Hi everyone! The Summer is flying and there are so many fun things to enjoy this weekend with the family!
This weekend check out City of Water Day, Open Studios Residency Finale and Double Dutch in Brooklyn Bridge Park, 24th Annual Sandcastle Contest in Rockaway Beach, SummerStarz Movies: The Croods: A New Age in Transmitter Park, the Reopening Weekend of New York Hall of Science, 4th Annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day in Bayswater Park, Anver Entertainment Presents: City Point Cirque, Kids Fitness With Zing! in Bryant Park, Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats at Gerritsen Beach Brooklyn Public Library, Puppetmobile: Puppet Time in Forest Park, Movies Under the Stars: 3rd Annual Public School Film Festival in Sunset Park, Little Feet Wise Heart Yoga: HeartMind Kids Yoga, Tee Time at Brooklyn Commons and Movies Under the Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon in Dyker Beach Park.
Also check out long running events like Camp Kids: Puppets, Crafts and Magic in Bryant Park, The Wizard of Oz at Puppetworks, The Nature of Color Exhibit and Worlds Beyond Earth at the American Museum of Natural History, Urban Farm Exploration Days! in Randall’s Island Park, Splash Pad in Prospect Park, Tall Ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport and Free Bike Mornings and The Yard – Adventure Playground on Governors Island.
These are just some of the weekend events so check 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 July 9th
Reopening Weekend of New York Hall of Science
Now open Thursdays, Fridays & Sundays: 10am-5pm, Saturdays: 10am-6pm. Closed Monday – Wednesday. General admission: $16 adults, $13 children. Book tickets here. NYSCI are thrilled to announce that they will officially re-open our doors to the public on Thursday, July 8th! We can’t wait to welcome you back to a refreshed and renovated NYSCI with brand new exhibits like The Happiness Experiment, exciting new art installations, classic favorites like Rocket Park Mini Golf and Connected Worlds, and so much more. See the website for information on Covid-19 protocols.
Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats at Gerritsen Beach Brooklyn Public Library
Friday July 9th 2-245p. Free. We’re so excited to invite you to dance and sing with the wonderful Lucy Kalantari! We’ll be having an outdoor, socially-distanced concert and you are invited! Don’t forget to wear your most festive and fun mask.
Double Dutch in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Friday July 9th 6-8p (postponed from July 2nd) and the first Friday of August. Free. Capacity will be limited to 45 participants. Advanced registration and waivers are required, although walk-up registrations can be accommodated as space allows. Register here. The public is invited to jump Double Dutch with experienced Coach Kizzy Samuel-Parsons! A fun and social fitness opportunity, participants will experience a socially-distanced jump rope class that teaches the fundamentals of street-style and competitive jump rope. Location: rain or shine at the Pier 2 Ping Pong Table sheltered area.
SummerStarz Movies 2021: The Croods: A New Age in Transmitter Park (Greenpoint)
Fridays at 8p until August 13th. While the movie are free, you still need to reserve your FREE TICKET here due to covid policies. SummerStarz is a series of 6 free, wonderful family-friendly movies at Transmitter Park presented by Town Square, a local nonprofit organization. Also a great idea for date night! Come early to snag a good spot on the grass. Enjoy the gorgeous Brooklyn waterfront until the movie starts at sunset. Can’t wait! July 9 – The Croods: A New Age
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday July 10th
City of Water Day (various location)
Saturday July 10th day-long event. Free. Now in its 14th year, City of Water Day is a free day-long celebration of the waters that surround us. The festival attracts more than 25,000 participants to enjoy our waterways, raise awareness about the risk we all face from sea level rise and climate change, and champion a resilient New York and New Jersey Harbor. Dozens of organizations will be hosting In Your Neighborhood events at their local waterfronts. From free kayaking to rowing to hands-on workshops, In Your Neighborhood events offer throughout our region’s 1600 miles of coastline! Be sure to check out our map to see all of the In Your Neighborhood events taking place throughout the region. Check the website for all the In Your Neighborhood event details.
4th Annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day in Bayswater Park
Saturday July 10th 9a-3p. Free. Location: Bay 32nd Street and Beach Channel Drive. Join NYC Parks and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy to have fun, learn about Jamaica Bay, and help to preserve and protect this important habitat. Activities include kayaking, tours, yoga, and more! Visit the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy website for more information about the festival.
