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Out & About: The Nutcracker, A Bronx Christmas Story, The Bronx Vegan Bazaar & More!

BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD 7 (CB7) Veterans Committee Chair Chad Royer (left) joins Santa Claus and some friends at the annual holiday tree-lighting event held on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 on Mosholu Parkway and Bainbridge Avenue, hosted by CB7 and Future of Mosholu Parkland
Photo by Miriam Quiñones

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

Westchester Ballet Company presents The Nutcracker at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, 250 Bedford Park Blvd West, Bronx, New York 10468, on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m., with choreography by Beth Fritz-Logrea and Jean Logrea. Westchester Ballet Company’s Nutcracker is a spectacular, enchanting, full-length presentation of the beloved holiday classic featuring a cast of 100 dancers.

 

The sumptuous ballet, set in 1830s Europe, tells the story of young Clara as she travels on a magical journey on Christmas Eve with the fantastical Nutcracker at her side. WBC’s production is notable not only for its exquisite choreography, set to Tschaikovsky’s beautiful score, but also for its opulent costumes and special effects. The event includes a Nutcracker Boutique where patrons can purchase specialty holiday gifts, including an array of wooden nutcrackers. For more information, visit https://www.lehmancenter.org/events/westchester-ballet-sun-2pm.

 

EVENTS

The only operational Ice Rink in The Bronx has been renovated and reopened on November 20 at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in Castle Hill. As a part of the Frederic R. Coudert Sports Complex, the ice skating rink provides professionally trained staff and visiting coaches that feature individuals with over 15 years of professional experience of ice skating. The ice skating rink is managed by ASAC Management and with over 30 years of ice skating management, ASAC has specialists from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds offering expert training techniques. The age range for the ice rink (during program hours) is 6-18. For more information, contact athletics director, Darril Almonte, on darril.almonte@kipsbay.org or visit https://www.kipsbay.org/icerink. Read our recent story on the reopening here.

 

The Bronx Zoo’s Holiday Lights has returned and is ongoing through Jan. 7, 2024. During the evenings, the park comes to life with holiday cheer as immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns, and animated light shows sparkle across the zoo. This year, you’ll experience new lantern displays showcasing the wildlife of New York’s ocean waters and wetlands, plus a new interactive experience celebrating bioluminescent creatures. Tickets are required and must be reserved in advance. Holiday Lights operates 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. (last entry 8 p.m.). Lights go on at 4:30 p.m. Visit https://bronxzoo.com/holiday-lights for more information. Read our previous story on the holiday lights at Bronx Zoo here.

 

Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. is hosting a Community Toy Giveaway on Thursday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m. at 2018 Williamsbridge Road. See attached flier below for more details.

 

COMMUNITY TOY GIVEAWAY flier
Flier courtesy of Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr.

The Bronx County Conservative Party is hosting a Christmas Holiday Toy Giveaway on Sunday, Dec. 17. See attached flier below for more information.

 

THE BRONX COUNTY Conservative Party is hosting a Christmas Holiday Toy Giveaway on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023.
Flier courtesy of the event sponsors

Co-op City Baptist Church Youth & Young Adult Department is hosting, in conjunction with Latrell Antonetty, “A Bronx Christmas Story,” at the Church of the New Vision, 115 Einstein Loop North The Bronx, NY 10475on Dec. 23, at 2 p.m. and at 6 p.m. For more information, click here.

 

Gingerbread House Party

A Gingerbread House Party will be held on Dec. 21. See attached flier below for more information.

A GINGERBREAD HOUSE Party will be held on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.
Flier courtesy of the event sponsors

 

The Holiday Train Show is ongoing at New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458-5126, through Jan. 15, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with more trains and an all-new, outdoor train display. Start on the lawn to capture your perfect holiday photos at the outdoor mountainscapes and then watch trains zip past nearly 200 iconic New York landmarks under the warmth of the Conservatory.

After dark, join for NYBG GLOW and discover the beauty of our landscape and historic buildings, illuminated across the grounds, and don’t miss the return of fan-favorite Bar Car Nights, 21-and-over evenings featuring the Holiday Train Show and curated cocktails. These special evenings feature music, experiences, food, and more—making for the ultimate night out this season. For more information, visit https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show/.

 

The Bronx Vegan Bazaar is the first vegan food expo for and by the Bronx and will be held at Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse The Bronx, NY 10452 on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m. Click here for more details.

