• Van Cortlandt Nature Group Walk

    Take a slow walk in the park and learn about local flora and fauna with naturalist Debbi Dolan. The warm, dry summer had leaves beginning to dry out on plants and trees, but lately the spate of rain has cooled temperatures. Cicadas and crickets can now be heard buzzing along with melodious birdsong. Butterflies are gracing the meadows, and cottontail rabbits are grazing. Woodland sunflowers, swamp rose mallow, ironweed and Joe-Pye are attracting pollinators, and we hope Jewelweed flowers will bring ruby throated hummingbirds to their nectar. Berries and seeds are ripening to please other avian species. Dragonflies are patrolling...

  • Caribbean Connections

    Caribbean Connections: Tying History and Music Together Join Van Cortlandt House Museum and Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for an afternoon that brings together history, music, and flavor. This unique program highlights the significant ties between early New York and the Caribbean and Latin America. The afternoon begins with a teaching musical performance by Juan Usera and the Sambuco Tribe, who will share the rhythms, traditions, and history of Caribbean and Latin American music while inviting the audience to listen, learn, and participate. From 1:30- 2:30 PM, guests will have the chance to sample Caribbean flavors—including sweet pineapple and other tastes that shaped New York’s...

  • Canine Court Volunteer Clean Up

    Canine Court needs some TLC! Help keep this doggie happy by volunteering to clean up Canine Court! NYC Parks staff does not perform daily maintenance inside dog runs. Daily maintenance is up to volunteers- like YOU! Join us for an afternoon of weeding, cleaning and spreading woodchips to spruce up Canine Court. VCPA provides all necessary gear. You bring the can-do attitude Enter the park at Broadway and W. 252nd. RSVP Now.

  • Caribeando Community and Dance Workshop

    The Caribeando Community Music and Dance Workshop provides an excellent opportunity to learn and practice Caribbean musical and dance traditions rooted in African heritage. Participants will learn Bomba, Plena, Guaracha, Cha-cha-cha, Merengue, and more. All ages, abilities, and skill levels are welcome to explore the basic rhythms, steps, call-and-response interactions, and shared community joy. Workshop will be held next to the Enslaved African & Kingsbridge Burial Ground behind the Tennis Courts. Parking is available in the Van Cortlandt Golf Lot. No driving inside the park allowed. RSVP Now. This series is sponsored by The NYC Green Fund Grassroots Grant Program....

  • Concert: Irish Ghanaian Fusion

    Move to the music as we explore the liminal spaces between Irish traditional music and West African Ghanaian music on the lawn of the Van Cortlandt House Museum. Move to the music as we explore the liminal spaces between Irish traditional music and West African Ghanaian music. Revel in lively, blended compositions drawing from both...