Hi everyone! Trees and flowers are starting to bloom and there are lots of new outdoor fun events to enjoy this weekend.
This weekend check out outdoor events like a Play:ground Free Pop-up Play Day at Commodore Barry Park, Welcome Spring Scavenger Hunt + Seed Swap at Old Stone House, Urban Farm Volunteers at Randall’s Island Park, Outdoor Skills: Fire Making in Fort Greene Park, Nature Exploration: Frogs at Greenbelt Nature Center, Urban Park Ranger Volunteer Litter Clean-Up in Marine Park, Sounds from Scotland in Bryant Park, Hopalong Andrew Outdoor Concerts and the last weekend of Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt at Aviator Sports and Events Center. There are fun virtual events happening this weekend like the last L.O.S. Kids virtual concert with “Pictures at an Exhibition! – Mussorgsky and Friends”, Family Workshop: Greek Out with George O’Connor at the Morgan and the Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra: Petra and Wolfe.
Also check out the opening of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Luna Park, Staten Island Children’s Museum and other long running events like Reflect at Domino Park, Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks, The Nature of Color Exhibit and Worlds Beyond Earth at the American Museum of Natural History and the last weekend of Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society Museum.
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.
Have a wonderful weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday April 9th
Hopalong Andrew Outdoor Concerts (various locations)
Friday-Sunday 11a. Drop in. $20/family. Socially distanced. Grownups mask, use discretion with little ones. Weather permitting. BRING: picnic blanket (still muddy out there); instruments, cowboy hat, a colorful scarf to twirl. Friday in Central Park, Saturday in Fort Greene Park & Sunday in Prospect Park. Schedule subject to change! Check his Instagram or Facebook page morning of for weather updates. Additional concerts Monday-Thursday. See website for details.
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park Blessing of the Rides (Coney Island)
Friday April 9th 11a blessing of the rides. Park is open weekends only April/May 11a-6p. Memorial Day through Labor Day open 7 days a week at 11a. Please see website for all the details and to make reservations.
Luna Park Opening Weekend (Coney Island)
Friday April 9th 1130a-7p and weekends 11a-7p. Luna Park is now an Admission Amusement Park. All guests entering will need to reserve an Admission Writstband for 2 hour unlimited access. See the website for all the information.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday April 10th
L.O.S. Kids: “Pictures at an Exhibition! – Mussorgsky and Friends” [sponsored]
Streaming begins Saturday April 10th. The Little Orchestra Society’s 2020-2021 streamed season of L.O.S. KIDS continues with “Pictures at an Exhibition! – Mussorgsky and Friends”. Now in a new streamed format, the innovative L.O.S. concert series is a fantastic way to introduce kids (ages 3-10) to great composers and help them develop a love of orchestral music right in their own homes. This year’s programs are bringing to life a Halloween-themed concert, Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel, the music of Dvořák, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for a new generation. Each program introduces the audience to composers as people, with selections from their most cherished works, ways in which their music is unforgettable, and fundamentals of music through audience participation. “Pictures at an Exhibition! — Mussorgsky and Friends,” will begin streaming on Saturday, April 10th. It will feature the musicians of The Little Orchestra Society led by Artistic Advisor David Alan Miller, special guest soloists, dancers, and visual artists, our friend Professor Clifford O. Treblemaker, and Modest Mussorgsky himself! L.O.S. KIDS streamed concerts are available for the 2020-21 season with an L.O.S. Membership. Memberships begin at $199. For Membership details, visit littleorchestra.org/memberships
Opening Day! at Staten Island Children’s Museum
Saturday April 10th 10a-12n & 1-3p. Admission: $8/person. The Staten Island Children’s Museum will reopen with two sessions each Saturday and Sunday. The first session runs from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and the second session from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. We strongly encourage visitors to book tickets online in advance to ensure admittance and limit one-on-one contact.
