Hi everyone! There is so much to do in October so head out and enjoy a lovely Fall weekend in NYC!
This weekend check out the Annual Harvest Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Kids Monster Mash: Halloween Party at Industry City, the Court Street Spectacular, Movies Under the Stars SHOCKTOBERFEST: The Addams Family at Commodore Barry Park, The Center for Fiction’s Family Day at The Plaza at 300 Ashland, A Happy Henson Halloween at the Museum of the Moving Image, Dan + Claudia Zanes YouTube Video Premiere with The Jewish Museum, the 6th Annual “Batty Over Halloween” Celebration in Astoria Park, Pumpkin Pointon Governors Island, Shocktoberfest in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Movies Under the Stars: The Craft: Legacy at Maria Hernandez Park, Little Red’s Hood in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, QPL: Bilingual Birdies Storytime Class in Mandarin Storytime and Michael Hearst & His Band: Unusual Creatures, Extraordinary People, Curious Constructions, & Unconventional Vehicles at Old Stone House.
Check out long running events like The Amazing Maize Maze and the Pumpkin Farm at Queens County Farm Museum, Village Ghost Tours at Historic Richmond Town, 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, Tall Ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport, The Yard – Adventure Playground on Governors Island, the Putting Green Mini Golf, Green Meadows Farm: Pumpkin Picking Weekends at Aviator Sports and Events Center, Pumpkin Picking at Historic Richmond Town’s Decker Farm and the Pumpkin Patch at Queens Botanical Garden.
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 October 22nd
Queens Public Library: Bilingual Birdies Storytime Class in Mandarin Storytime (virtual)
Fridays 11-1130a until October 29th. Free. Experience the online bilingual magic with music, a dance party, and an entertaining puppet show! In our 30-minute online classes, families enjoy lively fun with Myla Birdie and an outstanding bilingual teaching musician! Kids are encouraged to move, jump, sing, and dance along with their guitar-playing teacher as they increase their vocabulary in Mandarin! Watch on the Queens Public Library Facebook page.
Little Red’s Hood in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Friday October 22nd 11a (in Spanish) & 1p (in 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.
Dan + Claudia Zanes YouTube Video Premiere with The Jewish Museum (virtual)
Friday October 22nd 4-445p. This performance is Free with RSVP, one ticket per household. Heralded duo Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes and jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes will perform a concert of what they like to call “electric folk for all-ages.” Enjoy highlights from their lively and moving repertoire including “Coney Island Avenue,” “Which Side Are You On,” and “Shalom Rav.” In addition, enjoy songs from their new Smithsonian Folkways release, Let Love Be Your Guide, which speaks to important themes related to social justice and coming together as a community for peace.
Movies Under the Stars SHOCKTOBEFEST: The Craft: Legacy at Maria Hernandez Park
Friday October 22nd 615-8p. Free. Join NYC Parks and New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment at SHOCKTOBERFEST for these spooky films! The Craft: Legacy (Rated PG-13): In Blumhouse’s continuation of the cult hit The Craft, an eclectic foursome of aspiring teenage witches get more than they bargained for as they lean into their newfound powers. Know Before You Go: You should arrive before 615p to get your spot for the movie. Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair. Food is OK, but no alcohol or smoking is permitted. All are welcome! See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday October 23rd
Kids Monster Mash: Halloween Party at Industry City (Sunset Park)
Saturday October 23rd 10a-4p. Free. Mommies, zombies, and creepy crawlies have made IC home for the spookiest of seasons. Join IC for IC’s Kids Monster Mash: Halloween Party. Snap a selfie or two with our fall decoration, dance in costume at Rock & Roll Playhouse’s Halloween-themed concert, and get free comics from St. Mark’s Comics! Enter the Instagram Kids Halloween Costume contest by posting your look to your IG main feed tagging @industrycity #ICHalloween2021. See Industry City’s Instagram for T+Cs. Campus-wide COVID-19 protocol enforced.
Pumpkin Point 2021 on Governors Island
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-6p until October 31st. Announcing the return of Pumpkin Point, Governors Island’s annual family friendly pumpkin patch! During the last two weekends of October, Pumpkin Point will bring thousands of pumpkins to Governors Island, transforming historic Nolan Park into a fall wonderland. Visitors are invited to stroll through the expansive pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin to take home in exchange for a small suggested donation. Programming will include free, Halloween and autumn-inspired arts and crafts activities, story-telling, live music and more. A selection of Governors Island vendors will offer seasonally inspired food and beverages on-site, including autumn brews. Click here to book ferry tickets.
Annual Harvest Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday October 23rd 11a-3p. Free. Join us this fall as we celebrate the changing of the seasons at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s annual Harvest Festival! Don’t miss our kick-off procession, arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games and more—including our signature pumpkin patch. Music for the day includes Hudson Horns kicking off the festival New Orleans-style at 11a at Pier 6 Plaza. At 12n, members of Brooklyn Contra will lead a performance and contra-style (swing + square) dance class for all! For the finale at 2p, DJ Likwuid will close the festival with an all-ages dance party. And that’s not all—our Story Lawn features free readings from Brooklyn Public Library at 11a and Drag Queen Story Hour at 12n. Brooklyn Book Bodega will also be on site throughout the entire festival with free books and blankets to borrow. Dennis Kim (a.k.a. The Close-Up Artist), will mystify you with his close-up magic, and circus artist Brianna Kalisch provides a towering spectacle atop her stilts!…and last but not least, our quintessential pumpkin decoration station will be open while supplies last! (To accommodate as many as we can, we ask that families limit themselves to one pumpkin per child). See the website for all the event details and Covid-19 protocols.
