Hi everyone
Columbus Weekend is almost here and it will be great to have an extra day to have fun with the family!
This weekend take the kids and enjoy the Dog Parade & Costume Contest at Luna Park Halloween Harvest, It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! Superheroes in Gotham Opening Weekend at Dimenna Children’s History Museum, Art, Movement, Music, Pretend! at the Brooklyn Historical Society, Free Family Art Day at Pipsqueak Children’s Shoppe, Boo at the Zoo: Mystery & Mischief at the Bronx Zoo, The Velveteen Rabbit: A New Family Musical at the Linda Gross Theater, Bats at Belvedere in Central Park, The Family Sing-a-long with Emily Eagan at the Jalopy Theatre, Annual Fall Harvest Festival at Narrows Botanical Gardens, The Annual Columbus Day Parade, Amazing Maize Maze at Queens County Farm Museum, Family Movies @ the Library: Hugo at the Central Brooklyn Public Library and Beauty & the Beast at PuppetWorks.
Also check the calendar to see all the events happening over the long weekend! Also remember to like us on Facebook for last minute events and news!
Have a great long weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday October 9th
Drop in Sing along with Lloyd of the Deedle Deedle Dees at Lark Cafe (Flatbush, Prospect Park South)
Fridays 10-1045a and 11-1145a. Suggested $5per child. Lloyd H. Miller of The Deedle Deedle Dees for a wonderful, interactive sing along filled with original songs about the history of new york city and beyond! Lloyd is a LARK favorite and is loved by both the little ones and their grown-ups too! Suggested $5per child.
Fall Friday at Lakeside in Prospect Park
Friday October 9th 2–630p. Free. Visit the Lefrak Center at Lakeside for kid-friendly games and activities. Lakeside Recess, 2–6 pm: Get out and play at Lakeside! Enjoy complimentary backyard games including Pickelball, Badminton, Kan Jam, and Ladder Ball (also happens Wed-Thu). Puppetsburg, 2–3 pm: Dancing, music, bubble time and a puppet story. Popfit Kids, 3–4 pm: Energizing fitness class with festive dance tunes. Free Beats with DJ Dhundee, 4–6:30 pm: Skate to the hottest hits spun by Lakeside’s resident maestro, DJ Dhundee. Skate rentals are available for $6 plus tax.
Family Movies @ the Library: Hugo at the Central Brooklyn Public Library
Friday October 9th 330-530p. Free. Location: Dweck Center. Welcome to a magical world of spectacular adventure, based on the book by Brian Selznick! When wily and resourceful Hugo Cabret discovers a secret left by his father, he unlocks a mystery and embarks on a quest that will transform those around him and lead to a safe and loving place he can call home. (PG; November 23, 2011; 126 minutes)
It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! Superheroes in Gotham Opening Weekend at Dimenna Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Friday October 9th 4-6p. Kids age 13 and under receive free Museum admission! Calling all superheroes! Answer the call and bring your super powers to our weekend of programs for junior heroes. Kids will design and wear their own wrist cuffs—will yours deflect lasers? Help you fly? Shoot webs? Get ready to defeat a super villain by joining our superhero training sessions, where participants will practice their defending and attacking skills! Then kids can decorate a super plane and fly it through the New York skyline. Make sure to pick up our Superheroes in Gotham family guide and find all six heroes in this amazing exhibition. And don’t forget to get your picture taken with the one and only Batmobile!
For more Friday events please click here!
Saturday October 10th
Free Family Art Day at Pipsqueak Children’s Shoppe (Bedford Stuyvesant)
Saturday October 10th 10-11a. Free. October 10th 10-11a. No need to RSVP, just drop in! Spellbound Theatre Free Family Art Days are opportunities for families to play, imagine, and explore through a variety of different art forms. Each month our storytellers present crafts, songs, stories, and creative play around a theme. These events are free for the public and presented in partnership with local businesses and community centers. Spellbound Theatre is a Brooklyn-based theatre for families. they create original theatre for audiences of all ages, and host educational community classes that help children and their grown-ups play together. they are puppeteers, actors, storytellers, and writers committed to creating innovative new works that spark imagination and wonder.
The Velveteen Rabbit: A New Family Musical at the Linda Gross Theater (Chelsea)
Saturday-Sunday 1030a starting October 10th until November 1st. Tickets $15/$20. Best suited for ages 3 to 9, while kids and adults of all ages are welcome! “What is Real?” asked the Velveteen Rabbit to the Skin Horse. “Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” So begins the story of a very shy toy Rabbit made of velveteen and sawdust who longs to be loved. Newly adapted from Margery Williams Bianco’s beloved children’s tale of nursery magic and the secret life of toys, The Velveteen Rabbit takes us on the Rabbit’s musical journey from loneliness to friendship, from loss to Love, from innocence to wisdom, and finally…to becoming Real.
