Hi everyone! I hope the kids are enjoying the holidays & the Winter Recess and everyone is looking forward to the weekend.
Take the kids and enjoy Little Red Riding Hood at Puppetworks, the Menorah Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah in Grand Army Plaza, the Chanukah Activity Room at Jewish Children’s Museum, Remake the Holidays at New York Hall of Science, NY Transit Museum Holiday Nostalgia Rides, Park Slope 5th Ave Menorah Lighting, a Santa Skate Party at Dreamland Roller Rink in City Point Movies Under the Stars: Abominable at Chelsea Recreation Center, December School Vacation Week at New-York Historical Society, Winter Recess Family Matinee: Pokémon Detective Pikachu at Museum of the Moving Image, Bargemusic in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Movies @ the Library: The Lion King at Spring Creek Brooklyn Public Library, Kwanzaa 2019 at the American Museum of Natural History, Magic at Coney!!! at Coney Island Museum, Story Time: Richard Scarry’s The Funniest Storybook Ever at DiMenna Children’s History Museum, 12th Annual Celebrate Kwanzaa at Brooklyn Children’s Museum and A Charlie Brown Christmas 2019 at Secret Theatre.
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, Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown at New-York Historical Society, 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 and 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.
Enjoy the break and weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 27th
Remake the Holidays at New York Hall of Science
Friday-Monday December 27th-30th 12n-4p. Free with Museum admission. 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. Activities occur December 27 – 30, from noon – 4 pm, unless otherwise noted. Free with NYSCI admission, some activities have recommended ages and/or may require a small materials fee. See the website for all the details.
42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels at The New Victory Theater
Friday December 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.
Movies Under the Stars: Abominable at Chelsea Recreation Center
Friday December 27th 630-9p. Free. Join us as we celebrate the holidays with the screening of this new film, “Abominable.” In this film, three teenagers must help a Yeti return to his family while avoiding a wealthy man and a zoologist who want it for their own needs. We will have complimentary popcorn and other activities.
A Charlie Brown Christmas 2019 at The Secret Theatre Long Island City
Friday December 27th 7p, Saturday-Sunday December 28th-29th 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 28th
Little Red Riding Hood at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Starting December 28th Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until January 5th. Suggested for 3 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). Charles Perrault’s Folk Tale adapted for hand puppets by Michel Thomas.
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.
Kwanzaa 2019 at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Saturday December 28th 12n-5p. Performances at Noon and 3 pm. Free with Museum admission. Join us for the Museum’s annual Kwanzaa festival, a celebration of African-American heritage that is rooted in seven core principles known as Nguzo Saba, which promote unity, culture, and community development. Kwanzaa is hosted by Linda H. Humes, scholar and storyteller. The festival will feature a local artisan marketplace, and a special performance by Obediah Wright’s Balance Dance Theatre, “Tap, Swing, Gospel and Sing: A Salute to African-American History and the 100th Anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance.” Expect drum calls, tap dancing, spirituals, jazz, and spoken word at this multi-generational celebration of life. See the website for all the event details.
Movies @ the Library: The Lion King at Spring Creek Brooklyn Public Library
Saturday December 28th 1-3p. Free. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother — and former heir to the throne — has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. Now, with help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his. Theater style snacks will be served.
Bargemusic in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturdays 4p until January 4th. Bargemusic Presents Admission FREE Concerts, the “Music in Motion” Series — a one hour performance (no intermission), including a Q & A session with the musicians. The concerts begin at 4 pm; doors open at 3:45 pm. The program is announced at the performance. There is NO reserved seating.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 29th
NY Transit Museum Holiday Nostalgia Rides (various locations)
December 29th 10a-5p. 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. 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! See the website for all the details.
Story Time: Richard Scarry’s The Funniest Storybook Ever at DiMenna Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Sunday December 29th 1130a. Free with Museum admission. For ages 3-7y. 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!
Chanukah Activity Room at Jewish Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
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! See the website for all activities at the Museum.
Magic at Coney!!! at Coney Island Museum
Sundays 12n. Admission is only $12 for adults and $8 for kids 12 and under! Magical Promotions, together with Coney Island USA, presents an afternoon of fun and wonder for the entire family. “Magic at Coney!!!” is a magical variety show highlighting a vast array of magicians; featuring illusionists, escape artists, mentalists and close-up magicians from around the world.
Park Slope 5th Ave Menorah Lighting
Sunday December 29th 330-5p. Free. The fun begins at 3:30 pm with the Menorah lighting at 4:30 pm. Join us at the corner of 4th Street and 5th Avenue to celebrate Hanukkah with games, music, latkes, doughnuts, and kosher wine!
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Experience at The South Street Seaport Museum [sponsored]
Friday December 27th 10a, 1130a & 1p & Saturday-Sunday December 28th-29th 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.
Menorah Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah in Grand Army Plaza
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.
12th Annual Celebrate Kwanzaa at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Daily at various times 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.
Winter Recess Family Matinee: Pokémon Detective Pikachu at Museum of the Moving Image
Friday-Wednesday December 27th-January 1st at 11a. 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.
December School Vacation Week at New-York Historical Society (UWS)
Daily until 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.
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 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.
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 December 27th 11a, 1p & 3p and Saturday-Sunday December 28th-29th 11a & 1p and additional performance 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.
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.
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 28th-29th W.C. Fields in YOU CAN’T CHEAT AN HONEST MAN