PaleyWKND: The Ultimate Media, Sports, Gaming and Entertainment Festival in NYC!

Marvel Fans Assemble! The Paley Center for Media just announced their family program line-up for PaleyWKND, a live, immersive, once-in-a-lifetime, family-friendly celebration in the heart of midtown Manhattan. PaleyWKND will host character appearances featuring Captain America, Black Panther and Spider-Man. Hasbro will present screenings of Peppa Pig (with Peppa Pig appearance), My Little Pony: Make Your Mark, Power Rangers: Dino Fury Season 29, and the trailer of Transformers: EarthSpark. Nickelodeon favorites SpongeBob SquarePants, Chase & Skye from PAW Patrol and Blue from Blue’s Clues & You! will also be on hand to delight young fans. But that's not all! Read on for celebration dates and all of the other amazing activities that the Paley Center will be offering (there's so much going on, you won't want to miss it!).

Disclosure: the information in this post comes directly from The PaleyWKND press release.

The Paley Center for Media announced costumed character appearances, screening details and new family programming partners for PaleyWKND, a live, immersive, once-in-a-lifetime, family-friendly celebration in the heart of midtown Manhattan. PaleyWKND - the ultimate media, sports, gaming, and entertainment festival - takes place Saturday, October 1 through Sunday, October 2, 2022, kicking off with a Members-only opening night celebration on Friday, September 30th.

PaleyWKND will be taking over the Paley Museum and its entire 52nd Street block between 5th and 6th Avenues for an unprecedented weekend of interactive experiences and immersive attractions from over two dozen world-class companies, iconic media brands, and the major sports leagues. The event is free to the public and Paley Center Members can experience PaleyWKND in VIP style with exclusive Members-only hours, fast-track lanes, and other VIP experiences and special access. Guests can reserve their free tickets for timed entry or access VIP Membership information at www.PaleyWKND.org. Walk-up visitors are welcome, too.

“As the must-go-to destination for families and visitors throughout the tri-state area, The Paley Center for Media’s highly-anticipated PaleyWKND is a one-of-a-kind, unprecedented festival spectacular, in partnership with some of the greatest names and brands in entertainment, media, sports and gaming,” said Maureen J. Reidy, President and CEO, The Paley Center for Media. “The two-day, family-focused festivities will deliver exciting and engaging activations, experiences, meet-and-greets, and screenings, right in midtown Manhattan, at the iconic Paley Museum with a total street takeover on 52nd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Special appearances by some of the world’s most popular costumed characters and the ability to compete for glory and test big league skills will delight attendees and fans of all ages.”

Marvel Entertainment, National Hockey League and PlayStation join a robust lineup of brands presenting family experiences at PaleyWKND, the ultimate media, sports, gaming, and entertainment festival. The complete lineup of organizations and companies at PaleyWKND, members of the host committee, and PaleyWKND supporters can be found here.

Celebrity and Character Appearances, Screening Details

Marvel: Marvel Fans Assemble! Marvel character appearances featuring Captain America, Black Panther and Queens’ own Spider-Man will bring Super Hero fun to the PaleyWKND meet-and-greet area throughout the weekend.

Nickelodeon: Nickelodeon’s activation will include one-of-a-kind experiences that immerse fans in the worlds of its hit shows, including Santiago of the Seas, That Girl Lay Lay and Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan. Guests will also get to step into the upcoming feature-length movie Blue’s Big City Adventure, coming exclusively to Paramount+ this fall. Fan-favorite costumed characters, including Chase and Skye from PAW Patrol, Blue from Blue’s Clues & You! and SpongeBob Squarepants, will be on hand for photo ops. And kids and families get a chance to partake in Nick’s greatest honor and get SLIMED!

Additionally, fans will also have an opportunity to try their hand at hosting “NFL Slimetime,” creating their own Slimelights video, just like series hosts Nate Burleson and Young Dylan!

Hasbro: In addition to the previously announced experience with Hasbro’s most popular games and toys, Hasbro is presenting screenings of “Peppa Pig,” “My Little Pony: Make Your Mark,” “Power Rangers: Dino Fury Season 29,” and the trailer of “Transformers: EarthSpark.” Peppa Pig will join fans at the screening in the Bennack Theater, while out on the street, Murph, the first-ever official NERF mascot, will help people of all ages unleash the play in the NERF blaster zone.

