Our overview of family-friendly holiday and winter activities includes free and fee-based experiences in Brooklyn and beyond, including light shows, special dance and circus performances, ice skating, and more. Highlights of the season will include Balloontopia Holiday Edition with a free Santa Portrait Studio at City Point, Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, unique performances of The Nutcracker, the Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, ice skating in Prospect Park and under the Brooklyn Bridge, and the vibrant holiday decorations in Dyker Heights. Our overview features dates, locations, and ticketing information. Check back here, as we will continue to add more in the coming weeks!
Holidays at City Point: Balloontopia Holiday Edition & Free Santa Portrait Studio | Downtown Brooklyn
December 7 & 8 and December 14 & 15 | 11am-3pm | FREE | RSVP for Balloontopia | RSVP for Santa Portrait Studio
City Point, Brooklyn Bridge Parents, and Mommy Poppins are bringing the holidays to life with Brooklyn’s first Balloontopia Holiday Edition—an immersive, larger-than-life balloon playground where the magic of the season comes alive. Offering free entry for all ages, this awe-inspiring experience captures the wonder of the holidays with interactive displays, plenty of photo-worthy moments, and celebrations of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, all reimagined by the extraordinary balloon artistry of Brooklyn’s own Angelica de la Paz. Balloon creations will include a life-size Santa’s sleigh, colorful candy and toys, a mistletoe arch, a Hanukkah menorah, and an homage to Kwanzaa. In addition to Balloontopia, City Point will offer a delightful twist on tradition with a FREE Santa Portrait Studio, featuring the classic, red-suited Santa ready to make holiday memories with you.
Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden | Prospect Heights
November 22, 2024–January 5, 2025 | Tickets start at $36/adult and $18/child during off-peak hours, free for children 2 and under
Lightscape is a winter light show that takes advantage of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s landscapes, trees, water features, architectural details, and paths to create a magical, otherworldly experience in the winter Garden. Along the trail, kids can enjoy hot chocolate and treats, and there will be mulled wine and hot cider for adults. Take advantages of Value Nights with discounted tickets: $24/adult, $12/child, and free for children 2 and under. There will also be Sensory-Friendly early entry on select nights for those with sensory sensitivity to enjoy reduced capacity. Learn more and see full calendar here.
Mark Morris Dance Group’s The Hard Nut at BAM | Fort Greene
December 12–22, 2024 | Tickets start at $45
The Hard Nut Family Party | December 15 @ 6:30pm | $30 for families of 2-3, $40 for families of 4-6
A classic in its own right, the Mark Morris Dance Group’s boisterous reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s beloved The Nutcracker is at BAM for the holidays! A cascade of wit and wintry beauty featuring Morris’ lyrical modern dance choreography, this lavish, gender-bent love letter to a canonical ballet transplants the story from the strait-laced 1890s to the swinging 70s, with raucous parties, dancing G.I. Joes, whimsical costumes, and a “Waltz of the Snowflakes” like no other. Tchaikovsky’s complete score is performed live by the MMDG Music Ensemble. Join for a special Family Party on December 15, following the matinee performance of The Hard Nut! This a family-friendly party featuring cookies, cocoa, arts and crafts, and photo opportunities with characters from the show. This special gathering provides a chance to meet members of the Mark Morris Dance Group and celebrate the holiday season in a festive and creative environment. This event is open to the public, including ticket holders for other performances.
The Brooklyn Nutcracker | Downtown Brooklyn
December 12–15, 2024 | Tickets start at $35
The Brooklyn Nutcracker is back with an expanded run at their new home, The Theater at City Tech in Downtown Brooklyn. This is New York’s only culturally authentic and inclusive production, featuring artists from all over the globe, blending ballet with hip hop, African dance, belly dance, traditional Native American Hoop Dance, Chinese dance, flamenco, traditional Ukrainian Hopak, and even a krumping Rat King in an epic street dance battle! The production features larger-than-life projections of Brooklyn landmarks like the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the Flatbush Avenue subway station, along with motion-activated illuminated tutus. The Brooklyn Nutcracker also incorporates live musicians, including a beatboxer, accordionist, and the dizi Chinese bamboo flute. This unique production will run for six performances between December 12–15, 2024.
FL!P Circus at McCarren Park | Williamsburg
November 29–December 15, 2024 | Tickets start at $50/adult and $30/child
FL!P Circus is bringing its intimate big top experience to three New York City locations this season, including McCarren Park in Brooklyn. Created by the Vazquez family of Circus Vazquez fame, the show takes place under a distinctive red and white striped, 800-seat, climate-controlled big top tent, and no seat is more than 50 feet from the ring. The show is led Brazil’s favorite clown, Bubi Guiner, and performances include acrobatics, juggling, the rarely-seen Pole Mallakhamb act from India, a dazzling hula hoop display, Pole Mallakhamb, and a performer on one, three and even fifteen-wheeled unicycles!
