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Veterans Day Weekend in NYC: 27 Top Things To Do with Kids

The NYC Lantern Festival lights up the holiday season with over 1000 lights at The Queens County Farm Museum. Photo courtesy of the farm.
The NYC Lantern Festival lights up the holiday season with over 1000 lights at The Queens County Farm Museum. Photo courtesy of the farm.
11/9/22 - By Drew Kristofik

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this Veterans Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this weekend.

Friday is Veterans Day, and that means it's time for the biggest celebration of service in the United States: the NYC Veterans Day Parade. You can also salute our military at Veterans Day Weekend events at the New-York Historical Society or join Prospect Park's Veterans Day family programs. Register in advance to learn about sailors' work on the tall ship Wavertree.

The Big Apple Circus is back at Lincoln Center, the Three Musketeers serve up swagger at the New Vic, Pinkalicious is overindulging in her favorite hue again, and Divi Roxx plays the Jewish Museum.

Early holiday fun arrives with the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and the Museum of the City of New York hosts the Great Borough Gingerbread Bake-off. The Queens County Farm Museum's Illuminate the Farm opens Friday, and you can climb aboard the North Pole Express for an early chat with Santa.

Find more November fun in our picks for the best things to do all month, including our top tips for viewing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. There are even more things to do in our always-updated Family Activity Calendar.

More Things To Do in New York City this Week with Kids

Be sure to click through to each listing for all the details, including recommended ages and times.

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There’s no better way to discover the magic of the season than with the Peanuts gang in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Photo courtesy of the production
There’s no better way to discover the magic of the season than with the Peanuts gang in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Photo courtesy of the production

Best Things To Do in NYC Veterans Day Weekend with Kids

Big Apple Circus

Upper West Side
Opens Wednesday, November 9
The Big Apple Circus returns to Lincoln Center for its 45th anniversary season. Performers include king of the high wire Nik Wallenda, comic daredevil Johnny Rockett, The Kiriku Brothers, aerialist Alan Silva, trapeze artist Elli Huber, juggling master Gena Cristiani, Veranica and Her Talented Dogs, and more! READ MORE

NYC Veterans Day Parade 2022

Gramercy–FREE
Friday, November 11
The largest celebration of service in the nation, the annual New York City Veterans Day Parade, returns in person and steps off at noon from 25th Street and Fifth Avenue. It then proceeds north up Fifth Avenue to 45th Street.   READ MORE

Veterans Day in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn–FREE
Friday, November 11
If you missed the fun on Election Day, head to Prospect Park for another day of kid-friendly programming when the kids are out of school for Veterans Day.  READ MORE

Black History Month: Sunday Funday

Upper West Side
Friday, November 11
New York Historical Society's Dimenna Children's Museum kids off amonth of programs celebrating Black history and culture with a stacked Sunday Funday lineup that includes arts and crafts, storytimes, costumed interpretation, and a special book club. READ MORE

Crew and Cargo

South Street Seaport–FREE
Friday, November 11
Kids are welcome on board the 1885 tall ship Wavertree to participate in hands-on activities that explore the fascinating world of trans-Atlantic sailors from the time of European explorers through today. Haul on ropes to raise the sail, and walk the capstan ‘round, while learning how sailors slept, ate, worked, and played. READ MORE

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Citywide–FREE
Friday, November 11
On select days throughout the year, all national parks are open to the public with no admission fee. READ MORE

Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off

Upper East Side
Opens Friday, November 11
Two bakeries from each borough were selected to create a gingerbread display following the theme of Winter in New York and best representing their respective neighborhoods, communities, or boroughs. See the sweet creations on display at the Museum of the City of New York. READ MORE

Illuminate the Farm

Glen Oaks, Queens
Opens Friday, November 11
The NYC Winter Lantern Festival transforms the Queens County Farm Museum's grounds into an immersive river of light. Holiday lights and homemade lanterns take the shape of flowers, tractors, farm animals, and more forming a dazzling seasonal display. READ MORE

Titanic: The Exhibition

Chelsea
Opens Friday, November 11
Travel back to 1912 through photographs, handwritten letters, wayward keepsakes, and other personal belongings telling countless stories about the fates and heroic deeds on board. READ MORE

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Arrival 2023

Midtown West– FREE
Saturday, November 12
Welcome the 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The holiday spruce arrives at Rockefeller Center with plenty of time for decorating before the lighting ceremony on Wednesday, December 6.  READ MORE

