Check out some great family events happening this June in Manhattan, including kids’ shows, festivals, and Father’s Day events.
Pop and Jazz
Singer and scholar Michael Feinstein (pictured) will present a family matinee exploring the common roots of 20th-century songwriting giants from Duke Ellington to George Gershwin, in I Got Rhythm: The Common Roots of Popular Song and Jazz. This special performance is part of Lincoln Center‘s Jazz & Popular Song series, directed by Feinstein. For ages 10 and up. June 5 at 3pm. $25. The Allen Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street.
Twenty-First Century Circus
Cirque Du Soleil presents Zarkana, a production directed by Francois Gerard, who is responsible for such films as The Red Violin and Silk. A diverse cast of 71 international artists perform fantastical acrobatics that defy logic as they tell the story of Zark, a musician whose love interest has stolen his heart and his powers of magic. June 9-September 4. Check the website for times. $47-$130. Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas.
A Cross-Cultural Celebration
Experience the eggs-traordinary at a block party celebrating both the Jewish and Chinese communities of the Lower East Side. The Egg Rolls & Egg Creams Festival, hosted by the Museum at Eldridge Street, will feature Chinese opera and acrobats, klezmer music, mah jongg instruction and competitions, Yiddish and Mandarin language lessons, scribal art and challah-making demonstrations, food and folk art demos, crafts for kids, Eldridge Street Synagogue tours, and more. June 12, 12-4pm. FREE. 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, 12 Eldridge Street between Canal and Division Streets.
Oh My, Ohmies!
Dance, stretch, and sing with Bella Butterfly and Carlin Caterpillar as they journey to wake up Mr. Sun in the Ohmies’ Morning Wish Garden, an interactive show where The Ohmies lead young audience members in a series of yoga-inspired dance exercises as they make new friends and shake off their worries. June 16 through August 7. Thursdays at 11am; Saturdays at 10am, 12pm, and 3pm; Sundays at 12pm and 3pm. $35. Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 416 W. 42nd Street.For tickets, call the box office: 212-564-1235 or Ticket Central: 212-279-4200, or visit www.ticketcentral.com.
Best Dad Events
Show Dear Old Dad some appreciation this month (that’s right, why not extend Father’s Day just a bit this year?) with a family outing to one of these father-iffic events:
Lombardi, the Broadway show about the late football coach Vince Lombardi, has partnered with The Palm restaurant to offer a special Father’s Day package throughout June. $59-$79. Call or visit the website for show times. Circle in the Square Theater, 1633 Broadway. www.lombardibroadway.com/fathersday.
If Dad’s got a thing for cars, bring him out to the 11th Annual Vintage Police Car Show, where visitors have the opportunity to view classic patrol vehicles used by New York’s Finest over the years. June 11, 10am-4pm. FREE. New York City Police Museum, 100 Old Slip.
Treat Dad to a unique sports outing: Catch an old-fashioned baseball game at Take Me Out to the Ball Game!, when the New York Mutuals play baseball using balls, bats, uniforms, and rules from 1864. Registration requested. June 18. 1pm. $10, children 6-17 $5. Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, 895 Shore Road, Bronx.
If Dad’s the master of the grill, join in a Father’s Day BBQ Twist, a hands-on cooking class where families will put a creative spin on a few BBQ favorites, preparing the likes of banana dogs, fruit kabobs, and dessert burgers. June 18 at 11am. $35; $15 siblings. City Treehouse, 129A West 20th Street. 212-255-2050.
Putt and Ponder on Governors Island
FIGMENT, a free, family-friendly participatory arts event held in multiple cities, has installed two summer-long projects on Governors Island: 14 artist-designed minigolf holes that comprise the Terrace Minigolf Course, and 13 interactive projects that will form the Terrace Sculpture Garden. The minigolf course’s theme is “Bugs and Features,” so be prepared to putt your way through spiders, ants, and even bed bugs. The sculpture garden features creative, interactive, and sustainable sculpture projects that will find a temporary home on the island. Both are open through September 25. 10am-4pm Fridays; 10am-6pm Saturdays and Sundays. FREE. Free ferries to the island leave every hour between 10am and 3pm from the Battery Maritime Building located at 10 South Street.
Ribbit…
The American Museum of Natural History presents Frogs: A Chorus of Colors. More than 200 live frogs, from the tiny golden mangella frog to the enormous African bullfrog, are on view in their re-created habitats. Twenty-five different species hailing from across the globe are on display, with explanations of their evolution and biology, their importance to the ecosystem, and the threats they face from the world’s environmental changes. Interactive stations allow visitors to better understand these amphibians. Open May 28, 2011 through January 8, 2012. Open daily 10am-5:45pm. $16, students 12 and up $12, children 2-12 $9. American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West.
Also see: Our Online Calendar, for even more upcoming family events in Manhattan and the NYC area