Art, Movement, Music, Pretend! at the Brooklyn Historical Society (Brooklyn Heights)
Saturdays 11a-12n until April 16th. For children 3-7. Program admission is $5 per participating child; accompanying adults and siblings are free! BHS Family Programs has returned! Make sure to arrive early, as admission will be first come, first served. Each Saturday, Brooklyn Historical Society’s programming focuses on educating and entertaining our borough’s youngest historians. Teaching artists lead young visitors in activities inspired by the exhibitions on view. Children create “Make and take” art projects, move with partners from Together in Dance, or put history to music in sing-a-longs with Lloyd H. Miller.
Events for Youth and Families: The Brave Calf/El Becerrito Valiente at the Central Brooklyn Public Library
Saturday October 10th 1-2p. Free. This is the story of a little calf that one day decides to leave his stall to see the world. This takes him to the mountains where he befriends a rabbit, a buzzard (vulture), the sun, the moon and a moon elf. He also meets an evil selfish bull has taken over the only lagoon and doesn’t want to share the water. The calf, with the help of his new friends and nature, faces the evil bull to defeat him before he takes possession of all natural resources, which he will cunningly achieve without violence, making the bull eventually reflect about the importance of friendship, team-work and collective care of the environment. Presented by Instituto Arte Teatral Internacional.
Bats at Belvedere in Central Park
Saturday October 10th 6-730p. Free. Location: Belvedere Castle mid-park about 79th Street. RSVP to let us know you’re coming. See live bats and learn about bats that live in Central Park through an educational presentation. The Organization for Bat Conservation will teach us how to spot and identify our winged friends in their natural surroundings.
For more Saturday events please click here!
Sunday October 11th
The Family Sing-a-long with Emily Eagan at the Jalopy Theatre (Carroll Gardens/Red Hook)
Sunday October 11th show starts at 11a. Tickets: $5 kids, $10 adults, $25 family of four. Emily Eagen hosts all-ages sing-a-longs. Grown-ups who love to sing can come together and harmonize, while kids learn these songs and sing along. Families leave with songs they can keep singing together. Favorites from the Great American Songbook – old-time, gospel, country, and bluegrass songs, ranging from the soulful to the silly to the sentimental, songs that both kids and adults love, will be sung. Chairs will be set in a big circle, with the option to be in the center of the sound, or to sing from the sidelines. Special guest musicians will share songs and anchor the harmonies. Songbook with lyrics will be provided. You do not have to bring children to attend. Follow up with a delicious brunch at the Jalopy Tavern next door.
Alison Faith Levy Concert at The Jewish Museum (UES)
Sunday October 11th 1130a-1230p. For ages 3-8y. $18 Adults; $13 Children. Jewish Museum Family Members: $15 Adults; $11 Children. Alison Faith Levy, formerly “Sippy Alison” of the beloved psychedelic band, The Sippy Cups, recently released her second solo album – The Start of Things. With a ‘60s style sound and whimsical vibe, get ready to spin and shout with Alison and her Big Time Tot Rock Band – all the way from San Francisco!
Annual Fall Harvest Festival at Narrows Botanical Gardens (Bay Ridge)
Sunday October 11th 12pm – 5pm. (Rain date 10/18) Free Admission (fees for certain activities). Fun for the whole family! Featuring the Annual Canine Costume Contest, Sean Casey Animal Rescue Mobile Adoption Unit, our best crafters and artisans, and the Great Pumpkin Patch.
Dog Parade & Costume Contest at Luna Park Halloween Harvest (Coney Island)
Sunday October 11th 2-4p. Free. Here’s a real Halloween TREAT for dogs on Sunday more than 100 of our four-legged friends will participate in the annual Dog Parade & Costume Contest will take place at Luna Park 2 pm to 4 pm. There will be a distinguished panel of judges, including actress Kathryn Erbe from Law and Order, evaluating the winners based on Audience Choice, Cutest, Mr./Miss Congeniality, Most Original and Best of Show. In addition to the parade and contest, there will be a pet adoption, sponsored by North Shore Animal League America 12n-4p. The Grand Prize winner will receive a six month subscription to Bark Box, while its owner will receive four unlimited ride wristbands for the park. Runners-up for Cutest, Mr./ Miss Congeniality, Most Original and Audience Choice will receive a gift basket sponsored by TruFoods and two unlimited ride wristbands.
