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October’s Family Movie Friday: Halloween Boonanza!

WXXI’s Family Movie Friday in October will highlight spooky Halloween specials from PBS KIDS!

About the “Movies”

This Halloween season, PBS KIDS is offering families a festive lineup, including special Halloween episodes from your favorite PBS KIDS series – Super Why’s Comic Book Adventure, Rosie’s Rules, Odd Squad, Wild Kratts, Arthur, and more. Find PBS KIDS Halloween specials here. FMF will showcase a double feature for October (two special episodes from the Halloween catalog): “Things that go OO in the Night! / Tricks and Treats! / Costume Catastrophe!” from Super Why’s Comic Book Adventure, and “A Fuzzytown Halloween” from Carl the Collector.

Things that go OO in the Night! / Tricks and Treats! / Costume Catastrophe!: A ghost needs help to find her ‘oo’ sound! The Eraser gets greedy while trick or treating and takes Wonder Red’s Wonder Basket! Princess Presto’s Halloween costume spell goes magically wrong!

A Fuzzytown Halloween: Carl and his pals are excited to trick-or-treat, until Forrest shares a spooky rumor – Mr. Price is a wizard who turns kids into chicken noodle soup! Sheldon is determined to find the truth and end the rumor once and for all.

What to Know & Registration

Family Movie Fridays are a series of free family movie nights hosted at WXXI Studios. Families can join our WXXI Education team to watch a PBS KIDS movie or group of themed-episodes, play, and connect with other local families. All Family Movie Fridays are free, but registration is required.

Who: Family Movie Fridays are open to all kids and their families. All kids must be accompanied by an adult (over the age of 18). All adults must stay with their children throughout the entire event. Events are most appropriate for kids ages 2-8 years old.

When: Friday, October 23, 2026. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., movie starts at 6 p.m. Movie running time is about 1 hour; includes either one 1-hour movie or two 30-minute special episodes. Families are welcome to stay for part or all of the movie night experience.

Where: WXXI Studios – 280 State Street, Rochester, NY, Parking is available next door at High Falls Parking Garage

**Costumes welcome! Extra special for October, we’d love to see you and your kids dressed in their Halloween costumes. Please feel free to be as festive as you’d like!**

Family Movie Friday Registration

Grownup Name(Required)
Please include area code.
Families who register will receive a confirmation email and a reminder email.
I understand that Family Movie Fridays are a whole family experience. Children must be accompanied by an adult (18+) at all times.(Required)
I understand that Family Movie Fridays will be captured with video and photo for documentation purposes and to share portions with WXXI’s funders, as well as our local community.(Required)
Please describe any accesibility needs below or contact Rachel Rosner at RRosner@wxxi.org.

Family Movie Fridays

Lights, camera, family fun! This fall WXXI is kicking off a special family series called”Family Movie Fridays”. Families (kids + grownups) are invited to WXXI Studios each month for a PBS KIDS-themed movie experience to watch, play, and learn together.

Family Movie Night is a special opportunity for families to visit WXXI and enjoy a PBS KIDS movie special or collection of themed-episodes on the big screen in our studio! Families can take part in hands-on activities inspired by the featured program, pick up free PBS KIDS learning resources to continue the fun at home, and connect with other families in the community. Along the way, families will also discover how WXXI’s Early Learning Team brings PBS KIDS to life through engaging educational experiences and collaborations that help build a strong foundation for young learners.

Movie Night Schedule:

For more information and registration, click on the Movie Night below.

October 23: Halloween Boo-nanza!
November 20: Carnival of the Animals
December 18: Holiday Hoopla! (featuring Lyla in the Loop + TBD)
January 22: Winter Wonderland (featuring Molly of Denali & Elinor Wonders Why)
February 26: Odd Squad the Movie
March 19: Acoustic Rooster and the Barnyard Band
April 23: Wild Kratts Our Blue & Green World
May 21: Double Feature: Daniel Visits Somplace Else + Donkey Hodie Roadtrip

Please note the schedule of PBS KIDS movies or themed-episodes is subject to change.

