The Month’s Best Events For All Ages
Happy April! This month brings Easter and Earth Day celebrations and a plethora of family-friendly events that are sure to please all ages. Theater fans can check out several plays and musicals including, “Scurry,” “Anne of Green Gables,” and “Underneath a Magical Moon.” If interactive activities are what interest your kids, don’t miss the Apple Blossom Children’s Carnival at Queens County Farm Museum, the Jewish Museum’s Freedom Art Jam, or Spring Family Day at Carnegie Hall.
Saturday, April 6-Sunday, April 14
Scurry
Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center
11am & 2pm
Ages 2-5
Many lessons can be learned when a trio of squirrel friends experiences an unexpected change in its group dynamic. This engaging story, produced by the Trusty Sidekick Theater Company, is specifically geared towards very young audiences and deals with themes of change, empathy, and loss in an age-appropriate way. Tickets are $25. lincolncenter.org
Saturday, April 6
New York Tartan Day Parade
West 45th Street
2pm
All Ages
Celebrate Scottish heritage and pride! Join the National Tartan Day New York Committee as they march in the 21st Annual New York Tartan Day Parade. Bring the entire family to cheer the parade participants on as the New York Tartan Day Parade moves up 6th Avenue. The Parade starts at 2pm at West 45th Street and marches up 6th Avenue to 55th Street. Line-up is at 1pm and will be on the side streets near 6th Avenue and West 45th Street. This event is free. nyctartanweek.org
Saturday, April 6-Sunday, April 7
Apple Blossom Children’s Carnival
Queens County Farm Museum
11am-6pm
All Ages
Celebrate springtime with a carnival at the Queens County Farm Museum. There will be carnival rides, hay rides, and activities for all! Plus have good old-fashioned fun with the whole family on a Tilt-a-Whirl in the Farm’s apple orchard. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. This event will also occur on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14. queensfarm.org
Sunday, April 7
Freedom Art Jam
The Jewish Museum
11am-4pm
Ages 3 and up
Join the Jewish Museum for its annual Passover bash, featuring art, music, and dancing! Rock out to jams from ShirLaLa, create a musical instrument, contribute to a massive Seder plate sculpture, explore the museum’s galleries, and more. Free with museum admission. thejewishmuseum.org
Spring Family Day: Journey to the Harlem Renaissance
Carnegie Hall
12-4pm
Ages 3-10
Spend an afternoon at Carnegie Hall learning about the Harlem Renaissance. Families will discover how Harlem became a hotspot for African American culture. Festivities include instrument-making, live performances, and singing and dancing with professional musicians. This event is free; admission will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. carnegiehall.org
Beginning Monday, April 8
Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
10am-5:30pm
All Ages
Music lovers of all ages won’t want to miss the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new exhibit “Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll.” The exhibition will feature approximately 130 iconic musical instruments that have been owned and played by some of the biggest names in rock music. Organized in conjunction with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the exhibit will feature electric guitars, drums, costumes and vintage posters of Elvis, Prince, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, and others. Runs through Tuesday, October 1. Tickets are free with museum admission. metmuseum.org
Friday, April 12-Sunday, April 28
SNAP
New Victory Theater
Various Times
Ages 6 and up
Beginning April 12, South Korea’s GrueJarm Production will present its show “SNAP” at the New Victory Theater. Illusionists will boggle the minds of families with children ages 6 and up with feats of sleight-of-hand, stunning visual effects, and Vaudevillian comedy. This 70-minute production will surprise and delight with its play on time and space! Tickets start at $17. newvictory.org
Saturday, April 13
EarthFest 2019
American Museum of Natural History
7am-5pm
All Ages
Celebrate Earth Day with the American Museum of Natural History’s annual EarthFest event! The day’s activities include morning yoga, performances, workshops, installations, interactive carts led by high school students, and even more. Free with museum admission. amnh.org
Saturday, April 13-Sunday, April 14
PAW Patrol Live! Race to the Rescue
Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden
Various Times
Ages 2 and up
Kids can become a part of the PAW Patrol Cheer Team and participate in one of the PAW Patrol’s many adventures during “PAW Patrol Live!: Race to the Rescue.” Join Ryder and the pups, Rocky, Marshall, Chase, Rubble, and the rest of the gang on their action-packed adventure as they rescue missing Mayor Goodway. With lively music, special effects, traditional theatrical scenery along with a high-tech video wall, families will watch in amazement as these pups from the hit Nickelodeon show come to life. Tickets start at $45. msg.com
Sunday, April 14
Underneath a Magical Moon
On Stage at Kingsborough
2pm
Ages 4 and up
J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan” will be reimagined this April in “Underneath a Magical Moon.” Produced by award-winning writer Mike Kenny, this new musical follows Wendy and her brothers as they journey to Neverland where anything can happen. Be sure to stick around after the show to meet the cast! Tickets are $13. onstageatkingsborough.org
