Hi everyone! August is flying along so head out and enjoy another fun weekend in NYC!
This weekend check out Summer Streets in NYC, the Reopening Day at the NY Transit Museum, Double Dutch in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Jazz Fest in Fort Greene Park, Karaoke & Fireworks on Coney Island, Movies Under the Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon at Sunset Park, Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green, Queensboro Dance Festival’s Summer Sundays: West African Dance with Fanike in Socrates Sculpture Park, Virtual Stomp, Clap & Sing with Aly Sunshine from Funkytown Playground, Movie Night: Frozen 2 in Alley Pond Park, NYCCC Presents Chinese Dance in the Parks in Columbus Park Pavilion, Outdoor Skills: Orienteering in Prospect Park, Pop-Up Performance: Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra at Brooklyn Museum and the 40th Annual Battery Dance Festival in Wagner Park.
Also check out long running events like the Sand Celebration at Brookfield Place, Camp Kids: Puppets, Crafts and Magic in Bryant Park, 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, Free Bike Mornings and The Yard – Adventure Playground on Governors Island, Putting Green Mini Golf and The 3 Wishes and 3 Little Lambs at Puppetworks.
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 fantastic weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday August 13th
Stomp, Clap & Sing with Aly Sunshine from Funkytown Playground (virtual)
Friday August 13th 2-245p. Free. RSVP here. Aly Sunshine is an integrated, educational, music and movement program designed for kids. Aly performs interactive songs that are designed to educate by utilizing melodies that are catchy and fun! Also check out a live performance Saturday August 14th at 11a in Highland Park.
Double Dutch in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Friday August 13th 6-8p. Free. Advanced registration is no longer required for this event. Walk up only.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.
Karaoke & Fireworks on Coney Island
Fridays Fireworks Show at 945pm & Karaoke 7-11p until September 3rd. FREE FUN in Coney Island! Enjoy singing karaoke with family and friends on the Boardwalk in front of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park. Then watch the Fireworks illuminate the sky!
Movie Night: Frozen 2 in Alley Pond Park
Friday August 13th 810-955p. Free. Location: Parking lot. Enjoy this outdoor film screening in Alley Pond Park Park with your friends and family! Please bring your own lawn chair or blanket. Frozen 2: Elsa the Snow Queen has an extraordinary gift — the power to create ice and snow. But no matter how happy she is to be surrounded by the people of Arendelle, Elsa finds herself strangely unsettled. After hearing a mysterious voice call out to her, Elsa travels to the enchanted forests and dark seas beyond her kingdom — an adventure that soon turns into a journey of self-discovery.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday August 14th
Summer Streets in NYC
Saturdays August 14th 7a-1p. Free. NYC’s original seven miles of open streets returns for 2021! Summer Streets is a multi-day, annual car-free event held in August. This event takes place in Manhattan between the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park. Nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are open for people to play, run, walk, and bike along Park Avenue and its connecting streets. NYC DOT hosts free public art installations, performances and activities at four Rest Stops along the route. Partners may include city agencies, nonprofit organizations, performers and visual artists. Activities promote fitness and outdoor recreation. See the website for all the event details.
Reopening Day at the NY Transit Museum (Downtown Brooklyn)
Saturday August 14th 11a-4p. Museum hours will be Fridays-Sundays 11a-4p. All visitors, including members, must reserve tickets online in advance. Tickets: $10 adults, $5 children (2-17) & seniors 62+. The New York Transit Museum is excited to welcome visitors back to our Court Street station home. For the health and safety of our visitors and staff, they have updated their schedule and policies. Go to the website for all the information on Covid-19 protocols.
Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green (UES)
Saturday August 14th 1-3p. Free. Location: Litwin Field at Asphalt Green’s Upper East Side campus. It’s hot, hot, hot! Don’t let the soaring summer temperatures discourage you from enjoying the outdoors. Cool off by splashing around in Asphalt Green’s sprinklers!Sprinkler Day is back with two summer dates. That means double the wet and wild fun. Kick off your flip-flops and enjoy free outdoor play in our high-powered sprinklers. You just can’t beat summers at Asphalt Green!
