Hi everyone
Only 9 days until the official start of the summer and with the hot weather today it is really start to feel like summer. Lots of fun events to do here in NYC this weekend!
This weekend get out and enjoy the FAB Friday Kids Activities at Putnam Triangle Plaza, Bike NY Pedal Stops in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Family Discovery Weekends at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Movies in the Parks: Big Hero 6 in Fort Greene Park, a Family Concert with Socalled in Robert F. Wagner Park, Weeksville Weekends “Home” at the Weeksville Heritage Center, the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party at Madison Square Park, the Hip Tot Family Day at Lakeside Rink in Prospect Park and the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island.
Also happening this weekend is Lincoln Center Kids presents Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston at the Clark Studio Theater, P for Puppets Present: One, Two, Tres! at Gumbo, Stomp, Clap & Sing with Suzi Shelton at the Brooklyn Heights Public Library, Whitney Wees: Artist as Experimenter at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Whimsical Puppetry Wonders at The Jewish Museum and a Bubble Science Party & Fundraiser at Elk Cafe.
Go see the calendar for more events going on in Brooklyn & NYC this weekend! Remember to like us on Facebook for last minute events and news!
Stay cool and have a great weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday June 12th
Reading Rangers in Madison Square Park (Flatiron)
Fridays at 10a until September 29th (also Tuesdays) in or around the Police Officer Moira Ann Smith Playground. Free. Adult supervision is required. This Friday, Apple Seeds will lead your child on a musical journey based on themes pulled straight from their favorite books. Their songs for seeds musician will captivate the audience with an interactive book reading, followed by a high energy musical performance.
FAB Friday Kids FREE Activities at Putnam Triangle Plaza (Clinton Hill)
Friday June 12th 4-6p but if you are near the Putnam Triangle a little early (starting at 3p)? Our friends from The Uni Project will have a pop-up reading room with children’s picture books for children & families ready to go. You can spend some time reading before the event kicks off at 4PM! Location: Fulton Street & Lafayette Avenue. Join FAB for the FAB FRIDAY KIDS ACTIVITIES and enjoy free afternoon of kids’ activities and games, hands-on art workshops with professional local artists, urban croquet, games, jump rope, sidewalk chalk drawing, checkers, FDNY fire prevention demonstrations, Brooklyn Public Library Read-aloud, Craft, and Register for a Library Card, hula hooping, and more. Plus, pop-ups & demos by FABulous businesses! FREE games and arts and crafts with New York Cares volunteers and FABtastic community partners, including: bubbles, jump rope, checkers, LEGO activity! See website for all the details.
Stomp, Clap & Sing with Suzi Shelton at the Brooklyn Heights Public Library
Friday June 12th 330-430p. Free. Suzi Shelton is a music and movement specialist, teacher and family performer. She has been rocking parents and kids alike for over 10+ years in such prestigious venues as Symphony Space, The White House Easter Egg Roll, the Lincoln Center Tree Lighting, as well as her local Brooklyn hot spots-The Bellhouse and Hip Tot Music Fest.
Movies in the Parks: Big Hero 6 in Fort Greene Park
Friday June 12th 830-10p. Free. Join NYC Parks for free, family-friendly movies in our city’s parks! Know Before You Go: You should come before 8:30 p.m. to get your spot. Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair as there is a limited supply of chairs reserved for seniors or people with disabilities. Food is OK, but no alcohol. Reservations are not taken, so space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Big Hero 6: When a criminal plot threatens the hi-tech metropolis of San Fransokyo, brilliant young robotics whiz Hiro Hamada (voice of Ryan Potter) leaps into action with his tech-savvy friends, and his robot companion Baymax (voice of Scott Adsit). Rated PG. Location: Myrtle Avenue Lawn
For more Friday events please click here!
Saturday June 13th
Bike NY Pedal Stops in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday June 13th 10a-4p. Free. Additional events in July & September. See website for more information. Come to Bike New York’s “Pedal Stops” to learn about their free cycling classes, learn bike maintenance skills, collect bike maps and information on cycling in NYC, and have a healthy, delicious, free snack! Mini workshops will be offered on fixing flat tires, making sure your bike is safe and well fitted, and keeping your chain clean and running smoothly. Location: Pier 2 promenade
Whitney Wees: Artist as Experimenter at the Whitney Museum of American Art (Meatpacking District)
Saturday June 13th 10-11a. For families with kids ages 4-5y. Tickets for this program are required: $5 per person, plus Museum admission ($22 adults, $18 seniors, free for children under 18). Families are encouraged to sign up for just one tour a month. Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged. Bring your little ones to enjoy an interactive experience of looking, sharing, and working together in the galleries. This month, learn how artists experiment with materials and make art with your kids! Purchase tickets here. Tours also available June 20th.
