Editor’s Pick 

In 2001, Bronx Documentary Center founder and photojournalist Michael Kamber planned the non-profit from his post in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Center’s inaugural exhibition, in October of 2011, featured work from Afghanistan by the late photographer Tim Hetherington.

 

10 years later, URGENCY! Afghanistan, a photographic “exhibition in progress” at the Bronx Documentary Center is showing the work of more than a half dozen photojournalists who covered America’s 20-year war. The exhibition will open on September 11th, 2021. For more information, click here.

 

Events

The Bronx Democratic Party is hosting a Summer BBQ & Softball Game on Sunday, Sept. 12, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Co-op City Little League Field, located on Co Op City Boulevard (between Bellamy Loop & Carver Loop), Bronx, NY 10475. To register, go to: https://www.bronxdems.org/events/bbq

 

A health and literacy, Back-to-School event will be held at the Williamsbridge Oval Park on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 at 2 p.m.

Check out the Fordham Flea Market and support hundreds of amazing local artists, creators, and merchants, selling their wares at Fordham Plaza, NY 10458, on Sunday, Sept. 26, from noon to 7 p.m. Small-batch specialized garments, accessories, packaged goods, gifts, jewelry, self-care products, unusual arts & crafts items, and more are available. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/fordhamflea/.

 

MASC Hospitality Group hosts the Bronx Night Market every Saturday at Fordham Plaza from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Get ready to celebrate culture, cuisine, and community. For more information, go to https://www.thebronxnightmarket.com/.

 

Following a successful launch in 2019, the Bronx Night Market, in partnership with Sam Adams, is celebrating a Bronx-styled Oktoberfest on Saturdays from Sept. 18 to Oct. 9, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., also at 1 Fordham Plaza, Bronx, NY 10458, with prized stein-hoisting contests, Oktoberfest lager tasting, delectable food pairing, live music, and a ton of giveaways. Guests will also enjoy the Nissan Pathfinder-sponsored art installation dedicated to Hispanic Heritage Month, featuring incredible Latino creators.

 

Brew at the Zoo is back at the Bronx Zoo! The Beer and Wine Tasting Festival returns Friday, Sept. 17 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sample beers from 100+ breweries. There will also be food trucks, live music, DJs, dancing, a retro arcade, games and MORE. Go to https://bronxzoo.com/brew for tickets and more information.

 

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), located at 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10458 has a number of events running throughout September.

 

 

Each Wednesday, through October 27, a guided tour meets at the base of Tulip Tree Allée at 12 p.m for Guided Forest Bathing. Allow yourself to be fully present as you bathe your senses in the sights, smells, sounds and sensations of the Thain Family Forest with forest bathing experiences, known as shinrin-yoku in Japan. In Japanese shinrin means forest, and yoku means bath. Wednesdays at noon, join a Treebath, Inc. expert for a one-hour, guided tour of NYBG’s tranquil Thain Family Forest. A self-guided tour is also available: This audio guide focuses on slowing down and experiencing the sensory connections that help calm the mind and deepen reflection under a glorious forest canopy. This experience takes roughly one hour from beginning to end. You can also choose to do a shorter 20-minute session and conclude after Track 2. For more information, go to: https://www.nybg.org/event/forest-bathing-a-meditative-audio-experience/#guided-forest-bathing.

 

Pollinator Pals takes place from August 17 to September 12, from Tuesday to Saturdays, between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and on Sundays, Mondays and Holidays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. At the Edible Academy, learn more about the relationship between our garden pollinators and their favorite plants, including our very own honeybees. Children are invited to plant their own wildflower mix to take home. Each season offers a new theme to investigate through hands-on activities and take-home projects at the Continue to stay connected to us on social media and NYBG at Home, our new content hub with videos, plant guides, virtual events, recipes for kids, and much more. For more information, go to: https://www.nybg.org/event/pollinator-pals/.

 

Fall on-site and hybrid classes return at Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) from Monday, Sept. 27, through Thursday, Dec. 16. Registration is open. Click here to sign up! (10% Early Bird Discount until 9/11). Most classes will be held on-site at the Bronx River Art Center, with sessions taking place within well-ventilated open space studios. Classes will meet for ten sessions, with the exception of the Thursday Crochet class, which will meet for five sessions.

