Governors Island is open every Saturday, Sunday and
Holiday Monday (Memorial Day and Labor Day) through
September 29.
Island is open from 10 AM to 7 PM.
A full schedule of 2013 events and programs
is below:
Ongoing Events and Exhibits
Brooklyn ARTery: Handmade Gifts and Classes: May
25 - September 29, 11-6pm Building
H, Nolan Park
Brooklyn ARTery offers a well curated mix of one-of-a-kind, affordable
handmade goods from handbags, t-shirts and
jewelry to reclaimed merchandise, home decor, artisanale
foods, health and beauty products and more!
The ARTery studio will welcome families and friends
of all ages to take a free class on Saturdays between
2-4 taught by our roster of talented and engaging artists.
Classes include: knitting, cooking, book-binding, terrarium
building, kite-making, sewing, jewelry making and arts
and crafts for kids and adults and more.
Stop by for their weekend tastings of locally
made and delicious artisanale foods and drinks.
Their mission is to inspire people to buy handmade
goods, bring back a do-it-yourself culture and be the
prime outlet for local and fair trade artisans to sell
their work and teach their craft. For more info: follow
us on Facebook, Twitter or visit brooklynartery.com
Children's Museum of the Arts Free Art Island Outpost
Program: May 25-September 29, Saturdays
and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm
Join CMA's Teaching Artists for free
hands on art-making each weekend. Collaborate with
other visitors on a variety of themed art workshops including
painting, sound design, sculpture, animation, podcasting,
and more!! For more information visit www.cmany.org.
Rising Tide presented by the Sculptors Guild,
11 am to 5 pm
Almost six months after Hurricane
Sandy, artists across the region are still putting
the pieces of their lives back together, getting into
their (in some cases, devastated) studios, and creating
new work. This show will acknowledge rising tides of
all stripes (political, social, psychological) in the
hope of drawing attention to the new forms that result
-- to the bright and shiny treasures that have now
washed ashore.
WWII & NYC: Photography
and Propoganda, Presented by the New York Historical
Society, June 15-September 2, 10 am to 6:30 pm
This exhibition paints a vivid picture
of life in war-mobilized New York, when virtually every
industry, institution and home was transformed into
a venture to support Allied victory. Through moving
black-and-white photos, iconic propaganda posters and
an authentic Victory Garden, experience what total
war meant for New Yorkers. Hands-on activities for
all ages will be offered beginning July 13th.
Empire Historic Arts presents Shipwrecked!
A History of Maritime Disasters in NYC Harbor,
May 25-September 29
“Shipwrecked!” will
provide thousands of visitors to Governors Island an
inside look at local maritime mayhem. Using artifacts
pulled up from the depths of New York City's harbors,
and related sea and sailor materials, we will be creating
a story that will illuminate both the history of the
island and the surrounding areas. The exhibit includes artifacts
from public and private collections up and down the
Hudson, many never before seen by the public.
Better Than Jam: handmade
gifts shop: May 25- September 29, 11 am-6pm
For it's 3rd year, the Brooklyn boutique
of all locally handmade products, will be bringing
the creations of New York City's most talented artists
and crafters. BTJ will be moving back into one
of the beautiful and historic houses of Nolan
Park and the cute yellow victorian home will be filled
with the work of talented people, who have created
some amazing and original products just for the island
shop. Visitors will get to take home a tangible
memento from their Governors Island visit—a souvenir
that was designed and crafted nearby with the island
in mind. FREE
family-friendly demonstrations and workshops on Saturdays
1-4, will be hosted by the Etsy New York Team, to teach
visitors some of their skills, used in creating these
unique products.
Mü-Math: The Mobile
Unit to Promote Mathematical Thinking, 11am
to 5pm
Mü-Math returns for its second
summer on Governors Island with a baker's dozen of "hands
on, minds on" brain stumpers designed to engage children
from 8 to 80. Jump some taxi cabs, split up some
apartments, or figure out the missing number on a subway
car, you'll be entertained and maybe even educated
along the way.
