Hi everyone! December is such a busy month and I hope you are ready for a fun weekend in NYC!
This weekend check out and enjoy the BKCM Brass Holiday Play-Along at Old Stone House, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: Frostbite Follies, Holiday Caroling in Fowler Square Plaza, Rockaway Beach Tree Lighting Festival, A Christmas Story in Chelsea Recreation Center, Santa Visits The Market! at Essex Market, a Virtual Three Little Engines with New York Transit Museum, New Friday Play Session at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Winter Holiday Skating Celebration and Tree Lighting at Riverbank State Park, ¡Parranda! Around The Diaspora with Cumbe: Center for African & Diaspora Dance, Insect Exploration: Spotted Lanterfly in Conference House Park, Historic New York: Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument in Fort Greene Park and Sunday Story Time: The Snowy Day at DiMenna’s Children’s History Museum.
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 wonderful time this weekend!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 10th
New Friday Play Session at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Starting Friday December 10th 2-5p. Admission: $13 per person (children under 1 free). Starting this Friday BCM will now be open on Fridays 2-5p so the Museum will now be open Thursday-Friday 2-5p and Saturdays-Sundays 10a-1p & 2-5p. BCM is also opening, ArtRink is a 3,200 square foot outdoor ice skating rink starting Friday December 10th. See website for pricing and for Covid-19 protocols.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus: Frostbite Follies (various locations)
Friday December 530p & 8p in Chinatown, Manhattan. 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 11th & 12th. See website for the details.
A Christmas Story in Chelsea Recreation Center
Friday December 10th 7-9p. Free. Register here. Join us for a family friendly magical movie experience at Chelsea Recreation Center. Come early and grab your spot! Chairs will be available but limited. Popcorn will be served.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday December 11th
Online Family Program: Three Little Engines with New York Transit Museum
Saturday December 11th 11-1130a. Free program for all ages. Register here. Graduation day is finally here! The Little Blue Engine, the Yellow Passenger Engine, and the Red Freight Engine are excited to take their final test of Engine School: making their first solo trip over the mountain. But each engine encounters different challenges and obstacles on their journey. Join us online for a story time and meet-and-greet with Bob McKinnon, author of the New York Times bestseller, Three Little Engines, a modern retelling of the classic The Little Engine That Could. While the original asked children to believe in themselves (“I think I can”), Three Little Engines also asks us to believe in and help each other (“I think we can”).
Santa Visits The Market! at Essex Market (Lower East Side)
Saturday December 11th 11a-2p. Free. Join us for a festive family-friendly event! Santa Claus will visit Essex Market! Join us on the market’s mezzanine level to get your photo taken with Santa (1 free print-out per family!) and to decorate ornaments. Free to attend and no registration is required! See the website for information on Covid-19 protocols.
BKCM Brass Holiday Play-Along (Park Slope)
Saturday December 11th 2-4p. Free. Location: 5th Avenue & 4th Street by the Christmas Tree. Join us for a socially distanced outdoor holiday play-along! Bring your brass instruments to play, if you’d like, and make some joyful noise to ring in the holidays. We will provide sheet music. All levels of experience welcome!
Rockaway Beach Tree Lighting Festival
Saturday December 11th 2-5p. Free. Location: Beach 94th Street Plaza. Light up the holiday season with Arts & Crafts, Rides for the Kids, Hot Cocoa and more. Tree Lighting at Sunset. Presented by NYC Parks, supported by Council Member Eric Ulrich.
Winter Holiday Skating Celebration and Tree Lighting at Riverbank State Park (Harlem)
Saturday December 11th 4p. Free. Join us for a performance of dancing on ice by the ITNY Ensemble and with the participation of The Skyliners and Figure Skating in Harlem’s synchronized skating groups, the Sky Rink All Stars, Junior apprentices and a guest performer TBD. At the end of the event Santa makes an appearance and we light up the tree.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 12th
Sunday Story Time: The Snowy Day at DiMenna’s Children’s History Museum (UWS)
Sunday December 12th 1130a. Included with Museum admission. For ages 3-6p. Join us every Sunday in person for story time and crafts! Each class includes a special hello song, silly dances and games, a story book reading, and a craft. One of the best parts of winter is snow! What is more delightful than crunching through fresh snow, building a snowman, and drinking a hot chocolate after? Let’s find out what Peter likes to do in the snow as we read The Snowy Day, written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats. After reading, craft a winter wonderland for Peter to play in! Please note that this is not a drop-off program—child participants must be accompanied by an adult. Also check out Living History: 18th-Century Winter Traditions at 1230p. See website for Covid-19 protocols.
Historic New York: Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument in Fort Greene Park
Sunday December 12th 1-2p. Free. Location: Discover the history of this Brooklyn landmark that pays tribute to the 11,000 men, women, and children who died on British Prison Ships during the Revolutionary War.
Insect Exploration: Spotted Lanterfly in Conference House Park (Staten Island)
Sunday December 12th 1-2p. Free. Join the Urban Park Rangers as we explore the park’s trails looking for the spotted lanternfly and other impactful insects. Learn more about this ways to identify these species.
¡Parranda! Around The Diaspora with Cumbe: Center for African & Diaspora Dance (virtual)
Sunday December 12th 330-6p. Virtual tickets start at $25. A Holiday Showcase & Fundraiser! This holiday season, we’re celebrating joy with our very own version of a parranda. What’s a parranda? Parrandas are the Puerto Rican version of caroling and are known for Puerto Rican music called Aguinaldos (Christmas songs), with music made using traditional instruments, including Guitars and Cuatros, tambourines, maracas, palitos, and guiros. A small group of people (parranderos) start the party by visiting a neighbor’s house singing this wonderful music. Then they take the party to the next house and on and on until the sun comes up. Often, the parrenderos are gifted with Coquito (Puerto Rico’s version of eggnog), food and lot of love. Note: in person tickets are also available. See website for details and Covid-19 protocols.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Holiday Caroling on FAB FULTON (Fort Greene)
Saturday-Sunday December 11th-12th 12n-2p. Free. Location: Fowler Square Pedestrian Plaza. Join in the seasonal sing-alongs out on the Plaza, and get in the holiday spirit! Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble and musicians from Brooklyn Music School will perform traditional favorites, and there will be refreshments to keep revelers warm, so plan to spend the afternoon bringing cheer to the neighborhood!d!
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.
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
Saturdays-Sundays 12n-5p until December 12th. 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.
“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.
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 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.