WEDNESDAY: Jersey Girls Pump Fists Not Gas
Anyone who’s visited the Jersey shore knows it’s not just a vacation, it’s a way of life: The hair is big, the food is fried, and the cheap beer is continually flowing. Before the anthropological explorations of MTV’s new reality series or even their (fantastic) Jersey shore-themed True Life documentaries, there was Wildwood, NJ, the 1994 documentary about the women who spend their days tanning on the beach and their nights clubbing on the boardwalk. The difficult-to-find doc will be screened at MonkeyTown (free, $10 food/drink minimum). Both hilarious and touching, it should be a great way to start the holiday weekend (there’s another screening on Friday).

The Hunt Is On
For those whose Thanksgiving plans don’t require pre-holiday travel, the Bell House is hosting a scavenger hunt through the Gowanus, Park Slope, and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods. The two-to-four-person team that finds the most items wins gift certificates from Brooklyn Tattoo, Babeland, Bierkraft, Press 195 and more. The hunt starts at 7pm; happy hour deals start at 5pm.

All Things Ullmann
Acclaimed actress and director Liv Ullmann makes her U.S. stage directorial debut at BAM with A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Cate Blanchett as Blanche DuBois. The production, which opens on Thursday, is sold out, but you may still be able to get partial-view tickets by calling (718) 636-4100. Or you can enjoy Ullmann’s film work at BAMcinematek, which is screening several of her movies now through December 6. Shame (1968), one of the many films in which Ullmann was directed by Ingmar Bergman, starts the celebration tonight.

THURSDAY: Fun Run
Get some pre-feast exercise at the Prospect Park Track Club’s annual Turkey Trot, a five-miler around Prospect Park. The first three men and women to complete the course will win Thanksgiving pies. (Everyone else will win the right to pig out guilt free.) Race-day registration begins at 7:30am at the Wollman Rink; the race starts at 9am at the Oriental Pavilion.

Skate Away
Looking for Thanksgiving Day activities that don’t involve football? Head to Prospect Park’s Wollman Rink, which starts its skating season today (weather permitting). The rink is open at 10am today and throughout the rest of the holiday weekend.

A Very Guinness Thanksgiving
Nowhere to go for Turkey Day? Drink the pain away at Trash Bar, which is not only open on Thanksgiving, but running a day-long drink special of $3 Guinness pints so you can give thanks that you’re drunk in Williamsburg instead of arguing with your grandparents about Sarah Palin or having to babysit your annoying cousins.

FRIDAY: Red Shops
Skip the mobbed chain stores and stay local on Friday for unique gifts for family and friends (or just for you). A group of Red Hook shops and restaurants are offering “Red Friday” discounts, including Red Lipstick, Thrift Couture, Foxy & Winston, Homemade, and Tiburon. Look for the cute Red Hook Red Friday flyer in the window of participating locations.

SATURDAY: Shiny Happy Singers
Celebrate post-Thanksgiving with some post-rock at the Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight. Canadian experimental rockers Do Make Say Think are headlining a night that also includes one of the first New York performances of the Happiness Project. Charles Spearin’s first solo album is comprised of songs created from the melodies of his neighbors’ voices while talking about happiness. It sounds complicated, but it makes for beautiful music.

MONDAY: Start Making Sense
Get a glimpse into the inner workings of David Byrne’s mind at Open City Dialogue at Pete’s Candy Store Monday. He’ll be discussing his theory of artistic creation, which hinges on the idea that rather than performative spaces coming about to suit music or other such art forms, the music/art that is created comes about to fit the pre-existing spaces. Don’t worry if it sounds confusing–Byrne will be showing up with props like pictures and audio to make it all come together. The program starts at 7:30pm, but you’ll probably want to camp out at the bar early to get a seat!

TUESDAY: Good for What Ales You
Lovers of dark beers are in for a treat as Bar Great Harry hosts Winter Blackout: Night of the Stouts. On tap: offerings from Goose Island, Flying Dog, Southern Tier, and a few others, as well as a mystery stout from Brooklyn Brewery. The weakest featured beer clocks in at 8%, so be sure not to drink on an empty stomach. The special event starts at 6pm.

PLAN AHEAD: Ice Breaker
Inspired by his trips to Antarctica to record the acoustics of ice, Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky) has created an aural ode to climate change in Terra Nova, his multimedia show at BAM, Dec. 2, 4 & 5. It features live video projections of Antarctica and the backing of the International Company Ensemble (ICE), and we have a pair of tickets to a random subscriber who emails us with the subject “The Sound of Antarctica.”

Sent by Chrysanthe, Casey, Nina, and Nicole. Photos courtesy of Ruthless Films via FourFour, and vonlohmann.