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West Side County Fair
September 9
[All Ages]The classic county fair comes to Riverside Park in this fun-filled event. Kids will be enthralled by aerialists and stilt walkers as they munch on food and cotton candy offered by local vendors. The event will also feature carnival rides and games as well as sideshow performers and live music. Be sure to stop by merchandise booths and Grow NYC’s Stop ‘N’ Swap too for even more family fun! Free, 1-6pm. Pier I, Riverside Park South, West 70th Street, nycgovparks.org
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Brooklyn Book Festival
September 10-17
[Ages vary]This weeklong festival has a myriad of opportunities for your little reader to enjoy the city’s literary community. However, you may want to set your sights specifically on Children’s Day on September 15 from 10am-4pm. The week of events offers everything from readings to author signings and bookshops on site. There are also workshops and even a stage for the young readers to share their own work! Free, times vary. Various locations citywide, brooklynbookfestival.org
image: nycgo.com
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Camp MAX
September 21-23
[All Ages]This camp is unlike any others you might send your kid to—it’s a spot where both kids and their single parents can spend time together! The weekend-long stay includes six meals, two nights’ accommodations, a lake and heated swimming pool, and various activities and programming. You’ll even get a chance to chomp on S’mores around the campfire (preferably while strumming a guitar!). With both family workshops and adult-only time, this camp is designed for a summertime escape. $350 parent, $300 ages 7+, $250 additional child 7+, $100 child 4-6, children under 3 free. 104 Camp Lenape Court, Tafton, PA, 917-353-2534, mycampmax.com
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Great Irish Fair
September 22
[All Ages]Celebrate Irish heritage with this event, now in its 37th year. The 12-hour festival features an awards ceremony and performances by local bands, and of course there will be plenty of food available to satisfy any craving. Enjoy both traditional and contemporary Irish culture, from merchandise to food to music, throughout this daylong fair. And if the kids need a breath of fresh air, the beach is only steps away. Free, 10am-10pm. The Ford Amphitheater, Coney Island Boardwalk, 3052 West 21st Street, Brooklyn
image: thetablet.org
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World Maker Faire
September 22-23
[All Ages]The whole family is sure to love the World Maker Faire, which showcases new innovations and creations. Creators share what they’re making, and in turn, your kids can learn about building and think critically about what’s being developed in the world today. The Faire isn’t just focused on science either; it highlights new developments in engineering, art, performance, and craft too. You can participate in hands-on activities and learn new skills. $0-80, single-day & weekend passes available, 10am-6pm. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th Street, Corona, Queens, makerfaire.com
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Fall Family Day
September 23
[Ages 3-10]Join Carnegie Hall for another Family Day event this fall, where kids big and small can come together to make and enjoy music. Interactive activities include live performances and offer the opportunity to sing and dance with musicians. Families can also make their own instruments and even more. Admission is first-come, first-served. Free, 12pm. Resnick Education Wing, Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue, 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org
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Little Red Lighthouse Festival
September 29
[All Ages]Did you know there’s only one lighthouse left in all of Manhattan? Gather the kids and head over to read the children’s book “The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge” based on that very spot. The event will also feature live music, food, and art vendors. Plus, try your hand at fishing or check out a presentation put on by Urban Park Rangers! Free, 12-4pm. Little Red Lighthouse, Fort Washington Park, nycgovparks.org
image: riversideparknyc.org
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Medieval Festival
September 30
[All Ages]The Middle Ages come alive at this festival hosted in Fort Tryon Park. Explore the medieval market town and immerse yourself in the culture. The grounds are packed full of performers in full costume, doing everything from juggling to singing to minstrelsy. Be sure to stick around for a joust on horseback, and in the meantime, check out the crafts as well as demonstrations sure to take you back in time. Don’t forget to come in costume! Free, 11:30am-6pm. Cloisters, Fort Tryon Park, whidc.org
image: hickoryarmsonline.com
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New York Comic Con
October 4-7
[Ages 4+]It’s time again for Comic Con, a massive event where fans of all kinds come together to celebrate their favorite shows and more. The pop culture convention features plenty of cosplay—dress up your kid as their favorite character, or maybe craft a costume for the whole family!—including the Eastern Championships of Cosplay. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from some of the biggest figures in pop culture and immerse yourself in art for a day or for the entire weekend! $12.50-55, 10am-5pm. Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street, 888-605-6059, newyorkcomiccon.com
