Weekday Events for December 23rd-26th in Brooklyn & NYC!

Thursday December 26th

Meet the Holiday: Joyous Kwanzaa! at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thu Dec 26th 1130a & 230p for 5 and under.  Free with museum admission.
It’s Kwanzaa time! Explore this popular cultural holiday by learning about its importance around the world to families of African heritage. Decorate a Kwanzaa flag banner to take home!

Mother Africa at The New Victory Theater (Times Square)
Thu Dec 26th 2p & 7p various times.  See website for schedule.  Tickets $17-$55.  For Ages 5+.  100 minutes including one intermission.
Rich in rhythm and robust in song, MOTHER AFRICA’s acrobats, musicians and dancers light up the stage in a powerful performance of stunning African artistry. Featuring stilt walkers from Tanzania, jugglers from Ethiopia and a renowned contortionist from Kenya, modern circus arts meld with joyful dance and music among a marvel of traditional masks. Exuberant afro-beats radiate from the stage with every strike of the infectious djembe and strum of the mbira, while bazin and kitenge fabrics swirl in a spectacle of color. Merry and bright, this is one holiday party you won’t want to miss!

Make Snowflakes With Us! at Brooklyn Central Public Library (Prospect Heights)
Thu Dec 26th 230-4p.  Central Library, Youth Wing.
Join us to make paper snowflakes to finish our Winter Snowflake Display!

Animal Balloon Twisting Workshop at Children’s Museum of the Arts (South Village)
Thu Dec 26th 3p-545p.  At CMA Workshop for ages 5+.  Free with museum admission.
Visitors will learn how to twist balloons into shapes of birds! For beginners, learn how to make swans. For the more advanced, learn the ins and outs of making parrots.

For more fun Thursday events click here!

 

Ongoing

31st Annual Wreath Exhibition at the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park
Monday-Friday, 9a-5p, until January 9th except for city holidays,  at 830 Fifth Ave at 64th Street.  Free.
Wreath Interpretations – NYC Parks celebrates the holiday season with its 31st annual exhibition of unique, unconventional wreaths. A diverse selection of 47 fine artists, horticulturalists, designers, and other spirited contributors enliven this ageless holiday symbol. Neck ties, rat traps, acorns, recycled plastic bags and forged steel are among the many and varied materials used to examine themes as diverse as zombie apocalypses and water conservation. This exhibition is sure to be an imaginative and enjoyable experience this year’s holiday season.

The Grinch’s Holiday Workshop at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (UWS)
Now until Dec 31st.  All ages.  Free with museum admission & free for children under age 1y.
Join Cindy-Lou Who, the lovable dog Max and the “Mean One” himself, the Grinch, for a new interactive experience, The Grinch’s Holiday Workshop, inspired by Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Step into The Grinch’s Holiday Workshop and walk right into the pages of Dr. Seuss’s classic holiday tale. With gallery walls wrapped in scenes from Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, CMOM pops with Who-holiday spirit.

Seasons of Light Scavenger Hunt at  New York Historical Societey Museum and Library (UWS)
December 21, 2013 through January 1, 2014. Free with Museum admission.
Families will seek out images of light throughout the New-York Historical Society in a “Season of Light” scavenger hunt. From the New-York Historical Society’s Tiffany lamps to the treasures of Shearith Israel, find examples of light used for both decoration and symbolism. DCHM-only hunts also available.

HOLIDAY CIRCUS at Master Theater (Brighton Beach)
Mon Dec 23rd & Thu Dec 26th 7p, Wed Dec 25th 3p & 7p.  Tickets $45, $55, $65.
n what is becoming a Brooklyn holiday tradition, Holiday Circus brings together an array of amazing circus artists, astounding magic and illusions, and even Santa himself in an all-new dynamic production at the recently renovated Master Theater. This year’s special guest is the lovable and iconic clown, Grandma!

City Harvest Gingerbread Extravaganza at Le Parker Meridien (Midtown West)
now until – Monday January 6th
Marshmallows, Gum Drops and more! Check out the Gingerbread wonderland located in the 56th Street atrium of the lobby from now until January 6th all created by local bakeries and restaurants. This year’s theme is “Quintessential New York”.  Purchase one ticket for $1 through the concierge desk to vote for your favorite. Drop it in the box to be entered for a chance to win a 5 night stay at the luxurious Parker Palm Springs.  All proceeds benefit City Harvest, the world’s first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city’s hungry men, women and children.  To learn more, visit www.cityharvest.org.

Holiday Hours at LeFrak Center at Lakeside (Prospect Park)
Holiday Hours (December 20, 2013 – January 1, 2014).  Monday–Thursday 10a–8p, Friday & Saturday, 9a–10p, Sunday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
All hours weather permitting.  Entry to the LeFrak Center is free and open to the public. An admission fee is associated with skating and skating-related services.  Lakeside is the largest and most ambitious project in Prospect Park since the Park’s completion nearly 150 years ago.  The LeFrak Center at Lakeside provides the public with:  A skating pavilion with two rinks providing 32,000 square feet for seasonal ice skating, roller skating, and water play, 15,000 square feet of beautifully landscaped viewing terraces, year-round café with a seating area, public restrooms, public programs, seasonal sports, classes, and event space.

