Celebrate 100 years of movie making in Central Park at the 6th annual Central Park Film Festival with free screenings under the stars in Rumsey Playfield every night this week.

Central Park made its big screen debut in 1908 in the silent version of Romeo and Juliet. Since then, more than 250 films have used the Park’s beauty as a backdrop.

All screenings are FREE and start at 8:00 pm (rain or shine). Gates open at 6:00 pm. To find Rumsey Playfield, enter the Park at Fifth Avenue and 69th Street. See the schedule below for what's playing when:

• Wednesday, August 20: The French Connection (1971)
  In this classic cop drama, Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider bust one of the biggest narcotics smuggling rings on either side of the Atlantic.



• Thursday, August 21: Strangers on a Train (1951)
  See Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller about two men who meet on a train and concoct a scheme to commit murder for each other.



• Friday, August 22: Moonstruck (1987)
  Cher won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in this very New York romantic comedy.



• Saturday, August 23 * Family Night: August Rush (2007)
  Young August Rush uses his unique inherited musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.

Congratulations to the Olympic fencing champions from New York City! All four of the fencers from New York City competed in team fencing finals this weekend and emerged with silver medals.

On Saturday, the women's foil fencing team (New Yorkers Erinn Smart and Emily Cross and Hanna Thompson from Rochester, NY) earned the silver medal after defeating world champion Poland and No.3 seed Hungary. The Americans were seeded seventh in the quarterfinals and didn't expect to go so far. The Russian team took the gold medal.

On Sunday, the men's sabre fencing team (including New Yorkers Keeth Smart and Tim Morehouse and Jason Rogers from Los Angeles) also took the silver medal after dramatically beating Hungary in the quarterfinals and Russia in the semifinals. In both matches, Keeth Smart scored the winning touch in the final seconds. The U.S. team was later defeated by France in the finals.

Let's hear it for our hometown Olympic medal winners!

Read About.com's in-depth coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Photo courtesy of Tim Morehouse

Here are our top event picks for the weekend of August 15-17, 2008:

• Central Park SummerStage -- It's the last weekend of Central Park SummerStage! Where has the summer gone? On Friday, enjoy the South American beats of Bajofondo and Osunlade & The Yoruba Soul Orchestra. On Saturday, it's a full day of homegrown bands including Battles, Black Dice, and Gang Gang Dance. On Sunday, end your weekend with the retro 60s sounds of Brooklyn's soul and funk masters including Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and the Menahan Street Band.



• Barneys Warehouse Sale -- It's that time of year again. The Barneys New York Warehouse Sale is on through September 1st at Barney's Co-op at 255 West 17th Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues). At this beloved semi-annual event, you'll find savings of 50% to 75% on designer clothing, shoes, and accessories for men and women. It's a can't-miss event for those who have designer tastes and an H&M budget.
  
  
• The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) -- FringeNYC rages on this weekend, featuring 200 performance companies from around the world in productions at venues all over the city.



• Summer Streets -- Play and explore in the city streets this Saturday from 7AM to 1PM and don't worry about traffic. New York City will open a 6.9 mile car-free route from the Brooklyn Bridge to 72nd Street with connections to Central Park and other open spaces. Along the route, enjoy fun summer activities like salsa dancing classes, bike racing, double dutch, 4-square, sidewalk chalk art projects, and much more.



• Praise the Swayze! All Night Long -- Show your love for the man who wouldn't let them put Baby in the corner. On Saturday, Patrick Swayze fans are preparing to party all night long at Bowery Poetry Club. Enjoy Swayze-centric interpretative dance and live music, all while your favorite Swayze films play on the big screen.



• Weekend Street Fairs and Festivals -- Hit the streets this weekend for great street fairs downtown, midtown, and uptown.



• Summer in Little Italy Festival -- Wander the streets of Little Italy this weekend. Every weekend this summer, cars are banned and Little Italy's best eateries offer special treats for passersby.



• Take A Cool Dip -- Take a dive into one of New York City's public or hotel swimming pools and cool off this weekend. Looking for something a little different? Splash around in the East River with the Floating Pool Lady in her seven-lane swimming pool moored off of the beach in Brooklyn Bridge Park.



• See the New York City Waterfalls -- See artist Olafur Eliasson's four 90- to 120-foot waterfalls on the East River from the water or the shore. See our photo gallery of views of the New York City Waterfalls.

Have you checked out a FringeNYC show yet? The New York International Fringe Festival (aka FringeNYC) will feature performances by more than 200 local and international theater companies in venues all over the city through August 24, 2008.

See the work of today's most talented and innovative writers, directors, and performers. There's something for everyone -- including special shows for families and young adults. Tickets are $15 per show ($10 tickets are available for seniors and kids under 12). You can also save by buying a Fiver Pass ($70 for access to any five shows), a Flex Pass ($120 for ten shows), or a Lunatic Pass ($500 for admission to as many shows as you can see). And there is no late admittance to FringeNYC shows, so get there on time.

Here are a few of the interesting performances this week (just a sampling of the many options):

• Tuesday, August 12th -- Becoming Britney at The Bleecker Street Theater
  A caustic (but loving) PG-13 fable that chronicles the rise, dip and salvation of a foolhardy celebrity phenom.



• Wednesday, August 13th -- Pawnshop Accordions at The Lafayette Street Theater
  Opposite Port Authority, a cynical EMT, a mute accordionist, a sinister Albanian, and a prophetic schizophrenic struggle to protect one another.



• Thursday, August 14th -- I Heart Hamas: And Other Things I'm Afraid to Tell You at The Players Loft
  One woman's unflinching tale of navigating checkpoints, dating taboos, and a 450 year family lineage.



• Friday, August 15th -- A Silly Silverstein Show at Spiegelworld
  Climb THE GIVING TREE and roll along with THE MISSING PIECE as Shel Silverstein's silly and salient words spring to life with poems and puppetry.



• Saturday, August 16th -- KABOOM! at The Cherry Lane Theater
  After his drug factory explodes, San Francisco's slyest swindler has one day to recoup his losses. Nothing can stop him... except maybe a neurotic New Yorker, a misplaced kazoo, and a 37-minute orgasm.



• Sunday, August 17th -- Anais Nin Goes to Hell at The Connelly Theater
  Imagine an island in hell with Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Queen Victoria...waiting for their men. What happens when women's lib icon Anais Nin arrives to turn their afterlife upside down?

Find out what else is playing at FringeNYC 2008 and get tickets.