Other Important Information

Friday fun! Movie Nights are held on Fridays, once a month, at WXXI Studios. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., and the movie will start at 6 p.m. Running time is about 1 hour.

Registration is required for each event. All of the events are free, but registration is required. Families must register separately for each Family Movie Friday they plan to attend. Upon registration, families will recieve a confirmation email with additional event details.

Bring your own food! Pack dinner, snacks, or whatever your family enjoys munching on during the movie.

Get cozy! Feel free to bring blankets, pillows, or other comfy items to make your viewing experience more enjoyable. Pajamas are welcome! Kids are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite PJs.

Limited seating is available. A small number of tables and chairs will be available on a first come, first served basis. For safety and space considerations, outside chairs are not permitted.

Accessibility accommodations. If someone in your family has accessibility needs, please include them in the registration form and/or contact Rachel Rosner at RRosner@wxxi.org prior to the event so we can help ensure a positive experience for everyone.

Carl the Collector Visits for an End-of-Summer Celebration and Meet & Greet!

Join WXXI and Central Library for a special end-of-summer celebration with Carl the Collector! Come meet Carl, snap a photo, enjoy hands-on activities, and share a snack with friends.

¡Únete a WXXI y Central Library en una celebración especial de fin de verano con Carl the Collector, de PBS KIDS! Ven a conocer a Carl, hazte una foto, disfruta de actividades prácticas y comparte un tentempié con tus amigos.

Carl, a raccoon, sitting reading a book on a bench next to a dog.

Event Details:

Detalles del evento:

Location: Central Library Children’s Center – 115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604
Dirección: Centro Infantil de la Biblioteca Central – 115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604

Date: Friday, August 21, 2026
Fecha: viernes, 21 de agosto de 2026

Time: 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Hora: de las 14:30 a las 16:00

Please note: The event is free and open to the public. Meet and greets with Carl the Collector are first come, first served. Only Carl will be in attendance for this event.

Nota: El evento es gratuito y está abierto al público. Las sesiones de encuentro con Carl el Coleccionista se realizarán por orden de llegada. Solo Carl estará presente en este evento.

Partners & Support

Socios y entidades financiadoras

This event is being presented in partnership with the Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County and the Monroe County Library System. Support for this engagement is provided by the Friends and Foundation of the Rochester Public Library and the Ames Amzalak Foundation.

Este evento se celebra en colaboración con el Central Library of Rochester y Monroe County y el Monroe County Library System. Esta iniciativa cuenta con el apoyo de los Friends y Foundation of the Rochester Public Library así como de la Ames Amzalak Foundation.

About CARL THE COLLECTOR

Acerca de CARL THE COLLECTOR

CARL THE COLLECTOR follows the everyday adventures of Carl, a warm-hearted autistic raccoon who enjoys collecting things and loves his friends and family in Fuzzytown. In each episode, Carl and his friends work and play together. In the process they find out what makes each of them who they are. Through its relatable stories, characters, and messages, and with a production team that includes neurodiverse writers, production staff, animators, advisors, and voice talent, CARL THE COLLECTOR showcases and celebrates our differences and commonalities, and that we all have something unique to offer. Learn more about CARL THE COLLECTOR here.

CARL THE COLLECTOR presenta las aventuras cotidianas de Carl, un mapache autista que tiene un gran corazón, a quien le gusta coleccionar cosas y quiere mucho a sus amigos y a su familia en Fuzzytown. En cada episodio, Carl y sus amigos juegan y aprenden juntos. A lo largo del proceso, descubren qué es lo que los hace únicos. Descubre más sobre CARL THE COLLECTOR aquí.

Go Back to School with WXXI!

Back-to-school time means updating routines, packing school lunches, creating a new family calendar, and finding helpful resources to support learning! It can be a lot for everyone in the family – big feelings, big transitions, and even bigger to-do lists.

