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For immediate release:
June 25, 2009
Contact:
Elizabeth Rapuano: 212-440-2205 |
erapuano@empire.state.ny.us
Now that School’s Out, Day
camps, children and families come to Governors
Island for free activities
Governors Island offers a wide
variety of free activities for kids including
hands-on arts programs, mini golf, Free Bike Fridays
and beach jamborees
Governors Island is offering an unprecedented
number of free programs and activities for children
and families in the summer of 2009, the Governors
Island Preservation and Education Corporation
(GIPEC) today announced. Programs and activities are
free and are open to the public every Friday –
Sunday until October 11.
“Governors Island is a great place for children and
families to enjoy an entire day of free programs and
activities,” said GIPEC Chair Avi Schick. “Where
else in New York City can you borrow a bike for
free, experience free art exhibitions and programs,
play a round of free miniature golf, and picnic and
play in acres of open green space?”
“Whether you are a family visiting New York City or
a New York parent in search of a unique and fun
place for children to enjoy, Governors Island has
something for you,” said Dan Doctoroff, GIPEC Vice
Chair. “We look forward to providing more family
programs and activities than ever before for
Governors Island visitors.”
There are a wide array of Governors Island
activities and programs that appeal to children and
families. These include:
Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA) Free Art
Island Outpost Program. Every Friday – Sunday,
CMA runs free hands-on children’s art programs out
of an historic building in Nolan Park. Visitors are
invited to drop by the house between 11 AM to 3 PM
each day to enjoy a range of arts based activities.
A tented outdoor Open Art Studio on the lawn offers
various art activity stations for families to
experiment with materials such as paint, clay,
fabric, paper, and found objects. No reservations
are required for the Free Island Outpost.
CMA also offers a day camp called Summer Arts Colony
on Governors Island. To learn more about this camp
for children ages 7-14, please visit
www.cmany.org.
Free Bike Fridays. Governors Island offers
more than five miles of car free biking. Free Bike
Fridays, the tremendously popular free bike program
on Governors Island, has returned again this year.
Every Friday, visitors can borrow bikes for free for
up to one hour. Last year’s program was so
successful that in 2009, there are twice as many
adult and children’s bikes available for use.
Visitors are also welcome to bring their own bikes
from Friday – Sunday, and can rent them on the
weekends. Free Bike Fridays is sponsored by Bike and
Roll™.
Artist designed miniature golf. Visitors can
play a free round of artist designed miniature golf.
A different artist designed each of the 18 holes.
The course was organized by Figment. Visitors can
play free of charge.
National Park Service children’s programs.
Every Friday, the National Park Service (NPS), NPS
offers special children’s programming. Beginning at
10 AM and ending at 1:15 PM, NPS will run
interpretive programs that invite children to
experience a day in the life of a Union soldier, a
Confederate prisoner, or resident of Governors
Island from the Civil War. Programs are offered in
Fort Jay and Castle Williams. In addition, NPS
offers walking tours of the entire Historic
District.
Water Taxi Beach Children’s Programs. On July
4th weekend, NY Water Taxi Beach will open on
Governors Island. Water Taxi Beach will be the
Island’s first dining and entertainment venue, and
will feature free children’s events. Kids Jamborees
will have live music and dancing, and children and
families can make sandcastles on the beach. A
children’s author series will also feature
celebrated works of kids’ literature. A full list of
Water Taxi Beach children’s programs is included
here.
In addition to the scheduled programs, there are
also a wide range of activities that day camps,
children and families can enjoy. These include:
Biking. This year, more of Governors Island
is open to biking than ever before. From Friday-
Sunday, visitors can bring their own bikes. Bikes
are free on Fridays and can be borrowed from the
Bike and Roll™ rental kiosk near the ferry. On
Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can also rent
bicycles to enjoy more than five miles of car free
biking.
Picnicking. Governors Island has dozens of
acres of green space for visitors to picnic and
play. Picnic Point is the Island’s newest public
space and is eight acres of grassy lawn, featuring
hammocks, Adirondack chairs, and stunning views of
the Statue of Liberty.
Day camps do not have to make reservations to visit
Governors Island. They are invited to come enjoy
open green spaces, free bikes, and kids programming.
In addition to family-friendly activities and
programs, Governors Island also features additional
arts programming for visitors:
City of Dreams – Interactive Sculpture Garden
In the City of Dreams, come explore 17 fantastical
pieces of all shapes, sizes and materials. In the
spirit of FIGMENT, these works are participatory and
interactive, inviting you to think, act, and
respond.
www.FIGMENTnyc.org
Creative Time presents Plot 09: This World and
Nearer Ones
Creative Time commissions projects by over 20 major
international artists, which will be installed
across Governors Island this summer. Opens June 27.
For more information, visit
www.creativetime.org
The Sculptors Guild presents “Formative Lines:
Working in Drawing and Sculpture”
An exhibition featuring drawings and sculptures from
25 members of the SCULPTORS GUILD. To learn more,
please visit
http://www.sculptorsguild.org.
Painting Governors Island
In historic "Building 408," eight painters exhibit
their watercolors and oil paintings made on- site,
on Governors Island.
A schedule of family-friendly Governors Island
events are included below, along with family related
activities at Water Taxi Beach.
