THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many of this week’s events beginning October 26th, 2020, can be done from the comfort of your own home (because #socialdistancing). Check them out below, and email us at “info at westsiderag dot com” to tell us about any upcoming events or those we might have missed. Be smart and stay safe, Upper West Siders!
Ongoing
Stay at Home Story Time Artist and children’s book author Oliver Jeffers will be live streaming himself reading his books out loud on Instagram.
The Kidville Playground A Virtual community of curated videos, resources, projects, and live streaming. See the full schedule here. FREE 7-day trial.
Dan Gutman’s Live Read Aloud Join Upper West Sider and children’s book author Dan Gutman who will be streaming a live reading weekdays at 2 p.m. via Facebook “for all the kids who are stuck in the house suddenly.”
Film at Lincoln Center‘s theaters may be temporarily closed, but you can still head to their Media Center to find videos, podcasts, and photo galleries. There’s also plenty to discover on Film Comment, a website for podcasts, reviews, long-form essays, filmmaker interviews, and more.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is regularly releasing online playlists of concerts and events from its archive.
New York Philharmonic is offering many audio recordings of concerts on their website, including a recent performance of Brahms’s “A German Requiem” conducted by Jaap van Zweden.
New York Live Arts has posted full-length performances from its back catalog online.
Outlet.fyi A multicultural media and marketing company rooted in the arts is sharing their schedule of virtual events.
In My Room Music Series Launched by Rolling Stone, this new IGTV series will feature legacy artists as well as up-and-comers. The first episode starred Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson singing his classic songs from his California home.
Cybertank CyberTank is an e-home for e-merging artists. Join us for a weekly, remote, multidisciplinary, variety arts gathering as well as other programming throughout the week.
Lincoln Center Weekly Concert Lincoln Center is holding weekly concerts to remember those lost to Covid-19. You can check out the concerts on Facebook, Youtube, In
The Frick Collection: Cocktails with a Curator The Frick is concocting the perfect mix of cocktails and art. Every Friday at 5:00 p.m., join us for happy hour as a Frick curator (remotely) offers insights on a work of art with a complementary cocktail. Bring your own beverage to this virtual event.
The Frick Collection: Travels with a Curator Every Wednesday, join a Frick curator on an exciting virtual journey to cultural and historic sites relevant to the museum. Members see it first and after the initial showing, will be made available to the general public.
Hope Wanted: New York City Under Quarantine NYHS presents an open-air exhibition inviting visitors to contemplate the impact of COVID-19 on New York City. Admission is free; access is limited and face coverings are required for entry, with social distancing enforced through timed-entry tickets and on-site safety measures. New-York Historical’s rear courtyard (entrance by 5 West 76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue).
Nightly Met Opera Streams During this extraordinary and difficult time, the Met hopes to brighten the lives of our audience members even while our stage is dark. Each day, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is being made available for free streaming on the Met website, with each performance available for a period of 23 hours, from 7:30 p.m. EDT until 6:30 p.m. the following day. The schedule will include outstanding complete performances from the past 14 years of cinema transmissions, starring all of opera’s greatest singers.
Monday, October 26th
10 a.m. until 11 a.m. CityParks Seniors Fitness Yoga (Online – Fall 2020) Get active with CityParks Play! We welcome New Yorkers 60+ to participate in free yoga lessons without Senior Fitness Instructors. Classes are available Monday through Friday at various times. Register here.
6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Ballet Essentials Online for Teens and Adults of All Levels Gather with fans from around the world for this in-demand open-level workshop. Corps de Ballet Member Alec Knight will guide a session, leading participants through a ballet warm-up and choreography inspired by Balanchine’s Symphony in C before culminating with an interactive Q&A. $0, $8, and $15.
6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Summer on the Hudson: Yoga Flow Online Link mindful breath with movement in this full spectrum yoga practice via Zoom as veteran Nina Semczuk helps you cultivate strength, flexibility, balance, and focus. Please prepare a yoga mat for the virtual session. To join this week’s class, register here. Once registered, you will receive attendance instructions 24 hours prior to the event. Registration closes 30 minutes prior to event start.
Tuesday, October 27th
10 a.m. until 11 a.m. CityParks Seniors Fitness Yoga (Online – Fall 2020) Get active with CityParks Play! We welcome New Yorkers 60+ to participate in free yoga lessons without Senior Fitness Instructors. Classes are available Monday through Friday at various times. Register here.
12 p.m. until 1 p.m. Open Orchard School: Fall Fruit Tree Planting Did you know that late fall is a great time to plant fruit trees? This virtual workshop led by artist and orchardist Sam Van Aken will cover the basics of planting fruit trees, including how to choose the right location, what size hole to dig, how deep to plant, and tips on watering to ensure your tree makes it through the winter and thrives in the spring. Please RSVP to receive the link to join the webinar.
