Events – Page 4 – Rockland NY Mom

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze- REVIEW!

Posted on October 16, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Day Trips, Events, Out and about..., Reviews .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as we were invited to the BLAZE. All opinions expressed are my own. Photos courtesy of Kennedy Grace Photography.

I was so excited to be invited back to The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze. We went two years ago (see post) and had a great time, but the kids are bigger and more mature now so I was excited to see their takes on it.

I adore the fall and everything that comes with it. I also love to do anything as a family that has us outdoors enjoying a nice evening together. The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze really fits that bill.

This time also I took along with me friend and photographer Kate Garland of Kennedy Grace Photography, so that you can REALLY see some of the wonders (my pictures can’t hold a candle to these).

We had a blast the last time we attended, but I was so very happy to see that they have made some great improvements as well.

Although the terrain is still a little rough in areas and a bit narrow, I was happy to see that in some of the more difficult areas there were rugs laid out which made a stroller much more manageable. I still suggest either baby-wearing or an easily navigable stroller like a jogger.

My children enjoyed the displays last time we were there, but they have added a few VERY child friendly areas that they really loved (dinosaurs, trains and the like).

The kids are OBSESSED with dinosaurs right now. They loved this!

They have added TWO more books about the BLAZE that you can purchase at the gift shop that are great. We purchased the one about the Headless Horseman.

The kids with the book we purchased two years ago… They are so adorable.

There are some pumpkin stand ups where you can take some silly photos with your heads through the holes that are eyes, ears, etc. Our group really liked sticking their heads through the MOUTH of one.

The kids being a bit more grown up this year also appreciated the hot apple cider and donuts more, as well as the pumpkin carving area where you can see and learn how they create the BLAZE. Two years ago when we went, (A) wasn’t interested in this process, this year I couldn’t get him away (looking forward to making our own pumpkins this time around).

Although the sessions are sold out, I didn’t feel crowded (even while trying to keep an eye on three young children) which is a nice thing. Additionally, everyone that was going through when we did had a great sense of humor and helped you to get a chance to see everything, which made it a very nice experience.

Helpful Hints:

Bring Jammies to change into. We went at 7 and didn’t head back home until 9:15.
We stopped at a local dollar store on the way and got some “Glow-in-the-Dark” accessories. These were great because the kiddos enjoyed them, and I knew which children were mine at ALL times.

The kids with their glow sword and wands.

Use the bathroom before you enter, its the only one at the event, if your kids have to go while you walk, you have to go all the way back .

I just love it when we leave an attraction or event and my children want to talk about it at the end. In this case, (A) kept thanking me for such a lovely evening, and (E) passed right out in the car with a huge smile on her face.

The Great Jack O’Lantern BLAZE is doing so well and is in such high demand that they have just opened some more times in the evenings. There is also some availability in early November that would be great to take advantage of as it may be a little less crowded.

Halloween Costume Swap- Give Back

Posted on September 22, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Events, Good Cause, Photo Obsessed, RNYM's Picks .

This time of year we see a million posts of people who don’t want to throw out the costumes they spent hours and dollars on for last years Halloween.

Last year we held an online sale (made a post and allowed everyone to put up their sale items). This worked really well.

This year we intend to do that again but we wanted to take it one step further. We decided to organize an event where you can DONATE your old costume, come to pick up a NEW one for $5 and we can donate all of the money to a charity. Which one? We decided that we should use children’s memories to create memories for those less fortunate, so Make-a-Wish it is.

Here’s the scoop…. We will collect old (gently used) costumes for kids, pets, adults, you name it. WE will organize it and advertise the event.

Our volunteers (and anyone else who wants to help) will set up and help with the sale. Afterwards we will let you know how much we raised to donate to Make-a-wish.

Logistics:

Costume Drop-off Locations: Nyack High School, Pearl River High School, My Sweet Pea in New City, Busy Bee Playschool

Date of Swap: 10/10/15 from 10 am – 1 pm

Location: Pearl River High School Pirates Cove (super convenient as it is also Pearl River Day- stop by and participate then walk into town for some fun!).

Cost: A suggested donation of $5 per costume purchased.

If you or someone you know is interested in donating, volunteering, becoming a collection site or participating in any way please contact us at RockandNYMom@yahoo.com.

“Traintastic” Chuggington Review!

