Your Guide to ArtsFest for Kids

ArtsFest 2024 kicks off Thursday, October 17 and runs through Sunday, October 20 with nearly 50 venues presenting the work of more than 250 artists (visual artists, performers, artisans). Family friendly activities abound, with some special events just for kids. Get a sneak peek here -- then visit the NRCA website at www.newrochellearts.org for the for the complete ArtsFest calendar. All events are free unless otherwise noted.

ALL WEEKEND

Thursday through Sunday families can take self-guided walks of public art. At Ward Acres Conservancy (300 Broadfield Rd., NR; 914- 654-2087 ; https://www.wardacresconservancy.org ) a Self-Guided Childrens Story Trail featuring the book “A Good Place” includes 19 stops in both English and Spanish. The trail is designed to be a self-guided experience for children 2 and up.

Downtown enjoy a Self Guided Tour of the NRNY Murals (download a map of the murals at www.newrochellearts.org). The 20 large scale #NRNY Murals make a statement about New Rochelle as a diverse city where art plays a pivotal role. Completed in 2022 the high impact murals were created by a group of world class street artists curated by Street Art for Mankind and sponsored by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts and the City of New Rochelle’s IDA. There will also be free tours on the Culture Trolley at 12 pm and 1:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday for a guided tour of the NRNY Murals.

And enjoy pop-up musical performances by Songcatchers, the nonprofit organization that provides affordable access to high quality music education and enrichment for children and families. Keep an eye out for “Community Music Pop Ups” throughout New Rochelle all weekend, with Songcatchers musicians of various levels playing at outdoor locations.

THURSDAY, October 17th

Thursday and Friday are school days -- but also a perfect time to introduce children to some of the art spaces around town! For example, at Cafetero Coffee (111 Centre Ave., NR) you can view artwork on exhibit and enjoy a special treat: Mention ArtsFest or show this brochure to receive a 10% discount on a hot chocolate drink.

You might also check out art on view at the Lumen Winter Gallery at the New Rochelle Public Library (1 Library Plaza, NR, 914-632-7878, www.nrpl.org ) where the New Rochelle Art Association is showing its 109th annual juried show, with paintings in acrylic, oil and watercolor as well as sculpture, photography digital art and mixed media. (Open 9 am to 8 pm on Thursday.) And kids might be tickled by "Undersea Whimsy: Imaginative Creatures from the Deep" (Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital , 101 Glover Johnson Pl., NR; lobby level; www.montefiore.org/artprogram), playful bold, doodle-inspired works by Erwin Ong. (Open 12 noon to 4 pm).

You also have the chance to see art in the making at New Rochelle High School on Thursday, where ceramics teachers and students will be doing Live Raku Firing from 8:30 am to 3 pm in the new wing parking lot (corner of North Avenue and Braemar). The community is welcome to visit and learn about this ancient ceramics technique, which creates unique -- and unpredictable -- designs characterized by vibrant colors.

FRIDAY, October 18th

Did you know New Rochelle High School is the only high school in the state with its own museum? Older children and teens will enjoy visiting the Museum of Arts & Culture (located at North Avenue at Braemar) from 6 to 8 pm to view Fall In Plein Air: Landscape Abstractions -- paintings by NRHS visual arts students in PAVE 1, 2 and 3. There will be live music and refreshments available for a donation. (Additional works will be displayed around the lake.)

Then at 8 pm the action moves to the Linda E. Kelly Theatre downstairs where the student group Theatreworks will present Face Forward: Growing Up in Nazi Germany, a staged reading. Three young people growing up in Nazi Germany struggle to claim their identities and transition into adulthood in this collage play about ethics, family, and self-perception. No answers come easily as these three characters experience ordinary growing pains in the face of extraordinary historical tragedy. Free admission, donations welcome.

