Hi everyone! It is so hard to believe December is here but that means there are so many fun holiday events to do here in NYC!
This weekend take the kids and enjoy the 20th Annual Sinterklaas- St. Nicholas Day Celebration at Wyckoff House Museum, Tree Lighting Ceremony in Fort Greene Park, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: Frostbite Follies, Mark Morris Dance Group: Holiday Party on The Plaza at 300 Ashland, Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah at Grand Army Plaza, 5th Ave Menorah Lighting at the Old Stone House, Family Sundays: Bottled Scentiments at Rubin Museum, Winter Wonder at the Queens Botanical Garden, Hands on History: All the World’s A (Puppet) Stage at King Manor Museum, 9th Annual Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Celebration in Astoria Park, It’s Time for Kind: Bilingual Virtual Stories in English and Chinese, Klezmer Hanukkah Party! at the Park Slope Jewish Center and BAMkids Virtual: Verbal ASE.
Also check out long running events like Light Shows at Luminaries at Brookfield Place, Green Meadows Farm Winter Wonderland at Aviator Sports and Events Center, The Steadfast Tin Soldier at Puppetworks, Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History, Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park, “A Wonderful, Awful Idea”: Animating the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Museum of the Moving Image and Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society.
Check the calendar to see everything going on this weekend. Also like us on Facebook for last minute events and updates.
Have a fabulous time this weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 3rd
Light Shows at Luminaries at the Winter Garden (Battery Park City)
Daily 8a-10p until January 2nd. Free. The mesmerizing display of colorful lanterns returns to Brookfield Place with a new experience called Maestro on weekends (see website for details) that allows you to conduct the canopy! Conceived and created by the LAB at Rockwell Group, Luminaries is a holiday ritual inspired by the season’s traditions of sharing, giving, community and light. View a special light show at the top of every hour, set to the following holiday songs: Winter Wonderland by Michael Bublé, Silver Bells by Tony Bennett, Carol of the Bells by The Bird and The Bee and Let It Snow by Pentatonix. Holiday wishing runs 10a-8p. Illuminate your holiday wish by sending a motion-activated wish into the glowing lanterns above. For each wish made and interaction with Maestro, Brookfield Place will donate $1 up to $25,000 to City Harvest.
“A Wonderful, Awful Idea”: Animating the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria)
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.
It’s Time for Kind: Bilingual Stories in English and Chinese (virtual)
Friday December 3rd 330-4p. Free. For ages 0-5y. Enjoy stories, rhymes, poetry of the Tang Dynasty, three-character classics, songs and fun activities, in Chinese and English with Ms. Janice, early learning assistant at Flushing Library. Bring paper, pencil or crayons. See the website for virtual login information.
Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah at Grand Army Plaza
Friday December 3rd 330-430p. Free. Join the Chabad of Park Slope for the lighting of Brooklyn’s largest menorah at Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park. Every night of Chanukah is celebrated with live music, hot latkes, and gifts for the children. The Menorah will be lit every night until December 5th at various times. See the website for the schedule.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday December 4th
Mark Morris Dance Group: Holiday Party on The Plaza at 300 Ashland (Fort Greene)
Saturday December 4th 11a-12n. Free. One registration per participant (not family or party.) Please register each participant separately. Join the Mark Morris Dance Center for a little caroling and holiday cheer! Mark Morris Dance Group dancers Domingo Estrada Jr. and Malik Q. Williams will lead a Dance with MMDG class for the entire family. Participants will learn excerpts from The Hard Nut’s Snow variation. Elise Gaugert, The Hard Nut Singers Choral Director, will lead a holiday sing-along. There will be hot chocolate from Coffee Project NY!