Posted on June 25, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Day Trips, Day Trips, Events, Out and about..., Reviews, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as Ashley and her family were invited for a ride. All opinions expressed are her own.

This past weekend we were lucky enough to attend the “traintastic” Chuggington event at the Catskill Mountain Railroad. My boys LOVE Chuggington, so I knew we would have a blast… and perfect timing as a birthday celebration for my oldest!!

We started our day with a quick hour and twenty minute ride straight up the thruway to Kingston, praying for sunshine the entire trip. When we arrived parking was ample, and quickly noticed there were porta-potties easily accessible (there is also a grocery store in the same parking lot with clean bathrooms and a changing table). The parking lot is also connected to the lot of a strip mall with a Blimpies, Bagel shop, and a pizza restaurant.

As we picked up our tickets, we were also handed Catskill Mountain Railroad dollars to be used at specific local restaurants, as well as our trainee name tags. Right behind the ticket tent was a shop to buy Chuggington merchandise, and the photo booth to purchase any of the professional photos taken throughout your visit.

There was lots of food available – hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, french fries, chips, and even a local pizza shop set up ovens and had fresh pizza cooking! Of course, don’t forget ice cream, which we couldn’t resist!

Since we had some time before our train departed, we decided to take a stroll through the tents they had set up. WOW! There were 3 main tents – one for each of the main characters in the show. Within in each tent the kids were challenged to complete a challenge to earn a “badge” (a bracelet ) and a sticker. Just like badge quest on the show!

In Wilson’s tent, there were train tables, and a big mat for the kids to build their own train tracks. The challenge was to knock down the flames with bean bags. Since this was our first activity, my boys were intimidated so I took the lead to earn our bracelets.

In Koko’s tent, it was a race! The boys quickly filled buckets with ‘coal’ and ran to dump the buckets and fill up the train carts earning a green bracelet and KoKo sticker.

In Brewster’s tent there was a big sandbox filled with trucks, trains, buckets and shovels. The challenge was to build a tower putting blocks in number order. This earned each kid a a blue bracelet and Brewster sticker.

In addition to the main character tents, there was also a tent with free face painting, temporary tattoos, coloring, and small band playing kids music.

We heard the whistle of the train rolling in, so we headed over to get in line. We were slightly disappointed when the train got closer and we didn’t see Hanzo, as advertised. But the disappointment switched quickly to excitement when the boys saw it was a steam train just like Old Puffer Pete! Phew.

We were able to get great seats on the train, on one of the open flats so the boys could see everything going by. The ride was a serene 30 minutes, through the town and along a wooded area.

The train cars were decorated with blue and white streamers and flags, to symbolize Hanzo. Over the loud speaker they played songs from the show, and the voice of Hanzo was sharing all of the information about Chuggington and events that were coming up next. They had ‘train workers’ (dressed like the characters on Chuggington) coming around interacting with the kids and singing along with the songs. Towards the end of the ride, each child was given a party hat and party blower to use at the next event – a surprise party for KoKo!

As we exited the train we were guided to tent for a show. There, we found Eddie with Brewster and Wilson gearing up for KoKo’s surprise party. The show encouraged the kids to dance, and sing along. After the show, all were welcome to come up to take pictures with the trains. As we left the show the boys were each given a certificate to color showing that they are Official Chuggington Trainees!

After the show, the boys couldn’t wait to get back into the 3 activity tents and do the challenges all over again! Also, we couldn’t miss our turn in the bounce house!

We spent a good 4 hours exploring and having a traintastic time! There are still tickets available for this Saturday and Sunday! They have trains running on the hour from 10am until 4pm. Check out catskillmtrailroad.com for tickets.

Dino Days Train Ride Review!

Posted on June 17, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Day Trips, Day Trips, Events, Out and about..., Reviews .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as we were invited on the Dino Days Train Ride. All opinions expressed are my own!

This past weekend we were lucky enough to attend the Dino Days Train Ride at the Delaware River Railroad excursions. When we first heard about it we knew that it would be a perfect fit for our family. (A) has really taken an interest in rocks and digging, and (E) is always happily right behind. She adores dinosaur train so this would be an opportunity to enjoy an activity that they would both love.