Pinkalicious, The Musical at Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater (UWS)
Sundays 11a until October 25th also Monday October 12th 11a. Tickets: $49.50-$59.50. For ages 2 to 10y. All children over 1 year must have a ticket. Performances run 1 hour. 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.
For more Sunday events please click here!
Monday October 12th
Boo at the Zoo: Mystery & Mischief at the Bronx Zoo
Monday October 12th various times also weekends until November 1st. Free with Total Experience Ticket. The General Admission ticket does not include all attractions. Our favorite Halloween tradition, Boo at the Zoo, is back at the Bronx Zoo, weekends in October. Stop by for music, magic, and fun facts about our favorite animals that are surrounded by Mystery and Mischief. Enjoy a hay maze, costume parade, Mystery of Animals Station, 3-D Carved Pumpkins and more! Take a look at the schedule of events and plan a trip with the whole family.
Visiting Exhibit: Heart and Seoul at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Monday October 12th 10a-5p. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum will be open on Columbus Day so go check out the new Visitng Exhibit Heart & Seoul! Ride Hallyu (the Korean Wave) with a new exhibit that brings modern-day South Korea to New York City.
Amazing Maize Maze at Queens County Farm Museum
Monday October 12th 11a-430p (weather permitting, last ticket sold 430p) and weekends until October 25th. Amazing Maize Maze: $9 adults, $5 kids age 4 to 11, free for kids age 3 and under. Ready to be amaaazed? Kids and adults alike will have fun finding their way out of this 3-acre corn labyrinth! The adventure begins with a “Stalk Talk” to prepare you for the challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles and making your way out of the maze. Feel up to the challenge? Then join us for the fun of getting lost and loving it! *NOTE: Oct 25th there is an admission fee to enter the farm grounds for the Children’s Fall Festival.
The Annual Columbus Day Parade
Monday Octoboer 12th 1130a-3p. Free. On Fifth Avenue, New York City. Parade begins on Fifth Avenue at 44th Street and continues north along Fifth Avenue to 72nd Street. The grandstands will be located on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets.
35,000 marchers. Over 100 groups, including bands, floats and contingents. Nearly one million spectators. The Columbus Day Parade is a fun filled Parade that gets bigger and better every year. Participants from all over the world march in our Parade with pride. The Columbus Day Parade has become a globally televised event with millions of viewers and over a half million spectators on the streets. We invite you to join us and experience this memorable day.
Flight School the Musical at Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre (UWS)
Monday October 12th at 1p also weekends until October 31st. For ages 2-7y. Tickets: $49.50-$59.50. It’s the first day of Flight School, where they teach birds to fly. Penguin has the soul of an eagle and is ready to live on the wind. But he wasn’t built to soar, as the other birds constantly remind him. Penguin’s spirit won’t be grounded. With some friends of a feather, and a little help on the technical parts, Penguin follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! With book by Cara Lustik, music by David Mallamud, and lyrics by Joshua H. Cohen, Flight School The Musical is based on the book Flight School from best-selling author Lita Judge.
For more Monday events please click here!
All Weekend
Robin Hood at The New Victory Theater
Saturday October 10th 2p & 7p and Sunday October 11th 12n & 5p. For ages 7+. Tickets start at $15. Performance is 1 hour 40 minutes including intermission. Medieval mischief and mayhem! The Prince of Thieves and his merry men do all the wrong things for all the right reasons. In this fantastically funny, swashbuckling adventure from Seattle Children’s Theatre, ROBIN HOOD fights for justice with a tongue as sharp as his sword. Under the fly of arrows, and with some very clever quick changes, a versatile cast of four takes on every role from the sneaky Sheriff of Nottingham to the sassy Maid Marian to bring the legend of England’s most famous outlaw to life.
The Velveteen Rabbit: A New Family Musical at the Linda Gross Theater (Chelsea)
Saturday-Sunday 1030a until November 1st. Tickets $15/$20. Best suited for ages 3 to 9, while kids and adults of all ages are welcome! “What is Real?” asked the Velveteen Rabbit to the Skin Horse. “Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” So begins the story of a very shy toy Rabbit made of velveteen and sawdust who longs to be loved. Newly adapted from Margery Williams Bianco’s beloved children’s tale of nursery magic and the secret life of toys, The Velveteen Rabbit takes us on the Rabbit’s musical journey from loneliness to friendship, from loss to Love, from innocence to wisdom, and finally…to becoming Real.