Let WXXI’s Education Team help you get ready for the back-to-school transition – use the following resources from PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia to help your family adjust to the new school year:

Adjusting to New Routines

With the new school year comes new or updated routines, to help the whole family with this transition – design a family routine calendar. It can be tailored for specific parts of the day (i.e. morning, after-school, or bedtime) or individualized for each kid! Shout out to PBS KIDS Alma’s Way for this idea!

First Day of School

The first day of school is a big experience! A brand-new special from PBS KIDS called “The Day You Begin” follows four kindergartners on their first day of school. It’s a great family watch and opportunity to start thinking about the first days of school, and what makes each of us unique. Watch on PBS KIDS beginning Friday, August 7, 2026. You can also borrow the book, The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, from your favorite local library or watch the PBS KIDS Reads video of Jacqueline Woodson reading her book!

Learn at Home

Explore PBSLearningMedia – this free resource is available to all families, educators, and students. It’s appropriate to support students in grades PreK-12th grade. Whether it’s exploring New York State history or the depths of space, PBS LearningMedia is a good first stop to keep the curiosity and learning flowing all school year long. Teacher pro tip: Check out the helpful tutorial videos for how to use PBS LearningMedia features for your classroom instruction!

    Listen Together

    PBS KIDS podcasts can help you and your kids create some screen-free-time during the week. Listen while you ride in the car, play in your living room, or even before bed. Enjoy your favorite PBS KIDS stories, in an audio format. Choose from Arthur, Lyla’s Loopcast, the Odd Squadcast, Molly of Denali, and more!

      More Back-to-School Helpers:

      Daniel Tiger is Coming to Rochester!

      Celebrate 60 years of WXXI’s commitment to engaging, educating, and inspiring our community with a special visit from Daniel Tiger at the Rochester and Monroe County America 250 Celebration!

      WXXI is joining the community in celebrating America’s 250th birthday! On Sunday, July 12, stop by the PBS KIDS booth for a special photo opportunity with everyone’s favorite neighbor, Daniel Tiger from Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Discover how WXXI has supported families and children from our earliest days to today through trusted educational programming and community engagement. It’s sure to be a grr-ific evening—we can’t wait to see you there! Bring the whole family and enjoy activities, memories, and a chance to celebrate this milestone with us.

      Here’s What to Expect:

      Daniel Tiger Photo Opps: Daniel Tiger photo opportunities will be available from 5-8 p.m. Photo opportunities will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Photo opportunities are for both growups and kids – bring your camera, snap a photo, or give Daniel a hug or a high-five! Please note, Daniel will have to take short breaks.

      Birthday Card: Wish WXXI a happy 60th anniversary by signing our card! We’ll have crayons and markers for you to draw and write a happy birthday message.

      Timeline of Children’s Educational Programming: Learn how WXXI’s work is rooted in early educational experiences anchored with children’s programming. See how WXXI’s long history of family and community engagement has connected, engaged, and provided a foundational of early learning for kids in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region for 60 years.

      Event Details:

      Monroe County’s America 250 Celebration is Rochester’s anniversary celebration for our nation, bringing the community together for an unforgettable summer night at ESL Ballpark. This free, family-friendly event transforms the stadium into a vibrant, high-energy experience featuring live music, great food and drink, and activities for all ages. From the outfield to the concourse, every corner of the ballpark comes to life with entertainment, community partners, and hands-on fun. The night builds toward a fireworks finale, creating a shared moment that brings the community together.

      Location: ESL Ballpark – 1 Morrie Silver Way, Rochester, NY 14608
      Date: Sunday, July 12
      Time: 5:00 to 9:30 p.m.
      More information: https://www.america250rochester.com

      Make a Circle Screening & Discussion / Exhibición y discusión de “Make a Circle”

      Join WXXI and Monroe Community College (MCC) for a special screening and community conversation around the film, Make a Circle, at the MCC Downtown Campus on Wednesday, April 8. This engaging evening will bring community members together to reflect, connect, and explore the film’s themes in a welcoming space.

