Our overview features this year’s family-friendly Chanukah events in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. Light the menorah, enjoy latkes and donuts, and learn about the Chanukah story with story times, live performances, arts and crafts, and more. All events are open to the public, and all are welcome!
Chanukah Jam with Tkiya at Brooklyn Brewery | Williamsburg
Sunday, December 15 | 10am-12pm | FREE | RSVP here | For ages 0-6
Hanukkah Celebration at JCC Brooklyn | Windsor Terrace
Sunday, December 15 | 10am-12pm | FREE
Celebrate Hanukkah at JCC Brooklyn! Join us for a free, family-friendly event on December 15, 10 am to 12 pm, with music, activities, and holiday treats.
Chanukah Sunday Funday with Chabad of DUMBO | DUMBO
Sunday, December 15 | 10:30am-12pm | FREE
Join the Chabad of DUMBO for a morning of family fun: make your own menorah and dreidel, discover how to press olive oil, and learn all about the Chanukah story!
Light it Up! Brooklyn Family Hanukkah Arts Festival & Shuk | Carroll Gardens
Sunday, December 15 | 1-3pm | $10 per child (2 and older) at the door, FREE for adults and children under 2 | Register here
Kick off your Hanukkah celebrations at our annual Brooklyn Family Hanukkah Arts Festival with lots of kids’ arts and craft activities, music, dance and special pop-up holiday Shuk (market) featuring local Jewish and Israeli vendors. We are excited to bring Jewish, Israeli, and local community vendors together to offer jewelry, Judaica, art, and other gifts just in time for the Hanukkah season. This event is open to the greater Brooklyn Jewish community—invite your friends and family!
Tuesday, December 17 | 6:30-7:30pm | FREE | RSVP here
Join us on Essex Market’s Mezzanine level as Scott Brevda of the Museum at Eldridge Street discusses how Chanukah was shaped into a holiday to rival Christmas and presents a unique look at the historic menorahs in the Museum of Eldridge Street’s ongoing exhibition Lighting the World: Menorahs Around the Globe.
Hanukkah Celebration at Brookfield Place | Lower Manhattan
Tuesday, December 17 | 12:00-6:30pm | FREE
Embrace the spirit of the season with art, music, warmth and community. Enjoy lunchtime and early evening events with live klezmer band performances accompanied by a therapeutic art-making activity: participants will design a mini LED candle holder and coaster to brighten your spirit as you consider how you spread your light with others.
- 12-1pm | Shoko Nagai’s Menorahs Quartet & Drop-in Art-making Activity led by art therapist, Tova Speter
- 5:30-6:30pm | Michael Winograd’s Heimishe Klezmer Band with special guest Sarah Mina Gordon & Drop-in Art-making Activity led by art therapist, Tova Speter
Hanukkah Celebration at JCC Brooklyn | Clinton Hill
Sunday, December 15 | 10am-2pm | FREE | For ages 0-5
Celebrate Hanukkah at JCC Brooklyn! Join us for a free, family-friendly event with music, activities, and holiday treats.
Family Hanukkah Party at Kane Street Synagogue | Cobble Hill
Sunday, December 15 | 10:30am: families with kids age 0–3 | 11:30am: families with kids age 4–8 | $15-35 | Register here
Celebrate the Festival of Lights with light-hearted activities celebrating the Maccabees and Hanukkah with your family and friends! Infant and toddler programming features stories, simple crafts, singing, and dancing at 10:30am. Older kid programming features art and Ḥanukkah cards, Ḥanukkah games, Lego dreidels, and menorah-shaped cookies in addition to song and dance at 11:30am.
JCC Brooklyn Hanukkah Community Event at Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Williamsburg
Sunday, December 15 | 11am-1pm | FREE | RSVP here
Join for a joyful community-wide Hanukkah event featuring music, crafts, face painting, and treats for all ages!
Youth & Family Hanukkah Celebration at Congregation Beth Elohim | Park Slope
Sunday, December 15 | 3-5pm | FREE
The Early Childhood Center at CBE is hosting a Youth & Family Hanukkah Celebration with two simultaneous programs: The Fourth Annual Great Hanukkah Sing-Along with Debbie Brukman and Friends and A Playground of Light, a sensory-sensitive Handkkah celebration for children with special needs, disabilities, and sensory sensitivities. Families can also donate winter gear, diapers, and toiletries for recently arrived asylum-seekers and immigrants in NYC.
- The Fourth Annual Hanukkah Sing-Along
with Debbie Brukman and Friends
Sunday, December 15 | 3-5pm
The Youth and Family Great Hanukkah Sing-Along returns for the fourth year running! Sing Hanukkah favorites from “Five Little Latkes” to “I Have A Little Dreidel”. Then, light the Hanukkah candles and observe Havdalah, and enjoy some sufganiyot. - A Playground of Light Sensory-Sensitive Hanukkah Celebration
Sunday, December 15 | 3-5pm | RSVP here
This Playground of Light event is specifically for children with special needs, disabilities, and sensory sensitivities. The activities, and the space in which they’re held, will be thoughtfully designed with this population of children in mind, and all ages are welcome to join us as we explore light! Activities include shadow puppets, lite brite, touch lights, hexagonal light building, and Hanukkah card-making. Please RSVP here. We’ll end with our own candle lighting at approximately 4:40pm.
Holiday Extravaganza at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music | Park Slope
Sunday, December 15 | 3-5pm | Pay as you wish (Suggested $20)
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music’s brownstone will transform to celebrate the holiday season! Join for BKCM’s first Holiday Extravaganza, a multicultural, inclusive winter celebration, featuring BKCM’s Klezmer Hanukkah Ensemble. See a full list of of activities here!
FamilyLab: This Little Light | Boerum Hill
Sunday, December 15 | 4-6pm | Starts at $50/family | For ages 2-7 | Register here
This month we gather to light up the night in prep for a wintery Hanukah festival. This eve includes candle lighting, song, story, and a home-cooked dinner to celebrate the tastes, smells, and feels of Chanukah. With Lab/Shul’s unique God-optional approach to tradition, text, and story, FamilyLab is open to those who identify as Jewish, Jew-ish, and everything in between. Whether it’s your first time lighting up a menorah or you are a dreidel gold coin champion, all are welcome! Spiritual Leader Shira Kline, along with teaching artist Emet (Ari L. Monts) and Stephanie Kane, gathers us around for the tastes, sounds and feels of Hanukkah. Fees include dinner and programming for up to 5 people. If the suggested price is beyond your means – just let us know and we’ll make it work!
Hanukkah Celebration at the Kings Bay Y | Sheepshead Bay
Sunday, December 22 | 11am-2pm | FREE | RSVP here
Enjoy a day full of fun with inflatable rides, live performances, raffles, carnival games, face painting, arts and crafts stations, photo booths, and some exciting surprises that are sure to light up the Festival of Lights!
Chanukah Family Fest at Jewish Children’s Museum | Crown Heights
December 22, 2024–January 2, 2025 | Mondays–Thursdays 10am-5pm & Sundays 10am-5:30pm | $17/adult, $19/child (ages 2-15), $1/65 and older, $3 per workshop after the first one
Lighting of Brooklyn’s Largest Menorah & Kick-off Concert at Grand Army Plaza | Park Slope
December 26, 2024–January 1, 2025 | Wednesday @4pm, Thursday @6pm, Friday @3:30pm, Saturday @7:15pm, Sunday@5 pm, and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday @6pm | FREE
Every night of Chanukah is celebrated with the lighting of Brooklyn’s largest Menorah, live music, hot latkes and gifts for the children. The first night will feature a Kickoff Concert Event beginning at 4:00pm.
Kids Chanukah Party at Ferox | Greenpoint
Wednesday, December 25 | 4-6pm | $25/child | RSVP at chabadofnorthbrooklyn.com
Join Chabad of North Brooklyn at Ferox for a grand menorah lighting, pizza, latkes, donuts, Chanukah crafts, and more! Each ticket includes food, crafts, and a Ferox ticket.
Brooklyn Borough Hall Menorah Lighting with Chabad of Brooklyn Heights | Brooklyn Heights
Wednesday, December 25, 2024–Wednesday, January 1, 2025 | All lightings at 5pm, except for Friday 12/27 @ 2pm and Saturday 12/28 @ 6pm | FREE
Celebrate Chanukah with a lighting ceremony at the giant menorah at Borough Hall. Menorah lightings continue through all eight nights of the Jewish holiday with both Jews and non-Jews welcome to the celebration.
Chanukah at Industry City with Chabad Sunset Park | Sunset Park
Thursday, December 26 | 5pm | FREE, $10 ice skating tickets | RSVP here
Chanukah Menorah Lighting & Celebration | The Seaport
Sunday, December 29 | 3-5pm | FREE | RSVP encouraged
Latkes. Hot cocoa. Live music, arts and crafts and a six-foot-tall chocolate Menorah. The Seaport’s annual Chanukah Menorah Lighting is hosted by the Chabad Jewish Center of FiDi. All are welcome at this family-friendly holiday celebration, which will include face painting, popcorn, chocolate and other traditional treats, and a musical performance by the FiDi Hebrew School. The pinnacle of the afternoon will be the traditional Menorah lighting ceremony, featuring this year’s grand Menorah made from chocolate.
Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Party in Myrtle Plaza | Clinton Hill
Sunday, December 29 | 5:30-6:30pm | FREE
Celebrate with Chabad of Clinton Hill & Pratt and enjoy sufganiyot, live music & family fun at the Myrtle Plaza.
Hanukkah Fest at Atlantic Terminal | Downtown Brooklyn
Monday, December 30 | 4-6pm | FREE
Join Atlantic Terminal for a festive Chanukah gathering filled with music, traditions, and community spirit. Bring your loved ones and experience the warmth of Chanukah with traditional songs, sufganiyot, chocolate gelt, dreidel-spinning, and Chanukah crafts, followed by a lively menorah lighting outside at 5:30pm in the Plaza.
Chanukah on Ice with Chabad of DUMBO | DUMBO
Monday, December 30 | 4:30-5:30pm | Free RSVP; $10 tickets for ice skating
Ice skate under the Brooklyn Bridge and then light the menorah!
Chabad of Brooklyn Heights’ Borough Hall Chanukah Concert with Matisyahu + Menorah Lighting | Brooklyn Heights
Tuesday, December 31 | 5pm | FREE
Celebrate Chanukah with a lighting ceremony at the giant menorah at Borough Hall and free Matishayhu concert. Celebrations begin at 5pm and menorah lightings continue through all eight nights of the Jewish holiday with both Jews and non-Jews welcome to the celebration.
Chanukah in Carroll Park with Dirah | Carroll Gardens
Wednesday, January 1 | 4:30pm | FREE
Chanukah at Carroll Park is back again! Join the community for an evening of light and joy at the Menorah lighting celebration. The event features hot latkes and donuts, live music, exciting entertainment, and a special program for Israel.
Updated: December 11, 2024. Main Image: Chanukah Menorah Lighting & Celebration atThe Seaport.
