Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving and hope you have lots of energy to check out all the fun events this weekend in NYC!
Take the kids and enjoy The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum, Muppet Christmas Carol at BAM, NY Transit Museum Holiday Nostalgia Rides, Santa Skate Party at Dreamland Roller Rink in City Point, the Park Slope Christmas Tree Lighting, Winter on a Flatbush Farm at Lefferts Historic House, Opening Weekend of Macy’s Santaland at Macy’s Herald Square, Richard Scarry’s The Funniest Storybook Ever at DiMenna Children’s History Museum, 5th Ave BID: Holly Trolley, Historic New York with the Park Rangers in Fort Greene Park, The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Movies @ the Library: A Dog’s Journey at Spring Creek Brooklyn Public Library, Thanksgiving Day Parade Floats at Children’s Museum of Manhattan and a Family Matinee: Toy Story 4 at Museum of the Moving Image.
Don’t forget to check out long running events like the Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo , the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal, NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, The Giant Hoax at Theatre Row – Theatre One, MUMMENSCHANZ in RE:PLAY at the New Victory Theater, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at American Museum of Natural History, The Sleeping Beauty at Puppetworks, Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park, Film Forum Jr. Matinee at the Film Forum, Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Photos with Santa in Brookfield Place and the GingerBread Lane at New York Hall of Science.
These are just some of the events so check the calendar to see everything going on this weekend. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Enjoy the long weekend and have fun with the family!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday November 29th
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum [sponsored]
Opening Friday November 29th 10a, 1130a & 1p and also Saturdays-Sundays 10a, 1130a & 1p until December 29th and Thursday-Friday December 26th-27th 10a, 1130a & 1p. Tickets: $25 (Children under one are $5 with accompanying paid adult ticket). The South Street Seaport Museum presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience, a fun-filled hour-long experience complete with an interactive puppet show, activities, and the opportunity to take a picture with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Witness these timeless classics come to life during an interactive story time at The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience features a variety of puppets, faithfully adapting three of Eric Carle’s stories, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and of course, the star of the event – The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The experience lasts approximately sixty minutes, including a puppet show with special audience participation elements. Plus, all attendees will have the opportunity to take a picture with The Very Hungry Caterpillar! Each performance will feature The Very Hungry Caterpillar paired with the story. See the website for details.
Ice Skating Thanksgiving Weekend Hours at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park
Friday-Saturday November 29th-30th 10a-9p and Sunday November 24th 10a-5p. The Winter ice skating season at LeFrak has begun! Lakeside’s fall and winter activities include two outdoor ice skating rinks in addition to programming and events, such as Curling, Broomball, Youth and Adult Hockey, and Figure Skating. Our Skate School offers classes for beginners and experienced skaters and our hockey program includes lessons and league play for children and adults. See the website for the skating prices and skate rental pricing.
Family Matinee: Toy Story 4 at Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria)
Friday-Sunday November 29th-December 1st 12n. Tickets: $15 ($11 seniors and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / free or discounted for Museum members / free for children under 3). Ticket purchase includes same-day Museum admission. Recommended for ages 5+. Dir. Josh Cooley. 2019, 100 mins. DCP. With Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves. In the latest installment of the beloved, award-winning Pixar franchise, Buzz, Woody, and the gang embrace Bonnie’s new toy friend Forky—a spork adorned with googly eyes, pipe cleaner, and popsicle stick—who feels more comfortable as garbage than as plaything. On a family road trip, Forky is lost and the toys organize a rescue mission that takes them to a carnival and a creepy vintage store ruled by the unloved doll Gabby Gabby. Keanu Reeves makes a memorable appearance as Duke Caboom, an Evel Knievel–like daredevil action figure, while Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key team up as a plushy duo.