Jazz Fest in Fort Greene Park
Saturday August 14th 3-7p. Free. RSVP here to reserve tickets. Location: This event will take place on the eastern plaza of the monument, near to the visitor’s center. On Saturday, August 14th, join us for the long running Fort Greene Park Jazz fest, now in its 11th year! Hosted by Eric Fraizer, come to hear music from some of Fort Greene’s historic jazz ensembles.
Movies Under the Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon at Sunset Park
Saturday August 14th 815-1030p. Free. Join NYC Parks and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment for a free film! Grab a blanket and come enjoy a movie in a neighborhood park or playground! This summer, NYC Parks will host family-friendly movie showings across the five boroughs. Movies begin at dusk. You should arrive before 8:15 p.m. to get your spot. This event is FREE and open to the public, but seating is limited. Reservations are not taken. A warrior called Raya is eager to discover the last dragon living in a realm called Lumandra. The alternate version of Earth is occupied by an old civilization. Rated PG.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday August 15th
Outdoor Skills: Orienteering in Prospect Park
Sunday August 15th 10-11a. Free. Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse. 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. Join the Urban Park Rangers on our Orienteering program and learn how to read a compass and map to help guide your way in the forest.
Queensboro Dance Festival’s Summer Sundays: West African Dance with Fanike in Socrates Sculpture Park
Sunday August 15th 11a-12n. Free. No RSVP or pre-registration required. The Queensboro Dance Festival presents Summer Sundays at Socrates, a family-friendly class series led by various Queens-based dance groups. Jump in on a high-energy, uplifting, West African dance class with teacher Fanike accompanied by live drumming.
NYCCC Presents Chinese Dance in the Parks in Columbus Park Pavilion (Chinatown)
Sunday August 15th 11a-1p. Free. We are excited to present FREE shows in Manhattan Chinatown this August to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival and the revitalization of NYC. These performances are supported by GREEN / ARTS LIVE NYC and NYSCA’s Restart NY program.
Pop-Up Performance: Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra at Brooklyn Museum
Sunday August 15th 2-4p. This event is free and takes place outdoors. Drop by our plaza to hear string players from the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra perform a festive, family-friendly selection of music by Vivaldi, Mozart, Copland, and Tchaikovsky, led by Associate Conductor Felipe Tristan.
40th Annual Battery Dance Festival in Wagner Park (Battery Park City)
Sunday-Friday August 15th-20th 7-9p. The Battery Dance Festival is New York City’s longest-running free public dance festival. Each year, the Festival draws a combined audience of over 12,000 in-person and over 35,000 virtual viewers. See the website for information on the dancers.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
The 3 Wishes and 3 Little Lambs at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Fridays 1230p and Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until August 22nd. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each. Suggested for 2 and up. The 3 Wishes a double-feature with 3 Little Lambs (a reimagining of The 3 Little Pigs) adapted for Hand Puppets by Nicolas Coppola. Call for reservations: 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com. Masks required to protect the unvaccinated (especially children).
Sand Celebration at Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Daily until August 14th. Free. Celebrate beach season at Brookfield Place with the tallest sand castle in New York City. The Sand Celebration begins on July 23 with world-renowned, professional sand sculptor Matt Long crafting a sandcastle that will “shore-ly” delight visitors of all ages. The live sculpting process will continue through July 26, with the completed sculpture on view from July 27 – August 14. Pick up paper and crayons at the BFPL concierge, just inside at 230 Vesey Street, to draw the sandcastle! Tag your photos and drawings at @BFPLNY for the chance to be featured.
Putting Green Mini Golf (Williamsburg)
Mondays-Wednesday 12n-8p, Thursdays-Sundays 10a-8p. Admissions: $10 adults, $5 kids/seniors (Wednesdays before 5p & Saturdays before 1p $5 adults, $2 kids/seniors). All profits will be donated to local nonprofit organizations addressing climate change in NYC. PUTTING GREEN is an 18-hole mini golf course open to the public on the waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This neighborhood pop-up is designed to showcase the problems and solutions for some of the most pressing climate change issues facing our planet. Each of the 18 holes has been designed by a community partner, including artists and designers, community and school groups, environmental advocacy organizations and public agencies. See website for all the 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.
Camp Kids: Puppets, Crafts and Magic in Bryant Park
Saturdays-Sundays 12n-230p until August 22nd. 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 December 5, 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.