FIGMENT 2013 Summer-Long
Installations, June 8-September 22
This summer, FIGMENT’s acclaimed
interactive Sculpture Garden, artist-designed Minigolf
Course and City of Dreams Pavilion welcome visitors
to the Parade Grounds to play with, dance around, contemplate
on, and experience these wonderfully imaginative installations.
One centerpiece of FIGMENT's summer-long installations
for 2013 is the Treehouse, expanded and returning to
Governors Island for a third year.
2013 also heralds the return
of the City of Dreams Pavilion: FIGMENT,
the Emerging New York Architect Committee (ENYA) of
the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter
(AIANY), and the Structural Engineers Association
of New York (SEAoNY) proudly
present Studio
Klimoski Chang Architects’ Head
in the Clouds as the winner of the third annual
City of Dreams Pavilion Competition. Head in
the Clouds will offer visitors the chance to
walk into the clouds, experiencing them from the
inside out.
This year's Minigolf Course is based on the
theme "State of the Art." The artist-designed golf
holes invite visitors to putt newer! faster! better!,
and feel the spirit of visionaries past into the
present with innovative ideas and breathless concepts
of “the future.” For more information,
visit http://newyork.figmentproject.org/long-term-
Lower Manhattan Cultural
Council Presents Building 110: LMCC’s Arts
Center at Governors Island, 11am-5pm
LMCC and its artists-in-residence
welcome audience to Building 110's Gallery and their
studios. Discover new artists, engage in the artistic
process and simply enjoy the art in this stunning setting
this summer. LMCC is also the lead presenter of the
River to River Festival, a four- week, multidisciplinary
arts festival throughout Lower Manhattan. For more
information visit www.lmcc.net and rivertorivernyc.com.
Bike Governors Island
Experience miles of car-free biking.
Visitors can bring their own bikes or rent one from
Bike and Roll. Bike and Roll has bikes for all sizes
and abilities, including kids' bikes, kids’ trailers
and four-seater quadcycles. 1-212-260-0400 or visit bikenewyorkcity.com.
MULTIPLE WEEKENDS
See the Park in Progress with a Behind the
Scenes Hard Hat Tour
Join The Trust for Governors Island or members of the
West 8 design team for a sneak peak of the construction
of the 30 acres of new park and public spaces at the
center of the Island. This tour takes visitors through
the park construction site. Space on the tours
is limited and is available on a first-come, first
served basis. Tours begin and end at Liggett Arch.
Hardhats and vests will be provided and closed-toe
footwear is required. Children over the age
of 7 are welcome on tours.
Dates of tours are as follows:
Saturday, May 25, 2013 (11:30am - 12:15pm)
Sunday, May 26, 2013 (3:00 - 3:45pm)
Saturday, June 29, 2013 (11:30am - 12:15pm)
Sunday, June 30, 2013 (3:00 - 3:45pm)
Saturday, July 27, 2013 (11:30am - 12:15pm)
Sunday, July 28, 2013 (3:00 - 3:45pm)
Saturday, August 24, 2013 (11:30am - 12:15pm)
Sunday, August 25, 2013 (3:00 - 3:45pm)
Saturday, September 28, 2013 (11:30am - 12:15pm)
Sunday, September 29, 2013 (3:00 - 3:45pm
Vintage Baseball, Saturday
and Sunday May 25-26, Saturday, June 29, Saturday
July 27, Saturday August 24 and Saturday, August
21
See baseball played as it was at the
turn of the last century! Visit the Parade Ground and
enjoy America’s pastime the way it used to be
played!
Pop Up Library presented
by Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library,
and Queens Library
Brooklyn, New York and Queens Public
Libraries parter with the Uni Project, New York City's
portable outdoor reading room, to provide books, learning
activities, and children's programs throughout the
summer. Visitors will be able to borrow books "in
house", register for library cards, sign up for summer
reading, learn more about the Uni, and learn about
what's happening in each of the three New York City
public library systems.
Bike New York Classes, Saturday, June 1 and
Sunday, July 28, Saturday, September 7 11am
Learn how to ride a bike for the first
time or brush up on your basic biking skills with free
Bike New York classes on Governors Island. For details
and free pre-registration visit bikenewyork.org.
