Hi everyone! Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the weekend and there are so many events to enjoy in NYC with the family.
This weekend check out the DanceAfrica Bazaar and BAM DanceAfrica Community Workshop in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Myrtle Avenue Summer Nights, Fleet Week: General Public Ship Tours in Manhattan and Staten Island, Free Friday + Summer Movie Series at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, The 27th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts at Theater for the New City, Japan Performing Arts Early Summer Festival on Governors Island, TheaterWorksUSA: Dog Man: The Musical at Queens Theatre, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Nature Oru-Kami in Fort Greene Park, Rooftop Films: Encanto at Brooklyn Army Terminal, Birding: Warbler Watch in Alley Pond Park, Memorial Day in Prospect Park, Movies Under The Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon in in McKinley Park, Urban Stages: Jungle Explorers at Jamaica Bay Brooklyn Public Library, Staten Island Philharmonic Performance in Conference House Park, Film Forum Jr. Matinee: Charlie Chaplin at the Film Forum, Sunday Story Time: A Bucket of Blessings at New-York Historical Society Museum & Library, the 155th Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade and the return of the Memorial Day Concert in Green-wood Cemetery.
Also check out long running events like Pinocchio at Puppetworks, Roller Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park, the 1885 Tall Ship Wavertree Free Tour at South Street Seaport, Wake Up Daisy! at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Farm Exploration Days in Randall’s Island Park, The Yard: Adventure Playground on Governor’s Island, Seaport Discovery: Exploring Our Waters with Eric Carle at South Street Seaport Museum and the Baby Farm Animals & Children’s Fun at Aviator Sports and Events Center.
Check the calendar to see everything going on this weekend. Also like us on Facebook for updates.
Enjoy the long weekend with the family!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday May 27th
Urban Stages: Jungle Explorers at Jamaica Bay Brooklyn Public Library
Friday May 27th 4-5p. Free. Register here. Bianca the butterfly is scared to fly. She journeys through the jungle to find her courage and along the way meets a monkey, Venus fly trap, and a lion who help her find inner strength. Dazzling creatures of all kind come to life in this highly interactive song- and dance-filled performance for young people! (Geared for children ages 3-6 years). Note: Attendance is limited to 15 people.
Myrtle Avenue Summer Nights (Fort Greene/Clinton Hill)
Friday May 27th 5-8p. Free. Back for a second year, the monthly Summer Nights series brings 20+ activities along Myrtle Avenue on the final Friday of each month from May-Sept. On Friday, May 27, find the following fun on Myrtle Avenue: Benny Lopez Latin Jazz Band, Double Dutch with Brooklyn Elite Jumpers, Outdoor Games, Giant Bubble Fun for Kids & much more! See the website for all the event details.
Free Friday + Summer Movie Series at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Free Fridays are back! The Intrepid Museum is once again extending its hours free of charge on select Fridays every month through September from 5:00pm-9:00pm. This month, the Intrepid Museum’s Summer Movie Series returns and kicks off Memorial Day Weekend with Crimson Tide. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets to view the film outdoors, free of charge, on a huge inflatable screen on the flight deck. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited. Light concessions will be sold onsite, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is NOT permitted. All exits are final; there is no reentry allowed. Movie will begin at sunset. Doors open at 5:00pm and close at 8:30pm (entry is not guaranteed and is subject to capacity; doors may close earlier). Additional events happening on June 24th, July 29th, August 26th & September 30th. See all the details on the website.
Movies Under The Stars: Raya and the Last Dragon in in McKinley Park
Friday May 27th 815-1015p. Free. Location: Lawn Area. Grab a blanket and come enjoy a movie in a neighborhood park or playground! This summer, NYC Parks and The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will host family-friendly movie showings across the five boroughs. Raya and the Last Dragon: In a realm known as Kumandra, a re-imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization, a warrior named Raya is determined to find the last dragon. Movies begin at dusk. This event is FREE and open to the public. Glass bottles and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited. In the event of heavy rain or extreme weather, the screening may be canceled. The decision to cancel the event will be made prior to the screening and will be prominently posted on the website.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday May 28th
Birding: Warbler Watch in Alley Pond Park
Saturday May 28th 9-10a. Free. Location: Oakland Lake. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see spring migratory birds. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Please bring your own binoculars.
