All Weekend

Bello Mania – Midtown West
Hit the New Vic to see circus star Bello Nock, the clown with the gravity-defying hair and acts, in a show he created and produced himself. Not only is his schtick very funny, he performs amazing acrobatic feats on the trampoline, the high wire and more. My family and I are big fans and can't wait to check it out. $14-$38

Avner the Eccentric in Exceptions to Gravity – Tribeca
Catch a neo-vaudevillian clown at the old-fashioned Canal Park Playhouse. It's the perfect venue for Avner the Eccentric, who looks like he stepped out of a time machine and amuses audiences of all ages with his silly silent humor and kooky routines. $20

The Prince & the Magic Flute – Park Slope
Puppetworks' new hour-long marionette show was inspired by Mozart's famous opera about a lovesick prince. Reservations recommended. $9 for adults, $8 for children
 

Saturday, March 16

Easter Egg Hunts – Tribeca and Brooklyn
Easter may be two weekends away but egg hunts are already happening. So grab your basket and hit FREE hunts PS 89 in Tribeca. For $5, you can enjoy Our Lady of Grace RC Church's hunt in Gravesend, Brooklyn.

Tubby the Tuba Narrated by Patti Smith – Upper West Side
We've been excited about this classical concert for months. Head to Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall to hear legendary songwriter/poet and punk rock goddess Patti Smith narrate the musical tale of a big instrument who yearns to play his own little tune. Tubby was a childhood favorite of Smith's, so we expect her affinity to come through. $15-$55

St. Patrick's Day: Greening the City – Battery Park City
At the Skyscraper Museum, kids can learn about eco-friendly buildings and then make their own green models. Preregistration required. $5

National Girls and Women in Sports Day – the Bronx & Brooklyn
Young ladies can head to St. Mary's Recreation Center in the Bronx or St. John's Recreation Center in Crown Heights for a slew of sports clinics, health and fitness demos, and face time with pro female athletes. Registration suggested. FREE

Just Kidding: Randy Kaplan – Upper West Side
Join the roots rocker (and former New Yorker) as he plays tunes off his latest CD Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie at Symphony Space. $20 for adults, $13 for kids

St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Manhattan
NYC's 252nd St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes over Fifth Avenue with pomp and pageantry, bagpipes and boisterousness. The procession kicks off at 11am at 44th Street and marches up to 86th Street but expect it to spill over to other neighborhoods. FREE

Black 47's All Ages St. Patrick's Day Show – Midtown West
NYC-based Irish rock band Black 47 celebrates the holiday at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill with an all-ages show. My husband and I go every year with our elementary-schooler in tow. Just be sure to bring earplugs. In advance: $25; at the door: $30

Persian New Year Family Day – Upper East Side
St. Patrick's Day isn't the only holiday this weekend. You can celebrate Norouz, a.k.a. the Persian New Year, at Asia Society with traditional music and dance, ethnic crafts and more. $12 for adults, $5 for children.

Super Sabado: arteXplorers! – East Harlem
Exploring different kinds of art is the theme of this month's free family festival at El Museo del Barrio. Compare the real to the surreal in the vibrant multimedia exhibit SUPERREAL, search for animal imagery in the museum's galleries, create your own surreal art, listen to Flor Bromley's musical storytime and boogie to the rhythmic sounds of Very Be Careful. FREE

See all Saturday events.
 

Sunday, March 17

St. Patrick's Day Open House – Midtown West
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day on the actual holiday at the Irish Arts Center. Families can enjoy authentic Irish music from the NYC Harp Orchestra, storytelling, arts and crafts, Gaelic workshops, film screenings and a slew of Irish culture workshops. FREE

St. Patrick's Day Parades – Staten Island & Brooklyn
Or head to Staten Island or Park Slope for their respective St. Patrick's Day Parades, both a lot less raucous than the one in Manhattan. FREE

Dr. Seuss’ The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T – Greenwich Village
In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday this month, the Film Forum is screening his obscure 1953 live-action film author about an evil piano teacher and a student who would much rather play baseball. The feature will be preceded by the 1944 short And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street, based on Seuss' book of the same name. $7

The American School of Ballet: The Beauty of Ballet – Flatbush
Got an aspiring ballerina at home? Then head to the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts for this 45-minute show. Dancers and faculty from the School of American Ballet will demonstrate various steps and training exercises, and perform excerpts from famous ballets with live accompaniment. FREE

Passover Nosh and Stroll – Lower East Side
Eat your way around the Lower East Side while learning about Passover traditions. Sample delicacies from the Streit's Matzo factory, the Pickle Guys and other neighborhood shops as you schlep through this tasty part of town with a Museum at Eldridge Street guide. $25

A Family Passover Celebration with Yellow Sneaker – Flatiron
Celebrate Passover at the Center for Jewish History with Yellow Sneaker puppet troupe's The Matzo Time Crunch, which puts a new spin on the exodus story. Afterward, kids can create matzo covers. RSVP recommended. FREE

Leprechaun Hike – Staten Island
Naturalists from the Greenbelt Nature Center lead families on a one-mile hike in search of elusive leprechauns in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Registration required. FREE

Penny Jones & Co. Puppets Presents: The Magic Forest – Greenwich Village
The puppet theater group mounts a sweet interactive show for the preschool set about mixing magic potions to help bring on spring. $5

Pysanky: Ukrainian Easter Egg Decoration Workshop – East Village
Learn how to make pysanky, a.k.a. Ukrainian Easter eggs, by drawing designs on the eggs with wax and then dyeing them. My aunt used to make pysanky and I've always wanted to try my hand at it, too. So I plan to hit one of these Ukrainian Museum workshops, which will be offered through Easter weekend. Best for children ages 12 and up. Registration required. $15 for adults, $10 for students ages 17 and up, $5 for ages 12-16

See all Sunday events.
 

Outside of NYC

If you don't get your fill of St. Patrick's Day in New York City, you can hit one of the many New Jersey parades.

Head to the New Canaan Nature Center in Connecticut to celebrate maple sugar season with a Syrup Saturday and Pancake Breakfast.

Don’t forget: There are lots of other options in our Event Calendar.