Thanksgiving Day Parade Floats at Children’s Museum of Manhattan (UWS)
Friday-Sunday November 29th-December 1st 1-3p. Free with Museum admission. For all ages. Drop in. Location: 1st Floor – Art, Artists & You. Every year, thousands of people come to New York City to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade with its giant balloons and elaborate floats. Create a 3D float inspired by some of the Parade’s most famous designs. Also check out Storytelling: Balloons Over Broadway 1030-11a.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday November 30th
Santa Skate Party at Dreamland Roller Rink in City Point (Downtown Brooklyn)
Saturdays 12n-2p until December 28th. General Skating Admission (includes skate rental) $18 and Guardian- Non Skating Admission $12. Kids 7 years of age and older are welcome to skate. For every 4 guests under the age of 18 there must be one adult chaperone present. Please note that all guests(including chaperones) must pay admission in order to enter Dreamland Roller Rink. See here for all the event details. Even Santa needs a break once in a while! And guess what Santa likes to do when he’s taking a break from spreading holiday joy? He spreads MORE joy on the roller disco dance floor! Party with Santa or Mrs. Clause every Saturday. The pop up roller rink is open Thursday-Saturday until February 15th. See the website for all the kid & family events.
5th Ave BID: Holly Trolley (Bay Ridge)
Saturday November 30th 12n-4p. Free. Location: 65th-85th Streets along 5th Avenue. In celebration of Small Business Saturday, we are excited to announce awesome free events along 5th Avenue on November 30th! Trolley will be making drop offs & pickups at all MTA bus stops on the avenue 12n-4p. Cupcake decoration at Jean Danet 315-345 for the first 30 people (10 children at a time). Holiday crafts for kids & adults 1030a-6p at PrintSpace. Caroling 4p at 7428 5th Ave. Carolers will recieve free treats from Bay Ridge Bakery and Empire Grill. See the website for all the event details.
Movies @ the Library: A Dog’s Journey at Spring Creek Brooklyn Public Library
Saturday November 30th 1-3p. Free. Bailey is living the good life on the Michigan farm of his boy, Ethan and Ethan’s wife Hannah. He even has a new playmate: Ethan and Hannah’s baby granddaughter, CJ. The problem is that CJ’s mom, Gloria, decides to take CJ away. As Bailey’s soul prepares to leave this life for a new one, he makes a promise to Ethan to find CJ and protect her at any cost. Thus begins Bailey’s adventure through many lives filled with love, friendship, and devotion. Theater style snacks will be served.
Historic New York with the Park Rangers in Fort Greene Park
Saturday November 30th 1-230p. Free. Discover NYC’s storied past with our expert Urban Park Rangers as your guide to historical events, people, and communities that have shaped our city and Parks. Take a look at the line up of Park Ranger events and times at Fort green Park. Learn about the significance of the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, the Battle of Brooklyn, and the circumstances of the prisoners’ internment on the prison ships. Meet us at the visitors Center.
Christmas Tree Lighting (Park Slope)
Saturday November 30th 4-6p (entertainment begins at 4, tree lighting at 6). Free. Location: 4th St and 5th Ave. The Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony tops off Park Slope 5th Avenue’s Small Business Saturday with lots of FREE fun: Free hot chocolate and treats, Live musical performances from Park Slope children’s musician Dr. Alex, Strolling carolers, Santa Claus cruising 5th Avenue in a vintage car, before stopping by the Tree Lighting, Stilt walkers + Steel Drummers from Tropical Fete & Bubbledad.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 1st
NY Transit Museum Holiday Nostalgia Rides (various locations)
Sundays 10a, 12n, 2p & 4p until December 29th. Celebrate the magic of New York City during the holidays with a ride back in time on the New York Transit Museum’s vintage fleet. Vintage Train: This holiday season, we continue the tradition of placing our vintage 1930s R1-9 train cars in regular service every Sunday between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Don’t miss your chance to travel through time – for just the cost of a MetroCard swipe! On December 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th, the Nostalgia Train departs 2nd Avenue on the uptown F line in Lower Manhattan. There will also be a Nostalgia Train will depart 125th Street on the downtown A line on December 1st & 8th 11a, 1p, 3p & 5p. See the website for all the event details.
