What’s Happening?: Events and activities around the Bronx

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The Bronx Museum


Family Time: Heart of The Bronx
Feb. 11, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Spend an afternoon with your family doing arts and crafts and having fun at The Bronx Museum. Activities include a free family art activity inspired by current exhibits celebrating the city of New York. Register here.

In Conversation: Swagger and Tenderness Talk and Book Signing
Feb. 12, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
Visit The Bronx Museum to hear artists John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres talk about their portrait exhibition and related book, featuring lifecasted statues of local people from the South Bronx. RSVP here.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts Photo ET Rodriguez

Curator-led Tours: Swagger and Tenderness
Feb. 18, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Take a trip to The Bronx Museum for a guided tour of Swagger and Tenderness, a portrait exhibition by John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres. Spend the afternoon learning about the exhibition from guest curators at the museum.

Cosmos Gates Film Screening I
Feb. 24, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Visit The Bronx Museum for a screening party of Cosmos Gates, a film featuring various aspects of The Bronx’s history. Discover unseen footage of historical sites in the borough and see learn how people used to live through home videos dating back to the 1930s. 

 

Van Cortlandt Park



February Forest Restoration Fridays
Feb. 10, 17 and 24, 10 a.m-1 p.m.

Join the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance at this weekly program, where members of the community can help maintain the forests in this Bronx park. Learn about the importance of the forest while doing hands-on work, like tree removal and planting. 

The Van Cortlandt Super Hike (Vigorous)
Feb. 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Urban Park Rangers will lead hikers on an 8-mile journey through Van Cortlandt Park. You’ll discover some of the park’s hidden gems and learn about its diverse forests and ecosystems on this trek through nature.

Nature Exploration: John Muir Trail
Feb. 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Go on a guided, extended hike through Van Cortlandt Park’s John Muir Trail, which connects the park’s West and East side.

It’s A Horse of Course Hike and Greet
Feb. 19, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Take your family on a hike from the Van Cortlandt Nature Center to the Riverdale Stables for a meet and greet with the Parks Enforcement Patrol Mounted Unit. You’ll have to opportunity to learn about and interact with the horses that help keep the park safe. Register for free here.

Kids Week: Nature Puppet Show
Feb. 20, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Take your kids to Van Cortlandt park’s nature-themed puppet show hosted by the Park Rangers. Learn more about the many animals that can be found in our local parks in a hands-on and fun way.

 

New York Botanical Garden


Amazing Conifers Tour
Feb. 21 and 25 at 12:30 p.m., and Feb. 10 and 22 at 2:30 p.m.
Head to the New York Botanical Garden for a guided tour of their collection of conifer trees from around the world. View 15 acres of beautiful greenery while getting to learn about the history of the Garden.

Native Plant Garden Tour
Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m.
Get to learn about plants native to the Northeastern United States on this guided tour of the New York Botanical Garden’s Native Plant Garden. Participants will get to view a variety of ferns, perennials, shrubs and trees native to the region.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

History of NYBG Tour
Feb. 12, 19 and 26 at 11 a.m., and Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m.
Join the New York Botanical Garden for a guided tour of its most historically-significant sites, spread across 250 acres of greenery. Explore everything the Garden has to offer and learn more about its importance in nature conservation and in New York’s culture.

Women Leaders of the Garden
Feb. 12 and 19 at 2:30 p.m.
Spend an afternoon at the Reflecting Pool at the New York Botanical Garden learning about the roles that women have played in its history. Learn about their leadership throughout the Garden along with their contributions to other areas, including science, philanthropy and education.

Valentine’s Day Garden Highlights
Feb. 12, 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Love is in the air at the New York Botanical Garden! Head over to the Garden with your loved ones to walk around and enjoy beautiful views and displays of flora that inspire love.

Magnificent Trees of NYBG Tour
Feb. 11 and 25 at 2:30 p.m.
Join the New York Botanical Garden for a tour of all the magnificent trees in their collection. You’ll learn about the unique characteristics of different types of trees and even get to see trees that are well over a century old. 