The Skate Truck NYC, Sundays in June, July
and August
The Skate Truck NYC provides roller-skating
equipment, helmets and safety equipment to skaters
of any age. Skate for fun. Skate for health. Skate
for life! For more information visit skatetrucknyc.com.
Writing On It All, June 16, 22, 23 and 30,
12pm-3pm
Writing on It All is a series
of participatory events where artists, writers, and
interested members of the public can come together
to write all over the inside of an out-of-use house
in Nolan Park. Participants explore the nature of writing
as collaborative, material, site-specific, and ephemeral.
Through prompts that support site-specific writing,
invited artists and the public will have the chance
to explore the relation between writing, history and
the constructed environment of Governors Island. For
more info on sessions and artists visit writingonitall.com
LMCC’s Open Studios: Visual and Performing
Artists at Building 110, May 25-26, July 13-14, September
28-29, 12pm
to 5pm
LMCC’s Open Studios make accessible
what is often viewed as the mysterious or secretive
process of art-making and offer visitors the unique
opportunity to tour artists’ studios, watch rehearsals,
attend readings, and speak with artists-in-residence
about their work and practice. For more information
visit Open
Studios.
Jazz Age Lawn Party: Saturday
and Sunday June 15 and 16th and August 17 and 18
Michael Arenella and His Dreamland
Orchestra invite you to the beloved Jazz Age Lawn
Party -- a dream of the 1920s nestled right in the
heart of New York Harbor! Now in its eighth
year, the event has become the quintessential outdoor
celebration of the Jazz Age and its living legacy. Under
a canopy of century-old trees, caressed by fresh sea
air, a delightful array of offerings abound throughout
the day including: live music and dance performances,
dance instruction for the hottest dance steps of the
time, games for all ages and a wide variety of 1920's
inspired refreshments and gourmet food for purchase.
Tickets are required for this event. Advance
General Admission tickets can be purchased at http://dreamlandorchestra.com/calendar.php.
If space is available, tickets will be sold at the
door.
4 Heads Art Fair, weekends
in September
The 4 Heads take over dozens of rooms
in an historic building on Governors Island. More information
at 4heads.org.
4 Chambers Performances,
Saturdays and Sundays, July 6-July 21, 11:30 AM,
1 PM, 2:30 PM, 4 PM, 5:30 PM
4Chambers is a sensorial journey into
the human heart. Jody Oberfelder Dance Projects transform
Officers' House #15 in (Nolan Park) into an intimate
performance space with corridors that function as arteries
and veins leading to four discrete chambers. Guided
by six cast members, an audience of 12 moves through
the space, monitoring their own hearts throughout.
Reservations begin June 3rd, contact: Mercedes@jodyoberfelder.com for
more information.
ArtShare for HeartShare, Weekends in September,
11:30am to 5:30pm
This exhibition showcases the talents
and creative abilities of artists with intellectual
and developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum
disorders, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and neurological
impairment. In addition to raising awareness of the
capabilities of the people with disabilities, our artists
continually progress in their art, expressing themselves
in beautiful and meaningful ways.
The ArtShare for HeartShare program is available
to artists in HeartShare Human Services of New York’s
developmental disabilities program. Participants
in the program are supported in their creative endeavors
by volunteer artists in residence and a dedicated
committee throughout the year. The program
provides professional quality arts materials and
culminates in an annual exhibition at the New Century
Artists gallery, in Chelsea gallery district of Manhattan. The
annual exhibition will be celebrating its 5th year
of exhibiting in 2013. This is the second year that
ArtShare for HeartShare will be exhibiting on Governors
Island.
National Park Service Programs
On Wednesdays and Thursdays
Hiking Through History:
Governors Island’s Historic District
Join the National Park Service for
a hike through the National Historic Landmark District
on Governors Island. Park rangers will guide you on
a 1.5-mile, 1.5-hour tour through over 200 years of
history in one of New York’s most historic and
beautiful places. Tours begin with the arrival of 10am
and 2:15pm Manhattan ferry.
Get Fortified: Exploring
Castle Williams and Fort Jay, 12:15pm
Learn about the rich histories of
Fort Jay and Castle Williams, two of the best-preserved
forts of their era, on this 1.5-hour walking tour.