Sunday Story Time: Richard Scarry’s The Funniest Storybook Ever at DiMenna Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Sundays 1130a until December 8th. Free with Museum Admission. For ages 3–7. Wear your pajamas for this week’s cozy Sunday Story Time! They can be striped, polka dot, or rainbow-colored—or pick up a special Busytown set at the NYHistory Store. Then celebrate our Busytown-themed Holiday Express and explore author Richard Scarry’s whimsical and charming world as we read Funniest Storybook Ever. Afterwards, create your own Scarry puppets and play with some Busytown toys, like ice cream trucks, fire trucks, police cars and more!
Winter on a Flatbush Farm at Lefferts Historic House (Prospect Park)
Sunday December 1st 1-3p. Free, $3 suggested donation. Get ready for winter as they did in the 19th century farming village of Flatbush. Join Prospect Park Alliance and NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital for an afternoon of winter fun. Watch a master spinster spin wool into thread, and enjoy Dutch treats on our outdoor hearth made from a Lefferts family recipe. Enjoy pickled and preserved tastings with NYP Methodist, and last, but not least, a visit from Saint Nicholas on horseback, where children will be presented with treats and have a chance to feed his horse (at 3 pm).
Muppet Christmas Carol at BAM (Fort Greene)
Sunday December 1st 2p. Run time: 89 minutes. For ages 5+. Tickets: $10 general admission, $7 members (free for Level 4 and above), $7 children 12 and under. Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale is at its most lovable when brought to life by Jim Henson’s beloved characters. Surrounded by music and Muppets, not even the miserly Scrooge (Michael Caine) can remain immune to the holiday spirit. As he confronts his past misdeeds and tries to change his ways, this holiday tale promises it’s never too late for compassion to triumph over greed. Please note: Each person, regardless of age, must have a ticket to attend BAM programs. Lap seating will not be permitted without a ticket.
The Little Orchestra Society at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Sunday December 1st 4-445p & 5-545p. Pay as you wish hours is 4-7p on Sundays. Join The Little Orchestra Society in an interactive musical workshop that explores the music of different cultures around the world and engages audiences through movement, song, composition, and an introduction to world instruments. Sessions accommodate up to 25 participants on a first-come, first served basis.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
The Giant Hoax at Theatre Row – Theatre One [sponsored]
Friday November 29th 2p, Saturday November 30th 2p & 8p & Sunday December 1st 11a and various dates until December 7th. See the website for details. Tickets: $40 Rear Orchestra, $55 Regular Orchestra & $75 Premium Seating. The runtime is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Step back in time with us to 1869! Emily, a bright young girl with an overactive imagination, has run away from home to prove that there are wonderful things in the world out there! Before long, she finds herself in the employ of a shady showman, William “Stub” Newell, the owner of a prehistoric, petrified giant! She and the Giant become instant “imaginary friends,” but all is not well. When the unscrupulous circus impresario, P.T. Barnum, offers a hefty sum to buy Newell’s profitable, prehistoric attraction and is refused, he comes up with a scheme to steal Stub’s business right out from under his nose forcing Emily to sort through what is fact, what is fiction, and what’s all in her imagination. Kit Goldstein Grant’s new musical, based on the true story of New York’s famed Cardiff Giant, features a catchy score packed with wonderfully whimsical music and clever lyrics making for a fun, family musical that bursts with excitement – and even a bit of history – as a cast of colorful characters takes you on a journey to the past by way of a young girl’s imagination.
