Volunteering is a great way to make new friends and to give back to your city. Volunteer opportunities usually involve manual labor and may not be appropriate for all ages. Some opportunities require pre-registration. All equipment is provided.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 967-3542

Location: Wolfe's Pond Park Comfort Station (in Wolfes Pond Park)

There will be free art demonstrations for children and young adults by Cristina Cipriani in the Latimer House's fall garden.

Start time: 1:30 pm

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 961-8585

Location: Lewis H. Latimer House (in Lewis H Latimer House)

Spend time outside enjoying nature while helping to keep Prospect Park clean. Families can take a tour of the Park and its waterways and help keep it clean along the way. Gloves, garbage bags and trash grabbers will be provided.

Start time: 2:00 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 287-3400

Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park)

With talent from the Columbia University Music Performance Department, the Manhattan School of Music Community Partnerships Program, and French Cookin’ Blues Band.

ORBIT BRASS QUINTET of the Manhattan School of Music
Matt Gasiorowski, Leader
A glorious sound floats over the park as these fine musicians present traditional and contemporary brass music.

Start time: 2:00 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: 116th Street Overlook (in Riverside Park)

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights.

Start time: 2:00 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 549-3200

Location: Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill)

At the end of an early American funeral, participants were often given a cookie: spiced with caraway, and stamped with a special design, they were often kept for years as a memento of the departed. Although mourning traditions have changed over time, and vary from place to place, what they often have in common is food and drink. From the home parlor to the funeral parlor; from the Irish wakes to sitting Shiva, consumption offers comfort in a time of grief. In this talk we'll look at the culinary traditions surrounding funerals throughout American history, as well as taste some of the food that has offered solace through history.

Start time: 2:30 pm

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 939-0647

Location: Kingsland Homestead

There will be free art demonstrations for children and young adults by Cristina Cipriani in the Latimer House's fall garden.

Start time: 2:30 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 961-8585

Location: Lewis H. Latimer House (in Lewis H Latimer House)

Walk through a scenic area on the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors. See rolling meadows, lake views, bridges of different styles, and a garden with flowers and plants mentioned by Shakespeare.

Groups of seven or more people should call (212) 360-2726 or email tours@centralparknyc.org to schedule a custom tour.

Accessibility level: Moderate inclines and stairs, paths clear and negotiable - only parts accessible to people with disabilities

Start time: 2:30 pm

End time: 3:30 pm

Contact phone: (212) 772-0210

Location: Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (in Central Park)

Imagine yourself in the past. Learn games, pastimes and tasks that were common 200 years ago. At Lefferts Historic House, you can try your hand at needlepoint, games, and more.

Start time: 2:30 pm

End time: 3:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Lefferts Historic House (in Prospect Park)

Talk a walk with one of our naturalists to watch for animals, and investigate little-known facts about the park and its animal residents.

Start time: 3:00 pm

End time: 4:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 287-3400

Location: Audubon Center at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park)

Author Sarah Rose will discuss her best-selling book "For All the Tea in China: How England Stole the World’s Favorite Drink and Changed History.” Tea tasting following the lecture with Harney and Sons Tea Company. Please reserve a seat by calling (718) 206-0545x13 or by e-mailing programs@kingmanor.org. This program is in partnership with the Historic House Trust of New York City adn Open House NY.

Start time: 3:00 pm

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: 718 206 0545 x13

Location: King Manor Museum (in Rufus King Park)

Chef, writer, and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Judith Choate will give a fascinating talk on The Versatile Vegetable. After the talk, taste pumpkin baked goods from Judith and from the Children's Garden in the Orangerie. Registration is required.

Start time: 4:30 pm

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 885-1461

Location: Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum (in Pelham Bay Park)

FLOW returns to Randall's Island Park for 2012 with five new artists and five new site-specific installations along the Park's southern shoreline.

FLOW is a project of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Bronx Museum of the Arts (BxMA), suported by the Rockefeller Foundation and Made Event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 830-7722

Location: Waterfront Pathways along Ward's Island (in Randall's Island Park)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media, an exhibition of works on paper by artist Julio Valdez, curated by Graciela Kartofel. This show includes twenty-one works created during the past two decades of Valdez’ artistic career. Utilizing nontraditional materials and processes, he explores the inseparable spiritual relationship between man and his natural environment; on view through September 13th through October 25, 2012.

Deeply influenced by his Dominican cultural heritage, which has instilled in him an acute connection to nature, Valdez continues to search for and contemplate his own identity. The resulting works use a visual language that echoes traditional Latin American mythology and simultaneously blends his past and present. The mythical nature of Caribbean culture is evident in each of Valdez’s works—he uses ancestral symbols with a profoundly sincere contemporary approach. The lizard, turtle, and yucca plant, all indigenous to the Dominican Republic, are regularly featured in his works and emphasize the bond with his homeland despite his residence in New York City. However, Valdez states, “The physical and psychological distance from my birthplace has allowed a critical distance for re-examining my origins [which has] triggered gradual changes in my artistic vocabulary.”

These intimate works on paper are rich and fragmented scenes where the human body is entangled in a sea of colorful symbols and textures. Paying homage to a tradition of quilting, Valdez employs a system of layered earthen tones, prints, drawings, and other media. These built surfaces are tactile as they are vibrant and have spontaneity similar to surrealist automated drawings. The silhouette plays a prominent role in his work, referencing traditional portraiture’s look inward, but his lack of identifying features transforms them into “the everyman.” Kartofel notes, “Although some are self-portraits, it is frequent for the artist to say, ‘This is my brother… this is my son.’ Each portrait is not only physiognomic, but it is also a study of the relation and interaction between humans and nature.”

The complexity of his artistic process has also led to fruitful explorations of the printmaking process itself. Valdez is a master at combining revolutionary techniques and traditional methods, blurring the boundaries between mediums, as he inserts hand worked elements and torn paper in his prints. He often combines processes such as embossment, à la poupée, chine collé, monotype, silk aquatint, and solar plate printmaking. These processes are directly linked to the themes in his work—his hand application and other direct methods honor ancient cultural traditions of Africa and Latin America.

