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Experience the magic of the Tianyu Lights Festival at Citi Field this holiday season. Photo courtesy of the festival
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10/27/24 - By Drew Kristofik

November brings plenty of things to do in NYC as we gear up for holidays from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving and full steam ahead to Christmas. Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in NYC this month.

November ushers in the holiday season in NYC and now's the time to book tickets to our most anticipated holiday events. We're counting down the days to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Balloon Inflation and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at the month's end. But, there's plenty of fun for city kids before those giant balloons take flight.

Families can check out the annual Canstruction exhibition at Brookfield Place or run away to the Big Apple Circus. Sparkling holiday light shows brighten the evening sky, including the brand-new Tianyu Lights Festival at Citi Field.

These are just a few of our favorite things to do in New York City this November—we're adding more events to the New York City Family Event Calendar every day.

More Things To Do in NYC This November With Kids:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Top Things To Do in NYC with Kids this November

Inwood Pumpkin Pageant in Isham Park

Inwood – FREE
Friday, November 1
The Inwood Pumpkin Pageant returns to Isham Park for another spooky display of Halloween artistry. Local residents bring their carved jack-o'-lanterns to the park the evening after Halloween for a grand community event. READ MORE

Día de los Muertos Family Celebration in Green-Wood Cemetery – Wait List Only

Greenwood, Brooklyn – FREE
Friday, November 1, 2024
Throughout Mexico, from October 31 to November 2, departed loved ones are commemorated through prayer, offerings, altars, music, dance, and food. Spend the afternoon celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with crafts, storytelling, and snacks. READ MORE

Election Day at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Explore the power of your voice by casting a vote in BCM’s mock election! This year three candidates and their running mates are campaigning to become BCM’s Animal Representative team: Great Horned Owl and Platypus; Striped Skunk and Pigeon; Koala and Whimbrel bird. READ MORE

Santa's Winter Wonderland at Watermark

South Street Seaport
Opens Friday, November 8, 2024
A whimsical waterfront holiday installation sparkles with Christmas trees, games, and activities for kids and adults alike! General admission tickets cover a fully outdoor experience, where you indulge in hot chocolate (regular or boozy) plus a treat from Santa’s Snack Shack to enjoy as you take in the sights and activities. READ MORE

Big Apple Circus: Hometown Playground at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Opens Friday, November 8, 2024
For its 47th anniversary season, Big Apple Circus: Hometown Playground celebrates the joy, wonder, and amazement of New York City. This show's theme celebrates the diverse neighborhoods and unique landmarks that make NYC like none other in the world. READ MORE

Laurie Berkner Band at Adler Hall

Upper West Side
Saturday, November 9, 2024
The Laurie Berkner Band returns to Ethical Culture for a family concert. Bring your dancing shoes and a stuffed animal (for your head)!  READ MORE

The American Wing at 100 at the Metropolitan Museum

Upper East Side
Saturday, November 10, 2024
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Wing with the unveiling of newly reinstalled galleries, art making, music, and cake! READ MORE

32nd Annual Canstruction Competition at Brookfield Place

Battery Park City – FREE
Through Monday, November 11, 2024
This extraordinary annual design competition is the most unique food charity in the world, Canstruction challenges teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to build sculptures made entirely out of unopened cans of food.  READ MORE

Flutter: A Discovery Play About the Seasons for Tots at Ailey Studio Theater

Midtown West
Friday, November 15-Sunday, November 17, 2024
Treehouse Shakers returns to live performances with Flutter, a play for babies and toddlers ages 6 to 18 months and their caregivers that introduces the very young to the four seasons through dance, puppets, and play. READ MORE

New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Opens Saturday, November 16, 2024
The New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show returns for its 33rd year! Model trains zip through a miniature wonderland of nearly 200 New York landmark replicas, each re-created from natural materials such as leaves, seeds, twigs, bark, acorns, and cinnamon sticks. READ MORE

Family Concert: Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats at the Jewish Museum

Upper East Side
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Composer and bandleader Lucy Kalantari engages audiences with interactive, jazz-age-scat-along play, while singing her original foot-tapping songs highlighting the joys of life, community, and resilience. This performance includes tunes from the latest album by Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats, Creciendo, which means "growing up" in Spanish, and features special guest, Allegra Levy.   READ MORE

Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Opens Friday, November 22, 2024
Holiday Lights return to the Bronx Zoo, bigger, brighter, and greener than ever before. The beloved holiday tradition covers acres of the zoo, lighting the grounds with custom Asian lanterns, wildlife-themed LED displays, and animated light shows on the historic Astor Court. READ MORE

Lightscape

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Opens Friday, November 22, 2024
Explore the Brooklyn Botanic Garden after dark during the illuminated spectacular, Lightscape, which celebrates the beauty of nature in winter on an enchanting trail animated by dazzling light, color, and sound. READ MORE

Yuletide Factory at the New Victory Theater

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, November 23, 2024
The merry daredevils of Cirque Mechanics (Zephyr, 2023) are back with an industrial-strength spectacular, transforming a drab assembly plant into a holly jolly Yuletide Factory! From the wonder of the German wheel to festive flips from the trampoline wall, they dash and dance through a pageant of powerhouse stunts with grins and goodwill. READ MORE

Lektrik at Queens Botanical Garden

Flushing, Queens
Opens Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Experience a kaleidoscope of photo-ops, acrobatic shows, tasty food, craft cocktails, live music, and so much more at this captivating light festival. READ MORE

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation

Upper West Side – FREE
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
The Macy's balloon inflation returns. Watching the giant balloons expand is a tradition for many NYC families—almost as important as the Thanksgiving Day Parade proper.  READ MORE

98th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Midtown West – FREE
Thursday, November 28, 2024
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marches down the streets of New York City for its 98th annual holiday celebration. READ MORE

Tianyu Lights Festival

Flushing, Queens
Opens Friday, November 29, 2024
Walk through a whimsical wonderland to see 7-year-old Koda’s dreams of a visit to Peru's rainforest through luminous art installations, with live cultural music and dance performances throughout the journey. READ MORE

Macy's Santaland

Midtown West – FREE
Opens Friday, November 29, 2024
Santa swoops back over to Macy's for visits with his littlest fans! Wander the rainbow road to his workshop, where you'll meet jolly old St. Nick. Share your wishlist before receiving a special gift and posing for a keepsake photo. READ MORE

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Opens Friday, November 29, 2024
The New York City Ballet's annual confection returns, complete with the famous one-ton Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet, an onstage snowstorm, and hundreds of elaborate costumes, including one for Mother Ginger that measures nine feet wide and weighs 85 pounds! READ MORE

Mary Poppins at 92Y

Upper East Side
Opens Saturday, November 30, 2024
Discover the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious story of a magical, common-sensical nanny who arrives at one family’s home and opens their eyes to a world of adventure right under their noses. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Adler Hall @ NY Society For Ethical Culture
David Koch Theater at Lincoln Theater