EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: JULY 2022

By Great Performances

Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!

Photo: ©Apollo

AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE APOLLO

Every Wednesday at 7:30pm

Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater

Known as one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, Amateur Night at the Apollo attracts performers and audiences from around the world in a classic talent competition that has launched the careers of countless legendary artists, from Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross, Lauryn Hill, H.E.R, and Jazmine Sullivan.

Join in on the fun with the weekly classic competition that sheds light on the careers of a whole new roster of stars. Be a part of the notoriously “tough” audience in an interactive evening unlike any other and lend your voice to decide who will “Be Good or Be Gone” to win the triumphant grand prize.

Amateur Night at the Apollo is hosted by the comedian Capone. Each show begins with a festive pre-party featuring video and music by DJ Jess. And keep a lookout for C.P. Lacey, the resident Executioner who sweeps bad talent off the stage.

Click here to learn more

Photo: Chris Alfonso

DRINK AND DRAW

Thursday, July 21st from 7:00pm-9:30pm

Location: Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden, 1st Floor

Ticket Information: $35 and include after-hours admission to Monet to Morisot, your own Brooklyn Museum tote, and a complimentary drink. Member tickets are $25.

Sip and sketch in our backyard Sculpture Garden this summer with a monthly series of life drawing classes. Drink and Draw is open to all levels and accompanied by a refreshing beverage and musical vibes by local DJs. In July, celebrate works from our European art collection featured in Monet to Morisot: The Real and Imagined in European Art. Sketch from live models and experiment with materials in a casual class led by teaching artist Mellasenah Nicole Edwards. Plus, enjoy tunes by Amber Valentine.

Click here to learn more

Abdou Mboup. (Photo: Richard Conde)

JAZZ IN THE GARDEN: ABDOU MBOUP AND WAAKAW

Sunday, July 24th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Location: Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden, 1st Floor

Ticket Information: This program is free and open to the public.

Swing by the Museum’s backyard Sculpture Garden for performances by some of the city’s best musicians, and enjoy a range of creative styles incorporating blues, jazz, and international sounds. Presented in partnership with Jazz Foundation of America.

In July, multi-instrumentalist Abdou Mboup incorporates jazz ensemble music by his group, Waakaw, into the griot tradition of his native Senegal.

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Photo: ©Caramoor

THE CHEVALIER

Sunday, July 10th at 4:00pm

Ticket Information: Starting at $40

This innovative work of concert theater honors the life of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges — a prolific 18th-century composer, virtuoso violinist, the finest fencer in Europe, general of Europe’s first Black regiment, and a crusader for equality. The story of this extraordinary artist of color, overlooked in history, is bursting to be told!

The Harlem Chamber Players are joined by four actors and violinist Brendon Elliott for this concert theater work exploring Bologne’s music, friendships with Mozart and Marie Antoinette, and his unknown contribution to the abolishment of slavery.

Photo: ©Caramoor

IMANI WINDS

A Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, July 14th at 7:00pm

Ticket Information: Starting at $40

The Grammy-nominated Imani Winds lead the evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing and adventurous programming, striving to push the classical repertory forward into inclusivity. Their Caramoor debut celebrates the diversity of four prominent, yet under-represented, female composers. 

Talkback with Helga Davis / Stay for a conversation with Imani Winds immediately following the concert. 

Photo: ©Caramoor

CONCERT ON THE LAWN: RACHAEL & VILRAY

Presented in collaboration with City Winery

Saturday, July 23rd at 8:00pm

Ticket Information: $65

Lake Street Dive singer-songwriter Rachael Price and composer, singer, and guitarist Vilray turned their shared love for the jazz music of the 1930s and ’40s into a heart-warming collaboration between friends. After meeting at the New England Conservatory of Music, the duo later reunited for a performance that sparked songwriting inspiration. Performing a mixture of original songs and forgotten treasures, Rachael & Vilray welcome you to an evening rich with nostalgia for an era gone by. 

Please bring your own seating for this concert, as it takes place on our grassy Friends Field. You can even bring or purchase a picnic dinner!

Photo: ©Dizzy's Club

LAKECIA BENJAMIN

Tuesday, July 12th and Wednesday, July 13th

Ticket Information: Start at $35

ABOUT THE SHOW

Rising star saxophonist and Essentially Ellington alumna Lakecia Benjamin returns to the Dizzy’s Club stage! Benjamin has developed a reputation for energetic, genre-crossing performances, and she has played with musicians ranging from Jimmy Heath, Joanne Brackeen, Charenee Wade, and Harry Belafonte to Macy Gray, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and The Roots. For this performance, she will return to a favorite source of material by leading her quartet through repertoire from her new album, which celebrates her major saxophone influence John Coltrane as well as the great multi-instrumentalist Alice Coltrane. Come check out one of the instrument’s freshest new voices perform her own take on this timeless music.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Dizzy's Club

JON FADDIS QUARTET: HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK!

Thursday, July 21st through Sunday, July 24th

Ticket Information: Start at $40

ABOUT THE SHOW

It’s only fitting that Jon Faddis celebrates his birthday every year – July 24 –  at Dizzy’s Club, considering the club’s namesake was Jon’s lifelong mentor and friend. And, like his hero, Faddis is an overwhelming presence on the bandstand, as both a player of both prodigious power and finesse and as a gregarious frontman, cracking up both his bandmates and audiences. 

Born in 1953, Faddis began playing at age seven, inspired by an appearance by Louis Armstrong on the Ed Sullivan Show. Bill Catalano (an alumnus of the Stan Kenton band) hipped Faddis to the music of Dizzy Gillespie. Meeting Dizzy Gillespie at the Monterey Jazz Festival and then sitting in with him at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco proved to be a pivotal beginning of a unique friendship between Gillespie and Faddis, one that spanned almost three decades.

Two days before his 18th birthday, Faddis joined Lionel Hampton’s band as a featured soloist, moving from Oakland, CA to New York. Shortly after arriving in Manhattan, Faddis was invited to sit in with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard; he rapidly became lead trumpeter for the band, touring the world. He soon formed his own quartet, and began directing orchestras, including the Grammy-winning United Nation Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie 70th Birthday Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (2004-2010), the Carnegie Hall Centennial Big Band, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (1992-2002), and the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York (2003-present).

A devoted educator, Faddis is a full-time faculty member at the Conservatory of Music, Purchase College-SUNY, where he began in 1999 as Artist-in-Residence, becoming shortly after Professor and Director of Jazz Performance and he holds the first-ever honorary doctorate in Jazz from Manhattan School of Music (which he attended for about a semester when he was 18). Come celebrate the birthday of one of the true disciples of bebop, the one and only Jon Faddis. 

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Jon Faddis – Leader & Trumpet

David Hazeltine – Piano

Kiyoshi Kitagawa – Bass

Dion Parson – Drums

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Poster House

FIRST FRIDAY

Friday, July 1st

Peace Poster Workshop: (1:00pm to 2:30pm) Join artist and printmaker Todd Drake for this hands-on workshop centered on the theme of peace. Inspired by the work of designer and artist Peter Paul Piech, participants will learn basic linoleum printmaking techniques while creating their very own peace posters. Tickets: $10

Collaborative Paper Marbling: (4:00pm to 5:30pm) Led by cultural worker and teaching artist Fan Kong, this workshop will introduce beginners to Suminagashi, the oldest paper marbling technique. This meditative practice involves floating colors on the surface of water and delicately transferring them to paper. Each participant will learn to create and experiment with Suminagashi in small groups. Along the way, we will reflect on and challenge traditional thinking processes through creative problem solving and mindfulness. Tickets: $20

Ethel Reed Docent Tour: (5:30pm to 6:30pm) Get an inside look at the exhibition Ethel Reed: I Am My Own Property during this informative docent tour. Learn about this pioneering graphic designer—one of a handful of American women to make a name for herself in the field at the turn of the 19th century—and explore the dark and oftentimes defiant thread that ran just beneath the surface of her otherwise cheerful compositions. FREE!

Fabulous Florals Workshop: (6:00pm to 7:00pm) Just in time for spring, join artist and designer M for an interactive, flower-based design activity. Participants in this hands-on workshop will learn to incorporate floral motifs into their analog designs. Guests will leave with a personal design inspired by the exhibition Ethel Reed: I Am My Own Property. Tickets: $10

Battleship Potemkin Movie Screening: (7:00pm to 8:30pm) Enjoy a screening of the renowned 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin in the museum’s main gallery. Widely considered to be a technical masterpiece and one of the greatest movies of all time, Battleship Potemkin continues to influence and inspire filmmakers. This unique experience offers attendees the opportunity to enjoy the acclaimed film among the film posters featured in The Utopian Avant-Garde: Soviet Film Posters of the 1920s, on view through August 21. FREE!

SIGSPACE X EMANCIPATED STORIES

Wednesday, June 29th through Sunday, July 24th 

Ticket Information: Free!

Creating invigorating connections among people on the inside and out, Emancipated Stories is collaborating with SigSpace to share a visual and experiential activation to create a bridge to people who have been affected by incarceration, who often feel impenetrably separated. Founded by Quiara Alegría Hudes and her cousin Sean Ortiz, designed by Yazmany Arboleda, this lobby installation features letter-writing and pop-up performances produced in collaboration with The Fortune Society. Bear witness to the real, handwritten words and art of those behind bars — and respond.

Click here to learn more

Photo courtesy of Wave Hill

SUNSET WEDNESDAY: AFRO LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Wednesday, July 13th from 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Location: Great Lawn

Ticket Information: $12/adults, $8/students/seniors, $6/children, FREE for members

Feel the beat of the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble, an octet made up of some of the most virtuosic musicians in jazz today. Based in New York City, the ensemble is part of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, founded by Grammy-award winning pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill. Their repertoire honors the pioneers of Latin jazz, like Mario Bauzá and Tito Puente, while keeping a strong foothold in progressing that music by performing contemporary compositions of the genre.

Sunset Wednesdays take place on the Great Lawn. You may bring folding chairs, but blankets are not permitted, and visitors may picnic only in designated picnic areas. The closest to the Great Lawn is adjacent to Glyndor Gallery. The Café and Shop are open until 7PM.

