2015
People Parks Programs
Something for Everyone!
Families/All Ages
Adults
Teens
Battery Park City Parks Conservancy’s programs connect people with the parks as well as with each other. Parks programming leaders plan and facilitate activities for all ages, and encourage all to participate. Enjoy music, theater, dancing, storytelling, art, fishing, nature talks, and sports and play activities from May 1 to October 31.
School-age Kids
For year-round information about the parks, programs, events, and the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School, visit: www.bpcparks.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/batteryparkcityparks
Preschoolers
ALL AGES/FAMILIES
Friday, June 19, Swedish Midsummer Family Dance. Paul Dahlin and fiddlers. See p. 16 July 18, Two-Step Family Dance. North of Amarillo’s honky-tonk sound revives, reinterprets & reenergizes the standards of country music. August 15, Victory Day Family Swing Dance. The Harlem Renaissance Orchestra plays ‘Big Band’ music from the 1930s and 40s to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. Period dress is encouraged! Note: Dance instruction will be provided for all events.
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FAMILY DANCES
May 9, Cuban Family Dance. Pepito Gómez performs music that encompasses the history of his native Cuba, from the son and rhumba of the Buena Vista Social Club era to the modern sounds of timba, a danceable, post-salsa fusion music.
SELECT SATURDAYS 6:30-8 pm, EP Energetic, joyful community dancing for all ages. No partners or experience necessary.
Oct 3, Shine & The Moonbeams play children’s music with a funky twist, using R&B rhythms and high energy vocals to make listeners of all ages get up and dance.
SELECT SATURDAYS 10 am-2 pm, WP Join experienced anglers for catchand-release fishing and learn about life in the Hudson River. In addition, each event features art projects, bird watching and performances. All performances begin at 12 pm.
May 16, Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem perform bluegrass-inflected songs filled with infectious humor and virtuoso playing. Sept 19, Arm of the Sea Theater perform their newest production, Hook, Line & Sinker, with larger-than-life puppets that entertain and educate revealing the environment of the Hudson River. It’s Turtle Day, too!
GO FISH!
Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
Oct 17, Tom Chapin & Friends, plus The Chapin Sisters will perform Tom’s beautifully crafted children’s songs with subtle jokes for parents too.
The Chapin Sisters 5
Bird Watching
Saturdays, May 16, Sept 19, Oct 3 and Oct 17, 11 am, WP Join a birder/naturalist to experience the variety of birds that nest and rest in the parks. Novice birders welcome. Binoculars and field guides available.
Turtle Day
Saturday, Sept 19, 11 am-1:30 pm, WP Turtles evolved over 200 million years ago and have remained relatively unchanged since. Meet the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary turtles and find out why. 6
NATURE
Sunday, May 3, 2 pm. Join Brian Tolle, designer of the Irish Hunger Memorial, on a special tour of this BPC landmark. A staff horticulturist will also discuss the Memorial’s native Irish plantings. Historian Lynn Rogers discusses Irish immigration during the Great Hunger. Learn about the immigrants experience, arriving in New History of Pier A York City before Ellis Island Sunday, June 28, 2 pm. existed. Rain location: Extending 300 feet into New 6 River Terrace York Harbor and featuring a 70-foot clock tower, Pier A is one of New York City’s latest revival stories. First opened in 1886 as a NYC Police Harbor Patrol site, this historic landmark reopened to the public in late 2014. Gwen Dawson, BPCA Vice President of Real Property, who managed the restoration, will lead the tour. Meet at Pier A.
WALKS & TALKS
Irish Hunger Memorial
RIVER & BLUES THURSDAYS 7-8:30 pm, WP Enjoy summer evenings listening to the blues while the sun sets over the Hudson River. Bring a picnic and your friends!
July 9, John Hammond. The Grammy Winner & Blues Hall of Fame virtuoso of harmonica and slide guitar conjures Delta Blues with the force of a one-man runaway locomotive.
July 16, Valerie June. Tennessee native Valerie June’s “Organic Moonshine Roots Music” fuses elements of Appalachian folk, blues, gospel, soul, and country into a music of stunning originality.
July 23, Henry Butler & Friends. At ease playing gutbucket blues or uptown jazz, Henry Butler has been described as the greatest living proponent of the classic New Orleans piano tradition.