A native of Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic, Julio Valdez moved to the United States in 1993 after receiving a fellowship to work at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York City. A painter, printmaker and mixed media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally, he has received numerous prestigious international awards, including an Artist-in-Residence Fellowship at The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City (1997-98), the Silver Palette for Painting at the XXXeme Festival International de la Peinture, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France (1998), the Grand Prize at the XVII E. Leon Jimenes Biennial, the Dominican Republic (2000), and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (2003), among others. Valdez’s work can be found in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Instituto de Artes Graficas Oaxaquena in Oaxaca, Mexico, among others. He currently lives and works in New York City. Julio Valdez’s Harlem studio offers print workshops, lectures and classes, for more information visit www.juliovaldez.com.

Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media will travel to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut. On view December 2, 2012 - January 27, 2013.

The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks, and park history. It is located on the third floor of the NYC Parks & Recreation headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for holidays. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/art or call 212-360-8163.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: 212-360-8163

Location: Arsenal (in Central Park)

Wave Hill takes flight as we celebrate birds of prey! This day-long event features live raptor shows, bird walks, discovery tables, owl pellet dissections and more. Overlooking the Hudson River, Wave Hill is the perfect place to spot hawks, eagles, kites, ospreys and falcons.

Photo credit: Joshua Bright

Start time: 9:30 am

End time: 4:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 549-3200

Location: Wave Hill

Join us to view a series of ornamental textiles inspired by the beauty of Staten Island’s Greenbelt.

This exhibit is made possible in part by a DCA Art Fund Grant from the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, (COAHSI), with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Silk Painting Workshop and Reception on Sunday September 29th from 2:00 PM -5:00 PM. For information and registration visit www.statenislandarts.org

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

Learn to play pétanque, the popular European game anchored in precision, patience, and camaraderie from members of La Boule New Yorkaise, NYC's championship-winning club. Available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Petanque Courts (in Bryant Park)

Come play ping pong at Bryant Park!

Paddles and balls will be provided free of charge to all skill levels.

Visit the park and sign up with an attendant, who can arrange a friendly game.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Ping Pong Court (in Bryant Park)

Game boards, including chess, backgammon, checkers, and Scrabble, are available for a small fee. Provided by the Marshall Chess Club.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Fountain Terrace (in Bryant Park),Chess Area (in Bryant Park)

Le Carrousel was specially created to complement the park's French classical style, featuring brightly colored animals and French cabaret music.

$2 per ride, or buy a discount card to enjoy 10 rides for $15.

Weather permitting. Also available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Le Carrousel (in Bryant Park)

For more than ten years, the Corinne May Botz searched for ghost stories in buildings across the United States. She ventured into these haunted places with both camera and tape recorder in hand; her photographs, accompanied by first-person narratives, reveal a rare glimpse into American interiors, both physical and psychological.

She says, “The first thing that inspired the project were writers like Edith Wharton, Charlotte Bronte and even Toni Morrison. Often these ghost stories were written by women as a means of articulating domestic discontents. I was interested in the idea of a woman being trapped in the home or by domestic space and how this was expressed in history."

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Alice Austen House Museum (in Alice Austen Park)

A Double Dutch clinic for children of all ages. Children will be instructed in basic and advanced skills including tricks. Ropes will be provided.

Start time: 12:00 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 234-9603

Location: Hansborough Pool & Recreation Center (in Hansborough Recreation Center)

It's Summertime and no better time to be a part of The In Crowd. Performances by internationally-acclaimed ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, and stride pianists playing the likes of Ella, Ramsey & Scott. Please Say You Will!

Produced in partnership with the Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians and Sam Ash Music Stores.

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 2:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Upper Terrace (in Bryant Park)

FLOW returns to Randall's Island Park for 2012 with five new artists and five new site-specific installations along the Park's southern shoreline.

FLOW is a project of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Bronx Museum of the Arts (BxMA), suported by the Rockefeller Foundation and Made Event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 830-7722

Location: Waterfront Pathways along Ward's Island (in Randall's Island Park)

Join us for a free fitness walking program for adults at Fort Totten Park!

Sponsored by The Fitness Consultants.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 352-4793

Location: Fort Totten Front Gate (in Fort Totten Park)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media, an exhibition of works on paper by artist Julio Valdez, curated by Graciela Kartofel. This show includes twenty-one works created during the past two decades of Valdez’ artistic career. Utilizing nontraditional materials and processes, he explores the inseparable spiritual relationship between man and his natural environment; on view through September 13th through October 25, 2012.

Deeply influenced by his Dominican cultural heritage, which has instilled in him an acute connection to nature, Valdez continues to search for and contemplate his own identity. The resulting works use a visual language that echoes traditional Latin American mythology and simultaneously blends his past and present. The mythical nature of Caribbean culture is evident in each of Valdez’s works—he uses ancestral symbols with a profoundly sincere contemporary approach. The lizard, turtle, and yucca plant, all indigenous to the Dominican Republic, are regularly featured in his works and emphasize the bond with his homeland despite his residence in New York City. However, Valdez states, “The physical and psychological distance from my birthplace has allowed a critical distance for re-examining my origins [which has] triggered gradual changes in my artistic vocabulary.”

These intimate works on paper are rich and fragmented scenes where the human body is entangled in a sea of colorful symbols and textures. Paying homage to a tradition of quilting, Valdez employs a system of layered earthen tones, prints, drawings, and other media. These built surfaces are tactile as they are vibrant and have spontaneity similar to surrealist automated drawings. The silhouette plays a prominent role in his work, referencing traditional portraiture’s look inward, but his lack of identifying features transforms them into “the everyman.” Kartofel notes, “Although some are self-portraits, it is frequent for the artist to say, ‘This is my brother… this is my son.’ Each portrait is not only physiognomic, but it is also a study of the relation and interaction between humans and nature.”

