Things To Do This Weekend In New York City and Roosevelt Island - Christmas Chorus Tree Lighting, Rock & Roll Annex, Winter Stargazing and RI Tour

You Tube Video of Ramones Rock'n Roll High School

Hopefully everyone has started to recover from their Thanksgiving festivities and now you may be looking for fun things to do on Roosevelt Island or in some other part of New York City this weekend? Here are some suggestions.

Tonight is the lighting of the South Street Seaport Christmas Chorus Tree & Holiday Happenings. According to Mommy Poppins:

The South Street Seaport Christmas Tree stands over 50 feet high and will be lit the Friday after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 28th, at 6 PM. The event will be kicked off by carol singing by The Big Apple Chorus and, of course, an appearance from Santa. The tree stands on Old Fulton Street amongst the quaint historic district of the Seaport and it's the perfect setting to get into the Christmas spirit.

Mommy Poppins also lists other Christmas Tree and Hanukkah Menorah Lighting venues as well as a New York City Holiday activity guide.

On Saturday, visit the newly opened Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum New York City Annex. The NY Times describes what you will find at the Rock & Roll Annex and so does Time Out New York :

New York City is steeped in rock history: the Velvet Underground, CBGB, the birth of hip-hop, Bob Dylan—we could go on. And yet there’s no single repository devoted to the history of rock. (That old crust-punk who hung 24/7 at Max’s Kansas City doesn’t count.)

But now there’s the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC, an offshoot of the Cleveland original. It traces the history of the genre through artifacts, video installations and special exhibits (the first, on the Clash, opens Monday 1; see our story on the right).

“We thought it would be a good place to do a smaller version, given New York City’s central place in the history of rock & roll,” says Jim Henke, vice-president of exhibitions and curatorial affairs. And it shows: One whole gallery is devoted to all things NYC; artifacts include the awning from CBGB and David Byrne’s big suit from the film Stop Making Sense. “Everyone has a different definition of rock & roll,” says Henke. “We try to define it very broadly, so there’s something for everyone.”

On Sunday, try some Winter Stargazing at Central Park's Belvedere Castle. Join the NYC Parks Department and:

Celebrate the season with the Central Park Conservancy! This year, we're kicking off our Winter Holiday Programs by partnering with the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York and the Urban Park Rangers to present a special astronomy event for families. Enjoy an educational lecture and a spectacular view of the night's sky far away from the city lights at the highest point in Central Park, Belvedere Castle.

First we'll delve into the wonders of winter astronomy, in a lecture with the Amateur Astronomers Association inside Belvedere Castle. As the sky gets darker, we'll head out onto the plaza for some naked-eye observation. Once you've got the hang of it, you'll have the chance to use our binoculars and telescopes for an even greater view! If we're lucky, we'll see the Andromeda Galazy, the Ring Nebula, the Pleiades star cluster, Hyades, the Alpha Persei clusters, and the Orion Nebula.

On Roosevelt Island this weekend, the Farmers Market will be open on Saturday as is Gallery RIVAA, the Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association. Also, RIOC has produced a great self guided tour map (PDF File) of Roosevelt Island for any visitor or resident looking to stroll the Island and learn something more about it.

Good weekend transportation news. The MTA is reporting normal Roosevelt Island F Train subway service in both directions and RIOC is not reporting any Tram disruptions but:

On Sunday, November 30th, from 1PM to 4PM, a film crew will be utilizing the Tram and surrounding areas.

This WILL NOT interfere with normal Tram operations.

Check out some other ideas on what to do in New York City this weekend from the NY Times Urban Eye, NY Post Weekend Calendar and Newyorkology.