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UPDATE Out & About: Made in The Bronx & Hip Hop Photo Exhibits, Holiday Tree Lighting, Local Book Launch & More!

PUERTO RICAN HERITAGE Month is celebrated at Monroe College on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.
Photo courtesy of the Office of the Bronx Borough President

Editor’s Note: Check back for more updates as we add more events. Scroll down for subsections on Events, Art, Photography, Music, Kids, Movement & More. For details of local civic, health, or other NON-arts & culture related events, check out our latest Neighborhood Notes listing. 

Editor’s Pick

EVENTS

The Holiday Train Show® at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458-5126, runs from Nov. 17, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2024, with more trains, and an all-new, outdoor train display. Start on the lawn to capture your perfect holiday photos at NYBG’s outdoor mountainscape and then watch model trains zip past nearly 200 iconic New York landmark models under the warmth of the conservatory. For more information, visit https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/.

 

According to critics, Tracy Morgan is one of the most well-respected comedians and actors in his field and is currently on a nationwide stand up tour. Morgan has headlined across the country and abroad on various tours and festivals for his stand-up comedy. He went on to join Saturday Night Live in 1996 where he appeared for seven seasons and created such memorable characters as “Astronaut Jones” and “Brian Fellows.” Morgan is doing a stand-up show at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Dec. 9. Click here for more information.

 

Pick up a copy of the newest publication by The Bronx County Historical Society, “Geography of The Bronx,” authored by CEO Dr. G. Hermalyn. This colorful guidebook, on select geographical features of The Bronx, supplemented with more than 100 photographs, maps, and other illustrations, will be of great interest to educators, students, and Bronxites. Click here to buy a copy.

 

Join Good Shepherd Services for their weekly Community Kitchen events each Saturday. See attached flier below for more information.

FLIER FOR GOOD Shepherd Services Community Kitchen
Flier courtesy of Good Shepherd Services

The Holiday Train Show® at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458-5126, runs from Nov. 17, 2023, to Jan. 15, 2024, with more trains, and an all-new, outdoor train display. Start on the lawn to capture your perfect holiday photos at NYBG’s outdoor mountainscape, and then watch model trains zip past nearly 200 iconic New York landmark models under the warmth of the conservatory.

FLIER FOR RUDOLPH the Rednosed Reindeer Jr. production 
Flier courtesy of Riverdale Children’s Theatre

Riverdale Children’s Theatre (RCT), now in its 13th year, presents Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer JR.” at St. Barnabas Elementary School, located at 413 East 241st Street in Woodlawn, on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m., Saturday Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m., Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 10, at 2 p.m.

 

Tickets are $14 for ages 4 and up. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit www.riverdaletheatre.org. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer JR. is licensed by Music Theatre International and is based on the animated television special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” adapted from a story by Robert L. May featuring music and lyrics by Johnny Marks.

 

The Parkchester branch of New York Public Library is holding a Creative Writing Workshop on Tuesdays throughout December. See attached flier below for details.

THE PARKCHESTER BRANCH of New York Public Library is holding a creative writing workshop on Tuesdays throughout December.
Flier courtesy of the event fliers

The New York Botanical Garden’s Beer Garden at the Leon Levy Visitor Center continues to have Craft Beers to purchase, as well as grab-and-go meals,snacks, and drinks at the Pine Tree Café at the same NYBG location. NYBG is located at 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458-5126.

The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center invites the community to join in the festive spirit of Chanukah at its upcoming celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. The event, hosted at 3880 Sedgwick Ave, Bronx, NY 10463, promises an evening of joy, tradition, and community camaraderie. Attendees will have the opportunity to bask in the warm glow of the 6th Chanukah candle, symbolizing unity and the triumph of light over darkness. The celebration will feature delightful culinary offerings, including mouthwatering Latkes (potato pancakes) and sweet Jelly Donuts, adding a culinary touch to the festivities.

 

Musical entertainment for the evening will be provided by the talented Chaim Zadok, whose enchanting melodies will fill the venue with the spirit of the season. The event is free for all members of the community, encouraging inclusivity and shared celebration. Everyone is invited. As part of the festivities, attendees can participate in raffles for a chance to win exciting prizes. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the event for just $1, offering a fun and affordable way to engage with the celebration.

