Free (NYC) Holiday Family Events

There are so many events going on during this holiday season. Below are seven great free events taking place throughout the city over the next week. Enjoy!

1. The entire family will enjoy the Washington Market Park “Christmas Party” on December 13th from 2 - 3:30pm. There will be Christmas caroling by Stuyvesant A Cappella, a sing along with Richard Younger, crafts, refreshments and a visit from Santa Claus at this free event. (The main entrance to the park is on Greenwich Street at Duane.)

2. Families will enjoy “Snow Comes in Many Colors” by the Youth Theatre. This original Christmas play features drama, music and dance. This free event takes place on December 14th at 2pm at Riverside Theatre (91 Claremont Avenue at 120th Street). For more information, call (212)870-6784.

3. On December 16th at 12:30pm, take the entire family to see the “New York African Chorus Ensemble” at WFC Winter Garden (Battery Park City). They will teach about the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa through music and poetry readings from James Stovall of works by poet Langston Hughes at this free event. For more information, call (212)945-0505.

4. Enjoy “Winter Holiday Crafts for Tots” at the Chess & Checkers House (mid-Central Park at 64th Street) on December 17th from noon to 3pm. Kids (ages 3 and up) can celebrate with seasonally-themed arts and crafts at the Conservancy’s new monthly series, Crafts for Tots. For more information about this free event, call (212)794-4064.

5. You can take the kids to see the “Kaleidoscope Light Show” any time between December 1st and January 1st at Grand Central (42nd Street between Lexington and Vanderbilt Avenues) on the Main Concourse. The free light shows run every half hour from 11am to 9pm daily.

6. While you’re at Grand Central, you can visit the “NY Transit Museum’s 7th annual Holiday Train Show” at the NY Transit Museum Annex. It is being held from November 24th to January 19th. The show includes a train layout with stops at subway stations, bus stations, gas stations and Santa’s workshop. This year’s new features include Lionel’s brand new models of Metro North’s M7 train and New York City Subway’s R27. The hours for this free show are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. For more information, call (212)878-0106.

7. Catch the final season of “The Station at Citigroup Center” at the Citigroup Center Atrium (53 St. and Lexington Ave.). The station will be open from November 28th to January 2nd. The hours for this free exhibit are 10am through 6pm Monday to Saturday including New Year’s Day and noon to 5pm on Sunday. It is closed on Christmas Day. The display features a Victorian station building with clock tower with clocks on all four sides topped off by a locomotive weathervane. Victorian-themed decorative fences (topped with seven lighted Christmas Trees and ending in a forty foot long Victorian cutout train) surround the station building.