Hi everyone! November is flying by so head out and enjoy the weekend here in NYC with the family.
This weekend check out the Farmhouse Family Day: Natural Dyes at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, Hearth & Harvest Weekend at Historic Richmond Town, Union Square Park Holiday Market Kickoff Event, CMA Live: Saturday Morning Live with Tom: Thanksgiving Centerpieces, Astronomy: The Night Sky in Dr. Ronald McNair Park, Historic New York: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Mushroom ID Hike in in Reed’s Basket Willow Swamp Park, Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Baisley Pond Park, Kids Create: Grab and Go – Thanksgiving at Ulmer Park Brooklyn Public Library, The Rock and Roll Playhouse at Brooklyn Bowl, New Mamas Virtual Support Group with Queens Public Library and the Opening Weekend of IC Ice Rink at Industry City.
Also check out long running events like Green Meadows Farm Winter Wonderland at Aviator Sports and Events Center, The Steadfast Tin Soldier 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, Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park and the opening of “A Wonderful, Awful Idea”: Animating the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Museum of the Moving Image.
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 wonderful time this weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday November 19th
Kids Create: Grab and Go – Thanksgiving at Ulmer Park Brooklyn Public Library
Friday November 19th 11a-6p. Free. Come by our branch and pick up a Kids Create: Grab and Go – Thanksgiving Turkey Kit. Inside you wil find everything you need to create your own turkey center pieces that week. First come, first serve basis. Limited number of bags available. Please remember to follow all social distancing guidelines and wear a mask inside the branch.
Opening Weekend of IC Ice Rink at Industry City
Opening Friday November 19th. Hours: Thursdays 4-8p, Fridays 12n-8p, Saturdays 11a-8p & Sundays 11a-6p. Tickets: $12 per person, with skate rentals costing $10 per person. Purchase tickets here. Courtyard 5/6. IC Ice Rink welcomes all to come for an iconic winter experience. The rink is uncovered and outside, so dress appropriately for an enjoyable and comfortable skate.
New Mamas Virtual Support Group with Queens Public Library
Fridays 1230-130p until December 17th. Free. Welcome new mamas! Having a baby, no matter if it is your first or your fifth, brings new joys and new challenges. QPL is here for you and your new little one. Please join us on Fridays at 12:30pm for our New Mamas Virtual Support Group. This group is designed to give resources and share information among mothers with infants 0-12 months. To register, send an email to gillian.e.miller@queenslibrary.org.
Opening Day of “A Wonderful, Awful Idea”: Animating the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria)
Friday November 19th and ongoing until February 27th. Museum hours: Fridays 2-8p, Saturdays-Sundays 12n-6p. Included with Museum admission. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a made-for-television short by legendary animation director Chuck Jones, based on the 1957 book by Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). First aired by CBS in 1966, this 24-minute animated story of a grouchy curmudgeon who tries to ruin Christmas has become an enduring holiday classic. The sketches, animation cels, and backgrounds on exhibit—40 selections from the extensive private collection of Bill Heeter and Kristi Correa—illustrate Jones’s approach to adapting Geisel’s story for the screen. In contrast to the book’s black, white, and red palette, Jones unleashed a riotous array of vivid colors to depict the story’s settings and characters. The film showcases Jones’s unparalleled character animation and comic timing, creating an utterly believable, villainous—but ultimately redeemed—Grinch that became the standard for all subsequent adaptations. See the website for information on Covid 19 protocols.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday November 20th
CMA Live: Saturday Morning Live with Tom: Thanksgiving Centerpieces (virtual)
Saturday November 20th 10-11a and the 3rd Saturday of the month. Free. For ages 1-5y. Reserve tickets here. Saturday Morning Live is a brand new action-packed art class for kids who love to sing, play drums, and make art — all at the same time! These 60-minute live, interactive virtual sessions are led by beloved Early Childhood Specialist Tom Burnett and specially designed for children under the age of five. All you need is your imagination, sense of discovery, and your favorite art supplies — crayons, markers, paint, stickers, and more! Have plenty of cardboard, pipe cleaners, clay, and foam pieces on hand to create a stunning centerpiece for your holiday gathering!
Farmhouse Family Day: Natural Dyes at Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum
Saturday November 20th 11a-3p. Free. Register here. Let’s go back to a time when people naturally colored fabrics using flowers, vegetables, and fruits. Stop by and create some of your own personal designs using all-natural dyes. Feel free to stay for a tour of our historic house or just to play with some outdoor colonial games and toys. Note: the natural dyes activity beginning at 1p. See the website for information on Covid-19 protocols.
