Weekend Planner: Fun Family Activities in NYC (September 25-28)

For even more weekend events, plus local, family-friendly events and activities all week long, check out our full calendar! 

HOT OFF THE BLOG

Enjoy the beauty of New York’s fall colors with a scenic autumn adventure by boat, bike, or bus! Foliage frenzy!

Art historian, ArtMuse founder and NYC mom Natasha Schlesinger shares her picks for must-see art shows and exhibits this fall! Picture perfect! 

THURSDAY

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Hop in a vintage ride at the New York Transit Museum’s Bus Festival! Photo via The New York Transit Museum

Check out thousands of original, reasonably-priced works by new and established artists at the Affordable Art Fair, and enjoy tours of the show just for kids! (Thursday-Monday) Amazing art! 

FRIDAY

The DUMBO Arts Festival is your destination for everything Brooklyn arts this weekend. The festival highlights the best of Brooklyn’s visual and performing arts, including murals, dancers, poets, and both indoor and outdoor art installations on the waterfront.  (Friday-Sunday) DUMBO delight!

SATURDAY

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is heating things up with the 22nd Chile Pepper Festival. Come for a fiery day of live music and dance, and of course, a variety of Chile pepper-inspired dishes. There will also be a farmer’s market and tours exploring Chile pepper plantings at the Garden. Join BBG in celebrating both Chile peppers and the cultures that use them! (Saturday) Red hot!

In the tradition of Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Institution, museums all across the country (including many in NYC—such as the Morgan Library and Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan) will be opening their doors for free for the 10th Museum Day Live! You can download two tickets online for free admission at any participating museum that day. (Saturday) Museum madness!

Families are invited to the Whitney Museum for a free morning of art and learning during Jeff Koons Family Day. Tour this fall’s blockbuster art exhibit, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, participate in art activities and interactive gallery stations, and much more! (Saturday) Balloon dogs galore! 

Visit the New York Botanical Garden for a culinary adventure for the entire family! The Edible Academy Harvest Festival will celebrate the fall harvest with live music, talks given by some of the food world’s top stars, such as Mario Batali, plus special programs and activities for kids!(Saturday-Sunday) Eat up!

Come out to the New Victory Theatre for the premier of “The Old Man and The Old Moon,” the story of an elderly man who has spent his life tending to the moon, only to leave his job when his wife leaves home. Enjoy the show’s folk songs, theatrical effects and a cast of dynamic characters! (Saturday-October 13) Moon magic!

SUNDAY

Grab the family for an afternoon marathon of animated short films by the craft’s up-and-comers at Symphony Space.  Spike and Mike’s Classic Festival of Animation has helped launch the careers of Tim Burton, Lasseter and the creators of Wallace & Gromit. (Saturday) Animation station! 

An annual NYC classic, the New York Transit Museum’s Bus Festival will feature more than a dozen vehicles including  Bus 2969, the same model that Jackie Gleason’s character drove in the TV show The Honeymooners. Plus, museum admission $1 (per person) all day! (Sunday) Hit the road!

Travel back in time to the Middle Ages during The Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park. This Sunday, the park will be transformed into a medieval market town complete with processional flags and banners! Fest-goers are invited to dress up in traditional costumes and enjoy live music, magic shows, dancing, and jousting. (Sunday) What a knight! 

Head over to the Upper West Side for the 26th annual Upper Broadway Harvest Festival.  It’s an entire day of free fun for the whole family including arts, entertainment, games and more!  (Sunday) Happy harvest!

Atlantic Avenue’s annual Atlantic Antic is the largest street festival in New York City! Celebrate Brooklyn with an afternoon of food, art, music, and shopping from local and national vendors, plus  pony rides, face painting and storytelling for the little ones. (Sunday) Brooklyn bonanaza!

 For even more weekend events, plus family-friendly events and activities all week long, check out our full calendar! 

Relevant Directory Listings

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Atlantic Acting School

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Looking for a fun and exciting theater program for kids and teens? Join us at the Atlantic. Our programs are intense, exciting and fun!</span></p>

Asphalt Green

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Asphalt Green’s high-quality sports programs start at 4 months old. Two beautiful facilities in vibrant Manhattan neighborhoods provide the optimal space for children to learn the fundamentals, play for leisure, or compete at the highest level.<br />As the leading sports and fitness facility in Manhattan, Asphalt Green’s never-before- seen training methods focus on improving your mental and physical game. Whether participating in swim, soccer, flag football, martial arts, basketball, baseball, tennis, or volleyball, coaches instill values that set athletes up for success in life and bring out their full potential in sports.</span></p>

Advantage QuickStart Tennis

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">A proven teaching method, customized by age and ability for ages 3 and up. Special kid-sized racquets and playing area, plus slower-bouncing balls, make it fun from day one!</span></p>