Hi Everyone!
The last weekend of July is here! The summer is flying!
Free Friday Family Jams at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum are starting this weekend and we have another Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID Summer Strolls but this time with Shakespeare in the Parking Lot! Also this weekend check out the free CMA WEE Arts workshop at Boerum House & Home. Pier 5 Family Field Day at Brooklyn Bridge Park and the New York City Poetry Festival on Governor’s Island!
For musical events this weekend we have Hip Tot Family Day at Greenwood Park, Lincoln Center Out of Doors: Baby Loves Disco and The Good Ms Padgett at the Jalopy Theatre and that is only some of the events happening this weekend in NYC and Brooklyn so be sure to check out the calendar for all the events. Remember to check with venues for schedule changes and don’t forget to LIKE A Child Grows in Brooklyn on Facebook for event news!
Happy weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday July 25th
Free Friday Family Jam at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Fridays July 25th, August 1st, 8th & 15th free from 3-7p for all ages.
Celebrate summer with Brooklyn Children’s Museum during our festive Friday summer nights! In partnership with Imagination Playground, Brooklyn Children’s Museum is hosting Learn and Play Dates for families to learn, build and play with the fantastic Imagination Playground blue blocks.
Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID Summer Strolls & Shakespeare in the Parking Lot
Friday July 25th 5-9p. Free.
Summer Strolls on 5th Avenue. From 12th-18th Street will be closed to traffic. Come enjoy the summer weather, explore the avenue and the extra open space as we close Fifth Avenue for these nights and turn the street into a block party! In addition, Shakespeare in the Parking Lot returns to the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID this summer! However, last year’s parking lot location was recently sold for development. So, performances of Romeo and Juliet will be taking place at Summer Strolls on July 25th at 730p between 17th & 18th Street.
Sunset Jams on the Hudson at Robert F. Wagner Jr Park (Battery Park City)
Fridays July 11-August 22nd 630-8p. Free.
Join a drumming circle led by master drummers. Improvise on African, Latin & Caribbean rhythms. Instruments provided or bring your own.
For more Friday events please click here!
Saturday July 26th
Circle Line Kid Cruises
Boarding: 930A. Sailing: 10A-1115A. Cruises depart from Pier 83 W. 42nd Street & 12th Avenue. Adults $29, children 3-12y $20 and under 2 free.
Family friendly 75 minute cruise to Statue of Liberty with an interactive LIVE tour guide & entertainment. July 26th: Star Wars Rebels Party
Pier 5 Family Field Day at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sat July 26th 10a-1p. Free. Pier 5 sport field.
Join us on Pier 5 to play an assortment of games from potato sack and Hula hoop races to parachute games to learning soccer skills and even scrimmage games!
CMA: Explore with WEE Arts at Boerum House & Home
Sat July 26th 10a-2p. Free. For ages 5 and under.
Join CMA for a free hands-on art making workshop sponsored by Boerum House & Home. Experiment with play dough and dot markers, work on a collaborative canvas, and play with big blocks! Work with CMA Teaching Artists during a morning of art-filled exploration with developmentally appropriate materials for the youngest artists. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to engage in the workshop with their children, have a beverage, and shop around the store.
Lincoln Center Out of Doors: Baby Loves Disco
Saturday July 26th 11a-2p. Jaffe Drive/Toll Porte-cochère.
Designed to shake even the littlest booties, this riotous afternoon dance party gets the entire family moving with DJs spinning decades of dancefloor-friendly hits and cool activities for all.
For more Saturday events please click here!
Sunday July 27th
Pier Kids: Wildlife Theater at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sun July 27th 11a-1p. At Pier 6 lawns. Free.
The Central Park Zoo Wildlife Theater brings Amazing Adaptations: The Dinosaur Adventure packed with singing, science and fun! Art activities start at noon.
The Good Ms Padgett at the Jalopy Theatre (Carroll Gardens/Red Hook)
Sunday July 27th 12n-1p. $8 Kids & Adults, $25 Family of Four
Come sing, dance, and act out stories with The Good Ms Padgett! The New York Post says, “Think of her as the Pied Piper, but with a guitar. That’s how much kids love Brooklyn’s Anna Padgett… Your little one will fall under the singer’s folksy/funky spell.” The Good Ms Padgett will sing songs from her new release, “If We Must We Must” – an infectious collection of uninhibited songs that effortlessly traverse the diverse terrain of childhood. Lollipops, monsters, singing rabbits, and pizza are addressed in lovely lullabies and wild rock jams. The Good Ms Padgett is joined by her family, Miggy Littleton, and 7-year-old Penelope Littleton, as well as many special guests.
Hip Tot Family Day at Greenwood Park (Park Slope)
Sun July 27th 12n-3p. FREE.