BAM DanceAfrica Community Workshop in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday May 28th 11a-12n. Free. Part of Brooklyn Academy of Music’s DanceAfrica Festival 2022. Co-presented by BAM and Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. Caregivers and children of all ages deepen their engagement with DanceAfrica in this fun-filled, hands-on workshop, presented in Brooklyn Bridge Park at Pier 6 Liberty Lawn. Veteran dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist Adia Whitaker guides families through the fundamentals of Haitian movement and music. This is not a drop-off class, please arrive ready and excited to engage with your family members at all times. RSVPs are full, but you’re welcome to drop in and sign up!
Japan Performing Arts Early Summer Festival on Governors Island
Saturday May 28th 12n-6p. Free. Fees for ferry. See website for ferry details. Japan Performing Arts presents their free Early Summer Festival on Governors Island! Join in Nolan Park on May 28, for Japanese food vendors, performances, a playground area, kimono dressing demonstrations and workshops on Awaodori and Gujo Odori. Japanese food items will be served at JPA Early Summer Festival! Vendors will open at 12n. Performance Area: from 1p. The games in this area include ring toss, watermelon splitting, candy craft performance. The performances in this area include kimono dressing demonstrations and workshops on Awaodori and Gujo Odori. Playground Area: from 1p. In this area, you can play Japanese games such as superball scooping, fukuwarai, ring toss, daruma otoshi, kendama, bamboo dragonfly, etc. Playing superball scooping require a small fee, but all other games are free.
The 27th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts at Theater for the New City
Saturday May 28th 12p-1a and Friday May 27th, Sunday May 29 6p-1a. Free. Celebrate the best in Theater, Music, Dance, Poetry, Film, Art and much more! Outside: cultural fair, performances, food & vendors. Inside: variety arts, theatrical & excitement. See the website for all the event details.
Rooftop Films: Encanto at Brooklyn Army Terminal
Saturday May 28th 730p doors open, 830p film begins. Free. Register here. Encanto: Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday May 29th
Film Forum Jr. Matinee: Charlie Chaplin at the Film Forum (Lower East Side)
Sundays at 11a until June 26th. TICKETS $11, $9 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! Sunday May 29th: Charlie Chaplin’s The Pilgrim, A Dog’s Life & Shoulder Arms. 3 Chaplin comedies. Note: Masks are not required, though they are encouraged. While we are no longer checking for proof of vaccination, we do, of course, strongly encourage everyone to be vaccinated.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Nature Oru-Kami in Fort Greene Park
Sunday May 29th 11a-12n. Free. Location: Fort Greene Park Visitor Center. Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with NYC Parks! Origami has a great significance in Asian culture. Be creative while engaging in this historical art form of folding paper.
Sunday Story Time: A Bucket of Blessings at New-York Historical Society Museum & Library (UWS)
Sunday May 29th 1130a. Free with Museum admission. Ages: 3–6 years. Join us every Sunday in person at the Museum for story time and crafts! Each class includes a special hello song, silly dances and games, a story book reading, and a craft to do after the story. It’s Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! It’s time to take a trip to India to hear A Bucket of Blessings, written by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal, and illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. Monkey lives in a beautiful jungle, but it has not rained for weeks and weeks! One day, Monkey remembers a story of a peacock dancing to make it rain, so he sets out on adventure to find that peacock and save his home! After the story, make your own bucket full of blessings, just like the one Monkey uses!
TheaterWorksUSA: Dog Man: The Musical at Queens Theatre
Sunday May 29th 1p & 3p. All tickets $15 or 4 for $55 (enter coupon code FAMILY4 at checkout). Purchase tickets here. Best buds George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re in 5th grade, they figure it’s time to level up and write a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!! How hard could it be? With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. But while trying his best to be a good boy, can he save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings? Can he catch Petey, the world’s most evil cat, who has cloned himself to exact revenge on the doggy do-gooder? And will George and Harold finish their show before lunchtime?? Find out in this epic musical adventure featuring the hilarity and heart of Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters.
Staten Island Philharmonic in Conference House Park
Sunday May 29th 4-5p. Free. Enjoy a musical performance by the Staten Island Philharmonic on the Great Lawn!