 

BRAC offers four hybrid classes – Teen Project Studio, Digital Photography, Digital Illustration and Digital Animation: these classes will have the instructor teach the course remotely over Zoom, while students will have the opportunity to take advantage of BRAC’s state-of-the-art computer lab with a teaching assistant.

 

BRAC is providing temporary subscriptions of Adobe Photoshop for registered participants in our Digital Illustration classes. Anyone interested in this offer should email to info@bronxriverart.org and put “Need Adobe Photoshop” in the subject line. Subscriptions are limited and are assigned on a first come first served basis. For general questions about classes, please email info@bronxriverart.org.

 

Norwood Community Library opened a free library box at the Keeper’s House at 3400 Reservoir Oval East. All community members are welcome to take and/or leave a book in the library for free.

 

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the Supreme Court of Bronx County is hosting a 9/11 Memorial Service on Monday, 13th Sept. at noon, at Lou Gehrig Plaza. See attached flyer for more information.

 

Partnerships for Parks announced that on Saturday, October 16th, nearly 1,000 volunteers will gather in parks across the city for Fall IMP-act Day, the group’s annual citywide park beautification day. For the 20th anniversary of 9/11, volunteers will begin planting 70,000 daffodil bulbs which will bloom in the spring of 2022, honoring the lives lost to the terrorist attacks through the Daffodil Project. Volunteers will also plant crocus bulbs to remember the loved ones lost to COVID-19. If you’d like more information or wish to attend the bulb planting projects scheduled on Saturday, October 16th, contact Pilar Maschi at pmaschi@cityparksfoundation.org, Tomasia Kastner at tomasia.kastner@parks.nyc.gov on (646) 983-8699 or Christina Pettit at cpettit@cityparksfoundation.org.

 

Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center is now open for the fall season and registration is free. Go to https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/recreationcenters/X104 for more information on the various classes on offer.

 

Jerome Gun Hill BID is hosting a Parklet Event Series throughout August and September. On Aug. 11, the BID is hosting an event called “Dance to the Rhythm of the Afro-Latineers,” at 3498 Jerome Avenue from noon to 4 p.m.

 

Bronx Fashion Week kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. at The Mall at Bay Plaza, located at 200 Baychester Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475. See attached flyer for more details.

Music 

WHEDco and The Bronx Music Heritage Center are hosting a number of virtual events and programs, featuring outstanding Bronx musicians, dancers, poets, and other artists and give people a great opportunity to connect and celebrate. On Friday 9/10/21 at 6pm there will be a free event with Bobby Sanabria & QUARTETO ACHÉ: Jeff Lederer on vocals (tenor) and flute, Jack Glottman on piano, Gabriel Vivas on bass and Bobby Sanabria on drums. Learn more here.

 

The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts has received a major boost ahead of its planned and much anticipated Oct. 2 reopening, having secured more than $1.1 million in public and nonprofit funding for fiscal year 2021-2022, which marks the center’s first season since the pandemic dimmed its lights. For more on upcoming 2021-22 events, visit https://www.lehmancenter.org/.

 

 

Dance

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10458, is hosting a Contemporary Dance Series
on Saturdays and Sundays, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. through October 2021. A series of spontaneous outdoor performances celebrate the infinite possibilities of our connection with nature and each other. Go to https://www.nybg.org/event/ for more information on this and other events at NYBG.

 

One of the most famous and dynamic modern dance ensembles of our time, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has been innovating and transforming the art form of modern dance since 1954. Check out upcoming shows at the New York Botanical Garden by the Paul Taylor Dance Company on September 18, 19, 25, & 26. For more information, visit www.nybg.org.

 

Tango, Foxtrot, and Cha-cha, oh my! Every Thursday until October, the Silver Shoes Dance Club welcomes all dancers 55 years and older for free dance classes at Van Cortland Park’s Woodlawn Playground at Van Cortlandt Park East and Kepler Avenue. No experience or partner is necessary, and the dancing kicks off at 10 a.m. All dancers must follow COVID-19 safety guidelines. Registration is required and can be done online at https://www.silvershoesdanceclub.com/. Got questions? Email silvershoesdanceclub@gmail.com.