The folks at Greenwood Park are joining up with Hip Tot again this year for their monthly Family Day series. Hip Tot Family day includes sing-a-longs, story time, crafts, freebies and much more. Last year’s saw nearly 700 people at each of the three events. This year the crowds will be bigger and you will have six events to enjoy! 7/27 – Underwater Adventures with Melanie Hope Greenberg reading Mermaids on Parade and sing-a-long with Suzi Shelton – Plus seaside crafts with Barking Cat Studio
Central Park Family Performance Festival
Sunday July 27th and Sundays until at 12n until August 31st. Free. Performances are 60 – 90 minutes long.
At the Peter Jay Sharp Children’s Glade. Each summer, the Conservancy hosts a series of eco-education and multicultural performances for the whole family to enjoy. Formerly known as A Clearing in the Forest, this year’s Family Performance Festival is chock-a-block full of fun and learning through music, storytelling, in-Park adventure, puppetry, and more! Programs happen in the Park’s most natural playground, The Peter Jay Sharp Children’s Glade (located inside the Park near West 106th Street). Pack a picnic, grab your blanket, and get ready to discover Central Park in a whole new way! All ages are welcome. No advance registration. In the case of inclement weather programs will be canceled. For more information, click on the links below. For day-of weather-related changes and accessibility information, call 212-860-1370 or check the event on our online calendar. July 27th: EarthCapades, the Eco-educational Circus
For more Sunday events please click here!
All Weekend
Unsung & Heroes at Tada! Youth Theater (Chelsea, Midtown West)
Tues-Sat at various times now until August 1st. Tickets $8-$25. See website for details.
Unsung (part-one) is a world-premiere dance theater piece about the most daring thing for every kid: coming of age. Part two is Heroes, a new musical based on the play by Tom Keegan and Davidson Lloyd. When the sun disappears, a group of kids learns what it means and what it takes to be brave.
New York City Poetry Festival on Governor’s Island
Sat & Sun July 27th & 28th 11a-5p. Free.
The Poetry Society of New York will once again invite New Yorkers to come together for this two day festival to celebrate NYC’s vibrant poetry community. The event will include over 60 poetry organizations and 250 poets on its three stages; a Vendor’s Village where local booksellers, artists and craft makers will sell their wares; a beer garden sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery; healthy and delicious food options; poetic installation art throughout, the Ring of Daisies open mic; and last but not least, the Children’s Poetry Festival, complete with writing games and its own fourth, all-kids stage.
Theatreworks USA Presents: The Lightning Thief at Lucille Lortel Theatre (West Village)
Performances Monday July 21-Friday August 22nd at various times (no shows on Sat) See website for full schedule. Free. For ages 7y+
Let Theatreworks take you into a world with gods, monsters, and heroes! The Lightning Thief is a new musical adapted from the book, “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief”, by Rick Riordan. With the rights provided by Twentieth Century Fox, and through a special arrangement with the Lucille Lortel Theatre, Theatreworks is excited to bring this new musical adaptation to children and families in New York, with book by Joe Tracz and music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki, choreographed by Sam Pinkleton and directed by Stephen Brackett. The Lightning Thief features Percy Jackson, the 12-year-old son of Poseidon, who gets pulled into an unfamiliar, mythological world full of treacherous encounters and challenges thrust upon him by the Greek Gods. Percy struggles with dyslexia and ADHD, coming to terms with a father he has never known, and solving the mystery of Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt, alongside his two best friends Grover and Annabeth. Since this is a free event please read the information on the website about how to get tickets.
New York Classical Theatre: As You Like It in Battery Park (Financial District)
Tuesday July 1st-Sun July 27th (except Mondays) 7-9p. Meet in front of Castle Clinton. Free.
Celebrating Shakespeare’s 450th Birthday and our 15th Anniversary Season. New York Classical Theatre’s production of: AS YOU LIKE IT! Directed by Stephen Burdman. The show is completely FREE! No tickets or reservations required! As You Like It tells the tale of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved female characters, Rosalind (Rin Allen), and the object of her affection, Orlando (Ian Antal). Exiled to the Forest of Arden, the two become entangled in a beguiling game of love, lust, and mistaken identity. Gender roles, nature, and politics are confused in a play that exuberantly upends the traditional rules of romance.
Victorian Garden at Wollman Rink (Central Park)
Daily until Sun Sep 7th various times and admission & ride prices varies by day. See website. Enter park from 59th St. and 6th Avenue.
Victorian Gardens will open its gates Memorial Day Weekend! Opening weekend times: May 24th 10a-9p, May 25th and May 26th 10a-8p. Victorian Gardens is a traditional family amusement park featuring one-of-a-kind handcrafted rides, games of chance, classic concessions, face painting and live entertainment.
Bessies’s Big Shot at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
M-Sun now until August 24th M-F 1030a & 12p, Wed 1030a, 12p, & 230p, Sat-Sun 1p. Tickets: $7 children under 12y & $10 all others. For all ages.