July 30, Alexis P. Suter and The Ministers of Sound. Alexis P. Suter’s powerhouse vocals blend gospel, soul, and the blues and are complimented by the electric Chicago Blues style of The Ministers of Sound. 7
STORY TIME
Sunset Singing Circle
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MAKE MUSIC
Family Concert with Socalled
Sunday, June 14, 1 pm, WP Co-presented with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene as part of KulturfestNYC, join us for a concert with Socalled, a Canadian musician known for his eclectic mix of hip hop, rap, klezmer, and folk.
May 9, Laura Simms tells adventurous tales about animals and people sharing the natural world.
October 31, Rita Auerbach tells stories about witches, ghosts and trolls, right on time for Halloween.
DRAMATIC
July 8 and July 10, 11, 12, 7pm, TDP Shakespeare comes alive as the audience participates in The Taming of the Shrew within the romantic setting of Teardrop Park. Bring a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show. All ages are welcome!
Saturdays, 11 am, TDP
June 6, Mary Ann Schmidt tells “Herman and Marguerite,” about a shy earthworm and a lonely caterpillar, and other stories.
North of Amarillo, July 18
New York Classical Theatre: The Taming of the Shrew
Stories for All Ages
Fridays, May 1-June 26 (except 5/22 & 6/19), 7-8:30 pm, WP Sing together! Share rounds and folk songs. No experience necessary. All ages welcome. Bring a favorite song. Led by folksinger Terre Roche.
Sunset Jam on the Hudson Fridays, July 10-Aug 28, 6:30-8 pm, WP Join a drumming circle led by master drummers. Instruments provided or bring your own.
Garden Tours
FAMILY ART TOURS
Saturdays, June 13 & Oct 24, 11 am, WP Tour Wagner Park’s beautiful gardens with a horticulturist. Learn about the innovative and sustainable horticulture methods BPCPC uses throughout the parks.
Family Art Tours & Workshops
May 17, 2 pm, The Real World. Tom Otterness’ sculptures offer Join our contemporary intriguing looks at animal behavior and human nature. Create a clay art historian for figure inspired by The Real World. tours of Battery Park City’s public art plus NRP relevant art-making activities for families. June 7, 2 pm, Gimme Shelter: Pavilion. Demetri Porphyrios’s Materials provided. Pavilion is both art and shelter. Design and build your own shelters. NRP
Sept 20, 2 pm, Teardrop Park. Explore ideas within Ann Hamilton’s rock formations, inspired by seismic activity, with an art expert and Dr. Patricia Nadeau, a volcanologist from the American Museum of Natural History. Come and make your own volcano. TDP Oct 3, 11 am, Sound/Waves: Resonating Bodies. Take a close look at Tony Cragg’s gargantuan bronze sculptures of musical instruments patterned with waves, a reference to how sound and water move. Make your own fanciful horn or string instrument. WP 9
ADULTS
Sunset Yoga in Wagner Park
Elements of Nature Drawing Wednesdays, 11 am-1 pm, WP Enjoy drawing in the gardens with an artist/ educator. Materials provided. May – Oct.
Wednesdays, May 6-Sept 30, 6-7 pm, WP Unwind from the day with outdoor yoga overlooking the Hudson River. All levels welcome. Bring your own mat or borrow one from us.
Figure al Fresco
Wednesdays, 2:30-4:30 pm, SC Learn figure drawing outdoors with an artist/ educator. Materials provided. May – Oct.
Ultimate Frisbee
Saturdays, July 11-Aug 29, 11 am-1 pm, BPC Ball Fields Enjoy drop-in, organized games at the BPC Ball Fields. Discs provided.
Volleyball After Work
Wednesdays, June 3-Sept 30, 6-7:30 pm, EP Join other adults for fun games. Scorekeeper and balls provided. No experience necessary. 10
BE CREATIVE
Fridays, May 1-Oct 30 (except 5/22, 7/3, 9/4, 10/9), 8:30-9:30 am, EP Learn the ancient Chinese martial art. No experience necessary.
BE ACTIVE
Tai Chi
Drawing in the Park Saturdays, 10 am-12 pm, SC Sketch and paint the Hudson River and parks with an artist/educator. Materials provided. May – Oct. (except 5/23, 7/4, 9/5, 10/10)
Art Portfolio Development Summer Intensive for Teens
Drop-in Chess
Wednesdays, May 6-Sept 30, 3:30-5 pm, NRP Play the popular strategy game while getting pointers and advice from an expert.