The trip was a quick hour and a half down the Garden State. When we got there we were handed a map that showed where to easily park (for free) along with a list of local restaurants that we could eat at. When we walked down the hill we saw all of the wonderful activities that we could participate in. We decided to hit those after the train ride as they were loading up and moving out within the next ten minutes.

The train was lovely. Clean and old fashioned. (A) was very proud to be able to recognize that it was a diesel train. The conductor was lovely and came around to chat with everybody. During the ride there was fantastic narration about the history of the train line. It was super peaceful. The view of the Delaware River was great. There was also a bathroom (very important) and a souvenir shop on the train (with refreshments if you needed).

Once we reached our location we were directed over toward the mine and given plastic bags to collect our minerals in when we completed the exercise. There was a tour that included some more history of the mines, as well as some humor (mostly for the parents) and some action (the kids loved it). Once the tour was complete each person received a bag of dirt (and minerals) to learn to pan with.

We have done this several times before at fairs etc, but I must say we received more minerals than ever before in these bags. We enjoyed it so much RNYD went and purchased an additional bag of Fossils so that he and (A) could do it again and then identify the fossils. Available for purchase at the mine store were these additional bags as well as some more refreshments etc.

What we came across next was very special and worth mentioning as it left a lasting impression on (A). There was a group of Doctoral students from Temple University who were conducting research for their dissertations on site. They set up an actual Archeological dig and were searching for artifacts. The group had set out a bunch of artifacts that they showed the crowds, what they were and even gave demonstrations on how some were used.

We got to ask questions and see how they used sectioning, measuring and sifting tools for their work. They even let the kids help them to sift through the dirt to find items (they LOVED THIS)!!! After spending a long time doing that they even let (A) begin to help them dig and use their tools to carefully dig up the space. He was really into it and helped them to find an arrow head as well as a knife head. Although he was unable to take it home (it is now a part of their dissertation), he was able to take a photo with it, and has the memory. It also sparked an interest. He’s even talking about becoming an archeologist, how neat is that?

We boarded the train after that to go back to the main area in time to catch the Paleontology show which was really cute and informative. I was surprised and happy to see how much (A) knew about dinosaurs from watching Dinosaur Train. This show was followed by a silly ventriloquist who introduced us to his different friends. He made the kids laugh and really got them engaged. In this area there was also refreshments, a bounce house, a bubble station and souvenir stand. We never even made it to the bubbles or bounce house. If I had realized we would have gone even earlier. I was figuring on about two hours of fun (tops) and a ride home, but we boarded the train at 12:30 and when we left at 4:15 we were exhausted without even visiting every attraction.

We stopped for a quick dinner on the way home and both kids slept the entire ride back (always a good sign). When we arrived home (A) wanted to go through his minerals and fossils and identify them, very fun. He was able to match them to their indicator on the pamphlet and we spoke about each one. He keeps telling everyone what an amazing time he had!!

Although this event was one weekend only the Delaware River Railroad excursions has all sorts of amazing events that they do throughout the year (click here to see). Worth mentioning for our kiddies is the Thomas experience ((E) is a HUGE fan so we may have to attend that one too), and the Great Pumpkin Train, and The Polar Express (which are all being added to our events page). All of these tickets sell quickly so be sure to plan in advance.

Mountain Creek Smoke ‘n Blues Festival- Review

Posted on June 5, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Day Trips, Day Trips, Events, Out and about..., Reviews .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as we were invited to attend the festival. All opinions are my own.

As I mentioned on our previous post (CLICK HERE) RNYD and I love music. We are always happy to attend live events and are excited to expose our children to it as often as possible as well (see our event postings which include lots of music). We also happen to really appreciate BBQ. Our favorite restaurants make this kind of food. SO, obviously when we saw that Mountain Creek (who we love) was doing a Smoke ‘n Blues Festival we HAD to attend.

Pleasantly reminded that Mountain Creek is only a scenic 45 minutes away we were there in plenty of time. When we arrived we mistakenly drove into the wrong parking lot, but the nicest attendant helped us to navigate our way to the free parking across the street. The walk was short and the kids loved the walkway over the highway. (A) commented on the little village that we walked through and said that he wanted to come back when it was open during the winter.

Once checked in we were directed to the open area where the festival was all set up and ready to start (we could have just followed our noses honestly, you could smell and almost taste the flavors when we parked).

