Weekend Planner: Hudson River Tugboat Day, African-American Heritage Festival, Activity Day

It's almost the weekend! Here is our weekend planner, and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter, and check out the events calendar to make sure you don't miss a thing happening this weekend in the Hudson Valley.

1st Activity Day at Gardella Park

• When/Where: Saturday, June 23 at 11 a.m.; Gardella Park, 201 Ferris Ave. White Plains
• Why Go: Join Big Boyz in Conjunction with Wes-Crew 1 and New Gereration Outreach for their first Activity Day, featuring food, games, line dancing and a football and a basketball tournament. All proceeds will support local sports clubs and teams. Click for details.
• Price: Admission is free

Party Worth Crashing

• When/Where: Friday, June 22 at 8 p.m.; White Plains Performing Arts Theatre (Various days and showtimes)
• Why Go: Be twenty-something all over again with this musical directed by Travis Greisler. Click for details 
• Price: $17 for students with ID, $23 adults

Harrison Pianos Presents Taskeshi Asai 

• When/Where: Friday, June 22 at 8 p.m.
• Why Go: Attend New York-based jazz pianist & composer Takeshi Asai’s CD release party at Faust Harrison Pianos 
• Price: Free

28th Annual African-American Heritage Festival

• Where/When:  Sunday, June 24, noon to 7 p.m., at in Valhalla.
• Why Go: At this event sponsored by Westchester County Parks and the Coalition of African-American Organizations, you can share a day of African-American culture. The theme for this year’s event is “Celebrating Nia – Purpose.” Take in entertainment by musical groups and dancers, drama and poetry readings, activities for children and check out vendors who will be selling traditional arts and crafts and countless types of ethnic foods. Bring a folding chair or blanket.
• Price:   Admission and parking are free. The Bronx River Parkway will be closed for Bicycle Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Scarsdale Road in Yonkers and the Westchester County Center in White Plains. The park can be accessed via Route 22, from the north or south.

Hudson River Tugboat Day

• When/Where: Saturday, June 23 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.at the Yonkers Pier and Bezcak Environmental Education Center
• Why Go: Celebrate the hardest working boats on the waterways and enjoy an array of activities in their honor.  Hear the Disney classic “Little Toot” about “the little tug that could,” and explore how tugboats work; make your own out of recycled materials and take a dockside tour of the Pegasus at the Yonkers Pier.
• Price: All activities are free, except a 7 p.m. RiverTalks presentation “Hudson River Tugboats,” with the Pegasus’ Captain Pamela Hepburn, which features the award-winning documentary short “Tugs,” which is $10, $5 for students, teachers and seniors with refreshments. 

Katonah's Caramoor Opens its Season

• When/Where:  Saturday, June 23, 8:30 p.m. at the Venetian Theater at , in Katonah
• Why Go:  Beautiful Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts opens its season with a presentation of Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" performed by the Orchestra of St. Luke's, with Roberto Abbado conducting. Violinist Gil Shaham is the soloist. Shaham was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1990, and in 2008 he received the coveted Avery Fisher Award.
• Price:  Concert tickets are $15-$85. Gala tickets start at $600 

Storytime & Live Music at Tarrytown Farmers Market

• When/Where: Saturday, June 23, 10 a.m.-12 noon at 121 N. Broadway, Tarrytown (Patriot's Park)
• Why Go: Enjoy Paul Mueller, hammer dulcimer player and at 11:30 a.m.: Pick-a-Book Picnic, plus story time with Warner Library. Come early, shop, eat, and relax!

Yorktown Heights Engine Company #1 Annual Parade and Carnival

• Where/When:  Carnival Dates: June 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 at 1916 Commerce St., Yorktown Heights. Times: Wed – Fri: 6 - 11 p.m., Sat: 1 – 11 p.m., Sun: 1-9 p.m.
• Why Go: Yorktown Heights Engine Company #1 will be hosting its annual parade on June 20 at 7 p.m. followed by the opening of the carnival. 

Comedy Comes to Peekskill on a Trolley

• When/Where: Sunday, June 24, 3 p.m. at S. Division St & Ester St. in Peekskill
• Why Go:  Patty and Patty are two middle-aged Italian broads from Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, who are realizing they don’t quite fit in anymore.  “What’s with this internet thing, tofu sausage, and panini presses?  I mean whatever happened to Laura Branigan?” You’ll laugh yourself silly as you ride along with Patty and Patty on her friend’s new trolley, Stella, as they tour Peekskill where Patty spent most of her youth, and listen as they interject their thoughts throughout the trip. When the tour ends, the laughs won’t stop, because you’ll join Patty and Patty for a wine and cheese (Italian, of course) meet and greet.
• Price:  $20 

Riley Saper Foundation Presents "Ossining's Got Talent"

• When/Where: Saturday, June 23, 6:30 p.m. at
• Why Go: Come out and watch the stars of Ossining shine and help raise funds for the Riley Saper Foundation (www.rileysaperfoundation.org) which provides student scholarships to Ossining High School seniors. See great talent; enter the raffle for a chance to win an iPad, plus other great prizes.
• Price: Admission is Adults: $10, Students: $7.

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