      Únase a WXXI y a Monroe Community College (MCC, por sus siglas en ingles) para una exhibición especial y una discusión comunitaria en torno a la película “Make a Circle”, que tendrá lugar en el campus del centro de la ciudad de MCC el miércoles 8 de abril. Esta interesante tarde reunirá a miembros de la comunidad para reflexionar, conectar y explorar los temas de la película en un espacio acogedor.

      Event program: Doors will open at 6 p.m. The screening of the film, Make a Circle, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. The panel will feature local early childhood professionals including: Ann Marie Stephan (Executive Director of Rochester ChildFirst Network), Tiffany Howard (Early Childhood Professional at Friendship Children’s Center), and Crystal Campo (Family Child Care Provider). And, the panel will be moderated by WXXI News Reporter, Noelle Evans. The evening will also include a community resource fair with local, regional, and New York State early learning partners. Light refreshments will be provided.

      Programa del evento: Las puertas se abrirán a las 6:00 p. m. La exhibición de la película “Make a Circle” comenzará a las 6:30 p. m. e irá seguida de un panel a las 7:30 p. m. El panel contará con la participación de profesionales locales de la primera infancia, entre los que se incluyen: Ann Marie Stephan (Directora Ejecutiva de Rochester ChildFirst Network), Tiffany Howard (profesional de la primera infancia en el Friendship Children’s Center) y Crystal Campo (proveedora de cuidado infantil familiar). Además, el panel estará moderado por la reportera de WXXI News, Noelle Evans. La tarde también incluirá una feria de recursos comunitarios con socios locales, regionales y del estado de Nueva York dedicados al aprendizaje temprano. Se ofrecerán refrigerios ligeros.

      Family-Friendly: To help make this experience more accessible for adults with young children, a family-friendly viewing space will be available. Adults will need to stay with their children at all times.

      Apto para familias: Para que esta experiencia sea más accesible para los adultos con niños pequeños, habrá un espacio apto para familias. Los adultos deberán permanecer con sus hijos(as) en todo momento.

      Please register using the form below. All registered participants will receive a follow-up email with confirmation and additional event details.

      Inscríbase utilizando el formulario que aparece a continuación. Todos los participantes inscritos recibirán un correo electrónico de confirmación con los detalles adicionales del evento.

      The screening and discussion are free and open to the public but registration is required.

      La exhibición y la discusión son gratuitos y abiertos al público, pero es necesario inscribirse.

      Make a Circle Screening Event

      Join WXXI and Monroe Community College for a special screening and community conversation around the film, Make a Circle. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please use the form below to register. Questions? Contact Rachel Rosner at RRosner@wxxi.org

