Hi everyone! The week has flown by and another busy and fun NYC weekend is almost here.
This weekend head out and enjoy Spellbound Theatre: Oceansong at Old Stone House, Show Up, Kids! at Kraine Theater, LOS KIDS: “Ravel & Debussy – Bolero” at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, City Stomp Concert at ShapeShifter Lab, Brooklyn Book Bodega at Brooklyn Navy Yard, Just Kidding: Doktor Kaboom: Look Out! Science is Coming! at Symphony Space, Celebrate Tu Bishvat at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Hatched: Life on the Farm by Treehouse Shakers at BAM, “Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou” at Central Brooklyn Public Library, Guitar Mash “Urban Campfire” at Flushing Town Hall, Indonesian Cultural Festival at Children’s Museum of the Arts, FIAF Animation First Festival, Alice in Wonderland in Queens Theatre, Open Studios: Glass in the City at Urban Glass, DanceAfrica at Weeksville Weekends at at Weeksville Heritage Center, Toddler Yoga with Llamaste at Red Hook Brooklyn Public Library, WonderSpark Puppets: Princess Petunia & The Dragon at the 14th Street Y and 21st Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival.
Don’t forget to check out the long running events like Lunar Zoo Year – Year of the Rat in Prospect Park Zoo, LC Kids: SUDS at Clark Studio Theater, Alice in Wonderland at Puppetworks, 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, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at American Museum of Natural History,Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre and Riddle of the Trilobites at New Victory Theater.
There are even more events this weekend so check the calendar to see everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Have a fabulous time this weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday February 7th
Hatched: Life on the Farm by Treehouse Shakers at BAM (Fort Greene)
Friday-Monday February 7th-10th 11a. Low-Income General Ticket $15, $30 general tickets (All people ages 9mo to 99 need a ticket). Great for ages 0-6, Hatched is the story of a newborn chick who emerges from her shell to a strange, and busy world. The chick is met by a feisty old rooster, a newly born calf learning to walk, a baby lamb and a noisy nest of baby birds. Performed through movement, live music, puppets, and very little human dialogue, the story is set amidst a playful American family farm. Intimately staged, young audience members are encouraged to interact with the newborn animals as they explore their worlds. Audience members interact and play with the characters on stage; they give the chicks their feed, milk bottles to the lamb, are licked by the cow, and feed worms to the baby birds. Hatched is a beautiful tale, told through exquisite visuals, music, and the exploration of baby animals on the farm.
Toddler Yoga with Llamaste at Red Hook Brooklyn Public Library
Fridays 11a-12n in February. Free. Instructor Melanie Morgan from local Llamaste yoga center leads this free family-oriented session for toddlers. What you can expect during class: Storytelling/Sharing, simple Yoga Poses, socializing with other toddlers and the instructor, and opportunities for parents and caregivers to join in on the fun!
Riddle of the Trilobites at New Victory Theater
Friday February 7th 7p, Saturday-Sunday February 8th-9th 12n & 5p (12n 2/9 is Sensory-Friendly). Additional performances ongoing until February 23rd. See website for the schedule. Tickets start at $17 (2/9 12n all tickets $25). For everyone 6 and up. Running Time: 80 minutes with no intermission. Travel way way way way way back in time! In this live, original musical, set 500 million years ago, all life dwells in one sea and trilobites rule the ocean floor. When young Aphra discovers that the fate of the entire trilobite kingdom rests on her shelled shoulders, she and her arthropod pals must solve the RIDDLE OF THE TRILOBITES before a sea change of epic proportions destroys their home. With humor, heart and eye-popping prehistoric puppetry, this underwater adventure shows us how we can leave our mark on the world when we dare to be brave.
Guitar Mash “Urban Campfire” at Flushing Town Hall
Friday February 7th 8p (Chord Warm-up 7p). $10/$8 Members & Students/FREE for Teens. Guitar Mash and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment are bringing the Urban Campfire to Queens. “NYC Urban Campfire: QUEENS” is an immersive participatory concert unlike any other, that blurs the lines between artist and audience. Led by Guitar Mash Artistic Director Mark Stewart (Musical Director with Paul Simon since 1998) and special guest Carlos Alomar (known for his work with David Bowie), the event will feature renowned guitarists and singer-songwriters sharing the songs and stories that shaped them. Audience members are invited to bring guitars and other acoustic string instruments. Lyrics and chords will be made available in advance and projected during the event. Don’t play? Come sing along or just hang out! *Teens (aged 13-19) and Students must bring their ID in person. Limit of one ticket per teen and two per student.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday February 8th
Just Kidding: Doktor Kaboom: Look Out! Science is Coming! at Symphony Space (UWS)
Saturday February 8th 11a & 2p. Ticket: $14 member, $17 non-members. Expected run time is 60 minutes. Doktor Kaboom is an over the top German physicist with a passion for science that knows no bounds. Sporting chrome goggles, orange lab coat, motorcycle boots, and wicked cool hair, Doktor Kaboom travels the world, thrilling adults and children alike with an explosive comedic style that is guaranteed to please. His improvisational skill promises no two shows will ever be the same, and his character driven comedy will entertain audiences of every age. Nothing says science like KABOOM!