See all the Sunday events here.
Monday May 30th
Memorial Day in Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Monday May 30th 10a-6p. The Garden is open on Monday May 30th. All visitors must have a ticket to enter. Reserve in advance for fastest entry. Last entry 30 minute before closing. Specialty gardens, including the Conservatory, Discovery Garden, Rose Garden, and portions of the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and Native Flora Garden, begin to close 30 minutes before closing time. Some indoor spaces are currently closed.
Memorial Day in Prospect Park
Monday May 30th 11a-5p. Join Prospect Park Alliance on Memorial Day for family-friendly nature education programs at Prospect Park Audubon Center and the Prospect Park Carousel. Nature Exploration at the Audubon Center 11–3p: Join Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation. Discovery Pack, 11–3p: Come explore nature on your own with our Discovery Packs, a backpack filled with nature activities and exploration tools, perfect for families and kids to interact with the park in a whole new way! Animal Encounter, 1-2p: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2p. Family Bird Walk, 2–3p: Prospect Park is a stopping point for hundreds of bird species each year! Join us as we search for these amazing creatures and other nature around the park. Binoculars and bird guides are provided. This program leaves the Audubon Center promptly at 3p. Carousel Rides, 12–5p in the Children’s Corner, $3 per ride, $13 for a book of 5 tickets.
155th Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade
Monday May 30th 11a. Free. Brooklyn’s 155th Memorial Day Parade steps off promptly at 11:00AM on 3rd Ave. & 78th Street, proceeds down 3rd Ave. to Marine Ave. up to 4th Ave. and over to John Paul Jones Park for our memorial service that includes Bag Pipes, Flag Raising, Wreath Laying by Veteran Service Organizations, a 21-gun Salute by the Veteran Corps of Artillery and the playing of Taps.
Memorial Day Concert in Green-wood Cemetery
Monday May 30th 230-430p. Free. Registration required. Green-Wood’s much-loved Memorial Day concert returns after a two-year hiatus! Bring a blanket, picnic, and all your friends to join us for this beloved kick-off to summer. We welcome back The New York City Symphonic Band at Third Street, led by music director Paul Corn and hosted by guest conductor Brian P. Worsdale. Each year we feature works that commemorate those who served in the armed forces throughout our nation’s history, while also highlighting music by some of Green-Wood’s permanent residents, including James Weldon Johnson, Fred Ebb, and Leonard Bernstein. This year’s repertoire will also include works by a diverse range of contemporary composers.
See all the Monday events here.
All Weekend
DanceAfrica Bazaar 2022 (Fort Greene)
Saturday May 28th 12n-10p, Sunday-Monday May 29th-30th 12n-8p. Rain or shine. Free. DanceAfrica’s beloved bazaar returns, featuring more than 150 vendors from around the world, offering African, Caribbean, and African-American food, crafts, and fashion. Celebrate the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Africa and its diaspora—and see the streets surrounding BAM transformed into a global marketplace. Location: Ashland Pl (between Hanson Pl & Fulton St) and Lafayette Ave (between Flatbush Ave & Fort Greene Pl). There are DanceAfrica Festival events all weekend. See the website for all the details.
Fleet Week: General Public Ship Tours in Manhattan and Staten Island
Friday-Monday May 26th-30th 8a-5p. Free. You can join a public tour during these hours, although the Navy might cap the lines at 4:00 P.M. if needed. Vessels in Manhattan are at Pier 88 & 90th and Homeport Pier, Staten Island. See the website for all the details and for information on Fleet Week events going on all weekend. Also check Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for more information.
Pinocchio at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Saturdays & Sundays 1230p & 230p until August 7th (none 6/3-6/4). Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each. Suggested for 3 and up. Pinocchio Collodi’s Adventures of a Marionette. Adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. Call for Reservations (recommended): 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com.
