Hi everyone! I hope you were able to get out and have some fun in the snow and are ready for another busy NYC weekend!
This weekend check out The Metropolitan Opera’s Family Holiday Festival, Unsilent Night, Winter Solstice Walks in Brooklyn Botanic Garden, The Little Orchestra Society: Bringing Stories to Life at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden Virtual Storytime: Wintertime, Skate + Santa at Winter Village in Bryant Park, Theater for the New City: Open ‘Tho Shut at the Chopshop Theater, Little Red Riding Hood at Puppetworks, Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Bush Terminal Park, Make Music New York: Scottish Christmas Celebration and O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi at Queens County Farm Museum.
Don’t forget about running events like Luminaries in the Winter Garden, Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo, Holiday Under the Stars at The Shops at Columbus Circle, Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History and Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum.
There are more events on the calendar so check it to everything going this weekend. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Be safe & have fun!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 18th
The Metropolitan Opera’s Family Holiday Festival (virtual)
Ongoing through Monday December 21st at various times. Free. Register here. All events will be hosted on YouTube and Facebook Live. The only exception is the Solstice Dance Party, which will be hosted on Zoom. During this festive time of year, the Met is presenting a series of virtual workshops to guide kids and families through Hansel and Gretel, a wickedly entertaining adaptation of the classic fairy tale. This five-day festival is available to all families for free! All you need is a computer and a trail of breadcrumbs …A complete performance of a holiday favorite, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, will be available to stream for free beginning Thursday, December 17, at 5:00pm ET until Monday, December 21, at 5:00pm ET. The family-friendly opera has inspired a lineup of online events to celebrate the season, including arts and crafts, baking, and composing carols. The opera stream and event information can be found at metopera.org/family.
Skate + Santa at Winter Village in Bryant Park (Midtown East)
Starting Thursday December 17th & ongoing weekdays until Wednesday December 23rd. Santa hours are 1225p-145p. Skating hours are Mon – Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri, Sat, & Sun: 8am-11:30pm. Free admission to skate but there are fees for renting skates. Santa Claus is coming to Bryant Park! During select skate times in December, families have the opportunity to say hello to Santa and get a holiday photo op from a safe social distance, FREE when they reserve Skate + Santa Tickets at rink.wintervillage.org. After you skate, head towards our Christmas Tree-o where our staff will greet you, provide hand sanitizer, and help take a socially-distanced photo with Santa! See the website for all the guidelines and details.
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden Virtual Storytime: Wintertime
Friday December 18th 1130a-12n. Free. Join us for a virtual museum storytime. We will read picture books about wintertime, and then we will explore the Museum to learn about all the different ways people kept warm in the 19th century. Everyone welcome, but designed especially for children 6 and under. See the website for meeting information.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday December 19th
Little Red Riding Hood at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturday December 19th 1230p and also Sunday-Wednesday December 27th-30th & Saturday-Sunday January 2nd-3rd. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each(suggested for ages 3 and up). Charles Perrault’s Folk Tale adapted for Hand Puppets by Michael Thomas. Call for Reservations: 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com NO Same Day e-mail reservations please. Performances are @ 25% Capacity, Masks Required.
O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi at Queens County Farm Museum
Saturday December 19th 1p. This event is FREE, but advance online registration is required to manage capacity. No door tickets will be available. Reserve tickets here. Grab your fleece, hats, gloves, coats and woolies and throw on your winter boots! Queens County Farm Museum will host a special outdoor holiday reading of O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi. This special admission program is designed to enrich the holiday season with social distancing built in. Renowned actor and raconteur, Queens native Kevin R. Free will lead story time in the farm’s 3-acre pasture. Note: Visitors welcome to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the reading.
Theater for the New City: Open ‘Tho Shut at the Chopshop Theater (Lower East Side)
Saturday December 19th 2p. Free! Theater for the New City (TNC) will present a live performances in which acts are staged in the theater’s set shop for audiences of socially distanced passers-by, who watch through an open garage door on East Tenth Street. The December 19 show will entirely be a participatory audience sing-along of well-known Christmas Carols. Singing will be led by members of TNC’s Street Theater Company and accompanied by pianist Peter Dizozza. The show is intended to recreate the family fun of the annual Tompkins Square Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, which is canceled this year due to Covid-19. Sheet music will be distributed free to all participants, and Veselka will be handing out Hot Cider. Even though the sing-along will be outside, masks will be required and social distancing will be observed with standing placements marked in chalk on the sidewalk. As an additional treat, Crystal Field, Artistic Director of TNC, will perform “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” These live performances will also be streamed live on TNC’s website and Facebook page.
