Van Cortlandt Park Alliance

Yoga in the Park
2026-07-16 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Yoga in the Park • Curated by Timothy Lewis
Thursdays: July 23, 30 & August 6, 13
7 to 8 PM • FREE!
Exploratory yoga sessions, incorporating elements of Vinyasa and focusing on mindful movement. Pre-registration strongly suggested. Beginners welcome. BYOM: Bring Your Own Mat!
No experience needed, just bring a mat, water, and an open heart.
Van Cortlandt Park Memorial Grove
RSVP Now.
July 23 with Instructor Timothy Lewis
Reconnect with the natural world and your own inner landscape. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and stillness, we’ll explore how the elements—earth, water, fire, air, and space live within the body.
July 30 with Instructor Ishkara Heqwabti
Calm your nervous system and feel consciously aware of the here and now. This 60-minute class blends 30 minutes of Kemetic Yoga (an ancient Egyptian practice focused on breath and posture) and 30 minutes of immersive sound meditation using crystal singing bowls, voice and indigenous instruments that will leave you feeling grounded and renewed.
August 6 with Instructor Melissa Rios
Calm your nervous system and feel consciously aware of the here and now. This 60-minute class blends 30 minutes of Kemetic Yoga (an ancient Egyptian practice focused on breath and posture) and 30 minutes of immersive sound meditation using crystal singing bowls, voice and indigenous instruments that will leave you feeling grounded and renewed.
Find your flow! Looking for a refreshing way to wind down in the evening? Come join us where fresh air, sunset, and good vibes meet! Let’s stretch, breathe, and move together under the open sky.
August 13 with Instructor Wendy of Yoga4theBx
Recharge and radiate like sunshine. We’ll use breath to flow through a Vinyasa yoga practice. Vinyasa yoga, also known as “flow yoga,” is a dynamic style characterized by breath-synchronized movement, linking poses in a continuous, flowing sequence. It’s known for its energetic nature!

Van Cortlandt Nature Group
2026-07-18 09:30 - 11:00
Take a slow walk in the park and learn about local flora and fauna with naturalist Debbi Dolan.
This walk meets in front of the VC Nature Center.
RSVP Now.
In July, many birds lower their activity level and will be seeking shade as the nesting season wanes for many species. But other birds like the American Goldfinch get a late start, beginning its nesting in July and August. By that time of year, milkweed and thistle have started producing their silky fibers that this bird will use to help build their cup-shaped nests which can be found in trees and shrubs. Another reason birds nest late in July is because they produce two or more broods per breeding season. Mourning Doves for example can produce as many as six broods a year. They’ll start nesting as early as late March, and have their last brood as late as early September. The American Robin as well as the Northern Cardinal are also some of these multi brood bird species.
Like humans, birds need to release the heat built up in their bodies from the sun by submerging in water, usually by bathing or swimming. Also, their bill may be opened, and the bare skin on the face, feet, and legs allows more heat to release from their bodies, helping them to cool down .
July is the time to savor the scent of Clethra (sweet pepper bush), and delight in the beauty of tall meadow rue, black cohosh, Joe-Pye weed, and woodland sunflowers. Butterflies like the monarch, tiger and black swallowtails, red admirals are aloft on the summer breeze.
Watch for The Full Buck Moon that will rise on Wednesday, July 29. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, “The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.”
As a courtesy, please let Debbi know if you need to cancel at:
turlan@optonline.net.

Canine Court Volunteer Clean Up
2026-07-23 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-08-20 13:00 - 15:00
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.

