Hi everyone! Get ready for a busy week with Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa events happening in NYC!
Take the kids and enjoy a Chanukah Breakfast Party with Puppet Making and Show at Congregation Bnai Jacob, Menorah Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah in Grand Army Plaza, Christmas Eve Family Service at Park Slope United Methodist Church, Christmas Eve Caroling in Washington Square Park, 12th Annual Celebrate Kwanzaa at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Family Concert: Nefresh Mountain and Art Workshop: Luminous Painted Scenes at The Jewish Museum, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum, Snow Globe Making at the Museum of the City of New York, Klez For Kids! at Museum at Eldridge Street, Chanukah Activity Room at Jewish Children’s Museum, Family Matinee: Pokémon Detective Pikachu at Museum of the Moving Image, December School Vacation Week at New-York Historical Society and A Charlie Brown Christmas at The Secret Theatre.
Also check out the long running events like the Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo, the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal, the 42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels at The New Victory Theater, the Origami Holiday Tree and T. rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, GingerBread Lane and The Art of the Brick at New York Hall of Science, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society, Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, the Industry City Ice Rink and Luminaries at Brookfield Place.
These are just some of the events this week so check the calendar to see everything going on here in NYC. Also follow us on our Facebook page for last minute news and event reminders.
Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas & Happy Kwanzaa!
~Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Monday December 23rd
Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Monday December 23rd 11a, 1p & 3p, Thursday-Friday December 26th-27th 11a, 1p & 3p and also Saturdays-Sundays 11a & 1p. Additional performances until February 23rd. 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.
Menorah Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah in Grand Army Plaza
Monday-Thursday December 23rd-26th 6p, Friday December 27th 330p, Saturday December 28th 7p & Sunday December 29th 530p. Free. At the largest menorah in Brooklyn every night of Chanukah is celebrated with live music, hot latkes and gifts for the children.
A Charlie Brown Christmas 2019 at The Secret Theatre Long Island City
Monday December 23rd 7p, Friday December 27th 7p. Saturday-Sunday December 28th-29th 3p & 7p. Additional performances in January. 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 Monday events here.
Tuesday December 24th
Snow Globe Making at the Museum of the City of New York (East Harlem)
Tuesday December 24th 11a-2p. Free with Museum admission. Registration suggested but not required. RSVP here. Celebrate Christmas at the Museum! Join us for a special snow globe workshop, cookie decorating, and listen to traditional Christmas songs. All are welcome! Family programs are free with Museum admission and for Members, geared to families with children ages 6-12 years old, and include a snack. Activities are designed for adults and children to complete together.
Christmas Eve Family Service at Park Slope United Methodist Church
Tuesday December 24th 4-5p. Free. Children of all ages will experience the wonder of the first Christmas through words and music and singing Christmas songs around the piano. All are welcome!
Christmas Eve Caroling in Washington Square Park (Greenwich Village)
Tuesday December 24th 5-6p. Free. Christmas Eve is the traditional time to celebrate the holiday with carols near the Washington Square Arch. Join the Rob Susman Brass Quartet, song leader, and the revelers from all over the city to lustily sing out your favorite holiday tunes. Songbooks will be distributed by the Washington Square Association, but many of you know these songs by heart! “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men” will ring out with particular poignance this season.
See all the Tuesday events here.
Wednesday December 25th
Chanukah Breakfast Party with Puppet Making and Show at Congregation Bnai Jacob (Park Slope) [sponsored]
Wednesday December 25th. Breakfast & Puppet Making at 10a. Puppet Show at 11a. Advance Registration $15 per person. $20 Day of Event. A fun filled Chanukah party for the kids and adults. Join us for breakfast with games for the adults and puppet making and a puppet show for the kids (and kids at heart). Master puppeteer Len Levitt (creator of award-winning Alef.. Bet.. Blast Off…) and his Levity Puppets (as seen on Shalom Sesame, the Israeli Sesame Street) presents a puppet-making workshop – where each child will make their own puppet to take home – and entertaining show depicting the story of Chanukah. Breakfast with Donuts & Latkes! Trivia and Dreidel Games! Puppet Making led by Len Levitt!Chanunah Puppet Show with Len Levitt & the Levitty Puppets! Purchase tickets here.
Family Concert: Nefresh Mountain at The Jewish Museum (UES)
Wednesday December 25th 1130a show for ages 3 and up and 2p show for ages 8 and up. Tickets: $18 General; $14 Jewish Museum family members. Includes Museum Admission; admission is free for children 18 and under. Enjoy the toe-tapping sounds of Nefesh Mountain, led by singer Doni Zasloff and her multi-instrumentalist husband Eric Lindberg. Dance to a vibrant blend of Bluegrass, Celtic, and Appalachian tunes with a Jewish soul, as the band performs original melodies from their notable family release Songs from the Mountain and heralded album Beneath the Open Sky along with holiday favorites such as Woody Guthrie’s “Hanukkah Dance.”
Klez For Kids! at Museum at Eldridge Street (Lower East Side)
Wednesday December 25th 12n-5p. Tickets: $14/adult, $8/student & senior, Free for children under 5. Gather at Eldridge Street for this joyous holiday celebration! Clarinetist Greg Wall’s band Klezmerfest! gets the whole family singing, dancing and dabbling in Yiddish at this annual favorite concert. The band will play their award-winning Klez For Kidz program for two shows – 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM – melding old-country sounds with contemporary Lower East Side energy. Following each show, we’ll celebrate the fourth night of Hanukkah with special holiday songs and a menorah lighting, featuring historic menorahs our exhibition Lighting the World: Menorahs from Around the Globe. Timed tickets at 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM.
See all the Wednesday events here.
Thursday December 26th
12th Annual Celebrate Kwanzaa at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Starting Thursday December 26th at various times and daily until Monday December 30th various times. Free with Museum admission. Join Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation as we mark our 12th annual Kwanzaa celebration together at the largest family Kwanzaa event in New York City! With five days of incredible programs highlighting the culture, art, dancing, and music of this African-American holiday, this year we invite visitors to join us in exploring Kwanzaa’s seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, faith, and creativity. Learn about the history and significance of Kwanzaa; play the djembe drum; create Zawadi gifts for your family and others; hear African folktales; and help paint a mural that explores each of Kwanzaa’s principles with artist, Mincho Vega! See the website for all the event details.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum [sponsored]
Thursday-Friday December 26th-27th 10a, 1130a & 1p and Saturdays-Sundays 10a, 1130a & 1p until December 29th and 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.
December School Vacation Week at New-York Historical Society (UWS)
Thursday December 26th-Wednesday January 1st. Free with Museum Admission. All Ages. Stop by the New-York Historical Society during our annual December School Vacation Week and explore our special exhibition Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown! “I Spy” Scavenger Hunt (daily, all day): I spy with my little eye… Pick up an “I Spy” scavenger hunt and take the whole family on an adventure through Holiday Express. Kids and adults alike will delight in discovering Busytown surprises tucked in among the toys and trains! Train Tales and Crafts (daily at 2p): Hear a classic train storybook read aloud and then, stay to do a related craft activity. Books for the week include favorites like The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper; Steam Train, Dream Train, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld; Shark vs. Train, written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld; and more! Busytown Mysteries (daily at 3p except 12/31): Put on your detective cap! Stop in to solve mysteries alongside beloved Richard Scarry characters like Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, Sally Cat, and Hilda Hippo on adorable episodes of Busytown Mysteries.
See all the Thursday events here.
Ongoing Events
Chanukah Activity Room at Jewish Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Monday-Thursday December 23rd-26th and Sunday-Wednesday December 29th-January 1st starting at 12n (end time varies). Cost: Museum admission + $1 Per ticket (Includes both Activities) Donut Decorating Create your own one-of-a-kind Chanukah treat at our exclusive donut decorating station! Dreidel Pillow Making Stuff, Tie and decorate your very own dreidel shaped pillow!
42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels at The New Victory Theater
Thursday-Friday December 26th-27th 12n & 5p, Saturday December 28th 2p & 7p, Sunday December 29th 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.
Vacation Week Art Workshop: Luminous Painted Scenes at The Jewish Museum (UES)
Monday-Tuesday December 23rd-24th 1-4p, Wednesday December 25th 1230-4p, Thursday-Friday December 26th-27th 1-4p and Sunday-Monday December 29th-30th 1-4p. For ages 3 and up. RSVP recommended. Included with Museum Admission; admission is free for children 18 and under. Explore the striking paintings of Jacob Lawrence, Stuart Davis, Georgia O’Keeffe, and more on view in the exhibition, Edith Halpert and the Rise of American Art. Drop into our art studio and paint your own luminous scene on canvas board inspired by these works of art and in celebration of the glowing light of the Hanukkah holiday.
Winter Recess Family Matinee: Pokémon Detective Pikachu at Museum of the Moving Image
Monday-Wednesday December 23rd-January 1st at 11a (closed 12/24 & 12/25). Tickets: $15 ($11 seniors and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / free or discounted for Museum members ). Ticket purchase includes same-day Museum admission and access to Winter Recess Moving Image Studio. Recommended for ages 8+. Dir. Rob Letterman. 2019, 104 mins. DCP. With Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe. In the first live-action Pokémon movie, a teenage boy teams up with a strange Pikachu to investigate the disappearance of his father. Pikachu, a supremely cute CGI yellow furball, is played by Ryan Reynolds in a hilarious big-hearted performance that is both playful and believable (parents who have seen Reynolds as Deadpool will get a kick out of this PG-rated role). The growing friendship and trust between Pikachu and the boy Tim are at the emotional core of the movie, but the weird wonderful world of hundreds of Pokémon just living their lives offers another level of pleasure.
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! Note that strollers are not permitted in the Gallery & Store. Additionally, Grand Central Terminal does not permit unattended strollers. Please consider leaving your strollers at home. See website for directions to event.
The Industry City Ice Rink (Sunset Park)
Wednesdays-Thursdays 4-8p, Fridays 11a-8p, Saturdays 10a-8p and Sundays 10a-6p. Tickets will be $10 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under, with skate rentals costing $9. Tickets can be purchased on site at IC Ice Rink in courtyard 5/6. The Industry City Ice Rink opens November 30 and welcomes guests to join for an iconic winter experience every Wednesday to Sunday with ice skating theme parties on Fridays + Saturdays. The rink is outside and uncovered, so dress appropriately for an enjoyable and comfortable skate. If you come at a popular time and there’s a line, there are plenty of other activities to fill your time while you wait. Pop into our game room, browse + shop The Makers Guild, hang by the fire pit or grab a drink inside any of our brewers and distillers. See website for all the details.
NYC Winter Lantern Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (Staten Island)
Ongoing until January 12th. Hours: Wednesdays-Thursdays 5-930p. Fridays-Sundays 5-1030p. 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.
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.
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 The Art of the Brick exhibit.
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.
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.