Bronx Community Board 7 and Friends of Mosholu Parkland invite residents to the Annual Tree-Lighting Event on Dec. 7. See attached flier for details.

BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD 7 and Friends of Mosholu Parkland invite residents to join them for the annual tree-lighting event on Dec. 7, 2023. 
Flier courtesy of Bronx Community Board 7

 

After dark, on select evenings, join for NYBG GLOW and discover the beauty of the garden’s landscape and historic buildings, illuminated across the grounds. Additionally, Bar Car Nights, for those 21 and older, three evenings per week, feature the Holiday Train Show with curated cocktails, music, food and more. For more information, visit https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/.

 

Parkchester Library, 1985 Westchester Avenue, is hosting Creative Writing Classes each Tuesday in November from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. to celebrate National Novel Writing Month. Learn different writing styles, get helpful handouts and worksheets, enhance your writing skills, learn how to organize your story and more.

 

A Holiday Tree-Lighting event will be held on Friday, Dec. 1, at 44 Westchester Square hosted by Westchester Square Business Improvement District (BID), District 18 City Council Member Amanda Farías, and the NYPD’s 45th Precinct. See attached flier below for details.

FLIER FOR A holiday tree-lighting event on Friday, Dec. 1, at 44 Westchester Square, The Bronx. 
Flier courtesy of the sponsors

Dr. Samuel Cruz of Fordham University’s Union Theological Seminary will host political activist, poet, and journalist Felipe Luciano at Fordham University’s Union Theological Seminary, James Chapel, located at 3041 Broadway in Manhattan, on Tuesday, Nov. 28, during a Book Launch to discuss his new memoir “Flesh & Spirit, Confessions of a Young Lord” (Fordham University Press 2023).

 

The evening will include distinguished panelists Jamal Joseph (Columbia University), Johanna Fernandez (Lehman College), Raymond Rivera (LAC), and Gary Dorrien (Union Theological Seminary) who will discuss Luciano’s publication and life’s work. The event is hosted by Union Theological Seminary’s Religion & Society Department and is co-sponsored by Fordham University Press and NYU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

 

Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance invites residents to its 10th Christmas Tree Lighting event on Sunday, Dec. 3. See attached flier below for more details.

FLIER FOR THE Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance 10th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting event on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023.
Flier courtesy of the event sponsors

 

Edible Academy Fresh from the Garden Tastings takes place at the New York Botanical Garden on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Get hands-on with healthy cooking using new recipes featuring plants grown in the Edible Academy. NYBG staff create family-friendly recipes using seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and kids and adults alike can learn how garden-to-table cooking is not only nutritious, but fun, too. While you’re exploring the Edible Academy, get hands on with the crops in the vegetable garden during Dig! Plant! Grow! each month. For more information, click here.

 

Riverdale Meditation Cooperative hosts meditation sessions on Wednesdays at 505BX. See attached flier below for more details.

RIVERDALE MEDITATION COOPERATIVE hosts meditation sessions on Wednesdays at 505BX.
Flier courtesy of Riverdale Meditation Cooperative

On Tuesday, and Thursday-Sunday; a grounds access pass to the New York Botanical Garden is available for purchase by NYC residents only. Proof of residency is required and may only be purchased onsite. On Wednesdays, grounds admission is free to NYC residents all day and to all other visitors between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Grounds admission includes access to outdoor gardens and collections, including the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.

 

A number of citywide events highlighting Black Excellence can be found on eventbrite.

 

New York Botanical Garden (NYBG)’s Bronx Neighbors Program offers free Grounds-Only Admission to Bronx Residents Tuesday to Sunday and Monday federal holidays, offering the local community access to nature in their backyard, programs for the whole family, and more. Get your tickets online now, or learn more about other ways to receive your FREE Bronx Resident Grounds-Only admission ticket. Up to 6 tickets per transaction.