Family Fridays in the Garden
2026-07-24 10:00 - 12:00
CANCELED 7/17 DUE TO POOR AIR QUALITY
Are you ready for some family gardening fun?
Come dig for compost critters, water the plants, explore nature, harvest some veggies, and more at Van Cortlandt Park Alliance’s Learning Garden!
This is a FREE drop-in program.
For children ages 2 to 11 years old accompanied by an adult(s).
Dates:

July 10
July 24
July 31
August 7

Time: 10 AM – 12 PM
Location: The VCPA Learning Garden is located at: Mosholu Avenue and Broadway (next to the Horse Stables).
Drop-ins are welcome, but advance registration is preferred.
Please e-mail us with any questions at gardening@vancortlandt.org

BAE's 50s-80s Pop Hits
2026-07-25 14:00 - 15:00
Odane Whilby’s band is back for BAE’s summer music series at the Van Cortlandt House Museum lawn, featuring a fantastic lineup of oldies, pop, and R&B classics that delight audiences of all ages. Get ready to dance to hits from the ’50s to the ’80s by legendary artists such as Dion, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross. Pack your dancing shoes for an extraordinary musical party in the park!
Van Cortlandt House Museum Lawn.
More details here.

BAE's IAH Studio’s Ode to the Black Fiddler
2026-08-01 14:00 - 15:00
Ode to the Black Fiddler (OBF) is an IAH Studio initiative that highlights the artistry and cultural contributions of BIPOC string musicians through live performance and community-centered programming. OBF showcases the full spectrum of string music, spanning genres such as Hip-Hop, Jazz, R&B, Latin Fusion, Blues/Folk, Electronic, and more.
Van Cortlandt House Museum Lawn.
More Details Here.

Van Cortlandt Nature Group Walk
2026-08-04 14:00 - 15:30
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 the millpond, and wood ducks are slogging through the water chestnut.
This walk will meet in the parking lot of the Stables and head out onto the trails of the Northwest Woods.
RSVP Now.

Paper Making with Michele Brody
2026-08-07 13:30 - 16:00
Work with a local artist as she makes paper and casts fallen trees for an upcoming exhibit.

Join a local artist as they work to highlight the Van Cortlandt forest through casting falling trees using homemade paper.
Work with local artist Michele Brody in collaboration with VCPA to create paper casts of fallen trees in Van Cortlandt Park.
The Learning Garden is collaborating with Bronx Artist Michele Brody to produce an immersive installation that will reanimate fallen Park trees through cast handmade-paper sculptures. Come join her to help with this creative endeavor while learning the process of making paper.
For ages 15 and up!
RSVP Now
This project is made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and with funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, both administered by the Bronx Council on the Arts.

Van Cortlandt Nature Group Walk
2026-08-08 09:30 - 11:00
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 the millpond, and wood ducks are slogging through the water chestnut.
RSVP Now.
This walk will meet in front of the Nature Center and head to Tibbetts Wetland.

Caribbean Connections
2026-08-15 13:00 - 16:00
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 history of trade and culture.
At 3 PM, join VCHM Site Historian Nick Dembowski for a special, focused guided tour*of Van Cortlandt House Museum on early New York’s ties to the Caribbean and Latin America. The tour will uncover how colonial trade, migration, and culture connected the Bronx to the wider Atlantic world.
Registration is not required, but is suggested. Donations are appreciated!
*Please note that the guided tour at 3 PM does have a capacity limit and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to join the tour right after the performance ends at 2:45 PM to ensure a spot on the tour.
Accessibility: This event will take place outdoors on the museum lawn, which is uneven in spots. Limited outdoor seating will be available. At this time, the historic house is accessed using stairs, and has three flights of stairs inside. Our Welcome Center is accessible via ramp, and a 360-degree tour of the historic house (general, not focused) is available on a tablet inside the Welcome Center.
Language: this program will be in both English and Spanish. The guided historic house tour will be delivered in English.
Getting here and parking:
Address for GPS: 6036 Broadway, Bronx, NY

This event is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Caribeando Community and Dance Workshop
2026-08-22 14:00 - 16:00
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.
This series is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.

Concert: Irish Ghanaian Fusion
2026-09-19 13:00 - 15:00
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 traditions, as performed by renowned musicians from the Ghanaian drum ensemble Ekome Femo including Amos Gabia (voice/djembe/ dun dun), Raymond Odai Laryea (djembe/dun dun/ gankogui), Dylan James (banjo/fiddle), and ethnomusicologist/performer Colin Harte on (voice/piano/bodhrán/djembe).
Watch! Learn! Join in!
RSVP Now.
This series is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.
This event is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