On the other end of town families with older kids and teens will thrill to the return of The Haunt at Wildcliff Mansion (44 Wildcliff Drive, NR; www.hpcgreenhouse.org), a spine-chilling immersive Halloween experience from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm Friday and Saturday night. Guests can explore a mad doctor’s forgotten laboratory, navigate a restless graveyard, wander the haunted corn maze, and investigate Wildcliff Mansion, encountering ghostly figures and reanimated horrors at every turn. Guests under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult; no babies or strollers will be allowed. Timed tickets cost $25 per person at https://app.hauntpay.com/events/hauntatwildcliffmansion

SATURDAY, October 19th

ArtsFest was built around the idea of artists opening their studios to the public, and one of the most kid-friendly is Charles Fazzino Art Studio at Museum Editions (32 Relyea Pl., NR; 914-654-9370; www.fazzino.com ) Once a year (for ArtsFest) this world famous pop artist -– the master of 3-D art -- opens his studio to the public, and on Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm (and Sunay from 11 am to 5 pm) families can tour his personal studio, enjoy an exhibit of works by Charles and his daughter Heather Fazzino, and experience an interactive art workshop. Fun for all ages.

What makes visiting an artist's studio different than seeing their work in a gallery is the chance to meet the artist in their work space and learn first hand about their process. At HighBrook Studio in Pelham (222 Highbrook Ave. North; 914-334-9311) you can see eight different artists working in a variety of styles, while the studios of Amelia E. Jones (38 Lakeside Dr., NR; 914-356-2327; 12 noon to 5 pm on Saturday, 12 noon to 6 pm on Sunday) and Fran Sisco (30 Mill Rd., NR -- adjacent to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 914-589-1013; Saturday, 11 am to 3 pm ) are offering spoken word (poetry, storytelling, theater) and music as well as visual art. Use the QR code in the ArtsFest brochure to access an up-to-the-minute list of local artists who will be opening their doors to the public during ArtsFest weekend: The site offers addresses and parking information for the studio locations.

Saturday is jampacked with your choice of other kid-focused activities, starting with Art in the Garden (30 Oakdale Ave., NR, rear yard; 914-439-2020) from 10 am to 1 pm, where works by selected artists from the New Rochelle Art Association will be on display in a private garden. A collaboration between the NRAA and Healthy Yards New Rochelle.

From 11 am to 5 pm the Fifth Annual Artsfest Artisan Market (on the grounds of Thomas Paine Cottage, 20 Sicard Avenue) with live music by Mudsole Dixieland Trio from 12 to 2 pm, food trucks, and 30 makers selling their creations. Plus a visit from the ArtsWestchester ArtsMobile, a colorful van custom fit with all kinds of art supplies that will offer free visual arts workshops led by professional teaching artists from 1 to 3 pm. (Rain Date: Sunday, October 20th.)

At 12 Noon older kids and teens can join parents for a coffee break at Starbucks Wykagyl (1278 North Avenue) where students from New Rochelle High School’s PAVE 4 and TheatreWorks will and present an original spoken word event, A Vente on the Veranda. Enjoy an afternoon filled with captivating performances of song, acting, and movement while sipping your favorite drink. It’s the perfect blend of creativity, community, and coffee—an exciting showcase of local talent!

This year the free ArtsFest Trolley will offer two guided tours (12 noon and 1:30 pm) on Saturday and again on Sunday. Meet at Hotel NoMa and step aboard this old timey transport: Docent Andi Stix will guide the trolley through the streets of New Rochelle to provide the backstory behind some of the city’s most loved public art. Free parking provided curtesy of Hotel NoMa.

At the Pelham Art Center (155 Fifth Ave., Pelham; 914-576-7747, x115; www.pelhamartcenter.org) view an exhibit of student works from 10 am to 4 pm; in addition from 1 to 3 pm members of the PAC Artist Club will be giving lectures about their artwork and creative processes. In conjunction with the lectures, PAC will also be offering a craft project for all ages.

The Aaron Copland School of Music's Brass Ensemble will present a free concert of diverse works ranging from Baroque to Broadway at the New Rochelle Public library at 2 pm. This special ArtsFest event is perfect for listeners of all ages, offering a unique opportunity to explore the versatility of brass instruments and ensemble performances.