Puppetmobile: Puppet Time in Forest Park
Saturday July 10th 11-1145a & 1-145p. Free. Puppet Time is a family-friendly variety show featuring songs from past Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre performances including Pippi, Peter Pan, Princess, Emperor & The Duck.
Anver Entertainment Presents: City Point Cirque (Downtown Brooklyn)
Saturdays 1130a-1230p until August 28th. Pay what you can (suggested donation: $25/adult, $15/child). Limited seating – advanced reservations recommended. Aerial! Contortion! Juggling! Hula Hoops! Cyr! Our weekly circus and variety show features a rotating cast of Anver’s City Point residency artists performing dazzling acts for kids of all ages. We are producing this show series as part of receiving free rehearsal space from City Point. Please contribute what you can to support local professional circus performers who are still deeply impacted by loss of jobs in the performing arts sector this past year and a half.
Movies Under the Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon in Dyker Beach Park
Saturday July 10th 845-1020p. Free. Location: This event will be held on the lawns near the Comfort Station, adjacent to Independence Avenue and Bay 8th Street. Join NYC Parks and New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment for this free family film! Raya and the Last Dragon: This Disney exciting, animated adventure follows a young warrior princess who sets out to find a missing dragon and gain her help in seeking parts of a gem that would banish the evil Druun from the land and reunite the tribes. This wonderful fantasy film is written by Qui Nguyen (Dispatches from Elsewhere) and Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians) and stars the voices of Kelly Marie Tran (The Croods: A New Age), Awkwafina (The Farewell), Izaac Wang (Good Boys), Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians), Daniel Dae Kim (New Amsterdam), Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Thalia Lucille Soong (Fresh Off the Boat), and Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien).
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday July 11th
Kids Fitness With Zing! in Bryant Park
Sundays 930-1030a until July 25th. Free. Location: Fifth Avenue Terrace. Each class is geared towards kids 5-12y, but children younger than that can join with parent participation. Zing! is a fun-powered experience to help kids (and parents!) feel amaZING through movement, mindset, and play. Zing! fitness & confidence classes are educational, interactive, charged with positivity, and are known for generating lots of smiles! Each class starts with a warm-up, continues with circuits of total body, creative exercises designed for kids to love, a Zinger! (our high energy athletic finishers), a celebratory party, and a cool-down. Kids (and parents!) will finish class feeling like absolute rockstars. All participants will receive a special Zing! Star Certificate of achievement at the end of each class. All you need for class is water, lightweight clothes to move in (shorts, t-shirt, tank, etc.) sneakers, and a positive attitude. No equipment is required, but a fitness/yoga mat and sweat towel are highly recommended.
Open Studios Residency Finale at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sunday July 11th 10a-2p. Free. The 2021 Open Studios Residency will culminate on Sunday at Harbor View Lawn! Join our inaugural Artists-in-Residence Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Experimental Dance Ensemble (10:00am-12:00pm) and Fogo Azul NYC (12:00-2:00pm) as they will present performances of their original work developed during their residencies in the Park. The public is welcome to join interactive workshops following each group’s final showcase.
24th Annual Sandcastle Contest in Rockaway Beach
Sunday July 11th 11a-2p. Free. Location: Beach 117th Street. Show off your sand-sculpting prowess, or admire others’ handiwork at this 24th annual contest. Win prizes for several age categories. BYO buckets and tools. No experience necessary.
Little Feet Wise Heart Yoga: HeartMind Kids Yoga (Virtual)
Sundays 4-450p until August 15th. $15/class. Register here. Join us to connect in a different way, as we create community and practice yoga together virtually. Open for ages 5 years and up, we’ll bring our stories, our moves and have fun together. A unique mix of games, breath work and mindfulness – students will practice the art of FLYING on the mat, going UPSIDE DOWN and even sideways to build strength and inner focus, then ease into savasana, to rest minds and bodies. Most importantly, students learn essential skills in learning how to calm the mind and harness their energy to find stillness within.
