Keep your January fun and family friendly here in Lincoln Square, with plenty to do, thanks to our neighborhood's cultural organizations, to entertain kids and parents through this chilly time of year. 

On Saturday, January 7, you and your kiddies can catch a free performance at the David Rubenstein Atrium as part of LC Kids' Artists at the Atrium series. JoJo and the Pinecones, a clever, quirky kid-centric jazz band, will play a show at 11:00am and 2:00pm, both first come, first serve admission. The Artists at the Atrium series occurs on the first Saturday of each month. Click here to learn more. The David Rubenstein Atrium is located on Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets. 

Also on Saturday, January 7, the American Folk Art Museum is hosting a Families and Folk Art event at 1:00pm, free of charge.  This program, titled "Portraits, Symbols, and Photography," will allow participants use of polaroid cameras, creative staging, and techniques with mixed media to create their own family portraits inspired by some of the art on view. Families and Folk Art events  introduce children ages 4 to 12, and their accompanying adults, to folk art through interactive discussion-based tours and hands-on activities. Though there is no fee for this event, space is limited so registration is required. Click here to register. The American Folk Art Museum is located at 2 Lincoln Square. 

Later in the month, another series presented by LC Kids, Storytime at the Atrium, offers families a chance to hear  beloved children's book authors read their own works at the David Rubenstein Atrium. On Saturday, January 21 at 11:00am, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe's vivid text and bold artwork will be enlivened through a live reading of his book, Radiant Child. Radiant Child is inspired by NYC artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and teaches readers that  art and imagination doesn't always have to be neat or inside the lines to be beautiful. The David Rubenstein Atrium is located on Broadway between 62nd and 63rd Streets. 

These free, local family friendly events are perfect activities to usher away wintertime blues with your kids. Be sure to check out all of our cultural organizations' calendars of events and our own Lincoln Square BID Events Calendar to make plans and take advantage of some wonderful programs this year.

Students who participate in ChamberFest return early from winter break for a week of intensive coaching on pieces they've chosen to study, and they perform these works the following week in public concerts. Juilliard ChamberFest presents major works in the chamber music repertoire by Beethoven, Brahms, Dvořák, Mozart, Schubert, among many others, and will include several contemporary works by Olivier Messiaen, Mieczyslaw Weinberg, John Harbison, and György Kurtág.

ChamberFest performances take place in  Juilliard's Paul Hall and Peter Jay Sharp Theater and in Alice Tully Hall. Click here to see full schedule and visit juilliard.edu to see everything going on at Juilliard.

New Yorkers rejoice: The Second Avenue Subway line is finally a reality!  The MTA  opened the first segment of the line to the public on New Year's Day with new stations at East 96th Street, East 86th Street, East 72nd Street, and an enhanced station entrance to the 63rd Street/Lexington Avenue stop. The Second Avenue Subway also features the largest permanent public art installation in New York State history commissioned through MTA Arts & Design.  The Q Train services these stations, and southbound trains bring commuters and visitors right to the 57th Street/7th Avenue subway station--just a few blocks away from Columbus Circle. 

So, now it's even easier to enjoy Lincoln Square's many shops, restaurants, and cultural spots. Be sure to check out these great new stations and begin planning your trips between the Upper East Side and Lincoln Square.