Baby Farm Animals & Children’s Fun at Aviator Sports and Events Center
Saturdays-Sundays 11a-4p until May 29th. Admission: $14 per person age two and above. Register here. The Baby Animals Are Here! Come discover Green Meadows Farm new little additions to the GMF family. So many NEWBORN BABY ANIMALS plus all of their amazing other farm animals — PONIES, ALPACAS, LLAMAS, CALVES, PIGS, SHEEP, GOATS, BUNNIES, and more. Paid admission include: happy hayrides, Visit Alpacas, Llamas, Sheep, Goats, Pigs, Rabbits, Chickens, and Ponies, Sit on Ten Different Tractors, Fun Roller Slides, Operate our Bulldozer, Milk “Katie” the Cow, huge Farm Playground and Open Areas for Picnics. Extra fee: Animal Feed.
Roller Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park
Monday to Friday: 12n-6p, Saturday: 12n-730p & Sunday:12n-6p. Admission: $6 weekdays, $10 weekends (Weekend pricing begins Friday at 4pm). Skate rentals: $7. The carousel is also open Thursdays–Sundays and Holidays 12–5p.
Wake Up, Daisy! at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Central Park)
Fridays-Sundays 11-1145 (doors 1030a) & 1-145p (doors 1230p) until 12/31/22. Tickets: $12 adult, $8 child. Purchase tickets here. Location: 79th Street and West Drive Central Park. Wake Up, Daisy! tells the story of Daisy, a lively little girl living in the heart of New York City in an apartment overlooking Central Park. At Daisy’s much-anticipated birthday party, she encounters three special guests, known as her “Squad-parents”, from Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx who grant her the gifts of courage, knowledge, and a second chance. When an unwelcome guest shows up and casts a curse on her, Daisy’s life is forever changed. But through the support of her friends and an adventure throughout the city, Daisy’s strong self-determination and vivid imagination may be all she needs to break the curse.
Seaport Discovery: Exploring Our Waters with Eric Carle at South Street Seaport Museum
Fridays-Sundays 11a-5p in May. Admission is $5 per child aged 1-12, with no charge for accompanying caregivers, teens, and infants. Advanced timed tickets are recommended. Book today! Visit our new discovery room of maritime-themed art by Eric Carle, beloved creator of picture books for young children. Seaport Discovery: Exploring Our Waters with Eric Carle is designed specifically for children aged 2-7 and their adults. In June, it will open Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Please note that people over age 5 will be required to show proof they are fully vaccinated to enter indoor exhibition spaces and to board Ambrose.
The Yard: Adventure Playground on Governor’s Island
Saturdays-Sundays 12n-4p and Monday May 30th 12n-4p. Free admission but fees for ferries. See website for ferry details. Welcome back to The Yard, New York City’s only adventure playground! The Yard offers free weekend play from 12 – 4pm. The Yard is a kids-only space stewarded by trained playworkers. The main play area is recommended for young people ages 6 to 12 and the family play area welcomes children under 5. The Yard supplies young people with loose parts materials for building, exploring, imagining and destroying. In addition to free weekends, The Yard also offers summer camp, school field trips, birthday parties and special programs, all with adherence to CDC guidelines. See the website for all the details.
Farm Exploration Days in Randall’s Island Park
Saturdays-Sundays 10a-4p until October 8th. Free. Location: Urban Farm. Explore the Urban Farm’s variety of crops, rice paddies, and fragrant herbs, and meet the chickens too! All ages welcome!
1885 Tall Ship Wavertree Free Tour at South Street Seaport
Fridays, Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p until May 22nd and Wednesday-Sunday starting May 25th. Free. The permanently-moored 1885 tall ship Wavertree is open to the public for FREE on Saturdays and Sundays, with timed entry, at Pier 16 (Fulton and South Streets). Guided tours depart hourly and last approximately 30 minutes. Advance reservations are recommended. Guided tours 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. Proof of vaccine required for all guests over age 5. Masks required.
Sharks at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Museum hours Wednesday-Sunday 10a-530p. Included in General Admission+One. See website for all the details.The new exhibition Sharks features dozens of life-sized models ranging from 33 feet to 5.5 inches long, fossils from the Museum’s collections, touch-free interactive exhibits that challenge visitors to hunt like a hammerhead, and more for visitors of all ages. Older than dinosaurs—and more threatened than threatening—sharks are spectacular, surprising, and often misunderstood. Discover the incredible diversity of this ancient and fascinating group of fishes. Note: The Museum continues to require vaccinations against COVID-19 and facial coverings.