Thain Forest Tour
Feb. 14-12:30 p.m.
Visit the Botanical Garden for an hour-long walking tour through 50 acres of forest in the Bronx. Spend time with a tour guide who will share facts about history and ecology of this beautiful, well-preserved forest.

Winter Wonderland Tree Tour
Feb. 10 at 12:30 p.m., Feb. 15 at 2:30 p.m.
Take a 45-minute tour through the New York Botanical Garden’s beautiful old growth forest in the middle of winter. Enjoy being immersed in nature during the cold weather.

Haupt Conservatory Tour
Feb. 9 at 11 a.m., Feb. 16 at 12:30 p.m.
Take a tour through the New York Botanical Garden’s beautiful Victorian-style greenhouse. You’ll see tons of different plants housed in simulations of their natural habitats.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Bird Tour
Feb. 18 at 11 a.m.
Take a tour through the Botanical Garden’s diverse natural landscape with an expert bird guide from NYC Audubon. You’ll get to see birds living in the Garden and learn about why it’s such an important habitat for a variety of species.

Crazy for Composting! 
Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Take part in the NYC Compost Project Hosted by The New York Botanical Garden. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in workshops and connect with people who use the compost to grow food for communities in New York City.

Rock Garden Tour
Feb. 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Explore everything that the New York Botanical Garden’s gorgeous rock garden. Enjoy views of a pond, a waterfall and exotic alpine plants from six of the seven continents.

 

Bronx Documentary Center


‘We Cry in Silence’: Smita Sharma Opening Reception
Feb. 17 at 6 p.m.
The Bronx Documentary Center is hosting an opening reception for photojournalist Smita Sharma’s exhibition, ‘We Cry in Silence.’ The exhibition aims to bring attention to the complicated issue of cross-border trafficking of girls across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Admission is free. RSVP here.

“The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales” Film Screening + Q&A
Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.
Join the Bronx Documentary Center for a screening of The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales, a documentary about modern American capitalism, racism, corporate power and the American Dream from the middle of the last century to the present. Bronx Residents can attend for free. RSVP here.

‘The Eyes of the City’: Richard Sandler Opening Reception**
Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.
Join the Bronx Documentary Center for the opening reception of an exhibition by New York street photographer Richard Sandler. Along with print photographs, three of Sandler’s first-person documentary films will be shown. Admission is free. RSVP here.

 

Mall at Bay Plaza


Bronx Fashion Week Fashion Show
Feb. 18, 4 p.m.
Head over to the Mall at Bay Plaza to experience a fashion show featuring designers from The Bronx. Witness an exciting display of creativity and celebrate diversity and inclusion in fashion.

Valentine’s Day Free Kids Event
Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Take your little ones to this family-friendly event at the Mall at Bay Plaza. Spend the evening enjoying music, winning prizes, and doing Valentine’s Day-related arts and crafts projects.

 

Bronx River


Winter Birding with NYC Audubon
Feb. 26, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Join NYC Audubon and the Bronx River Alliance on a walk along the Bronx River, where you’ll get to see a variety of beautiful birds that live around and depend on the river. You’ll also develop an understanding of biodiversity and wildlife in an urban setting like the Bronx.

 

Wave Hill


Family Art Project: Love for Woodland Friends
Feb. 11-12, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Take the kids to Wave Hill to spend some time making Valentine’s Day-inspired art projects. They’ll create sock puppets that look like woodland creatures and fragrant DIY aromatherapy pouches at this event.

Winter Birding
Feb. 12, 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m.
Explore the Hudson River Valley at Wave Hill and get a chance to see the diverse population of birds that live there. Binoculars will not be provided.

Public Garden & Conservatory Highlights Walk
Feb. 12, 19 and 26, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Enjoy a casual walk through Wave Hill’s gardens. Spend 45 minutes observing nature and learning about the gardens with a tour guid

Family Art Project: Winter Silhouettes
Feb. 18-19, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Take a trip to Wave Hill with your family to get involved in a creative art project. Play with lights and shadows to draw various kinds of trees, and decorate your creations using paint and dried plants.