Based on the famed PuppetMobile show of the same name, this popular production makes its Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre debut! Directed by Bruce Cannon and co-written by Douglas Strich, Alexander Bartenieff and Bruce Cannon, this version of the beloved show will feature several new puppets in addition to new and extended scenes. It’s a bird … it’s a plane … no … it’s Bessie the cow! CPF’s original production, Bessie’s Big Shot, follows Bessie the cow’s dream of joining the circus. Can she lift more than Ziegfried, the strongest man in the world? Fly on a trapeze high above the crowd? Train Munson the Monkey? This variety show cheers Bessie on as she attempts the impossible and searches for her special talents.
CMA/Free Arts Island Outpost on Governors Island
Sat-Sun now until Sep 28th and Labor Day Sep 1st 11a-3p. For ages 1-15y. Free.
Join us as we spend the summer amongst the trees, with the crickets and cicadas, dreaming of far away spaces and surreal surroundings! Places with wonderful surprises and strange twists, where not making sense makes the most sense! Be prepared for theater games and film-making; painting, collage, and found object art; costume and prop-making; up-cycling, recycling, and re-purposing! And don’t forget: The Flubber Experience! Location: Governors Island, Outside Buildings 11 & 14 in Nolan Park.
Kids Corner at Habana Outpost (Fort Greene)
Saturdays & Sundays until August 24th 11a-3p.
Drop in for FREE, fun arts & crafts every Saturday and Sunday in the courtyard of Habana Outpost. July 26th-27th: Flower Crowns
Dinosaur Safari: Mysteries Revealed! at the Bronx Zoo
Now until November 2nd 10a-5p. Admission included in total experience ticket price. Dinosaur Safari: Mysteries Revealed! Nine new dinosaur species have been added this year including the deinonychus, prodohadros, stegosaurus, and edmontonia. Returning for the Dinosaur Safari: Mysteries Revealed, the ever-popular 40-foot long tyrannosaurus rex will send chills up the spines of Bronx Zoo adventurers. At the end of the experience, there is a field site that includes a fossil dig for children; a Tyrannosaurus rex photo-op; a paleontologist’s tent that includes a fossil museum; and an interactive robotic dinosaur that illustrates how the animatronics work.
Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Now until January 4th 10a-545p. Free with General Admission Plus One
In the new exhibition Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs, rare fossils, life-size models, and hands-on interactives bring these ancient animals to life. Step back in time to see pterosaurs, including giants such as Tropeognathus mesembrinus,with a wingspan of more than 25 feet, and find out how they moved on land and in the air. Get a first-hand look at the rare pterosaur fossils that have helped paleontologists learn all that we know about these animals. In a virtual flight lab, use your body to pilot a pterosaur over a prehistoric landscape. Encounter the exceptional creatures that flew in the age of dinosaurs.
Prospect Park Carousel Summer Hours
Now until September 1st 2014 Thu–Sun: 12n–6p. $2 per ride, $9 for a book of 5 tickets.
Kick off spring with a ride on the Park’s beautiful 102 year-old carousel. Located in the Park’s “Children’s Corner,” the Carousel features 51 magnificently carved horses, a lion, a giraffe, a deer, and two dragon-pulled chariots. Carved in 1912 by Charles Carmel, one of the foremost carousel designers of the time, and restored by the Prospect Park Alliance in 1990, the Carousel promises that classic summertime amusement will be available for generations of fun. In addition, the Prospect Park Carousel is one of the few in the world that is wheelchair accessible.
Pop-Up Audubon in Prospect Park
Saturdays & Sundays until October 19, 2014: 12n–5p. Free.
The Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon, now in its second season, which invites families to directly engage with nature through outdoor learning in locations around the Park. JUNE: Incredible Invertebrates. Location: Entrance to the Ravine, downhill from the Picnic House
The Art of the Brick at Discovery Times Square (Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown West)
Now until Sep 7th. Sun-Tues 10a-7p, Wed & Thur 10a-8p, Fri & Sat 10a-9p. Tickets: $19.50/adult, $16.50 kids age 4-12y. The return of The Art of Brick!RT OF THE BRICK, and will feature a newly introduced gallery that showcases artist Nathan Sawaya’s In Pieces collection, a multimedia collaboration produced in tandem with award-winning photographer Dean West.
Sawaya’s original Art of the Brick exhibition is a critically acclaimed collection of intriguing and inspiring works of art made exclusively from one of the most recognizable toys in the world — LEGO® bricks. The Discovery Times Square exhibit will be the world’s biggest and most elaborate display of LEGO® art ever and will feature brand-new, never-before-seen pieces by Sawaya. Don’t miss the show named one of CNN’s Top 10 ‘Global Must-See Exhibitions.’
For a full calendar of events please click here!