Outdoor Skills: Fire Making in Fort Greene Park
Saturday April 10th 11a-12n. Free. Fort Greene Park Visitor Center. Registration is required. To register, please visit the Urban Park Rangers Registration Page. All programs are family friendly, but are recommended for ages 8 years and older. 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. Please see the website for Covid-19 protocols.
Play:ground Free Pop-up Play Day at Commodore Barry Park (Fort Greene)
Saturdays April 10th & 17th 12n-3p. Please join Play:ground at an outdoors pop up series if weather permitting. They will take place at the small basketball court adjacent to the playground at Commodore Barry Park, Flushing Avenue. These events provide young people with the opportunity to use their imaginations to build and create through self-directed, loose parts play, and to make their own decisions on how to use materials, space, and time. Our pop-ups utilize found and recycled materials, including cardboard boxes, fabric, markers, string, tape, and more. play:groundNYC encourage collaborative playing, problem solving, building, drawing, folding, shaping, stacking, laughing, creating and destroying. Come join the fun! Please note, we will be following Covid protocols and the Parks Department’s safety plan. Masks are required.
Sounds from Scotland in Bryant Park (Midtown)
Saturday April 10th 1230-2p. Free. The American Scottish Foundation presents “Sounds from Scotland”, bringing pipers and dancers together as a part of the Celebration of New York Tartan Week! Performances by: Members of the NYU Pipe Band, Saffron United Pipe Band & Shot of Scotch. All visitors must wear a mask and maintain social distance in the performance area.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday April 11th
Welcome Spring Scavenger Hunt + Seed Swap at Old Stone House (Park Slope)
April 11th 10a-12n. Free to attend. Come down to the Park 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
Urban Park Ranger Volunteer Litter Clean-Up in Marine Park
Sunday April 11th 11a-12n. Free. Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center. Registration is required for this program. Please visit, the Urban Park Ranger Registration Page. Ready to take the first step in protecting our planet? There’s no better way to contribute to a cleaner and healthier community than by volunteering. Join the Urban Park Rangers and fellow community members to clean and beautify The Salt Marsh.
Family Workshop: Greek Out with George O’Connor at the Morgan (virtual)
Sunday April 11th 2-315p. Tickets: Free; limited availability, advance registration is required. Family workshops are designed for adults and children to enjoy together. Recommended for children ages 7–14. No experience required. Please note that the program will take place online. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions on how to participate using Zoom.
Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra: Petra and Wolfe! (virtual)
Sunday April 11th 3-345p. Free. For ages 3-10. Register here. The Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra, under the direction of Dorothy Savitch presents Petra & Wolfie: A modern Brooklyn adaption of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf! This program is part of NY Music Month Extended Play, an initiative of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. Join us online for our zany family concert, with new live footage and highlights from last year’s beloved show. Featuring the Conservatory’s 65-member orchestra, the hilarious Lorinne Lampert and Francis Heaney, and a fantastic live Q&A with orchestra members.
Nature Exploration: Frogs at Greenbelt Nature Center (Staten Island)
Sunday April 11th 730-9p. Free. Registration is required. To register, please visit the Urban Park Rangers registration page. Join the Urban Park Rangers as we listen for frog calls and identify frog species in the Greenbelt. All the data we collect will contribute to a community citizen science project called FrogWatch. See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Green Meadows Farm Easter Egg Hunt at Aviator Sports and Events Center
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-4p until April 11th. 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!
Urban Farm Volunteers at Randall’s Island Park
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-1p until April 24th. Free. Location: Urban Farm, 11 Wards Meadow Loop. Advance registration required through Eventbrite. Help us keep our urban farm running in tip-top shape! Volunteer with our Urban Farm Crew! Opportunities to help with the day to day operations may include: Weeding, Planting, Mulching & Composting and similar farm tasks! Volunteers of all backgrounds and experience are welcome to join us. No farming-skills are necessary! Staff will provide volunteers with task overview and tools. Note: Minors (14-17) years of age must also have a parent or guardian-signed Liability and Photo Consent Form. See website for all the details.
Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until April 11th. 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.
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.
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.