JULY
July 18th, Saturday: City of Water Day,
all day. Celebrate our City of Water! Food, family
activities, tours, fishing, prizes. Take free ferry
from Battery Maritime Building or come in your boat
info at
www.waterfrontalliance.org
July 26, Sunday: Folks on the Island with Judy
Collins Presented by Trinity Wall Street, 2:00
PM
For forty years, folk music legend Judy Collins has
created music of hope and healing that speaks to the
heart and inspires the world.
www.folksontheisland.com.
AUGUST
August 8, Saturday: African Film Festival,
noon
Have you ever wanted to experience the sights and
sounds of Africa? Now you can! Join the African Film
Festival on Governors Island and welcome world class
music, drumming and song in an all-day festival.
August 8 & 9, Saturday and Sunday: Civil War
Weekend, 11 AM to 4 PM
The National Park Service, 119th New York
Volunteers, The GawdAwful Mess and Battery G of the
First Pennsylvania Light Artillery will provide
family friendly activities, living history
demonstrations, music and other programs designed to
introduce you to the men and women of the Governors
Island Garrison and Confederates imprisoned on the
Island.
Water Taxi Beach Schedule
JULY
July 12, Children’s Author Series: Maurice Sendak,
3-4 PM
Rachel Trachtenberg’s Homemade World & The Beach
Pupetteers take you on a journey through Where the
Wild Things Are.
Free
July 18, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities.
Free
July 26, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities. Programming will
vary each week.
Free
AUGUST
August 2, Children’s Author Series: Dr. Suess,
1-2 PM
The Beach Puppeteers and the Xylophone Band read and
recreate several favorite Suess stories.
August 8, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities. Programming will
vary each week.
Free
August 16, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities. Programming will
vary each week.
Free
August 23, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities. Programming will
vary each week.
Free
August 30, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities. Programming will
vary each week.
Free
SEPTEMBER
September 6, Kids Jamboree, 10 AM to Noon
Bring your family to The Beach for a morning of fun.
Listen and dance to kid friendly music and make
sandcastles on the beach. Various entertainers from
jugglers, magicians, and balloon sculptors will be
on hand to add to the festivities. Programming will
vary each week.
Free
How to Get to Governors Island
Governors Island is open every Friday from 10 AM to
5 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays, the Island is open
from 10 AM to 7 PM. Ferries from Manhattan leave
from the Battery Maritime Building, on the corner of
South and Whitehall Streets, in Lower Manhattan. On
select weekends, a free ferry will also leave from
the Fulton Ferry landing in Brooklyn. Ferry
schedules change by weekend. For up to date ferry
schedules and downloadable maps, please visit
www.govisland.com.
About Biking on Governors Island
Visitors are invited to bring their bikes to
Governors Island every Friday-Sunday through October
11. The Island is open for visitors from 10 AM to 5
PM on Friday and 10 AM to 7 PM on Saturday and
Sunday.
Adult and children’s bikes are free on Fridays for
up to one hour. Surreys can be rented on Fridays for
a fee.
Bikes and surreys can be rented on Saturday and
Sunday. Rental rates are as follows:
For comfort bicycles on Saturdays and Sundays:
- $15 for 2 hours, $20 all day
For children’s bicycles on Saturdays and
Sundays:
- $12 for 2 hours, $15 all day
On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, visitors
may also rent:
- Small QuadCycle $20 for up to one hour, $30
up to two hours
- Large QuadCycle $25 for up to one hour, $35
for up to 2 hours
- Tandem bikes $25 for two hours, $35 all day
About the Children's Museum of the Arts
Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA) is New York’s
only children’s museum that brings artists and
children together to create, exhibit, and celebrate
children’s artwork. CMA is a general admission
children’s art museum with daily ongoing arts
activities, artists’ workshops, exhibitions, and
installations. CMA serves over 40,000 children and
their families annual through its daily workshops,
early childhood art classes, after school art
classes, summer art camps, on-site educational
programming, and through outreach programs in public
schools, hospitals, and social service agencies
throughout New York City.
Children's Museum of the Arts, founded in 1988 by
Kathleen Schneider, has spent the last 20 years
celebrating the visual and performing artist in
every child through teaching, collecting, creating
and exhibiting children’s art. CMA got its start in
the downtown arts community when Soho was at its
peak as the epicenter of the New York art scene.
While artists’ lofts have gradually been replaced
with upscale furniture stores and boutiques, CMA has
maintained the original Soho sentiment. CMA has
spent the last 20 years committed to promoting art
as a fundamental part of a child’s development. Amid
paint splatter floors and wildly creative
installations, 2008 marked CMA’s 20th year of
offering daily arts workshops for children ages 1 to
12.
About CMA Summer Art Colonies
Voted New York’s Best Day Camp and Best Art Class
for Big Kids by ParentsConnect.com, CMA Summer Art
Colonies provide an intensive arts experience for
children in a vast range of mediums. About the Governors Island Preservation and
Education Corporation (GIPEC)
The Governors Island Preservation and Education
Corporation (GIPEC) is responsible for the planning,
redevelopment, and ongoing operations for 150 acres
of Governors Island. A partnership of New York City
and New York State, GIPEC seeks to bring Governors
Island back to life, making this island at the
center of New York Harbor a destination with great
public open space, as well as future education, not
for profit and commercial facilities. For more
information please visit
www.govisland.com.
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