  • 250 acres to explore year-round
  • The largest surviving old-growth forest in New York City
  • Two family gardens for hands-on exploration
  • Free mobile guides with audio tours, videos, and special content!

 

Want to work with other writers? Commit to a writing schedule? Practice your craft through writing prompts? Receive and discuss information and tips on writing, reading, editing, and revising? Join the weekly meetings of the Kingsbridge Writing Circle, held online at the Kingsbridge Library every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon. Share your unpublished drafts in an intimate setting. Get and give feedback. Writers of all genres and styles are welcome to participate. The program is for those aged 18 and up. You must register to receive the Google Meet meeting code which will be emailed the day before. Register here.

 

“Picking Up the Pieces” is a wellness forum for the LGBTQ+ community, a safe space to have supportive, group discussions. The group meets on Mondays at 5 p.m. at 448 East 149th St (3rd Floor) Bronx, NY 10455, in conjunction with Destination Tomorrow and moderated by Yahaira Gonzalez. 

PICKING UP THE pieces is a new wellness forum for the LGBTQ+ community, a space space for group discussions which take place at 448 East 149th Street each Monday at 5 p.m. in conjunction with Destination Tomorrow. 
Flier courtesy of Destination Tomorrow

INCLUDEnyc fosters positive futures and enhances the quality of life for young people with any disability from birth to age 26 and their families in New York City. The organization promotes access to educational, employment, and independent living opportunities for young people, and advocate with families for meaningful inclusion in the broader community. Share your experiences, struggles, and successes as parents of children with disabilities. For a list of upcoming workshops and events, both online and in person, click here.

 

For those interested in English for Speakers of Other Languages classes, BronxWorks are accepting students. Contact program coordinator, Cheyla Perez, at cperezduran@bronxworks.org or (718) 508 3112 for more information.

 

Norwood Community Library, a mobile library, arranges pop-up library booths around The Bronx and also has a permanent library box located in front of the Keeper’s House at 3440 Reservoir Oval East, Bronx, NY 10467. For more details, check out our previous story on the group. The library also meets regularly as a book club.

 

FILM 

Bronx Library Center is screening some Free Movies in the coming days. See attached flier below for more information.

 

FREE MOVIE SCREENINGS at Bronx Library Center
Flier courtesy of Bronx Library Center

 

You can watch the trailer for “Mujeres Atrevidas” (Daring Women), a film Cynthia Tobar of Bronx Community College here, and if you wish to donate to the funding of the film, the GoFundMe link is here.

 

Bronx Brewery and the Arts Fund present An evening of Short Films from Bronx Creatives. See attached flier below for more details.

FLIER FOR AN Evening of Short Films by Bronx Creatives
Flier courtesy of the event sponsors

PHOTOGRAPHY

Sophie Rivera was a photographer of Puerto Rican descent, who was an activist and teacher. She is best known as a photographer whose work challenged stereotypical assumptions of Puerto Ricans in the United States. Her exhibition, “Boricua Lens: Sophie Rivera Portraits” is an initiative of the Nueva Luz Study Center (NLSC) and is part of efforts by arts organization, En Foco, to preserve the culture and legacy of diasporic lens-based artists.

 

Sophie Rivera had been involved with En Foco since before the launch of the Nueva Luz photographic journal in 1985. The exhibition at Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, 575 Walton Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451, is showing, by appointment only, from Oct. 13, 2023 to April 4, 2024. Call (718) 585 1202 for more details. Click here to view the virtual exhibition.

 

On Saturday, Dec. 16, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Erika Shallcross, owner of New York Portrait Company, will showcase her “Made in The Bronx” photography exhibit as a special one-day-only event at the Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10452 (at 166th street, a short walk from the 161st Street – Yankee stadium stop on the 4 train). This is a FREE exhibit, and was made possible through an arts grant from the Bronx Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Participating seniors are from all over The Bronx, and most have lived here for most, if not all, their lives. Audio snippets from participants will enhance the images of the Bronx senior participants (playable via QR code on your personal mobile device). Visit https://www.newyorkportraitcompany.com/ for more information.