It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! Superheroes in Gotham Opening Weekend at Dimenna Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Friday October 9th 4-6p, Saturday-Monday October 10th-12th 12n-4p. Kids age 13 and under receive free Museum admission! Calling all superheroes! Answer the call and bring your super powers to our weekend of programs for junior heroes. Kids will design and wear their own wrist cuffs—will yours deflect lasers? Help you fly? Shoot webs? Get ready to defeat a super villain by joining our superhero training sessions, where participants will practice their defending and attacking skills! Then kids can decorate a super plane and fly it through the New York skyline. Make sure to pick up our Superheroes in Gotham family guide and find all six heroes in this amazing exhibition. And don’t forget to get your picture taken with the one and only Batmobile!
Flight School the Musical at Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre (UWS)
Saturday-Sundays at 1p until October 31st and also Monday October 12th at 1p. For ages 2-7y. Tickets: $49.50-$59.50. It’s the first day of Flight School, where they teach birds to fly. Penguin has the soul of an eagle and is ready to live on the wind. But he wasn’t built to soar, as the other birds constantly remind him. Penguin’s spirit won’t be grounded. With some friends of a feather, and a little help on the technical parts, Penguin follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! With book by Cara Lustik, music by David Mallamud, and lyrics by Joshua H. Cohen, Flight School The Musical is based on the book Flight School from best-selling author Lita Judge.
Boo at the Zoo: Mystery & Mischief at the Bronx Zoo
Saturday-Sundays and Monday October 12th various times until November 1st. Free with Total Experience Ticket. The General Admission ticket does not include all attractions. Our favorite Halloween tradition, Boo at the Zoo, is back at the Bronx Zoo, weekends in October. Stop by for music, magic, and fun facts about our favorite animals that are surrounded by Mystery and Mischief. Enjoy a hay maze, costume parade, Mystery of Animals Station, 3-D Carved Pumpkins and more! Take a look at the schedule of events and plan a trip with the whole family.
Hansel and Gretel’s Halloween Adventure at The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Friday 1030a & 12n, Saturday-Sunday 1p until October 31st. See website for more information. Ticket prices are: $7/children under 12, $10/all others. Hansel and Gretel’s Halloween Adventure picks up where the original Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre production leaves off; with the pair’s pet swan Samantha flying the children back to their humble home after their wild escapade in the forest. Safely back at home during the Halloween season; Hansel and Gretel experience the most vivid dreams where Central Park and the Belvedere Castle serve as the backdrop for a magical explosion of music, dance and exciting encounters with a host of lovable characters. The brother and sister team once again embark on an adventure where beautiful mermaids, adorable monsters, swashbuckling pirates, charming vampires and a fabulous witch all intertwine for one unforgettable Halloween night in New York City.
Beauty & the Beast at PuppetWorks (Park Slope)
Saturday & Sundays ongoing until December 20th 1230p & 230p. For ages 4+. 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). Madame Gabrielle de Villeneuve’s French Fantasy with a “live” Beast. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola.
Halloween Harvest at Luna Park (Coney Island)
Saturday-Sunday ongoing until November 1st. Free admission. Fees for rides and games. See website for hours. The colors are changing and it’s finally cooling down! Fall is definitely on the horizon, and that means Halloween Harvest at Luna Park in Coney Island! Join us every weekend from Sept 26 through Nov 1 for a family-friendly event filled with tons of activities, entertainment, and of course the Luna Park rides and games you know and love! Each weekend there will be FREE fun things to do such as Coney Carnival for airbrush tattoos, face painting and balloon animals, magicians strolling along the boardwalk, hair braiders, jugglers and Monster Mash Stage for dancing and contests, also Creepy Crawly Halloween themed Crafts and Camp Luna for stories and s’mores. See website for more details on the Halloween Harvest.
Family Discovery Weekends at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Crown Heights)
Saturdays & Sundays until November 1st 1030a-230p. No programs October 10, 11, 24. 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.
Amazing Maize Maze at Queens County Farm Museum
Saturdays & Sundays until October 25th & Columbus Day (10/12) 11a-430p (weather permitting, last ticket sold 430p). Amazing Maize Maze: $9 adults, $5 kids age 4 to 11, free for kids age 3 and under. Ready to be amaaazed? Kids and adults alike will have fun finding their way out of this 3-acre corn labyrinth! The adventure begins with a “Stalk Talk” to prepare you for the challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles and making your way out of the maze. Feel up to the challenge? Then join us for the fun of getting lost and loving it! *NOTE: Oct 25th there is an admission fee to enter the farm grounds for the Children’s Fall Festival.
For a full calendar of events please click here!