It looks like winter’s here to stay, but don’t let the frigid temps get you down–check out some of the amazing events happening this week! Catch a super-famous bunny production, a superb sports fest, a wicked winter warm-up day, an innovative invention convention for kids, and a neat New Year celebration straight from Japan. Enjoy!
Beginning Friday, January 22
“The Velveteen Rabbit”
New Victory Theater
Various times
Bring your youngsters to London’s Unicorn Theatre production of “The Velveteen Rabbit,” and see this favorite childhood story spring to life onstage at the New Victory Theater! The magical show, adapted from the beloved book by Margery Williams Bianco, will enchant everyone in the audience as Rabbit embarks on his journey to become a living animal. Universal themes of loneliness, friendship, loss, and growing older are explored during this 90-minute performance. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Runs weekends through Sunday, January 31. Tickets start at $15.
Saturday, January 23-Sunday, January 24
New York Family Camp Fairs
Saturday: Upper East Side – St Jean Baptiste High School – 167 East 75th Street
Sunday: Upper West Side – Congregation Rodeph Sholom – 7 West 83rd Street
Discover dozens of day and sleepaway camps at the New York Family Camp Fairs coming up on January 23 & 24 in Manhattan and January 30 & 31 in Brooklyn. The fairs are informative, free, and fun for the whole family. The Camp Fairs (the largest in NYC) offer families the unprecedented opportunity to speak with a big host of camp directors and get essential questions answered: What kinds of camps are right for my child? Should my child go to day camp in the city or out of the city? Is my child ready for sleepaway camp? Should we look at general camps or specialty camps? The camp fairs are sponsored with the American Camp Association-NY/NJ. Click the link above to pre-register!
Saturday, January 23
Winter Jam
Central Park
11am-3pm
Enjoy a free afternoon of winter sports activities this Saturday in Central Park! Gore Mountain will blow fresh snow in the park for all ages to play in. Winter Jam activities include snowshoeing, sledding, the Lake Placid Snow Field, kicksledding, ski and snowboarding workshops for beginners, and more. Afterwards, grab a bite to eat at the Taste NY Winter Market. All equipment will be provided, but guests can also bring their own gear. This event is free and will be held rain, snow, or shine.
LC Kids Winter Warm-Up
Lincoln Center Plaza
12pm-6pm
Families with children ages 3 and up are invited to Lincoln Center on Saturday for a Winter Warm-Up party. This free day of activities will feature a Silent Disco party, live ice sculpting demos, and screenings of the film “Lincoln Center at the Movies: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.” Visitors will also have the opportunity to win a 4-pack of tickets to see the Broadway stage production of “The King and I” at the Lincoln Center Theater. This event is free; pre-registration is required for the Silent Disco party; all other events are first-come, first-served.
Saturday, January 23-Sunday, January 24
Hoot & Howl Weekend
Wave Hill
10am-3pm
Learn all about coyotes and owls during Wave Hill’s Hoot & Howl Weekend! All ages are welcome to explore how these wild creatures thrive in the tri-state area and beyond. Workshop topics include “Owl Pellet Dissection,” “Coyotes in the Big Apple,” and “Urban Owls: Finding a Home in NYC.” Families can also make and decorate owl and coyote sculptures using air-dry clay, go on guided nature walks, and meet live owls from the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum. Free with garden admission. Registration is required for some activities.
2016 Inventgenuity Festival
PS 32/MS 442, Brooklyn
11am-5pm
This weekend, PS 32/MS 442 will host the Beam Center’s 7th annual Inventgenuity Festival in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Kids 2nd grade and up can let their imaginations and tech know-how soar to new heights during this invention convention! This year’s theme, “natural machinery,” will allow young makers to collaborate on the creation of a large-scale mechanical bird mobile, attend live demos, and participate in hands-on, 45-minute rotating workshops. This event is free. Pre-registration is required.
Sunday, January 24
New Year’s Celebration: Oshogatsu
Japan Society
1pm-4pm
In honor of Japan’s New Year, Japan Society is hosting its annual Oshogatsu celebration this Sunday. Stop by for an afternoon filled with traditional Japanese entertainment and activities like rice-pounding workshops, calligraphy sessions, kite making, games, live taiko drumming, and a must-see lion dance. Light Japanese meals, snacks, and assorted refreshments will be available for purchase from BentOn Café. Tickets are $18 per person; children ages 2 and under are free.
