At this monthly event, FIDO in Prospect Park will offer free goodies for dogs and their owners, and provide information pertaining to off-leash activities and issues.

Meet in the Meadow beside the Picnic House. Enter at Prospect Park West and 3rd Street. This event is rain or shine.

Sponsored by FIDO (Fellowship in the Interest of Dogs and their Owners).

Start time: 7:00 am

End time: 9:00 am

Contact phone:

Location: Picnic House (in Prospect 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)

Please note: this event has been cancelled.

Please note: this event has been cancelled.

We offer birding programs throughout the year and our Exploration series focuses on unique wildlife viewing opportunities during particular seasons. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. To enhance your experience we encourage you to bring binoculars and field guides, or ask a Ranger to borrow a pair.

Start time: 8:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 548-0912

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

Come out and lend a hand to help us rake, weed and do various gardening chores. Join us for coffee and doughnuts in the am. Bring a rake or use one of ours and have some fun.

To volunteer in Westerleigh Park call (718) 442-0336.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 12:00 pm

Contact phone: 718-442-0336

Location: Westerleigh Park

The Poe Park Visitor Center is home to the III Bienal de Artes Latino Americano del Bronx. Come and enjoy Visual Appearance. You will be amazed!

The title "Visual Appearance" refers to the elucidation of of what happens when we stand in front of an art work. The visual appearance of objects is given by the way in which they reflect and transmit light. The color of objects is determined by the parts of the spectrum of light, reflected or transmitted without being absorbed. Visual Appearance also relates to the meaning of symbolic reference constructed as an icon that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely, or by analogy. In Visual Appearance you will experience conflict, contrast, wonder and especially question what you see.

The Latin American artists include Miguel Trelles, Leenda Bonilla, Rodolfo Edwards, Pepe Villegas, Aisha Sufe, Miguel Martinez, Marina Gutierrez and Ismael Checo. The curator is Luis Stephenberg. The next bienal will be in 2014.

The Poe Park Visitor Center is open from Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm. We are closed Sundays and Mondays.

For your convenience, please call to schedule a visit for your group. We are closed on Thanksgiving.

Start time: 9:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 365-5516

Location: Poe Park Visitor Center (in Poe Park)

The Central Park Conservancy offers weekly moderate to brisk walks led by the NY Walkers Club for people 18+ years of all abilities. This low-impact fitness program is perfect for those who want to get in shape, build muscle tone and strength, and increase cardiovascular health while enjoying Central Park’s beautiful landscapes.

Free and no pre-registration is required.

Start time: 9:30 am

End time: 11:00 am

Contact phone: (212) 348-4867

Location: North Meadow Recreation Center (in Central Park)

Come on Saturday, December 3rd or Sunday, December 4th and make a beautiful evergreen wreath at this seasonal workshop!

Supplies provided; participants must bring garden shears.
$20 per person (per wreath)

Advance tickets required. Please call (718) 347-3276 for more info.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 347-3276

Location: Queens County Farm Museum (in Queens Farm 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: 10:00 am

End time: 12:00 pm

Contact phone:

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

Visit The Wild Garden: Discovering Central Park Woodlands exhibit and start exploring the North Woods on your own by borrowing a North Woods Discovery Kit stocked with binoculars, a hand lens, and flora/fauna guides. Accompanying adult with valid ID required. Purchase an optional Discovery Journal for $2 for a one-of-a-kind woodland adventure. Recommended for ages 8 – 12.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 860-1370

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

The enchanting setting of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory showcases more than 140 scaled iconic buildings and structures under thousands of twinkling lights. Artistically crafted by Paul Busse's team at Applie Imagination, the landmarks are made of natural materials such as bark, twigs, stems, fruits, seeds, and pine cones and include the original Penn Station and Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, The New York Public Library on 42nd Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 817-8700

Location: The New York Botanical Garden

Use this hands-on exhibit to illuminate the history, ecology, and management of the woodlands and learn why these landscapes are so essential to the purpose of Central Park. The exhibit includes a digital interactive app highlighting historic photos and revealing hidden features. Exhibit introductions are available by appointment for groups of 10 or more; call (212) 860-1370 for more information.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 5:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 860-1370

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

Pick up basic gardening & maintenance supplies for your garden.

One pickup per garden group. GreenThumb gardens that have attended a composting workshop and are in good standing with GreenThumb can receive bagged DSNY compost and bagged DSNY mulch.

This program is a new partnership between GreenThumb and the NYC Department of Sanitation’s Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling (BWPRR). Each bag of DSNY compost weighs approximately 35-40 lbs and each bag of DSNY mulch weighs approximately 40 lbs. Eligible gardens can retrieve up to 41 bags of compost per garden and up to 35 bags of mulch per garden.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 1:00 pm

Contact phone: 212-442-8952

Location: GreenThumb Compound

Volunteer to help clean and restore parks most affected by Hurricane Sandy. Join us as we remove sand and debris from Rockaway Beach.

Registration is required for this event. Please register with NYC Service to join us.

Please dress appropriately. Remember to wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Bring a water bottle and snacks (water refills and restrooms will be available).

If you are able to, please bring work gloves and heavy duty trashbags. Additional materials that would be useful to the clean up effort include: fan rakes, snow shovels, wheelbarrows, large push brooms. These supplies are not required to participate. Gloves and supplies wil be provided for volunteers who cannot provide their own.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 1:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: B.28 Street and Boardwalk (in Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk)

Volunteer to help clean and restore parks most affected by Hurricane Sandy. Join us as we remove clean up leaves and natural debris left by the storm in Claremont Park.

Registration is required for this event. Please register with NYC Service to join us.

Please dress appropriately. Remember to wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Bring a water bottle and snacks (water refills and restrooms will be available).

If you are able to, please bring work gloves and heavy duty trashbags. Additional materials that would be useful to the clean up effort include: fan rakes, snow shovels, wheelbarrows, large push brooms. These supplies are not required to participate. Gloves and supplies wil be provided for volunteers who cannot provide their own.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Claremont Gazebo (in Claremont Park)

Join us at the Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center to help remove bittersweet, an invasive plants spreading through the park.

All ages welcome. Students earn community service hours! Layers, shoes, long pants and long sleeves are highly recommended.

Sunshine only, please check the Facebook link below for up to the minute cancellations.

registation required email dennis.burton@parks.nyc.gov

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 543-1429

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

The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: 718-817-8700

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

Please note: this event has been cancelled.

Whether you are preparing for an extended journey through the woods or just want to be more prepared for any situation, a wilderness survival program is perfect for you.

Wilderness survival programs take place in the fall and winter. All programs are family friendly, but are recommended for ages 8 years and older. Wilderness survival programs feature hands-on activities in an outdoor setting. Please dress appropriately for cold weather.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 421-2021

Location: Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park)

This event has been cancelled.

Join the Urban Park Rangers for a vigorous hike through Staten Island's Greenbelt. This hike will take place over a long distance, with hills and rugged terrain. For all hiking programs we recommend wearing comfortable shoes or boots, and packing water and a light snack.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 967-3542

Location: Field of Dreams (in LaTourette Park & Golf Course)

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)

Volunteer to help clean and restore parks most affected by Hurricane Sandy. Join us as we remove storm debris from Inwood Hill Park.

Registration is required for this event. Please register with NYC Service to join us.

Please dress appropriately. Remember to wear closed-toe shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Bring a water bottle and snacks (water refills and restrooms will be available).

If you are able to, please bring work gloves and heavy duty trashbags. Additional materials that would be useful to the clean up effort include: fan rakes, snow shovels, wheelbarrows, large push brooms. These supplies are not required to participate. Gloves and supplies wil be provided for volunteers who cannot provide their own.

Start time: 11:00 am

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Inwood Hill Park

Trains and entertainment go hand-in-hand in The Little Engine That Could™ Puppet Show. This classic tale is brought to life in an exciting presentation by New York City puppet master Ralph Lee. Tuesdays–Thursdays, November 20–December 27, and Mondays, December 17 & 31; check times at nybg.org.

Start time: 11:30 am

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 817-8700

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

This year's exhibition features quilts that draw inspiration from the word cool––whether it's a cold, wintery scene, a quilt of cool colors like greens and blues, or another interpretation of the word cool, this year the quilt show faces the cold of fall and winter head-on.

Start time: 12:00 pm

End time: 4:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: Lefferts Historic House (in Prospect Park)

Enjoy a special visit from St. Nicholas as he arrives at the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum with his horse (toting traditional Dutch holiday treats), followed by a theatrical reading of the Dutch-American Christmas tale, The Baker's Dozen. Don't miss a chance to meet St. Nicholas's 19th century American counterpart, Santa Claus, first popularized by the writings of native New Yorker Washington Irving and the artwork of New York immigrant Thomas Nast.

Colonial balladeer Linda Russell will entertain audiences of all ages with her beautiful songs. Try your hand at traditional holiday crafts such as pomander balls and natural bird feeders. Delve into the Dutch holiday spirit and decorate your own Dutch shoe, or 'klompen' to fill with treats. Looking for a homemade gift for your loved ones? Test your craft skills by making your own DIY snow globe or tree ornament to take home. Warm up around the outdoor fire pit with hot apple cider, holiday food, and traditional Dutch cookies. Make a holiday wish and help us decorate our outdoor Christmas tree with ornaments, solar powered lights, and holiday cheer. The day's celebration will culminate with a festive tree lighting ceremony at dusk.

Start time: 12:00 pm

End time: 4:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 629-5400

Location: Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum (in Fidler-Wyckoff House 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)

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)

View significant artifacts from 19th-century family life and walk into a fully furnished 1820s bedroom. There will be tours every half hour.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time: 3:30 pm

Contact phone: (718) 789-2822

Location: Lefferts Historic House (in Prospect Park)

Join Sidney Horenstein, geologist and Educator Emeritus, American Museum of Natural History, as he leads his geology, history and natural history walk through Inwood Hill Park.

Inwood Hill Park not only contains remnants of the last remaining woods on Manhattan Island but has some of the best rock exposures that tell the story of the geological history of New York City. And from its hilltop are excellent views of the Hudson River and the Bronx.

This program is generously supported by the Greenacre Foundation and the Fort Tryon Park Trust.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 795-1388

Location: Seaman Avenue & Isham Street Entrance (in Inwood Hill Park)

Please note: this event has been cancelled.

All Photography programs are for digital cameras and you must provide your own camera, DSLR preferred, but all cameras are welcome.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time:

Contact phone: (212) 628-2345

Location: Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park)

Please note: this event has been cancelled.

Urban Park Rangers specialize in interpretation of historic turning points, both natural and man-made, in our city’s long history.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time:

Contact phone: (718) 352-1769

Location: Parking Lot (in Astoria Park)

Learn about which animals live in the Greenbelt and how they spend the holiday season. Create your own field journal to write or sketch about the Greenbelt, and decorate the cover. Then take a short walk in search of Greenbelt animals. This program is suitable for ages 7 and up with adult chaperone.

Start time: 1:00 pm

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: (718) 351-3450

Location: Greenbelt Nature Center (in Blood Root Valley)

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)

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: 2:30 pm

End time: 3:30 pm

Contact phone: (212) 794-4064

Location: Outside the Dairy Gift Shop (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)