Art Week at the Jewish Children Museum (Crown Heights)
December  23, 24, 26, 29, 30, 31, Jan 1.  Sundays: 10am-5:30pm, Monday–Thursday: 10am-4pm & Jan 1: 10am-5pm.  Free with Museum Admission.
Get your creative juices flowing!  Try out a number of different creative art-forms being showcased at the Jewish Children’s Museum during Art Week.  Experiment with Japanese Marble art – Suminagashi – through workshops, and create your own stained glass window panel. Kids will be invited to contribute to a collective mural which will be donated to Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center.

Cirkopolis: Cirque Eloize at NYU Skirball Center For The Performing Arts (Greenwich Village)
Various dates/times until January 5th.  See website for schedule.  1 HR 20, no intermission.  Tickets $40-80.
Save BIG on a FAMILY FOUR PACK.  Get 4 Orchestra seats($49 a piece) or 4 Parterre seats ($39 a piece) on performances from December 18-27.
Bursts of color pierce a grey industrialized landscape and awaken one office worker who finds himself propelled on a journey of circus, dance, acrobatics and theater — finding real connections through his fantasies in an isolating factory-city.
One man’s imagination transforms piles of papers, looming towers, and giant gears into a vibrant, romantic, and lavish cityscape. He is joined by twelve eclectic and mysterious characters rebelling against monotony in a wildly energetic show that twists and turns between acrobatic prowess, heartrending poetry, and irresistible humor. The multi-disciplinary talents of these twelve performers will be on full display in several advanced acrobatic disciplines, including diabolo, rope, teeterboard, Cyr wheel and contortion. Guided by striking projections that add dizzying dimensions to pivoting set pieces, performers and spectators will slip between dream and reality in an uninterrupted stream of music, images, drawings and mind-bending acrobatics.

A Christmas Carol at The Players Theatre (Greenwich Village)
Sunday Dec 1st – Monday Dec 30th.  Times:  Thursdays & Fridays at 7p, Saturdays at 11a (family workshop at 10a) and 2p (no workshop prior to the 2p matinee), Sundays at 11a (family workshop at 10a)  See website for additional holiday hours.
Tickets:  $45 for first 4 rows, $35 for second 5th – 10th rows, $25 for all other seats
A lively musical adaptation of the classic Dickens tale. Follow along with Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by four ghosts; his old business partner Marley, the ghost of Christmas past, present and future. See what happens when he gets a glimpse of his own future if he doesn’t change his life. Will Scrooge catch the holiday spirit and save himself in the process? Find out by joining us for this special holiday show with a story so warm it will melt the cold heart of even the grumpiest Scrooge!

Macy’s Santaland at Macy’s Herald Square
Monday Dec 23rd 7a-9p & Tuesday Dec 24th 7a-4p
Nothing will put you more in the Christmas spirit than a trip to Santaland!  In this enchanted holiday wonderland, you can tell Santa what you’d like for Chirstmas, get your picture taken with him and enjoy all sorts of other wonderful holiday magic.
Santaland is open until December 24th.  See here for hours.  Also happening at Macy’s:  Yes Virginia the Musical.  A holiday tradition since 1976, Macy’s Puppet Theater recreates beloved tales through the art of puppetry.  This year, come see “Yes, Virginia: the Musical.” Featuring the vocal talents of Matthew Broderick, Whoopi Goldber and an all-star Broadway cast, it’s a must-see show for kids of all ages 11/29-12/24.  General admission tickets are $5 per person (children under 2 free)

The Centennial Holiday Fair at Grand Central Terminal(Midtown East)
Mon-Sat 10AM-8PM • Sun 11AM-7PM Christmas Eve 10AM-6PM  in the Vanderbilt Hall now until December 24th
Grand Central Terminal’s 14th annual Holiday Fair, sponsored by Shaw Floors, is the only holiday market in the city to operate indoors. This season, the Fair will fill Vanderbilt Hall with 76 vendors for six weeks each offering a wonderful array of holiday gifts for all your loved ones including art, clothing for adults and children, handbags, jewelry and accessories for men and women, bath and body items, home goods, collectible toys, holiday items and gifts for pets.

The Centennial Holiday Light Show at Grand Central Terminal (Midtown East)
Now until Thursday Dec 26th 5-11p.  Free.
The Holiday Light Show makes its return to Grand Central Terminal for its Centennial year. The show will light up the famous windows on the west side of the Main Concourse above Michael Jordan’s The Steak House N.Y.C. and Cipriani Dolci this holiday season.

