BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://vancortlandt.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260418T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260418T120000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260324T221403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T221521Z
UID:10002367-1776506400-1776513600@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Super Seedlings
DESCRIPTION:Join VCPA for tons of family-friendly garden fun! Let’s grow together! \nSuper Seedlings is a free\, drop-in gardening program for kids ages 3-7 and their caregivers. \nEach Saturday session will have a fun theme to explore\, nature crafts\, planting\, soil digging\, and more! \nCome once\, twice\, or all four weeks for some playing and planting! We hope to see you there! \nDates: 4/18\, 4/25\, 5/2\, 5/9\nTime: 10 AM – 12 PM\nLocation: The VCPA Learning Garden is located near the Mosholu Avenue and Broadway entrance of the park (past the Northwest playground). \nDrop-ins are welcome\, but advance registration is recommended. \nPlease e-mail us with any questions at gardening@vancortlandt.org \n 
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/super-seedlings-4/2026-04-18/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/super-seedlings-sp26-website-pix1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260421T200000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260409T232122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T232219Z
UID:10002382-1776794400-1776801600@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Meet the Design Ideas Lab Teams
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a panel with the three teams selected from the Reimagining Design Ideas Competition to envision future memorial in the Bronx \n\n\n\n\nReimagining the Enslaved African Burial Ground at Van Cortlandt Park is hosting a special panel conversation in partnership with Lehman College at CUNY\, Campus Honors & Scholar Engagement. \nRSVP Now. \nLed by Van Cortlandt Park Alliance\, Design Trust for Public Space\, and Immanuel Oni of Liminal sp\, Reimagining has selected three design teams through its Bronx community-engagement-informed Design Ideas Competition\, aiming to generate new visions for a memorial honoring the site. Reimagining is honored to announce the Design Ideas Lab cohort: \n\nRodney Leon/ Leon Pinkster Azalea Collaborative: Leon “Pinkster Azalea Collaborative” is a collaboration between Rodney Leon\, Elgin Cleckley(_mpathic design)\, and Creative Urban Alchemy established for the Reimagining of Van Cortlandt Park’s Enslaved African Burial Ground. The Collaborative’s founder Rodney Leon\, is the designer of the African Burial Ground Memorial in New York City\, which is the first National Monument in the United States dedicated to the contributions of people of African descent. Mr. Leon is also the Architect and Designer of the United Nations Permanent Memorial to the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. His practice Rodney Leon Architect has a unique expertise focusing on the design of sacred\, cultural and public spaces over the last 30 years. Ifeoma Ebo: Nigerian-American\, Brooklyn-based public artist\, educator at the Spitzer School of Architecture at City College and Principal of Creative Urban Alchemy (CUA) – an award-winning design studio working at the intersection of art\, architecture\, urban design & planning. With a career spanning two decades\, she is renowned for her transformative work in urban landscapes\, with a keen focus on equity and design excellence. She has significantly impacted urban design and development projects\, partnering with prestigious institutions like the United Nations\, FIFA\, and the NYC Mayor’s Office. She is joined by Ximena Diaz Velasco\, a Community Designer at CUA trained in landscape architecture and international development. Elgin Cleckley is an award-winning Architect\, Civic designer\, and Associate Professor at the University of Virginia\, where he leads the internationally recognized _mpathic design initiative\, pedagogy\, and design practice. He has collaborated on major civic and cultural projects across North America over three decades and helped realize the groundbreaking Weston Family Innovation Centre at the Ontario Science Centre (Toronto). Current design projects include Brookes (Revisited) installation at the Beck Center in Knoxville (Tennessee)\, Royal Museum Greenwich (UK)\, and the Charles Wright African American Museum (Detroit)\, and a public space at Kindlewood (Charlottesville).\n\n\nUjijji Davis Williams/ JIMA studio: A landscape architectural design and urban planning studio that collaborates with community groups\, organizations\, and builders committed to culturally relevant placemaking and strategic implementation. JIMA Studio contributed to a conceptual design investigation interpreting the history of the Forrest Slave Mart\, a holding facility for enslaved Africans and African Americans owned and operated by Nathan Bedford Forrest in the midst of Downtown Memphis.