New & Traditional Programming Favorites – More than 450 in All – Include Outdoor Concerts and Movie Nights, National Coming Out Day Celebration, and Public Art Retrospectives
In a year that has already seen some 45,000 attendees at more than 800 community events, the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) today released its Fall 2018 Parks Programming Calendar. Detailing more than 450 public programs and events from September to December throughout Battery Park City, the full calendar of mostly-free programs includes movie nights, concerts, tours, tournaments and games, art and nature events, fitness and exercise classes, and much more. The calendar is available on BPCA’s website, with hardcopies to all mailing list subscribers arriving in mailboxes next week. Interested individuals can subscribe to the BPC Parks mailing list by visiting bpcparks.org, by phone at (212) 267-9700, or at any program or event.
“As the autumn foliage comes into view in our 36 acres of parks, you can check out the visiting hummingbirds, take in an evening movie, sing along at the Dockappella festival, and so much more,” said BPCA President and Chief Executive Officer B.J. Jones. “Activities abound for all ages, so whether you’re just passing through or call Battery Park City home – we can’t wait to see you in BPC Parks!”
“As cooler weather approaches, it brings opportunities to be out and enjoy the many great parks and outdoor spaces in Lower Manhattan,” said Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. “The fall events at the Battery Park City Authority are a great opportunity to enjoy an outdoor movie, listen to a poetry reading, or participate in a public art project. This year’s calendar is again full of fantastic activities for families and local residents to find ways to socialize and take part in autumnal activities.”
“With the release of its fall events calendar, Battery Park City Authority is continuing its commitment to provide all New Yorkers access to affordable and enriching events, concerts, tours, fitness classes and more,” said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. “With more than 450 events and activities to choose from this September to December, families from Lower Manhattan and all across our city will celebrate the beauty of fall and all that Battery Park City has to offer.”
The Fall 2018 Parks Programming Calendar features over 20 pages of illustrated program offerings for the whole family, organized by monthly event highlights as well as by those of interest to adults, school-aged children, and preschoolers. Programming will take place at indoor and outdoor venues throughout Battery Park City, from its 36 acres of parks and public spaces to facilities like Poets House, Asphalt Green, 6 River Terrace, and the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School. The calendar also includes a map of key Battery Park City locations, restrooms, and art installations, as well as information about how to reserve various BPC event spaces.
Highlights of the Fall Calendar include:
Fall Movie Nights – Fridays in September, 7:00PM, Rockefeller Park. Back by popular demand, join us under the stars for free screenings of these great feature films and shorts made in/featuring New York City:
• September 7 // The Wiz – Ease on down the yellow-brick road with this 1970s classic, featuring superstars Diana Ross and Michael Jackson! Relive the magic of this beloved musical where Dorothy is whisked away to the enchanted wonderland of Oz and embarks on an adventure with her new friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion. Also: One Froggy Evening (Short)
• September 14 // Muppets Take Manhattan – Broadway-bound, the Muppets take Manhattan by storm in this magical musical about breaking into show business! Fresh out of college, Kermit, Fozzie and the entire cast of Kermit’s musical Manhattan Melodies head for the Big Apple with dreams of turning their little play into a big hit! Also: Mighty Manhattan, New York’s Wonder City (Short)
• September 21 // Men in Black – Agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Will Smith) are members of a top-secret organization established to monitor alien activity on Earth. Together they take on a mission to track down an intergalactic terrorist (Vincent D’Onofrio) bent on destroying Earth. It’s all in a day’s work for the Men in Black. Also: A Hare Grows in Manhattan (Short)
• September 28 // Spiderman – After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, Peter Parker vows to put his spider-like abilities and superhuman strength to help fight crime. The web-spinning superhero has a mission to save New York from his nemesis, the Green Goblin, and to win the heart of Mary Jane, the girl next door. Go for the ultimate spin with Tobey Maguire in Spiderman. Also: Baseball Bugs (Short)
Hummingbird Hootenanny – Saturday, September 8, 10:00am, South Cove. Help us kick off the fall season with a celebration of our small but mighty friend, the Hummingbird. This day of feathered frenzy will include: Hummingbird watchzone, making bird wings and masks, weaving a life-size nest, and a birdwatching and guided nature tour with a naturalist/horticulturist team. Plus – a live performance and hum-a-long with Astrograss:
• 11:00am: Art Projects
• 11:30am: Bird Watching / Nature Tour
• 12:00PM: Astrograss Family Concert
Mixmag – Thursday, September 13, 6:00PM, Wagner Park. Mixmag, the British-born electronic dance and club magazine, brings trendsetting DJs to spin in iconic places from the Great Wall of China to Battery Park City. Come savor one of the city’s most majestic vistas at a sunset funk and soul party featuring New York City’s own Natasha Diggs and friends.