The festival was in a great area that had a court to dance on, a sand box (which the kids really enjoyed) and a very gradual slope to set up on and enjoy. The slope was just perfect to spread out our blanket and enjoy the day. We brought with us some bubbles and a little game to play (Velcro catch). This helped to keep the kids occupied during the transition between bands.

We didn’t really have to use our supplies much. (A) started asking about food shortly after entering the festival area because the aroma was so strong. When we ordered we tried to get one of everything to try. (A) had a cheeseburger, (E) a hotdog (it was like 18 inches long, RNYD a pulled chicken sandwich, and I had the grilled chicken. They were delicious. One would have thought that after all that food we would have been stuffed but (A) really wanted to go back for the giant pretzel. Boy am I glad he did! This thing was HUGE and so good. You could taste the smoke cooked right into the dough. It was cooked so hot so fast that it even broke its own skin!!!! It was also super entertaining to watch little (E) try to eat it. There was plenty for everybody and the line never became unmanageable.

Then there was the music. (A) was mesmerized by the instruments asking RNYD about all of them. He was especially impressed with the playing of the washboard! The music was great and the crowd was in a good mood. (E) spent most of her day dancing around, encouraged by all of the lovely people around us. She helped to entertain everyone.

We headed out a few hours in (the kids were exhausted) but had really had a fantastic time. RNYD has taken the opportunity to show (A) a few videos of the musicians featured, and of those songs that they “covered”. (A) is really into it (hooray!).

RNYD and I were so glad to have the opportunity to share something that we really enjoy with the kids and see that they had a great time as well.. This means that we can do these types of things more often, and our kiddos will be exposed to more and more culture.

Mountain Creek put on a great festival. It wasn’t so big that you got lost. The food was great, and entertainment really got us moving. The staff was beyond lovely, and so were the other festival goers. It’s sad to say but sometimes at these things, the crowd ruins it for the rest of us. This time that was not the case. Everyone who was there was a real fan of music and went to have a nice laid back time. We truly enjoyed ourselves. Thank you Mountain Creek!

To see the upcoming events at Mountain Creek you can CLICK HERE. Also be sure to watch our events page as more opportunities pop up. In fact, there is a great father’s day event next month that comes right after their water park (click here) opens for the season!!!! Stay tuned, we just might have a little something for a lucky reader!!!

Global Family Reunion- June 6

Posted on May 28, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Day Trips, Events, Good Cause, Out and about... .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as we were invited to the event. All opinions expressed are my own.

This special event of epic proportions combines so many fun things to do and see. There will be games, there will be speakers, celebrities, a chance to break a world record and much, much, more! This fun filled day has another bright spot, the proceeds go towards Alzheimer’s Research.

HERES THE SKINNY…

What: Presentations by entertainers, authors and scientists! Music! Food! Exhibits! Comedy! Games for kids!

When: June 6, 2015, from 11:00AM to 8:30PM.

Who’s Invited: You! All seven billion members of the human family. Those with a proven connection to the world’s biggest family tree (currently at 77 million people) get a bracelet and take part of the largest family photo in history.

Presentations: The GFR will feature talks and presentations by a wide range of fascinating experts and entertainers. Among those who have already agreed to participate: Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush (via video), Comedy Central star Nick Kroll, NPR host Ophira Eisenberg and former Obama administration member Cass Sunstein. Many more speakers will be announced soon.

Activities: The Global Family Reunion will have dozens of activities for all ages, including: A scavenger hunt from Watson Adventures. The world’s largest family photo. A talent contest. Exhibitions about family history and genealogy. Historical impersonators. Not to mention the 450 interactive exhibits at the New York Hall of Science, the museum where the reunion will take place. ( I am not quite sure how we will get through it all!!!)

Documentary: The Global Family Reunion will be the subject of a documentary by Morgan Spurlock.

The Cause: Fighting Alzheimer’s. The Global Family Reunion has partnered with two remarkable organizations devoted to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. Namely, the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund and the Alzheimer’s Association New York Chapter. Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease that affects more than 40 million members of the Human Family, a number that will climb exponentially unless we find a cure. In addition, to buying tickets, you can also support the cause by participating in the Surname Showdown to Fight Alzheimer’s (just click here) – a family friendly competition to see which family can raise the most money to battle this killing disease.

The Price: All proceeds will go to battling Alzheimer’s research, education and training. To buy Tickets CLICK HERE and be sure to enter code RNYMOM for a special discount.

