This Weekend: Swing into the New Year
Posted in Around the Garden on January 3 2014, by Matt Newman
Chances are good that you’re already on the road to recovery from the past two weeks of festivities—the feasts, the parties, the revolving door of sweater-clad family members—and coming back around to business as usual. But the holidays haven’t left the Garden just yet, and our conifers certainly aren’t ready to give up their decorations! Throughout January, we’re keeping the holiday cheer afloat with our continuing Holiday Train Show, friendly visits from our pal Thomas the Tank Engine, and all the winter majesty our 250 acres can summon. This is easily one of the most beautiful times to be outside in New York, so don’t let the couch take up all of your time!
This weekend’s highlights, aside from our ongoing seasonal festivities, are definitely of the wilderness variety. Not only will we be having the usual Saturday Bird Walk at 11 a.m. (it’s an amazing time of year to see the birds, what with most of the foliage fallen from the trees), but we’ll also be hosting a Winter Plant & Tree Tour on Sunday, exploring the bright berries and detailed textures of winter in the Garden. And if you’re looking to warm up, don’t miss our tour of the iconic architectural landmarks that make up the NYBG.
The full schedule is below, but even if you don’t follow it, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the NYBG on your own. Anyone who’s spent time walking the quiet trails of our Forest can tell you that!
Saturday, January 4
All Aboard with Thomas & Friends™ – 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., & 5:30 p.m. (Members Only Performance at 9 a.m.)
In the Ross Hall
Join Thomas and Driver Sam on a new fun-filled, sing-along, mini-performance adventure by helping them decorate the station in time for the big Sodor surprise party before the guest of honor arrives! Bring your camera to have a photo-op with Thomas and capture the special day!
Seating is first come, first served and special tickets are required.
Holiday Guides – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Learn more about the exhibition from our knowledgeable guides who will show up-close samples of the plant parts used to make buildings and share other special insights.
Bird Walk – 11 a.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
The diverse habitats of the Botanical Garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the Garden grounds with an expert to learn about bird-friendly habitats, migrating species, and birds that make a permanent home at the Garden.
Landmarks of the New York Botanical Garden: The LuEsther T. Mertz Library Building – 12:30 p.m.
Meet in the Orchid Rotunda of the Library Building
Learn how this historically significant structure complements our magnificent landscape and discover the ways this space is used to promote and advocate for the plant kingdom.
Sunday, January 5
All Aboard with Thomas & Friends™ – 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., & 5:30 p.m. (Members Only Performance at 9 a.m.)
In the Ross Hall
Join Thomas and Driver Sam on a new fun-filled, sing-along, mini-performance adventure by helping them decorate the station in time for the big Sodor surprise party before the guest of honor arrives! Bring your camera to have a photo-op with Thomas and capture the special day!
Seating is first come, first served and special tickets are required.
Holiday Guides – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
Learn more about the exhibition from our knowledgeable guides who will show up-close samples of the plant parts used to make buildings and share other special insights.
Winter Plant & Tree Tour – 12:30 p.m.
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
With the deciduous trees now stripped of their leaves, explore the many colorful winter berries found throughout the Garden and marvel at the sculptural forms of trees and tree bark.
Ongoing Children’s Programs
Holiday Adventures in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden
The Holiday Train Show® continues in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, where kids can embark on a journey through a variety of activity train station stops, including an artist’s station, an engineer’s station, and a builder’s station, as well as an educational display of Holiday Train Show® houses. Each weekend brings even more fun with Holiday Parades and Ralph Lee’s Artist Station, a craft studio for families featuring train landscapes and materials kids can use to create their own trains, people, and animals to inhabit the scene!