 

On Thursday, Dec. 21, from 11 a.m. to noon, enjoy Big Games Adaptive Games in the Game Room at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center,  3225 Reservoir Oval E, Bronx, NY 10467. 

 

On Saturday, Dec. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. join a Garden Workday at Hornaday Community Garden, at 851 Hornaday Pl, Bronx, NY 10460.

The Farmers Market at Bronx Park takes place on Sunday, Dec. 17 and Monday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2222 Bronx Park East, Bronx, and is a vibrant and bustling place filled with fresh and delicious produce. There are a variety of vendors selling fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other goods. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, and the prices are very reasonable. Customers can also find locally-made items such as honey, jams, baked goods and more. 

 

Arthur Avenue Comedy’s Fordham Stand-Up takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 8.30 p.m. at Clinton Hall, 601 189th Street, Bronx. Click here for more details.

 

Also on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., join Nature’s Workshop: Nature Ornament Making at Crotona Nature Center,  1702 Crotona Ave, Bronx, NY 10460.

 

On Sunday, Dec. 17, from 11.45 a.m. to 3 p.m., join Kwame Ture’s Holiday Paint Party at Gymnasium (Part B), Kwame Ture Recreation Center, 1527 Jesup Ave, Bronx, NY 10452.

 

Also on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. enjoy Birding: Winter Waterfowl at Van Cortlandt Nature Center, Van Cortlandt Park, Van Cortlandt Park, 246th Street and, Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471.

 

Also on Sunday, Dec. 17, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., join for a Canine Court Volunteer Event at Canine Court, Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx.

On Monday, Dec. 18, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., join a Youth Media Literacy event at Media Lab, Kwame Ture Recreation Center, 1527 Jesup Ave, Bronx, NY 10452.

 

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.

 

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 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

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/.

 

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.

 

DANCE

On Wednesday, Dec. 20, from 6 p.m. to 6.45 p.m., enjoy SharQui – The Bellydance Workout at Bronx Neighborhood Health Action Center, 1826 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NY 10457.

 

FILM 

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.

 

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, opened Nov. 15 at the Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos, 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, off 149th Street and continues through Dec. 20, Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. 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

ART

First Pitch Youth Murals

The Office of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and NYC Department of Youth & Community Development are hosting First Pitch Youth Mural Gallery hours at the dates and times listed in the flier below.

FIRST PITCH YOUTH Murals Gallery Hours
Flier courtesy of the Yankees

 

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.

 

MUSIC

The Office of the Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson presents a Bronx Gospel Concert for Seniors on Monday, Dec. 18. at noon. See attached flier below for details.

FLIER FOR GOSPEL Concert for Seniors
Flier courtesy of the Office of the Bronx Borough President

The Riverdale Choral Society would like to invite members of the Bronx community to join them for “an open sing of selected choruses from Handel’s Messiah.” The Messiah Sing will take place on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Christ Church Riverdale, 5040 Henry Hudson Parkway in The Bronx, and is free and open to everyone. Singers can bring their own scores or can borrow one from the group. The chorus will be conducted by the group’s new music director, Mun-Tzung Wong, and they welcome all voice ranges: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.

 

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, 2023 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)

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

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.

 

On Thursday, Dec. 21, from 4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., enjoy a Winter Solstice Hike and Campfire at Van Cortlandt Nature Center, Van Cortlandt Park, 246th Street and, Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471.

 

Gentle Yoga Flow classes with Shape Up NYC and NYC Parks have begun at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center at 3225 Reservoir Oval East in Norwood since Nov. 9, and continue each Thursday at 6.30 p.m.

 

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, Van Cortlandt Park, 246th Street and, Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471, 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

On Saturday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon, join the NYRR Open Run: Soundview Park at the entrance at Lafayette Avenue and Morrison Avenue (in Soundview Park), Bronx. NYRR Open Run brings free, 5K weekly community-led runs, to neighborhood parks across the greater New York City area.

 

Also on Saturday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon, join the NYRR Open Run: St. Marys Park at 450 St. Ann’s Avenue, at St Ann’s Avenue and Jackson Avenue for the St. Mary’s Annual 5K Start, Bronx. NYRR Open Run Brings free, 5K weekly community-led runs, to neighborhood parks across the greater New York City area.

 

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. Read our latest stories on two of the club’s runners who recently completed the 2023 TCS New York City marathon here and here.

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.

 

 

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.

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