Explore the depths of the powder magazine and the cells
of Castle Williams and climb to the castle’s
roof and take in a grand panoramic view of New York
Harbor. Tours begin with the arrival of the 12:15pm
Manhattan ferry.
Artillery Thursdays, June
14-September 27
Great balls of fire! Learn about the
US Army's cannons on Governors Island during the 1800s.
This tour, which includes demonstrations, requires
participants to walk about two-thirds of a mile.
On Fridays
Programs for Youth: Bring
Them Back Alive! 10 am
Discover what life was like on Governors
Island and in New York City. Learn to drill like a
Civil War soldier and hear stories of the women and
girls of the time. Please call 646-241-2670 or email gois_information@nps.gov to
make a reservation. The program begins with the arrival
of the 10am Manhattan ferry, with return on the noon
ferry.
Ranger’s Choice Programs:
Spin the Bottle on History, 12:15 pm
Join a National Park Ranger and take
90 minutes to learn about a fascinating—and unexpected—aspect
of Governors Island history. Reservations are required;
visit nps.gov/gois or call for each week’s program.
National Park Service Special
Programs
Saturday, June 22 Army Heritage Day
Re-enanctors and small displays bring
back a sense of Governors Island 200 year long history
as an Army post.
Saturday and Sunday August 10-11 Civil
War Heritage Weekend
With the 150th anniversary of the
Battle of Gettysburg and the New York Draft Riots,
living historians offer a glimpse of Civil War life
as a solider with camp, musket and cannon firing demonstrations.
ISLAND SPECIAL EVENTS AND
PROGRAMS
Sunday, May 26, Opening Day Family Festival,
12pm-4pm
Join the Governors Island Alliance
in Nolan Park for arts and crafts, musical and theatrical
performances, and harbor-education activities for kids.
Sponsored by the Governors Island Alliance. For more
information, visit governorsislandalliance.org.
Saturday, May 25, LMCC’s Open Studios:
Season of Cambodia "In Residence", 12pm
to 5pm
LMCC is proud to be a part of the
Season of Cambodia Festival, a city-wide initiative
of Cambodian Living Arts celebrating the arts and culture
of Cambodia. Join us in the Gallery at Building 110
and meet the six Cambodian artists who have been in
residence since April 2013. For more information: Season
of Cambodia.
Saturday June 8 and Sunday
June 9, FIGMENT NYC, 10am to 6pm
FIGMENT is a free, inclusive, participatory
arts event held in multiple cities and drawing tens
of thousands of participants each year. Now in its
7th year on Governors Island, FIGMENT NYC removes the
barriers of museum and gallery walls and entrance fees,
and blurs the lines between those who create and those
who enjoy art. At FIGMENT you will find works
in every imaginable medium including sculpture, installation,
performance, music, workshops, games, social experiments,
and heart-stopping technological innovations that change
the way we see the world… and visitors are
invited to bring something, too! FIGMENT NYC has
been named the Best Art Festival in New York by the
Village Voice, and BBC Travel writes, "If FIGMENT were
a country, it would be the happiest in the world—and
I would apply for citizenship immediately." See you
at FIGMENT! What are you bringing?
Bird Friends of Governors Island, Saturday June
22 10am
Bird-lovers can gather at 10:15am at Soissons Landing
on Governors Island to meet National Parks Service
volunteer birder Annie Barry for 1.5 hour informative
guided tour of the wild bird life of the island.
Saturday June 22nd, RECESS Badminton 12pm-5pm
Dust off those badminton rackets and
birdies as RECESS returns to Colonel's Row for their
infamous outdoor badminton challenge featuring 32 creative
organizations battling for the title of New York City's
supreme shuttle cockers! Festivities include free bike
rides, food vendors, a beer/wine tent and guest deejays.
Plus a few public courts. Visit http://www.recessnewyork.com for
more information.
Saturday, July 13 Come Out
& Play Field Day and Family Day at the Parade Ground
as part of the River To River Festival, 11am
to 5pm
City-sized fun for kids and adults,
Field Dy and Family Day events turn Governors Island
into a giant play ground for all. New games, new experiences,
and new takes on old favorites, Field Day and Family
Day give participants the opportunity to rediscover
each other and the city they call home through joyful
interactive play. For more information: Come
Out & Play.