Click here to learn more

Photo: Lauren Desberg

SUNSET WEDNESDAY: GINA D’SOTO

Wednesday, July 20th from 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Location: Great Lawn

Ticket Information: $12/adults, $8/students/seniors, $6/children, FREE for members

The multi-talented singer, composer and arranger Gina D’Soto is one of the first prominent Cuban musicians to emerge out of the late 90s generation, with a sound best described as the blending of jazz, soul, fusion and Cuban traditions. She is known for her energetic, soulful and powerful vocals, and has shared the stage with such legendary musicians as Arturo O’Farrill, Antonio Sanchez and Anna Tijoux.

Sunset Wednesdays take place on the Great Lawn. You may bring folding chairs, but blankets are not permitted, and visitors may picnic only in designated picnic areas. The closest to the Great Lawn is adjacent to Glyndor Gallery. The Café and Shop are open until 7PM.

Click here to learn more

Credit: Steve Malinski

SUNSET WEDNESDAY: THE BRASS QUEENS

Wednesday, July 27th from 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Location: Great Lawn

Ticket Information: $12/adults, $8/students/seniors, $6/children, FREE for members

The Brass Queens is a Brooklyn-based, 8-piece brass band whose music is deeply inspired by the New Orleans tradition, which influences their genre-spanning sound. Brass Queens features an all-female horn section with the goal of expanding the space for women in a male-dominated industry. Their rousing energy will have you swaying, dancing and toe-tapping!

Sunset Wednesdays take place on the Great Lawn. You may bring folding chairs, but blankets are not permitted, and visitors may picnic only in designated picnic areas. The closest to the Great Lawn is adjacent to Glyndor Gallery. The Café and Shop are open until 7PM.

Click here to learn more

THE DISCOASIS

Extended through October 1st!

Ticket Information: Start at $29, varies based on day and time

The DiscOasis is a timed-entry immersive theatrical experience that unites art, light, music, dance, live performances, roller skating, good times, and good vibes within the iconic Wollman Rink in Central Park. At The DiscOasis you will find yourself dancing and skating your way through a glittering sonic fantasia for the soul with a soundscape curated by our Groovemaster, disco and funk legend Nile Rodgers. Whenever you visit, you will be immersed in the groovy paradise that is The DiscOasis. The environmental design features art installations, photo ops, and soundscapes curated by Groovemaster Nile Rodgers.

The DiscOasis is rolling through New York for a limited engagement starting June 16. The experience will be open Wednesday-Sunday, with daytime skate sessions from 10:00am-4:30pm, and the nighttime experience from 5:30-10:00pm.

Click here to learn more

BROADWAY SINGS THAT FUNKY MUSIC

Tuesday, July 5th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Ticket Information: $25 – general admission to the performances.

Live performances are back at Wollman Rink during roller skating season! At Broadway Sings® that Funky Music, join the live, brass-packed Broadway Sings band and six insanely talented Broadway stars as we jam to popular songs from the past 50 years. Throughout the night, you’ll hear new arrangements of the hits from the 1970s to 2022, each given a funky-fresh twist and featuring artists such as Stevie Wonder, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars and Ariana Grande. Grab a cocktail and some food and come party with Broadway Sings in Central Park — this band kicks BRASS!

Scheduled to Appear:

  • Tamika Lawrence (Caroline, or Change)
  • Marty Thomas (Wicked)
  • Corey Mach (Kinky Boots)
  • Mia Gentile (Kinky Boots)
  • Phoenix Best (Dear Evan Hansen)
  • Ben Fankhauser (Newsies)

Click here to learn more

EXCITING EVENTS AROUND THE BRONX: JULY 2022

By Great Performances

Explore exciting community events around the Bronx during July of 2022.

MOVIE UNDER THE STARS:

Spiderman: No Way Home

Friday, July 22nd from 8:30pm to 10:30pm

Location: Shoelace Park (exact location TBD)

Grab a blanket and join us for a FREE screening of Marvel’s Spiderman: No Way Home at 8:30pm at Shoelace Park! No registration required!

Click here to learn more

THE BRONX VEGAN BAZAAR

THE BRONX VEGAN BAZAAR

Saturday, July 16th from 11:00am to 5:00pm

Location: Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10452

A market experience for ‘big’ business owners sharing their delicious vegan food, pastries and natural juices to the community. Experience over 20 vegan food vendors, awesome humans to network with, and more.

The Bronx Vegan Bazaar is the first vegan food experience for and by the Bronx. This monthly event highlights emerging Bronx food vendors, and hosts established ones, who want to share their expression of living a vegan lifestyle to improve the health of Bronx residents.

Organized by a group of Bronxites, BVB understands the needs of the community and is committed to changing the health and commerce landscape of the borough.

Click here to learn more

BRONX RIVER URBAN FOOD HISTORIES TOUR

Saturday, July 9th at 2:00pm

Hear from Dariella Rodriguez of the Bronx River Alliance how the Bronx River has offered respite for residents of the South Bronx while aiding in the economic industrialization and exploitation of its waterfront.

Click here to learn more

AROUND THE TABLE: STORIES OF THE FOODS WE LOVE

Saturday, June 4th through Sunday, September 11th, 10:00am to 6:00pm

A Celebration of the Art and Science of Edible Plants

Food is at the center of many of life’s most important events. When we gather together for a meal, the dishes we share often tell a story—and we share a bit of ourselves. Explore the rich cultural history of what we eat throughout this multifaceted, engaging exhibition that examines the art and science of foodways and food traditions, many dating back thousands of years.

From global dietary staples such as rice, beans, squash, and corn to the regional spice and flavor provided by peppers, greens, and tomatoes, plants are at the base of all culinary customs. Discover the diversity and beauty of plants that are grown for cuisine around the world. Across NYBG’s 250-acre landscape, uncover the botanical origins of the foods you think you know; gain a deeper understanding of the environmental and social impacts of food choices throughout history; and gather at artist-designed tables that explore the significance of the featured plants, bringing to life inspiring stories of community and survival.

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HIBISCUS DRINK STATION

Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays through September 11th, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Location: the African American Garden

Join us at the African American Garden to sample a healthy hibiscus drink, known by many names throughout different countries: Bissap in West Africa, flor de Jamaica in Central America, and sorrel throughout the Caribbean. The version served is called sorrel or “red drink” in African American tradition; a recipe from Dr. Jessica B. Harris that is made from dried hibiscus, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

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CITYPARKS SUMMER SPORTS IN PELHAM BAY PARK

Tennis: Free beginner tennis instruction for children ages 6 – 17 on a first come, first serve basis. Our instructors use fun exercises and drills to help teach kids the basics of tennis and discover a sport for life.

Track and Field: The CityParks Track & Field program provides an introduction to the simple and beautiful sport of track and field and gives New York City kids the chance to learn the basics of the sport, from hurdles and relay races to long jump, shot put, and javelin throw, while encouraging general fitness and healthy behaviors. A novice track meet for all participants is held at Icahn Stadium at the end of the summer.

Canoeing: Few experiences compare with being on the open water in New York City. The rhythm of the waves, the sun on your face, and the exhilaration of slicing through the water all add up to an experience you’ll never forget. Our trained Urban Park Rangers will lead you on canoe adventures that range from the gentle waters of protected lakes to the challenging open waters of rivers and bays. All canoe programs are for ages 8 years and older. Participants are chosen by lottery. Lottery registration opens on Wednesday July 20.

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NYC PARKS PRESENTS: SILENT DISCO IN THE BRONX

Saturday, July 16th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm

Join NYC Parks for a Silent Disco event at St. Mary’s Park! Come out and boogie on the dance floor while you listen to your favorite music using headphones. This is an event you don’t want to miss!

Click here to learn more

MOVIES UNDER THE STARS: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

Thursday, July 14th from 9:00pm to 10:30pm

Location: Running Track in Van Cortlandt Park

Grab a blanket and come enjoy a movie in a neighborhood park or playground! This summer, NYC Parks will host family-friendly movie showings across the five boroughs.

Click here to learn more

YOUTH RUN FARMSTAND

Wednesdays from 2:00pm to 7:00pm
from July 6th to October 26

Location: Train Park Garden (Gale Place and Orloff Avenue)

We are very excited to bring our Youth Run Farmstand featuring fresh local produce at affordable prices back! We accept WIC, FMNP Checks, EBT, Snap, Cash and Credit/Debit.

Click here to learn more

CITYPARKS SUMMER SPORTS IN VAN CORTLANDT PARK

Zumba is a fusion of Latin, International and popular music dance themes creating a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic, fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body with easy to follow dance steps.

Tennis: Free beginner tennis instruction for children ages 6 – 17 on a first come, first serve basis. Our instructors use fun exercises and drills to help teach kids the basics of tennis and discover a sport for life. Beginner tennis classes are usually divided into three 1-hour sessions at each park, depending on number of participants and available courts. Children ages 8-10 years old are typically the first hour, followed by ages 11-13 and then 14-17. When registering please select the time slot that corresponds to your child’s age. Instruction for intermediate-level players is also available at select sites. Once the program begins, the site director will provide more specific schedule information for that park.

Golf: Our summer beginner program transforms local neighborhood ball fields into driving ranges and practice greens to introduce the basic skills of the game. The final class is held at a nearby golf course. After completing the 6-week program, students are invited to continue to learn and play at our CityParks Junior Golf Center in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn or at Golf Center Annex in Flushing, Queens.

Click here to learn more

A NEW APPROACH TO COMMUNITY: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

By Georgette Farkas

His white chef’s coat was splattered in avocado green with red flecks of tomato and tobacco. Reign Rodriguez, the recently arrived kitchen intern, was also wearing a broad grin reflecting his satisfaction at having helped prepare gallons of guacamole. Reign came to Great Performances by way of the Youth Action Youth Build (YAYB) program. They had prepared him with six weeks of culinary and food safety training, but this was his very first experience in a professional kitchen.

