Hi everyone! Chanukah starts this Sunday and the kids are off school after Friday and NYC is such a fun place to be this time of year!
Head out with the kids and enjoy Make Music: Flatfoot Flatbush, Holiday Caroling at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, Kickoff Chanukah at Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah in Grand Army Plaza, Suzi Shelton’s Annual Holiday Show at Jalopy Theatre, Kids’ Cinema Club: How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Industry City, A Charlie Brown Christmas 2019 at Secret Theatre Long Island City, La MaMa Kids: The Winter Wonderland Performance and Celebration at The Downstairs, Festive Felt and Fiber Crafts at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, Family Movie: Happy Feet at Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Public Library, Holiday in Who-ville in Sunset Park Recreation Center, Winter Nature Crafts in Marine Park, Story Time: Richard Scarry’s The Night Before The Night Before Christmas! at at DiMenna Children’s History Museum and Santa Skate Party at Dreamland Roller Rink in City Point.
Don’t forget to check out long running events like the 42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels at The New Victory Theater, NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo, the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal,Survival of the Slowest at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society, The Sleeping Beauty at Puppetworks, Film Forum Jr. Matinee at the Film Forum, Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, GingerBread Lane at New York Hall of Science,The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum, Because I Say So at The Duke on 42nd Street and Photos with Santa & Luminaries at Brookfield Place.
There are more events this weekend so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Happy Chanukah and have a wonderful weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 20th
Family Movie: Happy Feet at Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Public Library
Friday December 20th 330-5p. Free. Join us as we turn the library into a movie theater and show Happy Feet. About the film: “Happy Feet is set deep in Antarctica. Into the land of Emperor Penguins, where each needs a heart song to attract a soul mate, a penguin is born who cannot sing. Our hero Mumble, son of Memphis and Norma Jean, is the worst singer in the world…however, as it happens, he is a brilliant tap dancer!” Rated PG.
Because I Say So at The Duke on 42nd Street
Friday December 20th 4p, Saturday-Sunday December 21st-22nd 10a & 1p. Tickets: $20. For ages 3-5y. Running time: 35 minutes with no intermission. From offbeat ideas to curious habits, each kid is truly one of a kind. In the unique universe of BECAUSE I SAY SO, colorfully-clad performers in trendy tracksuits ask the question: What if kids had absolute agency? With endless imagination, derring-do and daring dance, this renowned Swedish theater company helps us see and move through the world as little ones do.
Holiday Caroling at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (Park Slope)
Friday December 20th 630p. Free. Join us for Park Slope’s biggest and merriest caroling event! Help us spread cheer throughout the neighborhood. We’ll meet in our Concert Hall for vocal warm-ups and hot chocolate and then head out along pre-planned routes. All ages, voices and faiths are welcome and no caroling experience is necessary. Groups will be divided by music interest. Please mark off your preference when you RSVP. RSVP here.
A Charlie Brown Christmas 2019 at The Secret Theatre Long Island City
Friday December 20th 7p, Saturday-Sunday December 21st-22nd 3p & 7p. Additional performances at various times until January 4th. See website for information. Tickets: adults $22 advanced, $25 at door, child (ages 16 and under) $12.50 advance, $15 at door. Run Time: 45 minutes with nor intermission. Join Charlie Brown and his Peanuts gang in this heart-warming holiday musical as they dig past the commercialized gimmicks of presents and decorations to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas. Through a pageant and a spindly tree, Charlie Brown and friends bring the holiday spirit back to life. Based on the beloved animated TV special! Featuring the song Christmas Time is Here, the music of jazz artist Vince Guaraldi, and new original dance and song numbers.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday December 21st
Kids’ Cinema Club: How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Industry City (Sunset Park)
Saturday December 21st 11a. Free with RSVP. RSVP here. Industry City hosts the Sunset Park Kids’ Cinema Club with Rooftop Films. Join us on December 21st for a free screening of Ron Howard’s live action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey! Oscar winners Ron Howard and Brian Grazer go to Whoville to bring the world’s best-loved grump to life in this hilarious celebration of the true holiday spirit, which stars Jim Carrey. Note: Doors open 11a and 1130a film begins. RSVP is very much appreciated, but not required. This event is free/open to the public, and will take place indoors on the Factory Floor in BLDG 1 (entrance on 268 36th Street). Seating is first come, first served for all; RSVP does not guarantee entry.
Farmhouse Family Day: Festive Felt and Fiber Crafts at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum
Saturday December 21st 11a-3p. Free. Drop in every third Saturday of the month between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to explore New York City’s oldest house together. Arrive by 1:00 p.m. for a unique hands-on making activity each month. Seasonal activities inside the historic house and around the gardens include scavenger hunts, artifact investigation, gardening, self-guided exploration, and hands-on activities. Family Day is open to everyone. Activities are designed for families with kids ages 4 to 10. Children must be accompanied by an adult. No reservation required.
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.
Holiday in Who-ville in Sunset Park Recreation Center
Saturday December 21st 1-6p. Free. Spend an afternoon in “Who-ville”! Get a picture with Santa, have your face painted or participate in arts and crafts and more. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy a screening of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas at 4p.