Lincoln Center Kids presents Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston at Clark Studio Theater
Saturday June 13th 11a. For ages 4+. Tickets for this event are $25 for non-members and $18 for members (with a code). Internationally renowned master storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston mesmerizes audiences of all ages with selections from her wide repertoire of stories and songs from African and African-American oral traditions. Accompanied by traditional African music, Charlotte breathes spirit and life into these old and new tales to share the beliefs, mythology, cultural identity, history, and community values that have been taught and preserved for generations. Audience participation encouraged!
Weeksville Weekends “Home” at Weeksville Heritage Center
Saturday June 13th 12n-5p. Free. Art workshops, music, dance, performances, face painting, giveaways and more! Tours of the historic Hunterfly Road House & beyond 12n-3p. Fruity Pop Workshop 12n-5p. Free to the public, the project is geared toward children 4-11 and aims to help them form healthier relationships to food through visual art and creative practices. Creative Art Workshops 1-4p. Focusing on the city we live in and Dance Performances at 3-5p. See the website for all the details on the events.
Bubble Science Party & Fundraiser at Elk Cafe (Windsor Terrace)
Saturday June 13th 2-5p. Individual $15, family of 2 $25 and family of 4 $45. Purchase tickets here. Join us on Saturday, June 13th for a family friendly fundraiser at Elk Cafe. We explore the science of bubbles through some fun, hands-on exploration. All proceeds from this event directly support free science programming such as Family Science and the Pop-Up Science workshops.
For more Saturday events please click here!
Sunday June 14th
Hip Tot Family Day at Lakeside Rink in Prospect Park
Sunday June 14th 11a-2p. Free. This years Hip Tot Family Day @ Lakeside FREE concert series is starting with a trip to the Islands and the whole family will be jammin’ to the Reggae sounds of Grammy Winner Father Goose. Local Brooklyn Public School Community Roots Middle School will start the event with a short performance of The Lion King Jr. Father Goose, also known as Rankin’ Don, also known as Wayne Rhoden, began his music career in reggae dance-halls. He teamed up with a popular children’s musician, Dan Zanes, where he took on another moniker, Father Goose. And under that name, he brings dancehall boogie to a pint-sized audience. Lakeside is the in spot for thousands of local families with a state-of-the-art skating pavilion and the incredible Splash Pad play area. Combine that with Hip Tot, nominated “Best Place to see a Family Concert” in 2014 by Time Out NY Kids, you have a destination with something for everyone in the family!
Whimsical Puppetry Wonders at The Jewish Museum (UES)
Sunday June 14th 1-4p. For ages 4-10y. Free with Museum Admission. Blend tradition and imagination by designing your own puppet character inspired by classic tales of the Yiddish theater using found objects, fabric, and more. Bring your character to life on a mini-stage!
Family Concert with Socalled in Robert F. Wagner Park (Battery Park City)
Sunday June 14th 1-3p. Free. Battery Park City Parks Conservancy and co-sponsor National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene present an all-ages performance by Socalled on Sunday June 14, 2015, as part of KulturefestNYC. Socalled, born Josh Dolgin, is a Montreal based musician, known for mixing hip hop and klezmer into a unique blend of acoustic and electronic music. Families are invited to bring a blanket or a picnic lunch as they enjoy a fun family-friendly concert and the amazing views of New York Harbor.
Warmth Presents Sunday Sessions at Redwood Studios (Gowanus)
Sunday June 14th 2pm – 9pm. $10 for adults; $25 per family (two adults and kids). For dance music fans of all ages, Sunday Sessions promises to be the perfect way to wind up the weekend during the summer. We invite you to park your stroller, grab some grub, and get your groove on. Doors open at 2pm and the party will heat up till 9pm. With a festival-like environment, Sunday Sessions will have food and drink available for purchase, plus kid-friendly activities such as misting hoses, bubbles, balloons, and sidewalk chalk. This event will happen on the 2nd & last Sunday of the month until September 27th.
P for Puppets Present: One, Two, Tres! at Gumbo (Boerum Hill)
Sunday June 14th 430p. $15/child, adults & siblings $5 ea. Space limited, please call to reserve: 718-855-7808. ‘One, Two, Tres!’ is a bilingual (Spanish/English) puppet show created for babies and children up to 4 years old. Children become immersed in a magical world of puppetry, which focuses on visual, auditory and verbal stimuli and provides a wonderful bonding experience between parents and children. Each act has repetitive actions and simple musical rhythms, which bbies can focus on and enjoy, and toddlers will be totally entertained in a creative stimulating environment.
For more Sunday events please click here!
