Hi everyone
Can you believe it is mid August already! Hope everyone is excited for another fun weekend here in NYC.
This weekend there are fun events to check out like the Governors Island for the Jazz Age Lawn Party, the 25th Anniversary Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest, week 3 of Summer Streets 2015, Summer on the Hudson: FlyNYC Kite Flying Festival in Riverside Park, Celebrate India Day at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Free Public Skate at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 2, Funkytown Playground Band with Aly Sunshine in Bryant Park, Hudson River Park’s Pop Up Maker Space at 14th St, Just Drop In! at the Guggenheim Museum and Suzi Shelton Backyard Show at Norman & Jules Backyard. Also this weekend Ready, Set, Kindergarten at various Brooklyn Public Library branches is wrapping up and the FringeJR is starting up!
That is just some of the events so make sure to check the calendar for all the Brooklyn & NYC events happening this weekend! Remember to like us on Facebook for last minute events and news!
Happy weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday August 14th
BioBus at the New York Hall of Science (Flushing)
Friday August 14th 11a-4p. Free with NYSCI admission. Travel into worlds smaller than the eye can see aboard the BioBus, the world’s only state-of-the-art microscope facility housed on a solar-powered 1974 transit bus. Zoom in on the tiniest of animals to find its microscopic beating heart, or use a handheld microscope to magnify your own eye and watch it pulsate in response to light. Project your discoveries onto large digital displays for your friends and family to see. Suitable for all ages and backgrounds, so come on board for a carbon-neutral, hands-on tour of the microscopic world. (Please note that the capacity of BioBus is 30 individuals and that we will accommodate visitors on a first-come first-served basis.)
Movies @ the Library: Home at the Central Brooklyn Public Library (Grand Army Plaza)
Friday August 14th 230-5p. Free. Location: Dweck Center. When Earth is taken over by the overly confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. The two fugitives realize there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime (2015, PG, 96 minutes).
FringeJR: The Commedia Rapunzel at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (Stuyvesant Town/East Village)
Friday August 14th 5p. General admission tickets: $18. $13 FringeJR tickets will be available to the youngsters 12 and under for all FringeJR shows and may only be purchased in person: Either in advance (the day before the performance) at FringeCENTRAL (cash or credit card), or at the box office where the show is playing 15 minutes prior to curtain (credit card only) or purchase tickets here. For ages 6-12y. Expect the unexpected as the Spaghetti and Meatball Players, a troupe of poor traveling “Italian” actors, present a zany musical romp through a twisted version of the fairytale “Rapunzel” done in the style of Commedia dell’ Arte! See the FringeNYC – The New York International Fringe Festival website for additional showtimes for The Commedia Rapunzel and other FringeJr shows.
Summer Stroll on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge
Friday August 14th from 6-10p. Free. Third Avenue from 69th-80th Street. Take a leisurely stroll along 3rd Avenue and expeirence enriched cultural exhibitions, performances, your favorite author’s book signing, chess challenges for kids, crafts for young at heart, local shops, foodie haven and good ole laughter.
For more Friday events please click here!
Saturday August 15th
Summer Streets 2015: Week 3 (Manhattan)
Saturday August 15th 7a-1p. Free. Last day! On August 15th from 7 AM to 1 PM, nearly seven miles of New York City’s streets will be opened up for everyone to play, run, walk and bike. From the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, along Park Avenue and connecting streets, you can water slide, soar through the air on a zip line, dance, get fit, immerse yourself in a public art and architecture tours or just stroll along and experience the city’s streets in a new way—all for free. See the website for the map and more information.
Celebrate India Day at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Saturday August 15th 10a-5p. For all ages. Free with museum admission. August 15th, 2015 is India’s Independence Day. Come learn about and celebrate this fascinating country and its many cultures at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Have your hand painted with henna; try your luck at playing pachisi; make a Rahki bracelet to celebrate siblings and friends; hear Indian instruments like the sitar and tabla; sing songs in English, Bengali and Hindi with Raga Kids; then learn Bhangra dancing from Ajna Dance Company at a rooftop dance party featuring DJ Rekha. See the BCM website for the full schedule of events.
25th Anniversary Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest
Saturday August 15th 11a-5p. Free. Judging begins at 3p This family-friendly event is open to amateurs and semi-professional sand sculpting artists of all ages competing for cash prizes and bragging rights. Over the years, the Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest has attracted thousands of attendees from around the world. Registration is sold out and *Pre-registration is convenience and does not guarantee a spot. Pre-registered sand mounds will be forfeited at noon the day of the event and open to same-day registrants on a first come first serve basis.
Summer on the Hudson: FlyNYC Kite Flying Festival in Riversiede Park (UWS)
Saturday August 15th 11a-4p. Free. Location: enter the park at 68th and Riverside. Come and fly a kite at this fun festival for all ages! Kite-making kits will be provided for children and live music groups will play all day.
Funkytown Playground Band with Aly Sunshine in Bryant Park
Saturday August 15th 12n-1p. Free. Bring the kids to Bryant Park for a free performance by the Funkytown Playground Band with Aly Sunshine. Located on the 42nd street side of the park, between the back of the New York Public Library and Sixth Avenue. Look for the burgundy and white umbrellas. Rain information: In case of rain, events are held under a tent at the Reading Room. In case of severe weather, please check bryantpark.org for the indoor location.