YAYB, based in East Harlem, is dedicated to putting young adults on the path to self-empowerment. Great Performances is making their kitchens a stepping stone along that path. The YAYB program includes job skills training, job placement services, high school equivalency certification and a safe environment where students are positively encouraged to become leaders in their communities. While Reign is choosing to go on to the Navy once he receives his GED, his fellow intern, Jasmine Villalongo, has developed a real taste for culinary life. Just three weeks into her internship, Jasmine found a mentor in Great Performances Pastry Chef Albert Bello. Having a seasoned professional take an interest and dedicate time to providing hands on instruction makes all the difference. Chef Albert’s standards are rigorous, but he also understands that Jasmine is still a student, taking her first steps in this new professional environment. Five out of Jasmine’s eight weeks of internship will focus entirely on pastry. She began learning speed and consistency by adding finishing touches to petits fours. It takes time to perfect coating lemon pops in meringue or cheesecake pops in white chocolate.  Today Jasmine is rolling chocolate kormos logs to be served at Greek American Foundation gala. “The scale of the kitchen here is much bigger than what I expected,” explains Jasmine, who spent her first few weeks honing her knife skills on the vegetable station. “I was cutting fruits and vegetables I had never seen before. This is a whole new area for me.” If all goes well, Jasmine’s internship could lead to full time employment.

While Great Performances has long been steeped in community, today the outreach extends well beyond their tradition of supporting food banks and heathy eating programs. The company has recently begun partnering with a number of workforce development organizations. This two-way street brings together populations in need of training, job readiness and connections and a business ready to devote time and energy to supporting them. Great Performances first steps in this area have been with Youth Acton Youth Build. They are also developing a strong bond with Hot bread Kitchen, an organization that creates economic opportunity for immigrant women and women of color through job skills training, food entrepreneurship programs, and an ecosystem of support in New York City.

Workforce Development Coordinator, Moses McBride explained that YAYB wants to empower young adults to make change right in their own communities and that one of the best ways to accomplish this is through on the job vocational training. He believes internships show young people what a stable career path could look like. “I faced many of the same challenges as the young people in our program,” explains Moses, who knows what a difference it makes to access skills and credentials. “Working with young people, you see a steep learning curve and the ability to adapt to new environments. These may be individuals who are outside the mainstream and feel they don’t fit in. Their new-found skills can fulfill their need to feel validated.” He loves to see them become committed and focused and find a purpose.  According to Moses, a professional environment with standards and expectations is part of the experience and helps interns gage their tenacity and willpower, while building both tangible and intangible skills. The Great Performances kitchen may be just the place to make that happen.

Our team of event planners – with a cumulative experience of 250 years over tens of thousands of events with millions of guests – recently sat down and shared some of their top tips for planning and hosting a great event. From weddings and mitzvahs to conferences and galas, they’ve handled almost every kind of event, successfully navigating any obstacle and challenge from furniture not showing up to furniture collapsing minutes before guest arrivals; from torrential downpours on a day with a zero percent chance of rain to soaring temperatures resulting in blackouts and no air-conditioning; and from guest counts increasing last minute requiring food to seemingly multiply to a featured dish disappearing hours before service. They’ve seen it all and successfully managed the challenges with such poise and grace that the guests – and often the hosts – didn’t even know that there was a problem.

Read on to discover our top tips or check out some winter event ideas to get your party planning juices flowing!

Food & Beverage Tips

Include fun beverage choices for non-drinkers.

We’re coming across more “sober-curious” guests who want to enjoy fun, beautiful, instagramable drinks without the hangover. Provide a variety of juices and soft beverages and make sure you have at least one specialty zero-proof cocktail for guests to enjoy.

Make sure you have enough ice.

There’s a joke with at home parties that the guest who arrives with a bag of ice is a hero – don’t let this happen at your party! Work with your planner to ensure there will be enough ice, especially if there isn’t an ice machine at the venue.

Plan to accommodate multiple dietary preferences and restrictions.

Allergy-free, vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan–know who’s eating what. Knowing what dietary preferences and restrictions your guests have and communicating that with your planners ensures that everyone feels included and can enjoy all aspects of the event. We’re encouraging hosts to go a step further and build a menu that already accounts for various diets.

Event Timing Tips

Prepare a timeline for everything

from before your event happens, including permit applications and guest count deadlines, to your actual run of show.

Have your guests spend less time seated at a table.

Keep event energy up and keep people engaged by limiting the amount of time people spend seated at a table. Forgo the first course and move straight from cocktails and hors d’oeuvres into your dinner and dessert, or opt for a butlered dessert.

Event Planning Tips

Spend enough time planning.

Engage your planner and review your event details to confirm your event needs. Any changes should be made well in advance of the event. What may seem like a small change may have a domino effect and impact many other factors of your event. Proper planning and consulting with your event planner can save everyone headache and money in the long run.

Be comfortable with your backup plan.

This is probably the most emphatically agreed upon tip from all of our planners. It’s important to not just have a backup plan, but be comfortable with it! In fact, the more comfortable you are with your backup plan, the better everything else will be. You’ll be confident going into your originally planned event because you know you have a contingency plan that will work and be wonderful; and if plans go awry, you’ll be ready to act upon your contingency plan quickly and seamlessly.

Updated Winter 2024 – 2025

CELEBRATING FATHER'S DAY: TIMING IS EVERYTHING

At Great Performances, we not only celebrate life’s moments for our clients, but for our own families and colleagues as well. This year, we’re especially fortunate in celebrating Father’s Day across several generations, including two very new dads – Chef Stratos Georgedakis who just welcomed a baby in early May and our booking directory Tim Berryman who welcomed a baby just a short week ago. Congratulations to the two of them!

Over the years, we’ve shared some wonderful stories from our colleagues about their  fathers day traditions and memories. This year, we’re delighted to share a story from the perspective of one of our dear colleague’s sons.

You’ll remember Mike Warren, Director of Catering at CPS Events at The Plaza, and the photo he shared a couple years ago of he and his sons at his wedding. This year, Mike’s son, Elliott, contributed an article about what Father’s Day means for him and how food 

Me and my boys at my wedding. Love wins. They love me for who I am, and I love them unconditionally.

Father's Day Reunion: Celebrating by Cooking Together

by Elliot Warren

Growing up with a dad in the catering industry meant being raised, in part, by food. Father’s Day was not the only excuse for mouth watering steaks (a regular occurrence in my household, and my dad’s favorite meal) or a fine selection of cheese, charcuterie, and all the accoutrements—that was just a regular Sunday evening for me. If it’s not already obvious, my dad made sure that I grew up with an appreciation and respect for food and all the wonderful experiences and memories it brings.

When I moved away to college in DC, I brought my love of food with me. I was the chef-du-jour for my fraternity’s Thanksgiving, winter holiday, and Superbowl parties. As I grew older, the love for food my father instilled in me only grew. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered my ability to share with him my ever-improving culinary skills.

After not being able to see each other for two years, my dad visited me in my new home in Richmond, Virginia. At the top of his to-do list for our visit was to cook a meal together, something we had not been able to do together since before I went to college—and certainly not since I had improved as a home cook. He left the menu selection to me, and being excited by my new home in the South (and to provide something new for my Brooklyn-bred dad), I chose a recipe by my favorite southern chef, Vivian Howard. As my father taught me, seasonality is key and so I opted for a recipe to highlight delicious summer produce and provide a refreshing but hearty dinner—Vivian’s roasted pork chops with watermelon.

It was a simple meal but delectable and fun to make. The watermelons start cubed on top of the meat and through the process shrivel into a stewed-tomato like texture but with the wonderful summer flavor of watermelon. Paired with the perfect wine (my dad’s domain and my next culinary challenge) we had an unforgettable meal, and I was reminded of the power of food as I was immediately transported back to those days more than ten years ago when we would sit on our patio eating cheese and charcuterie, with steaks on the grill.

EXCITING EVENTS AROUND THE BRONX: JUNE 2022

By Great Performances

Explore exciting community events around the Bronx during June of 2022.

MUSIC MATTERS

Featuring ¡Retumba!

Saturday, June 4th and Saturday, June 25th at 1:00pm

Location: Mill Pond Park (Exterior St between E 150th & E 153rd St., Bronx, NY 10451)

Admission: FREE!

An exciting music and dance ensemble show-casing folkloric and contemporary dances with rhythms from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, Brazil, Mexico and Africa. Performances in English and Spanish.

Click here to learn more

BUTTERFLY RELEASE AT CONCRETE PLANT PARK

Saturday, June 4th from 12:00pm-4:00pm

Location: Concrete Plant Park (1370 Westchester Ave, Bronx NY)

Join us for this special culminating event a part of Flutter By, a series on supporting pollinators. Come out to support the release of butterflies and stay to celebrate community, friends and family with music, activities, and more!

Click here to learn more

COMMUNITY PADDLE

Friday, June 10th from 10:00am-2:00pm

Location: 1490 Sheridan Blvd., Bronx, NY 10459, USA

Friday, June 17th from 1:00pm-5:00pm

Location: Concrete Plant Park, 1357 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10459

This is a great activity for beginners and families to join. Waves of paddlers will spend about 30-45min on the river, in order to maximize the number of community members able to participate in this event. Canoes will be available for partners and families, and kayaks will be available for solo paddlers.

Click here to learn more

Credit: Julie Larsen Maher

WORLD OF BIRDS ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND

Saturday, June 11th & Sunday, June 12th from 10:00am-4:00pm

Tickets: included with Admission Ticket to the Zoo

Join us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Bronx Zoo World of Birds.

  • Learn all about the different species of birds
  • Get hands on with fun birding crafts
  • Meet some very large bird puppets
  • Check out the bird meet and greet

Click here to learn more

Credit: Julie Larsen Maher

BREW AT THE ZOO

Friday, June 17th from 6:00pm-11:00pm

Tickets: Start at $39.99

Kick off the summer at the Bronx Zoo! Brew at the Zoo, your favorite after-hours party for adults ages 21+, is back on Friday, June 17.

