Hi everyone,
My kids are so excited that winter break has finally arrived and if you are in town there are so many fun events going on this time of year!
Most places are closed Friday but you can still head out and enjoy Winter Recess Hours at Lakeside Brooklyn, the Oran Etkin Concert at The Jewish Museum, The Complete Studio Ghibli at The IFC Center and the Big Apple Circus at the Lincoln Center. Also this weekend you should check out Kwanzaa 2015: Energize, Recognize! at the American Museum of Natural History, Rock & Roll: Kids Gone Phishing at Brooklyn Bowl, ReMake the Holidays at the New York Hall of Science and the Film Forum Jr. Sunday Matinee Series: Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Some new ongoing events happening like the Nutcracker Sweets & The Steadfast Tin Soldier at PuppetWorks, Holiday Break Family Programs at the New York Transit Museum, Celebrate Kwanzaa! with Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Holiday Open House at Queens County Farm Museum and The Amazing Max at Theater at Blessed Sacrament.
With the kids off from school you also have time to check out the Gingerbread Lane at New York Hall of Science, Pedal Punk at The New Victory Theater, Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden, Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas at The Theater at St. Jean, 14th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal and The 3 Bears Holiday Bash at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre.
Be sure to check out the calendar to see everything happening in Brooklyn & NYC! Also remember to like us on Facebook for last minute events and news!
Happy winter break! Merry Christmas & Happy Kwanzaa!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 25th
The Complete Studio Ghibli at The IFC Center (West Village)
Ongoing until Thursday December 31st at various times. Tickets: $14 Adult, $10 child. In collaboration with GKIDS, we’re pleased to present the return of our smash-hit retrospective of films from Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli animation house. Don’t miss your chance to see some of the greatest films of all time, including such favorites as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, CASTLE IN THE SKY, and SPIRITED AWAY, leading up to the US theatrical premiere Fri Jan 1 of ONLY YESTERDAY. Most films will be presented in both subtitled and English dubbed versions. See website to see what is showing on Friday December 25th.
Oran Etkin Concert at The Jewish Museum (UES)
Friday December 25th 1130a-1230p and 2-3p. For ages 2 & up. Tickets: $20 Adults; $15 Children (JM Family Member Prices: $17 Adults; $13 Children). “Sing Sing Sing – Benny Goodman in the Kingdom of Swing”: enjoy tunes from Wake Up Clarinet! and Oran Etkin’s new CD, What’s New? Reimagining Benny Goodman. Etkin will take kids on an adventure through the kingdom of swing – meeting King Oliver, Duke Ellington and a little boy named Benny Goodman who becomes the King of Swing. Just as Goodman was welcomed by the masters that came before him, children are encouraged to express themselves and find their own voices in the Kingdom of Swing through this fun and interactive concert experience. From the music of Africa to klezmer and jazz, Etkin’s performances weave global melodies and rhythms into a gumbo of goodness. Also check out the Sculptural Transportation Vacation Week Art Workshops happening Friday December 25th, Sunday December 27th-Tuesday December 29th 1-4p.
Big Apple Circus at the Lincoln Center (UWS)
Friday December 25th 1230p & 430p and ongoing until January 10th at various times. See website for showtimes. Big Apple Circus returns to the Big Top at Lincoln Center for the company’s 38th season with the World Premiere of its all-new show, The Grand Tour! Tickets start at $25, and the show runs from October 21, 2015 to January 10, 2016. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.bigapplecircus.org. The Grand Tour transports audiences to the Roaring 1920s, the advent of the modern travel era, when the most adventuresome began to tour the world in ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. With every seat less than 50 feet from the stage, audiences will be awed by the world-class entertainers as they perform breathtaking acts from the four corners of the globe. Clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America appear with ponies, puppies and more; the troupe sets off on their own whirlwind adventure, accompanied by the live, seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band at each of more than 100 performances.
For more Friday events please click here!