Fort Tryon Kids: Awesome Arachnids

Inwood–FREE
Saturday, November 12
The Fort Tryon Park Trust and experts from the Alley Pond Environmental Center team up for a FREE nature program in which kids learn about arthropods. What is the difference between an insect and an arachnid? What are spinnerets and who uses them? READ MORE

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn
Saturday, November 12
Everyone’s favorite holiday classic comes to life when Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the whole Peanuts gang produce their own Christmas play and ultimately learn the true meaning of the season.  READ MORE

Best of BAMkids Film Festival: Joyful Adventures

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Saturday, November 12
Attend virtually or in-person as the most popular films for kids ages 3-5 from this year's BAMKids Film Fest are screened. READ MORE

Birding: Owls

Riverdale, the Bronx–FREE
Saturday, November 12
Urban Park Rangers guide families to the best bird-viewing spots in New York City. Learn more about the various species of owls found in NYC parks. Please bring your own binoculars. READ MORE

Mutts Gone Nuts!

East Village
Saturday, November 12
Expect the unexpected, as canines and comedy collide in a smash hit performance that leaves audiences howling for more. From shelters to showbiz, these amazing mutts unleash havoc and hilarity in a breathtaking, action-packed, comedy dog spectacular. READ MORE

Fall TILT Kids Day

Midtown East
Saturday, November 12
FIAF hosts a day filled with fun activities, including a Drag Queen Story Hour, an arts and crafts session, a musical workshop, and a film screening. Each activity aims to inspire its participants to look at the beauty, variety, and ecological importance of forests. READ MORE

Family Art Project: Super Corn Husk Dolls

Riverdale, Bronx
Saturday, November 12-Sunday, November 13
Explore the importance of corn as a staple and as an art material, too, then tie, weave and shape dried husks to make your own figurine. READ MORE

Twelfth Night: An Immersive Experience

Upper East Side
Saturday, November 12-Sunday, November 13
El Barrio hosts an interactive show for young audiences and families, adapted from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and focusing on gender spectrum issues. This adaptation divides Illyria by the gender binary and presents Viola as a non-binary person forced to act as a binary gender in Illyria. READ MORE

North Pole Express

Midtown West
Debuts Saturday, November 12
This holiday season, hop on a ride to the "North Pole" to meet Santa. During the ride, sing along Christmas carols with Elf, and enjoy hot chocolate and a cookie. Kids on the nice list receive a sleigh bell as a present. READ MORE

The Three Musketeers

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, November 12
Serving swagger, style, and swordplay, The Acting Company mashes up waltz with spoken word and high court drama with high-fashion hip-hop to reclaim the swashbuckling classic for today. READ MORE

Divi Roxx Family Concert

Upper East Side
Sunday, November 13
Grammy-nominated musician, recording artist, and composer Divinity Roxx combines virtuosic bass playing with an eclectic mash-up of hip-hop, rock, and funk that she calls Alternative Soul. READ MORE

16th Annual Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair

Prospect Heights–FREE
Sunday, November 13
The annual Brooklyn Children's Book Fair brings together 40 Brooklyn authors and illustrators to share their latest books. Throughout the day, children and their companions can attend readings and presentations, learn about the creative process, get books signed, and have fun drawing and coloring. READ MORE

Discovery Hike: Fall Flowers and Seed ID

Crotona Park, the Bronx–FREE
Sunday, November 13
Urban Park Rangers teach families about native wildflowers and seed bombs. Make and release your very own seed bomb into the park while on a short hike. READ MORE

Second Sundays at Pioneer Works

Red Hook, Brooklyn–FREE
Sunday, November 13
Second Sundays returns to Pioneer Works with a dynamic offering of programs spanning the disciplines of art, music, science, and technology. READ MORE

Autumn Dance Celebration

Floral Park, Queens
Sunday, November 13
Celebrate American Indian Culture through music and dance! The Autumn Dance Celebration showcases different Native American dances outdoors at the Queens County Farm Museum. Eight Indian Nations are represented, including Hopi, Winnebago, Lenape, Choctaw, Mayan, Seneca, Santo Domingo, and Chickahomin. READ MORE

GAGA Girls STEM Party

Upper East Side
Sunday, November 13
Bring your children (5 years and older) for a pizza lunch (included in ticket price) and GAGA fun. Kids can also do community service by preparing wooden puzzles for girls in our partner programs in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. READ MORE

Pinkalicious the Musical

Midtown West
Weekends through Sunday, November 27
Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe—a dream come true for this pink-loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out how to get out of this predicament. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

National Parks - Multiple Locations
Museum of the City of New York
Titanic | The Exhibition
FIAF - French Institute Alliance Française