Free Family Events This Weekend! (January 12-14)

The 6th Annual Black Comic Book Festival will take place this weekend at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture! Photo via eventbrite.com.

Have an amazing weekend without opening your wallet! For even more activity inspiration, check out our Weekend Planner.

Friday, January 12

Chartreuse String Trio: By the Water
7-9pm
Bloomingdale School of Music
All Ages
Join the Bloomingdale School of Music for an evening of live music performed by the Chartreuse String Trio. The group’s musical selection will feature women composers whose work explores various forms of water and other natural elements. This wonderful event is part of the school’s free concert series.

Friday, January 12-Saturday, January 13

6th Annual Black Comic Book Festival
Friday: 10am-8pm; Saturday: 10am-7pm
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
All Ages
Learn all about the rich history of black comic book artists and their work at the 6th Annual Black Comic Book Festival at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This fest will feature film screenings, panel discussions, arts and crafts workshops for kids, and much more. Expect an action-packed day! Pre-registration is required.

Saturday, January 13

Family Art Project: Freedom Quilting Bee
10am-1pm
Wave Hill
All Ages
Join Wave Hill this Saturday for its Freedom Quilting Bee! In honor of Martin Luther King, who established the first Freedom Quilting Bee in 1966 in rural Alabama, families can create their own quilts using squares of donated fabric. Please note: Admission to the garden is free until noon only.

Read-to-Skate StoryTime
12-1pm
Bryant Park
All Ages
Listen to riveting stories while earning free skate rentals at The Rink during Read-to-Skate StoryTime in Bryant Park! Kids will receive a stamped StoryTime card. Visitors who attend two StoryTime programs and also attend one program at the NYPL’s Children Center (or read one library book there) will be awarded a free skate rental for The Rink in Bryant Park. Participants can also score free books courtesy of Penguin Random House. While supplies last.

Sunday, January 14

“Breaking Ice: The Battle of the Carmens”
2:30pm
Denny Ferrell Riverbank State Park Skating Complex
All Ages
This Sunday, Alice Hall Moran will present a new vocal work featuring the Ice Theatre of New York. Part of PROTOTYPE’s Out of Bounds installment, a series of free performances of new works in public spaces, this piece takes place on the ice and is inspired by the artist’s childhood and the 1988 Winter Olympics. Please note: Skaters are encouraged to watch the performance while on the ice. In order to do so, please arrive 20 minutes prior to show time.

Academics West

Academics West is an accredited high-support college preparatory school designed to meet the academic and social-emotional goals of its students. Our unique model allows for each student to benefit from a customized educational experience to ensure they are acquiring the skills necessary to navigate their post-secondary lives whether they attend college or pursue another path to future success. Students can select different tracks to construct the most beneficial program to suit their needs and goals. Unlike conventional education, this innovative model enables students to prepare for an ever-changing world that requires young people to have advanced executive functioning, interpersonal and leadership skills to become independent and resilient adults. &nbsp;

BAMkids

BAMkids presents adventurous art and ideas for young audiences, igniting the imaginations of creative kids ages 3&mdash;11 with a fun and engaging lineup of workshops, movie matinees, and live performances from around the world. BAM Education connects learning with creativity, engaging imagination by encouraging self-expression through programs for students, teachers, and audiences of all ages. Explore the programs on their website to learn more about their opportunities for creative online engagement!