 

Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture’s “Born in The Bronx: The Beginning of Global Hip Hop Culture,” a stunning exhibition curated by Johan Kugelberg and Joe Conzo Jr., exploring the roots and evolution of Hip Hop, the global phenomenon that originated in the South Bronx in the 1970s, opens Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos, 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, off 149th Street. Admission is free. RSVP on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/754054616657?aff=oddtdtcreator or call (718) 518-4455.

FLIER FOR THE exhibition, “Born in The Bronx: The Beginning of Global Hip Hop Culture.” 
Flier courtesy of Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, located at 1 Bowling Green in lower Manhattan, celebrates Native American Heritage Month (Nov. 1–30) with events honoring American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian veterans. Visitors can celebrate the diversity and contributions of these Native cultures with a variety of free public events in Washington, D.C., New York City, and online. Programs include festivals, performances, talks and family activities. All events are free unless otherwise noted. For more information, visit AmericanIndian.si.edu.

 

ART

As part of an all-school neighborhood study, the 7th and 8th grade art students at Bronx Community Charter School on Webster Avenue in Norwood have chosen to depict local businesses in a drypoint print. Justin, at Jerry’s Hardware on 204th and Perry Avenue, is hosting a pop-up art exhibit of their work in the windows of his hardware store. An exhibit opening will be held next Thursday, Dec. 7 at 2:30 pm for family and other community members. Take a look at the virtual gallery to see the beautiful prints celebrating Norwood small businesses.

 

Edenwald Public Library holds regular Paint & Sip Classes for adults. See attached flier below for more information.

EDENWALD PUBLIC LIBRARY offers regular Paint & Sip classes for adults.
Flier courtesy of Edenwald Public Library

 

Bronx River Art Center is organizing a community Mural for Music. See attached flier below for more details.

FLIER FOR BRONX River Art Center’s community mural project.
Flier courtesy of Bronx River Art Center

Michael Richards: Are You Down? is the first Bronx Museum retrospective of Michael Richards’s visionary artworks, exhibiting the sculptures, drawings, installations, and video work he created during a prolific decade between 1990 and 2001. The exhibit is showing until Jan. 7, 2024. Of Jamaican and Costa Rican lineage, Richards was born in Brooklyn in 1963, and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. Integral to a generation of Black artists emerging in the 1990s, Richards’s artwork gestures toward both repression and reprieve from social injustices and the simultaneous possibilities of uplift and downfall, often in the context of the historic and ongoing oppression of Black people. The curators of the exhibit are Alex Fialho and Melissa Levin and the museum is located at 1040 Grand Concourse, The Bronx, NY 10456.

 

Flight and aviation were central themes for Richards as an exploration of freedom and escape, ascendance and descent. These themes are especially evident in Richards’s engagement with the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, Greek mythology, Christianity, and African and African American folklore. Centering his own experience, Richards used his body to cast the figures for his sculptures, which often appear as pilots, saints, or both. For more information, visit the Bronx Museum website. You can also call (718) 681 6000 or email info@bronxmuseum.org.

 

Registration will open on Monday, Nov. 20 for Pelham Art Center’s Winter 2024 semester, which includes classes and workshops for all ages, plus Winter Break Camps for students aged 3 and up. Winter programming will cover a wide variety of art techniques and media ranging from pottery and watercolors to digital media, ceramics, and more. Register at pelhamartcenter.org/education.

 

Former Norwood News editor, Jordan Moss, has three art pieces showing in a members’ show at the Blue Door Art Center in Yonkers. More details can be found here.

 

DANCE

Dance in Woodlawn Playground and learn free Ballroom and Latin dancing on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. See attached flier for more details.

DANCE IN THE Park flier 
Flier courtesy of the event sponsors

 

Dance in Henry Hudson Park on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and learn free Ballroom and Latin Dancing. See attached flier for more details.

FLIER FOR DANCE in the Park 
Flier courtesy of the sponsors

MUSIC

“Sesiones Desde La Loma” started as video concerts at home, made from a small hill in Hatillo, Puerto Rico, created by Norberto Vélez, former co-leader of the salsa orchestra NG2. These at home concerts were appreciated by lovers of good music around the world. The first live performance of this was in Puerto Rico, where Norberto brought together several artists to the delight of thousands in attendance!