You’ll get up-close with 52 life-sized dinosaurs and pterosaurs on our BRONX ZOO DINOSAUR SAFARI walking trail! Get “lit” in our new ILLUMINATED PLAYGROUND, with lighted swings, seesaws, and more. Play NEW GAMES including 60 second challenges at the Tournament Zone, EXPANDED TRIVIA, and Name That Tune, and take photos with illuminated characters!

Plus, enjoy MORE VIP EXCLUSIVES than ever before, including exclusive beer and wine sampling areas, new locations and photo ops throughout the park, and exclusive VIP swag.

And of course, your favorite Brew at the Zoo classics return, with sample bites from food trucks and zoo cafes, and tastings of more than 100 varieties of beer, wine and cider.

Click here to learn more

ART FEST

Wednesday, June 29th from 4:00-6:00pm

Come share your art with folks from the Mott Haven community! We’ll be serving up $6 cocktails and $6 tacos for the event.

Please RSVP by messaging @MaeMaePlantCafe on Instagram or buy emailing maemaecafe@greatperformances.com. 

Click here to learn more

AROUND THE TABLE: STORIES OF THE FOODS WE LOVE

Saturday, June 4th through Sunday, September 11th from 10:00am-6:00pm

A Celebration of the Art and Science of Edible Plants

Food is at the center of many of life’s most important events. When we gather together for a meal, the dishes we share often tell a story—and we share a bit of ourselves. Explore the rich cultural history of what we eat throughout this multifaceted, engaging exhibition that examines the art and science of foodways and food traditions, many dating back thousands of years. From global dietary staples such as rice, beans, squash, and corn to the regional spice and flavor provided by peppers, greens, and tomatoes, plants are at the base of all culinary customs. Discover the diversity and beauty of plants that are grown for cuisine around the world. Across NYBG’s 250-acre landscape, uncover the botanical origins of the foods you think you know; gain a deeper understanding of the environmental and social impacts of food choices throughout history; and gather at artist-designed tables that explore the significance of the featured plants, bringing to life inspiring stories of community and survival.

Click here to learn more

EDIBLE ACADEMY FRESH FROM THE GARDEN TASTINGS

Every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00pm and 4:00pm

Get hands-on with healthy cooking using new recipes featuring plants grown in the Edible Academy. NYBG staff create these family-friendly recipes using seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and kids and adults alike can learn how garden-to-table cooking is not only nutritious, but fun, too. While you’re exploring the Edible Academy, get hands-on with the crops in the vegetable garden during Dig! Plant! Grow! each month.

Click here to learn more

PELHAM BAY PARK FOREST RESTORATION

Friday, June 10th from 9:00am-12:00pm

Location: Meet at the north side of Orchard Beach Parking Lot

Free to Join

Volunteer with the Stewardship Team to protect the forested areas in Pelham Bay Park! Volunteers will contribute to ongoing restoration work and learn the importance of species diversity to ecosystem health.

Click here to learn more

PELHAM BAY PARK MILE-A-MINUTE CHALLENGE

Saturday, June 18th from 9:00am-12:00pm

Location: Meet at the north side of Orchard Beach Parking Lot

Free to Join

NYC Parks needs your help to defend Pelham Bay Park against the mile-a-minute vine! The annual Persicaria perfoliata vine is capable of growing up to six inches a day, often destroying young trees in the process.

Click here to learn more

THE NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS IN THE PARKS: VAN CORTLANDT PARK

Tuesday, June 14th from 8:00pm-10:00pm

Location: Enter the park from Broadway, near West 251st Street. The concert site is north of the baseball fields.

Free to Join

The New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, have become an iconic New York summer experience since they began in 1965, transforming parks throughout the city into a patchwork of picnickers and providing music lovers with an opportunity to hear classical music under the stars. This beloved series returns in June 2022 after two years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to learn more

LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE: BRONX EVENT

Saturday, June 18th from 11:0am-2:00pm

Location: Southwest Playground

This service will offer a variety of techniques geared towards developing the participants knowledge in learning how to ride a bike.

Click here to learn more

EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: JUNE 2022

By Great Performances

Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!

Photo: ©Apollo

THE RENAISSANCE IS NOW!

Thursday, June 9th at 8:30am

Location: Soundstage at the Apollo

CHANCELLOR’S DAY WITH APOLLO EDUCATION

Spend Chancellor’s Day with Apollo Education for a full-day workshop with Apollo New Works artists, Black Gotham Experience and Soul Science Lab. This workshop created for educators of grades K through 12, will expand your perception of the Harlem Renaissance with a modern 21st century lens, refreshing how the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance is taught. 

We will start the day with a keynote from Black Gotham Experience’s Founder and Lead Creative Kamau Ware. Study Black Gotham Experience’s perspectives about the study of community history and participate in a walking tour through the Apollo’s Harlem neighborhood. This interactive tour will explore the ways that Harlem is a center of expression, inventiveness, and activism for thinkers and artists from across the African Diaspora.  

In the afternoon, Soul Science Lab will share excerpts from their new show The Renaissance Mixtape that highlight the importance of history and actively imagine what healthy and joyful Black futures can look and feel like. Alongside this innovative team of artists and educators, you will explore new ways to introduce students to study the past, examine the present, and consider their role in the future of their community. This workshop includes a songwriting workshop based on the core concepts of The Renaissance Mixtape. Ending the day, we will share our creations with each other, reveling in the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance.  

All educators are welcome! The full day program is appropriate for all K-12 educators who teach the Harlem Renaissance. 

Please dress comfortably, walking tours of Harlem will be included.  

Six hours of New York State CTLE (Continuing Teacher and Leader Education) credit will be available for attendance. 

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Apollo

SPRING BENEFIT 2022

Friday, June 13th at 7:00pm

Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater

The Spring Benefit, the Apollo’s signature fundraiser, is a spectacular celebration of the Theater’s rich legacy and its commitment to its future as a mission-led arts and cultural organization, a community anchor and an economic driver for Harlem and New York City. Known as one of the hottest events of the year, the Benefit brings together New York City’s elite business, entertainment and philanthropic communities in support of the Apollo.

Proceeds from the Spring Benefit support the Apollo’s important performing arts, education and community initiatives. The Apollo Theater is a not-for-profit organization.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

POP-UP MAGAZINE: SPRING 2022 ISSUE

Thursday, June 2nd at 7:30pm

Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House

Ticket Information: Start at $39

Imagine a comedy show, play, concert, podcast, and film—all wrapped into one night. That’s Pop-Up Magazine, the acclaimed live magazine show. In this unforgettable live multimedia experience, renowned and emerging storytellers and journalists share original and unforgettable true stories accompanied by illustration, animation, film, photography, and an original live score by our musical collaborators, Magik*Magik Orchestra.

Contributors to Pop-Up Magazine’s Spring 2022 Issue include:

• Podcast host Tracy Clayton (Another Round, Netflix’s Strong Black Legends)
• Author and illustrator Kristen Radtke (The Verge; Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness, and Imagine Wanting Only This)
• 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist Chloé Cooper Jones (author of Easy Beauty)
• Writer Brooke Jarvis (The New York Times MagazineWiredThe New Yorker)
• Author Elena Passarello (Let Me Clear My Throat and Animals Strike Curious Poses)
• Photographer Oscar Castillo (Magnum Foundation grantee)
• Filmmaker Adrian L. Burrell (The Game God(S))

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

GISELLE

Wednesday, June 8th through Sunday, June 11th

Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House

Ticket Information: Start at $35

THE ICONIC BALLET, REIMAGINED.

One of today’s most celebrated dance artists, Akram Khan, brings breathtaking vision to the greatest Romantic ballet and its story of love, betrayal, and redemption. Featuring a cast of almost 50 dancers, this acclaimed production by English National Ballet comes to BAM for its New York premiere.

As the curtain rises, shadowy figures struggle against a forbidding wall. From that moment on, Akram Khan’s Giselle stuns with powerful images and mesmerizing choreography. With a new score by Vincenzo Lamagna adapted from Adolphe Adam’s original composition, the production features spectacular sets and costumes by Academy Award-winning designer Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and atmospheric lighting design by Mark Henderson. Enter the rich world of Khan’s timely reimagining: a condemned factory haunted by vengeful ghosts and collective female rage.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

NIGHTWALKS WITH TEENAGERS

Wednesday, June 15th through Saturday, June 18th at 7:30pm

Location: Brooklyn

Ticket Information: Start at $35

Teenagers run the show in this social-specific performance, conceived by internationally recognized theater company Mammalian Diving Reflex. Local youth design, plan, and lead an exploration of Brooklyn at night, welcoming audiences into their lives and neighborhood. Over the course of one rambunctious evening, a community forms through the power of walking together. With a mix of stories, games, performances, and conversation, Nightwalks with Teenagers invites teens and adults to share a unique social experience where everyone can let loose, and silences lead to moments of revelation.

Click here to learn more

Photo: Chris Alfonso

DRAG AND DRAW WITH YAS MAMA

Thursday, June 9th from 7:00pm-9:30pm

Location: Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden, 1st Floor

Ticket Information: $35 and include after-hours admission to Andy Warhol: Revelation, your own Brooklyn Museum tote, and a complimentary drink. Member tickets are $25.

Sip and sketch in our backyard Sculpture Garden this summer with a monthly series of life drawing classes. Drink and Draw—this month, Drag and Draw—is open to all levels and accompanied by a refreshing beverage and musical vibes by local DJs. Celebrating the arts of drawing and drag in honor of Brooklyn Pride, the June installment features live models from Yas Mama, Brooklyn’s favorite night of Latinx drag starring local talent. Experiment with watercolor and crayon in this casual class led by teaching artist Mellasenah Nicole Edwards. While you draw, enjoy music and performances by some of NYC’s best drag queens, hosted by Horrorchata, mother of the House of Bushwig.

Click here to learn more

Organized by InterseXtions

LGBTQ+ TEEN NIGHT: (DIS)RESPECTFULLY US

Friday, June 10th from 5:00pm-7:30pm

Location: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor

Ticket Information: This program is free, but space is limited, and registration is required. Open to all youth ages 14–22. All participants must abide by our community agreements.

