Hi everyone! Spring arrives this weekend and get ready for more fun events in NYC with the family.
This weekend check out Funkytown Yoga and Music Spring Celebration!, Historic New York: Nature and Design in Prospect Park, Suzi Shelton “Magnolia Tree” Viewing Party, Nature Exploration: Marine Park, Birding: Spring Migrants in Kissena Park, Central Park Rocks! Geology Hike, Con Edison’s Family Science Night, From the Mouths of our Mothers: Stories by and about Women, Signs of Spring Hike in High Rock Park, NYPL: Celebrate Very Hungry Caterpillar Day, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden Virtual Storytime: Best Friends, Birding: Gulls and Shorebirds in Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and Beach, “Wildman” Steve Brill Foraging Tour in Prospcet Park and the FIAF: TILT Kids Weekend (virtual)
Don’t forget about long running events like Reflect at Domino Park, Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks, the Spineless Exhibit at The New York Aquarium, Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum and The Nature of Color Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History.
These are just some of this weekend events so check the calendar to everything going on. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Happy Spring and enjoy the weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday March 19th
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden Virtual Storytime: Best Friends
Friday March 19th 1130a-12n. Free. Everyone welcome, but designed especially for children 6 and under. See website for Zoom information. Join us for a virtual museum storytime. Best friends can be people, dolls, pets, or stuffed animals. We will read picture books about all different kinds. Bring a “best friend” to share with everyone, and see what 19th-century children might have had as best friends.
Celebrate Very Hungry Caterpillar Day: Virtual Program for Kids!
Friday March 19th 330-430p. Free. Best for kids ages 4+. Register here. Celebrate the special day of one of our most beloved characters with Ms Amy & Ms Rebecca on Google Meet! Join us for stories, some fun caterpillar trivia questions & an easy craft activity that you can do with materials you have at home! Participants interested in completing the craft portion of this program will need a colored paper, crayons, scissors, & glue/tape.
From the Mouths of our Mothers: Stories by and about Women (virtual)
Friday March 19th 4-515p. Free. Storyteller Tammy Hall will present From the Mouths of our Mothers: Stories by and about Women. This virtual program is to celebrate Women’s History Month. This event will be broadcast on Facebook here.
Suzi Shelton “Magnolia Tree” Viewing Party (virtual)
Friday March 19th 6-630p. Free. It’s Magnolia Tree release day and Suzi is hosting a VIEWING PARTY to officially unveil the beautiful music video created by artist Jackie Land and Alcides Urrutia of Pirata Y Luna. Join Suzi as she introduces the cast of characters in the video, celebrating their diverse backgrounds, personalities and interests, along with watching the video for the very first time together with you! Streaming live and free on facebook and youtube.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday March 20th
FIAF: TILT Kids Weekend (virtual)
Saturday-Sunday March 20th-21st various times. Tickets are $10 for each event (free for FIAF members). The beloved TILT Kids Festival, which has presented adventurous and sophisticated art and ideas for audiences of all ages since 2016, returns for an entirely virtual edition over the weekend of March 20–21. In fun and interactive events, enjoy wonderful stories during Drag Queen Story Hour, solve a mystery in a crime caper interactive theater performance from Broken Box Mime Theater, and create your own artwork in a live drawing workshop from artist Kris Di Giacomo’s Paris atelier. See the website for all the details.
Nature Exploration: Marine Park
Saturday March 20th 11a-12n. Free. Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center. The natural world is the best playground in New York City. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a hike through the wonders of Marine Park. Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. Please see website for Covid-19 protocols.
Signs of Spring Hike in High Rock Park (Staten Island)
Saturday March 20th 11a-12n. Free. Registration is required. To register, please visit the Urban Park Rangers registration page here. Stretch out the winter wearies with a hike through High Rock Park in search of buds, blooms, birds, and other signs of spring. Please see the website for Covid-19 protocols.
“Wildman” Steve Brill Foraging Tour in Prospect Park
Saturday March 20th 1145a (4 hour tour). Location: Prospect Parks Grand Army Plaza entrance at the stone benches behind the farmer’s market. The suggested donation is $20/adults, $10 for kids under 13. You may call (914) 835-2153 at least 24 hours beforehand to reserve a place or register online. Prospect Park is a great place for foragers to explore at the end of the winter. Like Central Park, this Olmstead-designed landscape features a variety of habitats filled with delicious native and exotic plants. See the website for all the event details.