3:30 p.m. New York Historical Society: Little New-Yorkers @ Home Join us via Zoom for storytime and crafts! Each class includes a special Little New-Yorkers hello song, silly dances and songs, a storybook reading, and a craft to do at home. This week, read How to Make Friends With a Ghost, written and illustrated by Rebecca Green. Meet two unusual friends: a girl and a ghost. Find out how to take care of a ghost so it can be your lifelong companion. Afterward, celebrate Halloween and make friendly, scary, or silly ghosts! All ages. $10 suggested program fee per family unit.
4 p.m. until 5 p.m. Explore at Home Historic house museums partner on this six-week virtual series to make suncatcher designs, explore textile-making, discover chemistry in art, and more! This week: Paper Marbling Workshop. Register online.
6 p.m. Manhattan Adult ADD Support Group Virtual Meetings To participate in our forum, and to get links to our ongoing Zoom Meetings, please subscribe here.
6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Virtual Zumba Class Join Hunters Point Parks Conservancy and Sophie Walters Fitness for virtual Zumba! All skill levels are welcome. Preregistration is required.
7 p.m. until 8 p.m. Books Are Magic Live: Marlee Grace: Getting to the Center w/ Fariha Róisín This talk will be held via Zoom. Register to attend here.
Wednesday, October 28th
2020 Coney Island Virtual Halloween Costume Contest Entering the contest is easy! Take a picture in your Halloween best, whether it’s creative, funny, cute or Coney Island-themed and upload it anytime between October 21st and Oct 28th. The top 3 most voted for costumes will receive 4 tickets to the New York Aquarium, a Brooklyn Cyclones game, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Luna Park in Coney Island, meal vouchers for Nathan’s Famous and a $25 gift card to the boardwalk’s newest eatery, La Tombola, all for the 2021 season! Winners of the contest will be announced on Monday, November 2nd.
11 a.m. until 12 p.m. CityParks Seniors Fitness Yoga (Online – Fall 2020) Get active with CityParks Play! We welcome New Yorkers 60+ to participate in free yoga lessons without Senior Fitness Instructors. Classes are available Monday through Friday at various times. Register here.
1 p.m. until 2 p.m. New York Historical Society’s Living History @ Home: Spooky Stories! Celebrate Halloween online! Join us for music and historic spooky—but not too scary—stories with master storyteller Jonathon Kruk and learn a story to tell your friends and family. Wear your favorite costume and bring a sweet treat to get into the Halloween spirit! All ages. $10 suggested fee per family unit.
1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m.; 3:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Green Girls Afterschool Green Girls Afterschool is an environmental science club that will engage middle school girls throughout the school year in fun-filled online adventures about New York City’s parks and waterways, encouraging them to realize their potential to create change within the natural environment. Through hands-on activities and the stimulating concepts of virtual field exploration, technology, advocacy and project-based science, Green Girls develop an understanding of natural ecosystems in NYC’s parks, learn about future careers in the sciences and understand their own power to advocate for the environment and their parks.
2 p.m. until 3 p.m. Shell-ebrate Oysters Tune in live with HRPK’s River Project to enjoy virtual programs and connect with the Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary. HRPK’s Estuarine Sanctuary is full of fascinating wildlife, including the native Eastern oyster. Join us for virtual oyster monitoring sessions to learn about the history and important environmental role of this keystone species.
3:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Coastal Classroom Afterschool The Coastal Classroom Afterschool Program is designed to support middle school students to create meaningful relationships with their waterfront parks. Coastal Classroom will provide virtual after-school programming for middle school students. Using multimedia virtual lessons and authentic learning experiences students will learn about the ecology of the aquatic ecosystems in NYC waterfront parks and the species living in them. They will build their curiosity for the natural environment and develop knowledge and skills in science with a focus on coastal ecology, water quality, urban waterfront restoration, and preservation.
5:30 p.m. Waterline Park Concert Series: BlueGrass Trios Come and enjoy musical compilations from bluegrass trios. Waterline Square Park, Freedom Place South bet. W 59th St and W 61st St. (right off Riverside Park and the Hudson River).
6 p.m. Books of Wonder: Magic and Mayhem (Virtual) Don’t miss our Magic and Mayhem: A YA Fantasy Panel, featuring Mara Fitzgerald for Beyond the Ruby Veil, Roseanne A. Brown for A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, Jordan Ifueko for Raybearer, and Kerri Maniscalco for Kingdom of the Wicked. Join these amazing authors on CrowdCast as they discuss their wonderful young adult novels about fairytales! Ages 12 and up.