Open Studios: Glass in the City at Urban Glass (Fort Greene)
Saturday February 8th 12n-4p. Discover and celebrate the wonders of glass as a material that reflects, refracts, and makes up the walls and windows of our city! Join us for an afternoon of demonstrations and hands-on activities in our 17,000 square foot studio. A neon demonstration will show how the signs that light up our storefronts are made, as well as demonstrations in glassblowing and flameworking. Participate in hands-on activities for all ages, and tour our incredible space, learning about glass and the many ways it is used. Bring your curiosity to experience glass in our Fort Greene studios! See the website for all the event details.
Book Launch: “Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou” at Central Brooklyn Public Library
Saturday February 8th 1-2p. Free. Location: Dweck Center. Seating is limited; first come, first served. Author Bethany Hegedus and Illustrator Tonya Engel read from Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, this beautiful biography of Maya Angelou describes how she rose above a childhood of trauma and emotional pain to become one of the most inspiring voices of our lifetime.
City Stomp Concert at ShapeShifter Lab (Gowanus)
Saturday February 8th 3-5p (doors open at 3p & show at 330p). Tickets: $15. City Stomp incorporates fun original songs about growing up in NYC with updated versions of traditional folk songs from other world cultures. City Stomp takes kid’s music to a new level with songs that parents not only can tolerate, but actually LIKE to listen to. Parents everywhere have said that City Stomp albums are some of the few kids albums that they are happy to play for their kids. Some even said (in confidence) that they listen to the albums when their kids aren’t even there.
DanceAfrica at Weeksville Weekends at at Weeksville Heritage Center
Saturday February 8th 4p and 2nd Saturday of March & April. Free. Experience the magic of DanceAfrica at these free community workshops on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Led by BAM teaching artists Kimani Fowlin and Farai Malianga, classes will focus on a variety of dances, songs, and traditions from Africa and the diaspora.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday February 9th
Indonesian Cultural Festival at Children’s Museum of the Arts
Sunday February 9th 10a-5p. Free with Museum admission. Join us Sunday, February 9 for a celebration of Indonesian culture! CMA is partnering with Gamelan Dharma Swara to present performances and interactive workshops inspired by Indonesia. Story Time takes place at 1 pm featuring books by Indonesian authors read by Kristy Raffensberger of Hudson Public Library. Interactive performances and workshops with Gamelan Dharma Swara will take place at 12 pm and 2 pm. Founded in 2000, Gamelan Dharma Swara is one of the leading Balinese gamelan music and dance groups in the United States! See website for the workshop details.
Celebrate Tu Bishvat at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Sunday February 9th 11a-5p. Free with Museum admission. Did you know that Tu Bishvat is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the new year of the trees? Join Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Repair the World as we celebrate this year by creating art, packaging food for a local food bank, and participating in an interactive puppet show featuring WonderSpark Puppets at 4p! See the website for the schedule of events.
Brooklyn Book Bodega at Brooklyn Navy Yard
Sunday February 9th 12n-3p. Free. Location: Building 77. Read, Write, Create! Join us at Brooklyn Navy Yard at Building 77, 141 Flushing Avenue. We will be collecting gently used children’s books and distributing free books for ages 0–18. You can take books from the bodega without giving. Free activities and programming. Bring your friends, neighbors, family! All events are free and open to the public. See the website for all the details.
Alice in Wonderland in Queens Theatre
Saturday February 9th 1p & 4p (4p ASL Interpretation provided, Audio Described, and Relaxed Sensory-friendly Performance). Tickets: $13 & $15. But one day, a curious looking rabbit, who just happens to be an eater of novels, appears, Not wanting the library to be turned into a rodent smorgasbord, Alice chases the rabbit and follows him into an amazing wonderland, where she encourters the Queen of Hearts, Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and of course the Chesire Cat. Tout a Trac’s adaptation is faithful to the madness and humor of Lewis Carroll’s original with one important twist: the story is no longer set in a garden, but in a library full of pop-up books. Each new page opens another door and leads to the next adventure. Alice in Wonderland is a gateway to the imagination. Will you follow the white rabbit?
