Hi everyone! So much to do this weekend in NYC so get ready to have lots of fun with the family!
This weekend check out Beam Center: Inventgenuity Festival on Governors Island, Farmhouse Family Day; Beautiful Bees at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, Stairwell Theater: “Henry VI: Part 1” and Yankee Doodle Defeat: The Story of the Battle of Brooklyn at Old Stone House, Journey to the Stars in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Family Movie Night: Raya and the Last Dragon on Randall’s Island, Queensboro Dance Festival’s Summer Sundays: Tinikling Filipino Folk Dance in Socrates Sculpture Park, Fossil Exploration Workshop in Bush Terminal Park, Movie Nights at the Garden: Abominable at Queens Botanical Garden, Great Trees of Tompkins Square Park, Nu Jewish Storylab at Museum of Jewish Heritage, Movies Under the Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon in Seward Park, Nature’s Reflection with Janice Patrignani at Greenbelt Nature Center and a Family Dance Workshop with Ballet Hispánico at Restart Stages at Lincoln Center.
Also check out long running events like the 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.
There are more events going on this weekend so check calendar to see all the events. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Enjoy the weekend with the family!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday August 20th
Family Dance Workshop with Ballet Hispánico at Restart Stages at Lincoln Center (UWS)
Friday August 20th 4p. Free. Seats are available via the TodayTix Lottery. Enter for a chance to win a FREE pod (four seats) starting two weeks before the show. This workshop is a part of the BAAND Together Dance Festival at Restart Stages at Lincoln Center and will be led by Ballet Hispánico Teaching Artist Yvonne Gutierrez. Celebrate the reopening of the city dancing to the beats of Salsa, Mambo, and Cha-cha in a Latin Social Dance Workshop with Ballet Hispánico. This outdoor workshop is designed for the whole family with basic movements that everyone can enjoy and follow. Participants are welcome to bring their own partner, dance solo or in a group, or dance with someone new! Learn the steps and reconnect with your loved ones and the essence of New York City through the joy of dance and Latinx cultures.
Stairwell Theater presents “Henry VI: Part 1” at Old Stone House (Park Slope)
Friday August 20th 730-930p. Free to the public, post-show donations are appreciated. Please register in advance here. Approximately 120 minutes with intermission. What comes of incessant war? The greatest king England has ever known is dead. Now, during the bloody conflict of the One Hundred Years’ War, England enters into a dangerous transfer of power, just as a new champion arises on the French side. Can the English Lord Talbot defeat the young upstart, Joan of Arc? Come see the first play of Shakespeare’s history cycle at the Old Stone House. Featuring puppetry, music, and daring maneuvers, Stairwell Theater’s Henry VI: Part 1 interrogates the subject of foreign wars – and the havoc they wreak on the world. Additional performance dates: Dates: August 22, 26, 27, 28, 29 at 7:30 pm & August 28 at 2:00 pm.
Movie Nights at the Garden: Abominable at Queens Botanical Garden
Friday August 20th 730-1045p. Tickets: $15 adult non-member, $10 member, $12 child non-member, student, senior, individual with disabilities, $8 member, $50 non-member family of 4, $35 member family of 4 (free for children 3 and under). Purchase tickets here. Queens Botanical Garden’s first-ever Movie Nights series turns the urban oasis in Flushing into an outdoor cinema!Experience big screen magic with the beautiful backdrop of golden hour in the evening. In addition to enjoying seasonal, movie-themed food and refreshments and exclusive after-hours access to the Garden, participate in a hands-on craft activity or enjoy a live performance (varies based on featured film). Bring your friends, family, and a blanket or lawn chairs for this quintessential outdoor movie experience! Enjoy botanical-inspired arts and crafts along with this beloved animated film! Our featured craft is Botanical Snowpeople! Create your own little Everest using flower petals and a little magic! Hike to “Everest Mountain Camp Canteen” for an icy treat and buns! Peruse our plant sale to take home a piece of nature!
Journey to the Stars in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Friday August 20th 8-10p and walk up only. Free. Location: Pier 3 Plaza. Come out and see the stars, planets, and the moon from Brooklyn Bridge Park! Gaze across the New York sky and all the wonders it holds. On select Friday nights starting in June through August, members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York will set up hi-powered telescopes for stargazing sessions that are free and open to the public. Weather permitting. Note: This event is first come, first served. There will be a socially-distanced queue to use the telescopes. We recommend arriving as early as possible. See the website for all the details. Future events: August 27.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday August 21st
Nature’s Reflection with Janice Patrignani at Greenbelt Nature Center (Staten Island)
Saturday August 21st 1030a-1230p. Free. For ages 5+. Register here. “Nature’s Reflections” is a nature printmaking workshop presented at the Greenbelt Nature Center in Staten Island. Participants will be invited to take a walk/hike to gather leaves. We will then experiment with printing techniques using what we gathered. Working on a variety of papers and fabrics, participants will create components that artist Janice Patrignani will use for a fiber arts mural as well as art work to keep for themselves.