For more Saturday events please click here!
Sunday August 16th
Free Public Skate at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 2
Sundays 10a-12n. Admission: Free! First come, first serve. Skate rental $6 if needed. Top 40 hits! Also on Fridays 330p-630p!
Suzi Shelton Backyard Show at Norman & Jules Backyard (Park Slope)
Sunday August 16th 11a. Tickets: $20 per child – grown ups free. Tickets in store and at the door. Call for info: 347-9873323.
Celebrate SPRING at Norman & Jules’s Magical Outdoor Playspace with award-winning and local kindie favorite Suzi Shelton as she returns to her favorite toy shop to perform a series of solo shows with songs from her latest release “Smile in My Heart.” Perfect for families with kids ages 0-7 years old. Suzi will be playing on the third Sunday of every month until October 2015.
Family Performance Festival in Central Park (UWS)
Sundays at 12n until September 6th. Free. All ages welcome. Programs between 60-90 minutes long. Programs happen near the most natural playground, the Great Hill (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! In the case of inclement weather, programs will be canceled. For weather-related changes and accessibility information, call 212-208-4111 or check the event on our online calendar. August 16th: Nature Songs and Stories ~ Discover more about the Park and the finely tuned way in which mother nature works with George Steele as you sing along with him, then head out on an exploratory adventure in the Park! The first part of the program will take place on Great Hill – South, then we’ll set off on an educational exploration of our natural Park environment. See the website for all the information on future performances.
Just Drop In! at the Guggenheim Museum (UES)
Sundays at 1p until November 22nd. For families with children ages 3-10y. Free with museum admission. Explore exhibition highlights through creative, interactive projects led by museum educators.
Hudson River Park’s Pop Up Maker Space at 14th St (Greenwich Village)
Sundays 1-3p until August 30th. Free. Guided Maker workshops challenge participants to design and construct projects inspired by science and nautical concepts. Come tinker and test solutions to real-world challenges!
For more Sunday events please click here!
All Weekend
Family Discovery Weekends at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Crown Heights)
Saturdays & Sundays 1030a-230p until August 23rd. 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. See website for additional days in the fall.
FringeJR at the 14th Street Y (Stuyvesant Town/East Village)
Friday August 14th-Sunday August 30th at various times. The FringeJr productions are specifically recommended for families and groups with children ages five (5) to twelve (12). $13 FringeJR tickets will be available to the youngsters for all FringeJR shows and may only be purchased in person: Either in advance (the day before the performance) at FringeCENTRAL (cash or credit card), or at the box office where the show is playing 15 minutes prior to curtain (credit card only). Productions this year: The Commedia Rapunzel, Haunted Holliot Hildorf Hotel and Shadow’s Unicycle, Ideas, Not Theories, PEDRO PAN, Rapunzel in the Wild West and Solina. See website for tickets and times.
Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island
Saturday-Sunday August 15th-16th 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.
Jack & The Beanstalk at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays & Sundays 1230p & 230p in July and some weekends in August. 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
Shakespeare at Sunset: Measure for Measure in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Friday-Sunday August 14th-16th 7p. Free. Once a free and open society, Brooklyn Bridge Park is transformed into Vienna, a city bitterly divided between high morals and the greed of commerce. Disguised as a monk, the Duke wanders the land, prying into the daily lives of his subjects.
Open Studio for Families at the Whitney Museum of American Art (Meatpacking District/West Village)
Fridays-Sundays in August until the 23rd 1030a-3p. Free with museum admission. Location: Floor Three, Laurie M. Tisch Education Center, Hearst Artspace / Fifth Floor Outdoor Gallery (weather permitting). Get creative in the Whitney’s new Hearst Artspace! Families are invited to make their own artworks inspired by works on view in the exhibition America Is Hard to See. Each week we will offer a different art making project.
Fantastic Tunnels at NY Transit Museum (Downtown Brooklyn)
Saturday-Sunday August 15th-16th & 22nd-23rd 130-215p. For 5y+. Free with paid admission. What do engineers discover as they dig deep underground to build New York’s newest train tunnels? Find out, and then create and illustrate your own fantastic book about what YOU imagine finding beneath Manhatta’s busy streets and ancient bedrock.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Fridays 1030a & 12n and Saturdays & Sundays 1p. See website for additional weekday 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.
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. August 15th & 16th- Solar Powered Art! Create sun collages using objects found in nature.
Splash Pad at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park
Monday-Saturday 10a-7p & Sunday 10-6p. 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.
CMA: Free Art Island Outpost on Governors Island
Saturday & Sunday 11a-3p until September 27th (and Labor Day September 7). 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.
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.
Ready, Set, Kindergarten at various Brooklyn Public Library branches
Summer Session 2015 and every weekend until August 16th. Free. Last weekend! Have fun at the library and help your child get ready for school. For children 3 to 5 years and participating parents or caregivers. Families enjoy stories and activities designed to encourage the development of early learning skills. Exploring literacy, science, and math through music, stories, crafts, and play will help you and your child get ready for school! Families will receive free materials to continue the learning and fun at home. See the flyer for all the information on branches and times.
For a full calendar of events please click here!