\n\n\nSunsum Collective: a collaboration between Wil Jones\, founding principal of NYC-based urban practice GROUND3D\, architect Deena Darby\, cultural preservationist and placemaker Talisha Ward\, landscape architectural designer and herbalist Simone Delaney\, and urban planner Nolen Scruggs. The interdisciplinary team has expertise in community engagement\, historic preservation\, landscape design\, and public programming. Team members have contributed to community-engaged planning and design efforts related to the Flatbush African Burial Ground\, advancing heritage corridor strategies\, participatory design processes\, ecological design interventions\, and collaborative approaches to cultural preservation and public memory.\n\nJoin us for a talk and reception at Lehman College to celebrate and meet the design teams\, learn more about the hidden histories of the Enslaved African Burial Ground in Van Cortlandt Park\, and explore how the design ideas lab will lay down a blueprint vision for a future permanent memorial—one that connects Bronx residents and visitors to the site’s history\, acknowledges its painful legacy\, and creates space for gathering\, education\, and healing. \nThis panel discussion is part of Van Cortlandt Park Alliance’s REIMAGINING initiative. In partnership with the Design Trust for Public Space and Immanuel Oni\, Liminal Sp\, VCPA invites the community to reimagine the park’s Enslaved African Burial Ground site as a memorial space that fosters long-term healing and restoration. This project is supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation. \n\n\n\n\nThis event will be held in B39 Carman Hall at Lehman College.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/meet-the-design-ideas-lab-teams/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Draft-2-VCPA.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T160000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260302T213513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T212556Z
UID:10002231-1777122000-1777132800@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Family Fun Day
DESCRIPTION:Van Cortlandt Park Alliance\, Women of Woodlawn and Woodlawn Taxpayers Association Present Woodlawn Family Fun Day featuring: \n\nShannon & John: Celtic and Americana Music Duo\nFace Painting\nNYRR Mobile Van\nUrban Park Rangers\nWoodland Family Walks\nNature Crafts\nBocce\nGames\nAnd more!\n\nRSVP Now.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/family-fun-day-2/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Family.Fun_.Day_.2026.web_.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260426T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260426T130000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260323T204448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260323T204553Z
UID:10002246-1777197600-1777208400@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Sunday Stewardship
DESCRIPTION:Join Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for Sunday Stewardship — hands-on ecological restoration in Van Cortlandt Park. No experience necessary. Tools\, gloves\, and guidance provided. \nThis will be City Nature Challenge weekend!  Celebrate by helping with garlic mustard removal and iNaturalist species mapping.\nBring your phone and a water bottle. \nMeeting at the southern end of the Van Cortlandt Golf House. \nRSVP Now.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/sunday-stewardship/
CATEGORIES:Volunteer
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Untitled-design-40.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260428T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260428T200000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260322T221431Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T160708Z
UID:10002238-1777401000-1777406400@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Unhired Hands