Green Meadows Farm Winter Wonderland at Aviator Sports and Events Center
Starting November 20th. Saturdays-Sundays 12n-5p until December 5th. Admission: $12 per person age two and above. Register here. Celebrate the season of joy as you wander into the Green Meadows Farm holiday wonderland of endless photo ops created by thousands of beautiful flowers. Take a stroll to the family selfie stations, enjoy the candy hunt, and visit Santa’s workshop. Plus, don’t forget to say hello to friendly animals… they love treats, too. Your $12 admission per person includes: photos with Santa, heated tent, visit Santa’s workshop, Christmas selfie station, enjoy the candy hunt, 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 for Hot Chocolate and Animal Feed.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Starting November 20th. Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until January 2nd (no performance 12/31). Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each. Suggested for ages 2 and up. Andersen’s Toy Story with Nutcracker Sweets Tchaikovsky’s ‘Land of Sweets’ dances. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. Call for reservations: 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com. New York City requires you to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Puppetworks. Those 12 years of age and older must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks are required.
Astronomy: The Night Sky in Dr. Ronald McNair Park (Crown Heights)
Saturday November 20th 6-7p. Free. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a survey of the November night sky at this site named for Dr. Ronald McNair, the second African-American astronaut to travel into space. Rangers will provide an overview of the science, history, and folklore of astronomy and our universe, followed by guided observations through telescopes and binoculars. Rangers will also discuss more on the life of Dr. McNair.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday November 21st
Union Square Park Holiday Market Kickoff Event
Sunday November 21st 11a-2p. Free. Join us to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season in Union Square! On Sunday, November 21st from 11 AM – 2 PM, visit the west plaza to snap your family’s holiday card picture in our iconic snow globe, grab sweets + treats from local Union Square businesses, enjoy caroling, entertainment + giveaways, and take a stroll through the renowned Union Square Holiday Market by Urbanspace, which runs from Thursday, November 18th through Friday, December 24th. See the website for all the event details.
Historic New York: Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sunday November 21st 11a-12n. Free. Location: Corner of Furman and Old Fulton Streets. Discover NYC’s storied past with our expert Urban Park Rangers as your guide to historical events, people, and communities that have shaped our city and Parks. Brooklyn Bridge Park did not always look the way it does now. Learn more about the dynamic history and evolution of this waterfront park.
Mushroom ID Hike in Reed’s Basket Willow Swamp Park (Staten Island)
Sunday November 21st 11a-12n. Free. Location: Chapin Avenue and Salzburg Court. This Urban Park Ranger led hike will take you through the forest to learn how to identify fungi. Participants will learn about the crucial role that mushrooms play in an ecosystem and how natural decomposition takes place.
The Rock and Roll Playhouse at Brooklyn Bowl
Sundays doors 11a, show 12n until December 19th. Tickets: $12. Purchase tickets here. The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a family concert series hosted at historic music venues across the country, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times). Performing songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse band offers its core audience of families with children age ten and under games, movement, stories and an opportunity to rock out in an effort to educate children and explore their creativity. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is an early and often first introduction to a child’s lifelong journey with live music and rock and roll. See you at the show! This concert for kids and families shares the music of the artist named above with a new generation of music lovers, but is not associated with or endorsed by the artist. All children must be accompanied by a parent or adult caregiver. The Rock and Roll Playhouse knows that little ears are sensitive, so we turn down the volume at our shows. November 21st Aretha Franklin for kids & more
Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Baisley Pond Park
Sunday November 21st 1-2p. Free. Location: Baisley Blvd. & 157th Street. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see winter waterfowl. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Please bring your own binoculars.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Hearth & Harvest Weekend at Historic Richmond Town (Staten Island)
Saturday-Sunday November 20-21st 12n-5p. Tickets: $10. Harvest celebrations have been a part a part of Native culture for thousands of years. After a long growing season, crops would be gathered in abundance, and shared with family and the wider community, signaling the beginning of winter. Native peoples shared food, land, and knowledge with English settlers which informed their agricultural practice. The ‘First Thanksgiving’ was celebrated in 1621, and today, Thanksgiving meals are a blend of Native American and European ingredients and traditions. Proof of vaccination is required for visitors age 12 and up. See the website for all the event details.
Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park
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.
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.