Contributing Writer: Kat Harrison
We leave you with this:
three versions of The Nutcracker to choose from, fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi
narrating Peter & The Wolf and Rockefeller Center’s Ice Rink completely full of caroling tubas. We hope this list inspires. —
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
It’s country meets city as Chelsea Market, Ronnybrook Farm Dairy and Edible
Manhattan team up to present the first “Cow-nival.”
Take pictures with cute calves, play cow pie bingo and make farm-inspired arts
& crafts.
Santa is setting up shop at the World Financial Center’s Winter
Garden. Take your picture with Old St. Nick, and meet his friendly reindeer
and spirited elves.
Too much Charlie Brown? Please. The
Pig Brooch Theatre Co. will put on its version of A
Charlie Brown Christmas, accompanied by a live jazz trio, at the
Brooklyn Lyceum. (Friday-Sunday)
Have a mime of a good time at the PETER
PANtomime Holiday Workshop Performance, presented by kids at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center.
Walk into a Winter
Wonderland at Citibabes SoHo’s
annual holiday soiree. Decorate pinecones, take goofy pics in the Bellamy Blue
Photography photo booth and bring items for the holiday food drive. Only Friday.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
Renowned fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi will lend his voice to the dramatic reading of Peter
& The Wolf at the Guggenheim. The afternoon will combine the visual
and performing arts with stunning balloon sculptures and music by the Julliard
Ensemble.
An airborne potato pancake is the star of the Flea Theater’s show The
Flying Latke, adapted from a children’s book. Watch as the Silverstein
family has an out-of-this-world experience as their food fight during the first
night of Chanukah sends a latke flying out the window, which summons a UFO.
(Saturday-Sunday)
Time to get nutcrackin’ — there are three performances of the holiday
classic this weekend! The 16th
Annual Yorkville Nutcracker
(Friday-Sunday), presented by Dances Patrelle at the Kaye Playhouse, is set in
1895 and incorporates NYC’s landmarks into the plot. For an Art Nouveau spin on
the classic, the New York Theatre Ballet presents Keith
Michael’s The Nutcracker
(Saturday-Sunday) at Florence Gould Hall. And to travel way back in time, the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts’ presentation of The
Colonial Nutcracker (Sunday) takes place in wintry Yorktown during the Revolutionary War.
SATURDAY
Prepare to be dazzled at the Ice
Theatre’s Holiday Ice Show and Christmas Tree Lighting at Riverbank State Park. The ice-dancing troupe will perform a festive collection of routines
to popular Christmas carols, followed by the breathtaking lighting of the tree.
Learn about trains, balloons and buses at the MoMA’s Family
Films: Transportation Tales short film series.
The Little Waltzers & the Waltz-Astoria Present The
Deedle Deedle Dees CD Release Show at the Minos Cretan Society. This
teaching band sings about American history, the natural world and social
action.
Celebrate the last full moon of autumn at the Alley Pond Environmental Center’s Full
Moon Gazing night. See the celestial body glow through the New York City lights as you observe the moon through a 10″
telescope.
Play hide & seek as you decode the symbolism in Marsden Hartley’s
paintings at the Brooklyn Museum’s HIDE/SEEK
Family-Artist Encounter. Appropriate for kiddos 7 and older with an adult.
Kids can uncover the elements of interactive installations, like the camera
obscura, and discover art on their own terms with a scavenger hunt put on at 10 Downing Street in the West Village. Sip hot cocoa after!
SUNDAY
If
You Really Love Polar Bears,
a 45-minute interactive play at the New York Hall of Science, uses puppetry,
music and Patchy’s obsession with polar bears to teach a valuable lesson about
climate change and conservation.
Calling all tuba players and enthusiasts. The 38th
Anniversary of TubaChristmas is here and spreading holiday cheer. The
musicians will gather on the ice rink at Rockefeller Center to play some favorite Christmas tunes.
Santa gets stuck atop the NYC Fire Museum, and he needs help! Watch the Annual
Santa Rescue, followed by hot chocolate and photo ops with Santa once he’s
safely inside.
Work up a sweat at Children’s Museum of Manhattan’s Ask
The Experts: Grassroots Fitness Project. Fitness gurus Heather Gunn and
Will Rivera lead kids in a total-body conditioning program by using hurdles,
hula hoops and balance beams to develop essential body movements.
A mom, dad and daughter family band is serving up slices of fun (and pizza) at the Laughing
Pizza Live in Concert event on the Upper East Side.
Rock out with
David
Weinstone at 92Y Tribeca. The ex-punk rocker teaches the popular Music for
Aardvarks classes and really knows how to get youngsters on their feet through
music.
Get ready for Hanukkah by building your own menorah, decorating a dreidel
and making candles at 92nd Street Y’s Hanukkah
Festival.
Suzi Shelton is back with her Third
Annual Rockin’ Holiday Party! Don’t miss special guest Kira Willey and
delicious eats by beloved BK diner, Dizzie’s.
For even more
events and activities this weekend and beyond , check out our Family
Calendar.
PHOTO
CREDIT: Andrew Schwartz. To see more of Andrew’s pics of TubaChristmas, check
out his flickr.