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23rd Panamanian Day Parade
October 6
[All Ages]This Brooklyn-based spectacle (primarily located in Crown Heights) links American and Panamanian culture and touts that it’s the “largest Panamanian parade outside of Panama.” Participants show their pride in the march, whether it’s through elaborate costumes, dress, or simply waving the flag. Plus, if you follow the parade route, it ends with a street fair full of food and fun for everyone! Free, 10:30am. Starts at Bergen Street & Franklin Avenue, ends on Classon Avenue, Brooklyn, dicpny.com
image: Krista Bryant / Columbia Journalism School
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Columbus Day Parade
October 8
[All Ages]Nothing says New York City like a big parade! Bring the kids out to this celebration, which celebrates not just Columbus but also Italian-American culture. The route travels from Midtown to the Upper East Side and features professional musicians, traditional folk grounds, school marching bands, and people dressed as the 15th Century explorer. There are also plenty of colorful floats to check out! Free, 11:30am-4pm. From 44-72nd Street on 5th Avenue, columbuscitizensfd.org
image: abc7ny.com
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Diwali at Times Square
October 13
[All Ages]Celebrate Diwali, a five-day festival of lights, in the very heart of Midtown for the fifth year. People dress in traditional Indian attire and share in customs and culture, including cuisine, fashion, and live performances. Catch a Bollywood performance or try some new bites under the light of the Times Square billboards! Free, 12-9pm. Times Square, 46-48th Streets & Broadway, diwalitimessquare.com
image: urbanmatter.com
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Family Breakfast with the Animals at Central Park Zoo
October 13
[Ages 3-6]Want to switch up the family breakfast a little bit? What better guest to add than some of the Central Park Zoo’s red pandas? Participate in animal-themed activities as you nosh on a meal at the zoo. After eating, walk over to the red panda exhibit with your guide to get answers to all your most pressing animal questions and watch as the red pandas themselves eat some breakfast too! $30; $25 members, 9-10:30am. Central Park Zoo, East 64th Street & 5th Avenue, wcs.org
image: newyork.cbslocal.com
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Pickle Day
October 14
[All Ages]Who doesn’t love a good pickle to snack on? The Lower East Side is all about celebrating our favorite briny veggie this October. The neighborhood used to be home to pushcart markets that served a heavily immigrant neighborhood; this event celebrates that history with a similar sort of market that features both traditional-type pickle vendors like The Pickle Guys alongside contemporary, local restaurants. It’ll be un-brine-lievable! Free, 12-5pm. 54 Orchard Street, pickleday.nyc
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The Wizard of Oz
October 31-November 1
[Ages 4+]Drop down to Red Bank, New Jersey, to enjoy a magical performance of this classic tale. This is just one stop on the show’s new national tour, and it takes the family musical to brand new heights with a fabulous journey down the Yellow Brick Road and on to the Emerald City. Your kids will be captivated by the amazing special effects, as well as songs that everyone will recognize: Perfect for those who love to sing along. $40-79, 7:30pm. Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ, 732-842-9000, thebasie.org
Relevant Directory Listings
See MoreSuper Soccer Stars
<p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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:</p> <p><strong>Connecticut:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Cos Cob</li> <li>Greenwich</li> <li>Port Chester</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Westchester:</strong></p> <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> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>New York City:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bronx</li> <li>Inwood</li> <li>Upper West Side</li> <li>Upper East Side</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>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;</p>
Play On! Studios
<p>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!</p> <p>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!</p> <p>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!</p> <p>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.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
Child's Play NY Virtual Classes
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f0d8558c-7fff-41d5-daea-321d9ce61efc" style="white-space: normal; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Child's Play NY is a Brooklyn-based company founded in 2009, committed to offering a diverse array of theater arts classes for children. They believe studying the art of acting encourages kids to be even more creative, collaborative and compassionate human beings. Since its inception, Child's Play NY has touched the lives of hundreds of students, worked inside dozens of schools and is consistently ranked as among the top theater arts programs. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the 2019 winner of Brooklyn Family's Choice award for Best Performing Arts Class.