The complexity of his artistic process has also led to fruitful explorations of the printmaking process itself. Valdez is a master at combining revolutionary techniques and traditional methods, blurring the boundaries between mediums, as he inserts hand worked elements and torn paper in his prints. He often combines processes such as embossment, à la poupée, chine collé, monotype, silk aquatint, and solar plate printmaking. These processes are directly linked to the themes in his work—his hand application and other direct methods honor ancient cultural traditions of Africa and Latin America.

A native of Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic, Julio Valdez moved to the United States in 1993 after receiving a fellowship to work at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York City. A painter, printmaker and mixed media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally, he has received numerous prestigious international awards, including an Artist-in-Residence Fellowship at The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City (1997-98), the Silver Palette for Painting at the XXXeme Festival International de la Peinture, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France (1998), the Grand Prize at the XVII E. Leon Jimenes Biennial, the Dominican Republic (2000), and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (2003), among others. Valdez’s work can be found in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Instituto de Artes Graficas Oaxaquena in Oaxaca, Mexico, among others. He currently lives and works in New York City. Julio Valdez’s Harlem studio offers print workshops, lectures and classes, for more information visit www.juliovaldez.com.

Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media will travel to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut. On view December 2, 2012 - January 27, 2013.

The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks, and park history. It is located on the third floor of the NYC Parks & Recreation headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for holidays. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/art or call 212-360-8163.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: 212-360-8163

Location: Arsenal (in Central Park)

This multifaceted exhibition examines the life and work of the Impressionist master by highlighting his passion for gardening and the inspiration he drew from his living masterpiece, the garden on the grounds of his home in Giverny, France. Monet's Garden has components in several venues throughout the Garden and has a rich assortment of programming, including concerts and family activities. The curator for this exhibition is Professor Paul Hayes Tucker, the World's foremost authorities on Monet and Impressionism.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: 718-817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Join us to view a series of ornamental textiles inspired by the beauty of Staten Island’s Greenbelt.

This exhibit is made possible in part by a DCA Art Fund Grant from the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, (COAHSI), with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Silk Painting Workshop and Reception on Sunday September 29th from 2:00 PM -5:00 PM. For information and registration visit www.statenislandarts.org

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

From Saturday, October 6, through Wednesday, October 31, The Haunted Pumpkin Garden at The New York Botanical Garden will treat visitors to frightful Halloween fun. Experience the thrills and chills of the season with a garden full of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, bugs, bats, parties, and parades. On October 20 and 21, master carver Ray Villafane of Food Network fame will transform humongous pumpkins into zombies and other unearthly creatures. Pumpkin sculptures of spooky scarecrows, frightening spiders, sneaky snakes, and more await discovery at every turn in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Every day, youngsters can play inside a “gourd-geous” Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, learn about owls, and join a Halloween Parade, while every weekend offers even more treats.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

On It's My Park Day, volunteers will be cleaning the playground area and planting in the gardens.

Start time: 10:30 am

End time: 2:30 pm

Contact phone: (718 )965-8902

Location: Seth Low Playground (in Seth Low Playground/ Bealin Square)

Learn to play pétanque, the popular European game anchored in precision, patience, and camaraderie from members of La Boule New Yorkaise, NYC's championship-winning club. Available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Petanque Courts (in Bryant Park)

Come play ping pong at Bryant Park!

Paddles and balls will be provided free of charge to all skill levels.

Visit the park and sign up with an attendant, who can arrange a friendly game.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Ping Pong Court (in Bryant Park)

Game boards, including chess, backgammon, checkers, and Scrabble, are available for a small fee. Provided by the Marshall Chess Club.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Fountain Terrace (in Bryant Park),Chess Area (in Bryant Park)

Le Carrousel was specially created to complement the park's French classical style, featuring brightly colored animals and French cabaret music.

$2 per ride, or buy a discount card to enjoy 10 rides for $15.

Weather permitting. Also available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Le Carrousel (in Bryant Park)

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 12:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 549-3200

Location: Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill)

For more than ten years, the Corinne May Botz searched for ghost stories in buildings across the United States. She ventured into these haunted places with both camera and tape recorder in hand; her photographs, accompanied by first-person narratives, reveal a rare glimpse into American interiors, both physical and psychological.

She says, “The first thing that inspired the project were writers like Edith Wharton, Charlotte Bronte and even Toni Morrison. Often these ghost stories were written by women as a means of articulating domestic discontents. I was interested in the idea of a woman being trapped in the home or by domestic space and how this was expressed in history."

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Alice Austen House Museum (in Alice Austen Park)

It's Summertime and no better time to be a part of The In Crowd. Performances by internationally-acclaimed ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, and stride pianists playing the likes of Ella, Ramsey & Scott. Please Say You Will!

Produced in partnership with the Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians and Sam Ash Music Stores.

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 2:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Upper Terrace (in Bryant Park)

Imagine living as a 19th century New Yorker taking a journey through Central Park. Along the way, you will learn about the Park's history and hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to turn their visions into our reality.

Groups of seven or more people should call (212) 360-2726 or email tours@centralparknyc.org to schedule a custom tour.

Accessibility level: Easy to negotiate; paths and few stairs - mostly accessible to people with disabilities

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 1:30 pm

Contact phone: (212) 794-4064

Location: Outside the Dairy Gift Shop (in Central Park)

Take a stab at the modern sport of fencing with masters from Manhattan Fencing Center.

No prior experience needed and equipment is provided.

Registration required

Call 212-382-2255 or drop-ins to register

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 768-4242

Location: Fifth Avenue Terrace (in Bryant Park)

Join an exhibition interpreter for one of our regularly scheduled tours of Wave Hill’s fall exhibition Foregrounding the Palisades, sculptural installations by artists Isidro Blasco, Blane de St. Croix and Paula Winokur that focus on the cliffs across the Hudson River, a quintessential feature of Wave Hill’s vista—and history. In the Sunroom, Crystal Z. Campbell and Yeon Ji Yoo fill the space with site-specific works inspired by local social and natural history.