 

Friends of Devoe Park, located at West 188th Street on the border of University Heights and Fordham Manor, are hosting a Dancing in Unity event in Devoe Park on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at 2 p.m. See attached flyer for more details.

 

Kids’ Events

The Van Cortlandt House Museum will have Story Hour with the Goats, every Thursday (weather permitting) at 2 p.m. starting on July 1. Attendees should meet under the Linden tree by the goat enclosure. Admission is free. There will be reading from a selection of goat-themed picture books each week. If the weather forecast calls for rain, organizers suggest calling on the morning of July 1 to confirm if it is still happening. The goats will be around until Sept. 15.

 

 

Movement

It’s that time of year again! Williamsbridge Oval need male and female quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and a defensive line for the upcoming Flag Football Season. Flag Football practice will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Games will be on Saturdays. This program is geared toward all youth from 9 to 14 years of age. The venue is the Williamsbridge Oval, 3225 Reservoir Oval, Bronx, New York 10467. Call (718) 543-8672 for more details.

 

A Bronx Fit Fest will be held in St. James Park at 2530 Jerome Avenue in Fordham Manor, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021. See attached photo for more details.

 

The New York Peace Officers, American Warpipes and Benevolent Association is inviting one and all to join members on Saturday, Sept. 11, for a 9/11 Memorial March to the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, to honor the country’s 9/11 fallen heroes in NYC, D.C. and PA and also to remember the troops killed in action in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran over the last 20 years, the Benghazi 6 and the Kabul 13. The meeting point is at Spring Street and Broadway in lower Manhattan between 5.45 a.m. and 6 a.m., with the march setting off between 7 and 7.15 a.m. Participants are encouraged to bring American flags and spirits.

 

Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is hosting a Hike-toberfest on Saturday, Oct. 23. See why Van Cortlandt Park is where New Yorkers hike, when you join Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for Hike-toberfest. Join us for a guided hike in the park, followed by a classic Oktoberfest celebration, complete with local beer, German food, live music, lawn games, and more. Find out more here.

 

Get your body moving this summer at HITT Cross Training Circuit now through Sept. 17 at St. James Place tennis courts. Hosted by the New York City Parks’ department, this free training program for adults combines a variety of exercises to reduce risk of injury and improve overall fitness. The classes are on Monday and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at St. James Recreation Center, located at 2550 Jerome Avenue. Social distancing will be encouraged, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required for people who are unvaccinated or who are not maintaining a social distance.

 

The NYPD, the Department of Youth and Community Development, the City’s five district attorneys’ offices and several City agency partners, community-based organizations and foundations launched the “Saturday Night Lights” program on July 10 and it continues all year long. The groups have opened 100 gyms across the City for free, high-quality sports programs for kids on Saturday nights, ensuring no indoor gyms will be closed on these nights – the time when they are needed most by kids in city communities.

 

Each Saturday evening, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., children from 11 to 18 years-of-age will be able to enjoy an array of indoor sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, dance, martial arts and more. According to the organizers, a key component of the program is bringing cops and kids together. Teams of Youth Coordination Officers from NYPD precincts will be at each of the 100 gymnasiums every Saturday night, helping to coach and participating with members of various Community Based Organizations to interact with young people and help make a lasting and positive impact in their lives.

 

The exhibit Born in Flames: Feminist Futures is on display at the Bronx Museum, now through September 26. The exhibit showcases the visions of contemporary artists. To learn more, visit bronxmuseum.org, select the exhibitions tab and scroll down to locate the event. Tickets to visit the museum can also be purchased at bronxmuseum.org/visit.

 

The exhibit, Wardell Milan: Amerika, God Bless You If It’s Good To You, opens on Wednesday, June 23, at the Bronx Museum and will remain open until October 24. The exhibit showcases 12 new drawings and mixed media created by the artist Wardell Milan. Milan and choreographer, Zachary Tye Richardson, will present new performance works as part of the exhibit. Visit bronxmuseum.org, select the exhibitions tab and scroll down to learn more about the exhibit. Tickets to visit the museum can also be purchased at bronxmuseum.org/visit.

 

Neighborhood Stories is a storytelling initiative by the NYC Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) to gather and preserve the stories of NYC neighborhoods. Learn more about the project, and how to share memories of your neighborhood and community here.