      Full Name / Nombre completo(Required)
      What is your connection to child care or early learning? / ¿Cuál es su relación con el cuidado infantil o la educación temprana?(Required)
      Check all that apply. / Marque todas las opciones que correspondan.
      Will you be bringing children to the event with you? / ¿Traerá niños(as) al evento?(Required)
      Families with young children are welcome. A designated family-friendly viewing area will be available, along with a kid-friendly activity space to support participation. Please note that this is not a drop-off event—children must remain with their caregiver at all times. Las familias con niños(as) pequeños(as) son bienvenidas. Habrá una zona de exhibición ideal para familias, así como un espacio de actividades para niños(as), con el fin de facilitar su participación. Tenga en cuenta que este no es un evento en el que se pueda dejar a los niños(as) solos(as): los niños(as) deben permanecer con su cuidador en todo momento.
      Are you interested in receiving professional development credit for attending this event? / ¿Le interesa obtener créditos de desarrollo profesional por asistir a este evento?
      If yes, please indicate whether you are requesting NYS Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) credit, ASPIRE credit, or both. En caso afirmativo, indique si solicita créditos de Educación Continua para Maestros y Líderes del Estado de Nueva York (CTLE, por sus siglas en inglés), créditos ASPIRE o ambos.
      As New York State moves toward universal child care and expanding access to prekindergarten, what questions do you have about the future of these efforts and what they will mean for children and families across Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes? / A medida que el estado de Nueva York avanza hacia el cuidado infantil universal y la ampliación del acceso al preescolar, ¿qué preguntas tiene sobre el futuro de estas iniciativas y qué significarán para los niños(as) y las familias de la zona metropolitana de Rochester y los Finger Lakes?
      Please let us know if you or anyone in your party requires accommodations to fully participate in this event (e.g., ASL interpretation, language translation, mobility access, sensory considerations, etc.). We are committed to accessibility and will do our best to support your needs. For any questions regarding the accessibility of this event, please contact Sarah Murphy Abbamonte at sabbamonte@wxxi.org. Por favor, háganos saber si usted o alguna persona de su grupo necesita adaptaciones para poder participar plenamente en este evento (por ejemplo, interpretación en lengua de señales americana, traducción, accesibilidad para personas con movilidad reducida, adaptaciones sensoriales, etc.). Estamos comprometidos con la accesibilidad y haremos todo lo posible para satisfacer sus necesidades. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre la accesibilidad de este evento, póngase en contacto con Sarah Murphy Abbamonte en sabbamonte@wxxi.org.

      About the Film

      From an award-winning filmmaking team, Make a Circle follows a group of child care providers who are determined to change how society values the education of its youngest citizens. With a mix of humor, outrage, and passion, Make a Circle captures the unfolding stories of Patricia, a leader of a new union for child care providers, as she fights on behalf of a largely immigrant workforce; Charlotte, another union member who tirelessly lifts up the low-income families in her care; and Anne, the director of a large preschool, who finds novel ways to value and support her teachers when jobs at Starbucks are offering higher pay. Within their stories are interludes that offer a cinematic glimpse into the unique, imaginative world of the young children in their care. The film culminates as thousands of child care union members march on their state capitol demanding better working conditions, just as their contract is set to expire. Weaving together the magic they create in the classroom, the struggles they endure at home, and their unwavering activism for their profession, Make a Circle is a moving portrait of life as an early childhood educator and a promising blueprint for fixing our broken child care system.

      Phoebe & Jay • WXXI-TV & WXXI PBS KIDS 24/7

      This new animated series for children ages 3-5 follows the adventures of 6-year-old fraternal twins Phoebe and Jay Yarber, who live with their family in the fantastical Tobsy Towers.

      Phoebe & Jay airs weekdays and Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on WXXI-TV and on the Live Stream, weekdays at 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on WXXI PBS KIDS & Live Stream and anytime on the PBS KIDS Video app

      Whether using a flyer to help a neighbor find a lost pet, reading clothing labels to find the right size shirt, or using a chore chart to tidy up before a surprise guest arrives, Phoebe and Jay model for young viewers how they, too, can use various kinds of texts kids see in their everyday lives to develop important life skills and engage with others in their family and community.

      At the heart of “Phoebe & Jay” is a curriculum highlighting the importance of developing preschoolers’ functional “everyday” literacy skills, empowering them to use and create a variety of functional texts in the world around them to tackle challenges and accomplish tasks in their daily lives. Texts might be written, visual, auditory, or haptic and may include lists, labels, signs, sounds and vibrations, instructions, menus, icons and symbols, and tactile text like braille. The series also supports the development of foundational executive function skills like focused attention, impulse control, flexible thinking, working memory, and task persistence that help the characters read and find meaning in the texts they encounter.

      Explore the Phoebe & Jay PBS KIDS site for videos and games.
      Learn More About the Series & Resources at the PBS KIDS for Parents Series Page

      Phoebe & Jay PBS LearningMedia Collection

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