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: Frostbite Follies (various locations)
Saturday December 4th 12n in Brownsville Brooklyn & 3p in Astoria, Queens. Free. See the website for the location details. The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus is delivering the most unique holiday show of the season with its new Frostbite Follies Holiday Borough Tour featuring circus, music and more entertaining outdoor audiences all across New York City, and it’s all FREE! From December 4 through 12, Frostbite Follies continues the fun that began back in the summer with their innovative Flatbed Follies tour, but now with a holiday twist featuring world-class performers on a fabulously festooned parade float-style proscenium stage. Frostbite Follies kicks off the holiday tour on December 4 with performances in Brooklyn and Queens and finishes up nine days later on December 12 in Jackson Heights and Jamaica Queens. It’s fun for the kids or the kid at heart. Frostbite Follies will feature world-class circus artists from all five boroughs including host Dewitt Fleming, Lisa Liu (foot juggling), Cooper Santiago (aerialist), Michael Rosman (daredevil), Bindlestiff co-founder Keith Nelson (juggling, plate spinning) and the hilarious antics of the Bindlestiff Clown Posse of Deborah Lohse, Mariko Iwasa, Joel Jeske, Lex Alston and Harold Moeller. Select dates will also feature a professional ice-carving artist, a magician and live music. Additional performances December 5th, December 9th-12th. See website for the details.
Winter Wonder at the Queens Botanical Garden
Saturday December 4th 12n-5p. Free. Register here. Celebrate the best of December with free live musical performances, a tree and menorah lighting, holiday crafts, a tree tour, selfies with Santa (donations welcome), and sales at the QBG Shop! Enjoy a selection of beverages at the Holiday Bar for purchase. Dress for the weather! This event is mainly outdoors on the covered Terrace at the Visitor & Administration Building, Wedding Garden Plaza, Oak Allee, and Entrance Plaza. Note: $10 parking rate in effect. Please see the website for the schedule of events and for information on Covid-19 protocols.
Hands on History: All the World’s A (Puppet) Stage at King Manor Museum (Jamaica)
Saturday December 4th 1-4p. Free. Register here. As the year comes to an end, celebrate the holiday season with King Manor! Since puppets were a popular holiday gift for children living in the 19th century, join us to make your own puppets and miniature puppet theatre!
20th Annual Sinterklaas- St. Nicholas Day Celebration at Wyckoff House Museum
Saturday December 4th 2-4p. This event is free to attend with ticket reservations. RSVP here. Join us on Saturday for our 20th Annual Sinterklaas- St. Nicholas Day Celebration. We hope you can join us for an outdoor, socially-distanced day full of craft activities, a tree lighting, and a special visit from St. Nick. Children will enjoy a visit from St. Nicholas as he arrives on horseback around 2:30PM. St. Nicholas will tell the traditional tale of The Bakers Dozen and children are invited to sign the Red Book. Sip hot cider, try your hand at colonial games, create a holiday pomander, decorate a Dutch clog for Sinterklaas, and dress the tree for the tree lighting that will close the day as the sun goes down. See the website for the schedule of events. This event is free to attend with ticket reservations. Select craft activities, refreshments, and holiday items will be available on-site for purchase.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 5th
Family Sundays: Bottled Scentiments at Rubin Museum (Chelsea)
Sundays 1-3p in December. Ages 3 and older with accompanying adults. Pre-registration is required for either the 1:00 PM or 2:00 PM time slots. The program is free for you and your family, and each ticket comes with free access to the Museum galleries. Family Sundays are back in person! Bring your family to the Rubin Museum for an afternoon of creativity and self-exploration in our new space, the Mandala Lab, that both kids and their grown-ups will enjoy. Each month we explore a new theme, with an art-making activity centered around that theme. A Museum educator will do a brief demonstration of the project, teach the art-making techniques, and let you explore ways to make the project your own. December Family Sundays: Bottled Scentiment ~ Do you ever wish you could relive your favorite memories again and again? It can be tricky to accept that those moments are in the past. Practice letting go by creating a scented hand lotion that captures the smell of a memory, along with a drawing that represents what you remember. Then learn to let go of the past as you use your creation up over time. Note: December 5th advance tickets are sold out and limited walk-up tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please see the website for information on Covid-19 protocols.
5th Ave Menorah Lighting at the Old Stone House (Park Slope)
Sunday December 5th 3-4p. Free. Celebrate with your neighbors at the annual 5th Ave Menorah Lighting! Enjoy music, games, and delicious snacks outdoors at the corner of 4th Street & 5th Avenue. We encourage attendees to practice social distancing and wear masks.
9th Annual Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Celebration in Astoria Park
Sunday December 5th 3-430p. Free. The Central Astoria Local Development Coalition will proudly host its 9th Annual Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Celebration on Sunday, December 5th at the beautiful Astoria Park Great Lawn on 19th Street and 23rd Avenue. This beloved annual event has become an Astoria tradition that brings families and friends together to a fun-filled and joyous event all leading up to the lighting of the community tree. The event will feature balloon art and special holiday performances by Music For Aardvarks, Academia de Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer, and carolers.
