No Ants Invited To New Rochelle's PIC*NIC Party In The Park

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — It's a rare family outing that has something for everyone, but the summer PIC*NIC Party In The Park series promises to be as much fun for the youngest member of your brood as it is for the oldest, and it all takes place where the lawn meets the skyline.

The New Rochelle Public Library (NRPL), New Ro Downtown, Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library and New Rochelle Parks and Recreation are bringing family-friendly fun to Library Green's Ruby Dee Park this summer. The new PIC*NIC Party In The Park series will take place on four Thursdays at 6 p.m. In addition, downtown New Rochelle restaurants will be offering specially priced PIC*NIC meals for customers to purchase before heading over to the Ruby Dee Park to enjoy the show.

The series will kick off this Thursday, July 14 with City Winds Trio who will entertain the crowd with live ragtime music. Kids of all ages will be able to help conduct the Trio and find dynamics and tempos through movement games. Attendees will be able to then create a summer memory by drawing a picture based on the music they heard.

On July 28, Evan the Magician will dazzle and delight attendees by making objects magically disappear, teleport and hilariously take on a life of their own during the performance. Families will then be able to go "behind the scenes" to take the magician's oath, become honorary magicians and learn a few amazing tricks they perform using everyday household objects.

Pretzelstein will perform on August 11 with a "salty mix of funky songs that start at your feet and end in your smile." The group consists of three friends (Zev, Mark and Rob) who created the group with the goal of playing songs to keep kids laughing, singing and learning.

The series will conclude on August 25 with Fiesta with Flor!, a multicultural musical celebration. Families will be able to join in the fun as they learn about different musical genres through dance, storytelling and songs. Flor Bromley-Mass, a bilingual Latina family musician/children's entertainer, will take everyone on a musical journey to various countries to learn about different rhythms.

"We are very excited about this initiative which extends the Library's family programming outside the walls of the building in a new way, " said Tom Geoffino, Director, New Rochelle Public Library. "We have wonderful entertainers lined up, so pack your picnic blankets and chairs, pick up your provisions and head over to Ruby Dee Park at Library Green for an evening of family fun."

Registration is requested for each program and can be done here. Find the date of the performance you'd like to attend, double click and proceed with registration. Registration can also be done by email or by calling 914-813-3706.

Many of downtown New Rochelle's restaurants will be offering specially priced and portable PIC*NIC menus. Restaurants participating include: Colombian House, Hibachi Express, Korean BBQ and Grill, Little Mexican Cafe, Magno's Grill, Modern22, New Golden Wok, Olibar and more. Be sure to place your order by mid-afternoon on Thursdays. The full list of participating restaurants, menu details and ordering information can be found here.