Brought to you by BkM Teens, LGBTQ+ Teen Nights are free inclusive events planned by and for LGBTQ+ teens and allies. Join us for our ninth annual LGBTQ+ Teen Night, featuring a range of art-making, performances, and other activities inspired by current exhibits.

(Dis)Respectfully Us is organized by InterseXtions, our paid LGBTQ+ teen internship in queer art history and community programming.

Click here to learn more

Honoring Juneteenth, 2021. (Photo: Souls in Focus)

HONORING JUNETEENTH

Sunday, June 19th from 12:00pm-5:00pm

Location: Throughout the Museum

Ticket Information: This program is free, but registration is required.

Honor Juneteenth—the annual holiday commemorating the end of legal slavery in the United States—with a full day of activities celebrating self-expression, community, and Black liberation and creativity. Taking place on Father’s Day, this year’s event will feature activities for the whole family.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

OPENING NIGHT GALA BENEFIT

Saturday, June 18th at 5:30pm

Ticket Information: Starting at $750

Usher in Caramoor’s 2022 Summer Season with The Knights and Yo-Yo Ma! Join us to kick off our 77th season with our annual Opening Night Gala and celebrate the transformative philanthropy of Leslie Williams and Jim Attwood. As Caramoor’s current Chairman, Jim has served on our Board of Trustees for over 15 years, and through his leadership, Caramoor’s historic Inspire campaign was a tremendous success.

Benefit tickets, which include cocktails, concert, and gala dinner, start at $750. Individual and table options are available. A portion of each ticket is tax deductible.

Photo: ©Caramoor

CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH

Presented in collaboration with the Town of Bedford

Sunday, June 19th at 4:00pm

Ticket Information: FREE!

A Day to Energize and Recognize!
Join Caramoor as we celebrate African American freedom and achievement! Known as our country’s second Independence Day, Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and honors their families, heritage, and resilience. Millions celebrate this nationally and globally significant American holiday. Jeremiah Abiah — international acclaimed recording artist, vocal coach, and songwriter — performs a soulful set. Family-friendly activities complete this annual June jubilee steeped in tradition and joy. All are welcome!

3:00pm / Activities begin.
4:00pm / The performance begins.

Molly Tuttle

AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL

Presented in collaboration with City Winery

Saturday, June 25th at 1:00pm

Daytime & Evening Headliner in Venetian Theater
Adult: Starting at $50 / Child: Starting at $25

Daytime Only / General Admission / Does Not Include Evening Headliner
Adult: $45 / Child: $20

The annual American Roots Music Festival is back with a day overflowing with Americana, blues, folk, and bluegrass! Molly Tuttle, a multi-award-winning guitarist/banjoist with a bluegrass vibe and gift for insightful songwriting, closes out the evening with her band, Golden Highway, in a barn-burning set.  

Grounds open at 12:00pm, music starts at 1:00pm, headliner starts at 7:30pm. A detailed schedule of the day to come. We suggest bringing your own seating for the daytime performances.

Photo: ©Dizzy's Club

JAZZTOPAD FESTIVAL

JAMES BRANDON LEWIS WITH LUTOSŁAWSKI QUARTET AND KAMIL PIOTROWICZ SEXTET

Tuesday, June 21st through Wednesday, June 22nd

Ticket Information: Start at $35

ABOUT THE SHOW

6/21

  • 7:30pm: James Brandon Lewis with Lutosławski Quartet
  • 9:30pm Kamil Piotrowicz Sextet

6/22

  • 7:30pm Kamil Piotrowicz Sextet
  • 9:30pm: James Brandon Lewis with Lutosławski Quartet

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

James Brandon Lewis – saxophone
Lutosławski Quartet:
Szymon Krzeszowiec – 1st violin
Marcin Markowicz – 2nd violin
Artur Rozmysłowicz – viola
Maciej Młodawski – cello

Kamil Piotrowicz Sextet:
Kamil Piotrowicz- piano
Krzysztof Szmańda – drums, vibraphone
Tomasz Dąbrowski – trumpet
Andrzej Święs – double bass
Kuba Więcek – alto saxophone
Piotr Chęcki – tenor and baritone saxophone

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Dizzy's Club

BRYAN CARTER PRESENTS JAZZ AT PRIDE: NYC

JAZZ AT PRIDE ORCHESTRA FEATURING ELLA BRIC, RICHARD CORTEZ, NATHAN FARRELL, J HOARD, VUYO SOTASHE, CHARLES TURNER, AND CHARENEE WADE

Monday, June 27th at 7:30pm and 9:30pm

Ticket Information: $40

ABOUT THE SHOW

Bryan Carter presented the inaugural Jazz at Pride event in 2019 featuring guest vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers and comedians in front of a 23-piece jazz orchestra. The concert event makes a triumphant return, this time at Dizzy’s Club, after a brief hiatus due to COVID and celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community within the jazz community.

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Jazz at Pride Orchestra, featuring:

  • Ella Bric
  • Richard Cortez
  • Nathan Farrell
  • J Hoard
  • Vuyo Sotashe
  • Charles Turner
  • Charenee Wade

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Jazz at Lincoln Center

CAMILLE THURMAN AND THE DARRELL GREEN QUARTET

BURT BACHARACH REIMAGINED

Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th at 7:00pm and 9:30pm

Location: The Appel Room

Ticket Information: Start at $45

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • An evening of beloved Burt Bacharach songs performed by multi-talented rising star Camille Thurman.

  • Reimagined versions of “The Look of Love,” “Going Out of My Head,” “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” and many more genre-spanning Bacharach hits.

ABOUT THE CONCERT

The sky’s the limit for the dynamic Camille Thurman. An award-winning composer and arranger, formidable saxophonist, jaw-dropping vocalist, and trusted bandleader, Thurman would still be making the “rising star” lists even if she focused on just one of her musical gifts. Thankfully, she’s instead rapidly developing every aspect of her artistry. For the past several years, Thurman has been a popular headliner at Dizzy’s Club and a regular presence with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and this performance will be her anticipated debut as an Appel Room headliner.

For the occasion, Thurman has developed a new program of reimagined Burt Bacharach hits. A genre-spanning artist himself, Bacharach was influenced at a young age by jazz icons Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie before becoming one of the most successful songwriters of all time. Over the course of his 60-plus year career, Bacharach has released nine number one hit songs and nearly 50 top ten hits, blending jazz, bossa nova, soul, and pop styles into a distinctive and enduring new sound.

With hundreds of songs to choose from, Thurman has teased just a few of the classics that she’ll reimagine with the help of her regular band the Darrell Green Trio, including “The Look of Love,” “Going Out of My Head,” and “(They Long to Be) Close to You.” Instantly catchy and yet subtly complex, Bacharach’s music is famously adaptable and popular among jazz musicians, and we can’t wait to see Thurman’s new interpretation in this special showcase.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Jazz at Lincoln Center

THE BEST OF DUKE ELLINGTON

WITH THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS

PRESENTED AS PART OF THE ERTEGUN JAZZ CONCERT SERIES

Friday, June 10th and Saturday, June 11th at 8:00pm

Location: Rose Theater

Ticket Information: Start at $60, Virtual Tickets $25

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • A sampling of Duke Ellington’s extensive songbook

  • Music that uplifts, enlightens, and rewards everyone from first-time listeners to lifelong fans

ABOUT THE CONCERT

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis closes the 2021-22 concert season with an audience favorite: an all-Ellington evening of musical masterpieces.

The possibilities are endless in an Ellington extravaganza like this. Over the course of six decades, Duke Ellington wrote well over 1,000 compositions, some of the richest and most enduring music of the past century. From his early days at the Cotton Club when Duke first took the world by storm with hits like “Creole Love Call” and “Black and Tan Fantasy” to his next wave of classics like “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing),” “Mood Indigo,” “Sophisticated Lady,” and “In a Sentimental Mood,” Duke set the standard for concise songs in which every moment makes an impact.

Duke’s conceptual works—including his “Sacred Concerts” series and extended suites like Black, Brown & Beige, The Far East Suite, New Orleans Suite, and Latin American Suite—go even deeper. The music provides the ultimate canvas for a big band—and nobody plays it quite like the JLCO.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Poster House

GENIUS ON DISPLAY: JOHANNA TORUÑO OF THE UNAPOLOGETIC STREET SERIES

Wednesday, June 8th from 6:00pm-7:00pm

Ticket Information: FREE!

Genius on Display continues at Poster House, featuring Johanna Toruño of The Unapologetic Street Series. Genius on Display is a platform for spotlighting the expertise of racialized artists and designers within the context of Poster House’s exhibitions and permanent collection. Join us as Johana shares their beautiful and impactful posters and compares their use of floral imagery to that of Ethel Reed: I am My Own Property.

Johanna Toruno is a Salvadoran-born migrant artist and creator of The Unapologetic Street Series focusing on the importance of storytelling through accessible art in a public spaces and the importance of queer folks in the arts.

This program series is presented by CMYK Council, Poster House’s working advisory board of BIPOC creatives, designers, educators, and museum staff. 

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Poster House

JUNETEENTH – FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION!

Sunday, June 19th from 10:00am-6:00pm

In celebration of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, Poster House is pleased to offer free admission to the museum on Sunday, June 19 (discount applied at check-out). 

Click here to learn more

Photo courtesy of Wave Hill

FATHER’S DAY 2022

Sunday, June 19th, all day

Location: see below

Ticket Information: This is a premium-admission weekend, with a $2 surcharge per visitor

Father’s Day comes just as summer is filling our hearts. We invite you to plan for a day in the gardens. Find links below for more about a special Family Art Project, a morning session of yoga we hope will draw some of the dads we know enjoy Wave Hill, and a guided walk in the gardens in the afternoon.

Enjoy the very rare opportunity to picnic on the Wave Hill House Lawn, or, if you purchase a picnic from Great Performances, in Armor Hall. (Limited space is available in Armor Hall, on a first-come, first-served basis.) Bring your own feast or purchase a delicious picnic curated by our exclusive partner Great Performances, featuring cedar plank salmon, fresh spring salads and delectable desserts. There’s also a special meal for your junior gardeners (ages seven and under) available! Reservations are required by end-of-day Tuesday, June 14.

