Free Play December 20-21: Mutlicultural Holiday Events

12/19/08 - By Anna Fader

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Tis the weekend to get ready...last minute Holiday shopping and wrapping must be done, plus cooking and cleaning or packing and panicking, depending on your plans. You may not have time to be running around the city this weekend, or maybe a little division of labor is in order and one parent will take the tots to some of these free events while the other takes a nap...uh, I mean works really hard on all that stuff.

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East meets West Christmas Parade
Saturday, December 20, 2pm
Little Italy, Manhattan
FREE

How's this for a unique holiday event? A Christmas Parade featuring Chinese Lion dancers and opera singers, martial artists, plus Italian American Christmas floats, like a motorized gondola and marching bands. The parade starts at Columbus park in Chinatown and goes up Mulberry Street, through Little Italy and then loops back down Mott Street.

Free Puppet Show
Saturday, December 20th, 2:30pm
138 South Oxford Place, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
FREE

In a Round About Way is a puppet show with hand, large body puppets and live actors. The story is about diversity and friendship and recommended for all ages.



Hannukah Party
Sunday December 21st, 2-3:30pm
Washington Market Park, Tribeca, Manhattan
FREE


This outdoor Hannukah Party, usually doesn't get crowded and is one of the few free Hannukah events you'll find. Music from Orin Elkin and Friends, dreidle games, latkes and refreshments will keep you warm.



Mutlicultural Holiday Storytelling and Festival of Light
Saturday, December 20, 4-5pm
Charles A Dana Discovery Center, Central Park, Harlem
FREE


Storyteller, Regina Ress with share stories of light from the Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Years. The event ends in a candle-lit procession. All ages.



Artisan Craft Market
Saturday, December 20 and 21, 11am-7pm
Brooklyn Lyceum & Cafe, 4th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn


Shopping doesn't get more local than this. Pick up hand made items by local artisans. 67 vendors will be selling accessories, jewelry, art, clothing, cards, home goods, and more. Plus, s pend $100 and get two free tickets to a future Lyceum event. Double plus, while you're there stop in to see Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf or A Charlie Brown Christmas upstairs in the Brooklyn Lyceum performance space.



Find lots more weekend events for NYC in our event calendar.