Governor’s Island: how, when and what!

Want to ride a bike or play miniature golf for free? If that’s not your speed, how about a slow swing in a hammock or a picnic in the shade? It’s all possible starting this weekend at the official opening of  Governor’s Island. This Saturday is the special Family Festival from 12-4 pm. Enjoy bands, hula hoops, puppetcraft, arts and crafts, storytelling, musical and theatrical performances and more. (For more info on the Family Festival go here.) Governor’s Island is one of my favorite summertime activities and we make a point to go there at least a couple of times a summer. We usually rent a surrey and make it around the island to see the trapeze school, play some minigolf and have a slooow picnic.

What can you do on the island?

Rent a bike for you and the whole family: There are more than five miles of car-free paths and roadways. You can bring their own bikes or rent one or every Friday, bikes are free for up to one hour as a part of Bike and Roll’s™ Free Bike Fridays program. We skipped the bike rentals since there was a long line to get one. However, if you rush to the rental line as soon as you dock, you won’t have any problems. Do you have kids who can’t ride their own bikes? Rent a trailer bike or a surrey. The surrey was adorable and perfect so that you can loop the whole island with kids and they still have energy to do all the activities along the way. For more information visit bikeandroll.com or call 1-866-RENT-A-BIKE.

Eat a picnic: We brought a full lunch and picnicked on a shaded bench and played in the grass by Colonel’s Row. It’s a quiet, shady green courtyard surrounded by historic houses. It feels like a visit to Pleasantville- with no one actually living there, of course. We met another lovely family next to us and ended up in one big playdate. Picnic Point is a lovely place to have a picnic where you can try out a hammock, Adirondack chair or swing while checking out the views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor. The Island’s playground is there too so you can get a quick round of that in too.  The Island’s farm is located here as well and it’s fun to walk the rows of vegetables and talk to the farmers there if you are lucky enough to spot one.

MiniGolf Course: This 14 artist-designed minigolf holes is a like a fun Claes Oldenburg creation  It is free for both adults and children.  The FIGMENT Minigolf Course will be open for the public to engage with at no cost while the island is open, on Fridays from 10-4pm, Saturdays from 10-6pm, and Sundays from 10-6pm, from May 27 to September 25.

Concerts: Hear Girl Talk or some jazz during the day. See below for specific dates and times.

Open Artist Studios: Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s (LMCC’s) artist studios are on the island with gallery exhibitions, open studio events, and open rehearsals.  LMCC showcases the work of the visual and performing artists-in-residence working on Governors Island. For more information, visit www.lmcc.net.

Farm: Visitors can also take a tour of a 3 acre Added Value sustainable farm at Picnic Point. Beginning in July, visit their Farm Stand where you’ll find locally grown produce, cut flowers and more. For more information, visit www.added-value.org.

Big Apple Circus Family Fun Fest
In partnership with Trapeze School New York, Big Apple Circus brings circus skills workshops to the Parade Ground, teaching kids and families how to juggle, clown around and other circus tricks. On Saturdays and Sunday from May 27-September 25.

Make Art: The Children’s Museum of the Arts is again providing their Free Art Island Outpost program to children and families. Every Friday – Sunday from 11 AM to 3 PM, teaching artists will be on-hand in one of the Island’s historic buildings for free hands-on arts programming.  More information on themes and projects available at www.cmany.org.

Eat: Thankfully, they have opened a new place to eat.  The new place is called the Water Taxi Beach’s Backstage Café, which is located in a building adjacent to the Beach and the ferry landing. The new Backstage Cafe, has both  indoor and outdoor dining. Around the corner, the Beach Grill has burgers, hotdogs, and sausages and a veggie burger (no soy fillers) made fresh daily.

Visit the beach: Throw down your towel and soak up some sun on over 20,000 square feet of sand (300 tons) at the Water Taxi Beach or join a pick up game of Beach volleyball or basketball. Or just soak up the skyline views of Manhattan. It’s incredibly hot at the beach though.

Learn history: Our writer wrote about doing the Ranger Program with kids this summer here. You can see National Park Service Rangers do a  Living History program where children of all ages can learn about the historic role of the people of Governors Island. Children will have the opportunity to meet with National Park Rangers and an array of “guests” from the past such as soldiers from the Mexican and Civil Wars, a Confederate Prisoner, a middle class lady from 1863, or a member of the Women’s Army Corps. You can also take a tour with the National Park Service every weekend. More information on these programs can be found at www.nps.gov/gois.The National Park Service Presents Friday Morning Summer Programs for Kids: Friday, June 11 – Friday, August 13, 10:15 AM, 11:15 AM and 12:15 PM:

Kayak: Pier 101 is open for kayakers to land every public access day, Fridays – Sundays from June 5 – October 10.