If you would like to picnic on the Wave Hill House Lawn, you may bring your own blanket and outdoor folding chairs. Enjoy this special day!

Click here to learn more

Photo: Nicole Tintle

AILEY II – FREEDOM SERIES

Tuesday, June 21st at 5:00pm and 7:30pm

Location: Great Lawn

Ticket Information: $40. Wave Hill Members save 10%.

Ailey II, the second company of the world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, presents its program, Freedom Series, outdoors on Wave Hill’s Great Lawn on the first day of summer. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s finest dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers.

Choreographed by Francesca Harper, Freedom Series travels through a landscape of memories creating a series of vignettes that embody and imagine a hybrid world where memory strives to influence the future.  Depicted through this futuristic lens, and developed in collaboration with the Ailey II dancers, Harper’s work examines identity and community.  With costumes by designer Elias Gurrola and a score featuring a blend of acoustic and electronic sounds, Freedom Series takes unexpected twists and turns that bridge tender moments to its intrinsic ferocity.

Click here to learn more

PAINT AND SIP

Sunday, June 12th at 12:00pm

Ticket Information: $50 includes all supplies and one glass of wine.

No painting experience necessary, to join us with the Paint Place, NYC’s #1 Paint and Sip studio for an afternoon of painting from Wollman Rink. Professional instructors will guide you step-by-step through this fun process where you leave with your own piece of art. The class includes instruction, paint, brushes, 16” x 20” blank canvas, apron, and one glass of wine. Enjoy painting outdoors at the iconic Wollman Rink with professional instructors. Paint the scenic Central Park surrounding Wollman Rink. The class will start promptly at 12:00 PM. Please arrive early to get your spot! Event is weather permitting. There will be additional wine available for purchase and the Wollman Café will be open to purchase snacks.

Click here to learn more

THE DISCOASIS

Beginning June 16th through July 31st

Ticket Information: Adults $23, Kids $17, Skate Rental $10

The DiscOasis is a timed-entry immersive theatrical experience that unites art, light, music, dance, live performances, roller skating, good times, and good vibes within the iconic Wollman Rink in Central Park. At The DiscOasis you will find yourself dancing and skating your way through a glittering sonic fantasia for the soul with a soundscape curated by our Groovemaster, disco and funk legend Nile Rodgers. Whenever you visit, you will be immersed in the groovy paradise that is The DiscOasis. The environmental design features art installations, photo ops, and soundscapes curated by Groovemaster Nile Rodgers.

The DiscOasis is rolling through New York for a limited engagement starting June 16. The experience will be open Wednesday-Sunday, with daytime skate sessions from 10:00am-4:30pm, and the nighttime experience from 5:30-10:00pm.

Click here to learn more

ENTICING TEAMS BACK TO THE OFFICE

By Great Performances

Thinking about returning to the office doesn’t spark a lot of joy in people. For many people, it’s about TPS reports, grabbing a few bites of a soggy salad or sandwich, possibly meandering over to the coffee station or water cooler to recaffeinate or rehydrate. Maybe exchanging desultory greetings with a passing colleague.

But what if we could transform this, and create more meaningful, engaging encounters around food! We know that people tend to congregate around food. The most popular room in a house is the kitchen! Often during friend and family get togethers, you’ll find people clustered around the kitchen counter, the grill, the beverage table — you get the picture.

We’ve worked with our corporate clients to create these pop up moments around food to help bring more excitement and engagement to the office. Held at different parts of the day, these food activations are specifically designed to bring deliciousness and fun to the work day. Our culinary teams conspire and collaborate with our venue teams and restaurant partners to design carts, stations, and stands that appeal to a wide variety of tastes.

The response we’ve gotten has been fantastic and people look forward to coming in to the office to see what treats we’ve got in store for them the next day.

Check out some of our favorite food popups below and let us know what you’d like to see in your office!

Attended Stations

From attended stations like the Omelet Bar, Thanksgiving Pies Stand, and the Fluff n Fluff Cotton Candy Station we take extra care to ensure our guests enjoy a variety of flavors and experiences. We’ve even got a roving Pretzel Express Cart that can move through the office delivering pretzels with a variety of dipping sauces to each work station.

Buffet Stations

For those looking for grab-and-go food options, we have dozens of experiences for your teams to enjoy! From partnerships with restaurants like Beard Papa’s with their wide variety of cream puffs to our own stations celebrating Peanut Lovers Day and Lobster Roll Day and an Avocado Toast station that’s anything but basic, we’ve got something for everyone!

Want to find out how to bring some of these experiences to your work places? Complete the form below and we’d be delighted to help you out.

EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: MAY 2022

By Great Performances

Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!

Photo: ©Apollo

SAMARA JOY

Saturday, May 14th at 10:00pm

Location: Soundstage at the Apollo

Ticket Information: $25 (plus $10 food or drink minimum)

Having won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition at the age of 19, Samara Joy is a self-possessed, deeply emotive vocalist with dynamic power. This rising star has been praised for masterfully referencing Apollo legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan in her captivating performances with nods to contemporary artists including Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jazzmeia Horn, and H.E.R.

Tapped as one of America’s most promising young vocalists, Joy comes to the Apollo’s Music Café for an intimate performance that allows audiences to get to know this star on the rise. For 11 years, the Apollo Music Café, located on the Apollo’s Soundstage, has served as a launching pad for numerous artists, showcasing their unique artistry in an intimate nightclub setting that serves as a timely throwback to the Renaissance.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Apollo

IMAGENATION’S COCKTAILS AND SOL CINEMA

Thursday, May 26th at 6:00pm

Ticket Information: $25 (includes one free cocktail)

IT’S DIFFERENT IN CHICAGO

Chicago is known by many as the birthplace of house music as well as an incubator for hip-hop hitmakers, yet the city remains divided over how it views its musical legacy. It’s Different In Chicago tells the story of how these music genres and the cultures around their communities have complemented and competed with each other, leading to deep revelations about the different segments within the Black community of Chicago.

This homegrown ode to the Chicago music scene will be preceded by a cocktail reception featuring DJ Stormin Norman, and followed by a discussion between curator Moikgantsi Kgama of ImageNation and filmmaker David Weathersby. This program will be taking place on the Apollo’s Soundstage.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

CYRANO DE BERGERAC

Tuesday, April 5th through Sunday, May 22nd

Location: BAM Strong, Harvey Theater

Ticket Information: Start at $45

US Theater Premiere

Direct from London’s West End, three-time Olivier-nominated stage and screen actor James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland, Atonement, X-Men) makes his BAM debut in a radical new adaptation of Edmond Rostand’s masterwork by Martin Crimp, with direction by Jamie Lloyd (Betrayal).

McAvoy leads a superb ensemble in this “breathtakingly exciting” (Evening Standard) theatrical tour-de-force that captures timeless passion through spoken word, contemporary poetry, and raw physicality. Cyrano seduces in raps and rhymes, using his linguistic brilliance to help another man win the heart of his one true love—above all—championing his own unbridled love for words.

Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Revival, the Jamie Lloyd Company’s latest production blazes into the Harvey Theater to celebrate Cyrano’s powerful resistance against overwhelming odds.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

MAVIS STAPLES

Friday, May 20th at 8:00pm

Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House

Ticket Information: Start at $35

BAM is thrilled to welcome national treasure Mavis Staples, a once-in-a-generation artist hailed by NPR as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace.” In a career lasting more than 70 years, her impact on music and culture has been profound. The documentary Summer of Soul—Questlove’s directorial debut and winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival—features Staples as vital to the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, also known as “Black Woodstock.” She is a Blues and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, civil rights icon, Grammy winner, and winner of a Lifetime Achievement National Arts Award. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and sang in Barack Obama’s White House—and she has collaborated with everyone from Prince and Bob Dylan to Arcade Fire and Wilco, continuing to play festivals worldwide.

To record her third album, What the Flood Leaves Behind (2021), singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Amy Helm returned home to Woodstock’s Levon Helm Studios. The daughter of singer-songwriter Libby Titus and Levon Helm, a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and founding member of The Band, Amy began her musical career in the alt-country collective Ollabelle, later playing in her father’s Midnight Ramble Band. On Flood, Amy worked with songwriter, arranger and producer Josh Kaufman—known for collaborations with Taylor Swift, Bob Weir, The National, and The War on Drugs—in evolving her harmony-laden blend of Americana, country, blues, and gospel.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©BAM

DANCEAFRICA 2022

Friday, May 27th through Monday, May 30th

Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House

Ticket Information: Start at $35

“THIS FESTIVAL HEALS, PUMPS UP, AND MOVES ONE TO TEARS.”
—DANCE ENTHUSIAST
 
The nation’s largest festival dedicated to African dance and music returns to the stages and streets of Brooklyn for its 45th year! We celebrate with five different guest companies from Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx, and Washington, DC, each offering a home-grown vision of traditional dances. They bring to the stage movement and musical styles from Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and the Caribbean, supported by an all-star orchestra created by members of each company. Plus, the DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers return and the beloved RestorationArt Dance Youth Ensemble marks their 25th anniversary.
 

Click here to learn more

FIRST SATURDAYS

Saturday, May 7th, all day

A whole variety of events will be hosted by the museum including:

  • Signature Cocktail by Mood Ring, throughout the museum, 5:00-10:00pm
  • Music: Shoko Nagai’s TOKALA, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion and Lobby, 1st Floor, 5:00-6:00pm
  • Pop-up Poetry: Kundiman, Biergarten, Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden, 6:00-7:30pm
  • Performance: Baseera Khan, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Forum, 4th Floor, 6:00-7:00pm
  • Music: YiuYiu 瑶瑶, Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor, 7:00-10:00pm
  • Music: Nathan Bajar, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion and Lobby, 1st Floor, 7:00-8:00pm
  • Film: New York, I Missed You, Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium, 3rd Floor, 7:30-9:30pm
  • Music: Disco Tehran, Biergarten and Martha A. and Rubin S. Pavilion and Lobby, 8:00-10:00pm

Click here to learn more

Photo: Kolin Mendez Photography

POP-UP MARKET

May 8th, 15th, and 22nd from 10:30am-5:30pm

Location: Brooklyn Museum Plaza

Stop by our market to shop one-of-a-kind, handmade items from local artisans. This weekly event features more than twenty vendors offering artwork, jewelry, fashion, home and apothecary goods, and more.

