Five things to do in Brooklyn this week!

Friday

Jan. 12

Balkan up!

Kick off your weekend by kicking up your heels at the 33rd Annual Zlatne Uste Golden Festival at Grand Prospect Hall! The celebration of Eastern European brass bands starts with an hour-long dance class, then spins into a party that lasts into the wee hours all over the hall. The festival continues Saturday at 6 pm.

7 pm–12:30 am at Grand Prospect Hall [263 Prospect Ave. between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Park Slope, (718) 788–0777, www.goldenfest.org. $35 ($30 students).

Saturday

Jan. 13

Dog days of winter

Celebrate the year of the doggie with the Brooklyn Japanese American Family Association’s New Year Party, featuring an afternoon of taiko drumming, large-scale calligraphy, and a sword-fighting performance from Samurai Sword Soul (pictured). Japanese snacks and craft activities for kids will be available all day.

1–5 pm at Roulette [509 Atlantic Ave. at Third Avenue in Boerum Hill, www.bjafa.org]. $18 ($15 in advance, $10 kids).

Monday

Jan. 15

Hallo, spacegirl

The new play “Spaceman” uses an elaborate set and a darkened theater to tell the story of astronaut Molly Jennis, seven months into her attempt to be the first human to reach Mars. The play, part of the Exponential Festival of new work, showcases the physical and psychological challenges of being alone in microgravity.

Big gay center: Jason Collins returns to Barclays Center to host a panel discussion about gay athletes for the Brooklyn Nets Pride Night on Jan. 17.

Associated Press / Tony Dejak

8 pm at Loading Dock (170 Tillary St. at Gold Street Downtown, www.theexponentialfestival.org). $15.

Wednesday

Jan. 17

The pride of Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Nets celebrate gay pride at Wednesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs! Former Brooklyn Net player Jason Collins (pictured), the first openly gay player in the National Basketball Association, will join a panel discussion about diversity in sports at 4 pm, and guests who use the code “PRIDE” when buying tickets can get a rainbow-logo Nets hat.

7:30 pm at Barclays Center (620 Atlantic Ave. at Pacific Street in Prospect Heights, www.barclayscenter.com). $35–$115.

Thursday

Jan. 18

Sweet stuff

Greenpoint historian Geoffrey Cobb launches his new book “Rise and Fall of the Sugar King” tonight, which looks a the history of Williamsburg from 1844–1909 through the life of Henry Havemeyer, who built the world’s largest sugar plant (later the Domino sugar plant, and even later a bunch of condos).

7 pm at Word [126 Franklin St. at Milton Street in Greenpoint, (718) 383–0096, www.wordbookstores.com]. Free.