Screening & Live Event: A Happy Henson Halloween at the Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria)
Saturday October 23rd 1p and Friday October 29th 3p. Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / Free or discounted ($11) for MoMI members. Join us for a selection of classic monsters, music, and Muppets, including episodes of The Muppet Show featuring Vincent Price and Alice Cooper and other haunting classic clips from Jim Henson’s work. There won’t be tricks, but Jim Henson Legacy President Craig Shemin will introduce the screening and bring along some Muppet treats as gifts for lucky audience members. Note: All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.
Movies Under the Stars SHOCKTOBERFEST: The Addams Family at Commodore Barry Park
Saturday October 23rd 615-745p. Free. Join NYC Parks and New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment at SHOCKTOBERFEST for these spooky films! The Addams Family (2019) Rated PG: Dark hilarity ensues after the Addams family—and their macabre traditions—relocate to suburbia, 21st century New Jersey. As they prepare for a major celebration that involves their extended family, they have to maneuver around the machinations of a devious reality television host. Know Before You Go: You should arrive before 615p to get your spot for the movie. Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair. Food is OK, but no alcohol or smoking is permitted. All are welcome! See the website for Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday October 24th
Court Street Spectacular (Downtown Brooklyn)
Sunday October 24th 11a-6p. Free. Court Street Spectacular Street Fair between Atlantic Avenue and Joralemon Street. Enjoy Brooklyn’s last big street festival of the year! Come take a stroll down Court Street and visit the merchants and vendors, great food and exciting kiddie rides on Court Street. Great fun all day!
The Center for Fiction’s Family Day at The Plaza at 300 Ashland (Downtown Brooklyn)
Sunday October 24th 12n-3p. Free with RSVP. Join us at The Plaza at 300 Ashland across the street from The Center for Fiction for an outdoor celebration of storytelling for young readers, featuring readings and demonstrations from picture book and middle grade authors and illustrators, including Priya Huq, Isabel Roxas, Schele Williams, Katie Yamasaki, and Gracey Zhang. Plus, our booksellers will set up a mobile book fair on the plaza for safe, socially distanced shopping for young people and their caregivers. This event is part of The Center’s KidsRead / KidsWrite program, which annually serves 2,500 students from under-resourced New York City Public Schools with author-led reading and writing events. Upcoming programming includes a free online book discussion of Tracey Baptiste’s The Jumbies and our popular KidsWriting Genre Workshops. We kindly ask that attendees wear masks.
Shocktoberfest in Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Sunday October 24th 12n-3p. Free. Location: Playground for All Children. Join us for our free annual SHOCKTOBERFEST filled with many fun activities including a pumpkin patch, arts and crafts, music, carnival games, and much more. Supplies are limited to 1 pumpkin per child.
6th Annual “Batty Over Halloween” Celebration in Astoria Park
Sunday October 24th 1-4p. Free. The Central Astoria LDC, along with former NYC Council Member Costa Constantinides, proudly invite you to the 6th annual “Batty Over Halloween” Celebration. Come out in your costume for a bewitching afternoon at the Astoria Park Great Lawn. This ‘fang’tastic event is free and open to the general public, and will include a children’s puppet show, musical performances, arts & crafts, balloon art, children’s hand tattoos, as well as Halloween stilt walkers.
Michael Hearst & His Band: Unusual Creatures, Extraordinary People, Curious Constructions, & Unconventional Vehicles at Old Stone House (Park Slope)
SUnday October 24th 4-5p. Michael Hearst and his band present Unusual Creatures, Extraordinary People, Curious Constructions, and Unconventional Vehicles. The performance draws from Michael Hearst’s highly-successful series of books, albums, and PBS series. It is an unusually-geeky musical presentation of some of the most bizarre animals that roam the planet, odd and daring characters, strange structures, and vehicles as loopy as ostrich-drawn wagons.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Pumpkin Farm at Queens County Farm Museum
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).
Pumpkin Patch at Queens Botanical Garden
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-430p until October 31st. Pricing: $10 Adult (pumpkin not includedd, $12 Child 4 and older (includes 1 pumpkin, 1 take home activity kit), FREE for Children 3 and under (pumpkin not included), FREE for Members (pumpkin not included), Additional pumpkins are $6 (pay on-site). The outdoor Pumpkin Patch at the QBG Farm will be full of harvest-themed photo opportunities. Ticket fee includes admission to both the Patch and the Garden. Children (age 4 and older) get to choose their own pumpkin and a grab-and-go craft activity to take home. Be sure to meet and take pictures with the friendly costumed nature creatures roaming the Farm! For adults 21 and older, available are harvest and pumpkin-themed beers and ciders for purchase. Purchase timed entry tickets here.
Village Ghost Tours at Historic Richmond Town (Staten Island)
Fridays-Saturdays 7p & 830p until October 30th. Tickets: $10. From authentic colonial ghost stories to creepy modern-day encounters, Village Ghost Tours explore historic houses by candlelight and delve into folklore and mysteries from the past. This ghost tour is led by costumed storytellers who share their own unexplained and unnerving tales. This one-hour candlelit walking ghost tour takes you through the village and into historic structures after-hours. The tour begins at the Historical Museum and is suitable for ages 8 and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Weather permitting: runs rain or shine, except in cases of severe inclement or cold weather. Pets are not permitted. Purchase tickets here.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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.
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.