This event takes place outdoors.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Caramoor

AFTERNOON TEA

Friday, May 6th at 2:00pm
Friday, May 13th at 2:00pm
Friday, May 20th at 2:00pm
Friday, May 27th at 2:00pm

Ticket Information: Adult: $45, Child: $20

Spend time relaxing with friends and enjoying a formal tea service in the grand setting of the Rosen House, including a variety of tea sandwiches, scones with crème fraiche and preserves, delicious desserts, and a variety of fragrant teas — all served on exquisite vintage china.

Tickets include access to select rooms of the Rosen House beginning at 12:00pm.

Photo: ©Caramoor

EILEN JEWELL

Presented in collaboration with City Winery

Saturday May 14th at 8:00pm

Ticket Information: Start at $30

Eilen Jewell, the reigning Queen of the Minor Key, leads a tight quartet that blends influences of surf-noir, early blues, classic country, folk, and 1960s era rock ’n’ roll. Rolling Stone praised her clever songwriting, remarking that her “mix of gypsy jazz and old-timey folk music goes down easy,” but it was The Los Angeles Daily News that put it best: “She’s mighty good!”

Credit: Piper Ferguson

JOEL ROSS, ZOE OBADIA, SEAN MASON, MARK LEWANDOWSKI, KAYVON GORDON

YOUNG MUNK PROJECT

Friday, May 20th through Saturday, May 21st

Ticket Information: Start at $40

ABOUT THE SHOW

“Joel is not only one of the preeminent instrumentalists of this era, but he is one of the greatest musical visionaries of his generation ” – Don Was, Blue Note Records

A curated band of bandleaders and rising stars, the Young Monk Project embraces the songs and spirit of their iconoclastic compositional and improvising hero, Thelonious Monk. To celebrate our mini-Monk Festival as the JLCO presents “Monk Con Clave” with special guests in Rose Theater over the weekend, Dizzy’s spotlights 5 remarkable young artists who have not played together as a band but have long admired each other from afar. They each bring their own arrangements to the bandstand, specific to the instrumentation of vibraphone and alto sax and rhythm section, interpreting the Monk’s handiwork through fresh perspectives. Catch this new band in their debut performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center!

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Joel Ross, vibraphone
Zoe Obadia, alto saxophone
Sean Mason, piano
Mark Lewandowski, bass
Kayvon Gordon, drums

Click here to learn more

Credit: Frank Stewart

LOUIS HAYES QUINTET: MY 85TH BIRTHDAY!

Thursday, May 26th and Friday, May 27th

Ticket Information: $45

ABOUT THE SHOW

Hard-swinging drummer and bandleader Louis Hayes celebrates his 85th birthday by bringing his high voltage quintet to Dizzy’s for two electrifying nights. While still in his teens in 1956, Louis Hayes moved to New York and joined the Horace Silver Quintet, spending the following years working with greats like John Coltrane and Curtis Fuller, and then joining Cannonball Adderley’s quintet in 1959. He has since become one of the most recorded drummers in history and one of the players most successful in navigating the changes in jazz since the hard bop era. Though his résumé also includes working with Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Yusef Lateef, Ravi Shankar, J.J. Johnson, Ray Brown, Wes Montgomery, and countless more, he has spent the last several decades as a leader, mobilizing some of the tightest and most cohesive groups in the business.

PERFORMANCE LINEUP

Louis Hayes – drums
Abraham Burton – alto saxophone
Dezron Douglas – bass (5/26)
Gerald Cannon – bass (5/27)
Steve Nelson – vibraphone
David Hazeltine – piano

Click here to learn more

Credit: Frank Stewart

CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT

PRESENTED AS PART OF THE ERTEGUN JAZZ CONCERT SERIES

Thursday, May 12th and Friday, May 13th at 8:00pm

Location: Rose Theater

Ticket Information: Start at $40

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • A genre-defying NYC debut of three-time Grammy Award winner Cecile McLorin Salvant’s forthcoming album Ghost Song.

ABOUT THE CONCERT

Cécile McLorin Salvant is one of the most acclaimed jazz singers and composers of her generation. Her music fuses sounds from across generations and cultures, incorporating vaudeville, jazz, blues, and storytelling. With her remarkable vocal technique and on-stage persona, she performs rich interpretations of familiar songs and rare treasures alike.

A three-time Grammy Award winner and MacArthur Fellow, Salvant returns to Jazz at Lincoln Center for her fourth headlining performance with a New York City debut of her new commission and forthcoming album Ghost Song.

Cécile McLorin Salvant – vocals
Sullivan Fortner – piano
Keita Ogawa – percussion
Marvin Sewell – guitar
Alexa Tarantino – flute
Yasushi Nakamura – bass

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Jazz at Lincoln Center

MONK CON CLAVE

WITH THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA

PRESENTED AS PART OF THE ERTEGUN JAZZ CONCERT SERIES

Thursday, May 19th through Saturday, May 21st

Location: Rose Theater

Ticket Information: Start at $40

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • With music direction by JLCO bassist Carlos Henriquez, this concert explores Monk’s music through clave and swing rhythms.

  • Featuring special guest Pedrito Martinez

  • A world premiere of new and reinvented music inspired by Thelonious Monk, with an Afro-Latin tinge.

ABOUT THE CONCERT

The syncopated melodies and rhythms of genius composer Thelonious Monk get the Afro-Latin treatment in this one of a kind evening of clave and swing. With music direction by JLCO bassist Carlos Henriquez, this first-ever performance includes reinventions of Monk classics such as “Bye-Ya,” “Evidence,” “Boo Boo’s Birthday,” and inspired new works. With congas and clave providing the groove, any Monk piece becomes danceable.

Named “the most important Latin jazz artist in New York City today” and “the heir to the legacy of Tito Puente” by New York Latin Culture, Henriquez is the longtime bassist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He is a Grammy Award-nominated artist, a talented arranger, and one of the most exciting bandleaders in town.

Hailing from the Bronx, Henriquez is a rare virtuoso in both the jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions, and he has been performing with greats like Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Celia Cruz since the age of 14. He’s also a natural entertainer who has led concerts ranging from Rubén Blades’s debut with the JLCO to a New Year’s Eve bash at Dizzy’s Club.

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Poster House

FIRST FRIDAY

Friday, May 6th from 10:00am-9:00pm

Ticket Information: FREE

Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, or activity throughout the day. This month, the museum is thrilled to partner with Welcome to Chinatown for a series of programming that celebrates the culture, community, and resilience of Chinatown. Stop by and learn more about Welcome to Chinatown and how you can support the organization’s recovery efforts.

12pm-2pm Block Printing with Optimism

3pm Made in Chinatown: Designing for Our Own Communities

6:30pm Cinema on Paper Book Signing

7:30pm Blockchain & Chinatown: Thoughtfully Designing Technology

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Poster House

FASHIONING THE SELF: I AM MY OWN PROPERTY

Thursday, May 26th from 6:00-8:00pm

Ticket Information: $10

The exhibition Ethel Reed: I Am My Own Property highlights the artist’s masterful use of fashion and her appearance to control her own narrative and that ofher work. Of course, Reed wasn’t the only person of her time to leverage fashion to her advantage. How were Black people–whether free, freed, or enslaved–leveraging sartorial freedoms to construct and project new narratives? Join fashion historians Jonathan Michal Square and Elizabeth Way for an evening exploring the turn-of-the-century fashions of African Americans. Questions strongly encouraged!

Jonathan Michael Square is the Assistant Professor of Black Visual Culture at Parsons School of Design. He is also currently a fellow in the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He founded and runs the digital humanities project Fashioning the Self in Slavery and Freedom, which explores the intersection between histories of enslavement and the fashion system.

Elizabeth Way is an Associate Curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Her exhibitions include Global Fashion Capitals (2015), Black Fashion Designers (2016), Fabric In Fashion (2018), and Head to Toe (on view now). Way’s personal research focuses on the intersection of African American culture and fashion, and she edited the book Black Designers in American Fashion (2021).

Click here to learn more

Photo: ©Signature Theater Company

A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

Tuesday, April 12th through Sunday, May 15th

Ticket Information: Start at $35

Inside a cubicle in a small office in southern Idaho, two men struggle to meet the confounding terms on a loan. MacArthur Fellow Samuel D. Hunter launches his residency with this thoughtful meditation on human resilience, directed by David Cromer (Tony Award- winner, The Band’s Visit).

Click here to learn more

Photo courtesy of Wave Hill

MOTHER’S DAY 2022

Saturday, May 7th and Sunday, May 8th

Location: see below

Ticket Information: This is a premium-admission weekend, with a $2 surcharge per visitor

The ancient Greeks and Romans were the first in recorded history to celebrate mothers, in their case certain mother goddesses. Nowadays, mothers work even harder than ever to nurture us, whether or not they are our birth mothers, and Mother’s Day, wonderfully timed to coincide—in the northeast anyway—with the arrival of spring, is the perfect opportunity to pull out all the stops.

We invite you to plan for a day in the gardens on Saturday or Sunday, May 7 or 8. Find links below for more about a special Family Art Project both mornings, a guided walk in the gardens both afternoons, a session of spring birding, a free session of community yoga and a family nature walk, both on Sunday.

Enjoy the very rare opportunity to picnic on the Wave Hill House Lawn, or, if you purchase a picnic from Great Performances, in Armor Hall or on the Kate French Terrace. (Limited space available on the Terrace on a first-come, first-served basis.) Bring your own feast or purchase a delicious picnic curated by our exclusive partner Great Performances, featuring cedar plank salmon, fresh spring salads and delectable desserts. There’s also a special meal for your junior gardeners (ages seven and under) available! Reservations are required by Friday, April 29.