South Street Seaport Ice Rink Public Skating Hours
Now until Sunday March 2nd 2014.  Monday – Thursday: 11a- 9p, Friday – Saturday: 10a- 10p, Sunday: 10a – 9p
Admission – $10, children 5 and under receive FREE admission.  Skate rental: $6, helmet rental:  $6, bag check: $8
*Residents living in 10038 and 10005 zip codes, with valid ID, receive 50% off Admission, Skate Rentals and Helmet Rentals.  Passes also available for purchase.  See website for details.

Origami Holiday Tree 2013-2014 at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Now until January 12th.  Grand Gallery, near the 77th Street exit on the Museum’s first floor.
An annual tradition, the delightfully decorated Origami Holiday Tree has marked the start of the holiday season at the Museum for 40 years. The theme of this year’s tree is Wicked, Wild, and Wonderful, honoring the Museum’s new exhibition The Power of Poison. Volunteers begin folding in July to complete hundreds of creations that will be displayed on the tree. During the holiday season, volunteers will be on hand to teach visitors of all ages the art of paper folding.

Gingerbread Lane at New York Hall of Science (Flushing Meadows)
Now until January 12, 2014.  Tuesday – Friday 9:30 am – 5 pm  &Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 6 pm
Marvel at homemade gingerbread houses that are drafted, designed, baked, planned, built and decorated by chef Jon Lovitch over the course of an entire year. GingerBread Lane, a 1.5 ton, 300-square-foot village made entirely of edible gingerbread, royal icing and candy, is a contender for the Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread exhibit.
The village includes an estimated 1,900 lbs. of icing, 400 lbs. of candy, and 500 lbs. of gingerbread dough. It is comprised of 152 gingerbread houses, 65 trees, four gingerbread cable cars, five gingerbread train cars, an underground candy subway station, candy trees and sugar signage. A behind-the-scenes window gives a peek into the makings of GingerBread Lane with ovens, models and ingredients made entirely from royal icing. Five two-foot-high nutcrackers, also made of royal icing, stand guard over the exhibit. Free with NYSCI admission.

Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Now until Janury 12, 2014.  Weekdays: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.  Weekends: 10 a.m.–7 p.m., including Friday, November 29 (day after Thanksgiving) (see website for all details on times during the holiday week)
All-Garden Pass tickets start at $20 for Adults and $10 for Kids 2-12. See prices by date.
Advance reservations are strongly recommended as tickets do sell out. Tickets are timed and sold in 15 minute increments.
Marvel at model trains zipping around New York landmark replicas made of plant parts such as nuts, bark, and leaves, and get an insider’s look at how the building replicas are constructed in The Artist’s Studio. Explore the exhibition in the warmth of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, enjoy hands-on holiday fun for the entire family, and get your holiday shopping done too—it’s a whole day of fun! View the full list of programs and activities

12th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal (Midtown East)
Now until February 23rd.  M–F: 8a–8p, Saturday and Sunday: 10a–6p.  (Closed for Christmas and New Year’s Day) Extended holiday hours from November 18 to December 24: M–F: 8a–8p, Saturdays: 10a–8p, Sundays: 10a–7p.
Trains are trips. Trips are adventures. This year memorable characters from Maira Kalman’s Next Stop Grand Central will be watching our Lionel trains as they zip, zap and whizz through their journey from Grand Central to the North Pole!

Three Bears Holiday Bash at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park/UWS)

Now until December 30 Monday through Friday at 10:30AM and 12:00PM.  Additional show on Wednesdays at 2:30PM. Saturday and Sundays at 1:00PM.  Tickets: $7/children & $10/adults.
The Three Bears Holiday Bash, is a variety show that celebrates the holiday season in song, dance, and puppetry. This production quickly becomes a comedy of errors when Baby Bear invites Santa to star in Mama and Papa
Bear’s annual holiday show. The audience also gets to join in on the fun with a “12 days of Christmas” sing-a-long during the performance!

Blooming Naturalists at Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Thursdays & Fridays now until December 27th 1-3p. Free.
Are you a Blooming Naturalist? Find out at the Audubon Center by making your own nature journal and learning how to use binoculars and field guides.

Nature on the Go at Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Thursdays & Fridays now until December 27th 2-3p. Free.
A guided tour will lead children and families to areas near the Audubon Center, where you can be active and learn about the nature that is all around us!

Animal Encounter at Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Thursdays & Fridays now until December 27th 3p. Free.
Learn what it takes to care for these amazing creatures and even assist in an actual feeding. There will also be opportunities to get up close and personal with our box turtle.

FREE THURSDAY HOURS at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Thursdays 3p-5p for all ages.
Come join us for our FREE afternoon hours at the Museum, EVERY Thursday of the month! Free hours start at 3:00pm, and the Museum stays open until 5:00pm for all your fun exploring!

Free Admission Winter Weekdays at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Crown Heights/Prospect Heights)
November–February Tuesday–Friday: 8a to 430p.  Closed Mondays (but open Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and
Washington’s Birthday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)  Free admission to the Botanic Garden during the week November – February

To see all the events click here for the calendar!