Nothing says summer in New York like street festivals and outdoor concerts. As the days get longer this month, make time to take in some of these fantastic family events–from a free Dan Zanes performance in Prospect Park to culture and education for all ages at the annual Museum Mile Festival. Enjoy, and happy summer!
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World Science Festival
June 1-5 [All ages] The World Science Festival comes to New York this year with a line-up of kid-friendly events that will delight all ages. On June 4-5, young scientists can design their own products, scan bones from an archeological dig, and geotrack wildlife as they learn alongside leading scientists during the Apprentice Program (tickets required); or join the Great Fish Count, helping ecologists count and release marine critters at 15 sites across the city. Don’t miss the fest’s culminating event, the 9th annual Ultimate Science Street Fair on Sunday (6/5) in Washington Square Park, where you can expect dazzling demonstrations and experiments for all ages, in addition to games, entertainment, and activities from 10am-6pm. Love the fair? Watch out for more events in NYC this year as the World Science Festival and Con Edison kick off their City of Science program, which will host one science-related event in each borough throughout 2016. The Street Festival is free and open to the public; other events require advance tickets. Various times and locations, worldsciencefestival.com (Photo by Greg Kessler / World Science Festival) -
Mad. Sq. Kids
Starting June 9 [All ages] Bring your kiddos to Madison Square Park’s Farragut Lawn Thursday mornings starting June 9 to hear an eclectic mix of music during this free concert series! After the concerts, kids are invited to participate in “EXPLORE activities,” which cover a variety of themes, including: Art in the Park, Science and Nature, Playground Adventure, Stepping Through Time, Park Patrol, and Games. The concert lineup includes: KB Whirley on June 16, Josh and the Jamstones on June 23, Father Goose on June 30, Jazzy Ash and the Leaping Lizards on July 7, Sonia De Los Santos on July 14, Trout Fishing in America on July 21, and the Not-Its on July 28. Rain or shine; adult supervision is required. Free, 10:30am; Madison Square Park at Madison Avenue and 23rd Street, 212-520-7600, madisonsquarepark.org -
Dan Zanes' Lead Belly Project at Celebrate Brooklyn--Ezra Jack Keats Family Day
June 11 [All ages] Dan Zanes is known for exploring American and global roots traditions as he creates incredibly fun and engaging family music. Join Zanes at the Prospect Park Bandshell for a concert that will provide a special sneak-peek at his newest Smithsonian Folkways album, which celebrates the blues icon Lead Belly. The show also honors the centennial of the birth of Brooklynite author Ezra Jack Keats, who introduced characters of color to mainstream children's literature. Get to the show on time for a TADA! Youth Theater performance of one of Keats' most beloved stories. Free, 4pm. Prospect Park Bandshell, 62 West Drive, Brooklyn, bricartsmedia.org Image via bricartsmedia.org -
Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island
June 11-12 & August 13-14 [All ages] The roaring ’20s Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island has become an annual destination for New Yorkers young and old to dress up and have some good ol’ fashioned fun. Wear your best flapper-style outfits, bring some snacks for a lawn picnic, and take the ferry to be transported to another time. Once again this year, Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra will delight the guests with big band dance numbers, joining an array of other music performances throughout the weekend. This all-ages, family-friendly event will have plenty of entertainment options for everyone, including Kidland, which features carnival games and prizes for junior “flappers and flapperettes,” dance lessons, a paper moon photo booth, an antique car exhibit, vintage clothing and gift vendors, ’20s-era inspired food and drinks, and more. Tickets start at $15. Children under the age of 12 do not need to purchase a ticket, but must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building, located at 10 South Street (on the corner of South and Whitehall Streets) starting at 10am, and from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 (at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Columbia Street) in Brooklyn starting at 11am; jazzagelawnparty.com (Photo courtesy Jazz Age Lawn Party) -
Museum Mile Festival
June 14 [All ages] Enjoy a cultural night out on the town! This year marks the 38th annual Museum Mile Festival. With the opening ceremony starting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the festival also includes the Neue Galerie New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and El Museo del Barrio! Complete with outdoor art activities for children and musical performances, the event is fun, free culture for the whole family! Free, 6-9pm; 5th Avenue (82nd-105th Streets), 212-606-2296, museummilefestival.org (Image via nycgo.com) -
"The New York Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes" at Radio City Music Hall
June 15-August 7 [All ages] Get ready for a face-kicking good time as the Rockettes line up for another mesmerizing performance! Set in the summertime on a family vacation to NYC, “The New York Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes” is the story of a magical adventure in the Big Apple. When two children are separated from their parents, the city of New York comes to life and helps (eventually) reunite them with their family. Tickets start at $39, show times vary. Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, 212-465-6080, rockettes.com (Photo courtesy MSG Entertainment) -
Adventures NYC in Central Park
June 18 [All ages] Calling all outdoor enthusiasts! Explore the great outdoors with Adventures NYC, a day of extreme outdoor fun put on by the NYC Parks Department. Head to Central Park to participate in a variety of outdoor sports. Last year’s fest offered opportunities to paddle, hike, bike, and climb, watch fishing demonstrations, and visit outdoor gear exhibits. Free, 11am-4pm; the Bandshell Area in Central Park (Enter at 72nd Street), nycparksgov.org (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks) -
Brick Fest Live at the New York Hall of Science
June 18-26 [All ages] Got a LEGO fan in your family? Celebrate these amazing building blocks at the New York Hall of Science's Brick Fest Live this month! Attendees will enjoy "mind-blowing" creations made from LEGOs, and play with gigantic LEGO attractions. Free with museum admission; Monday-Friday 9:30am-5pm, Saturday-Sunday 10am-7pm. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th Street, Corona, Queens, nysci.org (Image via NYSci) -
Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Festival
June 19 [All ages] Honor the Jewish, Chinese and Puerto Rican cultures of the Lower East Side at the Museum at Eldridge Street’s annual block party. Enjoy klezmer and bomba music, Hebrew and Chinese scribal art, Puerto Rican mask making, Mah Jongg games, yarmulke making, and of course, egg rolls, egg creams, and empanadas! Free; 12-4pm. The Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street, 212-219-0302, eldridgestreet.org -
Make Music New York
June 21 [All ages] Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Make Music New York with more than 1,000 free outdoor concerts on the first day of summer! Some of this year’s exciting events include a performance by legendary composer Philip Glass in Riverside Park, a swinging Second Line Parade led by Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jason Olaine, a workshop for budding young electronic musicians at the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza, and the Gauntlet on the High Line, where 60 singers will engage in a musical dialogue as the public is invited to walk through them and experience the piece at their own pace. Free, 10am-10pm. Various locations, makemusicny.org (Image via makemusicny.org) -
The Coolest Family-Friendly Summer Festivals in NYC
For even more great June events, check out our handy guide to this summer's best fairs and festivals in NYC!
