NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle Public Libraries will be celebrating the New Rochelle Arts Fest on Saturday October 20th and Sunday October 21st with a wide variety of activities for all ages.
The annual BID Family Day Fall Festival kicks-off the weekend activities on the morning of Saturday, October 20th, with Window Painting and Mask-Making. Families with children ages 8 – 12 years are invited to paint seasonal scenes for Halloween and Thanksgiving on the windows of downtown businesses, beginning at 10:00 am. A mask-making workshop geared for younger children will take place at the Grand Market in Ruby Dee Park at Library Green. In the event of inclement weather, a rain makeup date will be available by calling 654-2116. Families must pre-register in order to paint a window: email ngainor@newrochelleny.com (654-2116). This long-standing event is made possible by the New Rochelle Downtown Business Improvement District (BID).
From 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Saturday, the New Rochelle Art Association will conduct their annual “NRAA Rocks!” activity, during which families can paint rocks – and participate in a downtown hunt for painted rocks—for prizes. This activity will take place in Ruby Dee Park at Library Green, or in the library’s meeting room in the event of rain.
At the Huguenot Children’s Library in front of New Rochelle High School, a “Free Form Building” project will take place on Saturday afternoon, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. Children in Pre-K through grade 5 and their parents/caregivers are invited to drop-in to join the fabulous ArchFor Kids team, as they help turn “found” materials into amazing structures. The Dobbs Ferry-based ArchForKids provides young people with dynamic, hands-on, minds-on learning experiences grounded in architecture, design, engineering and urban planning. They’ll be bringing all kinds of materials, guidance and enthusiasm to HCL for an afternoon charged with creative energy. This free program is made possible by the Partnership for the Huguenot Children’s Library and is on a first-come, first-served basis, to the capacity of the Lower Level of the Huguenot Children’s Library.
Also on Saturday, the acclaimed Ajkun Ballet Company will perform The Sleeping Beauty, from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm in the Ossie Davis Theater of the main library. The romantic story of Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré will come to life in this elegant performance, masterfully choreographed by Chiara Ajkun. Presenting a world of characters, vignettes and fragrances, this beloved fairy tale will enchant the hearts of all ages. This is a “must see” ballet for first time and seasoned audiences alike. The free performance is made possible by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, the Friends of NRPL, and the New Rochelle BID.
The New Rochelle Art Association (NRAA) 103rd Annual Juried Exhibit is on view in the library’s Lumen Winter Gallery both days. The Annual Juried Exhibition features exceptional works in oil, watercolor, graphics, mixed media, pastel, photography, sculpture, and fine crafts. The Exhibit Reception, open to the public, will take place on Saturday, October 20th, from 5:15 pm – 6:30 pm, will include a brief exhibit awards ceremony, refreshments and sizzling live music by Brazilwood Quartet.
On Sunday, October 21st, the library will again host “650 | Where Writers Read”. Beginning at 3:00 pm, writers will read works based on the theme of “Holidays” in the library’s Ossie Davis
Theater. The program will be followed by a reception. Some holidays are lightweight and fun, while others are freighted with tradition and obligation. Often a time of high emotion, holidays can trigger happy memories or set the stage for family drama. The audience will hear great holiday stories, from sunburn to heartburn, told five minutes—and 650 words—at a time. This program is produced by the acclaimed Read650, and is made possible by the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, the Friends of the Library, and has a suggested minimum donation of $10.00.