Funkytown Yoga and Music Spring Celebration! (virtual)
Saturday March 20th 1-2p. Free. Welcome to Spring with an uplifting, interactive music and yoga performance from Aly Sunshine and Funkytown Playground. Get ready to hop like bunnies, be seeds in the garden, fly like butterflies, learn sun salutations, and celebrate with a fun dance party! This pre-recorded program will air on the BPL Facebook page and remain there for 48 hours, then will be taken down.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday March 21st
Birding: Spring Migrants in Kissena Park
Sunday March 21s 10-11a. Free. Location: Rose Avenue and Oak Avenue New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. On this program, we search for birds that have gotten an early start on the Spring migration season. To enhance your experience we encourage you to bring binoculars. Note: Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. Please see website for Covid-19 protocols.
Con Edison’s Family Science Night (virtual)
Sunday March 21st 10-11a. Free. Registration is required. Once registered you will receive an email for science kit pickup. Join us for Con Edison’s Virtual edition of Family Science Night. These science experiments and activities are perfect for an evening of family fun and learning together. Each registrant will receive a take-home science kit and links to instructional videos created by our very own Greenbelt Educators.
Birding: Gulls and Shorebirds in Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and Beach (Staten Island)
Sunday March 21st 11a-12n. Free. Location: Sand Lane and Father Capadanno Boulevard. Registration is required. To register, please visit the Urban Park Rangers registration page here. New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots. Our birding programs focus on unique wildlife viewing opportunities during particular seasons. To enhance your experience, we encourage you to bring your own binoculars and field guides. Note: Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. See website for Covid-19 protocols.
Historic New York: Nature and Design of Prospect Park
Sunday March 21st 1-2p. Free. Location: Grand Army Plaza Arch. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walking tour at Prospect Park. The Urban Park Rangers specialize in interpreting historic turning points, both natural and man-made in our city’s long history. Note: Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. See website for Covid-19 protocols.
Central Park Rocks! Geology Hike
Sunday March 21st 1-2p. Free. Location: 110th Street and Lenox Avenue. New York City is the site of ancient earth-shaking and earth-shaping events. The bedrock that anchors the city’s skyscrapers tells a story of a place going back more than a billion years. The island of Manhattan is built on three strata known as Manhattan Schist, Inwood Marble, and Fordham Gneiss. Join our Urban Park Rangers on this hike and learn about why Central Park rocks! Please see website for Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until March 28th and also Wednesday-Friday at 4p. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each (suggested for ages 3 and up). Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp from “1,001 Arabian Nights”. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. 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.
Reflect at Domino Park (Williamsburg)
Daily 8a-10p until April 15th. Free and open to the public. Reflect, by Jen Lewin, is an immersive, multi-sensory experience that takes inspiration from the dynamic patterns created by organic systems found in nature. Spanning 2,400 square feet, the sculpture consists of three concentric rings, each made up of interactive platforms that respond to visitors’ steps, triggering splashes of light that create an ever-changing composition. The installation will encourage New Yorkers to pause for a moment of reflection and discovery, and inspire connection as the city enters a new era of hope and revival. Reflect at Domino Park allows for multiple individuals to engage with the work simultaneously, while maintaining six feet of social distance, making it an ideal public artwork for this moment.
Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park
Skating hours daily 8a-10p until March 28th. 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.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at the New-York Historical Society (UWS)
Ongoing until April 11, 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.
Indoor Exhibits Open at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Museum hours Saturdays-Sundays are 10a-1p & 2-5p. Museum admission: $13 per person (children under 1 free). Purchase your advanced timed entry tickets online. Play Sessions are Saturdays & Sundays at are 10a-1p and 2-5p. The Museum is closed between 1pm-2pm for cleaning. ColorLab Workshops are one hour long and take place on weekends within Play Sessions. During the AM Play Session (10a-1p), your ColorLab Workshop takes place between 1145-1245p. During the PM Play Session (2-5p), your workshop takes place between 215p-315p. Before and after your workshop you are free to play in the exhibits during Play Session hours. 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. 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.
The Nature of Color Exhibit at American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Museum is open Wednesdays-Sundays with timed entry tickets are available 10a-4p (museum closes 530p). Exhibit is open until March 8, 2021. Select a General Admission + One or General Admission + All ticket, choose date and time of entry to the Museum, then select The Nature of Color. Reserve tickets here. Our world is awash in color. Color makes the world feel vibrant and alive. But that’s not all. Color helps us make sense of the world. It contains vast amounts of information—about the natural world, and the human world. Come and explore the world of color in this immersive exhibition.
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.