Saturday December 26th
Holiday Open House at Queens County Farm Museum
Saturday December 26th 12n-4p and also Sunday-Monday December 27th-28th 12n-4p. This event is FREE (no gate admission). Enjoy tours of the decorated Adriance Farmhouse at our annual Holiday Open House. Kids will enjoy craft activities and all visitors are invited to warm up with a cup of freshly mulled cider!
Nutcracker Sweets & The Steadfast Tin Soldier at PuppetWorks (Park Slope)
Saturday December 26th daily through December 30th 1230p, 230p & 430p and also Saturday & Sunday January 2nd-3rd 1230p & 230p. Admission for a Child is $9, an Adult $10. Groups of 20 or more: $8 per person. 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). Nutcracker Sweets – Tchaikovsky’s Land of Sweets dances & The Steadfast Tin Soldier – Andersen’s Toy Story. adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola (suggested for ages 3 and up)
The Amazing Max at Theater at Blessed Sacrament (UWS)
Saturday December 26th 1p and ongoing until Wednesday December 30th at various times. See website for showtimes. Tickets $44.50 & $59.50 (Premium). Don’t miss this high-energy, interactive and all-around silly show! Appropriate for audiences of all ages. Max Darwin earned the moniker “The Amazing Max“ for his extraordinary skills as a magician and also for his ability to entertain adult audiences while keeping the little ones spellbound. Max combines magic and comedy, making objects appear and disappear and generally defying the laws of physics inches from theatergoer’s faces. Includes access to our VIP Magic Lounge 25 minutes before curtain, mini magic lesson, free magic trick, and priority seating.
Celebrate Kwanzaa! with Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Saturday-Sunday December 26th-27th 10a-5p. Free with Museum admission. For all ages. Join us to learn about the holiday of Kwanzaa and the Nguzo Saba, the seven principles of African Heritage, through the arts of music and dance in an exclusive presentation by Brooklyn’s own Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance.
For more Saturday events please click here!
Sunday December 27th
Film Forum Jr. Sunday Matinee Series: Who Framed Roger Rabbit at the Film Forum (South Village)
Sunday December 27th 11a. All tickets: $7.50. Advance tickets on sale at the box office and online. Through the generosity of our founding sponsor, The Cordelia Corporation, we are able to make this series a bargain for children, their parents, and anybody else who would like to see these marvelous films. December 27th: Who Framed Roger Rabbit: (1988, Robert Zemeckis) Hollywood, 1947: When a murder is discovered in Toontown, the eponymous washed-up cartoon character is the #1 suspect. But then the studio brings in live-action private dick Bob Hoskins to investigate – questioning everyone from Mickey Mouse to Betty Boop… and Roger’s two-timing wife Jessica Rabbit. “Sheer, enchanted entertainment from the first frame to the last — a joyous, giddy, goofy celebration of the kind of fun you can have with a movie camera.” – Roger Ebert. Approx. 104 mins. See website for future movies.
Rock & Roll: Kids Gone Phishing at Brooklyn Bowl (Williamsburg)
Sunday December 27th doors 11a & show 1115a-1215p. Admission: $10 per person (child or adult). Children under one are free. Each workshop is 60 minutes long and is specifically designed for children 7 and under, but all members of the family are welcome to this family show. Brooklyn Bowl opens for No Cover, All Ages Family Bowl at 11AM as well. Sunday, December 27 at Brooklyn Bowl @ 11am The Rock and Roll Playhouse presents, “Kids Gone Phishing,” a special family show featuring the music of Phish with the popular Phish tribute band, Uncle Ebenezer. Uncle Ebenezer are four musicians and Phish fans who are dedicated to spreading the joy and excitement of the live Phish experience. Combining accuracy and musicianship with whimsical performance, Uncle Ebenezer seeks to light up clubs and venues the way Phish did when they played intimate settings. Come travel with little “Suzy Greenberg” as the band tells a delightful story of Suzy and her dog “Runaway Jim,” weaving in favorite songs such as “Farmhouse,” and “Bouncing Around The Room.” You can’t bring your kids to the MSG shows but you can bring them to Brooklyn Bowl to share the magic of this fun and legendary band. Kids Gone Phishing is a children’s event and all adults must be with a child to attend.