All Weekend
Family Discovery Weekends at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Crown Heights)
Saturdays & Sundays June 13th-14th 1030a-230p. Free with Garden admission. This is a drop-in program for families with children of all ages. Stop by the pavilion to create a nature-based craft, artwork, or invention. Experiment, learn, and play together in the Discovery Garden. Hands-on stations throughout the garden’s meadow, woodland, and marsh habitats, and in the vegetable garden encourage families to explore nature together. All programs are outdoors and canceled in inclement weather; for updates, call 718-623-7200, ext. 7801. Family Discovery Weekends will also happen weekends this summer. See website for additional dates.
Big Apple Barbecue Block Party at Madison Square Park (Flatiron)
Saturday-Sunday June 13th-14th 11a-6p. Admission is free. Food & beverages may be purchased. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party is a celebration of the craftsmanship of ‘cue, represented by the most talented pitmasters in the country. Each one brings their signature approach to the tradition of ‘cue to New Yorkers the second weekend in June in Madison Square Park. Entering its 13th year this June, the celebration features all the elements of real pit barbecue – from the heady smells of smoked meat and the rollicking sounds of the South, to an abundance of charm, handcrafted ingredients and spirits. See the website for all the details.
Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island
Saturday-Sunday June 13th-14th 11a-6p. Tickets start at $35, children under 12 free. Purchase tickets here. The Jazz Age Lawn Party is New York City’s original prohibition era inspired gathering. Hosted and conceived by Michael Arenella, the event started as a small gathering of perhaps fifty friends and fans. The event, initially produced by the island, was handed over to Michael in its third year to organize and grow. Under his watch, the event was carefully crafted and nurtured, becoming what is now referred to by The Wall Street Journal as, “the biggest (not to mention the cleanest and most family-oriented) regular event in the ‘Retro Noveau’ movement…” It was at this time that St-Germain joined forces with The Lawn Party, delightfully whetting the whistles of fops and flappers with their refreshing summer cocktails. See website for all the details on the performances and activities. The Jazz Age Lawn Party also happens August 15-16.
CMA: Free Art Island Outpost on Governors Island
Every Saturday & Sunday 11a-3p until September 27th (and Labor Day September 7) (NO Programming Saturday, July 4). For ages 1-15y. Free. Location: Outside Building 14 in Nolan Park. Bring the whole family and join CMA’s Teaching Artists, as we spend the summer making artwork inspired by Governors Island itself! Participants will create works that show the importance of nature and parks, and our place in between those two. We will be influenced by the works of Andy Goldsworthy, Nils-Udo, and Richard Shilling as we scavenge for what nature has to offer, collaborating with site specific installations, and showcasing interactions with the sun, trees, water, and rocks. And be prepared to exploit the creative potential of everyday trash, repurposing it away from the landfills and oceans, by making it into clever and meaningful art. For more information on Governors Island, please visit www.govisland.com.
Splash Pad at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park
Monday 11a-6p. Free. The Splash Pad, offically known as the Matilda Raffa Cuomo Water Playground, is the LeFrak Center’s free water play area for kids 12 and under. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the water feature welcomed over 30,000 visitors last summer. Featuring 47 water spray jets and covering 16,000 square feet, Splash Pad is largest water play area in Prospect Park. In addition, the LeFrak Center offers roller skating, the Bluestone Café, and surrounding landscapes for picnicking and relaxation.
Pinkalicious, The Musical at Culture Project’s Lynn Redgrave Theater
Saturdays & Sundays 1p until August 30th. Tickets: $36.50. For ages 2 to 7y. Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe – a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament.
Jack & The Beanstalk at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays & Sundays 1230p & 230p until August 23rd. For 3y+. Admission for a Child is $9, an Adult $10. No credit cards accepted. Reservations are suggested: 718-965-3391 (current day or advance reservations) or e-mail us: puppetworks@twcmetrobiz.com (NO same day e-mail reservations). Jack & The Beanstalk with an Original Song Score and a “live” Giant. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola
Kids Corner at Habana Outpost (Fort Greene)
Saturdays & Sundays until August 30th 11a-3p. Free. Presented by Sean Meenan and Habana Works. The Kid’s Corner is a weekend program that offers free, creative workshops and crafts that teach environmentalism, wellness and community to neighborhood kids. June 13th & 14th – Clothespin Dolls
Jack and the Beanstalk at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Tue–Fri 1030a & 12p, Wed 1030a, 12p & 230p and Sat & Sun 1p until June 26th. See website for additional show times this summer. Tickets are $7/children and $10/adults. Based on the classic English fairytale, this fresh retelling of the Swedish Cottage original production takes Jack on an enchanting adventure up a magical beanstalk. In this starry new world, Jack encounters the notorious Giant, Milford, whose thieving ways have brought misfortune upon Jack and his mother. Determined to make life better for his family, Jack, with help from friends old and new, risks his life to take back what the Giant stole.
For a full calendar of events please click here!