Hi everyone! It is hard to believe that March is almost over and that the kids have no school next week. Get out and have fun this weekend!
This weekend check out a Woodlands Scavenger Hunt in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt at Aviator Sports and Events Center, a Virtual Family Concert Festival: Freedom Music Jam, the Welcome Spring Scavenger Hunt + Seed Swap at Old Stone House, Laurie Berkner’s Springtime Family Concert, Wildlife Viewing: City Squirrels in Fort Greene Park, Holi in Riverside Park, a Barnyard Egg Hunt at Queens County Farm Museum, Outdoor Skills: Fire Building in Marine Park, Urban Stages: Dinosaurs, a Coastal Scavenger Hunt in Rockaway Beach and “Songbirds”- Honoring Minnie Riperton, Shirley Horn and Joni Mitchell.
Don’t forget about long running events like Reflect at Domino Park, Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks, Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum and The Nature of Color Exhibit and Worlds Beyond Earth at the American Museum of Natural History.
Check the calendar to everything going on this weekend and also events for the break. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Happy Passover & enjoy the weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday March 26th
Urban Stages: Dinosaurs (virtual)
Friday March 26th 330-430p. Free. Paleontologists are much like detectives, who have arrived at the scene millions of years too late. Help Robert piece together all the clues and learn about dinosaurs and many of the other prehistoric creatures that lived long ago. Movies and television may show us what we think they may have looked like, but with new discoveries comes a new understanding of how these animals lived in a world that time forgot. View the broadcast at 330p on the Urban Stages Facebook page.
Virtual Family Concert Festival: Freedom Music Jam
Friday March 26th 4-445p. This performance is Free with RSVP, one ticket per household. YouTube link sent with RSVP email confirmation. For aged 3 and up. Experience an uplifting celebration of community and connection with a special family concert performed by award-winning musicians inspired by ideas related to the Passover holiday. Join an innovative line-up of artists including Pierce Freelon with Rissi Palmer, 123Andres with Konshens the MC, ShirLaLa, SaulPaul, Vered of Baby in Tune, Tkiya Music, Shine & the Moonbeams, The Pop Ups, and Saul Kaye with Elana Jagoda and hear tunes that speak about freedom, hope, unity, empowerment, fighting injustice, and accepting differences, along with other holiday related themes. Create art and music together as a family at home while listening to this joyful musical event.
“Songbirds”- Honoring Minnie Riperton, Shirley Horn and Joni Mitchell (virtual)
Friday March 26th 7p. The concert will be performed and streamed LIVE from Flushing Town Hall Theater at 7p and you can watch live on Flushing Town Hall’s YouTube channel. Buy tickets only at $5 to receive the live link and get a reminder! In celebration of Women’s History Month, Flushing Town Hall is proud to present “Songbirds,” featuring the music of Minnie Riperton, Shirley Horn and Joni Mitchell, performed by soulful jazz vocalist and pianist Mala Waldron and her quartet. “Songbirds” is a beautiful journey into a not so distant past made popular by Minnie Riperton, Shirley Horn and Joni Mitchell, filled with memorable music and song.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday March 27th
Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt at Aviator Sports and Events Center
Saturdays-Sundays until April 11th 10a-4p and also Friday April 2nd 10a-4p. Admission: $12 per person age two and above. Register here. Join us for a fun-filled day with Whiskers, the Easter Bunny, and all his friends at the farm hosted by Green Meadows Farm Brooklyn. We are ready to see the smiles at our outdoor Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Your children will love the search for colorful eggs filled with treasures, exploring the Bunny House, discovering the farm playground, and so much more!
Woodlands Scavenger Hunt in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday March 27th 11a-4p. This event is free and suitable for kids of all ages! Location: Pier 1. This month’s park scavenger hunt focuses on the flora and fauna in woodland habitats and the early signs of spring. Search for animal dens, leaf buds, mushrooms, and more! There will be an opportunity to stop by a prize table and share your completed hunt with the educators from Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy! To register, please complete the form below and make sure to provide the total # in your group. Registrants will receive a PDF copy of the activity a few days before the event via e-mail. Register here.