6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Webinar for Volunteers: Working with NYC Parks during COVID-19, Tips for Community Groups Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, NYC Parks staff and community groups across the city are working tirelessly to help all New Yorkers enjoy our most valuable public assets—our parks and green spaces. Join us at this webinar to hear updates from NYC Parks and get tips on how to best advocate for park projects in your community during COVID-19. Register here.
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The W Connection Widows Helping Widows Rebuild Their Lives – UWS Chapter Meeting Join us on Zoom to discuss topics and issues to help widows rebuild their lives after the loss of a spouse. These groups are for widows and run by widows. Please RSVP to dawn@wconnection.org if you are interested in attending. Membership in The W Connection is $40 annually which gives you access to our programs and services, but everyone is welcome to a free trial meeting.
7 p.m. until 8 p.m. Books Are Magic Live: Lindy West in Conversation w/ April Wolfe This talk will be held via Zoom. Register to attend here.
Thursday, October 29th
10 a.m. until 11 a.m. CityParks Seniors Fitness Yoga (Online – Fall 2020) Get active with CityParks Play! We welcome New Yorkers 60+ to participate in free yoga lessons without Senior Fitness Instructors. Classes are available Monday through Friday at various times. Register here.
2 p.m. until 3 p.m. Live from the Field Tune in live with HRPK’s River Project to enjoy virtual programs and connect with the Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary. HRPK scientists are conducting research throughout the park and we want you to join in! Tune in live as we study environmental DNA, analyze microplastics, sample fish populations, and more.
2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. Green Girls Afterschool Green Girls Afterschool is an environmental science club that will engage middle school girls throughout the school year in fun-filled online adventures about New York City’s parks and waterways, encouraging them to realize their potential to create change within the natural environment. Through hands-on activities and the stimulating concepts of virtual field exploration, technology, advocacy and project-based science, Green Girls develop an understanding of natural ecosystems in NYC’s parks, learn about future careers in the sciences and understand their own power to advocate for the environment and their parks.
3:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Coastal Classroom Afterschool The Coastal Classroom Afterschool Program is designed to support middle school students to create meaningful relationships with their waterfront parks. Coastal Classroom will provide virtual after-school programming for middle school students. Using multimedia virtual lessons and authentic learning experiences students will learn about the ecology of the aquatic ecosystems in NYC waterfront parks and the species living in them. They will build their curiosity for the natural environment and develop knowledge and skills in science with a focus on coastal ecology, water quality, urban waterfront restoration, and preservation.
5 p.m. until 6 p.m. Eddie Palmieri With a musical career that spans over 50 years as a pianist, bandleader and composer of Salsa and Latin jazz, Eddie Palmieri made history by winning the first-ever Grammy award for Best Latin recording in 1975. With 10 Grammys and 36 recordings to his name, Mr. Palmieri’s contribution to the Latin music canon is unparalleled. Through his influence in jazz, salsa, funk, and even boogaloo, Palmieri is a trailblazer whose genre-busting sound has managed to survive generations of shifting tastes and trends. Tune in on: Instagram (SummerStage);
YouTube (NYCSummerStage); Facebook (SummerStageNYC); Twitch (SummerStageNYC).
6 p.m. Manhattan Adult ADD Support Group Virtual Meetings To participate in our forum, and to get links to our ongoing Zoom Meetings, please subscribe here.
6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Bats: Friends—not Fiends! (Virtual) Bats and Halloween go hand in hand. But do bats deserve their spooky reputation? Bat conservationist and community scientist Danielle Gustafson dispels the many myths about bats and sheds light on the diversity and value of these misunderstood creatures, both locally and worldwide. And if you enjoy mangoes, bananas or tequila, you have bats to thank! Please note: Space is limited; registration required, online or by calling (718) 549-3200 ext. 251, and closes at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. $15.
7 p.m. until 8 p.m. Books Are Magic Live: Bryan Washington: Memorial w/ Samantha Irby This talk will be held via Zoom. Register to attend here.
7 p.m. until 8 p.m. Lingering in the Shadows: Spirits of the Merchant’s House, Past & Present The occurrences, inexplicable and unsettling, began immediately after Gertrude, the last surviving member of the Tredwell family, died in the house, in 1933. They haven’t stopped. We invite you to venture into the dark and ghostly shadows of history – virtually, from the safety of your home – to hear true stories of the strange and chilling happenings over the Museum’s eight decades; the methods and findings of past paranormal investigations; and the startling results of current research conducted during the six months the museum was closed due to COVID-19. The house was empty – or was it? Register online. $10, $8 MHM Members.
