November brings a full calendar of family fun to Brooklyn, including the Brooklyn Folk Festival at St. Ann’s Church, Mark Morris Community Day, the Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair at the Brooklyn Museum, a family-friendly sing-along at BAM, as well as the BAMkids Film Festival. Plus, look ahead to the first wave of holiday cheer with ice skating, festive markets, tree lightings, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Lightscape holiday light show.
1. Brooklyn Folk Festival at St. Ann’s Church
Friday, November 7–Sunday, November 9 | See full schedule here | Tickets range from $49-$69/adult and $25-$35/child | Brooklyn Heights
Held annually at St. Ann’s Church, the 3-day folk features 30+ bands, vocal and instrumental workshops, a family-friendly square dance, jam sessions, film screenings, the famous Banjo Toss contest and more! Tickets can be purchased for either afternoon or evening sessions, or for the full weekend, with special pricing for kids. See the full lineup here.
2. BAM Presents Sing For Hope Family Jam
Saturday, November 8 | 10am & 12pm | FREE | Register here | Fort Greene
Bring the whole crew to this family-friendly sing-along, led by piano-bar favorite and new parent Patrick Connolly. Everyone’s invited to sing!
3. Mark Morris Community Day
Sunday, November 9 | 10am-3pm | FREE | Downtown Brooklyn | RSVP here
Join Mark Morris Dance Center for a day of free dance and movement for all ages, abilities, and experience levels. Offerings will include ballet, Afro-Caribbean, hip-hop, Samba/Afro Brazilian, plus family classes in Broadway jazz, modern dance, West African dance, plus a dance party with a DJ.
4. Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair at the Brooklyn Museum
Sunday, November 9 | 11am-3:30pm | FREE with Museum admission (pay what you can) | Prospect Heights
Meet nearly 50 of your favorite Brooklyn authors and illustrators as they share their latest publications. This free event features storybooks, picture books, chapter books, and graphic novels—fiction and nonfiction—for kids from preschoolers to middle schoolers. Throughout the day, children can chat with authors and illustrators, listen to readings and watch artists sketch, get books signed, and participate in book-related art projects. Plus, visit Oliver Jeffers: Life at Sea, an interactive installation inspired by one of Jeffers’s beloved children’s books.
5. Best of BAMkids Film Festival: Ages 6–8
Saturday, November 15 | 11am | Ages 6-8 | $14/adult, $10/child | Fort Greene
Celebrate some greatest hits from last year’s BAMkids Film Festival—stories that explore the power of friendship and the joy of seeing our amazing world in new ways! At this one-day-only screening, we’ll meet unforgettable heroes, from a pair of courageous bunnies to a remarkably generous watermelon. These adventures are perfect for kids ages six to eight and journey to our screen from Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Siberia, Australia, and the US.
6. Ice skating rinks open in Brooklyn
- LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Opens Saturday, November 1 | Prospect Park
The ice rink at the LeFrak Center offers skating and hockey on both covered and open-air rinks with views of Prospect Park Lake. Admission is $10 during the day, $15 during evenings and holidays. Skate rentals are $10. On Mondays, skate for just $5 all day long! - SKATE at Domino Park
Opens Monday, November 10 | Williamsburg
Domino Park’s ice rink is returning for it second season, with 75-minute skating sessions offered daily. Skates and skate aids will be available for rental. Pricing and more details coming soon! - Roebling Rink at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Opens Monday, November 24 | DUMBO
Roebling Rink will return to Emily Warren Roebling Plaza in Brooklyn Bridge Park, where you can skate directly underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Skates and skate aids will be available for rental. Pricing and more details coming soon!
7. Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Friday, November 21, 2025–Sunday, January 4, 2026 | Tickets start at $39/adult and $22/child during off-peak hours, free for children 2 and under | Prospect Heights
Lightscape is a winter light show at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 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: $29/adult, $15/child, and free for children 2 and under.
8. Shop at a festive market in Brooklyn
- Yankee Fair at Plymouth Church
Saturday, November 8 | 10am-3pm | FREE | Brooklyn Heights
Located across the Plymouth campus and Orange Street in Brooklyn Heights, the fair will feature children’s activities and shopping for books, gifts, sweets, and more! - Danish Christmas Fair at Danish Seamen’s Church
Saturday, November 22 & Sunday, November 23 | 10-4pm | FREE | Brooklyn Heights
The annual Danish Christmas Fair features Scandinavian design, knitwear, gift items, holiday ornaments, Danish candy, and traditional food products for Christmas Dinner. Say hi to Santa, sip on hot glög, or bite into delicious “æbleskiver” (puffed pancakes).
9. Holiday tree lightings in Brooklyn
- DTBK Gets Lit! in Albee Square
Tuesday, November 25 | 6-7pm | FREE | Downtown Brooklyn
Downtown Brooklyn’s annual tree lighting will feature music by DJ Mike Doelo, Janis Weatherly, and members of The Lafayette Inspirational Ensemble. There will be more entertainment by Andrea Flow, Brianna Kalisch, Flow Juggle, and Roller Boogie. Plus, hot chocolate and prizes! - Park Slope Tree Lighting
Saturday, November 29 | 4:30-5:30pm | FREE | Park Slope
Park Slope’s annual tree lighting on Small Business Saturday will feature live music, photos with Santa, bubbles by Bubble Day, Mexican hot chocolate from Chela, and more. The tree will be lit at 5:15pm!
10. Flip Circus at McCarren Park
November 28–December 14 | Weekdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 1pm, 4pm and 7pm, and Sundays at Saturdays at 1pm and 4pm | $56.75/adult, $17.23/child | Williamsburg
Fl!p Circus will return to McCarren Park this winter! 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 2025 show brings together an entirely new cast of stellar international human talent who are guaranteed to wow. The performances include a daring act on the rolla bolla, a challenging aerial pole act, a stupendous display of balance on the slack wire, and many more “WOW!” moments!
Add-ons: Brooklyn Bridge Parents School Info Sessions for families
Public talk about elementary school | 11/12/25
In these info sessions for families considering Pre-K and Kindergarten in private, public and Charter schools in our neighborhood we cover everything you need to know about local zoned schools, un-zoned schools, Charter and private school options, application details and deadlines, waitlists, free universal Pre-K options, languages and dual language programs and more. RSVP here for our upcoming virtual info session “Pre-K and Kindergarten Info Session” on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 7 pm.
Public talk about preschool and daycare 11/17/25
In these info sessions for families considering preschool, daycare and 3K for All in our neighborhoods we cover everything you need to know about local preschools and daycares, programs, application details and deadlines, waitlists, free 3K for All options, languages and more. RSVP here for our upcoming virtual info session “Intro to Preschool, Daycare and 3K for All” on Monday, November 17, 2025 at 7 pm.
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Updated: November 5, 2025. Main Image: Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