TEENS
Mondays-Fridays, July 6-July 31, 10 am-4 pm, 6 River Terrace. $1000, includes art materials. Enjoy creating art with others in a studio setting and outdoors. Weekly museum and gallery outings. Develop your own portfolio for applying to specialized art high schools or colleges. Taught by professional artists. For young artists entering grades 7-12.
Friday Nights for Teens
Fridays, 7-9 pm, May 29, June 5, Sept 25 & Oct 2, 6 River Terrace Drop by for a few hours to meet friends and new people. Play table tennis, life-size chess, giant Connect-4, listen to music and relax. FREE, drop-in. Grades 7-12.
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LEARN A SPORT Wednesdays, 3:30-5:30 pm, TDP Energetic lawn games and art projects, such as clay, collage, painting and group murals. Everything provided. For ages 5 and up.
Art+Games
Thursdays, 3:30-5:30 pm, NRP Join other school-age children for fun, creative art activities and lawn games. For ages 5 and up.
Drop-In Chess
Wednesdays, May 6-Sept 30, 3:30-5 pm, NRP Play the popular strategy game while getting pointers and advice from an expert. For ages 5 and up. 12
PLAY & CREATE
SCHOOL-AGE KIDS
Wednesdays in Teardrop
Children’s Basketball
Mondays (except 5/25, 9/7, 10/12), Ages 5-6: 3:30-4:30 pm, Ages 7 & older: 4:30-5:30 pm, NRP Adjustable height hoops for kids of all sizes, plus fun drills to improve your skills. Closed-toed shoes required.
Soccer for Elementary Schoolers
Tuesdays, Ages 5-7: 3:30-4:15 pm; Ages 8-11: 4:30-5:30 pm, May-June, NRP. July-Oct, BPC Ball Fields. Learn to pass, shoot, and improve skills through fun drills and scrimmages. Closed-toed shoes required.
Marine Education* Free for school groups; grades 3-12. Participate in catch-and-release fishing and learn the history, ecology, and environmental issues affecting the Hudson River estuary. Bait and poles provided. Registration for the Fall begins August 3.
EXPLORE NATURE
Join us for free fishing for everyone at our GO FISH! events. See page 5.
The program is supported in part by a generous grant from The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation. * Pre-registration required, call 212-267-9700.
Gardening Club*
Tuesdays, 4-5 pm, NRP. $130 per 2-month cycle For ages 6-10. Discover the fun and rewards of planting flowers, vegetables and herbs, plus watering, weeding, and composting. Learn BPCPC’s green practices firsthand. (Discounts given for 6-month sign-up.)
Explorers’ Club*
Mondays, May 4-June 22 (except 5/25) $240, and Sept 14-Oct 26 (except 10/12) $205, 4-5:30 pm. 6 River Terrace Collect plant specimens, track cloud patterns, and study interesting insects and birds in the parks of BPC. For 1st - 3rd graders. Offered spring and fall. 13
Preschool Play
Mondays (except 5/25, 9/7, and 10/12), Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 10 am-12 pm, WP Join other toddlers, parents and caregivers on a grassy lawn. Toys, books, water table, and play equipment provided.
Preschool Art
Thursdays, 10:30 am-12 pm, NRP Very young artists are introduced to paper, clay, wood, and paint with projects planned by an art educator/ artist. Dress for a mess! 14
PLAY
PRESCHOOLERS
Mondays, May 4-June 29 (except 5/25), $180. Mondays, Sept 14-Oct 26 (except 10/12) $135, 1-2:15 pm or 2:30-3:45 pm, 6 River Terrace Enjoy yoga in a safe, supportive environment while learning postures and exercises specifically suited for new parents and babies (newborns through crawling).
Stories & Songs*
Sept - April 2016, 6 River Terrace Share the joy of live music performed weekly by professional musicians together with your infant, toddler, or preschooler. Enjoy movement, parachute games, dancing, singing, and music-making. See www.bpcparks.org for dates, times and fees.
* Pre-registration required, call 212-267-9700.