Farmhouse Family Day: Beautiful Bees at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum
Saturday August 21st 11a-3p. Free. Register on Eventbrite. Family Day is always free for all ages. Take a break from this hot and rainy August weather as we learn about the importance of bees and how they affect our everyday life. Bring your own bee to life with some simple, easy to use materials right here in our museum! Enjoy lawn games, colonial-era toys, a farm tour, or just a socially distanced picnic on the lawn. See the website for all the event details and for Covid-19 protocols.
Beam Center: Inventgenuity Festival on Governors Island
Saturday-Sunday August 21s-22nd 11a-5p. Location: Nolan Park Lawn. Admission is free, but registration is required. Fee for ferries. See the website for details. Beam Center’s Inventgenuity Festival is back and better than ever! Designed for kids ages 6 and up, this year’s festival activities include ceramics, astronomy, bell making, storytelling and electronics. It will also feature the grand opening of CONSTELLATION and performances for the whole family.
Yankee Doodle Defeat: The Story of the Battle of Brooklyn at Old Stone House (Park Slope)
Saturday August 21st 6-7p. Free. Register here. A celebration of one of the most spectacular defeats in American history.LIVE MUSIC! FIREWORKS! HISTORY! Only in Brooklyn could such an absolute failure lead to one of the greatest triumphs of the war. Combining traditional storytelling with live action reenactment, musical accompaniment, and audience participation, “Yankee Doodle Defeat” is the evening kick-off event to 2021’s Brooklyn Battle Week. Come for the lecture, stay for the music, and get George Washington’s autograph. Join us for what promises to be a historic night to remember. On the Lawn, Bring Your Own Chair or Blanket.
Movies Under the Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon in Seward Park (Lower East Side)
Saturday August 21st 8-1030p. This event is FREE and open to the public, but seating is limited. Reservations are not taken. Join NYC Parks and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment for a free film! Raya and the Last Dragon: Kumandra is a place where humans and dragons peacefully coexist. When sinister monsters called the Druun threaten the community, however, the dragons readily make a sacrifice to save the human race. Hundreds of years later, the same threat returns. It is up to Raya, a lone warrior, to stop them once and for all. She tracks down the last dragon alive. But as she embarks on her journey, she realizes that it will take more than a dragon and its magic to save her world. Rated PG. 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 8p to get your spot.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday August 22nd
Fossil Exploration Workshop in Bush Terminal Park
Sunday August 22nd 10-11a. Registration is required for this program. To register, visit the Urban Park Ranger registration page here. The rocks that make up the jetty at Bush Terminal Piers Park are full of tiny fossils. Learn how they formed, how they got to Brooklyn, and see them up close.
Queensboro Dance Festival’s Summer Sundays: Tinikling Filipino Folk Dance in Socrates Sculpture Park
Sunday August 22nd 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. On Sunday join teacher Karesia Batan to learn a popular national dance of the Philippines where dancers gracefully hop through bamboo poles to mimic the tinikling bird.
Great Trees of Tompkins Square Park (East Village)
Sunday August 22nd 1-2p. Free. Location: Saint Marks Place and Avenue A. Trees have a special place in our environment. Join us for a hike of Tompkins Square Park in search of different species and learn some ways to identify these trees during the summer season.
Nu Jewish Storylab at Museum of Jewish Heritage (Battery Park City)
Sunday August 22nd 1p. This program, intended for kids of all ages and their families, will be held live in the Museum’s Edmond J. Safra Hall. To attend the program in person (limited capacity), register here. To attend the program from home by watching the livestream, register here. Both in person and virtual attendance are free, but a $10 suggested donation helps enable us to present programs like this one. Nu Words is Tracy Einstein and Richie Barshay, two music and theater artists with a passion for arts education. Their engaging performances of storytelling, poetry, drumming, and movement dazzle audiences and young people worldwide. Join the Museum for the premiere of Nu Words’ “Nu Jewish Storylab,” a rhythm and movement exploration of Jewish children’s stories from traditional to cutting edge.
Family Movie Night: Raya and the Last Dragon on Randall’s Island
Sunday August 22nd 8-10p. Free. Location: Field 80. Movie night is back! Bring your family, friends, and a blanket and enjoy a night under the stars while watching Raya and the Last Dragon. The movie starts at 8p, join us before for games, crafts and snacks. Free snacks will be provided as supplies last, drinks and snacks will also be available for purchase.
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).
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.