Free Family Events This Weekend! (September 7-9)

Battery Park City’s Hummingbird Hootenanny will take place this Saturday at South Cove! Photo by Tyler Ingram via Flickr.

Have an amazing weekend without opening your wallet! For even more activity inspiration, check out our Weekend Planner.

Through Saturday, September 8

7th Annual Morningside Lights
Various times
Columbia University and Morningside Park
All Ages
As part of the Arts Initiative and Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts, enjoy a week of free community art workshops that will culminate in a procession of handmade lanterns in Morningside Park. Pre-registration is required for workshop participation.

Friday, September 7

PaleyGX Launch Party
6pm-12am
The Paley Center for Media
All Ages
Meet with celebrity gamers and YouTube stars at the free PaleyGX Launch Party! There will also be a chance to hang with members of the New York Red Bulls, play the brand-new Spider-Man PS4 game, experiment with virtual reality gaming, and more. Groove out to the DJ and snack as you game with your console of choice. Reservations are recommended.

Family Fridays: “Impossible Tangles, Impossible Braids”
6:30-8pm
National Museum of Mathematics
All Ages
Figure out just what can’t be untangled during this fun mathematical adventure at the National Museum of Mathematics! Registration is required.

Saturday, September 8

New York Bike Jumble
10am-4pm
Old Stone House
All Ages
Back-to-school bikers will be in heaven at the New York Bike Jumble’s Park Slope event. Stop in for bargains on replacement parts, as well as sales on new and used bicycles! Your kids will love the exercise, and you’ll love the great deals.

Hummingbird Hootenanny
11am
South Cove
All Ages
Kick off fall with a celebration of the hummingbird. Kids can check out a hummingbird watch zone, take a bird-watching and nature walk, and enjoy a live performance and hum-along with bluegrass band Astrograss. Plus, make bird wings and masks and help weave a human-sized hummingbird nest!

Saturday, September 8-Sunday, September 9

Gracie Square Art Show
10am-5pm
Carl Schurz Park
All Ages
Back for its 46th year, this art show is perfect for the whole family, offering art on the water as well as kids’ programs such as MoMA’s Picasso Jr, where MoMa staff lead kids in projects and offer MoMA family passes. Shop for paintings, get a bite to eat, or just enjoy the view! This event will take place rain or shine.

Fall Arts & Crafts Fair
11am-7pm
City Island
All Ages
Check out at paintings, photography, jewelry, crafts, body products, and more during City Island’s Fall Arts & Crafts Fair. Plus, kids can get their faces painted and chow down on treats!

Sunday, September 9

Ferragosto 2018
12-6pm
Arthur Avenue (between Crescent Avenue and 187th Street)
All Ages
Ferragosto 2018 on Arthur Avenue is the place to be this Sunday for all things Italiano! This street fair will offer face painting for children, Italian street food, and live performances from Nick Vero, Natalie Pinto, and others.

Sakura Park Festival
12-8pm
Sakura Park
All Ages
The Sakura Park Festival celebrates global arts, food, and community in Harlem. Experience global dance, live music from Brooklyn to Bali, games, and hands-on activities lead by renowned artisans. Neighborhood restaurants and select purveyors offer dining options for every palate and budget all day.

West Side County Fair
1-6pm
Pier I in Riverside Park
All Ages
What better way is there to spend a Sunday than at a county fair? The West Side County Fair in Riverside Park will include attractions like sideshow performers, carnival rides and games, stilt walkers, aerialists, and live music. Plus, be sure to end your day at the fair with cotton candy or another yummy treat! The rain date for this event is Sunday, September 16.

Super Soccer Stars

Soccer Stars is New York&rsquo;s most popular youth educational soccer program! With 24 years of experience under our cleats, we have positively impacted over one million kids in our local community by putting the FUN in FUNdamentals in our weekly classes and camps. At Soccer Stars, we use the soccer ball as a vehicle to help children not only improve their soccer skills, but develop self-confidence and physical literacy, improve gross motor skills, build teamwork, and hone socialization skills. Our highly trained coaches and early childhood experts lead an age-specific curriculum with a low kid-to-coach ratio so every child gets individual attention and can grow at their own pace. Kids ages 1-12+ can join our seasonal programs, including Parent &amp; Me, FUNdamentals, Development Training, and Travel Soccer. Join us at one of over 80 locations in neighborhoods across across Westchester County, Connecticut and New York, available 7 days-a-week: Connecticut: <ul> <li>Cos Cob</li> <li>Greenwich</li> <li>Port Chester</li> </ul> &nbsp; Westchester: <ul> <li>Briarcliff</li> <li>Eastchester</li> <li>Mt. Kisco</li> <li>New Rochelle</li> <li>Ridgefield</li> <li>Scarsdale</li> <li>White Plains</li> </ul> &nbsp; New York City: <ul> <li>Bronx</li> <li>Inwood</li> <li>Upper West Side</li> <li>Upper East Side</li> </ul> &nbsp; Can&rsquo;t find a class or location that fits your schedule? Soccer Stars also offers private classes for small groups or individual training. Let our coaches come to you with a completely customizable program, anytime, anywhere. Birthday parties are also available!&nbsp;

Play On! Studios

Play On! Studios offers theater day camps and after-school classes on the UWS that are guaranteed to give kids a summer full of acting, music, and fun they won't soon forget! Young actors will rehearse and perform in a full production, work with professional NYC actors/teaching artists, build up their skills in a nurturing, non-competitive environment and play lots of drama games! Creative Drama Camps are perfect for kids entering grades K-4. Campers will work each week to put on a brand-new show! Each session, they will receive a script, rehearse a production, make a set and costumes, and perform their play. Kids will also play drama games, play outside (weather permitting), and have tons of fun! Musical Theater Camps are aimed at kids entering grades 4-9. In Musical Theater Performance Camp, campers put on a complete musical production in a professional NYC theater! Campers will stretch their skills with drama exercises and games, vocal coaching, field trips, and building a professional set. Our incredible teaching artists and campers come together to put on a truly remarkable show! During the school year, classes are great for beginners or more experienced actors - sing, dance, and put on a play! Whether your child is just starting out, or ready for Broadway, we&rsquo;ve got the class for them. Classes are available for grades PreK-8, after school or on Saturdays! Come play with us. &nbsp;

CK Kids

CK Kids offers various classes and programs, including Afterschool Program, Lil Chefs, Boys Hip-Hop, Ninja Starz, Lil Artists, CK Kids Athletic Programs, Acrobatics, Dance and Drama, and Karate.&nbsp;