Tree Lighting Ceremony in Fort Greene Park
Sunday December 5th 4-5p. FREE hot cocoa, cider & candy canes from local Myrtle Ave restaurants during the Fort Greene Park tree lighting on Sunday. Selfies with Santa! Toy drive collection. Bring new, unwrapped toys to support toy drives that serve local families. Live holiday music. Lighting of the tree at 4:45pm! The lighting this year will take place at the northwest corner of Fort Greene Park, near the Myrtle Ave & St Edwards St entrance.
Klezmer Hanukkah Party! at the Park Slope Jewish Center
Sunday December 5th 3-5p. Free. Join Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for their annual Klezmer Hanukkah celebration taking place outdoors hosted at the Park Slope Jewish Center. Event is open and free for anyone to join! Celebrate Hanukkah with BKCM and our Community Klezmer Band led by Ira Temple.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
BAMkids: Verbal ASE (virtual)
Saturday-Sunday December 4th-5th 4p. Run time: 60 min. For ages 6+. Tickets: Pay what you wish: $5; $10; $15. Beatboxer, singer, rapper, SFX wizard, and YouTube star creator Verbal ASE is a one-of-a-kind vocal phenom who defies categorization. The originator and performer of the popular online animated series for kids Cartoon Beatbox Battles, Verbal ASE brings his high-energy artistry to BAMkids. Join him for a virtual live performance on Zoom, followed by a Q&A where he shares tips for aspiring YouTube creators. Purchase tickets here.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays-Sundays 1230p & 230p until January 2nd (no performance 12/25 & 1/1) and performances daily December 27th-30th. 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.
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.
Macy’s Santaland
Daily at various times until Friday December 24th. Location: Where: 8th floor, across from Au Bon Pain. Free to visit by reservation only. NYC reservations are now open. Book a spot in line to meet & snap a photo with the busiest man of the season.St. Nick is at Macy’s Santaland inside our Herald Square store, so bring your wish list. After all, he’s known for making wishes come true. You can now make a reservation online 5 days in advance of your visit. You can also visit Santa virtually also. See the website for all the details.
IC Ice Rink at Industry City
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.
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.
Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
On exhibit until January 17th. Location: Grand Gallery, first floor. Free with Museum admission. Museum is open Wednesdays-Sundays with timed entry tickets are available 10a-4p (museum closes 530p). The Origami Holiday Tree returns to view November 24, 2021 (closed 11/25 & 12/25). The theme of this year’s 13-foot tree is Gems of the Museum, featuring 50 specially created gold-colored models in recognition of the “golden anniversary” 50th Origami Tree and this Museum tradition, which started in the 1970s. Among the more than 1,000 origami pieces decorating the tree will be models of dazzling specimens from the new Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, “jaw-some” pieces inspired by the new special exhibition Sharks, and those depicting iconic Museum exhibits like the Blue Whale, Titanosaur, and Tyrannosaurus rex. In accordance with the New York City vaccine requirement, you must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the Museum. See the website for all the information.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society (UWS)
Starting Friday November 26th and on exhibit until February 27th. Museum hours: Wednesdays-Thursdays 11a-5p, Fridays 11a-8p and Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p. Free with Museum admission. This year Holiday Express goes to the amusement park! Joining a selection of toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, this year’s festive display includes never-before-seen toy rides. Visitors can marvel at a miniature Ferris wheel, carousel, blimp ride, and roller coaster.The carnival toys on display recall the colossal machines that have fascinated and delighted the American public for decades, like the Ferris wheel, which was introduced in the U.S. at Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, and early American roller coasters, like the ones introduced at Coney Island in 1884. New York’s favorite amusement ground was also the site of one of the United States’ first carousels, a musical merry-go-round appointed with colorful mechanical horses. The display also includes a variety of toy train stations dating from the turn of the 20th century to the World War II era, showcasing the evolving designs of American and European toymakers. As part of New York City’s Key to NYC program, all visitors to New York City museums ages 12 and over are required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. For more details, go to the FAQ page.
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.
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.