Winter Solstice Walks in Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Saturday-Sunday December 19th-20th 430-930p. $18 adults, $12 students/seniors, free for members and children under 12. Timed, advance tickets are required for entry. Last entry at 9p. Purchase tickets here. Celebrate the winter solstice and experience the Garden like never before on an illuminated, self-guided evening walk. On these two special evenings, Celtic music and atmospheric lighting accompany your journey through the northern end of the Garden. Plus, learn how the ancient Celts used plants and trees as part of their solstice celebrations. Stop by the Visitor Center to get a hot beverage, spiked or not, and finish (or start!) your holiday shopping at the Garden Shop. All shoppers receive a 10% discount on these evenings.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 20th
Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Bush Terminal Park (Sunset Park)
Sunday December 20th 11a-12n. Free. New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. From falcons and salamanders to deer and seals, wildlife viewing opportunities exist year-round in all of our parks and beaches. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in New York City. Discover the amazing variety of birds that winter here in NYC. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Please see the website for information on the Covid-19 protocols.
The Little Orchestra Society: Bringing Stories to Life at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Sunday December 20th 3-430p or 5-630p. Free with Museum admission. Note: Pay as you wish hours start at 5p. Join The Little Orchestra Society for an interactive musical workshop that explores storytelling, movement, song, composition, and world music. This program takes place during the 3p & 5p timeslots and is included with your Play Session tickets. Purchase tickets here.
Make Music New York: Scottish Christmas Celebration (virtual)
Sunday December 20th 3-5p. Free to all , sharing our love of Scotland! Just click the link above and you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the concert. The American-Scottish Foundation and ASF’s Sounds of Scotland invite you to join in a special Scottish Christmas Celebration featuring music, readings and good cheer. Note that this program takes place on the special date of Sunday, December 20th. See all the Make Music New York events here.
Unsilent Night 2020 (citywide)
Sunday December 20th 6p. Free. On Sunday gather your household or a small group of 4-8 friends for your own Unsilent Night anywhere in the city. Everyone doing their own thing, lighting up the city with music! It’s easy to do—the tracks can be downloaded through the website and played on smartphones with bluetooth speakers, or anything that will play an mp3, and you can just do your own walk, in your own neighborhood. Unsilent Night is, above all, a social event, a party, an occasion for friends and communities to get together and share a winter walk while making joyful noise. We want to keep this spirit alive this year while keeping everyone safe. Needless to say, WEAR MASKS, be mindful of distance, and keep it small and intimate! (If you have more than 8 people, make it two groups!)
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Luminaries in the Winter Garden (Battery Park City)
Ongoing daily 8a-10p until January 3rd. Free. Brighten up the holidays with Brookfield Place! This season we’re keeping our annual Luminaries tradition alive with the interactive installation in the Winter Garden. Luminaries, designed by the LAB at Rockwell Group, is inspired by the season’s traditions of sharing, giving, and community. The installation features a canopy of colorful lights emanating from hundreds of lanterns suspended among the palms. Touchless wishing stations located on the ground allow visitors to send a motion-activated wish to the canopy of lanterns above, prompting a magical display of lights and colors. For each wish, Brookfield Place will donate $1, up to $25,000 to ROAR (Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants),which supports New York City restaurant employees facing unprecedented economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.At the top of every hour, visit the Winter Garden for a special Luminaries light show (8a -10p) featuring: Winter Wonderland by Michael Bublé, Silver Bells by Tony Bennett, Carol of the Bells by The Bird and The Bee, Let It Snow by Pentatonix. See the website for all the details.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum (UWS)
Ongoing until February 21, 2021. Free with Museum admission. Purchase timed entry tickets here. Hours are Fridays 11a-8p, Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p. Friday 10-11a is for Members and age 65+ and immunocompromised. A magical wonderland awaits visitors with the return of this holiday tradition. Featuring toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, Holiday Express transports young and old alike to a bygone era. The installation includes a variety of toy train stations dating from the turn of the 19th century to the WWII era, showcasing the evolving designs of American and European toymakers. New to the display this year are Marklin’s Onion Dome Station and Grand Station (1904–08). Visitors are greeted by animations and fun facts about the toys on nearby screens, and kids will be delighted by a specially created bench inspired by a sleigh in New-York Historical’s collection.
Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo
Select dates through January 10th 3-8p. Tickets are required and must be reserved in advance. Tickets start at $22.95. Purchase tickets here. Join us for five animal lantern safaris, ice-carving demonstrations, holiday treats, costumed characters, wildlife theater, stilt walkers, and more! Join us for a global safari in lights featuring illuminated animals from all over the world. Our five lantern safaris, spread out throughout the park each showcase a different wildlife region and will lead you on a fun, safe, and leisurely tour of the attractions. See the website for all the event details.
Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
On exhibit until January 10th (except 12/25). Location: Grand Gallery, first floor. Free with Museum admission. Museum is open Wednesdays-Sundays with timed entry tickets are available 10a-4p (museum closes 530p). 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 Cranes and Colors, featuring 1,000 brilliantly colored origami cranes, presented as symbols of peace and good wishes as New York continues to endure the many challenges posed by COVID-19, and drawing inspiration from The Nature of Color special exhibition, which explores the role and power of color in the natural world.The tree—which is the 49th Origami Tree, continuing a Museum tradition started in the 1970s—also features hundreds of other models relating to the Museum’s exhibitions, collections and icons.
Holiday Under the Stars at The Shops at Columbus Circle (UWS)
Daily 4-7p until December 24th. Free. Location: Ground Floor. Holiday Under the Stars, the largest specialty crafted exhibit of illuminated color mixing in the world featuring twelve 14-foot stars that hang from the ceiling of the 150-foot Great Room overlooking iconic Central Park perform daily from 4:00pm until 7:00pm (every half hour). The free, indoor colorful spectacle with stunning views of Central Park is an ideal destination during the cold, shorter days of winter. The destination also will offer extended shopping hours.
Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park
Skating hours daily 8a-10p until March 7th. Admission is free. Skating rental vary by day. Reservations must be made in advance. See website for all the information on skating & the shops. Bryant Park is Manhattan’s winter wonderland. Enjoy New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink, the Holiday Shops, and rinkside eats and drinks at The Lodge Deck.
Indoor Exhibits Open at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Museum hours Saturdays-Sundays 10a-7p. Museum admission: $13 per person (children under 1 free). BCM is delighted to have the indoor exhibits open. Make sure you don’t miss a minute of fun by ordering your tickets online in advance and reserving a timed ticket. There are two types of tickets to BCM: Play Session tickets and ColorLab Session tickets. Play Sessions are Saturdays & Sundays at 10a, 1230p, 3p or 5p (90-minute session). Come play in our exhibits! BCM favorite exhibits including Totally Tots, World Brooklyn, Neighborhood Nature, Collections Central and The Nest are open for exploration. For more information on BCM’s exhibits, check out our Permanent Exhibits page. Artmaking in ColorLab are Saturdays & Sundays at 1030a, 130p & 330p. Every weekend, BCM hosts artmaking workshops featuring a muse artist and family art projects inspired by their work. Families attending the 1030a & 1p ColorLab sessions may come up to 30 minutes in advance to play in BCM’s exhibits, and visitors attending the 3p session may stay up to 30 minutes after their workshop. Space is limited to ensure that families can spread out in our art studio. See our ColorLab page for more information on art workshops. Masks required. See website for all the details.
Brooklyn Public Library Vitural Storytimes
Daily usually at 11a & 2p (none 12/25). Free. Sometimes the storytimes are on the Brooklyn Public Library Family facebook page and other times they are on a specific branch facebook page. See the website for all the details.
Spineless Exhibit at The New York Aquarium (Coney Island)
Daily 10a-330p (park closes 430p) until March 2021. Admission included with ticket. All visitors must reserve a date-specific ticket in advance. Please check Know Before You Go for details. We have great news: The New York Aquarium is reopening on August 27! Buy tickets to see all of your favorite marine animals today and enjoy summer on Coney Island! Explore Spineless, our latest exhibit, and marvel and the jellies, octopus, and more. Come wave hello to Erie the sea lion and Murphy the Harbor Seal. Relax in Ocean Wonders: Sharks! and watch the rays, sharks, and turtles.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan at Home
CMOM is now open Wednesday-Sunday 10a-5p. CMOM at Home is still ongoing. Activities are sent in a daily email newsletter. CMOM can still be a part of your day through videos, sing-a-longs, games and so much more for you to do together with your family at home! Sign up for emails here. From slime-making, dance parties and being transported to Japan with a recipe for sushi, to making animal puppets from recycled materials around the house, creating a bedtime routine and storytimes, “CMOM at Home” is sure to delight. Each day of the week will feature a different theme: Magical Monday, Move & Grove Tuesday, Our World Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, Feel Good Friday, Storytime Saturday and Surprise Sunday.