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Bronx Parks Events for December 2025: TalkTeaV's 10 NYC Parks Programs to Check Out
- Damian Ali
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
A full month of Bronx parks programs is on the way.
A beautiful landscape of a park lake in autumn under a clear blue sky Photo Credit: jggrz on Pixabay.
NYC Parks brings guided hikes, wildlife programs, history tours, and holiday activities to green spaces across the Bronx this December. Each month, the department offers dozens of events that range from exercise classes and volunteer programs to nature walks and astronomy nights.
There are plenty more on the NYC Parks calendar, but TalkTeaV selected these ten to offer a good snapshot of what’s happening around the Bronx this month. Most are free, some require registration, and many are led by Urban Park Rangers who help visitors connect with the city’s natural and cultural history.
The month starts with a November program that leads directly into the December lineup. Hidden Gems of the Bronx offers a short guided hike through Riverdale Park, where Rangers walk visitors along quiet forest paths overlooking the Hudson River.
The route highlights the park’s history and its sweeping views of the Palisades. The walk takes place Sunday, November 30, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Palisade Avenue and Spaulding Lane. The event is free. Learn more about this event.
December officially begins at the Kwame Ture Recreation Center with Pickleball Pandemonium, a beginner friendly session for adults and seniors. Instructor Pharon Hickman teaches the basics of the fast growing sport while participants play on the indoor court. The event is free and runs Monday, December 1, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at 1527 Jesup Avenue in the Bronx. Learn more about this event.
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Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center brings the holiday energy on Friday, December 5, with WBO’s Silent Night Disco. Visitors receive wireless headphones and choose from several music channels while they dance across the recreation floor. The event is free, open to all ages, and does not require registration. It takes place on Friday, December 5, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 3225 Reservoir Oval East. Learn more about this event.
Also on December 5, Van Cortlandt House Museum hosts a ticketed performance of A Christmas Carol featuring actor Sean Coffey of the Red Monkey Theater Group. The one person show retells Dickens’ classic story inside the museum’s historic West Parlor. Seating is limited, and advance reservations are required.
Admission is ten dollars per person. The performance runs Friday, December 5, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:10 p.m. Light refreshments are served at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7:00 p.m. Learn more about this event.
Pelham Bay Park becomes a busy destination this month, beginning with Historic New York at Orchard Beach. Rangers guide visitors through the area’s long history and its role in shaping the surrounding community. The walk takes place Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Section 2 of Orchard Beach. The event is free. Learn more about this event.
The NYC Parks maple leaf logo: Credit: “Mauro Playground td (2021-01-24) 045 - Basketball Courts.jpg” by Tdorante10, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Editorial Use Only.
Later that week, Hart Island opens for a limited access tour through a lottery system. Selected participants travel by ferry for a three hour exploration of the island’s complex past, which includes its long standing place in the city’s burial system and its history as a military training ground, hospital site, and correctional facility. The tour takes place Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participation is free, but advance lottery registration is required. Learn more about this event.
Nature programs continue mid month with Seal Exploration at Orchard Beach. Rangers guide visitors to viewing spots along the Long Island Sound where harbor seals often rest during winter. The session is free and runs Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Orchard Beach Nature Center.
Van Cortlandt Park hosts an astronomy program focused on the Geminids Meteor Shower the following night. Rangers discuss the science and folklore behind one of the brightest meteor displays of the year and offer telescope views if weather conditions are clear. The free program takes place Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Van Cortlandt Nature Center.
A three-panel collage of a green pickleball, golden theatre masks, NYC Parks maple leaf logo
The Winter Solstice Campfire and Storytelling event returns to Van Cortlandt Park on Sunday, December 21. Rangers teach basic campfire skills before gathering visitors for s’mores and seasonal stories to mark the shortest day of the year. The free program runs from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Van Cortlandt Nature Center. Learn more about this event.
The month ends with Historic New York: Hunter Island, a guided walk through the island’s Native history, wildlife, and its place in the creation of Orchard Beach. The event is free and takes place Sunday, December 28, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Section 2 of Orchard Beach. Learn more about this event.
NYC Parks continues to offer Bronx residents simple and meaningful ways to get outside during the colder months. And if you miss an event, it is worth checking the calendar for a second chance, since many programs run on multiple dates throughout the season. Whether someone wants holiday fun, local history, winter wildlife, a peaceful walk, or to volunteer, each program adds something different to the month.
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