Frost Fest at Luna Park | Coney Island
November 23, 2024–January 1, 2025 | Wristbands are $42.99 for visitors under 48″ and $64.99 for over 48″ | See more Frost Fest pricing here
Immerse yourself in holiday magic sprinkled throughout the park and experience Winter themed activities at our 2nd annual Frost Fest! Select dates beginning Saturday, November 23, 2024, visitors at Luna Park will experience a thrilling winter destination boasting select rides and attractions, holiday lights & décor, photos with Santa (through December 24), holiday shopping, festive food options to fulfill the cravings of New Yorkers and visitors alike, and more! Learn more about highlights of the event here, include private dining in heated igloos!
Ice Skating under the Brooklyn Bridge | DUMBO
Returning November 2024 (Dates TBA) | $10 tickets
There will be a seasonal ice skating rink at Emily Warren Roebling Plaza once again this winter. Brooklyn Bridge Park announced that it will have a new operator and more affordable tickets: just $10 for all ages, at all times! There will also be free skating sessions on weekdays and weekends. More details coming soon!
Ice Skating Lakeside at the LeFrak Center | Prospect Park
Returning November 2024 (Dates TBA) | Ticket information coming soon
In the winter, Prospect Park’s LeFrak Center is open for ice skating and ice bumper cars. Admission typically starts at $8.75 on weekdays and $13 on weekends, with skate rentals available at $8.75/pair. The facility also offers figure skating, broomball, and ice hockey. The Bluestone Cafe & Bar on-site serves small bites, treats, and beverages. Check back here for more information as the winter season approaches!
FAD Holiday Markets in Brooklyn | DUMBO, Cobble Hill & Boerum Hill
December 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22 | 11am-6pm
This December, FAD Market will present its largest holiday market series to date, showcasing the best of New York City’s independent makers, artisans, and designers. Holiday markets are coming to The Invisible Dog Center in Boerum Hill, St. Paul’s in Cobble Hill, and Empire Stores in DUMBO. Over the course of three weekends leading up to Christmas – December 7+8, 14+15, and 21+22 – FAD Market will feature a weekly lineup of 150 talented makers, offering one-of-a-kind holiday gifts ranging from jewelry, apparel, and home decor to artisanal foods. The holiday markets will also include fun attractions such as a holiday photo booth, live portrait artists, and exclusive giveaways, making it the ultimate holiday shopping destination for the season. FAD Market is free and open to the public. Pets are also welcome!
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights | Dyker Heights
To see some of the most astounding Christmas light displays in New York City, visit the residential neighborhood of Dyker Heights in Brooklyn. Families may also opt to take a guided tour of the neighborhood’s lights—check out A Slice of Brooklyn and Dyker Heights Christmas Lights. Light displays typically appear following Thanksgiving and stay up through the first week of January. You can find the best lights from 11th to 13th Avenues (also known as Dyker Heights Blvd) to 83rd to 86th St.
Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights | The Bronx
November 22, 2024—January 5, 2025 | Tickets start at $41.95/adult and $26.95/child during off-peak hours, free for children 2 and under
Join for Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights, a family holiday festival! During the evenings, the park comes to life with holiday cheer as immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns and animated light shows sparkle across the zoo. There are 7 themed lantern trails representing almost 100 animal and plant species, plus interactive light projections, a holiday train, ice carving demonstrations, illuminated performers, seasonal treats like hot cocoa and s’mores, and more!
Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden | The Bronx
November 16, 2024–January 20, 2025 | Tickets start at 35/adult and $25/child during off-peak hours, free for children under 2
Enter a winter wonderland unlike any other at the Holiday Train Show, where cherished seasonal traditions find a home in our enchanting train displays, by day…or night. Nearly 200 scaled iconic New York City buildings and structures are represented in the show, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium, and the Statue of Liberty. The Holiday Train Show include more than 25 G-scale model trains and trolleys humming along nearly a half-mile of track. This year, you can join for select Holiday Train Nights. There will be treats, hot toddies, gingerbread fun, and live Christmas music performances.
Tianyu Lights Festival at CitiField | Queens
November 29, 2024–January 19, 2025 | Tickets on sale October 14; start at $30.98-$41.71 during off-peak hours
This brand-new light show will transform Citi Field into a magical Amazon rainforest this winter! Walk through the whimsical wonderland to see Koda’s dreams through the luminous art installations. Try out delicious foods and beverages at our Forest Food Court, enjoy live cultural music and dance performances throughout the journey, and complete your visit with a trip to the Marketplace, filled with unique, handcrafted treasures. Learn more about the experience here!
Updated: October 11, 2024. Main Image: Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