Kwanzaa 2015: Energize, Recognize! at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Sunday December 27th 12n & 3p. Free with Museum admission and free for members. Location: Milstein Hall of Ocean Life and Kaufmann Theater, first floor. Dubbed the “World’s Greatest Entertainer” and “the human beat box” for his unrivaled ability to rock a crowd, Harlem native Doug E. Fresh, with reggae rapper Vicious, DJs Barry B, and Will Chill, rings in the new year at the Museum’s 37th annual Kwanzaa spectacular. Artistic Director of Yaffa Cultural Arts Linda Humes, with master drummers Sanga of the Valleyand LeeAnet Noble, following a special opening by the Harlem School of the Arts Legacy Ensemble, guides us through a joyous holiday that celebrates the African roots of the African-American community, drawing on seven universal principles. Award-winning filmmaker MK Asante introduces his landmark movie The Black Candle: A Kwanzaa Celebration, followed by a musical tribute to the film’s narrator, Dr. Maya Angelou. Q&A to follow with Asante and Jamilah Lemieux, Senior Editor of EBONY Magazine.
ReMake the Holidays at the New York Hall of Science
Sunday December 27th 12n-4p and ongoing until Wednesday December 30th 12n-4p. Activities are free with NYSCI admission, unless otherwise noted. Activities take place between noon and 4 pm. See website for all the details of the events. Families bend, twist, light, sculpt and animate a new version of the holiday season with workshops, demos, artist installations and more. ReMake the Holidays is a response to increased consumption and waste during the holiday season and an attempt to give people inspiration and options to do things differently, while having fun.
For more Sunday events please click here!
All Weekend
Holiday Break Family Programs at the New York Transit Museum (Downtown Brooklyn)
Saturday-Sunday December 26th-27th at various times also Tuesday-Thursday December 29th-31st. Free with Museum admission. Discovery Room: 1130a-1215p for ages 2-5y. We’re opening up the Education Center to our youngest fans to explore our favorite puzzles, books, toys, and building materials. Super Structures: 130-215p for ages 5+. Bus shelters, subway stations and depots are well designed to protect people and vehicles from the cold and the snow of winter. Design a structure inspired by some of the newest and best prepared transportation facilities. Design a Winter Vehicle: 3-345p for ages 4+. Explore the special fleets of buses and trains deployed to clear the streets and train tracks office and snow, then design our own winter work vehicles.
Winter Recess Hours at Lakeside Brooklyn
Open daily until January 3rd at various times. See the website for the exact schedule. Admission & Rentals Weekday admission: $6 Weekend admission: $9 Rentals: $6 *Weekend pricing begins Friday at 4:30pm
Pedal Punk at The New Victory Theater
Saturday December 26th 2p & 7p & Sunday December 27th 12n & 5p. Ongoing until January 3rd. See website for additional showtimes. For ages 5+. Tickets start at $19. Performance is 2 hours including one intermission. This holiday season, the spectacular Cirque Mechanics (Boom Town, New Vic 2011) rolls into town with moxie The New York Times calls “exceptional, evocative, eye-catching, ear-catching and, to keep the list short, engrossingly entertaining!” In the steampunk-styled PEDAL PUNK, featuring a 20-foot-high, pedal-powered mechanical masterpiece, the powerful performers amaze with a heart-pounding pole drop, awesome aerial acts and high-flying tricks (on a trampoline!). With every spin of a sprocket and rattle of a wrench, the quirky cast of characters transform a bevy of bikes into an astounding assortment of acrobatic apparatus in this adrenaline-fueled circus for the whole family.
Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas at The Theater at St. Jean (UES)
Saturdays-Sundays at 1p until December 27th. For ages 2-7y. Tickets: $49.50-$59.50. What could be fancier than Christmas? Presents with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles – and who could forget the tree? After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Ooh la la! This year, Nancy is especially excited. After selling some of her old gowns and accessories, Nancy has enough money to buy a brand-new sparkly tree topper. She can’t wait to decorate the Christmas tree. But when things don’t turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous?