Visit the Sculpture Garden:
The FIGMENT summer long sculpture garden is back! Engage with interactive projects in the Liggett Hall courtyard. The FIGMENT Terrace Sculpture Garden is free. For more information visit www.figmentproject.org/sculpturegarden.

Details:
Governors Island will be open every Friday – Sunday from June 5 through October 10. Friday, the Island is open from 10 AM to 5 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Island is open from 10 AM to 7 PM. From Friday – Sunday, ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building, on the corner of South and Whitehall Streets, in Lower Manhattan. On Saturdays and Sundays, there will also be a ferry between Governors Island and Brooklyn. For up to date ferry schedules and downloadable maps, please visit www.govisland.com. ***It is also open all Holiday Mondays from May 27-Sept. 25th.

Brooklyn Ferry

Free ferries run from Brooklyn Saturday-Sunday and all Holiday Mondays. There is no free ferry service from Brooklyn on Fridays.  Ferries run continuously, approximately every 10 minutes, beginning at 11 AM. Ferries run from 11 AM to 5:20 PM. The last ferry returns to Brooklyn at 7 PM. You can catch the ferry at Pier 6- Atlantic Ave at Columbia Street. Take the B63 to terminus at Atlantic AVe (at Columbia Street) or the 2,3,4,5 to Borough Hall   A,C,F to Jay St./Borough Hall   R to Court Street

Special Events on the island:

Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30: Brewer’s Pic-NYC, Noon
The Governors Island season kicks off with the city’s ultimate picnic. Event includes food vendors from tacos to ice cream to lobster rolls and other street food, beer, and live entertainment like ukulele and bluegrass musicians. Kids 12 and under are free with parents. Tickets are available at www.brewerspicnyc.com

JUNE

Saturday, June 4: World Science Festival, 10 AM – 6 PM
The Festival is a mix of free, public activities and ticketed events for young scientists. This year’s family programs are anchored by this all-day “Science On Site” event. Join scientists and experts from a wide variety of scientific disciplines for a day of exploration. For more information visit www.worldsciencefestival.com.

Sunday, June 5: Fourth Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, 12 PM
Featuring an afternoon of polo as well as champagne lounges and concessions by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Free and open to the public. For more information visit www.vcseason.com

Friday, June 10-Sunday June 12: FIGMENT, all day
FIGMENT is an explosion of creative energy. It’s a free, annual celebration of participatory art and culture, where everything is possible. For information, visit www.figmentproject.org.

Saturday, June 18: RECESS outdoor Badminton, noon
A day of outdoor badminton team challenge featuring top creative organizations in NYC, as well as courts for public play on Colonels Row, plus free Bowery Lane Bicycles test rides. Who will put the bad in badminton? Bring your blankets and check out RECESS 2011. Special guest deejay. For more information visit www.recessnewyork.com.

Saturday, June 18:  Army Heritage Day, 10 AM – 4 PM
Discover 150 years of Army history on Governors Island.  Featuring family friendly programs, historic weapons demonstrations and music.  For more information, visit www.nps.gov/gois or call 212-825-3045 Wednesday – Sunday.

Saturday, June 18: Governor’s Ball Music Festival
A music festival featuring Girl Talk, Empire of the Sun, Outkast’s Big Boi, People Under the Stairs and more. Tickets are required. For more information visit www.governorsballmusicfestival.com.

Sunday, June 19: Make Music New York’s Punk Island, 11 AM – 5 PM
Make Music New York transforms Governors Island into Punk Island with dozens of performances throughout the day. For more information visit www.makemusicny.org.

Saturday and Sunday June 25-26: Michael Arenella and the Dreamland Orchestra present the Jazz Age Dance Party, 11 AM to 5 PM
Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra will cast a magical spell of hot jazz and open-air merriment that will delight the whole family. This Jazz-Age Lawn party brings you back in time to the 1920s for a rollicking and delightful afternoon rendezvous of live music and dance, instruction in period dances, picnicking, and games. This event requires tickets. They are $7 in advance or $10 on Governors Island.