On Saturday, December 2, Sessions de la Loma pa’ New York will come to New York City for the first time in an exclusive event for Lehman Center on Saturday, Dec. 2,
with Moncho Rivera, José Alberto el Canario, Omar Santiago, Jeremy Bosch, Norberto Vélez and his orchestra.  Click here for tickets.

OSCAR D'LEÓN
Oscar D’León performs at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. 
Image courtesy of Lehman Center for the Performing Arts

Oscar D’León, and affectionately called The Pharaoh of Salsa, The Lion of Salsa, and the World’s Sonero, is a Venezuelan musician and bassist best known for his work with salsa music. He performs at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 at 8 p.m. Because of successful tours throughout America and Spain, D’León was the first Latino to sign a contract with the BBC. For more than 40 years Oscar has been delighting audiences with his salsa talents. Click here for tickets. 

 

Riverdale resident and award-winning jazz drummer Louis Hayes will be part of an ensemble of jazz musicians performing at Flushing Town Hall in Queens, a popular jazz venue, for the 17th annual NEA Jazz Master concert on Dec. 15. Hayes was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as its 2023 NEA Jazz Master for his contributions to the world of music. Now 86 years old, he began his musical journey playing piano before his father gave him a set of drums at age 10. At age 18, he joined the Horace Silver Quintet in New York, making his mark with the iconic “Six Pieces of Silver.” Since then, he has led and co-led dynamic, electrifying ensembles that included talents like Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Barron, and Dexter Gordon. His latest album, released in 2017, “Serenade for Horace,” pays tribute to his mentor Horace Silver and marks his debut on Blue Note Records. 

Hayes will perform alongside several other NEA Jazz Masters, including Jimmy Owens (trumpet & band leader), Gary Bartz (saxophone), Ron Carter (bass), Joanne Brackeen (piano), and acclaimed jazz virtuoso Wycliffe Gordon (trombone). These jazz virtuosos will play some of their original music, as well as music by past NEA Jazz masters, such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Benny Golson, Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Peterson, Charles Mingus, and others. It will be a very special concert offering music from the best in jazz.

 

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, The Bronx, has advised that TITO PUENTE CENTENNIAL, a tribute to the 100-year legacy of Tito Puente, originally scheduled for Saturday, May 20, at 8 p.m. has been rescheduled to Saturday, March 2, 2024.

 

As the “King of Latin Music”, Tito Puente created over 200 compositions and produced more than 100 albums in the span of five decades. Known for fusing styles and putting a big-band spin on traditional Latin music, Tito Puente put Caribbean styles, including mambo, salsa, boogaloo, cha-cha-cha, rumba, guaracha and Afro-Cuban jazz, on the global map.

 

Performing alongside with Tito Puente’s son, Tito Puente Jr., will be world-class musicians, including Orestes Vilato, Nicky Marrero, Endel Dueño, Frankie Figueroa, Frankie Morales, John ‘Dandy’ Rodriguez, and Jose Madera. The ensemble will come together to honor Tito Puente’s enduring musical heritage at Lehman Center! Call the box office at (718) 960-8833 Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (weekend hours vary)

Michael Spierman, founder/conductor of The Orchestra of The Bronx has announced the presentation of Handel’s Messiah, joined by The Bronx Opera Chorus and guest readers, on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 3 p.m. at the Lovinger Theater/Lehman College, located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd. West. Texts are selected from biblical sources by Charles Jennens, and delivered by members of the Bronx Community.

The Revolution of Hip Hop exhibit at Bronx Terminal Market remains open Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 7 p.m., and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Visit the Universal Hip Hop Museum’s website at hhhm.org for more information. For more information on the development of the Universal Hip Hop museum building, check out our latest story.

 

As reported, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop with a number of events taking place throughout the City to celebrate this milestone. Click here for more information.

 

As also reported, a new Hip Hop show, KWIK2ROK, has premiered on BronxNet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop this year.

 

KIDS  

Metro-North Railroad’s safety education unit is holding a Rail Safety Stick Contest. See attached flier for details.

METRO-NORTH RAILROAD’s safety education unit is hosting a Rail Safety Sticker Contest.
Flier courtesy of Metro-North Railroad

Kids are invited to join the Kingsbridge branch of New York Public Library, located at291 W 231st Street, The Bronx, and Play Chess! Classes are open to beginners as well as experienced players. If you don’t know how to play, that’s all right: come and learn! Meet in person on Monday, November 13, 20 & 27 at 3.30 p.m.

 

Join the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, located at 3225 Reservoir Oval East in Norwood for Family Paint Night on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. Come along also for Winter Wonderland on Friday, Dec. 8, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. for lights, winter holidays, Santa, and games.

 

The Bronx Museum, located at 1040 Grand Concourse [at 165th Street], Bronx, NY 10456, is also hosting a Family Day: Winter Wonderland on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Celebrate the holiday season! Join for an afternoon filled with free and festive wintry, art-making activities for the whole family.

 

The Bronx Children’s Museum has officially opened. See our latest story on the opening here. The museum recently welcomed its first children for a preview of the brand new facility with special guest, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. When asked how they enjoyed it, the children reportedly responded, “A-MAZ-ING!” The 2023 opening hours for the museum, located at 725 Exterior Street near Yankee Stadium along the Harlem River, as of Jan. 3, are now Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the museum’s website here.

 

The Nest Music Conservatory is a non-profit organization providing music education to youths in the Bronx through out-of-school programs. The organization is dedicated to creating a nurturing environment that contributes to the social and emotional growth of students, their families, and communities through classes, events, and concert series. The center, located at 3636 Holland Ave, The Bronx, NY 10467, USA is open daily, Monday to Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Call (718) 994-6378 for more information. 

 

SPOKEN WORD, STORY TELLING & LITERACY

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.

 

NYC Veterans’ Veteran Voices Project records the stories of NYC’s veterans and preserves their legacy. Learn more at nyc.gov/vetvoices.

 

MOVEMENT

Walking History Tours of Hard Island with an NYC Parks Urban Park Ranger guide are now live. Click here for more information.

 

Various Fitness Programs ranging from Line Dancing to Cardio Strength to Hip Hop and from Zumba to Circuit Training are running at Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, 3225 Reservoir Oval East in Norwood from Oct. 1 through Dec. 16, on various days at different times. Call (718) 543 8672 or email Victor.Campbell@parks.nyc.gov for more information.

 

For New Yorkers 60 years old and over, a Seniors Fitness program offers free twice weekly pickleball, tennis, yoga, and fitness walking classes across all five boroughs since April 2023. Participants of all levels are welcome to come out, have fun, and socialize. Visit https://cityparksfoundation.org/ or call (212) 360-1399 for more information.

 

Learn to Become a Lifeguard. Make summer happen for NYC! Becoming a lifeguard is a rewarding experience. You’ll work outdoors in some of New York City’s most iconic locations, playing a critical role in helping New Yorkers of all ages and abilities have safe access to beaches and pools. Click here for more details or see attached flyer below.

 

FLIER FOR DETAILS on how to become an NYC lifeguard
Flyer courtesy of NYC Parks

 

Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center is open every Saturday and Sunday. See attached flier below for more information.

 

VAN CORTLANDT PARK Nature Center is open every Saturday and Sunday.
Flier courtesy of NYC Parks

 

Exercise Classes in Cantonese 

Visiting Nurses Services NY is inviting the public to virtual, exercise classes in Cantonese on Tuesdays, from 2.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. See attached flier below for more information.

 

FLIER FOR EXERCISE classes in Cantonese
Flier courtesy of Bronx Community Board 7 / VNSNY Choice

 

BronxWorks and Twin Parks West Older Adult Center, 355 East 183rd Street, Bronx, NY 10458, invites residents to come join some fun classes Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. See attached flier below for details.

TWIN PARKS WEST Older Adult Center invites residents to come join some fun classes Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Flier courtesy of BronxWorks courtesy of Bronx Community Board 7

Running group, Bronx Nomads, generally meet at the Bainbridge Avenue entrance to the Williamsbridge Oval in Norwood on Mondays at 6.30 p.m. to run together safely. Founded 5 years ago, the group caters to those with different levels of fitness. You can follow Bronx Nomads on Instagram and Facebook or email the group at bronxnomads@gmail.com.

 

Elected officials, City agency partners, and community-based organizations continue to host the Saturday Night Lights citywide program to work together to keep 100 gyms across the City open for free, high-quality sports programs for kids on Saturday nights, ensuring no indoor gyms are closed on these nights – the time when they are needed most by kids in city communities. Click on the following link to watch a video extract of the Saturday Night Lights Relaunch, where Mayor Eric Adams can be seen observing some of the kids in action.

 

Each Saturday evening, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., children and youth, aged 11 to 18, are 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 are at each of the 100 gymnasiums every Saturday night, helping to coach, and joining members of various community based organizations to interact with young people and help make a lasting and positive impact in their lives.

 

Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, located at 3450 Dekalb Avenue, is the local venue for the program in Norwood, while the Fordham Heights program is run at 2255 Webster Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457. For a list of all venues, scan the QR code in the below flier. (If you cannot access the QR code from the attached flyer, click on this link.

 

As reported, an additional 25 city gyms and an additional $1.25 million investment in the Saturday Night Lights program was announced on July 9, 2022 to ensure public gyms will continue to remain open during the school year from September 10, 2022 through June 24, 2023. To find a gym near you, click here.

FLIER FOR SATURDAY Night Lights program
Flyer courtesy of the Bronx District Attorney’s Office

Gotham City Panthers is a new amateur basketball team founded by Eric King. Click on the link for more information.

 

Theory 9’s Rising Kings Basketball Club caters to different age groups in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood. Click here for more details.

 

Bronx Buccaneers football club meet on Saturdays in the Williamsbridge Oval, located at 3225 Reservoir Oval East, in Norwood from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Monday to Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Understanding there is more to football, the Buccaneers strive to develop the students/athletes, and the hope is that the players will use the program not only as a stepping stone to advance to upper level sports in High School and college, but also as a means to engage in positive behavior and as a healthy distraction from idleness which the group says can lead to poor decisions. The Buccaneers accept kids from any community, boys or girls, ages 6 to 14. Contact Tasha Andrews at (917) 662-3632 for further information.

BRONX PANTHERS YOUTH Football & Cheer save lives through football. Call the numbers in the attached flier for more information.
Flier courtesy of Bronx Panthers

Bronx Panthers Youth Football & Cheer save lives through football, and are recruiting all age groups. Call the numbers in the attached flier, above, for more information.

 

Pilot Program to Allow E-Bikes in Parks

NYC Department of Parks & Creation launched a pilot program allowing e-bikes and light-weight e-scooters on Park drives and greenways, effective June 20. Officials said the pilot program allows the same bicycles, e-bikes, and e-scooters that are legal to operate on NYC streets to also operate on park drives, spaces where bicycles are already permitted in parks. They said Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes, as well as lighter-weight e-scooters, are already allowed to operate on NYC streets and in bike lanes and will be allowed in parks as part of the pilot program.

They said Parks has created a new webpage at nyc.gov/parks/ebikes, with a citywide map of parks showing greenways and drives that are part of the program, as well as a multilingual survey to both hear from and educate New Yorkers on electric micromobility. They said the pilot program does not allow e-bikes on pedestrian paths, and faster, heavier mopeds or motorcycles are not allowed anywhere in parks or on greenways. They said the latter are also precluded from bike lanes, and their drivers must hold a driver’s license. For more information
on micromobility devices, visit nyc.gov/ebikes.

 

NYC DOT previously provided information to New Yorkers on riding E-bikes in NYC.  Click here to learn more about riding an e-bike and other micro-mobility options in NYC.

NYC DEPARTMENT OF Transportation (DOT) has provided information to New Yorkers on riding E-bikes in NYC.  
Flyer courtesy of NYC Department of Transportation

 

Editor’s Note: We will update this feature article as more events become available.

 

 

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