DESCRIPTION:Van Cortlandt Park Alliance and Van Cortlandt House Museum presents a poetry reading by poet and Bronx byproduct David Mills.\n\nMills will read from Unhired Hands\, his new poetry collection about slavery in Queens and Massachusetts.  The reading will be held the downstairs educational space inside the Van Cortlandt House Museum (only accessible via stairs). \nSpace is limited so advance registration is required. \nRSVP Now. \nThis reading is a part of Van Cortlandt Park Alliance’s Reimagining initiative. In partnership with the Design Trust for Public Space and Immanuel Oni\, Liminal Sp\, VCPA invites the community to reimagine the park’s Enslaved African Burial Ground site as a memorial space that fosters long-term healing and restoration. This project is supported by the Mellon Foundation. \nThis 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. \nAbout Unhired Hands:  You never quite know where to place Mills’ work in the poetic landscape. This is a good thing given the clusters of poets bunched around the same subjects and approaches. In Unhired Hands\, where he explores slavery in Queens and Massachusetts\, he’s formal while wild in style; he’s both historical/recognizable and strange/innovative. Like Ralph Waldo Emerson tuning in from the outer boroughs; like Phillis Wheatley riding Funkadelic’s mothership. He possesses an archival acumen akin to Natasha Trethewey; a cultural vernacular rich as that of August Wilson; the intellectual quirks of Pharaoh Sanders and Sun Ra. Unhired Hands highlights his expressive documentarian impulses while adding to his clear technical mastery. He reconstructs / conjures Queens (through the lives of enslaved individuals Victoria Earle Matthews\, Millie Tunnell\, and Martha Peterson)\, and Massachusetts (with an homage to Phillis Wheatley). His research is exacting\, but open; the poems are formal but never formulaic. The image of Matthews sneaking books between chores\, her eyes “learning to swim\, learning to sink into literature’s at turns clear and sometimes troubling waters” is a kind of statement of poetics and a lyrical reconstruction of history. Mills writes beyond “the jurisdiction of flinch\,” into the intimacy of interrogation:  its also an “interrogation of intimacy.” This collection is akin to a history book scored by form and spirit\, ingenuity and telepathic empathy…\nTerrance Hayes\, National Book Award and MacArthur-Genius-Award winning author of Lighthead. \nAbout David Mills: David Mills is currently a New York Public Library Cullman Fellow finishing a poetry collection about slavery in the Bronx. He holds an M.F.A. from Warren Wilson College and an M.A. from New York University in creative writing. He’s published five collections: Unhired Hands\, Boneyarn (Manhattan slavery poems)\, After Mistic\, The Sudden Country and The Dream Detective. His poems have appeared in Ploughshares\, Colorado Review\, Fence\, Crab Orchard Review\, Jubilat\, Callaloo\, Brooklyn Rail\, and Obsidian. He has received a 2026 NYSCA grant to write a poetry collection about Brooklyn slavery.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/unhired-hands/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Unhired-Hands-840-x-560-px.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260502T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260502T160000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260406T122133Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T202509Z
UID:10002376-1777723200-1777737600@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Pinkster Festival
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Van Cortlandt Park Alliance\, Van Cortlandt House Museum and Kingsbridge Historical Society. \n\n\n\n\nCelebrate the rich cultural heritage of Pinkster at this year’s Pinkster Festival hosted by the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance\, Van Cortlandt House Museum\, and Kingsbridge Historical Society. \nJoin us on the picturesque lawn of the Van Cortlandt House Museum for a day filled with vibrant festivities\, live music\, engaging performances\, and immersive experiences. \n12PM Tours \n1PM Live Music \n2PM Storytelling \n3PM The Story of Pinkster \n4PM Libations at the Enslaved African Burial Ground \n\nChief Baba Neil Clarke\, Master Percussionist \nThe Pinkster Players \nApril Armstrong\, Master Storyteller \nTijay Mohammed\, Artist \n\nPLUS: Food for sale! Art-Making! \nRSVP NOW \nWHAT IS PINKSTER? \nOnce a major holiday in 17th century New York\, Pinkster is the Dutch name for the Christian event of Pentecost. \nFor enslaved and free people of African descent\, Pinkster morphed into a unique holiday that incorporated African rituals\, traditions\, and pride. It is considered New York’s first African American holiday! \nTo learn more about Pinkster watch this video of captivating discussion with local historians\, Lavada Nahon and Chief Baba Neil Clarke\, as they unravel the significance of Pinkster\, exploring its cultural\, social\, and historical importance. \nSupported by: \nNYC Councilmember Eric Dinowitz\nNYC Department of Cultural Affairs\nNYC Department of Youth and Community Development\nNYS Council on the Arts \nThis program is supported\, in part\, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council. \nThis 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.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/pinkster-festival-3/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Pinkster.web_.2026.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260509T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260509T160000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260407T145629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T145629Z