Winter Workspace 2023: Open Studios
Feb. 18, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Artists can take advantage of Wave Hill’s Winter Workspace, where they’ll have access to free studio space to experiment with art and nature.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Family Art Project: Sounds of Winter Stillness
Feb. 25-26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Kids can explore the winter concepts of dormancy, hibernation, and stillness through an arts and crafts project at Wave Hill. Create different kinds of animals that experience hibernation using a mix of found and natural materials.

Concert: Warp Trio
Feb. 26, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
Enjoy an hour-long concert by the Juilliard-trained musicians that make up Warp Trio. Listen to them perform a variety of music, ranging from rock to jazz, at Wave Hill.

 

Northeast Bronx YMCA


Black Expression Through the Arts
Feb. 10, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Celebrate Black History Month at the Northeast Bronx YMCA. The event will feature visual artwork, poetry, and live performances by students through an exploration of Black identity.

 

Pelham Bay Park


Kids Week: Birding for Kids
Feb. 22, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Kids can experience nature in a fun and hands-on way through bird watching at Pelham Bay Park. Urban Park Rangers will teach kids how to identify different kinds of birds based on sight and sounds at this event.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Nature Exploration: Kazimiroff Nature Trail
Feb. 25, 11 p.m.-12:30 p.m.
Explore Pelham Bay Park on this hike through the Kazimiroff Nature Trail. Learn about the estuary and forest ecosystems in the area as you hike through this historic trail with the help of Park Rangers.

Seal Exploration
Feb. 26, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Observe seals in the Long Island Sound with the help of Pelham Bay Park’s Urban Park Rangers. You’ll get to learn more about New York City’s wildlife and which spots in the park are best for viewing them.

 

Crotona Park


Puppet Show Workshop
Feb. 11, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Take your family to Crotona Park to enjoy an afternoon of nature-themed puppet shows written and performed by the Urban Park Rangers. Afterward, you’ll even have the chance to perform your own puppet show!

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Pre-Valentines Day Hike & Craft
Feb. 12, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Join Crotona Park’s Urban Park Rangers on a light winter hike with your family. You’ll look for “lovebirds” along the hike and do some arts and crafts for Valentine’s Day afterward.

Nature’s Workshop: Natural Cordage Workshop
Feb. 19, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Take a trip to Crotona Park to learn all about ropes and cordage. You’ll learn how to identify plants traditionally used for cordage making and even try your hand at making this essential tool yourself. You’ll also get to experiment with different crafts that require cordage.

Kids Week: Nature Scavenger Hunt
Feb. 21, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Take your kids to Crotona Park and join the park’s Urban Park Rangers on a fun scavenger hunt in nature.

Kids Week: Survival Skills for Kids
Feb. 23, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Gain all the skills you need to survive on a deserted island at this workshop! Kids will be able to learn basic outdoor skills, including shelter building, fire making and survival skills.

 

Outdoor Skills: Fire Building
Feb. 25, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Learn how to build a fire using a variety of different materials with the help of Crotona Park’s Urban Park Rangers. The whole family can learn this basic survival skill at this family-friendly event.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Crotona Park Highlights Hike
Feb. 26, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.
Join the Park Rangers for an afternoon hike through historically significant parts of Crotona Park. You’ll get to see specific sites that were important for the history of the park and for the Bronx as a whole.

 

Rev. T. Wendell Foster Park and Recreation Center


Latin Dance Fitness
Feb. 18, 25, 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Get moving and improve your health with this fun fitness class! Led by an instructor, this creative and fun workout class makes it easy to get your exercise in by fusing dance and aerobics.

Cardio Sculpt
Feb. 18, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. 
Have fun and get active at this fitness class in celebration of Black History Month! Take part in low-impact cardio while wearing the colors of the Pan-African flag and moving to music made by Black artists. Free Shape Up NYC giveaways will be provided while supplies last.

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