21st Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival (Chinatown)
Sunday February 9th 1-4p. Free. Parade Route: Mott Street and Canal Street to Chatham Square to East Broadway towards the Manhattan Bridge, completing on Eldridge and Forsyth Streets towards Grand Street next to Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Head to Chinatown in Manhattan to check out the annual Lunar New Year Parade for amazing visuals, delicious treats, and mesmerizing cultural performances. This parade features all sorts of vendors, food, and festivities for all ages to welcome the Year of the Rat. The parade starts at 1:00 p.m. Show up early to grab a prime spot along the route!
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Spellbound Theatre: Oceansong at Old Stone House (Park Slope) [sponsored]
Saturday-Sunday February 8th-9th 10a & 1130a. Individual Ticket: $22, Family Package (3 people): $49. Events begin at 10am & 11:30am with art activities followed by a performance at 10:20am & 11:50am, respectively. A theatrical and multi-sensory experience of the sea specially designed for the youngest audiences, ages 0-2, and their caregivers. On this ocean adventure, the audience will begin on the shore and then set sail, venturing above and below the waves to meet sea creatures, splash in the water, and sing ocean songs together. Please note that the Old Stone House is not a wheelchair-accessible venue; pre-show activities take place on the first floor and the performance takes place up a flight of stairs. Please note that every audience member older than 6 months requires a ticket. Purchase tickets here.
LOS KIDS: “Ravel & Debussy – Bolero” at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (UES) [sponsored]
Saturday February 8th 10a & 1130a and Sunday February 9th 1130a & 1p. Tickets start at $16. Join us at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College for another imaginative season of L.O.S. KIDS and come hear beloved music written by some of the world’s most iconic composers! The Orchestra’s 2019-20 concert season features the fifth year of the L.O.S. KIDS series, performing dynamic repertoire and incorporating multiple art forms with a variety of artists to create meaningful musical experiences for today’s audiences. This year’s programs are bringing to life the music of Mozart, Stravinsky, Ravel & Debussy, and Rodgers & Hammerstein for a new generation! Program also includes: Mother Goose, La Mer, Clair de Lune
Show Up, Kids! at Kraine Theater (East Village) [sponsored]
Ongoing Saturdays-Sundays at 1130a until February 9th. 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.
LC Kids: SUDS at Clark Studio Theater (UWS)
Saturdays & Sundays 11a & 2p until February 9th. Tickets: $25. Recommended for Ages 5-8. All are welcome at this immersive, multisensory theatrical experience that takes the seemingly mundane task of going to the laundromat and transforms it into an exhilarating adventure filled with water, soap, and bubbles. Along the way they’ll meet an engaging cast of characters, including a dancing sweatshirt and a laundry monster—who is actually very nice! SUDS is specially created for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Adventure Guides are paired with audience members to tailor the production to their unique needs and interests.
FIAF Animation First Festival
Friday-Monday February 7th-10th at various times. Adults $16-$25; Children $10-$15/per film. Celebrating France’s rich tradition as a pioneer of animation, FIAF presents the 2020 Animation First Festival, showcasing the vast history, enduring ingenuity, and diversity of France’s renowned animation studios and schools. Benefiting from a burgeoning animation field poised to enter a historic awards season, this year’s schedule includes 18 premieres, award-winning features and shorts, immersive exhibits, virtual reality and video game demonstrations, insightful panels with filmmakers, and more. See the website for the schedule.
WonderSpark Puppets: Princess Petunia & The Dragon at the 14th Street Y
Saturday-Sunday February 8th 9th 11a & 1p (2/9 1p with post-show engagement activity). General admission $12, Family Pack (4 seats) $30. Running time: 40 minutes. Recommended for ages 3+. Once upon a time, there was a valiant princess who saved the Kingdom of Lockheart! It’s up to Princess Petunia to defeat bullies, help wizards, ride a dragon and save the day. This medieval adventure includes lots of laughter and a cast of hilarious characters.
Lunar Zoo Year – Year of the Rat in Prospect Park Zoo
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-4p in February. Free with Zoo admission. Visit Prospect Park Zoo on February weekends to celebrate the festival of the new moon and animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Meet one of the tiniest rodents in the world, the Eurasian Harvest Mouse and learn how the Wildlife Conservation Society is helping animals in China and Southeast Asia. Special activities and a zodiac scavenger hunt will all be a part of the fun.
Alice in Wonderland at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until April 5th. 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.
Yeti, Set, Snow! at Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Friday February 7th 1030a & 1130a, Saturday February 8th 1p & Sunday February 9th 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. Note: Accessibility Show Friday 1030a & 1130a. This show will have an ASL interpreter, reduced sound and the lights will be dimly kept on.
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!
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! February 8th-9th Beyoncé & Jennifer Hudson in DREAMGIRLS