If you would like to picnic on the North Lawn, you may bring your own blanket and outdoor folding chairs. Enjoy this special day!

Click here to learn more

Photo courtesy of Wave Hill

MAJEL CONNERY & THE BROTHERS BALLIET PERFORM: RIVERS ARE OUR BROTHERS

Saturday, May 14th from 2:00–3:00pm

Location: Armor Hall

Ticket Information: $30 Adult/$14 Child (8-18), including admission to the grounds. Advance tickets $2 off. Wave Hill Members save 10%

This performance features:
Majel Connery – Vocals, Vocoder, Electric Piano
Brad Balliett – Bassoon
Doug Balliett – Viola da Gamba

“The Rivers are Our Brothers” is a narrative song cycle on ecological responsibility told from the point of view of the land. With titles such as “I Am a River” and “I Am a Cloud”, each song is given the power of first-person speech to highlight important elements in the natural world, ascribing human qualities and feelings to water, trees, mountains, rivers, fish, air and rocks. Written and performed by Majel Connery (voice, vocoder, synthesizer), the artist says “The goal is to give nature a voice. I wanted to allow these vibrant things to speak on their own behalf.” Connery collaborated with musicians Edwin Huizinga and Ben Matus on the original compositions. At this concert, she is joined by The Brothers Balliett on bassoon and viola da gamba. “The Rivers are Our Brothers” was commissioned by Musica Sierra, an organization based in Northern California, and is as part of its “Musical Headwaters” program, a residency series that brings musicians and composers to the headwaters of the Feather River to compose and perform original works reflecting the natural world.

The concert begins at 2PM and lasts approximately one hour without intermission. Ages 8 and older welcome with an adult.

Click here to learn more

ROBOT HEART PRESENTS FARE FORWARD

Saturday, April 30th through Sunday, May 1st

Ticket Information: Start at $190.55

The Robot Heart Foundation is bringing the original Robot Heart Bus to New York City for a weekend filled with world-class performances, artistic experiences, next-level dining, and conscious revelry.

The line-up includes the DJ Dill, musical artists Formerly (preview), International DJ and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, Turkish DJ and producer Carlita, musician Acid Pauli, musical artists The Illustrious Blacks, Canadian folk music band The Weather Station, DJ and producer Behrouz, British musicians Cymande, DJ and live performer Francesca Lombardo and Danish electronic artist Be Svendsen.

Many more notable music artists have played at Wollman Rink Music Festivals, including B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Tina Turner, Patti Smith, Neil Young, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Meatloaf, Debbie Harry, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and the Doors, to name a few.

Fare Forward reignites this historical venue with a range of talent, multisensory production and the sensurround sound that music lovers have come to expect from the Robot Heart art car.

Fare Forward is part memorial for our founder, Geo, part 50th birthday celebration of our 1972 English bus and part celebration of 15 years of the Robot Heart community, Fare Forward is an invitation to appreciate the present moment. Achieve a state of unity. And transcend the material through an elation of the senses.

Click here to learn more

PAINT & SIP

Hosted by The Paint Place NYC

Sunday, May 15th at 2:00pm

Ticket Information: $50 (includes supplies and one glass of wine)

No painting experience necessary to join us with the Paint Place, NYC’s #1 Paint and Sip studio, for an afternoon of painting at Wollman Rink. Professional instructors will guide you step-by-step through this fun process where you leave with your own piece of art. The 2 hour class includes instruction, paint, brushes, 16” x 20” blank canvas, apron, and one glass of wine.

Click here to learn more

EXCITING EVENTS AROUND THE BRONX: MAY 2022

By Great Performances

Explore exciting community events around the Bronx during May of 2022.

BRONX WEEK 2022

May 5th through May 15th

Beginning on May 5th, there will be a series of events from every sector of the community including senior activities, small business networking, family, health, finance, and more.

Bronx Week will culminate in a Black-tie gala honoring our Bronx Walk of Fame Inductees on Saturday, May 14th.

Click here to learn more

50TH ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL & IN-PERSON GALA AND AUCTION

Tuesday, May 10th from 6:00-10:00pm

Location: Virtual

On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, The Bronx Museum of the Arts will host a grand virtual and in-person gala at Guastavino’s (409 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022) celebrating 50 years of championing the people of the Bronx, supporting important contemporary artists, and serving the youth through educational initiatives. 

The Gala and Art Auction is the Bronx Museum’s single most important fundraiser of the year, attended by art world luminaries, business and entertainment titans, government officials, patrons, artists and educators – raising an important 20% of the Museum’s annual operating budget. 
 
Our gala theme, “Our Stories–Our Voices” reinforces our core values that visibility is the primary tenet of social justice and that to be truly seen is the first step in forward movement towards equity. 
 
Our gala will be a free-flowing cocktail-style evening featuring performances by Maluca (Bronx-born hip-house performer), Valerie Capers (Bronx-born jazz pianist and composer), our lauded live and silent auction powered by Artsyawards presentation, as well as dine-around food and drink stations. The evening’s honorees, Henry R. Muñoz III (Trailblazer Award), Derrick Adams (Art & Social Justice Award), and and Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson (Bronx Powerhouse Award) embody The Bronx Museum’s enduring values, and share our commitment to promoting equity and visibility.
 

Click here to learn more

FLUTTER BY! RAISING BUTTERFLIES

May 10 at 11am: Part 1 – Raising Butterflies

May 24 at 11am: Part 2 – Raising Butterflies

Location: Virtual

Join a 4-part virtual series on how to support pollinators! Learn how to raise pollinators for release and pollinators live an how to protect them with Nathan Hunter of the Bronx River Alliance and Talima Wilson-Evans of Learn N’ Play Party Friends.

Follow along with the series as we learn about pollinator habitats and how to protect them, as well as learn how to raise butterflies for release at Concrete Plant Park on June 4th!

Series dates and topics:

April 5 at 11: Pollinators, our Insect Friends

April 19 at 11am: Habitats are homes for Pollinators

May 10 at 11am: Part 1 – Raising Butterflies

May 24 at 11am: Part 2 – Raising Butterflies

June 4 at 12pm: Special Butterfly Release In-person Event at Concrete Plant Park

Click here to learn more

THE AMAZING BRONX RIVER FLOTILLA!

Saturday, May 14th

Location: The Bronx River

Save the Date! The Amazing Bronx River Flotilla is scheduled for Saturday, May 14. This special fundraising paddle travels most of the length of the River within the Bronx, and helps ensure that the Alliance can continue to provide free and reduced-cost public programming to the communities we serve.

Join us as a sponsor, by starting a fundraising paddling team, or as a volunteer to help safely run the event.

Watch this space for more information, and volunteers can submit an interest form HERE.

Click here to learn more

MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK – KEYS TO THE CITY: BX MARKS THE SPOT

Saturday, May 14th at 10:00am

Tickets: Adults: $53, Youth (7-17): $27, Children under 6: Free

50 Clues & 1 Grand Prize. Unlock secret places, historic haunts, and new views as you and your team solve clues in our daylong scavenger hunt. Teams will solve clues in five of the Bronx’s most vibrant neighborhoods: Belmont, Fordham Heights, Crotona, Concourse, and Mott Haven. These neighborhoods are home to everything from the Bronx’s Little Italy to Fordham University to The Bronx Museum of Arts to the New York Yankees. Participants can expect to stroll down Arthur Avenue, discover the Bronx’s notable art and architecture, and take in the memorable sights and sounds of the borough where Hip-Hop was born!

In one adventurous day, you’ll encounter the past, present, and future of the Bronx as you document your journey, all while helping us raise vital funds to support the Museum. This past year has proven that it takes grit and determination to make it in New York. Do you and your friends have what it takes to hold the Keys to the City?
 

Saturday, May 14, 2022

  • 10:00 am to 3:00 pm  |  Scavenger Hunt
  • 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm    |  Closing Party & Award Ceremony

Click here to learn more

MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND GARDEN PARTY

Saturday, May 7th through Sunday, May 8th from 10:00am-6:00pm

Treat Mom to a One-of-a-Kind Garden Party

The most spectacular spring landscape New York City has to offer is the setting for live music, games, picnicking, and more.

Click here to learn more

DIG! PLANT! GROW!
WAKE UP, GARDEN!

Tuesday, May 10th through Friday, June 17th

Tuesdays–Saturdays; 1:30pm–5:30pm
Sundays and Monday Holidays; 10:00am–5:30pm

The Garden’s “salad days” are here! Explore and learn more about the spring crops (and lots of lettuce!) growing in the garden. Children are invited to pot up their own spring salad mix to take home.

Each season offers a new theme to investigate through hands-on activities and take-home projects at the Edible Academy!

Click here to learn more

Orchard Beach

HORSESHOE CRAB EXPLORATION

Sunday, May 15th from 1:00–2:00pm

Location: Section 2 Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

Free to Join

Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walk on the shore dedicated to the horseshoe crab, a “living fossil” that has existed for over 445 million years.

Click here to learn more

OUTDOOR SKILLS: SURVIVAL 101

Sunday, May 22nd from 1:00-2:00pm

Location: Pelham Bay Nature Center in Pelham Bay Park

Free to Join

Our Urban Park Rangers are well versed in outdoor lore. Learn tips and tricks that will enhance your knowledge of the natural world, and might just save your life. Whether you are preparing for an extended journey through the woods or just want to be more prepared for any situation, an outdoor skills program is the perfect fit for you. Learn the basic skills of outdoor survival including fire making, shelter building and water collection among other skills.

Click here to learn more

MOTHER NATURE HIKE AND CRAFT

Sunday, May 8th from 1:00-2:30pm

Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center in Van Cortlandt Park

Free to Join

On this Mothers Day, explore the park in search of animal families and learn how mothers care for their young. We will also draw some inspiration from nature to create a Mother’s Day craft.

Click here to learn more

AAPI HERITAGE MONTH: CONTRIBUTIONS IN SCIENCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Sunday, May 29th from 11:00am-12:30pm

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with NYC Parks! Rangers will connect you to the meaningful contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander scientists and environmentalists.

Click here to learn more