Find fun and free things to do with kids in Westchester County, New York, this October, including a fundraising walk for pets in New Rochelle, an Italian festival and car show in Tuckahoe, an old-fashioned horse and carriage day in Garrison, a fun-filled fall festival in Ossining, Sesame Street Live in White Plains, a picture book festival in Katonah, and some fun Halloween events in Mamaroneck and Yonkers.
And make sure to check out our roundup of the best Halloween events in Westchester, complete with age recommendations and scariness rating.
Catch a Buzz
Wave Hill’s Honey Weekend will feature demonstrations, projects, and tastings for the whole family-and it’s all about bees! Drop in at Family Art Project: Bee a Bee (pictured) to craft wings, antennae, and a pollen cup, then grab a kazoo to buzz around the grounds like a bee. Follow the journey of honey, from the bee to the hive to your tummy, at a honey extraction demonstration. Don beekeeping gear and explore a hive at an information session. Stop by The Shop at Wave Hill to sample the complex and different varieties of honey, then purchase your favorites for home. Admission to the grounds is free until noon. October 1-2, 9am-5:30pm. $8; $4 students and seniors; $2 children 6-18; free admission until noon.
Wave Hill, 675 West 252nd Street, Bronx.
Woof!
Leash up your dog and bring the whole family to Glen Island Park for the 3rd Annual Hounds on the Sound Dog Walk and Festival. The leisurely one-and-a-half-mile stroll along Long Island Sound is followed by a fun afternoon at the park with vendors, refreshments, activities for kids, demonstrations, games and contests with prizes, and much more. Proceeds benefit Pet Rescue NY and the New Rochelle Humane Society, with a portion going to help the animals at the Mt. Vernon Animal Shelter. October 2. 10am-3pm. Registration begins at 10am; at 11:30am, Meredith Viera cuts the ribbon and Grand Marshalls start the walk. $25 single registration; $40 per family. All walkers will receive one bandana per dog for up to two dogs.
Glen Island Park (off Weyman Avenue), New Rochelle.
Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Oh My!
The Second Annual Westchester Concorso d’Eleganza is a celebration of Italian art, style, and engineering. There will be prizes, entertainment, food, drinks, activities, and a raffle, as well as an extraordinary collection of the finest Italian autos, including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Alfa Romeo. October 2, 11am-5pm. $10; $5 children.
Depot Square, Tuckahoe. More info: www.wiccautoshow.com.
Trotting Along the River
Experience the types of horse-drawn transportation that abounded in the early part of the 19th century. Members of the Mid-Hudson Driving Association will show off their horses and antique vehicles during Horse & Carriage Day at Boscobel. Bring a blanket or chair, take in the view of the Hudson Highlands, and watch a narrated parade of the horse-drawn vehicles, followed by competitive events highlighting the skills of both horse and driver. Visitors can also enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides around the property. Fresh-grilled food and soft drinks will be available for purchase. October 9. 12-4pm. Admission included in House or Grounds ticket purchase: $16; $13 seniors; $8 ages 6-14; free children 5 and younger; $40 family of four.
Boscobel House and Gardens, 1609 Route 9D, Garrison.
Not Your Average Fall Festival
Experience autumn with an environmental twist at Teatown Lake Reservation’s Fall Festival. The annual event focuses on family fun while promoting an appreciation for nature and the environment. Guests can carve a pumpkin and decorate it with vegetables, make a scarecrow, create an eco-craft, see Muscoot Farm animals, watch birds of prey up close, listen to local musicians, and brave the SavATree zipline. Also open will be the Teatown Marketplace, featuring local foods, products, and crafts. October 15, 11am-4:30pm. $10; $5 children under 12; $25 children’s Funpass that includes admission, three crafts, one pumpkin to carve, one hayride, and face painting. Free parking and shuttle from IBM on Route 134, east of the Taconic State Parkway.
Teatown Lake Reservation, 1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining.
Strike Up the Band!
Bring out the tuba, cello, and fiddle, and send up a drum roll. Elmo returns in Sesame Street Live! Elmo Makes Music to delight kids and their families. Elmo and his pals the Muppets help Jenny, a music teacher, find “new” instruments when hers go missing. Everyone will have a hilarious time as rubber duckies, trashcan lids, and other you-won’t-believe-it objects become sources of sound. October 20-23 (see full schedule online). $16.50-$41.50.
Westchester County Center, 198 Central Avenue, White Plains.
Bookish Artists
A fun-filled Sunday awaits families at Picture NYC Book & Art Family Festival at the Katonah Museum of Art, where children will meet illustrators, create New York City-inspired art, and participate in interactive family tours of the exhibition Storied City: New York in Picture Book Art. Illustrators featured in Storied City-including Donald Crews, Nina Crews, Yumi Heo, Boris Kulkov, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Eric Velasquez, and Neil Waldman-will bring the festival to life with drawing demonstrations, artist’s talks, and book signings. October 23. 12-5pm. $5; $10 children 3 and older.
Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay Street (Route 22), Katonah.
Boo!
Applause Westchester’s Halloween Spooktacular celebrates everyone’s favorite holiday with a monster of a show. Young Frankenstein and Elphaba join favorite Broadway characters as they learn to make Halloween full of treats as well as tricks. The event also includes crafts, face painting, snacks, pizza, and cookie decorating. Two sit-down-style sessions will be offered. October 28. Daytime session for 3-year-olds, 3:30-5pm (show at 4pm); evening session for ages 4 and older, 6-7:30pm (show at 6:45pm), featuring chills and thrills, plus a G-rated haunted house where kids ages 6-12 can wind through a maze led by Elphaba. $20 per child.
Applause Westchester, 114 West Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck.
Tradiciones
Experience Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), a Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones, at the Hudson River Museum. The afternoon-long celebration will include live music from Mariachi Citlalli, Mexican food for purchase, face painting, artist-led workshops (Sugar Skulls, Day of the Dead Flowers, and Tin Sun Reliefs), and traditional dancing by Telpochcalli, a Yonkers-based Mexican performance and theater arts group. October 30. 12-5pm. Three altars (Las Ofrendas), created by Yonkers artists Aurelia Fernandez and Zafiro Acevedo, will be on display October 24-November 7. Museum admission: $5; $3 children; free children 4 and younger.
Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Avenue, Yonkers.
More Fun
Find even more free and low-cost events for kids and families in the NYC area in our Calendar of Events!