Saturday, July 13: Rite
of Summer presents Bang on a Can All Stars, 1 and
3pm Formed in 1992, the Bang on
a Can All-Stars are recognized worldwide for their
ultra-dynamic live performances and recordings
of today’s most innovative music. Freely
crossing the boundaries between classical, jazz,
rock, world and experimental music, this six-member
amplified ensemble has consistently forged a distinct
category-defying identity, taking music into uncharted
territories. Performing each year throughout the
U.S. and internationally, the All-Stars have shattered
the definition of what concert music is today. Visit
Bang on a Can
Saturday, July 20th: Metropolitan
Waterfront Alliance presents The City of Water
Day Festival, 10am-4pm
A day of entertainment, education
and adventure celebrating our waterfront and its potential.
Enjoy free boat tours, children's activities, fishing,
the Waterfront Activity Fair, and more! For more information,
visit www.cityofwaterday.org.
Saturday and Sunday, July
27 and 28, 11am-5pm: New York City Poetry Festival
The Poetry Society of New York will
once again invite New Yorkers to come together
for this two day festival to celebrate NYC’s vibrant
poetry community. The event will include over
50 poetry organizations and 200 poets on
its three stages; a Vendor’s Village where
local booksellers, artists and craftmakers
will sell their wares; a beer garden sponsored by Brooklyn
Brewery; healthy and delicious food options; poetic
installation art throughout, and, of course, the
Children’s Festival at NYCPF, this year
sponsored by Writopia!
Sunday, July 28: New York Hall of Science
presents Designing for Flight with NYSCI, 12pm-4pm
As part of the programming for the
summer exhibit, Design Zone, NYSCI will be going out
to Governor’s Island to run Designing for Flight,
a fun, design-focused day--exposing some of the
design and science involved in common and exciting
forms of flight. This science outreach event invites
the public to bring their own kites (BYOK) to fly,
enjoy demos by NYSCI Explainers, and experiment with
making flying machines.
Saturday, August 10: Rite
of Summer presents an Homage to
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring: Ljova and the
Kontraband and Fireworks Ensemble, 1
and 3pm
LJOVA AND THE KONTRABAND is chamber-jam
music for the “remix generation”. As if
by alchemy, Eastern-European and Gypsy melodies, Latin
rhythms, Jazz-inspired improvisations, and deeply rooted
Classical forms are given new meanings in original
compositions that fearlessly forge a new direction,
with a nostalgic gaze towards the past.
Saturday Aug 24th RECESS Bocce
12pm-5pm
Itchy for bocce anyone? Join RECESS
for a day of outdoor fun in the sun as 32 creative
organizations put their lawn skills to the test, rolling
and knocking off each other's bocce balls on the makeshift
grass courts on Colonel's Row. Festivities include
free bike rides, food vendors, a beer/wine tent and
guest deejays. Plus a few public courts. Visit http://www.recessnewyork.com for
more information.
Sunday, August 25: The NYC Volkswagen Traffic
Jam, 10am
The Traffic Jam is a spectator-judged
vintage Volkswagen car show and picnic. With great
views behind a vibrant line-up of nearly 100 Beetles,
buses, dune buggies, Things, and other original VW's
circa 1950's - 1970's, this car show is a one-of-a-kind
event for both the casual spectator and classic VW
enthusiast. Because show cars ride a ferry to
get to the event, registration is mandatory to secure
a spot at the show. Registration opens June 30th. Registration
will be first-come, first-served. Car Registration
$20.00 and spectators attend for free. Visit www.vwtrafficjam.com
Saturday and Sunday, August 31 and September
1, NYC Unicycle Festival, noon
The 2013 NYC Unicycle Festival rolls
onto Governors Island on Labor Day weekend. Activities
include races, competitions, exhibitions, a variety
of unicycle sports including unicycle basketball and
hockey, world-famous riders will display their skills,
and members of the public have the opportunity to try
one—wheel riding. nycunifest.com
Sunday, September 1: Rite
of Summer presents Rite a Thon, 12pm to 5pm
Performances by Pam Goldberg and Blair
McMillen in Colonels Row.
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