Start time: 2:00 pm

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 549-3200

Location: Wave Hill

We are pleased to announce that we have added 4 fall Zumba classes to our schedule. Join us for this fun, aerobic exercise that mixes Latin and African dance steps.

For directions or additional information, please call (718) 352-4793.

Start time: 5:30 pm

End time: 6:30 pm

Contact phone: 718-352-4793

Location: Hockey Rink (in Little Bay Park)

Garden along Brooklyn's beautiful waterfront! The Green Team provides essential horticultural care to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Weekly projects may include planting, mulching, and removing invasive plants. The Green Team is a wonderful opportunity to learn about gardening, enjoy nature, and make the park look its best.

Start time: 6:00 pm

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park: Main Street (in Brooklyn Bridge Park)

FLOW returns to Randall's Island Park for 2012 with five new artists and five new site-specific installations along the Park's southern shoreline.

FLOW is a project of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Bronx Museum of the Arts (BxMA), suported by the Rockefeller Foundation and Made Event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 830-7722

Location: Waterfront Pathways along Ward's Island (in Randall's Island Park)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media, an exhibition of works on paper by artist Julio Valdez, curated by Graciela Kartofel. This show includes twenty-one works created during the past two decades of Valdez’ artistic career. Utilizing nontraditional materials and processes, he explores the inseparable spiritual relationship between man and his natural environment; on view through September 13th through October 25, 2012.

Deeply influenced by his Dominican cultural heritage, which has instilled in him an acute connection to nature, Valdez continues to search for and contemplate his own identity. The resulting works use a visual language that echoes traditional Latin American mythology and simultaneously blends his past and present. The mythical nature of Caribbean culture is evident in each of Valdez’s works—he uses ancestral symbols with a profoundly sincere contemporary approach. The lizard, turtle, and yucca plant, all indigenous to the Dominican Republic, are regularly featured in his works and emphasize the bond with his homeland despite his residence in New York City. However, Valdez states, “The physical and psychological distance from my birthplace has allowed a critical distance for re-examining my origins [which has] triggered gradual changes in my artistic vocabulary.”

These intimate works on paper are rich and fragmented scenes where the human body is entangled in a sea of colorful symbols and textures. Paying homage to a tradition of quilting, Valdez employs a system of layered earthen tones, prints, drawings, and other media. These built surfaces are tactile as they are vibrant and have spontaneity similar to surrealist automated drawings. The silhouette plays a prominent role in his work, referencing traditional portraiture’s look inward, but his lack of identifying features transforms them into “the everyman.” Kartofel notes, “Although some are self-portraits, it is frequent for the artist to say, ‘This is my brother… this is my son.’ Each portrait is not only physiognomic, but it is also a study of the relation and interaction between humans and nature.”

The complexity of his artistic process has also led to fruitful explorations of the printmaking process itself. Valdez is a master at combining revolutionary techniques and traditional methods, blurring the boundaries between mediums, as he inserts hand worked elements and torn paper in his prints. He often combines processes such as embossment, à la poupée, chine collé, monotype, silk aquatint, and solar plate printmaking. These processes are directly linked to the themes in his work—his hand application and other direct methods honor ancient cultural traditions of Africa and Latin America.

A native of Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic, Julio Valdez moved to the United States in 1993 after receiving a fellowship to work at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York City. A painter, printmaker and mixed media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally, he has received numerous prestigious international awards, including an Artist-in-Residence Fellowship at The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City (1997-98), the Silver Palette for Painting at the XXXeme Festival International de la Peinture, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France (1998), the Grand Prize at the XVII E. Leon Jimenes Biennial, the Dominican Republic (2000), and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (2003), among others. Valdez’s work can be found in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Instituto de Artes Graficas Oaxaquena in Oaxaca, Mexico, among others. He currently lives and works in New York City. Julio Valdez’s Harlem studio offers print workshops, lectures and classes, for more information visit www.juliovaldez.com.

Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media will travel to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut. On view December 2, 2012 - January 27, 2013.

The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks, and park history. It is located on the third floor of the NYC Parks & Recreation headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for holidays. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/art or call 212-360-8163.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: 212-360-8163

Location: Arsenal (in Central Park)

This multifaceted exhibition examines the life and work of the Impressionist master by highlighting his passion for gardening and the inspiration he drew from his living masterpiece, the garden on the grounds of his home in Giverny, France. Monet's Garden has components in several venues throughout the Garden and has a rich assortment of programming, including concerts and family activities. The curator for this exhibition is Professor Paul Hayes Tucker, the World's foremost authorities on Monet and Impressionism.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: 718-817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Shop for farm fresh fruits , herbs and vegetables,baked cookies,and cakes. There will be a tea tasting and Stellar Market cooking demonstrations as well as representatives from Just Food offering their tips. Nutritional information and health literature will be offered.US cash EBT and WIC vouchers accepted.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 877-7113

Location: Padre Plaza, Success Garden (in Padre Plaza)

Join us to view a series of ornamental textiles inspired by the beauty of Staten Island’s Greenbelt.

This exhibit is made possible in part by a DCA Art Fund Grant from the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, (COAHSI), with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Silk Painting Workshop and Reception on Sunday September 29th from 2:00 PM -5:00 PM. For information and registration visit www.statenislandarts.org

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

From Saturday, October 6, through Wednesday, October 31, The Haunted Pumpkin Garden at The New York Botanical Garden will treat visitors to frightful Halloween fun. Experience the thrills and chills of the season with a garden full of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, bugs, bats, parties, and parades. On October 20 and 21, master carver Ray Villafane of Food Network fame will transform humongous pumpkins into zombies and other unearthly creatures. Pumpkin sculptures of spooky scarecrows, frightening spiders, sneaky snakes, and more await discovery at every turn in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Every day, youngsters can play inside a “gourd-geous” Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, learn about owls, and join a Halloween Parade, while every weekend offers even more treats.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

The Alliance for Downtown New York is giving away 4,000 geraniums at Bowling Green park as part of its annual Green Around Lower Manhattan programming to create a sustainable Lower Manhattan. They are being given away for free, so come adopt a geranium and enjoy a potted plant in your home or office.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 12:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 566-6700

Location: Bowling Green

The top of Moses Mt. offers a large expanse of sky, perfect for viewing migrating hawks and other raptors.