Beginning Friday, April 19
Dinosaur Safari
The Bronx Zoo
10am-5pm
All Ages
This spring the Bronx Zoo is journeying back in time to when dinosaurs roamed the earth. At Dinosaur Safari, visitors can view more than two dozen animatronic dinos, dig for fossils, and see “Amazing Adaptations: The Dinosaur Adventure,” a puppet show that reveals how dinosaurs were able to survive for centuries. Be sure to check the Zoo’s website for ongoing special exhibit events. Runs through Sunday, November 3. Tickets are $39.95 for adults and $29.95 for children ages 3 through 12. bronxzoo.com
Friday, April 19-Sunday, April 28
New York International Auto Show
The Javits Center
10am
All Ages
North America’s oldest and largest auto show is back this year at the Javits Center and will be showing off the best of 2019’s automotive trends. More than 1,000 vehicles, as well as cutting-edge designs and amazing innovations from automakers all over the world, will be found throughout the convention’s four floors through the end of April. Many nearby parking facilities and convenient mass transit systems make it easy to attend from anywhere in the tri-state area. This event is great for car lovers of all ages, so don’t miss out! Purchase your tickets online or at the door. Tickets are $17 for adults and $7 for children. autoshowny.com
Sunday, April 21
Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival
Fifth Avenue
10am-4pm
All Ages
This Easter Sunday, the Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival return to Fifth Avenue–an annual NYC tradition dating back to the 1870s! Parade viewers can watch the pageantry pass beginning at 49th street and ending at 57th Street. However, the area near St. Patrick’s Cathedral boasts the best viewing spots. This event is free. nycgo.com
Tuesday, April 23
Earth Day 2019
Union Square
12-6:30pm
All Ages
Kick off Earth Day with this annual festival in Union Square offering easy ways to make more sustainable and environmentally conscious choices in your everyday life. Highlights include exhibitors, such as green lifestyle products and services; live performances, talks, and entertainment; activities for the whole family, a clothing and electronics recycling collection, as well as local food and beverage vendors. This event is free. earthdayinitiative.org
Beginning Friday, April 26
A Year With Children 2019 Exhibit
The Guggenheim Museum
10am
All Ages
Head to the Guggenheim Museum to view its brand-new exhibit, “A Year With Children 2019,” an annual presentation of selected artworks by students in grades two through six from the 12 public schools who partook in the Learning Through Art program during the 2018-19 school year. There will be more than one hundred works displayed including collages, drawings, found objects, installations, paintings, sculpture, and more. Runs through Sunday, June 2. Free with museum admission. guggenheim.org
Saturday, April 27
Car Free Earth Day
Broadway (from Times Square to Union Square)
9am-3pm
All Ages
In celebration of Earth Day and protecting our world’s natural resources, Car Free Day NYC will encourage New York City drivers to find alternative means of transportation this April 27. Broadway, from Times Square to Union Square, will be closed to cars for six hours, allowing pedestrians to walk the streets safely. Hoping to spark conversation and possibly ignite a movement, Car Free Day NYC is an initiative that addresses some of our country’s—and our world’s—most pressing issues about sustainability and environmental justice. This event is free. nyc.gov
12th Annual Street Games
Thomas Jefferson Park
11am-3pm
All Ages
Head to Harlem this Saturday, when NYC Parks and the Walt Disney Company will host the 12th Annual Street Games in Thomas Jefferson Park! The Street Games event re-introduces old-school city games to kids. Participants can join rousing games of double-dutch, ultimate frisbee, wheelchair basketball, a box car derby and more! Local radio stations will spin jams throughout the day and kids will enjoy live performances by a hip-hop breakdancer, a yo-yo master, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. This event is free. nycgovparks.org
Star Dust: A David Bowie Tribute
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
8pm
All Ages
Introduce your young ones to the music of legend David Bowie through “Star Dust: A David Bowie Tribute” at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. Complexions Contemporary Ballet will thrill all ages during this energetic dance production dedicated to the Starman himself. Tickets start at $25 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under. lehmancenter.org
Saturday, April 27-Sunday, April 28
Sakura Matsuri 2019
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
10am-6pm
All Ages
This two-day fest celebrates everything that is Japanese culture. Throughout the day, festival-goers can enjoy traditional and modern Japanese music, dance performances, samurai sword fights, and much more. Kids activities include a taiko drumming session, fan decorating, origami workshops, and a tea ceremony. Tickets are $30 for adults. Children under the age of 12 are free with an adult ticket-holder. bbg.org
Sunday, April 28
Anne of Green Gables
Queens Theatre
1 & 3pm
Ages 7-12
At the end of the month, ArtsPower will present its theatrical adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s beloved children’s book Anne of Green Gables at the Queens Theatre. Will orphan Anne Shirley find a place to call home? Families will find out during this 55-minute production. Tickets are $14. queenstheatre.org