FOR THE VERY YOUNG
Parent & Baby Yoga*
Tuesdays, 3:15-3:45 pm, NRP An introduction to organic gardening for children 3-5 years old with accompanying adults. Space is limited. Young Sprouts Gardening is funded in part by a generous grant from Shake Shack, Battery Park City
HAVE A BALL
PLANT A SEED
Young Sprouts Gardening
Soccer for Preschoolers Tuesdays, 2:30-3:15 pm, May-June, NRP. July-Oct, BPC Ball Fields. Have fun kicking, running, and learning the soccer basics. For children ages 3-4. Closed-toed shoes required.
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Swedish Midsummer Festival Friday, June 19, 5-8 pm Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park Family Dance: 6:30-8 pm
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Enjoy this unique celebration of the summer solstice. Decorate the midsummer pole and learn folk dances from Barnklubben Elsa Rix and Swedish Folkdancers of New York. Make midsummer wreaths. Enjoy a parade, children’s games, and Swedish delicacies. Traditional music by Paul Dahlin and Fiddlers from the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Dances led by Ross Sutter, Scandinavian folklorist. For more information, visit www. bpcparks.org or www.nycmidsummer.com. Swedish Midsummer Festival is co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Sweden, New York. Note: In accordance with New York City law, alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the parks.
of activities and events in the Parks
SUNDAY
DAILY CALENDAR
AFTERNOON Family Concert 6/14: Family Concert with Socalled, 1 pm, WP Family Art Tours & Workshops 5/17: The Real World, create clay sculptures, 2 pm, NRP 6/7: Gimme Shelter: Pavilion, build a shelter, 2 pm, NRP 9/20: Teardrop Park, make a volcano, 2 pm, TDP 10/3: Sound/Waves: Resonating Bodies, make an instrument, 11 am, WP Walks & Talks 5/3: Irish Hunger Memorial, 2 pm, IHM 6/28: History of Pier A, 2 pm, Pier A
EVENING New York Classical Theatre 7/12: The Taming of the Shrew, 7 pm, TDP
General program support generously provided by Blue Smoke BPC
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Art Portfolio Development for Teens* 7/6-7/31: 10 am-4 pm, 6 River Terrace ($) Preschool Play 5/4-10/28 (except 5/25, 9/7, 10/12): 10 am-noon, WP
TUESDAY
MONDAY
MORNING
MORNING Art Portfolio Development for Teens* 7/6-7/31: 10 am-4 pm, 6 River Terrace ($) Preschool Play 5/4-10/28: 10 am-12 pm, WP
AFTERNOON AFTERNOON Children’s Basketball 5/4-10/26 (except 5/25, 9/7, 10/12): 3:30-5:30 pm, NRP Explorers’ Club* 5/4-6/22 (except 5/25) and 9/14-10/26 (except 10/12): 4-5:30 pm, 6 River Terrace ($) Parent & Baby Yoga* 5/4-6/29 (except 5/25) and 9/14-10/26 (except 10/12): 1–2:15 pm or 2:30–3:45 pm, 6 River Terrace ($)
Gardening Club* 5/5-10/27: 4-5 pm, NRP ($) Soccer for Preschoolers 5/5-10/27: 2:30-3:15 pm (age 3-4) ++ Soccer for Elementary Schoolers 5/5-10/27: 3:30-4:15 pm (age 5-7) ++ 4:30-5:30 pm (age 8-11) ++ Young Sprouts Gardening 5/5-10/27: 3:15-3:45 pm, NRP
++ May-June,
NRP. July-Oct, BPC Ball Fields
* Pre-registration required, call 212-267-9700. ($) Fee
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WEDNESDAY
MORNING
AFTERNOON
EVENING
Art Portfolio Development* 7/6-7/31: 10 am-4 pm, 6 River Terrace ($)
Figure al Fresco 5/6-10/28: 2:30-4:30 pm, SC
Sunset Yoga 5/6-9/30: 6-7 pm, WP
Drop-In Chess 5/6-9/30: 3:30-5 pm, NRP
Volleyball After Work 6/3-9/30: 6-7:30 pm, EP
Wednesdays in Teardrop 5/6-10/28: 3:30-5:30 pm, TDP
New York Classical Theatre 7/8: The Taming of the Shrew, 7pm, TDP
Preschool Play 5/4-10/28: 10 am-noon, WP Elements of Nature Drawing 5/6-10/28: 11 am-1 pm, WP
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Art Portfolio Development for Teens* 7/6-7/31: 10 am-4 pm, 6 River Terrace ($) Preschool Art 5/7-10/29: 10:30 am-noon, NRP
AFTERNOON Art + Games 5/7-10/29: 3:30-5:30 pm, NRP
EVENING River & Blues concert series 7-8:30 pm, WP 7/9: John Hammond 7/16: Valerie June 7/23: Henry Butler & Friends 7/30: Alexis P. Suter & the Ministers of Sound
