. The unambiguously titled event means exactly what it says: every piece of gently used clothing will only cost you AR $50. There’s no fee to get in, but do yourself a big favor and show up early. The last time they did this, the mega sale ended after only an hour of being open despite the lingering crowd of people waiting to get in, because they ran out of stock so quickly. You’ve been warned…
Casa de Árbol | Fitz Roy 2487 | 2:00 PM
BABY
If you’re a new mom, or you know anyone who’s got a brand new bundle of joy to obsess over, you know that getting set up for your newly acquired responsibilities can be more than a little bit intimidating. La Rural is putting everything you need to start off on the right foot under the same roof at the Ahora Mamá fair. Hosted by the magazine of the same title, the event will feature mommy workshops, expert advice, and vendors shelling out discounts on all the gear you need. Pro-tip: get your AR $130 tickets in advance here for some free goodies from Huggies and Johnson and Johnson.
La Rural | Av. Sarmiento 2704 | 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
TANGO
Everyone loves a little healthy competition, and after the exciting Mundial de Tango, the XXIV Certamen de Tango Hugo del Carril is filling the tango competition void that we’ve been experiencing. The contest is designed for amateur singers, dancers, and musicians, and will be judged by Maestro Esteban Morgado, singer Ariel Ardit, and dancer Paola Parrondo. Head on over to the Anfiteatro Parque Centenario for the free triple-threat performance, and see if your favorites take home the prize.
Anfiteatro Parque Centenario | Lillo and Leopoldo Marechal | 7:00 PM
Happy weekend y’all!