UID:10002377-1778335200-1778342400@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Caribeando Community Music and Dance Workshops
DESCRIPTION:Caribbean Music and Dance workshops with Juan Usera and the Sambuco Tribe in Van Cortlandt Park. \nSaturdays May\, 9\, June 6 and August 22 from 2-4pm \nFollowing their inspiring Caribeando performance at the Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture last May\, Juan Usera and the Sambuco Tribe is offering an interactive Caribbean Music and Dance workshop in Van Cortlandt Park for the Bronx community. \nThe 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. \nWorkshop will be held next to the Enslaved African & Kingsbridge Burial Ground behind the Tennis Courts. \nParking is available in the Van Cortlandt Golf Lot. No driving inside the park allowed. \nRSVP Now. \nThis series is sponsored by The NYC Green Fund Grassroots Grant Program. \nThis 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.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/caribeando-community-music-and-dance-workshops-4/2026-05-09/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Caribeando-Music-and-Dance-Workshops.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260511T103000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260407T193218Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T193508Z
UID:10002380-1778491800-1778495400@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Van Cortlandt Nature Group Walk
DESCRIPTION:Take a slow walk in the park and learn about local flora and fauna with naturalist Debbi Dolan. \n\n\n\n\nSpring is off to a glorious beginning. Wildflowers are emerging\, and the warblers are coming in! Tree swallows are visiting the Vault Hill and Tibbett Meadows. Tulip trees and crabapples will be in flower in May along with cherry trees\, dogwoods\, redbud trees. The dawn chorus is well underway\, and birds are busy collecting nesting material. \nRSVP Now. \nTaking precautions against tick bite is recommended – socks over pants\, and you may want to use insect repellent. Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. \nWalk meets in the parking lot of the Riverdale Stables.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/van-cortlandt-nature-group-walk-9/
CATEGORIES:Hikes
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-840-x-560-px.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260527T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260527T210000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260306T134434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T111406Z
UID:10002236-1779904800-1779915600@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Springtime Shindig 2026
DESCRIPTION:Cocktails • Lite Bites • Dessert\nMusic • Picturesque Setting • Raffle\nHONOREES\nBetty Campbell-Adams Award\nChristopher Rizzo of Carter\, Ledyard & Milburn\, LLP\nLyman Casey Spitzer\, Attorney\nNYC Parks current and past leadership\nFor facilitating VCPA’s license agreement with NYC Parks\, recognizing Van Cortlandt Park Alliance as its official partner.  \nCultivating the Bronx Award\nRiverdale Main Streets Alliance\nFor their stalwart support and stewardship of the park. \nVisit our Shindig Page to purchase tickets.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/springtime-shindig-2026/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Shindig.2026_web.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260530T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260530T103000
DTSTAMP:20260410T070528
CREATED:20260407T194312Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T194312Z
UID:10002381-1780133400-1780137000@vancortlandt.org
SUMMARY:Van Cortlandt Nature Group
DESCRIPTION:Take a slow walk in the park and learn about local flora and fauna with naturalist Debbi Dolan. \n\n\n\n\nSpring is off to a glorious beginning. Wildflowers are emerging\, and the warblers are coming in! Tree swallows are visiting the Vault Hill and Tibbett Meadows. Tulip trees and crabapples will be in flower in May along with cherry trees\, dogwoods\, redbud trees. The dawn chorus is well underway\, and birds are busy collecting nesting material. \nRSVP Now. \nTaking precautions against tick bite is recommended – socks over pants\, and you may want to use insect repellent. Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. \nWalk meets in front of the Nature Center.
URL:https://vancortlandt.org/event/van-cortlandt-nature-group/
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://vancortlandt.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-840-x-560-px.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR