10 Great Events For August

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

August 6-7 [All ages] This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in NYC! Dragon boats are traditional Chinese boats that are powered by a crew of around 20 people. Typically, a drummer leads the team as the drumbeat helps the crew synchronize their strokes. Watch a multitude of different dragon boat races and traditional music and dance performances from around the world at the Dragon Boat Festival. The opening day parade takes place on Saturday, August 6, at noon. Free, times vary. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, 718-767-1776, hkdbf-ny.org (Image courtesy Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival)

Summer Streets

August 6, 13, & 20 [All ages] Take advantage of Summer Streets, the annual summer festival that gives New Yorkers the chance to stroll and play on completely traffic-free city streets. On three Saturdays in August, the New York City Department of Transportation will close seven miles of streets to cars, allowing walkers, runners, and bikers to enjoy the open space. This encouragement of healthy transportation takes place from 7am-1pm and stretches from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. A variety of activities will take place at the five stops along the route and all are free to the public, including a zip line, free bike and rollerblade rentals, fitness classes, and a giant "Beachside Slide" in Foley Square. Free, 7am-1pm. Seven miles of streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park along Park Avenue and connecting streets; nyc.gov/summerstreets (Image via Summer Streets on Facebook)

New York Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo Park

August 6-October 2 [All ages] Mingle with court jesters, fair maidens, and feudal lords at the New York Renaissance Faire every Saturday and Sunday, as well as Labor Day, from August 6 through October 2. Watch jousting matches and music and dance performances! Gnaw on a turkey leg as you enjoy magic and storytelling performances. Wander around the Artisan Marketplace, where your kiddos can get their faces painted and their hair braided. There are even games and rides for the little ones! Adults: $25, Children (ages 5-12): $12, Children 4 and under are free; 10am-7pm. 600 Route 17A, Tuxedo Park, NY, 845-351-5171, renfair.com (Photo by Sarah Fields via renfair.com)

FringeJr Festival

August 12-28 [Ages 5-12] Celebrate the New York International Fringe Festival’s 20th anniversary in a kid-friendly way at FringeJr! All FringeJr productions are recommended for families and groups with children ages 5-12. This year’s lineup includes a show that explores Amelia Earhart’s legacy through music, puppetry, and circus arts; a production that transports audiences to a pirate’s magical world; and much more! Throughout the festival, stop by Fort FringeJR, where kids can enjoy free arts and crafts and hang with their favorite characters from the shows! $13 tickets, show times vary. All FringeJr shows are at VENUE #6, the Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street (and 1st Avenue), fringenyc.org (Image via FringeNYC on Facebook)

Battery Dance Festival

August 14-20 [All ages] Dance your way out of summer with the 35th annual Battery Dance Festival. New York’s longest-running free public dance festival features a range of dancers from emerging to professional, as well as an even wider scope of genres. Dancers and choreographers from as far afield as Finland, Turkey, and India will spin and sashay through Battery Park City from August 14-20 between 6:30-8:30pm, as they give a series of free outdoor performances for all ages. A ticketed reception will be held August 20 following the closing performance. Free, 6:30-8:30pm, Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, Battery Park City, batterydance.org (Image courtesy of Battery Dance Festival)

26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest

August 20 [All ages] Take your family’s creativity down to the shore this summer at the 26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest. Throughout the various categories of competition, the whole family can compete as a team or against each other to see who has the best sandcastle-building skills. Don’t worry if each of your kids has a different vision—past creations have ranged from traditional castles to extravagant skylines and designs. Make sure to pre-register in order to ensure your spot in the competition. Free, 12-4pm, Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk from West 10th to West 12th Streets, Brooklyn, wearebcs.org (Image courtesy of Brooklyn Community Services)

Hudson River Park Blues BBQ

August 20 [All ages] In its 17th year, the annual Hudson River Park Blues BBQ is spicing things up on August 20. A delicious combination of New York’s favorite BBQ restaurants and the nation’s best blues musicians is sure to be full of culinary and musical flavor. Starting at 2pm, restaurants such as Arrogant Swine and Fort Gansevoort BBQ will take over Pier 97 and blues musicians will hit the stage. The lineup includes Blues Music Award winner Gaye and the Wild Rutz, as well as the Chicago-based duo the Cash Box Kings. Enjoy this afternoon of music, food, and family fun! Free admission, 2-9pm, Hudson River Park Pier 97 at West 57th Street and Hudson River Greenway, hudsonriverpark.org (Image courtesy of Hudson River Park)

Vintage Baseball Games with the Gotham Base Ball Club

August 20 & September 10 [All ages] At a Vintage Base Ball Association game, ball players and fans travel back in time to the 19th Century! The August 20 game on Governors Island is sure to be a classic showdown between the Gotham Base Ball Club of New York and the Hoboken Nine Vintage Base Ball Club. Starting at 12pm, crowds can take in the city skyline and the history unfolding in front of them. Fans of all ages will get a kick out of the historically accurate uniforms, equipment (no gloves!), and rules, as well as classic ballpark foods. On September 10, you can catch the Gothams on Governors Island yet again for a game against the Bog Iron Boys of Bell Air. Free, 12pm. Parade Grounds at Governors Island, gothambbc.com (Image Courtesy of the Gotham Base Ball Club)

Arthur Ashe Kids Day

August 27 [All ages] Hess will present the annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the US Open in honor of the tennis icon on August 27. This annual event, which is the largest single-day tennis and entertainment event in the world, will feature live music by Flo Rida, Zara Larsson, Troye Sivan, and more. Plus, kids will have the amazing opportunity to watch Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic--two of the top men's players in the world--duke it out in fun exhibition matches and skills competitions! Before the stadium show, beginning at 1pm, little tennis stars can enjoy free tennis activities on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center starting at 9:30am. Tickets start at $10, 9am-3pm. USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, Queens, arthurashekidsday.com

The 240th Commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn

August 28 [All ages] Take a trolley into the past at this year’s Commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn at Green-Wood Cemetery. The Battle of Brooklyn, the first battle of the American Revolution to be fought after the Declaration of Independence had been signed, took place in 1776. In memory of the battle, families can take a ticketed trolley tour of Green-Wood’s 478 luscious green acres, experience life in revolutionary New York through re-enactments and historical cooking, participate in the Battle of Brooklyn Parade, and take part in the closing ceremony at 2pm. Tickets only required for Trolley Tour ($15 for members/$20 for non-members). 10:30am-4pm, Green-Wood Cemetery, 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, green-wood.com (Photo courtesy of Green-Wood Cemetery)