Free Weekend Activities: More Chinese New Year, a Pow-Wow, Science and Architecture for Kids

1/30/09 - By Anna Fader

200901292113.jpgThis weekend is jam-packed with fun Chinese New Year Activities. Find the best ones in our previous Lunar New Year activities round-up. In our Free Friday round-up today we've got the best activities for this weekend, mostly free, including a couple new Chinese New Year events, a real PowWow, budding architects can learn about sustainable design, and a new series at the Museum of Natural History that will get your little scientists excited. Have fun!

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Lunar New Year Celebration: If you're heading to Flushing for the Lunar New Year Parade, stay for the fun at The Queens Library in Flushing, which is having a Lunar New Year celebration all day long on Saturday with Korean and Chinese Dancers, food preparation and traditional crafts. FREE Find out more at queenslibrary.org

Brooklyn's Lunar New Year Parade and Celebration: We covered the festivities in the Manhattan and Queens Chinatowns, but now we've got the scoop on how they're celebrating in Brooklyn's own Chinatown. On February 1st at 11 AM, the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association is sponsoring a New Year's celebration on 8th Avenue and 50th Street. The festivities begin at 11 AM with a fire cracker display, a Lion Dance and Kung Fu demonstration, as well as other cultural performances. At 1 PM the Lion Dance and Marching Parade begin. It starts out at 50th Street and continues to 60th Street. FREE (via BestViewinBriooklyn)

Thunderbird American Indian Dancers Pow-Wow: 30 Native American dancers from across the country come together for the 34th annual dance concert and Pow-Wow. There will be dances, stories and traditional music from the Iroquois and Native Peoples of the Northwest Coast, the Southwest, the Plains, and the Arctic regions. Saturday and Sunday Children's Matinees. Adults $10, Children $1. Proceeds will be donated for Native American children in need. Find out more at theaterforthenewcity.net

Sundays Under the Whale: The Museum of Natural History has started a new program for families to Interact with scientists and enjoy multimedia presentations, discover amazing creatures and celebrate science. The series kicks off this weekend to learn how scientists use new fossil evidence and DNA discoveries to understand evolution. Following, watch a visual presentation of how animators translate scientific data into realistic 3-D models and exciting computer-animated creatures. Watch in amazement as our evolutionary history comes to life. Sunday, February 1, 1:00 p.m. Recommended for 6 and up. FREE with museum admission (suggested donation).

Greening the City: Kids can learn about how to build sustainable cities, learning about sustainable design and green city planning. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Skyscraper Museum. Saturday at 10:30. Registration is required by calling 212.945.6324, or e-mailing education@skyscraper.org. Suggested Donation: $5 per child. Find out more at skyscraper.org

Find more activities in our event calendar.