Weekly Highlights in NYC #10: September 16-22
NYBG's Fun Run, a book festival in Brooklyn, a downtown block party and a great art fair...
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It’s a beautiful time to visit the New York Botanical Garden. Van Gogh’s Flowers is on view through October, transforming 250 acres with sculptural and living floral installations—think giant sunflowers, 3D still lifes, reflecting pools, and painted gardens. Plus, NYBG’s inaugural 5K Fun Run takes place Sunday, September 21, at 8 a.m. This relaxed 3.1-mile run or walk winds through the gardens, followed by music, expert meet-and-greets, and full garden access.
BPC Block Party: Saturday, September 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Esplanade Plaza. Enjoy children’s games, family activities, live music from neighborhood performers, local food and business vendors, contests, prizes, and more.
Children’s Day at the Brooklyn Book Festival: Saturday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall and Plaza. Enjoy a full day of story readings, workshops, performances, signings, art projects, and interactive zones—from picture-book and young-reader stages to maker areas—featuring children’s authors and illustrators. Nearby, Poppy’s café is a great spot for brunch and pastries that I’d highly recommend!
ClimateFest at the American Museum of Natural History: Saturday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s a free, all-ages event (with museum admission) featuring hands-on climate science demos, communal art projects, Indigenous powwow performances, a Climate Learning Lab, “Eyes on Earth” visualizations, workshops, and discussions to inspire sustainable action.
The New York Transit Museum’s Bus Festival: Sunday, September 21 from 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. in Brooklyn Bridge Park. It’s free—no ticket needed. Board vintage buses, enjoy hands-on activities, and browse a pop-up museum shop.
Affordable Art Fair New York Fall: Wednesday, September 17 to Sunday, September 21 at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea. The fair features over 80 galleries with contemporary works priced from $100 to $12,000. One exhibitor I’m especially excited about is Tag Fine Arts—we’ve found some excellent pieces for our kids’ rooms in the past.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay at the Met Opera: If you loved Michael Chabon’s novel, you won’t want to miss this new opera opening on Sunday, September 21.
Need to get rid of bulky baby items? I highly recommend GoodBye Gear. They pick up strollers, car seats, highchairs, and more, sell them for you, and you receive cash or store credit. They also offer a great selection of gently used baby gear to purchase.
I’m still working on labeling all my kid’s uniforms and clothes and love this company for name labels - there are so many cute design options to choose from. These look really fun too!
In other back-to-school projects, I’m committed to keeping our water bottles tidy and organized this year, so I ordered a few more of our favorite bottles (they don’t leak)!
I’m not ready to think about the holidays yet, but tickets for the New York City Ballet’s 2025 run of The Nutcracker® at Lincoln Center go on sale on Monday, September 22 at noon. And in other Christmas news, skate tickets and Après Chalets at Rockefeller Center are also available for sale.