Holiday Train Show at The New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Ongoing until Monday January 18th. Various times and prices. See website for information. Advance reservations are strongly recommended as tickets do sell out. Purchase tickets here. NYC’s Favorite Train Show Is Bigger Than Ever! Enchanting model trains zip through a display of 150 landmarks, each re-created with bark, leaves, and other natural materials—all under the twinkling glow of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. Marvel at G-scale locomotives humming along among familiar sights such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and Rockefeller Center—surprising at every turn—on nearly a half-mile of track. This year’s exhibition features 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making room for dozens of new trains, bridges, and tracks; a captivating short film of the show’s behind-the-scenes magic; and a stunning multisensory finale of light and sound. Explore a winter wonderland across our 250 acres with special tours, musical performances, and activities for kids, plus take care of your gift list at NYBG Shop and stop for a bite at one of our exciting new dining venues. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind holiday outing!
Gingerbread Lane at New York Hall of Science (Flushing Meadows)
Ongoing until Sunday January 9, 2016. Tuesday–Friday 930a–5p & Saturday & Sunday 10a–6p. Free with Museum admission. Museum closed on Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day. Marvel at homemade gingerbread houses made entirely of edible gingerbread, royal icing and candy. The houses are drafted, designed, baked, planned, built and decorated by chef Jon Lovitch over the course of an entire year. GingerBread Lane has won the Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread village for 2013 and 2014 and will compete for its third consecutive Guinness World Record this year. Lovitch’s creation will again contend for this year’s Guinness World Record. The all-new 2015 version of GingerBread Lane will cover 500 square feet and will have more than 1,050 houses and structures including a double-decker carousel reminiscent of one on the Coney Island boardwalk in days past and the S.C. Kringle & Co. Department Store which hearkens back to Gimbels department store in the early 1900s. GingerBread Lane 2015 will also have new twists like The Pumpkin Spice Latte Coffee Shoppe, The EveryDay’s Thanksgiving Café, a second train (for the first time), and a 10-square-foot candy factory you can see inside of as you climb the stairs to view GingerBread Lane. While the exhibition’s layout and composition change yearly, GingerBread Lane always includes Eggnog Bay, Gum Drop Row, Peppermint Central Park, Candy Cane Place and Toffee Boulevard. As a grand finale, Lovitch will give away all houses on January 10.
14th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal (Midtown East)
Ongoing until February 21st. M–F: 8a–8p, Saturday and Sunday: 10a–6p. Free. Location: NY Transit Museum Gallery Annex and Store Shuttle Passage. Presented annually by the New York Transit Museum, this popular model railroad exhibition features Metro-North, New York Central, and subway trains departing from a miniature Grand Central Terminal on a 34’-long, two-level “O” gauge layout. The Museum’s store and booth at the Holiday Fair also offer great gifts for your holiday shopping. Transit gifts are available online at www.nytransitmuseumstore.com.
The 3 Bears Holiday Bash at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Ongoing until Wednesday December 30th. Showtimes are Monday – Friday 1030a & 12n with additional shows Wednesdays at 230p and Saturday and Sunday at 1p. Tickets are $7/children and $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! Purchase tickets here.
Big Apple Circus at Lincoln Center
Ongoing until January 10th at various times. Tickets start at $25. For more information please see the website. Big Apple Circus returns to the Big Top at Lincoln Center for the company’s 38th season with the World Premiere of its all-new show, The Grand Tour! The Grand Tour transports audiences to the Roaring 1920s, the advent of the modern travel era, when the most adventuresome began to tour the world in ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. With every seat less than 50 feet from the stage, audiences will be awed by the world-class entertainers as they perform breathtaking acts from the four corners of the globe. Clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America appear with ponies, puppies and more; the troupe sets off on their own whirlwind adventure, accompanied by the live, seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band at each of more than 100 performances.
For a full calendar of events please click here!