18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal (Midtown East)
Ongoing until February 23rd 2020. Free. Hours: Monday–Friday 8a–8p, Saturday and Sunday: 11a–6p. Closed for special events and major holidays. Every holiday season, the New York Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery plays host to a city within a city with the display of a miniature electric railroad running over, through, and beneath some of New York’s most magnificent landmarks. Celebrating its 18th year of operation, this beloved annual holiday exhibit features model trains traveling along a 34’ long, two-level, “O” gauge model train layout. This year’s exhibit is set against a mural designed by cartoonist Julia Wertz. Departing from a miniature replica of Grand Central Terminal, the Transit Museum’s collection of Lionel trains including Metro-North, Polar Express, and vintage subway train sets will dazzle the eyes of children and adults alike as they make their way past New York landmarks and on to the North Pole!
Opening Weekend of Macy’s Santaland at Macy’s Herald Square
Friday November 29th 7a-9p, Saturday November 30th 8a-9p & Sunday December 1st 10a-9p and continuing at various hours until December 24th. See website for hours. Location: 8th Floor, across from Au Bon Pain. Admission is free! He’s a busy man this time of year, so reserve a spot in line for the quickest way in! The reservation system opens at 6AM ET each day. Pick a time slot from 30 minutes to 5 days in advance*—this is when you’ll join the line. You’ll get to meet Santa once you reach the front of the line! Make a reservation here. Professional photos are available for purchase, but they’re optional. Packages start at $21.99. See the website for all the information on your Santaland visit.
Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo
Starting Friday November 29th until December 31st (excluding December 24th-25th) and January 3rd-5th. Hours: Sunday-Thursday 5-9p & Friday-Saturday 5-10p. Tickets: $22.95 for children 3-12y, $29.95 for adult. Discount available for WCS. See website for details. Discover the holiday season at the Bronx Zoo. Animal lanterns, animated sculptures, and colorful designs will light your way throughout the park. Enjoy a magical night that’s greener than ever thanks to LED technology. There will also be roaming carolers, ice carving, a holiday train, costumed characters ad seasonal food & souvenirs. See the website for all the details.
Photos with Santa in Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Starting Friday November 29th until December 24th. Hours: Tuesday-Friday 12n-8p, Saturdays 10a-8p, Sundays 10a-6p, December 24th 10a-4p. Closed Mondays except 12/23. Santa takes a break to feed his reindeer around 3-4pm each day. Create lasting photo memories with Santa at BFPL! Photo packages start at $29. See website for full pricing information. Walk ins for photos with Santa are welcome, or click here to reserve your spot in advance.
MUMMENSCHANZ in RE:PLAY at the New Victory Theater
Fridays 7p, Saturdays 2p & 7p & Sundays 12n & 5p until December 1st. Tickets: start at $17. RE:PLAY has a running time of 60 minutes with no intermission, and is recommended for ages 6 and up. Creature conjurors! Shape shifters! Material manipulators! The masked mimics of MUMMENSCHANZ make their New Victory debut with RE:PLAY. Inspiring audiences across five continents over four decades with three stints on Broadway, the “Musicians of Silence” will surprise you with each artful scene. A playful production of timeless vignettes, RE:PLAY is as much about what you don’t see as what you delightfully do!
NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (Staten Island)
Hours: Wednesdays-Thursdays 5-930p. Fridays-Sundays 5-1030p until January 12th. Also open Monday-Tuesday December 30th-31st 5-10p. Tickets: $25 general admission, $17 youth ticket (ages 3-12y), $20 Senior/Military/Student. After our success last year, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival is back to transform Staten Island’s Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden into a whimsical world of light. There will be over 1,000 lanterns on display, sculpted into magnificent figures of luminescent art. Bring your whole family to revel in eight acres of lights, live cultural shows, interactive exhibits, and more. For those of you who attended last year’s event, prepare yourself for a completely fresh, new, and unique display! Purchase tickets here.
Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Friday November 29th 11a, 1p & 3p, Saturday November 30th 11a & 1p and Sunday December 1st 1p and ongoing at various times until February 23, 2020. See website for the full schedule. Tickets: $12 adult, $8 child. An original story and production from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Yet, Set, Snow! is the story of a young girl named Widget, and her friend, Twig, who encounter a yeti named Pascetti on the first snow day of the winter season. Pascetti, who lives on a mountain top nearby, dislikes the snow. Through songs and snow day activities, Pascetti discovers not only that snow can be fun but also the value of friendship.
Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society (UWS)
Ongoing until February 23rd 2020. Museum hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10a-6p, Friday 10a-8p, Saturday 10a-6p & Sunday 11a-5p. Free with Museum admission. Holiday Express returns to New-York Historical this holiday season, reimagined to celebrate the 100th birthday of Busytown author and illustrator Richard Scarry. The installation showcases artwork and graphics of Scarry’s characters (like Huckle Cat and Lowly Worm!) from publisher Penguin Random House alongside Jerni Collection toys. Children and adults can also experience dynamic displays exploring the workings of the railroad, the services it provides, and the jobs required to keep people and goods moving.
GingerBread Lane at New York Hall of Science (Flushing Meadows)
Daily until January 12th 2020. Hours are Monday-Friday 930a-5p & Saturday-Sunday 10a-6p. Free with Museum admission. GingerBread Lane is the record-holder of the Guinness World Records for largest gingerbread village. In order to be eligible for the title, every element of the gingerbread display must be edible, and the display must imitate a village with houses, shops and town services such as a firehouse and police station. Creator Jon Lovitch will again try to break his own record with this year’s GingerBread Lane. This year’s GingerBread Lane includes a number of storefronts with quirky names: Eleven Pipers Piping – Piping Hot Soup, My Two Front Teeth General Dentistry, Visions of Sugar Plums Eye Glasses, and Letters to Santa – GingerBread Lane’s Post Office. Also check out the The Art of the Brick exhibit.
Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Ongoing until February 2nd 2020. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 10a-5p, Thursday 10a-6p & Saturday-Sunday 10a-7p. Free with Museum admission. Meet Roger the sloth! He has two toes, lives in Central America, and is visiting Brooklyn with his friends. Learn about how slow animals survive and thrive in our fast-paced world at BCM’s newest exhibit. Survival of the Slowest features 19 distinct habitats with live animals, including Roger the two-toed sloth, a blood python, a roughneck monitor lizard, and many more. Each day this exhibit will offer up-close experiences with slow and small species that survive and thrive in a world where large, strong, and fast animals are often at the top of the food chain. Survival of the Slowest prompts families to appreciate the different evolutionary paths of these incredible creatures, and showcases the value of deliberation in our fast-paced city. While exploring Survival of the Slowest, young visitors will explore concepts of biology and evolutionary science. Live animal presentations are offered throughout the day to educate, entertain, and most importantly, connect visitors with wildlife and nature.
Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
On display 10a-545p until January 12th (except 12/25). Free with Museum admission. Visit the American Museum of Natural History this holiday season to see one of New York’s most beloved displays, the Origami Holiday Tree—an annual tradition for more than 40 years. The theme of this year’s 13-foot tree is T. rex and Friends: History in the Making, with models inspired by the Museum’s special exhibition T. rex: The Ultimate Predator, which celebrates the most famous dinosaur species that was first discovered, named, and exhibited to the public by the Museum. Feeling crafty? Volunteers from OrigamiUSA will be on hand at the Museum to teach paper folding to visitors of all ages. Also check out the T. rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit.
The Sleeping Beauty at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until December 22nd. Suggested for 4 and up. Admission for a Child is $10, an Adult $11. Reservations are suggested: 718-965-3391 or e-mail us: puppetworks@twcmetrobiz.com (NO same day e-mail reservations). Perrault’s real Faery Tale with Music by Tchaikovsky.
Film Forum Jr. Matinee at the Film Forum (Lower East Side)
Saturdays-Sundays at 11a until December 8th. ALL TICKETS $9. Advance tickets on sale at the box office and online. Most programs appropriate for ages 5 and up. Classics For Kids and Their Families! November 30th-December 1st – TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD