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Lunar New Year Celebrations and More Things To Do in NYC this Weekend with Kids

The Asian Society's Family Day helps usher in the Year of the Snake on Saturday. Photo courtesy of the Asia Societ
The Asian Society's Family Day helps usher in the Year of the Snake on Saturday. Photo courtesy of the Asia Societ
1/22/25 - By Drew Kristofik

Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

The Year of the Snake slithers into town this weekend and our top picks to celebrate include Saturday's day-long festival at The Met, the annual Family Day at the Asia Society, and a Lunar New Year-themed campfire in Queens' Kissena Corridor Park courtesy of the Urban Park Rangers. Kids are invited to Animation First Film Fest , which wraps up this weekend with reels of fun family fare, including Asterix and My Life as a Zucchini, while teens take over the Brooklyn Museum for an evening of free programming on Friday.

More Things To Do in New York City this Week with Kids

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Best Things To Do in NYC this Weekend with Kids

Chinese New Year Carnival at Alfred E. Smith Rec Center

Two Bridges – FREE
Friday, January 24
Celebrate the Chinese New Year with activities like chopstick games, dumpling-making, writing Chinese characters, making red envelopes, and more. READ MORE

Teen Night at the Brooklyn Museum

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn – FREE
Friday, January 24
The Brooklyn Museum hosts a teen-led program centered on art and activism, featuring art-making, performances, and much more, all inspired by The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition, a major group show uniting more than 200 artists.   READ MORE

Wish Soup with Junghwa Park at Books of Wonder

Chelsea – FREE
Saturday, January 25
Junghwa Park shares her new book, Wish Soup, with young story lovers. Sohee’s favorite part of Seollal is tteokguk — the special Korean rice cake soup traditionally only enjoyed on New Year’s Day. Each bowl is said to make the person who eats it one year older. This year, Sohee wants to eat as many bowls as she can to finally be an eonni, or “big girl,” to her younger siblings and cousins. READ MORE

Snug Harbor Chinese New Year Celebration

Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Saturday, January 25
Welcome the Year of the Earth Snake at Snug Harbor with performances, treats, tales, and traditional crafts. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Festival at The Met: Year of the Snake

Upper East Side
Saturday, January 25
Celebrate the Year of the Snake, one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, with performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages. READ MORE

Moon Over Manhattan: A Lunar New Year Family Day at Asia Society

Upper East Side
Saturday, January 25
The Asia Society welcomes the Year of the Snake with exciting lion dances and martial arts demonstrations, fun New Year songs, and Year of the Snake-themed arts and crafts!  READ MORE

AKC Meet the Breeds at the Javits Center

Midtown West
Saturday, January 25-Sunday, January 26
From Affenpinschers to Yorkshire Terriers and everything in between, AKC Meet the Breeds—the nation’s largest educational dog extravaganza—gives dog lovers a unique opportunity to meet, play with, and learn about hundreds of dogs!  READ MORE

Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days at the Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Saturday & Sunday, January 25-26
BCM is partnering with DreamWorks Animation and the Association of Children’s Museums to bring the magic of Gabby’s Dollhouse to Brooklyn! READ MORE

Bloomingdale School of Music's Instrument Discovery Day

Morningside Heights – FREE
Sunday, January 26
The Bloomingdale School of Music hosts a free open house and instrument discovery day for all ages. Explore musical instruments with help from a faculty member and find your inner talent. Kids can hear, hold, and play instruments, including guitar, piano, violin, clarinet, and more.  READ MORE

New York Workers Circle School Brooklyn Location Open House

Flatbush, Brooklyn – FREE
Sunday, January 26
The New York Workers Circle School hosts an open house where children can participate in classes, listen to live music, and bring a Yiddish folktale to life with puppets while parents connect with the school community and learn more about its program.  READ MORE

Family Concert: The Pop Ups at the Jewish Museum

Upper East Side
Sunday, January 26
The Grammy-nominated band The Pop Ups share a one-of-a-kind performance that includes live drawing with music, hilarious puppets, an epic dance party, and more! Favorites from their hit albums, Giants of Science and Radio Jungle, celebrate creativity and coming together as a community.  READ MORE

We Start To Sing! The Paper Bag Players at the Meyerson JCC

Upper West Side
Sunday, January 26
America's beloved children's theater company, The Paper Bag Players, kicks off its 66th season with a joyful new show, We Start to Sing, packed with zany stories, audience participation, sing-along songs, foot-stomping dances, and larger-than-life characters.  READ MORE

Lunar New Year Campfire in Kissena Corridor Park

Flushing, Queens – FREE
Sunday, January 26
Urban Park Rangers celebrate Lunar New Year with a warm campfire and provide a crafting table to create various snake arts to welcome the Year of the Snake. READ MORE

Animation First Film Festival 2025

Midtown East
Through Sunday, January 26
The seventh edition of Animation First, celebrating the artistry of French animation, presents seven feature-length films and five short film programs, with a special focus on Swiss animation. READ MORE

New York Boat Show at the Javits Center

Midtown West
Daily, through Sunday, January 26
The Discover Boating New York Boat Show docks at the Javits Center, inviting tri-state water lovers to experience the best of the boat life with hundreds of boats to see and shop. Kids love the build-a-boat workshops and ball pit pond where they can go fish. READ MORE

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