Hi everyone! I hope everyone has been having a great week and ready for another fun & busy weekend with the family here in NYC!
This weekend check out the NEA Jazz Masters: The Music of Thelonious Monk & Horace Silver at Flushing Town Hall, Divi Roxx Kids at BAM, Canstruction at Brookfield Place Outdoor Skills: Shelter Building in Prospect Park, Native American Heritage Month: Lenape Treasure Hunt in Eibs Pond Park, Autumn Dance Celebration at Queens County Farm Museum, ConEd Family Day: Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead in Roger Morris Park, Fall Foliage Hike in Forest Park, the Leaf Fest 2021 in Madison Square Park, Commemoration of the Battle of Fort Washington in Fort Tryon Park, Second Saturdays Trailwork Party + Bike Share at Highbridge Bike Park, a Bilingual Chinese Virtual Storytime by Urban Stages and a Film Forum Jr. Matinee: Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Film Forum.
Also check out long running events like The 3 Wishes and 3 Little Lambs 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, Putting Green Mini Golf and Opening Weekend of Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park.
There are so many events to enjoy 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 November 12th
Opening Weekend of Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park
Rink opened Tuesday November 9th. Hours for covered rink: Monday-Thursday 9a-430p, Friday 9a-7p, Saturday 1-9p, Sunday 1-430p. Open air rink hours: 9a-7p, Friday-Saturday 9a-9p & Sunday 9a-7p. Admission rates: $8 weekday per person, $12 weekend per person. Reserve your desired 90-minute skate session for access to one of our two available ice rinks online now and guarantee your ice time. Skate rentals are available at an additional cost or feel free to bring your own skates. Purchase online today as capacity is limited. To help our young skaters, helpful Skate Aids are available and can be rented in advance or on the day of your visit, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reserve open air rink tickets here and covered rink tickets here.
Canstruction at Brookfield Place (Battery Park City)
Daily 10a-8p until Monday November 15th. Free. An extraordinary annual design competition and the most unique food charity in the world, Canstruction challenges teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to build sculptures made entirely out of unopened cans of food. The large-scale structures are placed on display and later donated to City Harvest for distribution to those in need.
Bilingual Chinese Storytime by Urban Stages (virtual)
Friday November 12th 11a. Free. Welcome to a storytime in your language! Our bilingual artists are excited to share their second languages with early learners and their families. These programs consist of songs, stories, rhymes, puppets, and crafts, intended for bilingual families. Each artist presents their own interactive mix of movement, music, and stories. This is for ages 0-5. Watch on the Queens Public Library Facebook page.
NEA Jazz Masters: The Music of Thelonious Monk & Horace Silver at Flushing Town Hall [sponsored]
Friday November 12th 8p. In-Person Tickets sold out. Virtual Tickets: $20/$15 Members. Legendary Jazz Master Jimmy Owens has curated the program and outstanding lineup for this memorable evening together with Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Producer in Residence, Clyde Bullard. Master Owens (trumpet, flugelhorn) has over forty-five years of experience as a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant. His experience covers a wide range of international musical achievement, which includes extensive work as a studio musician, soloist, bandleader, and composer of orchestral compositions, movie scores, and ballets. Owens is one of the few trumpeters of his generation who played as a sideman with such extraordinary jazz leaders as Lionel Hampton, Hank Crawford, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, Billy Taylor, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Band, among others. Purchase tickets here.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday November 13th
Second Saturdays Trailwork Party + Bike Share at Highbridge Bike Park
Saturday November 13th 10a-3p. Register on Eventbrite. Dig, then ride with us on NYCMTB’s monthly welcome days at Highbridge Park in Manhattan! Bring your friends and family for a day of fun in the woods and learn what it takes to build, maintain, and ride the most progressive urban bike park in America! There will be light trail maintenance tasks for all ages from 10a-12n. All participants, NYCMTB members, or anyone with logged volunteer hours, receive a free 20-minute clinic and a guided ride throughout the trails from 1230-3p. Bikes and helmets provided! Highbridge Park is the home of NYC’s first Mountain Biking Course. The 3-mile course offers trails of varying difficulty from intermediate to expert and a free-ride trail that includes drops, steeps, and berms. The park also features a dirt jump park and pump track, making it a good place to develop different skills at all levels. The course has been featured in national media and is stewarded by volunteers just like you! Make this day your introduction to the park, or to the sport of off-road cycling. Interested volunteers are encouraged to participate regardless of age, ability or gender.
Divi Roxx Kids at BAM (Fort Greene)
Saturday November 13th 1030a & 2p. All tickets: Pay-what-you-wish: $8; $10; $12. For ages 5-7y. Run time: 60 minutes. Purchase tickets here. Grammy-nominated musician and artist Divinity Roxx debuts her first album for kids! An inspirational frontwoman and virtuosic bassist, she shares a dynamic mash-up of hip-hop, rock, and funk. Join the live concert in BAM’s Lepercq Space as Divinity furthers her mission to inspire and empower others through her newly formed production company, Divi Roxx Kids. This event will be held with the health and safety of you and your family as our highest priority. Please visit BAM’s safety protocol page for the most up-to-date information.
Native American Heritage Month: Lenape Treasure Hunt in Eibs Pond Park (Staten Island)
Saturday November 13th 11a-12n. Free. Location: Hanover Avenue and Palma Drive. During Native American Heritage Month, explore the past and present experience of Native Americans. Learn about the Lenape, as we connect the cultural significance of various flora and fauna in the park to the heritage of native people.