Possibilities include red-tailed, Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks, turkey and black vultures, and maybe even a bald eagle.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 12:00 pm

Contact phone: 718.483.7110

Location: Parking Area (in High Rock Park)

Learn to play pétanque, the popular European game anchored in precision, patience, and camaraderie from members of La Boule New Yorkaise, NYC's championship-winning club. Available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Petanque Courts (in Bryant Park)

Come play ping pong at Bryant Park!

Paddles and balls will be provided free of charge to all skill levels.

Visit the park and sign up with an attendant, who can arrange a friendly game.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Ping Pong Court (in Bryant Park)

Game boards, including chess, backgammon, checkers, and Scrabble, are available for a small fee. Provided by the Marshall Chess Club.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Fountain Terrace (in Bryant Park),Chess Area (in Bryant Park)

Le Carrousel was specially created to complement the park's French classical style, featuring brightly colored animals and French cabaret music.

$2 per ride, or buy a discount card to enjoy 10 rides for $15.

Weather permitting. Also available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Le Carrousel (in Bryant Park)

For more than ten years, the Corinne May Botz searched for ghost stories in buildings across the United States. She ventured into these haunted places with both camera and tape recorder in hand; her photographs, accompanied by first-person narratives, reveal a rare glimpse into American interiors, both physical and psychological.

She says, “The first thing that inspired the project were writers like Edith Wharton, Charlotte Bronte and even Toni Morrison. Often these ghost stories were written by women as a means of articulating domestic discontents. I was interested in the idea of a woman being trapped in the home or by domestic space and how this was expressed in history."

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Alice Austen House Museum (in Alice Austen Park)

It's Summertime and no better time to be a part of The In Crowd. Performances by internationally-acclaimed ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, and stride pianists playing the likes of Ella, Ramsey & Scott. Please Say You Will!

Produced in partnership with the Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians and Sam Ash Music Stores.

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 2:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Upper Terrace (in Bryant Park)

Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies sail down the East River and approach. History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs.

Groups of seven or more people should call (212) 360-2726 or email tours@centralparknyc.org to schedule a custom tour.

Accessibility level: Hilly, stairs, and a few Park-related obstacles to negotiate - not recommended for people with disabilities

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 1:30 pm

Contact phone: (212) 860-1370

Location: Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park)

Fresh Grown Produce, Baked Goods, Flowers and more. We accept USD Cash, EBT ,WIC ,Farm Checks, Debit and Credit cards

Start time: 3:30 pm

End time: 6:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Hands and Heart Community Garden

Over the past three years, Columbia Secondary School students have played an integral role in building a school cafeteria compost project, from classroom worm bins to outdoor garden compost. This workshop, led by 7th and 8th grade students from Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, and Engineering, will focus on on-site compost possibilities for school gardens. They will discuss what compost is and the principles of composting, why and how their school composts, and strategies to engage school communities and students in cafeteria composting.

Grow to Learn registered school gardens may request soil, compost, and lumber for spring delivery.

Start time: 5:30 pm

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 788-8073

Location: Old Croton Aqueduct Gatehouse

This three-part workshop will focus on maintaining and building healthy soil, vital to any productive garden, whether you grow vegetables or flowers. Learn what soil is, how to enrich it the organic way, and what concerns exist for soil in urban areas. Parts 1 and 2 will take place at The New York Botanical Garden, and Part 3 will be hands-on at a Bronx community garden.

Pre-registration is required.

To register or for more information, call 718.817.8026 or e-mail skatz@nybg.org

Start time: 6:00 pm

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone: 718-817-8026

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Honoring Grassroots leaders for a more democratic food system. Winners include: Korean Women's Peasant Association. National Fisheries Solidarity Movement. Unified Peasants Movemen tof the Aguan. Coalition of the Immokalee Workers.Special Guests: Olivier De Scutter, Tom Morello, Karen Washington.

RSVP is required.

Start time: 7:00 pm

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Museum of the American Indian

FLOW returns to Randall's Island Park for 2012 with five new artists and five new site-specific installations along the Park's southern shoreline.

FLOW is a project of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Bronx Museum of the Arts (BxMA), suported by the Rockefeller Foundation and Made Event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 830-7722

Location: Waterfront Pathways along Ward's Island (in Randall's Island Park)

DIscover the varieties of birds that call Bryant Park home during the migratory season with guided tours.

Presented in partnership with the New York City Audubon Society

Start time: 8:00 am

End time: 9:00 am

Contact phone:

Location: 'wichcraft coffee kiosk (in Bryant Park)

Join us for a free fitness walking program for adults at Fort Totten Park!

Sponsored by The Fitness Consultants.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 352-4793

Location: Fort Totten Front Gate (in Fort Totten Park)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media, an exhibition of works on paper by artist Julio Valdez, curated by Graciela Kartofel. This show includes twenty-one works created during the past two decades of Valdez’ artistic career. Utilizing nontraditional materials and processes, he explores the inseparable spiritual relationship between man and his natural environment; on view through September 13th through October 25, 2012.

Deeply influenced by his Dominican cultural heritage, which has instilled in him an acute connection to nature, Valdez continues to search for and contemplate his own identity. The resulting works use a visual language that echoes traditional Latin American mythology and simultaneously blends his past and present. The mythical nature of Caribbean culture is evident in each of Valdez’s works—he uses ancestral symbols with a profoundly sincere contemporary approach. The lizard, turtle, and yucca plant, all indigenous to the Dominican Republic, are regularly featured in his works and emphasize the bond with his homeland despite his residence in New York City. However, Valdez states, “The physical and psychological distance from my birthplace has allowed a critical distance for re-examining my origins [which has] triggered gradual changes in my artistic vocabulary.”

These intimate works on paper are rich and fragmented scenes where the human body is entangled in a sea of colorful symbols and textures. Paying homage to a tradition of quilting, Valdez employs a system of layered earthen tones, prints, drawings, and other media. These built surfaces are tactile as they are vibrant and have spontaneity similar to surrealist automated drawings. The silhouette plays a prominent role in his work, referencing traditional portraiture’s look inward, but his lack of identifying features transforms them into “the everyman.” Kartofel notes, “Although some are self-portraits, it is frequent for the artist to say, ‘This is my brother… this is my son.’ Each portrait is not only physiognomic, but it is also a study of the relation and interaction between humans and nature.”

The complexity of his artistic process has also led to fruitful explorations of the printmaking process itself. Valdez is a master at combining revolutionary techniques and traditional methods, blurring the boundaries between mediums, as he inserts hand worked elements and torn paper in his prints. He often combines processes such as embossment, à la poupée, chine collé, monotype, silk aquatint, and solar plate printmaking. These processes are directly linked to the themes in his work—his hand application and other direct methods honor ancient cultural traditions of Africa and Latin America.

A native of Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic, Julio Valdez moved to the United States in 1993 after receiving a fellowship to work at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York City. A painter, printmaker and mixed media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally, he has received numerous prestigious international awards, including an Artist-in-Residence Fellowship at The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City (1997-98), the Silver Palette for Painting at the XXXeme Festival International de la Peinture, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France (1998), the Grand Prize at the XVII E. Leon Jimenes Biennial, the Dominican Republic (2000), and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (2003), among others. Valdez’s work can be found in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Instituto de Artes Graficas Oaxaquena in Oaxaca, Mexico, among others. He currently lives and works in New York City. Julio Valdez’s Harlem studio offers print workshops, lectures and classes, for more information visit www.juliovaldez.com.

Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media will travel to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut. On view December 2, 2012 - January 27, 2013.

The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks, and park history. It is located on the third floor of the NYC Parks & Recreation headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for holidays. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/art or call 212-360-8163.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: 212-360-8163

Location: Arsenal (in Central Park)

This multifaceted exhibition examines the life and work of the Impressionist master by highlighting his passion for gardening and the inspiration he drew from his living masterpiece, the garden on the grounds of his home in Giverny, France. Monet's Garden has components in several venues throughout the Garden and has a rich assortment of programming, including concerts and family activities. The curator for this exhibition is Professor Paul Hayes Tucker, the World's foremost authorities on Monet and Impressionism.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: 718-817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Join us to view a series of ornamental textiles inspired by the beauty of Staten Island’s Greenbelt.

This exhibit is made possible in part by a DCA Art Fund Grant from the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, (COAHSI), with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Silk Painting Workshop and Reception on Sunday September 29th from 2:00 PM -5:00 PM. For information and registration visit www.statenislandarts.org

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

From Saturday, October 6, through Wednesday, October 31, The Haunted Pumpkin Garden at The New York Botanical Garden will treat visitors to frightful Halloween fun. Experience the thrills and chills of the season with a garden full of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, bugs, bats, parties, and parades. On October 20 and 21, master carver Ray Villafane of Food Network fame will transform humongous pumpkins into zombies and other unearthly creatures. Pumpkin sculptures of spooky scarecrows, frightening spiders, sneaky snakes, and more await discovery at every turn in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Every day, youngsters can play inside a “gourd-geous” Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, learn about owls, and join a Halloween Parade, while every weekend offers even more treats.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Learn to play pétanque, the popular European game anchored in precision, patience, and camaraderie from members of La Boule New Yorkaise, NYC's championship-winning club. Available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Petanque Courts (in Bryant Park)

Come play ping pong at Bryant Park!

Paddles and balls will be provided free of charge to all skill levels.

Visit the park and sign up with an attendant, who can arrange a friendly game.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Ping Pong Court (in Bryant Park)

Game boards, including chess, backgammon, checkers, and Scrabble, are available for a small fee. Provided by the Marshall Chess Club.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Fountain Terrace (in Bryant Park),Chess Area (in Bryant Park)

Le Carrousel was specially created to complement the park's French classical style, featuring brightly colored animals and French cabaret music.

$2 per ride, or buy a discount card to enjoy 10 rides for $15.

Weather permitting. Also available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Le Carrousel (in Bryant Park)

For more than ten years, the Corinne May Botz searched for ghost stories in buildings across the United States. She ventured into these haunted places with both camera and tape recorder in hand; her photographs, accompanied by first-person narratives, reveal a rare glimpse into American interiors, both physical and psychological.

She says, “The first thing that inspired the project were writers like Edith Wharton, Charlotte Bronte and even Toni Morrison. Often these ghost stories were written by women as a means of articulating domestic discontents. I was interested in the idea of a woman being trapped in the home or by domestic space and how this was expressed in history."

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Alice Austen House Museum (in Alice Austen Park)

It's Summertime and no better time to be a part of The In Crowd. Performances by internationally-acclaimed ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, and stride pianists playing the likes of Ella, Ramsey & Scott. Please Say You Will!

Produced in partnership with the Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians and Sam Ash Music Stores.

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 2:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Upper Terrace (in Bryant Park)

Join us for a tour through Central Park in which you will see a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water, and much more!

Groups of seven or more people should call (212) 360-2726 or email tours@centralparknyc.org to schedule a custom tour.

Accessibility level: Easy to negotiate; paths and few stairs - mostly accessible to people with disabilities

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 1:45 pm

Contact phone: (212) 772-0210

Location: East 72 Street and Fifth Avenue (in Central Park)

Make the most of your visit and stop by the High Line Field Station to chat with High Line Greeters. These dedicated volunteers can answer your questions and provide information about the park’s unique design, history, horticulture, art, and more.

The High Line Field Station is open every Thursday and Friday afternoon between 3:00 and 7:00 PM, and every Saturday and Sunday between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Start time: 3:00 pm

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 206-9922

Location: Chelsea Market Passage (in The High Line)

Play your hardest at this fun-filled instructional clinic on an official Central Park soccer field. Enhance your soccer skills and learn about sportsmanship while meeting new friends.

Ages 6-9. Registration required; please call 212-348-4867 to register or for more information, visit Central Park Conservancy's Central Park recreation page. Clinics are held every Thursday from September 20, 2012 to October 11, 2012 at the North Meadow Soccer Fields (mid-Park at 97th Street).

Start time: 4:00 pm

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 348-4867

Location: North Meadow Recreation Center (in Central Park)

Chickens have many uses, especially in New York City! These interactive workshops, taught by Bee Ayers of bk farmyards, will teach you about the benefits of raising chickens in an urban setting. We have workshops that are suitable for all levels of knowledge.

Event occurs on the second Thursday of each month from June through October
Schenectady Avenue Community Garden
87-91 Schenectady Ave., Brooklyn

Start time: 5:30 pm

End time: 7:30 pm

Contact phone: (212) 333-2552

Location: Schenectady Avenue Community Garden

Do you want to eat fresh from your garden in December? Come learn how to grow food early in the spring and late into the fall by using simple hoops and row covers to keep your crops warm. This method is being used by farmers and gardeners to grow leafy greens all year round!

This workshop is offered in partnership with Just Food.

Start time: 5:30 pm

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 645-9880 x221

Location: Walt L. Shemal Garden (in Walt L Shemal Garden)

FLOW returns to Randall's Island Park for 2012 with five new artists and five new site-specific installations along the Park's southern shoreline.

FLOW is a project of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Bronx Museum of the Arts (BxMA), suported by the Rockefeller Foundation and Made Event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 830-7722

Location: Waterfront Pathways along Ward's Island (in Randall's Island Park)

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is pleased to announce Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media, an exhibition of works on paper by artist Julio Valdez, curated by Graciela Kartofel. This show includes twenty-one works created during the past two decades of Valdez’ artistic career. Utilizing nontraditional materials and processes, he explores the inseparable spiritual relationship between man and his natural environment; on view through September 13th through October 25, 2012.

Deeply influenced by his Dominican cultural heritage, which has instilled in him an acute connection to nature, Valdez continues to search for and contemplate his own identity. The resulting works use a visual language that echoes traditional Latin American mythology and simultaneously blends his past and present. The mythical nature of Caribbean culture is evident in each of Valdez’s works—he uses ancestral symbols with a profoundly sincere contemporary approach. The lizard, turtle, and yucca plant, all indigenous to the Dominican Republic, are regularly featured in his works and emphasize the bond with his homeland despite his residence in New York City. However, Valdez states, “The physical and psychological distance from my birthplace has allowed a critical distance for re-examining my origins [which has] triggered gradual changes in my artistic vocabulary.”

These intimate works on paper are rich and fragmented scenes where the human body is entangled in a sea of colorful symbols and textures. Paying homage to a tradition of quilting, Valdez employs a system of layered earthen tones, prints, drawings, and other media. These built surfaces are tactile as they are vibrant and have spontaneity similar to surrealist automated drawings. The silhouette plays a prominent role in his work, referencing traditional portraiture’s look inward, but his lack of identifying features transforms them into “the everyman.” Kartofel notes, “Although some are self-portraits, it is frequent for the artist to say, ‘This is my brother… this is my son.’ Each portrait is not only physiognomic, but it is also a study of the relation and interaction between humans and nature.”

The complexity of his artistic process has also led to fruitful explorations of the printmaking process itself. Valdez is a master at combining revolutionary techniques and traditional methods, blurring the boundaries between mediums, as he inserts hand worked elements and torn paper in his prints. He often combines processes such as embossment, à la poupée, chine collé, monotype, silk aquatint, and solar plate printmaking. These processes are directly linked to the themes in his work—his hand application and other direct methods honor ancient cultural traditions of Africa and Latin America.

A native of Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic, Julio Valdez moved to the United States in 1993 after receiving a fellowship to work at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in New York City. A painter, printmaker and mixed media artist whose work has been exhibited internationally, he has received numerous prestigious international awards, including an Artist-in-Residence Fellowship at The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City (1997-98), the Silver Palette for Painting at the XXXeme Festival International de la Peinture, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France (1998), the Grand Prize at the XVII E. Leon Jimenes Biennial, the Dominican Republic (2000), and the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (2003), among others. Valdez’s work can be found in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Instituto de Artes Graficas Oaxaquena in Oaxaca, Mexico, among others. He currently lives and works in New York City. Julio Valdez’s Harlem studio offers print workshops, lectures and classes, for more information visit www.juliovaldez.com.

Nature: Prints, Drawings, and Mixed Media will travel to the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut. On view December 2, 2012 - January 27, 2013.

The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks, and park history. It is located on the third floor of the NYC Parks & Recreation headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for holidays. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/parks/art or call 212-360-8163.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: 212-360-8163

Location: Arsenal (in Central Park)

This multifaceted exhibition examines the life and work of the Impressionist master by highlighting his passion for gardening and the inspiration he drew from his living masterpiece, the garden on the grounds of his home in Giverny, France. Monet's Garden has components in several venues throughout the Garden and has a rich assortment of programming, including concerts and family activities. The curator for this exhibition is Professor Paul Hayes Tucker, the World's foremost authorities on Monet and Impressionism.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: 718-817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Join us to view a series of ornamental textiles inspired by the beauty of Staten Island’s Greenbelt.

