Editor’s Pick

The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468, in association with Sal Abbatiello of Fever Records presents a spectacular display of timeless disco hits, “Disco Fever,” on Saturday, April 15, at 8 p.m. This special concert brings together the most beloved Disco Stars for a nostalgic journey to the golden era of disco music, featuring performances by The Trammps, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, France Joli, Lime, Musique, Rochelle Fleming “The Voice of First Choice”, Carol Douglas, and The Intruders. The event will be hosted by Joe Causi and Sal Abbatiello.  Doors open at 7 p.m. For more information and for tickets, visit https://www.lehmancenter.org/.

 

EVENTS

On select Friday nights from April to September, the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan opens its doors for free (tickets are usually $36), allowing visitors to explore the museum and enjoy free after-hours programming. Free Fridays run on the last Friday of the month (April 28, June 30, July 28, August 25, September 29). Visit intrepidmuseum.org for more details.

 

Applications are open for the 4th Annual Brandon Hendricks scholarship. Click here for more details.

 

NYC Department of Youth & Community Development are honoring Community Moms & Dads this June. See attached flier below for more information.

 

The Office of the Bronx Borough President is hosting her Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner on April 13. See attached flier 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 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.

 

Friends of Devoe Park are seeking artists for a Cultural Expressions Installment Program. See attached flier for more details.

 

Applications of the Fresh Air Fund’s summer camp are now open. See attached flier for more details. See also our recent story on the Fresh Air Fund’s Junior Camp in honor of The Bronx’s Lesandro “Junior” Guzman Feliz.

 

 

Bronxworks and Fordham University wants to connect with residents who may be interested in getting extra support around their academic or career goals. See attached flier for more information.

 

Bronx Arts Space is calling on artists to apply for the Giving Light / BID exhibition. See attached flier below for more information.

Free Earth Day events are being held at the National Museum of the American Indian in Manhattan. Click here for more details.

 

Applications are open for the People’s Choice Award in education as part of the Bronx Walk of Fame 2023 inductions. See attached flier for more information.

Jump into Spring Open House events are taking place at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center through April 15. See attached flier for details.

 

Friends of Devoe Park are hosting a Pollinator Garden event at 10 a.m. on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22 in the park. They will spring clean and remove harmful species, do some ground preparation and sew native pollinator seeds, welcome spring flowers planted last fall, and give an iNaturalist presentation. All ages are welcome, including kids. Tools and gloves are provided.

 

The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage continues through Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the New York Botanical Garden. Acclaimed artist, Lily Kwong, the designer for The Orchid Show’s 20th year, presents a meditative and captivating design inspired by her ancestral connections to the natural world. Kwong’s vibrant and fantastical vision will envelop visitors in thousands of orchids, allowing them to reconnect to nature amidst picture perfect beauty. Be immersed in a mesmerizing array of orchids, enfolded into rolling mountains throughout the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and feel enwrapped in this one-of-a-kind experience. On select nights, to be announced, adults 21 and over can experience the exhibition through Orchid Nights, with music, cash bars, and food available for purchase.

 

The orchid expert is in every Saturday and Select Sundays (April 23), from noon to 4 p.m. in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. On select weekend dates, learn about The New York Botanical Garden’s renowned orchid collection from NYBG horticulture staff. These drop-in sessions provide opportunities to meet the stewards behind the orchid collection and learn how these flowering plants are cared for and cultivated. Visit New York Botanical Garden for more details.

 

“Picking Up the Pieces” is a new 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. 

Dyckman Discussions: Slavery in Greater New York will take place on Saturday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at the Hispanic Society Museum Museum and Library at Dyckman House. See attached flier for more details.

 

Journaling: Finding Peace through Nature is a free, monthly journaling program taking place at Bronx Library Center. The next session in Tuesday, April 11, 2023. See attached flier below for more details.

 

 

A Mother’s Day tribute writing workshop will be held on Saturday, May 13, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more information.

 

A Let’s Sing for Mothers Karaoke event will be held on Monday, May 15, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more details.

 

 

A Silent Disco will be held on Wednesday, April 26, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more details.

 

A Weird Science Fair will be held on Tuesday, May 23, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more details.

The Annual Family Fitness Festival will be held on Saturday, June 24, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more details.

 

A Bring It Talent Show will be held on Friday, June 9, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more details.

 

 

A Family Day will be held on Thursday, May 11, in the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier below for more details.

