Willis Avenue Community Garden
Workout Wednesdays Zumba Classes
Aug. 9, 6 p.m.-7 p.m.
Sweet Water Dance & Yoga is hosting free zumba classes on Wednesday evenings. Zumba is a dance fitness class that uses Latin American and Caribbean rhythms. The class centers around aerobic and fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow songs to tone and sculpt the body. The class is open to all fitness levels. Reserve a spot here.
Concerts in Bronx parks
Annual Bronx Summer Concert Series
Aug. 13, 20 and 27; 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson has launched the annual Bronx Summer Concert Series at new locations that feature the Bronx’s numerous parks, such as Soundview Park, Van Cortlandt Park and Ferry Point Park. For more information and to find out the specific location of each concert, visit this link.
Sanitation Foundation
Bronx Summer Cleanup Series
Aug. 11 and 12, 10 a.m-12 p.m.
Help clean up six Bronx neighborhoods at the third annual Bronx Cleanup Series. The cleanups are taking place in Kingsbridge Heights, Highbridge, Mott Haven, Soundview, Mount Eden and Yankee Stadium throughout July and August. All volunteers will receive one ticket voucher valid for two tickets to select Yankees regular season home games. Furthermore, the volunteers at the site where the most litter is collected will be invited to a VIP Game Experience at Yankee Stadium on Friday, Sept. 8. Be sure to wear comfortable clothing that can get dirty, closed-toe shoes, a water bottle and sunscreen. Necessary equipment will be provided. Find more information at this link.
New York Public Library
Afrobeat & Caribbean Dance Fitness
Aug. 8, 15, 22, and 29; 10 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
The Bronx Library Center and Shape Up NYC – a free citywide fitness program – is hosting Afrobeat & Caribbean Dance Fitness classes at the Bronx Library Center in Kingsbridge Heights. Have fun while improving your cardiovascular health through easy-to-follow choreography. The class is open to all levels of fitness and is led by a Shape Up NYC fitness instructor.
Celebrating National Book Lovers Day
Aug. 9, 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
Head over to the Pelham Parkway-Van Nest Library to celebrate National Book Lovers Day. Kids, teens and parents are invited to decorate their own library bag and bookmark, and choose from a selection of free books to take home. This event is first come, first serve while supplies last.
R.E.A.D. with a Therapy Dog
Aug. 8, 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Children are invited to the Pelham Parkway-Van Nest Library to read to therapy dogs. R.E.A.D. is a comprehensive reading program to help improve children’s literacy and social skills through the assistance of trained, registered and insured therapy dog teams as literacy mentors. Children from kindergarten through fourth grade can sign up to read to a therapy dog for 10 to 15 minutes each. Find out more and sign up here.
New York Botanical Garden
Ebony G. Patterson exhibition
Aug. to Sept. 17, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Ebony G. Patterson brings her signature mixed media installations to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and NYBG’s landscape and galleries. Immerse yourself in the beauty of exotic flora and garden-inspired installations, such as a peacock sculpture and glitter-encrusted vultures. Patterson’s work invites visitors to reflect on their relationships with the natural world while also provoking questions around race, gender and colonialism. Find out more and get your tickets here.
Farmers Market
Every Wednesday through Oct. 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Visit the New York Botanical Garden Farmers Market to enjoy locally grown produce, baked goods and other speciality items. The NYBG’s farmers market is one of the top 10 farmers markets in NYC, and it is located near the Mosholu entrance. Find out more here.
Bird tours
Aug. 19, 11 a.m.
Go on a bird tour of New York Botanical Garden’s diverse landscape with an expert bird guide from NYC Audubon, a grassroots community that works for the protection of birds and their habitats throughout the five boroughs. Learn about the ways the Garden acts as a necessary green space for a variety of species year-round. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet for the tour at the Leon Levy Visitor Center reflecting pool.
Wine and Water Lilies
Aug. 17, 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
The New York Botanical Garden is launching a new event Wine and Water Lilies, where guests can take in the stunning lotuses and water lilies as they bloom in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory Courtyard pools. There will be live music, art-making activities and tours. A NYBG horticulture expert will be on site to talk about the aquatic plant collections on view.
Poetry Readings
Aug. 12, 13, and 20; 12 p.m.-3 p.m.
Join the NYBG for a reading from youth poets and their mentors at Urban Word. Readings will include pieces from celebrated poets who have engaged with the artistic work of NYBG’s summer 2023 exhibition artist, Ebony G. Patterson.
Composting Systems and Tools: A Master Composter Workshop
Aug. 8, 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Learn all about the best ways to create compost through this workshop taught by NYC Compost Project and hosted by the New York Botanical Garden. Participants will learn the pros and cons of the different types of compost bins, pile shapes and systems one can use to compost. Register for the workshop here.
Mosholu Teaching Forest
Creating A Community Forest
Aug. 12, 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
Join artist Matthew López-Jensen in his efforts to restore Mosholu Park. López-Jensen will lead a walk through the park as he unpacks his years-long project to restore the 20-acre site, including discussions surrounding what makes a forest “healthy,” what happens when an urban forest is abandoned and the intersection between art and advocacy. Features of the walk include important trees, bedrock and edible plants. The walk will end with light refreshments at the James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center Community Farmers Market.
Bronx Femme Run Group
Monthly Group Runs, Run-Walks and Walk
Sept. 1, 6:30 p.m.
Bronx Femme Run – a community-based, all-women fitness group – is hosting a monthly group run and walk on the first Friday of each month. Walks will average 2.5 miles, run-walks will average 3.2 miles and runs will average 3.5 miles. The group is free to join and beginner friendly. Children and leashed pets are welcome.
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
Woodlawn Forest Restoration
Aug. 10, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Join the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance (VCPA) for a day of community service and education as volunteers work together to restore the Woodlawn section of Van Cortlandt Park. Volunteers can meet at the Woodlawn Playground before making their way to the restoration site within the woods. The VCPA will be providing tools and training. Beyond helping to restore a beautiful section of the park, you will also learn interesting facts about a local park. Find out more and RSVP here.
Joseph Yancey Track and Field
Bronx Rockets speed-walking
Aug. 9, 6 p.m.-7 p.m.
The Bronx Rockets, a community walk/run group in the Bronx, is offering their speed-walking club every Wednesday evening. The organization focuses on community wellbeing by offering participants an alternative to running that helps get people in shape while relieving stress from the day. Meet up at Joseph Yancey Track and Field park across from Yankee Stadium. The group also offers morning walks or runs on Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. at Rev. T. Wendell Foster Park (also known as Mullaly’s Park).
Mottley Kitchen
Rooftop Yoga Flow
Aug. 12, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Join yoga instructor Ora Kemp for a Saturday morning rooftop yoga flow. The 60-minute session is aimed to help find the breath, build flexibility and strength and get your heart pumping. The class is open to all levels and is donation-based. After class, stick around for coffee, fresh juice and a breakfast sandwich. Arrive to the class 10 minutes early, and reserve your spot here.
For more things to do in the Bronx, visit our Bronx Times Events page.