This exhibit is made possible in part by a DCA Art Fund Grant from the Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island, (COAHSI), with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Silk Painting Workshop and Reception on Sunday September 29th from 2:00 PM -5:00 PM. For information and registration visit www.statenislandarts.org

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

From Saturday, October 6, through Wednesday, October 31, The Haunted Pumpkin Garden at The New York Botanical Garden will treat visitors to frightful Halloween fun. Experience the thrills and chills of the season with a garden full of intricately carved pumpkin sculptures, bugs, bats, parties, and parades. On October 20 and 21, master carver Ray Villafane of Food Network fame will transform humongous pumpkins into zombies and other unearthly creatures. Pumpkin sculptures of spooky scarecrows, frightening spiders, sneaky snakes, and more await discovery at every turn in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. Every day, youngsters can play inside a “gourd-geous” Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, learn about owls, and join a Halloween Parade, while every weekend offers even more treats.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 817-8700

Location: Watson Building, Room 302 (in Bronx Park)

Learn to play pétanque, the popular European game anchored in precision, patience, and camaraderie from members of La Boule New Yorkaise, NYC's championship-winning club. Available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Petanque Courts (in Bryant Park)

Come play ping pong at Bryant Park!

Paddles and balls will be provided free of charge to all skill levels.

Visit the park and sign up with an attendant, who can arrange a friendly game.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Ping Pong Court (in Bryant Park)

Game boards, including chess, backgammon, checkers, and Scrabble, are available for a small fee. Provided by the Marshall Chess Club.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Fountain Terrace (in Bryant Park),Chess Area (in Bryant Park)

Le Carrousel was specially created to complement the park's French classical style, featuring brightly colored animals and French cabaret music.

$2 per ride, or buy a discount card to enjoy 10 rides for $15.

Weather permitting. Also available for parties.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 8:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Le Carrousel (in Bryant Park)

Attention neighborhood foodists: it’s your favorite time of year! Mad. Sq. Eats is returning to Worth Square Friday, September 21! This month-long outdoor market will bring you 26 vendors from some of the city’s most raved about eateries, including returning Mad. Sq. Eats favorites as well as some newbies to keep things feeling fresh.

With the extensive line-up of vendors, be sure to stop by early and often and try it all! All are welcome to stop on by, grab a drink and EAT! Mad. Sq. Eats is open daily September 21 through October 19 from 11am to 9pm.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time:

Contact phone:

Location:

For more than ten years, the Corinne May Botz searched for ghost stories in buildings across the United States. She ventured into these haunted places with both camera and tape recorder in hand; her photographs, accompanied by first-person narratives, reveal a rare glimpse into American interiors, both physical and psychological.

She says, “The first thing that inspired the project were writers like Edith Wharton, Charlotte Bronte and even Toni Morrison. Often these ghost stories were written by women as a means of articulating domestic discontents. I was interested in the idea of a woman being trapped in the home or by domestic space and how this was expressed in history."

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Alice Austen House Museum (in Alice Austen Park)

It's Summertime and no better time to be a part of The In Crowd. Performances by internationally-acclaimed ragtime, jazz, boogie-woogie, and stride pianists playing the likes of Ella, Ramsey & Scott. Please Say You Will!

Produced in partnership with the Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians and Sam Ash Music Stores.

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 2:30 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Upper Terrace (in Bryant Park)

Walk from the Dairy to Belvedere Castle and learn about the intricate design of Central Park's web of pastoral landscapes and formal romantic vistas.

Groups of seven or more people should call (212) 360-2726 or email tours@centralparknyc.org to schedule a custom tour.

Accessibility level: Hilly, stairs, and a few Park-related obstacles to negotiate - not recommended for people with disabilities.

Start time: 12:30 pm

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 794-4064

Location: Outside the Dairy Gift Shop (in Central Park)

Free tours of the Conference House on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. There is a charge for group tours which are booked separately. Please visit www.conferencehouse.org or call 718-984-6046 for more information.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time: 4:00 pm

Contact phone: 718-984-6046

Location: Conference House Museum (in Conference House Park)

Join the Greenbelt Natural Resources Team in exploring our non-native plant species. A great opportunity to learn about our most pesky invasive species and the threats they present to our parks. We will be inside for an overview and then outside for an exploration. Bring Lunch. Suitable for ages 16 and up. Free program. Registration recommended.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 667-2165 ext 301

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

Make the most of your visit and stop by the High Line Field Station to chat with High Line Greeters. These dedicated volunteers can answer your questions and provide information about the park’s unique design, history, horticulture, art, and more.

The High Line Field Station is open every Thursday and Friday afternoon between 3:00 and 7:00 PM, and every Saturday and Sunday between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM.

Start time: 3:00 pm

End time: 7:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 206-9922

Location: Chelsea Market Passage (in The High Line)

FLOW returns to Randall's Island Park for 2012 with five new artists and five new site-specific installations along the Park's southern shoreline.

FLOW is a project of the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Bronx Museum of the Arts (BxMA), suported by the Rockefeller Foundation and Made Event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 9:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 830-7722

Location: Waterfront Pathways along Ward's Island (in Randall's Island Park)

Join Staten Island Museum's birders and naturalists as we tally all birds seen or heard during this 12 hour period.

This is part of Bird Watcher’s Digest annual "Big Sit" event.

Start time: 6:00 am

End time: 6:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 483-7110

Location: Wolfe's Pond Park at Norman Place (in Wolfes Pond Park)

Good Morning! Come join the Van Cortlandt Track Club for regular morning group runs through and around the Yonkers-Bronx border in small groups each Saturday morning at 8AM!

We break into various groups based on different paces and distances, starting with a loop of the Parade Grounds, then some peel off through the trails for various length and speed runs in smaller groups.

Be sure to meet back up after the run for breakfast!

Visit www.vctc.org for details & local running tips.

Start time: 8:00 am

End time:

Contact phone:

Location: Van Cortlandt Stadium (in Van Cortlandt Park)

Bird Walks focus on wildlife happenings in the park and are led by NYC Audubon experts or the Urban Park Rangers.

Wear comfortable shoes, and bring water and a light snack.

Start time: 8:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 430-1890

Location: Van Cortlandt Nature Center (in Van Cortlandt Park)

The largest race at Van Cortlandt Park hosts more than 10,000 people annually on the Parade Ground.

Start time: 8:00 am

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 430-1890

Location: Parade Ground North (in Van Cortlandt Park)