Editor’s Pick

Bridgefield Civic League, located at 3551 Laconia Avenue in Williamsbridge, and partners will host a free Holiday Celebration on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m., including a visit by Santa, story time, food and drinks, toys and a holiday giveaway for kids. Call (917) 385 2961 for more information.

 

EVENTS

Join Mosholu Library, located at 285 East 205th Street, for its first Teen Movie & Discussion program, featuring Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Thursday Dec. 29, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the library. No registration is required. The discussion will be moderated by the teen librarian.

 

 

The Bronx Reads: Literacy Day is an event aimed at fostering a love of reading and scholastic excellence among children and teenagers. On Wednesday, Dec. 21, the Kingsbridge Height Community Center (KHCC), located 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, The Bronx, NY 10463, will host The Bronx Reads: Literacy Day. The event, which will be held in two sessions from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 6 p.m., it is designed to create a safe space for children and their caregivers to come together and explore their love of reading during the holiday season. The book, Darryl’s Dream, written by KHCC supporter, Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels of Run-D.M.C., (as reported previously in Norwood News) will be featured, along with several other free books that participants will get to take home.

 

The borough president’s office manages distribution of toys to families of veterans and active-duty members of the military. Those who make a qualifying donation will receive a free ticket to the Bronx Zoo or New York Aquarium (based on the donation location).

 

Bronx Community Board 7 and the New York Yankees will host a Winter Wonderland at 229A East 204^th Street in Bedford Park, on Friday, Dec. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Every child must have a ticket. For more information, call Karla Cabrera Carrera on (929) 496 0748 or email kcabreracarrera@cb.nyc.gov.

 

The 2023 opening hours for the Bronx Children’s Museum, located at 725 Exterior Street near Yankee Stadium along the Harlem River, as of January 3, 2023, will be Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit https://www.bronxchildrensmuseum.org/ for more information.

 

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Councilman Eric Dinowitz and partners will host a Bronx Chanukah Celebration on Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Riverdale Y, 5625 Arlington Avenue, Bronx, NY, to light the menorah, sing songs and enjoy refreshments. For more information, contact Jeffrey Laufer jlaufer@bronxbp.nyc.gov for more information.

 

Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center, located in Olinville, will be hosting a Kwanzaa Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at P.S. 41, located at 3352 Olinville Avenue in Olinville, The Bronx. This traditional community celebration of African- American culture is free and open to all, an event to create a space of unity. For more information, email jcope@mind-builders.org or call (718) 652-6256.

 

A Toy Giveaway will be held on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 1074 Hall Place, The Bronx. See attached flier below for more information.

Kingsbridge Library, 291 W 231st St, The Bronx, NY 10463, is calling all kids to come and Learn How to Play Chess at the library! The group will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 3.30 p.m. Open to beginners as well as experienced players. If you don’t know how to play, that’s all right: come and learn!

 

Council Member Kevin Riley (District 12) is hosting a number of upcoming Community Events. See attached flier below for more details.

Council Member Amanda Farías (C.D. 18) and partners are hosting a Toy Giveaway on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 at Castle Hill YMCA.
See attached flier below for more details.

 

Parkchester Manga / Anime Club meets on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022 at 4.30 p.m. See attached flier below for more details.

 

 

A True Crime Group meets at Allerton and Eastchester Libraries on Dec. 22, 2022. See attached flier below from the New York Public Library for more details.

The Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights show continues. See attached flier below for more details and check out our previous story on the holiday lights show here.

 

A Toy Giveaway sponsored by a number of Bronx elected officials is taking place on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022 at 4 p.m. at Fordham University. See attached flier below for more details.

 

 

A Toy Drive hosted by Theory9 is being held at P.S. 86 on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. See attached flier below for more details.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) is organizing an Annual Holiday Canned Food Drive. See attached flier below for more details.

 

Westchester Square BID, Council Member Marjorie Velázquez (C.D. 13) and partners are hosting a Christmas celebration on Friday, Dec. 16. See attached flier below for more information.

 

First Responders Children’s Foundation president & CEO, Jillian Crane, will attend a Holiday Tree Giveaway for children in need hosted by the Police Women’s Endowment Association on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 10 a.m. at 841 Barretto Street in The Bronx (2nd Fl). She will also attend the Arroyo Toy Drive, sponsored by the FDNY-EMT Yadhira Arrooy Family, and the NYPD’s 43rd Precinct, on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m. at 1111 Pugsley Avenue in The Bronx.

 

According to its organizers, First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF) has donated 35,000 toys for New York City children in need this year, through the NYPD. For more than 21 years, FRCF has created programs to help children and families struggling with hardships that often accompany life with a first responder parent. Founded in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 to help the 800 children who lost a first responder parent to the attacks, FRCF focuses on four key program areas: scholarships; financial assistance grants; a mental health resiliency program; and community engagement.

 

The Office of the Bronx Borough President and partners will host Bronx Chanukah Celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. See attached flier below for more information.

 

Parkchester’s Annual Kwanzaa Celebration will take place on Friday, Dec. 30. See attached flier below for more information.

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

New York Botanical Garden (NYBG)’s Bronx Neighbors Program is now offering 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!

 

Experience the magic of New York City’s largest, outdoor, holiday light experience as New York Botanical Garden’s NYBG Glow exhibit returns for a third year on remaining dates Dec.15-17, 22-23, 26-30, 2022 and on Jan. 1, 7, 14, 2023, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Discover the beauty of the garden’s landscape and historic buildings after dark, breathtakingly illuminated. Round out your experience with an after-dark visit to the Holiday Train Show® under the glow of the Haupt Conservatory by purchasing a special combination ticket. Enjoy a drink, hot cocoa, and a bite to eat at one of the outdoor bars or the Bronx Night Market Holiday Pop-Up. For more details, visit https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/nybg-glow/.

 

BronxWorks and 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. See attached flier below for details.

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

Norwood Community Library, a mobile library, arranges pop-up library booths around The Bronx. It 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.

 

Grow NYC hosts a greenmarket at Bronx Borough Hall on Tuesdays from June 7 to November 22, 2022, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
See attached flier for more details.

 

Norwood Farmstand Compost sessions will be held in conjunction with Grow NYC on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at E Gun Hill Rd & Dekalb Avenue. See attached flier for details.

 

 

The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, located at 450 Grand Concourse and 149th Street, The Bronx, presents Calpulli Mexican Dance Company’s Navidad on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. Admission is free for all ages. This cultural journey gives us a glimpse of how a young person of immigrant parents growing up in NYC embraces and celebrates her dual identity and all her cultures! The journey will feature folkloric Mexican dance and music, U.S. contemporary traditions and the combination of both. Children of all ages and their families will learn about this special Navidad from dancers, musicians, and directors. All Adults must show proof of vaccination OR proof of a negative PCR Test taken 7 days prior with a valid Photo ID. Children 5 and over must show proof of vaccination OR a negative PCR Test taken 7 days prior. Reserve tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-cultural-journey-of-navidad-a-mexican-american-christmas-tickets-480051174987.

MUSIC

Riverdale Choral Society presents Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along on Dec. 17, at 3 p.m. See attached flier below for more information.

 

 

 

Riverdale Choral Society presents The World Beloved A Bluegrass Mass by Carol Burnett on Sunday, May 7, 2023, and is looking for singers to join the society. Rehearsal dates and more details can be found in the attached flier.

 

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.

ART 

En Foco, Inc. located at 15 Canal Place, Bronx, NY 10451, is hosting an En Foco Media Arts Fund: Virtual How-to-Apply Session on Tuesday, December 20, from 6 p.m. to 7p.m. ahead of the deadline for the En Foco’s Media Arts Fund: Work in Progress (WIP) Initiative grant on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, at 11.59 p.m. The grant is to support New York City based, early-career artists of color who engage with digital media technologies in their art-making processes.

 

In collaboration with BronxNet, these $2,000 awards will focus on applicants needing support for the completion of a quality work in progress, as determined by a panel of professionals. The session will focus on the application process and feature a Q&A Session with En Foco staff. First time applicants are encouraged to attend. To register visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/483892524567.

 

 

Spanning over a decade of work, Abigail DeVille: Bronx Heavens exhibit has been extended through April 9, 2023, at The Bronx Museum of the Arts, located at 1040 Grand Concourse and 165th Street, and examines the myths and realities of local, familial, and ancestral histories and the convoluted notion of freedom. The Bronx has served as a sanctuary for immigrant and migrant communities, including for the artist and several generations of her family who have lived in the area and were part of the Great Migration. DeVille’s work unearths forgotten narratives of communities of color and explores issues of identity, culture, and class.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt Development Corp (KRVC) is advising Bronxites that “Nature Close Up” is the current exhibit showing at Gallery 505, 505 West 236th Street, and is open on Fridays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Beginning in the early 2000s, in addition to taking photos to record his travels with his wife, Leah, in the U.S. and abroad, photographer, Herb, began to take pictures of nature, scenery and landscapes. In recent years, he has become more interested in the visual effect of the pictures he takes, moving much closer in to capture the mystery, the intimacy, and the sensuality in nature.

His photographs have been shown at his synagogue in Manhattan (SAJ), Gallery 18 at Riverdale Y, Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, and at the KRVC Art at Amalgamated annual exhibit. Herb grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, received an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In between, he served two years in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant (jg) aboard an aircraft carrier. He then pursued a career in business, both in the corporate world and as an independent consultant. He now lives in Riverdale.

 

An exciting fall season at En Foco, the photography center, located at 15 Canal Place Bronx, NY 10451, is highlighting four of its past photo fellows and are actively in search of the next cohort. It will also share all four sessions of its successful “Immersive Technology: Art, Activism, and Community” series for free, at https://enfoco.org/immtech/.

 

En Foco, Inc. is currently spotlighting the work of Lisa DuBois, a Bronx-based, artist-curator and photojournalist. DuBois is a socially conscious artist who describes herself as “an inquisitive spectator exploring subcultures in the world.” A 2017 Fellow (Nueva Luz, Volume 21:1), DuBois is now the photo editor and diversity advisor for Social Documentary Network. As curator and creative advisor, she helped launch the first “Art on the Ave,” the first large-scale outdoor exhibition on Manhattan’s West Side, and she is also a Loupe Art artist. Loupe Art is a channel that provides streaming art on multiple cable stations. DuBois curated the 2021 En Foco group exhibition, Deep Roots, which tells visual stories on traditions and the connections between the photographer and his or her beloved heritage.

 

From Nov. 1, 2022 to Jan. 1, 2023, En Foco Inc. is also showing, “George Malave: A Collection of Photographs from 1968 – 1979, which features a selection of works from prolific photographer and original En Foco member, George Malave, including: Varet Street Kids, Third Avenue El, and other historic images of the Bronx.

 

The Humanities Institute of The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) has announced a new photography fellowship established by Larry Lederman, a member of NYBG’s Board of Advisors. The Larry Lederman Photography Fellowship will be awarded annually to an outstanding established or emerging photographer whose work focuses on gardens or landscapes and demonstrates excellence and a creative approach to the art of landscape photography. The application period runs from Oct. 20 through Dec. 31.

 

The selected fellow will receive a $20,000 grant disbursed in installments for a nine-month term, March 1 through Nov. 30, 2023, during which time the fellow will have complimentary access to NYBG’s 250-acre landscape and historic collections. The Larry Lederman Photography Fellowship is available to any photographer 21 years of age or older who is a U.S. citizen or is an international photographer currently authorized to work in the U.S. The inaugural fellow will be announced in February 2023.

 

En Foco is calling for entries for the 2023 En Foco Photography Fellowship. See attached flier below for more information.

KIDS 

The Bronx Children’s Museum has officially opened. See our latest story on the opening here. For more information, visit the museum’s website 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!”

 

(Scroll down to the MOVEMENT section further below also for a host of upcoming events for kids and adults in The Bronx hosted by NYC Parks.)

 

The Nest Music Conservatory, a non-profit organization providing music education to youths in the Bronx through out-of-school programs, has reopened. The organization is dedicated to creating a nurturing environment that contributes to the social and emotional growth of students, their families, and our communities through classes, events, and concert series. The center suffered severe damages due to the recent hurricane, and had intended to be open for regular after school programs in time for the beginning of the school year but was delayed during repairs. 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 

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 launched the Veteran Voices Project to record the stories of NYC’s veterans and preserve their legacy. Learn more at nyc.gov/vetvoices.

DYK? @nycveterans launched the Veteran Voices Project (VVP) to record the stories of NYC's veterans and preserve their legacy.
🎙️ Learn more about this oral history initiative at https://t.co/k6d4WfIHIW#VeteransDay #NYCVeteransDay21 pic.twitter.com/FTKKjI2R0Z

— NYC Consumer and Worker Protection (@helloDCWP) November 11, 2021

 

MOVEMENT

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

 

Running group, Bronx Nomads, generally meet at the Williamsbridge Oval track on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6.30 p.m. to run together safely.

The New York Knicks, YMCA of Greater New York, and NYC Department of Youth & Community Development (DYCD) are expanding their existing partnership, launched in February 2022, of providing safe, high-quality sports programs at no-cost to teens across the City. Beginning on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. at Castle Hill YMCA, 2 Castle Hill Avenue in The Bronx, the Knicks will host a series of five basketball clinics for YMCA teens between the ages of 11 and 18 as part of the Saturday Night Lights program. The Knicks Saturday Night Lights Basketball Clinics will be held at four different YMCA branches through April, in addition to a special marquee event this coming spring. For more information, contact Matt on (919) 500-1146 or email mferraguto@ymcanyc.org.

 

NYCHA residents are encouraged to enter for free in the 2023 NYC Marathon. See attached flier below for more information.

 

Elected officials, City agency partners, community-based organizations and foundations relaunched the citywide “Saturday Night Lights” program on Saturday, March 26 in Mott Haven. The groups 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 pdf link SNL QR Palm Card v1 revised.)

 

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 to ensure public gyms will continue to remain open Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Aug. 20, and during the school year from September 10, 2022 through June 24, 2023. To find a gym near you, visit https://www1.nyc.gov/site/safestbigcity/keep-nyc-safe/saturday-night-lights.page.

 

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. On Saturday, Oct. 9, practice will take place at Clinton Hight School at 12.30 p.m. and there will be a game at 2.30 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, and are recruiting all age groups. Call the numbers in the attached flier, above, for more information.

 

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

 

New York City of Parks & Recreation has announced that registration is now open for the fall “Learn to Swim” classes at its indoor pools. The department is  offering swim lessons for toddlers, kids & teens, adults, and seniors. Enter the draw for a chance to join a class: http://on.nyc.gov/3yGeFYz.

 

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

 

 

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