By Tracy Zwick
November 27th through 30th
Ice Skating at Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer: 106-51 East Drive in Central Park; Sunday to Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday & Saturday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Free entry to the facility (program, skate rental and activity fees vary, including $5 entry to community skate).
The Central Park Conservancy opened the new Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center last weekend, replacing the outdated Lasker facility with a state-of-the-art community gathering spot. It was conceived as part of a wholesale re-envisioning of the site, which opened last spring. Entry to the facility is free, and programming includes community skate sessions, learn-to-skate programs, hockey, and a slate of activities for skaters of all ages and abilities. Reserve community skate tickets here.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection: New York Historical, 170 Central Park West at West 77th Street; open daily except Mondays through February 22nd. Free with museum admission.
A beloved winter tradition returns to The New York Historical, where a wonderland of miniature trains, stations, train sheds, and bridges is on display. The trains are part of the museum’s Jerni Collection, which includes handcrafted and hand-painted pieces from approximately 1850 to 1940; they are, according to the museum, “prime examples by the leading manufacturers that set the standard for the golden age of toy trains.” This year’s exhibit highlights trains from the early 20th century through World War II. Families can explore them along with the other objects on display via a special scavenger hunt; there also will be train-themed storytimes on select dates.
SNFCC Christmas World, Karen and Richard LeFrak Lobby, David Geffen Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza. Saturday, November 29th, noon to (approximately) 2 p.m. Free.
Ring in the season with a simulcast that will transport you to Athens, Greece for a holiday festival presented in collaboration with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens. The livestream will feature music, lights, trees and other installations along with a concert featuring, among others, the Loop Quartet, described on the Lincoln Center website as “four voices that transform into instruments, reimagining carols, swing classics, and pop anthems as modern polyphonic experiences.” Seating is limited and first-come, first-served.
Central Park Highlights Hike, Sunday, November 30th, 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Meet at West 72nd and Central Park West in Central Park. Free.
Burn off some of those Thanksgiving calories on a guided hike with the Urban Park Rangers that will take you past some of the most iconic attractions in Central Park, including Bethesda Fountain, Strawberry Field, Bow Bridge, The Ramble, and Belvedere Castle.
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