The Locations: The 2015 Global Family Reunion will be held on the site of the legendary 1964 New York World’s Fair. The grounds are now home to the New York Hall of Science, which is one of the top science-themed museums in the world. The museum holds 5,000 people, with a gorgeous, sprawling 11-acre outdoor space that can hold more than 10,000 more. The museum’s 450 hands-on interactive exhibits will be open to GFR attendees, including a space-themed mini-golf course, a design lab where you can create movies and 3-D print objects, and a collection of rockets.

The Founder: The founder of the Global Family Reunion is bestselling author A.J. Jacobs, whose books include The Year of Living Biblically, The Know-It-All and Drop Dead Healthy. Jacobs is an NPR commentator and the editor at large at Esquire. He is a speaker with two TED talks that have reached over a million views. He is the father of three, the husband of one, and the cousin to millions.

All proceeds will go to battling Alzheimer’s research, education and training. To buy Tickets CLICK HERE and be sure to enter code RNYMOM for a special discount.

Stay tuned for our photos and full review! Hope to see you there!!

Our “Super” Experience

Posted on April 23, 2015 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Events, Out and about..., Reviews, Services .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am always looking for fun experiences to bring the kids to. It becomes difficult from time to time to find something that will interest both my daughter AND my son. Princess balls, tea parties etc. are all awesome and fun for me and (E) but are not that interesting for (A). This past weekend Manda’s Enchanted Events along with Powerhouse Dance Center, hit the nail on the head. Both kiddies (and mommy) had a “super” time.

We are an action film family. We LOVE superheroes. (E)’s new bitty baby that she received for Christmas is named Natasha Romanov. Most people don’t even know who that is. So, needless to say when they announced there was a “Superhero Luncheon” we HAD to be there.

They did not disappoint. We got to hang with Iron Man, Spiderman, and the Black Widow herself. Having Natasha there in and of itself speaks to how detail oriented the planners were. She (along with other female characters) are often overlooked at these types of events. I am so glad she wasn’t because in our house, we really love the role model of a tough, self-sufficient woman.

The scene was set right away. The heroes were really interactive, and really great at portraying their characters. They even had a game plan for what to say when asked where the rest of their friends were. Natasha (the Black Widow) led the charge by explaining the activities and making introductions, as she would in any of the movies. Spidey crawled all over the place and was super friendly (very like his real character). The kids really felt like a part of the training team.

The activities were age appropriate (for various ages, there were kids from 21 months up to 7), and fun. The whole time the heroes engaged the kids. There was ample opportunity for them to run around and play as well as have photos taken.

(A) really enjoyed the training (especially arm wrestling them and strength training).

(E) loved hula hooping and DANCING! She was a Dancing fool!!

The food was good and plentiful with a child’s interests having been taken into account. The Activities as well as the eating and photo opportunities were organized well. We did not have to wait on line for either food or our photos with the gang. All those involved were super accommodating and happy to be there. The parents and kids in attendance were all lovely. Everyone was so happy to see the kids having so much fun. There wasn’t “down time” when the kids would get bored or start to act a little nutty either, it was scheduled really well. I have been to events where you could tell the kids had had enough, this wasn’t one of them. They were interested in the whole experience.

After photos each “Superhero in Training” was given a certificate and cupcakes were served. The kids then had another opportunity to dance and hang out with the superheroes. My kids had a fantastic time. It was such a personal experience, they smiled all day long. (A) couldn’t stop talking about how he beat Iron Man at arm wrestling and he met a lovely little girl who was dressed like the Black Widow that he spent nearly every second there with.

If you get a chance to attend a superhero luncheon with these guys again, jump on it. It was not your typical event. They kept it small enough that it wasn’t overcrowded and it felt very nice. The kids had a great time and so did I.

Want to see more? Here’s a video Manda’s Enchanted Events put together for us!

http://youtu.be/1hU2vNYW3q4

Manda’s Enchanted Events not only plans and runs events like the “Superhero Luncheon” and “Princess Balls” she also has a slew of characters available to come to special events or parties. For more information about Manda’s Enchanted Events you can follow them on Facebook at: Facebook.com/mandasenchantedevents and on their website at: mandasenchantedevents.com For more information or to book an appearance you can email: manda@mandasenchantedevents.com or call: 845-494-0409.

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