 

 

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.

 

Co-op City Islamic Center is hosting an Interfaith Solidarity Iftar celebration on April 16, 2023. See attached flier below for more information.

State Sen. Jamaal Bailey is hosting a Community Baby Shower on April 11. Please refer to the attached flier below for details.

 

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.

 

Woodlawn Heights Library hosts The Crochet & Knitting Social Club on April 18, May 16, and June 20. See attached flier for more information.

 

Norwood Farmstand Compost sessions are held in conjunction with Grow NYC on Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at East Gun Hill Road and Dekalb Avenue in Norwood. See attached flier below for details.

 

DANCE

Free Dance/Movement Classes are available in public schools and senior centers in The Bronx, sponsored by Dance Parade. The annual Dance Parade (May 20 this year) advocates dance and movement for everyone, and is happy to make available these free classes under the supervision of Carlye Eckert. If you would like to observe a class, or get out your dancing shoes and participate, you are welcome to join a class at Bronx Arena High School in Soundview on Wednesdays from 2 to 3 p.m. (Break Dance) with Victor Alicea. Visit www.danceparade.org for more information.

 

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, located at 250 Bedford Park Blvd W, Bronx, NY 10468, in association with OZ Productions, International Concerts and Love Productions, presents the world-class, State Ballet of Georgia, on Sunday, April 16, at 6 p.m. Led by Nina Ananiashvili, a native of Georgia and a former Bolshoi prima ballerina, the State Ballet Of Georgia will present their triple bill “Mostly B“: Serenade, with choreography by George Balanchine and music by P. I. Tchaikovsky; Concerto Barocco, with choreography by George Balanchine, and music by J. S. Bach; and Sagalobeli, with choreography by Yuri Possokhov, to Georgian folk music. Tickets can be purchased by calling (718) 960-8833 or online at https://www.lehmancenter.org/events.

The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!) hosts the 22nd Annual BOOGIE DOWN DANCE SERIES (2023) from April 21 to May 30 at BAAD!, 2474 Westchester Avenue in the Westchester Square section of The Bronx. With a diverse line-up of events, the BOOGIE DOWN DANCE SERIES promises to showcase the vibrant artistic community of the borough Bronx. This year’s series will open with the BRIO All Star Dance Concert, featuring previous BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) award winners and the BAAD! Bunny Dance Compilation, a curation of pieces by local choreographers set to the music of Puerto Rican megastar and ally, Bad Bunny.

 

In the spirit of Sankofa, Dancing While Black’s three-part series: Past, Present, and Future, will honor the work and visions of artists who are shepherding Black dance and performance hubs across the United States. Make It Happen: An Alice Teirstein Memorial will celebrate the legacy of the New York dance icon, In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY will present Little Funerals, and finally, BOOGIE DOWN DANCE will come to a close with the New York premiere screening of ¡FENOMENAL! ROMPEFORMA 1989—1996, co-sponsored by CENTRO, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College.

 

The events will take place in a combination of in-person, virtual-only, and hybrid formats, meaning some events will be accessible online via live stream. Ticket prices range from free to $20. BAAD! offers discounts to students and seniors, and free admission to residents of 10474 and 10461 zip codes. For ticketing and additional information, visit BAAD!’s website: www.BAADBronx.org.

Live from the New York Botanical Garden: Bloom Thru by ADÀI performs as part of Orchid Night sessions April 15 and 22 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets for non-member adults (21+) are $39, and for patron/member adults (21+), they are $29. During The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage, adults 21 and over can experience the exhibition through Orchid Nights, with music, cash bars, and food available for purchase in the Conservatory Plaza.

 

Internationally acclaimed musician, ADÀI, invites you into the bright and bold world of The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage with a mix of high-energy, contemporary beats, vocals, and instrumentals. Featuring singer/DJ ADÀI, with musicians and dancers, Bloom Thru is a 45-minute stage show told in three acts, beginning with traditional tunes, blended with modern, Asian-fusion electronic dance music. ADÀI is an ElectroPop producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter performing in New York City and Beijing. Visit New York Botanical Garden for more details.

 

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts also recently announced some important changes to the upcoming performances of Orquesta Aragón and Los Van Van. Due to unforeseen aisa and travel issues, both shows have been rescheduled. Orquesta Aragón, originally scheduled for April 8, has been rescheduled to Saturday, April 29 at 8 p.m. Los Van Van, originally scheduled for April 29, has been rescheduled to Friday, May 26 at 8 p.m.

