Hi everyone! Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is Monday so it is a long weekend and lots of fun things to check out!
This weekend head out and enjoy Show Up, Kids! at Kraine Theater, The 34th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at BAM, the 8th Annual Black Comic Book Festival at Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture, Lunar New Year Tradition: Puppet Making & Dragon Walk at Flushing Town Hall, BCM Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Family Concert: Oran Etkin at The Jewish Museum, Families Celebrate Africa – A Martin Luther King Day Event at Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, Movies Under the Stars: Aladdin in McCarren Park, Gateway Storytime in the Discovery Room at the American Museum of Natural History, MOCACREATE: Lunar New Year Museum Makeover at Museum of Chinese in America, Dazzle Disco Family Roller Disco Extravaganza at Dreamland Roller Rink in City Point, Family Sundays: Candied Corrosion at Rubin Museum, Farmhouse Family Day: Delft Discoveries at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, Stroller Tour Through History at DiMenna Children’s History Museum, Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Prospect Park, Friday Family Dance with City Stompers at Jalopy Theatre, Sunday Storytime: Matchy Matchy with Erin McGill at Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab and Kids ‘n Comedy “New Beginnings” Show at Gotham Comedy Club.
Don’t forget to check out the long running events like Alice in Wonderland at Puppetworks, the 18th Annual Holiday Train Show at Grand Central Terminal, Winter Zoo Wonderland at Prospect Park Zoo, 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, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at American Museum of Natural History and Cartography at The New Victory Theater.
These are just some of the weekend events so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Enjoy the long weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday January 17th
8th Annual Black Comic Book Festival at Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture
Friday-Saturday January 18th-19th 10a-8p. Registration for both days is free and is open to the public. Register here. The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture invites comic book fans of all ages to participate in its eighth annual Black Comic Book Festival. Each year, the Schomburg Center’s Black Comic Book Festival brings creators, illustrators, writers, and independent publishers together with thousands of collectors, blerds, and nerds for two days of programming and activities. The highly-anticipated community event includes interactive panel discussions, a vendor marketplace featuring exclusive titles by Black creators, a cosplay show, and more. Black Comic Book Festival participants are encouraged to wear their favorite cosplay costumes and to register on-site for the annual cosplay show.
Gateway Storytime in the Discovery Room at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Fridays 1010a & 11a until June 12th. Programs do not run on public school holidays (none on 2/21, 4/10 & 4/17). Free with Museum admission. On Friday mornings during the school year, children 2 to 5 years of age are invited to join us for storytime. Visit each week to learn about a highlighted topic in natural science or culture. There is a period of free play followed by a story, song, and visit to a related Museum hall. Space is limited and tickets are distributed on a designated single-file line outside the 81st Street Planetarium Entrance between 9:45 and 10:05 on a first-come, first-served basis. Sessions take place at 10:10 and 11:00. The line forms on the east side of the plaza and is indicated by a sign in the doorway. If the line gets long, please curve up the sidewalk towards Central Park West. Any remaining tickets will be distributed from the Discovery Room itself. All visitors must also have general admission tickets to enter the building.
Movies Under the Stars: Aladdin in McCarren Park
Friday January 17th 6-8p. Free. Location: McCarren Play Center in the gym. Join NYC Parks and New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment for this free family film! Aladdin (2019): In this live-action version of the Disney classic, Aladdin falls in love with Princess Jasmine, befriends a wish-granting Genie, and battles the wicked Jafar. Based on a story from One Thousand and One Nights, the film stars Will Smith (Genie), Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine), Marwan Kenzari (Jafar), Navid Negahban (Sultan), Nasim Pedrad (Dalia), Billy Magnussen (Prince Anders) and Numan Acar (Hakim). Know Before You Go: You should come before 6:00 p.m. to get your spot for the movie.
Friday Family Dance with City Stompers at Jalopy Theatre (Red Hook)
Friday January 17th 6-8p. Tickets: $10 individual, $25 family. Bring the kids and the grandparents for a no-experience-needed evening of traditional square dances for all. Led by caller/flatfooter Megan Downes with music by Jackson Lynch and friends.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday January 18th
Farmhouse Family Day: Delft Discoveries at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum
Saturday January 18th 11a-3p. Free. Reservations not required, but recommended. RSVP here. Dive into Delft china with a fun and fascinating DIY project for the whole family! Explore the fascinating international history of blue-and-white ceramics this January Family Day. We’ll be sculpting our own mini plates and bowls to decorate and discovering everyday objects from the era of New Amsterdam. Keep warm in our cozy picture book nook, play with traditional toys and games, dive into art activities or take a tour of our historic home. Farmhouse Family Days are always free to the public and open to visitors of all ages. Family Day takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the sculpture activity beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Show Up, Kids! at Kraine Theater (East Village) [sponsored]
Starting Saturday January 18th 1130a and will be ongoing Saturdays-Sundays at 1130a until February 9th also Monday January 20th 1130a. All tickets $15. Following capacity crowds and rave reviews from NYC to Hollywood, Peter Michael Marino’s “Show Up, Kids!” returns to The Kraine Theater for nine performances from January 18-February 9. This interactive, semi-improvised family show for kids 3-10 years old puts a wildly comedic, theatrical twist on the traditional kids’ show. When the main attraction doesn’t show up, Pete enlists the help of the kids to provide prompts and control everything from plot to props, characters to costumes, and settings to sound in a one-of-a-kind, 55-minute laughfest.