7:30 p.m. Books of Wonder: Halloweekend Virtual Party Books of Wonder is delighted to host the virtual launch event for The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige on CrowdCast! Celebrate the spooky season with Kass Morgan, Danielle Paige, and special guest moderator Madison Iseman as they share the launch of this new book for teens and answer questions from the audience during the live feed! Ages 13 and up.
Friday, October 30th
9 a.m. until 10 a.m. CityParks Seniors Fitness Yoga (Online – Fall 2020) Get active with CityParks Play! We welcome New Yorkers 60+ to participate in free yoga lessons without Senior Fitness Instructors. Classes are available Monday through Friday at various times. Register here.
11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Virtual Special Express Writers Anthology This is a workshop for adults with disabilities who have an interest in creative writing. We will focus on non-fiction writing (essays, poems, lyrics, and memoirs). Participants share and read their stories. The workshop includes analysis and discussion of literary works, including some of the best-known works of the literary master, Edgar Allan Poe. The workshop includes the publication of an anthology of selected writings from participants. Please call (718) 365-5516 to sign up for this class.
3 p.m. until 4 p.m. Virtual Jiggy Tots with HPPC Join HPPC and McManus Irish Dance for virtual Jiggy Tots! The recommended age group for this program is 2+ years. Pre-registration is required.
3:30 p.m. New York Historical Society: Little New-Yorkers @ Home Join us via Zoom for storytime and crafts! Each class includes a special Little New-Yorkers hello song, silly dances and songs, a storybook reading, and a craft to do at home. This week, read How to Make Friends With a Ghost, written and illustrated by Rebecca Green. Meet two unusual friends: a girl and a ghost. Find out how to take care of a ghost so it can be your lifelong companion. Afterward, celebrate Halloween and make friendly, scary, or silly ghosts! All ages. $10 suggested program fee per family unit.
7 p.m. until 8 p.m. Lingering in the Shadows: Spirits of the Merchant’s House, Past & Present The occurrences, inexplicable and unsettling, began immediately after Gertrude, the last surviving member of the Tredwell family, died in the house, in 1933. They haven’t stopped. We invite you to venture into the dark and ghostly shadows of history – virtually, from the safety of your home – to hear true stories of the strange and chilling happenings over the Museum’s eight decades; the methods and findings of past paranormal investigations; and the startling results of current research conducted during the six months the museum was closed due to COVID-19. The house was empty – or was it? Register online. $10, $8 MHM Members.
Saturday, October 31st
11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Open Streets Amsterdam Avenue will be blocked off to traffic from 97th to 110th Street on Saturdays from August 8 to October 31 as part of the city’s plan to make it easier for restaurants to operate outside.
2 p.m. until 12 a.m. Theater for the New City presents: Virtual Village Halloween Costume Ball Join us for a virtual costume contest, I-Ching readings, and the Chop Shop Live Theater (7:15 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.). FREE. Donations Gratefully Accepted.
3 p.m. until 9 p.m. Haunted Fountain at the Cathedral The Cathedral is pleased to partner with the West 111th Street Block Association to present a safe, outdoor, physically-distanced family Halloween event. As a community, we can celebrate our annual spooky holiday in ways which reinforce our connections and commitment to safety. Please join us for trick-or-treating, safety briefs, costume contests, live music, photos, and other attractions. Peace Fountain on 111th Street and Amsterdam Ave.
3:30 p.m. New York Historical Society: Special Halloween Storytime! Join us via Zoom this Halloween, for a special spooooky—but not scary—Little New-Yorkers. Sing silly songs, dance the Monster Mash, and tell magical stories about ghosts, goblins, and goats! Dress up in your favorite costume as we discover fun facts about trick-or-treating and candy on this very special and fang-tastic Halloween. Recommended for ages 3-6, but all ages welcome. Pay-as-you-wish.
10 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. “The Witching Hour” Listen to “The Witching Hour,” an original series produced by musician Ryan Graveface, on the radio or online. The tale is set on Halloween as a D.J. takes call-in ghost stories over the air, only to discover that real evil is happening outside. The piece is inspired by the “War of the Worlds” broadcast as well as “Coast to Coast,” an utterly bizarre call-in show about the supernatural that was hosted by Art Bell from 1989 to 2003.
Sunday, November 1st
1 p.m. Books of Wonder: Jerry Pinkney’s The Little Mermaid Launch Event (Virtual) Celebrate the release of this amazing story with author and illustrator Jerry Pinkney as he shares his newest picture books and answer questions from the audience during the live feed! Ages 4 and up via CrowdCast.
