UWS Weekend: Great Things to Do in (and Around) the Neighborhood

By Tracy Zwick

October 2nd through 4th

Celebrate City of Forest Day! 

Learn About Trees at Hippo Playground: Saturday, October 3rd from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.;  Hippo Playground in Riverside Park at West 91st Street; rree

Staff from the Riverside Park Conservancy will teach visitors of all ages about the trees in and around the playground. Arts and crafts activities will be offered, as will information on NYC’s Urban Forest Plan and how to get involved stewarding trees on the UWS.

Davis Center’s Wonder in the Woods: Sunday, October 3rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; next to Gottesman Rink near the Harlem Meer in Northern Central Park; free

Begin a self-guided tour of Central Park’s North Woods with help from the team at Central Park Conservancy. There’ll be a scavenger hunt for all ages, encouraging visitors to look closely, slow down and engage with the park’s landscape.

Dendro TreeWalks in Central Park: Saturday, October 3rd at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Sunday, October 4th at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.; meet at West 77th Street Central Park entrance. Tickets required (starting at $10)

I’ve been on these wonderful walks, and can personally recommend “Intro to Dendrology,” which is offered Saturday and great for all ages. Saturday afternoon includes “Compound Leaves” and Sunday offers “Conifers” (Part 1 in the morning and Part 2 in the afternoon). Don’t let the scientific names prevent you from attending if you’re a novice, like me! On my walk, there were elementary schoolers and grandparents, and plenty of newbies.

Catch Live Jazz at Columbia’s Miller Theater: Saturday, October 3rd at 7:30 p.m. at the Miller Theater at Columbia University, 2960 Broadway. Tickets required (starting at $30)

Grammy-nominated Cuban pianist and composer Alfredo Rodríguez returns to local gem the Miller Theater for the first time since 2019. He’ll be joined by Han Beyli on bass, and Armando Lopez on drums.  

Celebrate St. Francis Day and a Pet-Friendly Blessing of the Earth Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine: Sunday, October 4th at 10:30 a.m.; 1047 Amsterdam Avenue; free

To celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s passing, the Cathedral is reimagining its popular blessing of the animal tradition and showcasing Luke Jerram’s “Gaia” – an illuminated 3D Earth sculpture that has toured the globe. While the formal procession of animals will no longer be part of the service, all pets and their human companions are welcome inside the Cathedral for a communal celebration of creation. Pet blessings will take place outside as soon as the service has concluded, around noon. 

See “Birds of North America”: Friday through Sunday, October 2nd to 4th, 100 LaSalle Street, times and tickets here

I’ve never been, but I’m intrigued by Morningside Theater Co. and The Playwrights Group, which are presenting what they say is a “father-daughter drama” by Anna Ouyang Moench, with Mark Hofmaier and Jaine Ye, directed by Luke Hofmaier. It’s on LaSalle just north of 123rd Street, so it’s close to Pisticci, where you could get pre- or post-theater food.

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