Dazzle Disco Family Roller Disco Extravaganza at Dreamland Roller Rink in City Point (Downtown Brooklyn)
Saturdays 12n-2p until February 15th. 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. Dreamland Roller Rink is an immersive roller disco experience! As soon as you step into the 10,000 sq ft roller rink you’ll be transported into a magical roller disco dreamland full of dazzling iridescent unicorns, retro rainbows, colorful dance floor lighting and sparkling disco balls!
MOCACREATE: Lunar New Year Museum Makeover at Museum of Chinese in America (SoHo)
Saturday January 18th 2-5p. Free with Museum admission! Put a spin on a MOCA tradition! Help welcome the New Year by making handmade decorations to liven up the Museum. Transform our space with colorful creations, which will be on display through our annual Lunar New Year Family Festival!
Lunar New Year Tradition: Puppet Making & Dragon Walk at Flushing Town Hall
Saturday January 18th 2p. Tickets: $10/$5 Members, Students & Children/FREE for Teens. Puppetry in Practice (PiP) artist and acclaimed author/ illustrator Angelo DeCesare will celebrate The Year of the Rat, using live drawing as he adapts “The Cat and the Rat” from the famous legend of the Chinese zodiac story. Make your own “tricky rat” puppets. Then go on a Dragon Walk with exciting PiP puppeteer and storyteller Luciano Cohen. Bring your rat puppets back to our parade. (See February 1st for details). Adults accompanying children must also pay for a ticket.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday January 19th
Stroller Tour Through History at DiMenna Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Sunday January 19th 1015-11a (the first and third Sunday of each month. $25 per family ($20 per Member family) (includes up to two adults plus kids). Take a stroll through history with your little one! Grownups and their children (up to 3 years old) explore America’s past, present, and future in this lively and interactive tour. Our early childhood educator leads you and your child on an exploration of art, history, and creativity—all before the museum opens for the day. Singing, movement, texture exploration, and art-making in the galleries make for a memorable morning.
Sunday Storytime: Matchy Matchy with Erin McGill at Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab (Park Slope)
Sunday January 19th 1030-11a. Free. Thanks to Mom, everything about Maria matches—her clothes, her socks, her underwear, her backpack, and her lunchbox. Maria even matches the dog, the duvet, and the doilies. But Maria doesn’t want to be so matchy matchy. She wants to mix it up! Feathers and fringe! Pom-poms and plaid! Spikes and spots! Leopard and lace! Tie-dye and tutus! One day she does just that and asserts her very own unique style. Come see what happens when we mix things up in the Storytelling Lab with Erin McGill!
Family Concert: Oran Etkin at The Jewish Museum (UES)
Sunday January 19th 1130a-1230p. $18 General; $14 Jewish Museum Family Members. Includes Museum Admission; admission is free for children 18 and under. Jazz clarinetist Oran Etkin’s recent release, Finding Friends Far From Home, is a playful tale told through instruments from Zimbabwe to China. Join Etkin and his musical friend Clara Net (his clarinet) and hear enchanting tunes from this captivating album—a musical journey that transcends borders.
Family Sundays: Candied Corrosion at Rubin Museum (Chelsea)
Sundays until January 26th. Drop-in anytime between 1pm and 4pm. Free for children and accompanying adults. Sundays are for families! Bring your family to the Museum for a Sunday afternoon full of family-friendly activities. Drop into the Education Center for some art-making, enjoy our 2 p.m. family exhibition tour, or go on your own thematic gallery search. January Family Sundays: Candied Corrosion ~ Embrace change during the Rubin Museum of Art’s 2020 theme of Impermanence. Explore the powerful forces of time and corrosion by using water to transform a structure made of sugar, inspired by Genesis Breyer P-Orridge’s sculpture “Touching of Hands” in the exhibition Shrine Room Projects: Shiva Ahmadi / Genesis Breyer P-orridge / Tsherin Sherpa.