Hearst Media Production: Food Network Magazine Editor-in-Chief Maile Carpenter, author of the brand’s bestselling “Recipe-A-Day Kids Cookbook,” will be on site to demonstrate easy techniques for creating fun food at home.

Also on site, Mo Rocca, host of Hearst Television’s “Innovation Nation,” will talk to guest inventors including Ann Makosinski and Nick and Karl Rinne.

Mattel: Fans can be among the very first audiences to experience episodes from the second half of Season 1 of Mattel’s “Barbie: It Takes Two” on the Big Screen at PaleyWKND. Viewers can join Malibu & Brooklyn on fun-filled adventures that take them from the beach to the big city.

Sports Play At PaleyWKND

National Hockey League: Do you have what it takes to shoot the puck like a pro? Put your hockey skills on display at the NHL Accuracy Challenge! Fans can also head inside to view The Stanley Cup® up close.

National Football League: Slime comes to the gridiron with an interactive NFL Slimetime green screen that mimics the popular gameday experience. Fans can also show off their footwork and tackling skills on a mini turf field or head inside to view The Vince Lombardi Trophy and the full collection of all 56 Super Bowl Rings up close.

National Basketball Association: The NBA and WNBA will host Jr. NBA basketball clinics on 52nd Street, providing kids and families with the opportunity to hone their dribbling, passing, and shooting skills alongside members of the NBA family. Fans can also head inside to view The Larry O’Brien Trophy up close.

Major League Baseball: MLB presents the interactive PLAY BALL experience, part of their global initiative to encourage youth to play the many different ways baseball and softball can be enjoyed. Kids and fans will get to take a swing and test their fielding skills in special MLB batting and fielding cages. Fans can also head inside to view The Commissioner’s Trophy up close.

Professional Sports League Championship Trophies – The Crown Jewels of Sports

For the first time ever as part of a public exhibit, all four major professional sports league championship trophies will be on display inside the Paley Museum for special photo opportunities:

o Major League Baseball: The Commissioner’s Trophy

o National Basketball Association: The Larry O’Brien Trophy

o National Football League: The Vince Lombardi Trophy

o National Hockey League: The Stanley Cup®

Gaming and Interactive Entertainment at PaleyWKND

PaleyGX, the ultimate family-friendly gaming and VR experience, offered year-round in the Paley Museum’s state-of-the-art gaming studio and VR lab, will remain open all weekend for game play. Plus fans can participate in exciting interactive experiences, Game Zones, and gaming activities in featured pavilions on 52nd Street.

PlayStation: PlayStation 5 and a variety of games including Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon Forbidden West, and more will be available to play in the PaleyGX studio. With lightning–fast speed, breathtaking immersion, and stunning games, you will see that with PlayStation 5, “Play Has No Limits.”

Nintendo: The Nintendo Switch and a library of Nintendo titles will be in the PaleyGX studio, while on the street, fans can enter the Nintendo Game Zone which will feature Splatoon 3 competitive play and Nintendo Switch gaming stations.

XBOX: XBOX joins PaleyWKND for Saturday and Sunday with games and giveaways!

EA Sports: Gamers can test their skills on EA Sports’ newest releases, Madden NFL 23, Formula One and FIFA 23.

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc: Join Take-Two Interactive at PaleyGX and experience cutting edge game play with NBA2K, WWE2K, and more.

PaleyWKND VIP Access

Throughout the weekend, Paley Center Members will enjoy VIP access with exclusive, Members-only hours; Paley Member fast-track lanes; exclusive celebrity, athlete, and character meet-and-greets; as well as an invitation to the Red Carpet Preview Cocktail Reception, which kicks off the event on Friday, September 30. The Paley Center invites all New Yorkers and visitors to officially join its special membership community and enjoy these and other benefits year-round. Individual and family memberships are fully tax deductible. Stay tuned for more breaking news additions to the PaleyWKND festival lineup at PaleyWKND.org.

Events and participants subject to change.

About The Paley Center for Media 

The Paley Center for Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has proudly made its home in NYC for over 45 years and operates the iconic Paley Museum. Through its respected programming, The Paley Center leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of media, drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the media community. The general public can participate in Paley programs in both New York and Los Angeles that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the talent and the leaders who are shaping media. The public can also access the Paley Center's permanent media collection, The Paley Archive, often referred to as a national treasure, containing over 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, The Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry.