Hi everyone! October means lovely cooler weather and lots of fun family events in NYC!
This weekend enjoy the Brooklyn Book Festival: Children’s Day at MetroTech, the Atlantic Antic, Puppetmobile: Little Red’s Hood in Sunset Park, Family Music Concert Series: Shine and the Moonbeams at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, What the Hex?! Witches Party at Books Are Magic, Maze by Moonlight at Queens County Farm Museum, Harvest Festival in Randall’s Island Park, New York CIty Children’s Theater: Storyland Cabaret at Rockefeller Center, Ballet Hispánico: A La Calle Virtual Block Party, Wonderspark Puppets: Three Little Pigs at at Hudson Yards, Cartoonito Mobile Tour at Staten Island Children’s Museum, Virtual Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music Broadcast and Movie Nights at the Garden: Hocus Pocus at Queens Botanical Garden.
Make sure to check out the long running events this month also like The Amazing Maize Maze and the Pumpkin Farm at Queens County Farm Museum, Family Discovery Days at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Rumpelstiltskin 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, Tall Ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport, Free Bike Mornings and The Yard – Adventure Playground on Governors Island, the Putting Green Mini Golf, Green Meadows Farm: Pumpkin Picking Weekends at Aviator Sports and Events Center and Pumpkin Picking at Historic Richmond Town’s Decker Farm.
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 with the family this weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday October 1st
Puppetmobile: Little Red’s Hood in Sunset Park
Friday October 1th 11a (Mandarin) & 1p (English). Free. #LittleRed’sHood is a fresh retelling of the classic ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ tale updated with a modern sensibility that appeals to kids. In this story, Little Red is a smart, young city dweller who is obsessed with her smartphone. Wulfric, a misunderstood wolf with a sweet tooth, crosses paths with Little Red on her travels to deliver her Grandma cupcakes and the trouble begins. This story offers a comical lesson on the importance to disconnect from our digital lives and enjoy real life moment with friends and family.
Pumpkin Farm at Queens County Farm Museum
Starting Friday October 1st and daily until October 30th. Free admission. Hours: Mondays-Fridays 12n-430p and Saturdays-Sundays 10a-430p (closes promptly at 430p). October is pumpkin month at Queens Farm! Enjoy the crisp fall air as you wander through the patch to scoop up the perfect pumpkin. Walk the farm grounds and soak in some New York history – Queens Farm is one of the longest continually farmed sites in New York State, dating back to 1697. (Pumpkins priced by size.) Don’t forget to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag).
What the Hex?! Witches Party at Books Are Magic (Boerum Hill)
Friday October 1st 5-7p. Free. Register here. Ideal for ages 6-12, but all witches are welcome! Calling all witches and warlocks, friends and fiends! Books Are Magic is hosting a Witches Party to kick off spooky season right and celebrate Witches of Brooklyn: What the Hex!? We’ll have spooktivity stations (wandmaking and more!) and a Witches of Brooklyn themed photo booth. Stop on by… IF YOU DARE.
Ballet Hispánico: A La Calle Block Party (virtual)
Friday October 1st 7-8p. Free. Register here. Ballet Hispánico’s crowd-favorite annual event returns in a virtual format, available for audiences nationwide to enjoy the festivities for free! This virtual gathering will be a memorable celebration of Latinx dance, music, art, and cultures, featuring: Excerpts of Arabesque by Vicente Nebrada, Danse Creole by Geoffrey Holderand, and 18+1 by Gustavo Ramírez Sansan, performed by the company, Performances by students of the School of Dance and Performances by Latinx dance companies, including Bombazo Dance Company, Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, and CONTRA-TIEMPO The event will be available on demand on Ballet Hispánico’s YouTube channel through October 15, 2021.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday October 2nd
Cartoonito Mobile Tour at Staten Island Children’s Museum
Saturday October 2nd 10a-4p. Free. Register here. Cartoonito’s Mobile Tour is coming to your town! Cartoonito is a new preschool destination for kids and parents on Cartoon Network and HBO Max. Featuring trusted characters, brand new original series, and lots of laughs, Cartoonito celebrates all that makes preschoolers original and unique. When Cartoonito’s Mobile Tour rolls into town to celebrate, your family is invited to giggle, doodle, and grow, plus receive a FREE backpack filled with school supplies. Cartoonito is distributing 10,000 back-to-school kits nationwide, so bring your kids to build their own backpacks, watch cartoons, and have some fun!
Brooklyn Book Festival: Children’s Day at Brooklyn Commons at MetroTech
Saturday October 2nd 11a-4p. Free. The Brooklyn Book Festival was launched in 2006 as a one-day event to address the need for a free, major literary event that embraced the diverse constituencies of New York City. It has since grown to include 8 days of city-wide Bookend events, its flagship Festival Day with 300 authors and a Literary Marketplace with 250 independent and major publishers, and the BKBF Children’s Day that celebrates childhood reading. See the website for the Children’s Day events. The Festival’s credo is “hip, smart and diverse”. This year’s dates are September 28 – October 5. See the website for all the other Brooklyn Book Festival events.
Harvest Festival in Randall’s Island Park
Saturday October 2nd 12n-3p. Join the Randall’s Island Park Alliance for a free, family-friendly celebration of fall! Activities Include: 12n-3p: Pumpkin decorating, Face painting & glitter tattoos, Farm exploration and harvest sampling, Cider & doughnuts, a Scarecrow contest, and a pop-up shop with Boogie Down Books! 1-3p: Cookie decorating + Boogie Down Storytime featured book: My Autumn Book. Register here. 1-2p: Latin Dance Class. 12n-2p: Live Music by Pete Nater & Associates. Location: Fields 62 & 63 and the Urban Farm
Family Music Concert Series: Shine and the Moonbeams at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Saturday October 2nd 4-6p (performance 430-530p). Tickets: $13 (children under 1 free). Purchase tickets here. Four artists, four messages. Join us this fall at BCM’s first annual “We Got Something to Say” Family Music Series, where Brooklyn families connect to Black artists who are using music to inspire change. Hear what each artist has to say while enjoying dance, food, community art, and award-winning family music. October 2nd: Shine and the Moonbeams mix funk soul with heartfelt sentimentality, and have performed at some of New York’s most prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, SummerStage, and Lincoln Center. Additional performances Saturdays until October 9th. See website for information on the performers.
Maze by Moonlight at Queens County Farm Museum
Saturdays October 2nd & 23rd, Thursday October 28th 530-730p, 730-930p. Advance tickets: $15 and $10 for ages 4-11y (free for ages 3 and under). Purchase tickets here. Navigate The Amazing Maize Maze by the starry night! Bring your flashlight and enjoy the fun. Don’t miss this exclusive event. The adventure begins with a stalk talk to prepare you for the 3-acre challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles and making your way out of this interactive maze. Feel up to the challenge? A visit to Maze by Moonlight is must-see NYC!
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday October 3rd
New York City Children’s Theater: Storyland Cabaret at Rockefeller Center
Sunday October 3rd 11a-12n. Free. RSVP here. Location: Center Plaza. Join New York City Children’s Theater for an afternoon of music and stories at their 25th Anniversary Storyland Cabaret! Celebrating all that New York City has to offer our young ones, NYCCT has partnered with Rockefeller Center to bring you an outdoor performance featuring songs from hit productions, including Wanda’s Monster, Interstellar Cinderella, and more, and upcoming productions Dory Fantasmagory and Honey and Leon! NYCCT’s Storyland Cabaret, written by Barbara Zinn Krieger and directed by Sammy Lopez, is a live performance that celebrates creativity, imagination, and friendship. Note: Attendees will be required to wear masks during the performance, and social distancing at the locations will be mandated.
Atlantic Antic 2021
Sunday October 3rd 12n-6p (rain or shine). Free to attend. Head to Atlantic Avenue from Fourth Ave to the waterfront. Noon to 6pm- rain or shine. Brooklyn’s oldest, best, and most fun festival with entertainment for all ages. Check out the dedicated Kids Zone. Also at 230p at the Community Stage near 4th Ave: the Ninth Annual Ambassador Award will be presented to our great Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. Go to the website for the schedule of events.
Virtual Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music Broadcast
Sunday October 3rd 2-4p. Free. Sign up here to receive the Zoom link 24 hours prior. South Street Seaport Museum’s monthly Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music continues – virtually. From our living rooms and kitchens, and even from the deck of Wavertree, join us for our round-robin of shared sea songs, featuring members of The New York Packet and friends. Listen in, lead or request a song, and belt out the choruses for your neighbors to hear. Hosted by singers from the New York Packet.
Wonderspark Puppets: Three Little Pigs at at Hudson Yards
Sunday October 3rd 3-4p. Free. Register here. Three Little Pigs build their houses of hay, wood and bricks – but will they withstand the Big Bad Wolf? The classic tale retold with hilarious puppet pigs and a silly wolf.
Movie Nights at the Garden: Hocus Pocus at Queens Botanical Garden
Sunday October 3rd 7-10p. 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 a magic show with this screening! Are there enough children in the world to make the Sanderson witches young and beautiful? Find out at our screening of this hilarious Halloween favorite! This film is rated PG.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Pumpkin Picking at Historic Richmond Town’s Decker Farm (Staten Island)
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p until October 31st. Online tickets (with fees): $9 adults 13+, $4 kids 3-12y, under 2 free, $7 members. At the door: $11 adults 13+, $5 kids 3-12y, under 2 free, $9 members. Pumpkin Picking at Historic Richmond Town’s Decker Farm returns Saturday, October 2, with all of your favorite autumnal activities! Search the patch for the perfect pumpkin, learn about 19th century farm life, and indulge in delicious fall food favorites, all without leaving Staten Island! Admission will be by timed entry ONLY, with tickets sold every hour starting at 11a and ending at 4p. Any tickets remaining for each time slot can be purchased on-site on the day-of. Ticket availability is NOT guaranteed for any walk-up sales.Pumpkin Patch: Our pumpkin patch features pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. Complete with photo-ops and fall decorations, you’re sure to experience a picture perfect moment as you decide which pumpkin to take home. (Patch will be set up in socially-distanced fashion. Additional $, pumpkins priced by weight). See the website for all the activities happening.
The Amazing Maize Maze at Queens County Farm Museum
Fridays 12n-430p, Saturdays-Sundays 11a-430p until October 30th and also Monday October 11th 11a-430p. Advance tickets: $12 and $8 for ages 4-11y (free for ages 3 and under). Purchase tickets here. Andy Warhol’s Cow at Quens Farm? This year The Amazing Maize Maze celebrates the genius of Andy Warhol’s pop art in NYC’s only corn maze. The adventure begins with a Stalk Talk to prepare you for the 3-acre challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles, and making your way to Victory Bridge where the full vista of Warhol’s Cow is revealed.
Family Discovery Days at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Fridays & Saturdays 1030a-1230p and also Wednesdays until October 30th (no programs Saturday, October 9). This is a drop-in program for families with children of all ages. Free with Garden admission. Use your senses to explore plants, create nature art, and pot up a plant to take home! Visit the Hamm Children’s Learning Courtyard inside the Discovery Garden for hands-on activities alongside BBG staff. On Saturdays, learn about birds with teens from the Garden Apprentice Program. All programs are outdoors and canceled in inclement weather. Check this webpage for updates. Please note that face coverings are required for all BBG program participants under 12 and those who are not fully vaccinated. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Purchase tickets here.
Green Meadows Farm: Pumpkin Picking Weekends at Aviator Sports and Events Center
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p until October 31st and also Monday October 11th 11a-5p. Admission: $12 per person age two and above. Register here. Make your plans to enjoy a Fall day of farm fun. Visit Green Meadows Farm-friendly animals, have fun on the hayride, pick your own pumpkin, and be delighted by their Fall decorations. Your $12 admission per person includes: free pumpkin, fun hayride, sit on 10 different tractors, BIG!! BIG!! Bulldozer to Operate, bumpy roller slide, Milk “Katie” the Cow, Play in our huge Farm Playground, Plenty of Picnic Tables and so much more! Extra charge: Animal Feed.
Rumpelstiltskin at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Ongoing Fridays 1230p and Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until October 31st. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each. Suggested for 4 and up. Rumpelstiltskin from the Brothers Grimm (1823) adapted for Marionettes 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.
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.
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.