 

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

 

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 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.

The Comedy of Errors can be seen at Williamsbridge Oval Rec Center on Sunday, May 7, 2023 and is free and open to all. See attached flier for details.

FILM

Bronx Healthy Start and Community Health Center of Richmond and partners present Toxic, a Black Woman’s Story on April 13. See attached flier below for more details.

The film, Dissonance, will be screened at Bronx Community College on April 27 and 28. See attached flier below for more information.

 

ART 

Toward Love & Power is showing at the Bronx Art Space on from April 13 to May 20, 2023.  See attached flier below for more information.

 

The Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center Spring Schedule is attached below.

 

 

The Feel Free Art Festival takes place Saturday, June 17, at the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center. See attached flier for more details.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Bronx River Art Center, located at 1087 East Tremont Ave, PO Box 5002, Bronx, NY 10460, is proud to present five brave, Ukrainian women artists responding to their experience of the war as part of the PEREMOHA/victory/ukr exhibition which runs from March 22 through April 23. The exhibition is curated by Irina Danilova. Click here for more information.

 

New York Foundation of the Arts (NYFA) is offering a grant opportunity for New York State artists (including NYC). The NYSCA/NYFA Artists with Disabilities Grant will distribute cash grants of $1,000 to visual, media, music, performing, literary, and multidisciplinary artists with a disability who have experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis to cover art related expenses. Applications opened on April 4 and will close on Tuesday, June 6. The program is supported by New York State Council on the Arts and administered by NYFA. Visit https://bit.ly/NYSCANYFAGrant for more information.

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.

 

Bronx Arts Factory presents “I See You” from April 14 to June 16, 2023. See attached flier below for more information.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY

Showing from March 31 to May 14, at the Bronx Documentary Center (BDC), located at 614 Courtlandt Ave, Bronx, NY 10451, is “Everyday Bronx,” a Bronx-themed Instagram account with more than 43,000 followers. The exhibit is part of The Everyday Projects, a global initiative to amplify local voices and champion a collective, grassroots form of storytelling.

 

Founded in 2014, Everyday Bronx exclusively features photographs from its followers, and rewrites the narrative of The Bronx, one photo at a time, telling the complex stories from often-overlooked daily lives in the borough. The BDC curated the exhibition in collaboration with Rhynna Rhynna M. Santos, a Puerto Rico-born documentary photographer living and working in the Bronx, who leads a five-member volunteer team who post images every day of the year on Everyday Bronx. Click here for more details.

 

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.

 

KIDS 

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. 

 

BRONX PARKS EVENTS 

Monday, April 10, 2023

Kids Week: Seed Bomb Making 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Pelham Bay Nature Center, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Fresh Food Community Distribution at Padre Plaza noon to 4 p.m. at Padre Plaza, Success Garden, Bronx

Kids Week: Nature Puppet Show 1 p.m. to 2  p.m. at Van Cortlandt Nature Center, Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx

Pop Culture: Modeling and Runway 6:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center, Williamsbridge Oval, Bronx

 

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Kids Week: Ranger Games 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Crotona Nature Center, Crotona Park, Bronx

 

SPOKEN WORD & STORY TELLING 

Bronx County Historical Society presents Spring Poetry Seminars through June 7. See attached flier for more information.

 

 

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.

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

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.

 

New York City of Parks & Recreation has announced that registration is now open for the spring season “Learn to Swim” classes at its indoor pools from March 27 to June 24. The department is offering swim lessons for toddlers, kids & teens, adults, and seniors. Register to join a class here.

 

NY Parks Foundation’s FREE spring Youth Track & Field program begins on April 8 in parks in The Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Whether you want to hone skills or discover a new sport, the youth program for ages 6-17 is perfect for all levels looking to learn and have fun. Participants will practice proper technique, learn new skills, and develop healthy habits all while meeting new friends in their neighborhood park.

Meanwhile, 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 starting in April. 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.

 

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. See attached flier below for details.

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.

 

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.

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.

 

A Sports & Fitness Clinic will be held on April 15 at M.S. 113. See attached flier below for more information.

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, and are recruiting all age groups. Call the numbers in the attached flier, above, for more information.

 

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 micro-mobility options in NYC.

 

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