Picks Of The Week: May 17 & 18

Be sure not to miss out on the New York Baby Show this weekend, a mega-event for expectant and new parents!

Plus: Have fun in the park this weekend with Madison Square Park’s Spring Kids Fest, the exciting grand opening of the Flow.14 exhibition at Randall’s Island Park, the annual Mamapalooza at Riverside Park, and very special performances from the Big Apple Circus in Cunningham Park. For an educational and inspirational dance show, check out ABTKids at the American Ballet Theatre!

Saturday, May 17 & Sunday May 18

New York Baby Show
Pier 92
10am-4pm
The New York Baby Show is a family-friendly mega-event for expectant and new parents (and their babies and toddlers) from the Tri-state area and beyond! It’s a great way to discover a big mix of top products and services for maternity, baby, and toddler, while enjoying an inspiring menu of speakers and demonstrations, a newly expanded Stroller Test Track, the well-regarded NYC Dads Group, and local entertainers and demo classes to share with little ones. $20 for a single ticket, $30 for a family ticket

Click HERE for more info and to purchase tickets! Don’t forget to use the discount code NYFBABY to get $10 off the price of a family ticket!

Saturday, May 17

Spring Kids Fest
Madison Square Park
10:30am-1:30pm
Celebrate spring and the wonderful weather at a very special kids fest at Madison Square Park! Don’t miss out on this free, super fun outdoor event, which will feature a ton of activities for little ones, including snacks, live shows, games, face painting, story telling, and much more! Free

ABTKids
American Ballet Theatre
Various times
Introduce the kiddos to the magic and beauty of ballet at this unique performance for families. Recommended for children ages 4-12, the one-hour production will feature children-friendly highlights from the American Ballet Theatre’s repertoire. For even more dance-related fun, check out the pre-show workshop, which includes hands-on activities and an instructional introduction to ballet for kids. Additionally, a great VIP package is available for the most die-hard of ABT fans! $25 for the performance, $20 for the pre-show workshop, $150 for a VIP package

Sunday, May 18

Grand Opening: Flow.14
Randall’s Island Park
1pm-3pm
Flow, an annual summer art exhibition at Randall’s Island Park, is having a grand opening that is free and open to the public. Offerings from this wonderful showcase include interactions with the artists and their pieces, Latin music, and a lively children’s dance performance from RIPA’s Musical Arts Program. Free

11th Annual Mamapalooza
Riverside Park
12pm-5pm
Moms deserve the best, so this annual Mamapalooza is the perfect way to celebrate mothers everywhere! The music- and art-filled festival at Pier i in Riverside Park holds exciting offerings, including family concerts, kids activities, a Gymboree Play tent, food vendors, and much more! Free entertainment, food for a price

Starting Sunday, May 18

Big Apple Circus
Cunningham Park
Various times
Come one, come all to an amazing variety of acts at the Big Apple Circus in Queens! Located in Cunningham Park, the special spring show has something for everyone. Kiddos will love clown Rob Torres and the animal acts presented by Jenny Vidbel, while parents and older ones can marvel at teenage juggler Ty Tojo, Russian acrobats, and circus legend Daniel Cyr on the free ladder, among many others! From $20

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.

Broadway Dance Center Children and Teens

With more than 35 years of experience, Broadway Dance Center Children &amp; Teens provides young movers ages 3-18 with exceptional training. BDC delivers the finest all-around dance experience for students by offering a wide variety of styles and levels, performance opportunities, and the highest caliber dance instruction that only New York City and BDC Children &amp; Teens can provide. This studio is so much more than a training course for young dancers; it is a diverse, family-friendly community for budding creatives. It has an exemplary faculty who follow the vision to not only develop a dancer&rsquo;s love and ability in dance, but to do so in a nurturing and supportive way.

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!"