Exciting learning opportunities for teens and adults are coming up in our neighborhoods! Take free courses taught by immigrant scholars in Prospect Park through University Open Air, attend the Brooklyn Book Festival, learn about the Brooklyn Bridge’s history during a walking tour in Downtown Brooklyn, take part in Climate Week on Governors Island, or sign up for Fort Greene’s upcoming Black History and Culture Tour. For teens, take on a history research project and compete in NYC History Day 2025, and check out new youth programming at Adams Street Library including LEGO robotics, a tween book club, and anime club.
New York City History Day Kickoff & Info Session at Brooklyn Public Library | Brooklyn Heights
Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History (CBH) is the host of NYC History Day! NYCHD 2025 is the regional contest for National History Day (NHD). New York City middle and high schoolers get to do original research on a historical topic of their choice and make their own exhibition, performance, documentary, website, or paper. Winners from NYCHD will have a chance to compete at the State and potentially National level. All participants will be able to gain important research skills, connect with amazing New York City cultural institutions, and have fun!
Drop by the Center for Brooklyn History on September 19th to:
- Learn about this year’s theme, Rights and Responsibilities in History.
- See examples of amazing award-winning projects and hear from the students who created them.
- Talk to the NYCHD Coordinator and find out how they support teachers and students on their NYCHD journey.
- Eat, drink, and meet fellow history lovers in a beautiful, landmarked building.
New Teen Programs at Adams Street Library | DUMBO
Adams Street Library is kicking off new tween and teen programming this fall:
- Brooklyn Robotics League | Thursday, September 19
| 4:00-5:30pm | Ages 9-17 | Do you love LEGOs, robotics and teamwork? Join the Adams Street Library team to compete in the annual Brooklyn Robotics League! Kids and teens will learn to use advanced LEGO robotics sets while exploring STEM concepts and making new friends. In partnership with NYC First, we will be hosting workshops leading up to the big competition in 2025 at Central Library. - Tween Book Club | Friday, September 20 | 4:00-5:15pm | Grades 3-5 | Join Adams Street’s first book club for tweens! This month’s pick is The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy’s Great Idea. Readers can choose to read the novel OR graphic novel—their choice!—and join us for a discussion and craft activity related to the book. October’s book will be from the Percy Jackson series!
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Anime Afternoon | Wednesday, September 25 | 4:00-5:00pm | Grades 5-12 | Take a midweek break and try an anime and manga sampler! Chat with friends about the latest releases while enjoying some clips of new and favorite series. We’ll also have art supplies available to create your own fan art or draw your OCs.
University Open Air | Prospect Park
Thursday, September 19 – Sunday, September 29 | Full schedule of courses here | Registration not required, but recommended
Join Brooklyn Public Library and Prospect Park Alliance for University Open Air, a free series of classes taught by immigrant scholars who were trained outside of the United States. University Open Air provides a platform for the talent and wisdom of New York’s local immigrants who might not otherwise have the opportunity to teach in the United States. They will be teaching classes under the trees in Prospect Park, and learners of all ages and levels of experience are welcome to attend free of charge. Classes and workshops will be offered on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, September 19 – September 29.
Full schedule of courses can be found here. Below are just a few of the highlights for the week:
- University Open Air: Reading the Flight of Birds | Saturday, September 21 | 10:00-11:15am | Birds write messages in the sky, which we will learn to read in this workshop. To know those messages is to let ourselves be seduced by the beauty of reality, poetically expanding our daily lives through empathy and love for nature.
- Awakening Practice: Morning Meditation in Nature | Sunday, September 22 | 10:30-11:30am | Contemplative practice has its roots in the living traditions of the Himalayas. Join Tashi Chödrön in the Park for a morning mindfulness session, which explores the connections between Himalayan cultures, art, and practice.
- Dream Language School: Share your strangest dreams | Sunday, September 29 | 11am-2pm | Come share your strangest dream in a one-on-one twenty-five minute dream sharing session with Alisa Minyukova of The Dream Mapping Project in preparation for the publication of the “The Brooklyn Dream Handbook,” a zine dedicated to group exploration of the symbols, archetypes and parabolic’s of the Brooklyn diverse dreaming community.
Black History and Culture Tour of Fort Greene | Fort Greene
Saturday, September 21 | 11:00am-12:30pm | RSVP here
Join us for the Black History and Culture of Fort Greene tour led by Suzanne Spellen with a special stop at Brooklyn Paramount. Working together with local historian, Suzanne Spellen, and our Tour Advisory Committee, we develop and refine the route and educational content to help retell Fort Greene’s deep roots in Black history and culture for a personal, on-the-ground look at this important historical context. Offered in two installments, The Heart of Black Fort Greene: Fulton Street tour, and Fort Greene Black History Makers and Cultural Giants tour provide rich context and history ranging from the 1800s to today. RSVPs are encouraged but not required. All tours are free!
Historic New York Walking Tour: Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Bridge History | Downtown Brooklyn
Sunday, September 22 | 10am-12pm
Join Fort Greene Urban Park Rangers in a history tour of Downtown Brooklyn. Rangers will lead from Fort Greene to the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge, explaining early Brooklyn life and the fascinating story behind New York’s most iconic bridge. Meet the Rangers at the Visitors Center! Please wear comfortable shoes.
Climate Week 2024 | Governors Island
Saturday, September 21 – Sunday, September 29
Climate Week NYC 2024 events on Governors Island are organized by the Trust for Governors Island, the Island’s community of partners and tenants, and The New York Climate Exchange and its core partners. Events will take place across Governors Island, including at a new community convening space inside Building 309 (the former Our Lady Star of the Sea) — a deconsecrated former military chapel located in the Island’s Historic District that features Church, Shantell Martin’s popular public artwork commissioned through Governors Island Arts, on its façade. This historic building has recently undergone upgrades to create an accessible indoor space for community events on Governors Island. All events will take place in Building 309 unless otherwise noted. See full schedule of events here!
Brooklyn Book Festival | Downtown Brooklyn
Sunday, September 22 – Monday, September 30
On September 22, the Brooklyn Book Festival will kick off nine days of literary events, including literary Bookend events throughout the city, Virtual Festival Day for readers who cannot attend in person, our flagship Festival Day & Literary Marketplace in Downtown Brooklyn, and our popular Children’s Day in Brooklyn Commons:
- Bookend Events | Various Locations | Sunday, September 22 – Monday, September 30
- Virtual Festival Day | Sunday, September 22 | 12-5pm | Registration opens September 15th. You don’t need to be in Brooklyn to experience Festival events. Enjoy our Virtual Festival Day on September 22nd from Noon – 5pm. Wherever you are on the planet, you can enjoy the Brooklyn Book Festival virtual programs. If you can’t wait, then visit our Video Archive and check out past Festival programs.
- Children’s Day | Brooklyn Commons at Metrotech | Saturday, September 28 | 10am-4pm | Join us on September 28th from 10am to 4pm in Brooklyn Commons in Downtown Brooklyn. With a Picture Book Stage, Young Reader’s Stage, Performance Stage, Workshop Room and a dedicated Makers & Creators area, families will enjoy a full day of readings, workshops, performances, book signings, and art projects with favorite authors and illustrators.
- Festival Day & Literary Marketplace | Brooklyn Borough Hall & surrounding venues | Sunday, September 29 | 10am-6pm | Join us at the 2024 Festival for a literary celebration that includes readers, publishers, booksellers, and hundreds of authors. More than two hundred local, international, debut and iconic authors are presented in panel discussions and book-signings on our outdoor stages and with partner venues in Downtown Brooklyn. 200 plus publishers fill the Literary Marketplace with publishers of all genres and for all tastes.
Updated: September 17, 2024. Main Image: Brooklyn Book Festival.