Leaf Fest 2021 in Madison Square Park (Midtown East)
Saturday November 13th 11a-2p. Free. Come enjoy an annual leaf fest event. Spend the afternoon with your community and the Madison Square Park Conservancy team as we rake and collect leaves throughout the park. This event will help keep the park clean and green for everyone to enjoy! All ages welcome. The rain date for this program is scheduled for November 14th
ConEd Family Day: Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead in Roger Morris Park (Washington Heights)
Saturday November 13th 1-3p. Tickets are free with registration; maximum of 4 tickets per family. Register here. Location: Outdoors at Morris-Jumel Mansion. Join us as we celebrate this Latin American tradition at the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Today, the neighborhood of Washington Heights is home to many families who came to New York City from places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic, and other countries from Central and South America who brought their traditions with them. Families can make paper sugar skulls and other crafts and help to create a Day of The Dead altar, or ofrenda, by leaving notes or gifts for their ancestors or loved ones. Participants are invited to bring a copy of a photograph of someone they wish to honor with their ofrenda.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday November 14th
Fall Foliage Hike in Forest Park
Sunday November 14th 10-11a. Free. Location: Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South. Discover the nature and beauty of Forest Park on a colorful autumn hike with the Urban Park Rangers. We will take in the scenic views of autumn while learning how to identify some of the foliage.
Outdoor Skills: Shelter Building in Prospect Park
Sunday November 14th 11a-12n. 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. Rangers will teach you different methods of shelter building using natural materials.
Autumn Dance Celebration at Queens County Farm Museum
Sunday November 14th Farm Grounds & Market: 11a-4p, Performance: 2-4p. Farm Grounds & Market Admission: Free. Performance Area requires tickets: $15 adutls; $10 child ages 4-11y. Purchase tickets here. Celebrate American Indian Culture through music and dance! Autumn Dance Celebration showcases various different Native American dances outdoors at the farm. Eight Indian Nations will be represented including Hopi, Winnebago, Lenape, Choctaw, Mayan, Seneca, Santo Domingo and Chickahominy. This event also features a market of authentic Native American art, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and food. In autumn, the bountiful summer harvest is celebrated and thanks is given through song and dance, reflecting a reverence and appreciation for the wonderful things we find in nature.
Film Forum Jr. Matinee: Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Film Forum (Lower East Side)
Sundays at 11a until December 12th. TICKETS $11.00, $9.00 for members. Advance tickets on sale at the box office and online. Most programs appropriate for ages 5 and up. Classics For Kids and Their Families! Raiders of the Lost Ark: (1981, Steven Spielberg) “Don’t look at it, no matter what happens!” Harrison Ford’s archeology professor Dr. Jones is on the hunt for the face-melting Ark of the Covenant, but will he get there before Hitler’s Nazi thugs? Winner of 5 Academy Awards®, and the first Lucas-Spielberg collaboration. DCP. Approx. 115 min. Rated PG. Those 12 years of age and older must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Children 11 years of age and younger are required to wear a mask while at Film Forum.
Commemoration of the Battle of Fort Washington in Fort Tryon Park
Sunday November 14th 12n-3p. Free. Location: Cafe Lawn. Be transported back in time and celebrate your local history. This year marks the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Washington, a key event during the Revolutionary War. Come to watch a blacksmith demonstration, listen to live 18th-century music, make arts and crafts, and play games from the revolutionary period. Tour the battle scene with heroine Margaret Corbin . Prizes will be offered for the most authentic costumes! Pack a picnic lunch and join us. Also join us at the park’s temporary art installation, “Tomb Effigy of Margaret Corbin” for a talk with sculptor Zaq Landsberg! Talks take place at 115p & 215p on Linden Terrace.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
The 3 Wishes and 3 Little Lambs at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until November 14th. 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).
Green Meadows Farm Pumpkin Smash at Aviator Sports and Events Center
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p until November 14th. Admission: $12 per person age two and above. Register here. THESE PUMPKINS WANT TO HIT SOME DIRT! Just saying the words sounds fun… pumpkin smashing. You’ll have a great time laughing as well as doing a good deed. Green Meadows Farm alpacas, llamas, calves, pigs, goats, sheep, and bunnies love eating on the pumpkin pieces left behind. So be sure to visit with our animals, play in the huge farm playgrounds, and enjoy a hayride. BUSTED DAY! Your $12 admission per person includes: free pumpkin to smash, fun hayride, sit on 10 different tractors, BIG!! BIG!! Bulldozer to Operate, bumpy roller slide, Milk “Katie” the Cow, Play in GMF huge Farm Playground, Plenty of Picnic Tables and so much more! Extra charge: Animal Feed.
Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park
Open daily until March 6th. Hours: Monday-Thursday 8a-10p, Friday-Sunday and holidays 8a-1130p. Winter Village at Bryant Park is Manhattan’s winter wonderland. Enjoy New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink, the Holiday Shops, and rinkside eats and drinks at The Lodge by Prime Video. Reserve timed entry tickets here.
Putting Green Mini Golf (Williamsburg)
Mondays-Fridays 3-8p, Saturdays-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
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p through November 28th. 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 until November 21st. 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.