Free Family Events This Weekend! (March 16-18)

The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place this Saturday along Fifth Avenue! Photo via facebook.com.

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

Through Friday, March 16

Celtic Sounds
12:30-1:30pm
One Liberty Plaza
All Ages
Stop by during lunch and enjoy traditional Celtic music! On Friday, Jameson’s Revenge will perform.

Friday, March 16

Tilt Kids Festival: Bassam Saba & Musicians of the NY Arabic Orchestra
5:30pm
Cultural Services of the French Embassy
Ages 4 and up
Part of the Tilt Kids Festival, this performance teams Bassam Saba with April Centrone and members of the New York Arabic Orchestra; they’ll take you and your kids on a journey into Arabic music. Reservations required; seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Saturday, March 17

8th Annual Irish Arts Center Book Day
9am
Various locations throughout NYC
All Ages
Celebrate Irish literature citywide on Saturday! Enjoy this free program, rich with reading opportunities, for every type of book lover. This event will be conducted in all five boroughs in various locations; please see website for details. This event starts at 9am and will last until there are no more books to give away!

NYC Saint Patrick’s Day Parade
11am-5pm
5th Avenue (between 44th and 79th Streets)
All Ages
Come out and experience the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day in the Big Apple. Where else can you find hundreds of happy people wearing green in the middle of March? Be sure to dress warmly so that you can truly revel in the experience. A long-standing tradition (since 1762!), this is sure to be on many a New Yorker’s event list this week.

50th Anniversary of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” Screenings
12:15-4pm
The Paley Center
All Ages
Remember Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood? Chances are, your kids have never seen the show, and there’s no better way to introduce them than at this event. Every Saturday, the Paley Center will screen Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Odd Squad, and Through the Woods.

Sunday, March 18

Special Day for Special Kids
10am-12pm
New York Transit Museum
All Ages
This event is designed for children with disabilities and their families. Come to the museum early and enjoy fun activities in a smaller environment. Registration is required.

Brooklyn’s St. Patrick’s Parade
1pm
Begins at: 15th Street & Prospect Park West
All Ages
Celebrate the holiday with this parade, that travels from 15th Street & Prospect Park West down 15th Street to 7th Avenue, along 7th Avenue to Garfield Place, up Garfield Place to Prospect Park West, and along Prospect Park West to 15th Street.

Speakitaly NYC

SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp; Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge. Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts? Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"

Young Actors at Strasberg

Young Actors at Strasberg&nbsp;offers a comprehensive array of acting programs for students in grades 2 &ndash;&nbsp;12. Classes provide kids and teens with a foundation in Lee Strasberg's Method Acting and the tools to succeed in the professional industry &ndash;&nbsp;all while maintaining a fun and playful environment. Programs are tailored to encompass students at all levels, from those just beginning their acting journey to Broadway veterans and professional child actors. Young Actors at Strasberg alumni include Lady Gaga, Sophia Lillis, Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Rosario Dawson! Young Actors&nbsp;Programs are available online and in-person at our New York Campus, located in Union Square. Saturday, After-School and Online classes are offered during the traditional school year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) and Monday through Friday day camps and intensives are held in&nbsp;July and August. About The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute: Founded in 1969 by Lee and Anna Strasberg, The Lee Strasberg Theatre &amp; Film Institute is the only school that teaches Lee Strasberg's work in its complete and authentic form. The Institute's goal is to provide students with a craft that will help them create a reality and respond truthfully in imaginary circumstances, regardless of the style or form of material being used. LSTFI is proud to have award-winning alumni from around the world working as writers, directors, and actors in all mediums.

Brooklyn Robot Foundry - Virtual Classes

Brooklyn Robot Foundry offers super fun online robot-building classes for children 2-13 years old!&nbsp;&nbsp;Each week, students are introduced to new engineering concepts and components while building that day&rsquo;s robot in their own &ldquo;workshop&rdquo;.&nbsp;&nbsp;All classes maintain a very low student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for plenty of individualized instruction and socializing. The supplies are shipped in advance and classes are led by amazing instructors, taking all the pressure off parents.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Foundry&rsquo;s main focus however, is that kids have fun, get creative, and enjoy being part of this STEAM-loving community!&nbsp;