Kids ‘n Comedy “New Beginnings” Show at Gotham Comedy Club (Chelsea)
Sunday January 19th 1p. Tickets: $18. January is the mark of a New Year! Time to be a new you! The life of a teenager is filled with algebra, Instagram, and awkward interactions with the opposite sex. Join us at the Kids ’N Comedy show Jan 19th for NEW BEGINNINGS, and hear NYC’s best teenaged comics joke about their plans for the new year and the resolutions they haven’t ditched yet. Appropriate audiences for ages: 9 – really, really old. Lunch menu is available and served during the show.
See all the Sunday events here.
Monday January 20th
The 34th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at BAM (Fort Greene)
Monday January 21st 1030a. Free. Please Note: Tickets to this event will be distributed on a first come, first seated basis. Lobby doors open at 8am. New York City’s largest public celebration in honor of iconic civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., returns to BAM for the 34th year. BAM welcomes all members of the community for this beloved annual tradition, which brings together world-renowned activists, public figures, and civic leaders alongside musicians and other performers. Join us in paying tribute to King’s legacy—this year featuring keynote speaker Nikole Hannah-Jones and musical guests Son Little and the Brooklyn Interdenominational Choir—to help keep his message of equality, peace, and hope alive.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Prospect Park
Monday January 20th 12n-4p. Free. Location: Prospect Park Audubon Center. Join Prospect Park Alliance for indoor and outdoor nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation. Discovery Pack, 12–3p: Bundle up and explore Prospect Park with our Discovery Packs, a ready-to-go kit filled with nature activities for families. Animal Encounter, 2–3 p: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2 p. Animal Encounters is made possible with generous support from Macy’s, Inc. Winter Wilderness Walk, 3-4p: Curious about animal tracks in the snow, how trees survive without leaves, or how bugs stay warm? Join an Alliance Naturalist for a tour of how plants and animals live in the winter months. This program leaves from the Audubon Center promptly at 3p.
Families Celebrate Africa – A Martin Luther King Day Event at Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (Park Slope)
Monday January 20th 3-530p. Tickets: $20 children 3 to 12 years old ( $25 at the door). Free for children 2 yo or younger. $10 for adults and teens accompanying a child.( $15 at the door). The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture offers a fun-filled family event to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr with African music, drumming and dance, face painting, African drawing, crafts and activities, stories and costumes. Moses Ogunleye will teach African drawing and display his art, DuPree and Barry Kornhauser (and guests) will perform songs about MLK’s life and Simba Yangala and the dancers from JungleDom will guide children through a relaxed African dance lesson and performance that welcomes the participation from both, children and adults. Purchase tickets here.
See all the Monday events here.
All Weekend
Alice in Wonderland at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until April 5th and also MLK Jr Day January 20th 1230p & 230p. For 3y+. Admission for a Child is $10, an Adult $11. 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). Lewis Carroll’s English Adventure with an original song score. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola & Adam Kilgour.
BCM Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Saturday-Monday January 18th-20th 11a-5p with events at various times. See website for the full schedule. Free with Museum admission. Gather with us at Brooklyn Children’s Museum to celebrate the life and activism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement! We will honor everyone’s right to be and to live in peace through storytelling, performance, art-making, and community service. Join us, and bring your dreams for humanity and reflect on our collective power to bring about change!
Cartography at The New Victory Theater
Saturdays 2p & 7p Sundays 3p until January 19th. Tickets start at $17. For everyone 10+. Running Time: 60 minutes with no intermission. Inflatable rafts on the Mediterranean. Dark holds of cargo trucks. Family photos hidden carefully in a backpack. Hear the stories of young refugees when CARTOGRAPHY asks what part we play in the lives of young people who set out into the unsure waters of their futures. In this multimedia theatrical work, witness a world alive with movement and migration as the effects of climate change, war and poverty give shape to where we have come from and where we are going.
Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Friday January 17th 1030a & 1130a, Saturday-Sunday January 18th-19th 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.
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!
Winter Zoo Wonderland at Prospect Park Zoo
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-3p. Free with Zoo admission. Every weekend in 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.
The Industry City Ice Rink (Sunset Park)
Wednesdays-Thursdays 4-8p, Fridays 11a-8p, Saturdays 10a-8p and Sundays 10a-5p. 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.
T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Daily 10a-545p until August 9th 2020. Timed entry only. Gallery 3, third floor. General Admission + One tickets: Adult $28 / Child (2-12) $16.50 / Senior & Student $22.50. Free for members. How did T. rex evolve to become the most fearsome carnivore of the Mesozoic? T. rex: The Ultimate Predator will introduce you to the entire tyrannosaur superfamily and reveal the amazing story of the most iconic dinosaur in the world through stunning life-sized models, fossils and casts, engaging interactives, and an immersive multiplayer virtual reality experience developed exclusively for this exhibition. Warning: you may never think of T. rex the same way again.
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.
Film Forum Jr. Matinee at the Film Forum (Lower East Side)
Saturdays-Sundays at 11a until March 15th. 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! January 18th-19th SOUNDER