Wave Hill Weekly Events (Oct 9 – Oct 16) | Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Weekend at Wave Hill

 

Legacies of those who came before us are passed down through stories in a community, etched in stone, and rested in black ink and paintings on parchment and canvas. Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Wave Hill to uncover the untold. Learn about the innovations and strength of Indigenous communities and their culture that carries on creativity, resilience, and voices that carry on into the future to shape where we are today.  

 

Indigenous Peoples’ Weekend 

October 11  –  October 13, 2025 | All Day 

Join us this Indigenous Peoples’ Weekend in honoring Indigenous communities and culture through talks, hands-on activities, family-friendly programs. Later, learn about the legacy of female Lenape Saunksquas (Chieftains) through an audio guide highlighting their role in the 15th century Dutch-Indigenous alliance.  

 

Nature & Wellness 

 

Fall Birding 

Sun, Oct 12, 9:30AM – 11:00AM   

Advanced registration encouraged. 

Fall is peak migration time along the Hudson River, and we have a front row seat! Join naturalists Gabriel Willow and Ryan Mandelbaum as you explore Wave Hill’s gardens, woodlands, and the skies overhead to look for resident and migrating birds. 

 

Yoga in the Garden 

Sun, Oct 12, 10:15AM – 11:15AM   

Registration encouraged. 

Root your feet in the grass and look out upon the vistas as you enjoy a gentle yoga class. All levels welcome. 

 

Garden Highlights Walk 

Sun, Oct 12, 1:00PM – 1:30PM 

Mon, Oct 13, 1:00PM – 1:30PM 

Free with admission to the grounds   

Registration not required.   

Take a leisurely guided walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide to observe seasonal garden highlights! Each walk and topic varies by the guide leading it. 

 

Cooking Demo: The Native American Palate 

Mon, Oct 12, 1:00PM – 2:00PM   

Registration required. 

Learn about commonly used ingredients in contemporary Indigenous meals and different preparation techniques as Chef Brandi Solomon of Great Performances, shares tasty samples and recipes to take home. Throughout the cooking demonstration, Oleana Whispering Dove shares historical context on how these meals were prepared prior to European colonization.  

 

Art 

 

Public Gallery Tour  

Thu, Oct 9, 2:00PM – 3:00PM 

Sat, Oct 11, 2:00PM – 3:00PM 

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden between nature, culture and site. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes. 

 

Still Sacred Ground: Lenapehoking 1625-2025  

Sat, Oct 11  –  Thu, Oct 30 | All Day  

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Gain understanding of the landscape and community life of the place previously known as Lenapehoking and known today as New York City. Curated by Oleana Whispering Dove, discover the significant contributions made to Lenapehoking and beyond by the original inhabitants of New York and the Lady Chieftains: Saunksquas, highlighted through regional Indigenous maps created by Evan Pritchard. This audio guide is one of a four-part exhibition on view at cultural organizations across New York City.   

 

Family 

 

Family Art Project: Corn Husk Dolls 

Sat, Oct 11, 10:00AM – 1:00PM 

Sun, Oct 12, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Mon, Oct 13, 10:00AM – 1:00PM 

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Join us in celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Explore corn's role in indigenous cultures and learn about its versatility as a food and art material. Tie, weave, and shape dried husks to make your own figurine. Over the weekend, join a special storytime program at 11:30AM for a reading of the book When the Shadbush Blooms by Carla Messinger.  

 

Special Events 

 

Special Events Indigenous Peoples’ Weekend  

Sat, Oct 11  –  Mon, Oct 13, 2025 | All Day 

Registration not required. 

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Wave Hill as we honor Indigenous communities and recognize their cultures and contributions through family-friendly programs, talks, hands-on activities, and an audio guide highlighting female Lenape Saunksquas (Chieftains). Learn about the important role of plants and food in Indigenous cultures, purchase handmade items from local Indigenous artists, and enjoy specialty themed items throughout the weekend in the Café. We are open for the holiday on Monday, October 13 and admission is free to all visitors. 

 

Original Native New Yorkers: The Weequaskeck Nation of the Bronx 

Sat, Oct 11, 1:00PM – 2:00PM 

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration encouraged. 

Professor Evan Pritchard, Director of the Center for Algonquin Culture and author of Native New Yorkers, will give a talk on the original inhabitants of Wave Hill, the Weequaskeck and other nations of the Wappingers Commonwealth. Tying together colonial records, treaties, linguistics, archaeology, and oral tradition, Evan will attempt to paint a picture of what life in Riverdale, and the surrounding areas was like before Henry Hudson’s visit in 1609.  

 

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  

Shuttle Service Free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.