Movies Under the Stars: 3rd Annual Public School Film Festival in Sunset Park
Sunday July 11th 830-1130p. NYC Parks, The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and the New York City Department of Education present the 3rd Annual New York City Public School Film Festival, which showcases the talent and diversity of our students voices citywide. Thirty-two student films from public schools citywide were selected in the categories of Feature/Narrative, Animation, Experimental, PSA Advocacy and Documentary by a panel of NYC Public School Film Festival teachers and media professionals. Please join us for a special screening of their films. Find out more about the NYC Public School Film Festival here. See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Tee Time at Brooklyn Commons (Downtown Brooklyn)
Daily 11a-8p until July 11th . Free. For ages 5+. Location: Brooklyn Commons Park (formerly known as Metro ech Commons). Putt putt your way through this 7-hole mini golf course. Grab a friend & make a day of it at Brooklyn Commons at MetroTech Center! There is no pre-registration to play; ticket times are offered on a first come first served basis. See the website for the event details.
Splash Pad in Prospect Park
Ongoing 10a-7p until September 6th. Free. Location: LeFrak Center at Lakeside. The Splash Pad, named Best of New York by New York Magazine, is Prospect Park’s largest water play area, with 47 water spray jets covering 16,000 square feet to provide hours of warm-weather fun. Open free to the public for children 12 years of age and under in season.
The Wizard of Oz at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Ongoing Fridays 1230p and Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until August 1st. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each. Suggested for 3 and up. The Wizard of Oz, L Frank Baum’s American classic with an original song score adapted for marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. Call for reservations(recommended, due to the 50% capacity): 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com. Masks required to protect the unvaccinated (especially children).
Camp Kids: Puppets, Crafts and Magic in Bryant Park
Saturdays-Sundays 12n-230p until August 22nd (none 7/4). Free. Location: Upper Terrace near the William Cullen Bryant monument. Join Bryant Park for a fun filled afternoons with music, magic, puppet shows, and science projects, plus arts and crafts between shows! 12n puppet show, 1p arts & crafts & 130p music. Go to the website to see information on the performers.
Tall Ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport
Open Friday-Sundays 11a-5p through October 2021. The permanently-moored 1885 tall ship Wavertree will be open to the public for FREE with timed entry, from at Pier 16 (Fulton and South Streets). Visits will be self-guided along a set route and will include access to the main deck and quarter deck. Learn how people worked and lived aboard a 19th century cargo sailing vessel, from the captain to the ship’s officers, cooks, and crew. Then visit the cargo hold and stand atop the viewing platform where you can take in the massive main cargo area.The Museum will allow no more than 150 guests on board the ship at any time to encourage social distancing from different households. All guests above the age of 2 will be required to wear a face covering at all times aboard Wavertree and at the Museum’s pop-up gift shop. Reserve tickets here.
The Carousel in Prospect Park
Thursdays-Sundays 12n-5p. Tickets are $2.50 or book of 5 for $11.50. The Prospect Park Carousel + Pony Express Snack Bar open on April 29! COVID-19 Update: The Prospect Park Carousel is open with COVID-19 protocols in place, including social distancing, enhanced cleaning and reduced capacity on the ride. Tickets are first come, first served.
Free Bike Mornings on Governors Island
Mondays-Fridays 10a-12n. Free. Blazing Saddles offers bikes, surreys, pedal cars, scooters and more for rental. Free Bike Mornings allow visitors to borrow a bike from Blazing Saddles for free for up to one hour every weekday between 10 AM and noon. Come visit Blazing Saddles at the north end of Colonels Row and bike the Island! This year you need a reservation for the ferry. See the website for all the details.
The Yard – Adventure Playground on Governors Island
Saturdays-Sundays 12n-4p. Free. Welcome back to The Yard, New York City’s only adventure playground! The Yard offers free weekend play with Covid safety protocols in place. The Yard is a kids-only space recommended for young people ages 6 to 18, stewarded by trained playworkers. The Yard supplies young people with loose parts materials for building, exploring, imagining and destroying. Rules and more information: No more than 35 children at a time will be allowed in The Yard. Children must be over 5 years old. Masks are required. Shoes: Closed-toe shoes are required. play:groundNYC has a limited selection of loaner shoes on site. See the website for the waiver.
Urban Farm Exploration Days! in Randall’s Island Park
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-4p until October 17th. Free. Explore the Randall’s Island Urban Farm’s variety of crops, rice paddies, fragrant herbs, and meet the chickens too! All ages welcome!
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.