FRIDAY
THURSDAY
MORNING
MORNING Tai Chi 5/1-10/30 (except 5/22, 7/3, 9/4, 10/9): 8:30-9:30 am, EP Art Portfolio Development for Teens* 7/6-7/31: 10 am-4 pm, 6 River Terrace ($)
EVENING Sunset Singing Circle 5/1-6/26 (except 5/22 and 6/19): 7-8:30 pm, WP Swedish Midsummer Festival 6/19: 5-8 pm, WP Sunset Jam on the Hudson 7/10-8/28: 6:30-8 pm, WP After Hours for Teens 5/29, 6/5, 9/25, 10/3: 7-9 pm, 6 River Terrace New York Classical Theatre 7/10: The Taming of the Shrew, 7 pm, TDP
* Pre-registration required, call 212-267-9700. ($) Fee
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SATURDAY
MORNING
AFTERNOON
EVENING
Drawing in the Park 5/2-10/31 (except 5/23, 7/4, 9/5, 10/10): 10 am-noon, SC
Go Fish Family Concerts 12 pm, WP 5/16: Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem
New York Classical Theatre 7/11: The Taming of the Shrew, 7 pm, TDP
Go Fish! 5/16, 9/19, 10/3, 10/17: 10 am-2 pm, WP Bird Watching at Go Fish 5/16, 9/19, 10/3, 10/17: 11 am, WP Turtle Day at Go Fish 9/19: 11 am-1:30 pm, WP
9/19: Arm of the Sea Theater 10/3: Shine & The Moonbeams 10/17: Tom Chapin & Friends, plus The Chapin Sisters
Family Dances, 6:30-8 pm, EP 5/9: Cuban Family Dance with Pepito Gomez 7/18: Two-Step Family Dance with North of Amarillo 8/15: Victory Day Family Swing Dance with Harlem Renaissance Orchestra
Stories for All Ages, 11 am, TDP 5/9: Laura Simms 6/6: Mary Ann Schmidt 10/31: Rita Auerbach Garden Tours 6/13, 10/24: 11 am, WP Ultimate Frisbee 7/11-8/29: 11 am-1 pm, BPC Ball Fields 21
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PLACES
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CCSHS Community Center at Stuyvesant High School North Esplanade
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River Terrace
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NRP Nelson A. Rockefeller Park
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Nor
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BPC Ball Fields
Murray Street
West Street Hudson River Park
Rockefeller Park House The Terrace TDP Teardrop Park
Teardrop Park South
Ferries
IHM Irish Hunger Memorial 6 River Terrace
The Community Center at Stuyvesant High School, managed by BPC Parks Conservancy, offers swimming, basketball, badminton, yoga, tennis, and more for all ages. Open year-round evenings and weekends when school is not in session. For information call 646‑210‑4292 or visit www.ccshs.org. 22
Winter Garden
North Cove
Kowsky Plaza Police Memorial
Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place
EP Esplanade Plaza
Rockefeller Park House. Present photo ID or apply for a free Borrower’s Card to borrow books, balls, and games. Play pool, table tennis, and other games for all ages. Open daily 11 am – 6:30 pm, May – October.
Historic Battery Park
Li Fe r r y t o S t a t
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Sec
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Thir d
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Wes t Th ame s Str eet
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Rector Place
South
Pier A Plaza
Little West Str eet
rA Pie
Albany Street
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West Street
WP Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park RPW Rector Park West
WTP West Thames Park
RPE Rector Park East
How to get here Nearby subway stops: Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall: R, 4, 5, 6 Bowling Green: 4, 5 Chambers Street: A, C, 1, 2, 3, J, Z Cortlandt Street: R Fulton St: 2, 3, J, Z, A, C, 4, 5
BPCPC Headquarters 75 Battery Place SC South Cove
H Art Installations Restrooms
Rector Street: R, 1 Wall Street: 2, 3, 4, 5 Whitehall: R World Trade Center: E Bus, Ferry, and PATH train service is also available. 23
75 Battery Place New York NY 10280 212 267-9700 www.bpcparks.org www.facebook.com/batteryparkcityparks
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