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall/Winter 2020-21 Virtual Class Guide</span><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make a Movie Class</span></strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Experience creative fulfillment and movie magic with Child&rsquo;s Play NY! Kids get to make and star in their own film, with professional actors, directors and designers. From development to design to editing choices too, kids can take ownership over the creative process. Their friends and family get to celebrate their accomplishments at a final watch party premiere! Deep project-based learning and peer-connection is at the heart of this 9-week experience which can be done remotely or in-person.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall and Winter Virtual Classes</span></strong></span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-left: 36pt; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong>Hogwarts School (grades 1-3)</strong>: Come get sorted into your favorite house, jump on your Firebolt and let&rsquo;s make some magic! Class culminates in a movie montage featuring our original scripted work from the session.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create Your Own Class</span></strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make your own custom group to support social-emotional growth and play. Child&rsquo;s Play NY provides a dynamic teacher and their lauded curriculum that puts peer-interaction at the front and center. Custom classes are a special way to nurture what your child loves most and share that excitement with their friends, in-person or online.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Playwriting (Grades 4-6)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students will use their creativity, compassion and confidence to build a story they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. Individually, each student will craft a play, and together they will workshop their scenes, exercising their acting, directing, and most importantly, imagination skills. Over the course of the sessions, students will learn the basics of playwriting and be able to present any and all parts of their theatrical story. All classes will include individual assignments and collaborative opportunities. Each day will be structured so that all participants have the chance to learn and study other writers&rsquo; work, write for 10-15 minutes and share their words with each other. By the end of the semester they will have used their bodies, intellect and imagination to come up with an original play. By being confident, vulnerable and creative with each other and actively supporting and encouraging each other&rsquo;s work, students will emerge with meaningful connections to each other and a strong sense of their writing and collaborative abilities.<br />Class culminates in a montage and packet of students&rsquo; original work.<strong><br /></strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Musical Theater Lab (Grades 4-6)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Learn how to be a triple threat in this dynamic class for budding performers with Child&rsquo;s Play NY. Students focus on songs, dances and characters from Broadway&rsquo;s most celebrated and kid-friendly shows. They work alongside professional performers with years of experience bringing their passion to children. Class culminates in a movie showcase of scenes and songs.<br />Join for the full session, or enroll as a drop-in!<strong><br /></strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Shakespeare Scene Study (Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12)</strong></div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Young people become confident with Shakespeare&rsquo;s world, language and characters as they learn how to interpret a role with technique and courage. Classically trained professional actors assist the players in their physical, vocal and emotional transformations. All Shakespeare teaching artists are classically trained professional actors and have performed Shakespeare both on and off Broadway and in regional theaters across the country.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students jump into the worlds of Shakespeare in this robust mash-up of improvisation and classic text scene study class. After learning the plot and characters from several plays, they rehearse and memorize scenes from the original text. New material, devised by the cast, adds a contemporary through-line to their show and highlights the universality of Shakespeare&rsquo;s themes.<br />Class culminates in a movie showcasing their work.</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</div> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The Big Twist: A New Musical (Grade 1-4)</strong></div> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <div style="caret-color: #222222; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this acting class, students get to perform a brand new musical based on The Wizard of Oz.<br />The Wicked Witch of the South wants to return Oz to a time when WITCHES reigned supreme, and all was evil. Summoning a dark magic Tornado, the Wicked Witch of the South sends Oz hurtling into an alternate Oz. With the Yellow Brick road destroyed, the Wizard left powerless, and the citizens of Oz scattered to the Wind, our heroes are forced into unlikely partnerships to stop the Witch and restore the world to order. The Wizard of Oz meets The Tempest. &nbsp;Class culminates in a premiere of a movie starring the students, filmed over the last few days of the session.</div> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;">&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-57c50323-7fff-79ce-175a-5e25408c0e29"></span></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-84ebe141-7fff-03c2-24cf-fead86e88df2"></span></p>