In the North End, the Huguenot Children’ s Library (794 North Avenue at Eastchester Road; 914-632-8954; www.nrpl.org ) invites families to be Lego Library Architects: Build a replica of the beloved little library with Legos --or create your own dream library with Legos and Duplos. Fun for the whole family.

On Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 5 pm you can expose your kids to the magic of movement at the ArtsFest Dance Festival (Whitney Young Auditorium at New Rochelle High School, 265 Clove Rd., NR). This free showcase of astonishing dance performances by professional companies and local schools will introduce young audiences to a variety of dance styles. On Saturday: Ajkun Ballet Theatre; Christy Walsh; MorDance; TORCH Dance Theatre; Ballet Arts of Westchester and Ballet Arts des Amériques. On Sunday: Accent Dance NYC; New Rochelle High School PAVE Hudson Ballet Theatre; Steffi Nossen Dance Company; Dance Ministry Institute and The Coleman School of Dance.

Wanna-be theater kids can get a sneak peek at a rehearsal for "Chicago : Teen Edition" from 3 pm to 3:30 pm at SOOP Theatre Company (530 Fifth Avenue, Pelham; 914-552-7850; www.sooptheatre.org) Enjoy a few of the iconic musical numbers from this longest running musical revival on Broadway.

Finish up the day at 3:30 pm at Thomas Paine Cottage (20 Sicard Ave., NR; ThomasPaineCottage.org) where little ones can shake their yayas out with Shake, Rattle and Roll Music. This free music session will make everyone want to bop, wiggle, and twirl to the beat. Previously named Best Music School by Westchester Magazine, Shake, Rattle & Roll Music will be sure to get everybody moving and grooving with songs in different languages and their original, catchy tunes in English. Kids are invited to bring their own favorite percussion instruments (shakers, tambourines, castanets, etc.).

Saturday’s events wind down with a free concert featuring Hurdy Gurdy Man Jerome Hughes from 5 pm to 6:30 pm at the Thomas Paine Memorial Building (983 North Ave., NR; parking on Valley Road). Children and teens will delight in discovering this unusual instrument with a varied repertoire, from medieval pieces to two world premieres. With special guest, singer Kate Chaston.

SUNDAY, October 20th

From 11 am to 2 pm experience some seasonal fun at the Pumpkin Patch at Hudson Park Children’s Greenhouse (44 Wildcliff Rd, Hudson Park, NR; www.hudsonparkgreenhouse.org ). Children can select and paint a pumpkin for a small fee. There will also be a “Skeleton Scavenger Hunt” and other Halloween activities. For an extra $10 guests can take a guided tour through a less-scary daytime version of “The Haunt at Wildcliff Mansion” with lights on and no actors.

Stop by the Fall Fest Open House at the JCC Mid-Westchester (999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale, NY; 914-768-8882; jccmw.org ) to experience the programming for all ages available at this multi-generational cultural center open to all, from arts and crafts, to dance, live music, visual arts exhibitions, fitness, fun activities, and food vendors. You’ll have a chance to sample drop-in dance classes, edible gardening, PJ library story hour, a breath-body-mind meditation class, plus inside and outside games, raffles and activities.

At 11:30 am take a guided walk along the Story Trail at Ward Acres Conservancy (300 Broadfiled Rd., NR; 914- 654-2087 ; https://www.wardacresconservancy.org ) The trail -- based on the book “A Good Place” -- includes 19 stops in both English and Spanish. Designed to be a self-guided experience for children 2 and up, the story will be brought to life on this walk by narrators. Attendees are to meet at the entrance to the park on Broadfield road across the street from the Ward Elementary School Baseball field.

The children’s activities wrap up at the New Rochelle Public Library (1 Library Plaza, NR, 914-632-7878, www.nrpl.org ) with two special programs: At 2 pm an interactive bilingual puppet show takes you on Adventures in the Andes -- led by Araceli Poma this enchanting program allows young audiences to explore the Spanish language through music and fun – and at 3:30 pm children can Make Your Own Llama Balloons: Get creative with this hands-on craft activity, where you’ll make adorable llama decorations using balloons, crepe paper, stickers, and more. This fun-filled workshop is perfect for all ages.