Things To Do This Weekend In New York City & Roosevelt Island - Renaissance Christmas Music, Lights, Kwanzaa @ AMNH & Chinese Food

You Tube Video Of Dyker Heights Brooklyn Christmas Lights

Looking for fun or interesting things to do on Roosevelt Island or in some other part of New York City this Christmas/Kwanza/Winter Holiday weekend? Here are some ideas,

On Friday, Christmas day, there's Early Music New York's A Renaissance Christmas at the Cathedral Church Of St. John the Divine:

... Director Frederick Renz has selected caroles, noels and motets dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, that emanate from sacred and secular rituals across Europe. Celebrate the twelve days of Christmas in the candle-lit, holly & ivy festooned Cathedral!

On Saturday, go take a look at the marvelous Dyker Heights Christmas lights in Brooklyn from 83rd - 86th streets between between 10th - 13th Avenues. According to the NY Post:

Even Rockefeller Center has nothing over this Brooklyn neighborhood during the winter holidays.
Dyker Heights, which is world-famous for its magnificent Christmas light displays, certainly isnt cutting down on electricity this season because of a dwindling economy.

A stroll through its snow-powdered streets last night offered onlookers a chance to see jaw-dropping light displays including, life-sized singing choir boys and glowing angels and, of course, dazzling Christmas trees...

You can go yourself or take a tour with A Slice of Brooklyn though the tours are sold out this weekend but available for Monday and Tuesday.

You Tube Video of Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Tour

On Sunday, visit the American Museum of Natural History for their all day Kwanzaa Celebration:

A vibrant cultural festival of African and African-American music, dance and crafts that commemorates the seven principles of Kwanzaa at the American Museum of Natural History. Kwanzaa Spirits 2009! is a feast for the soul and senses. Celebration highlights include performances by:

• International Steel Drum Orchestra (ADLIB), showcasing a variety of styles including calypso, sosa, and jazz
• Restoration Dance Theatre Company under the artistic direction of Karen Thornton-Daniels
• Award-winning Vy Higginsen’s Gospel for Teens Choir
• The electrifying Balance Dance Theatre under the artistic direction of Obediah Wright

There's always Chinese Food on Christmas.

You Tube Video of I Eat Chinese Food On Christmas

On Roosevelt Island this Holiday weekend, the Farmers Market is open on Saturday as usual as is Gallery RIVAA, the Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association.

Another suggestion - 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.

The MTA is reporting no Roosevelt Island F Train subway advisories this weekend and neither is RIOC with Tram advisories.