Go Fish! – Select Saturdays, 10am, Wagner Park. Join experienced anglers for catch-and release fishing and learn about life in the Hudson River through art projects, nature walks, and live music:
• On September 22 – A performance by The Suzi Shelton Band with their award-winning signature hits and new tunes from their latest album Hand in Hand
• On October 13 – The River Project, fellow stewards of the Hudson River and New York Harbor, will share their innovative work in environmental education. And don’t miss the kindie rock and reggae tunes of Brooklyn based king of the dance party Father Goose!
Dockappella – Sunday, September 30, 1:00PM, Wagner Park. Join us for our annual autumn celebration of intricately-woven harmonies along the Hudson River. Many of the finest college acappella groups in New York and beyond – including those from Harvard, Yale, Columbia, New York University, and more – will showcase their pitch-perfect vocal renditions from a diverse variety of musical genres. Bring a blanket and a picnic lunch as you enjoy the music with the Statue of Liberty as backdrop!
BPC at Fifty: Public Art Retrospective – Select October Sundays. In 1968, Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller signed the Battery Park City Authority Act, seeding the ground for what would become a neighborhood like no other. Join contemporary art historian, Dorothea Basile, on two walks highlighting the public art that was originally commissioned to celebrate the threshold where city meets Hudson River waterfront-park landscapes and the more recent installations which have continued that vision.
Continued BPCA President & CEO Jones: “From the whimsical sculptures of The Real World in Rockefeller Park, to the meditative natural beauty of South Cove and much more, public art is in Battery Park City’s DNA.”
• Part One // October 14, 2:00pm – North Cove to South Cove; meet at Waterfront Plaza entrance to Winter Garden
• Part Two // October 28, 2:00pm – The Real World, Teardrop Park, and Irish Hunger Memorial; meet at The Real World
National Coming Out Day Celebration – Thursday, October 11, 7:00PM, Rockefeller Park. National Coming Out Day celebrates the lives and courage of LGBTQ+ people. It celebrates living without fear in a way that provides inspiration and a source of hope to those who are yet unable to come out. Bring your allies, a picnic dinner, and celebrate on the lawns of Rockefeller Park with a movie screening of Love, Simon.
Family Workshop: Bookmaking – Saturday, November 17, 6 River Terrace. Participants are invited to make their own journals/keepsake books using repurposed/recycled materials; led by Esther Smith of Purgatory Pie Press and book artist/illustrator Elise Engler. All materials provided, but bring your own paper if you like! For ages 3 and up; program is free but space is limited, so please register at (212) 267-9700 or registration@bpcparks.org.
Holiday Lights – Thursday, December 6, 6:00PM, South Cove. The annual Battery Park City tradition! Kick off the holiday season with a quaint evening of caroling, warm beverages and sweet treats with the BPC community! If you wish, donate to those in need by bringing a new, unwrapped gift for Stockings With Care. You may also drop off gift donations through December 6 at 75 Battery Place.
Poets House Exhibitions, Readings & Discussions. BPCA is also partnering with Poets House, a 70,000- volume open-stack poetry library located in BPC’s north neighborhood (10 River Terrace), on the following events this fall. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary as one of lower Manhattan’s great cultural institutions, Poets House documents the wealth and diversity of modern poetry and stimulates public dialogue on issues of poetry in culture:
Epic Voices Series
• Thursday, September 20, 7:00PM // Emily Wilson: On The Odyssey – The first woman to translate Homer’s Odyssey into English, scholar Emily Wilson “has given Homer’s epic a radically contemporary voice” (The New York Times). In this talk, she discusses the challenges of making this ancient work feel alive, including formal decisions and bringing out Homer’s many voices.
• Saturday, October 6, 3:00PM // Anne Carson: On Stillness – Renowned poet, classicist, and translator Anne Carson explores the concept of stillness with a discussion of various ancient and modern artists and art forms, including Homer, Sappho, Emily Dickinson, John Cage, and Jenny Holzer.
Opening Reception & Poetry Reading – Bettissima: Treasures from the Elizabeth Kray Archives
• Tuesday, December 11, 6:00PM Reception; 7:00PM Reading – Betty Kray (1916-1987) – dubbed Bettissima by E.E. Cummings – was a visionary arts administrator, co-founder of Poets House with Stanley Kunitz, and an advocate for poetry and American poets. Kray was also director of the Academy of American Poets and Poetry Center of the 92nd Street Y. The exhibition, on display through April 26, 2019, includes nearly 100 letters from poets, documenting 20th century American poetry.
“I am so glad that poetry has found a home in Battery Park City! Poetry helps us explore history and the broadest range of human experiences through the agency of the single voice, said Lee Briccetti, Executive Director of Poets House. “Poets House is thrilled to launch a season on epic poetry traditions that brings contemporary issues into focus with ancient stories from the past right here in Battery Park City, which offers outstanding parks and art events in one of the world’s great urban settings.”
View the BPCA Fall Events Calendar
Back to Blog Homepage