Barnyard Egg Hunt at Queens County Farm Museum
Saturday March 27th and April 3rd 11a-4p with timed tickets for egg hunting. Tickets are $12/person (children ages 2 & up and adults). Purchase tickets here. Kids and their grown-ups will enjoy the thrill of this springtime tradition on the farm with social distancing built in. Spread out on the grass as you do the bunny hop and enjoy 47 egg-cellent acres of outdoor space. Visit with the farm’s animals and hop on a hayride to top off your day. BYOB (bring your own basket) is encouraged. Food vendors will be on the farm all day selling their treats. Advance tickets required. View their complete Covid-19 Visitor Guidelines here.
Wildlife Viewing: City Squirrels in Fort Greene Park
Saturday March 27th 1-2p. Free. Location: Fort Greene Park Visitor Center. New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Note: Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. Please see website for Covid-19 protocols.
Holi in Riverside Park (UWS)
Saturday March 27th 2-4p. Tickets: $5. Purchase tickets here. Location: near Pier i Cafe. Holi is a Hindu festival of spring in India and is celebrated by people of all nationalities, backgrounds and religions. It is originally celebrated by throwing colors on each another to create equality and erase differences. Due to COVID we will be celebrating Holi by throwing colors in the sky with our kites! The event is open to both adults and kids. Registered members will get a kite. We will also have some basic materials to make your own kite. And if you have your own kites, please bring them too! To add more to the festivities do come dressed in casual Indian clothes.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday March 28th
Welcome Spring Scavenger Hunt + Seed Swap at Old Stone House (Park Slope)
Sunday March 28th 10a-12n. Free to attend. Come down to the Park from to participate in family friendly Springtime fun! Join our scavenger hunt, explore the OSH gardens to find all of the hidden pictures and claim your prize- take home a DIY tulip craft and seasonal sticker. OSH Director of Gardens Sam Lewis will facilitate a neighborhood seed swap, diversify your home garden by bringing seeds or cuttings from your favorite plants to trade for something new to you. While you’re here, pick up a grow-kit from local textile artist Iviva Olenick to get you started on growing your own cotton, indigo, or flax; sponsored by a Brooklyn Arts Fund grant from the Brooklyn Arts Council.
Laurie Berkner’s Springtime Family Concert! (virtual)
Sunday March 28th 12n & 5p. $20 family ticket, $10 need-based ticket. Purchase tickets here. Join Laurie Berkner for an 80+min LIVE interactive, solo, virtual performance for the whole family! Sing, dance, & play games through your device with Laurie as she performs favorite songs, interacts with you through the screen, & brings in a few surprises – from her house to yours! Your ticket gives you access to BOTH shows (12p & 5pET – so pick which works best or come to both!) and helps the Berkner team continue operations while we can’t tour!
Outdoor Skills: Fire Building in Marine Park
Sunday March 28th 1-2p. Free. Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center. Our Urban Park Rangers are well versed in outdoor lore. Learn tips and tricks that will enhance your knowledge of the natural world, and might just save your life. Fire is mankind’s greatest discovery. Learn primitive and modern methods for making fire safely and responsibly while exploring the great outdoors. Note: Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
Coastal Scavenger Hunt in Rockaway Beach
Sunday March 28th 2-3p. Free. Location: Beach 86th Street. Join the Urban Park Rangers on Rockaway Beach to explore the ecological diversity of our coastal shorelines. You never know what you may observe on this exploration of clues left behind by some of the species that call this area their home. Note: Participants may be designated an alternate estimated program start time due to capacity. Please see the website for Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Friday March 26th 4p & Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until April 11th (none 4/4) and see website for additional performances during Spring break. 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 August 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. Worlds Beyond Earth at the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater is now open with limited seating to maintain health and safety. See all the details here.
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.