Make Music NY: Flatfoot Flatbush (Prospect Heights)
Saturday December 21st 3-5p. Free. A free workshop to learn the basics of flatfooting and dance in the parade! will take place from 1:00 – 3:00 PM at 333 Lounge, 333 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn. The parade will kick off from this location at 3:00 PM sharp and end at 5:00 PM. Dancers, fiddlers and pickers will parade down Flatbush Avenue playing old-time tunes while flat footing, a form of percussive dancing from Appalachia. Participants will learn the fundamental steps of this rhythmic dance form and have a chance to practice with the Flatfoot Flatbush String Band. Led by members of the City Stompers and the Porch Stomp festival organizers, Flatfoot Flatbush traverses Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, along vibrant Flatbush Avenue, with dozens of stops along the way to play, dance and sing. The fun will continue at an after-party featuring music and dance sets by City Stompers and the Flatfoot Flatbush Band at 333 Lounge. There are Make Music events all over NYC. See website for all the events.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 22nd
Suzi Shelton’s Annual Holiday Show at Jalopy Theatre (Red Hook)
Sunday December 22nd 11a. Tickets: $5 kids, $10 adults, $25 family of 4 ticket. Join NYC family performer Suzi Shelton along with musician Jeff Kerestes and many special guests as she returns to her favorite theatre in Brooklyn for a heart-warming holiday family show. Singing, Dancing, Prizes and guest appearance by the “Big Man” Santa Claus (shhhh). Sip on a coffee (or mimosa) while your little one delights in the show, and then head next door for brunch at Jalopy Tavern!
Story Time: Richard Scarry’s The Night Before The Night Before Christmas! at at DiMenna Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Sunday December 22nd 1130a. Free with Museum admission. For ages 3-7y. Celebrate our Busytown-themed Holiday Express exhibition and discover Richard Scarry’s whimsical holiday world as we read The Night Before The Night Before Christmas! Afterwards, create your own Richard Scarry puppets and play with some Busytown toys!
La MaMa Kids: The Winter Wonderland Performance and Celebration at The Downstairs (Bowery)
Sunday December 22nd 12n. Tickets: $14. For ages 4+. La MaMa Family will weave their magic and excitement for La MaMa’s End of Year celebration event – a fun-filled immersive performance by La MaMa resident artists. Embracing puppetry, storytelling, dance, music and theatre, this is a unique holiday event for the whole family, all ages encouraged! A La MaMa Kids end of year celebration with treats and a Ginger Bread House Building extravaganza, courtesy of Kim Ima, will follow this event!
Winter Nature Crafts in Marine Park
Sunday December 22nd 1-230p. Free. Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center. Each Nature’s Workshop program explores its topic in-depth and allows you to develop a skill, participate in a hands-on project, and indulge your curiosity. Find your muse in nature. Learn how to make art collages and animal figures with objects from nature.
Kickoff Chanukah at Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah in Grand Army Plaza
Sunday December 22nd live kickoff concert at 4p. Free. Yehuda Green live in concert! At THE LARGEST MENORAH in Brooklyn every night of Chanukah is celebrated with live music, hot latkes and gifts for the children. Menorah lighting ongoing until December 29th. See website for the schedule.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum [sponsored]
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.
42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels at The New Victory Theater
Saturday December 21st 2p & 7p, Sunday December 22nd 12n & 5p. Tickets start $22. 1 hour and 45 minutes including one intermission. For everyone 5 and up. Behold! A man so strong he juggles trees! An acrobat so light she floats on air! With a brilliant blur of sequined stilts, feathered frocks and flashing circus stripes, the endlessly inventive Cirque Mechanics upends expectations in a dizzying, dazzling array of acts that have never before appeared on the New Victory stage. Bright with light, laughter and good cheer, this stunning spectacle is a high-flying hit for the holidays! Also additional performances are ongoing until January 5th. See website for all event details.
Luminaries at Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Luminaries will be on display daily 10a-8p until January 3rd. Free to attend. This mesmerizing installation and holiday tradition features a canopy of colorful lights emanating from hundreds of suspended lanterns. Luminaries was created by the LAB at Rockwell Group for Brookfield Place, inspired by the season’s traditions of sharing, giving, and community. LIGHT SHOWS (8am-10pm): Special light shows will be presented at the top of every hour, set to popular holiday songs by Michael Bublé, The Bird and The Bee, Tony Bennett, and featuring a new show featuring “Let it Snow” by Pentatonix! HOLIDAY WISHES (10am-8pm): The interactive exhibit includes three Wishing Stations located on the ground that will allow visitors to send a touch-activated wish to the canopy of lanterns above, activating a magical display of lights and colors. Brookfield Place will donate $1, up to $25,000, for every wish made during the holiday season to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
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!
Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo
Ongoing 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.
Winter Zoo Wonderland at Prospect Park Zoo
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-3p. Free with Zoo admission. Every weekend in December and January, explore Prospect Park Zoo’s wintery outdoor trail, warm up in their indoor exhibits, and discover the special adaptations animals have to survive in the cold. You’ll be toasty warm at the Zoo as you find out who at the zoo loves the cold…and who doesn’t. Post your “Zoo Year” resolutions for a better planet on the Zoo’s special wall and on social media to inspire others.
Photos with Santa in Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Ongoing 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.
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)
Mondays-Fridays 1030a & 1130a and Saturdays-Sundays 1p 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! December 21st-22nd White Christmas