Egg Festival (July 20-24)
Get eggy with it at Maine’s 38th annual festival honoring everyone’s favorite breakfast ingredient. An egg breakfast will be cooked in a 300-pound frying pan so families can build up their strength before participating in the Egg-lympics. There’s also a pageant, street dance, craft fair and fireworks. Pittsfield, ME, eggfest.craftah.com.
NJ Peach Festival (July 22-25)
Enjoy a juicy peach, see the crowning of the New Jersey Peach Queen, find out who wins the Governors Cup for the best box of peaches and take the kids to see the educational displays. Stick around for the barbeque dinner and enjoy all the tasty peach desserts. Mullica Hill, NJ, gc4hfair.com.
Warren County Farmers Fair (August 1-7)
Billed as “kid-friendly, family-friendly, wallet-friendly,” this annual county fair features food, arts and crafts, demolition derbies, equestrianism, antique cars and even its own hot air balloon festival! Don’t forget to stop by the “Kids’ Corral,” where little ones can meet farm animals, go on a scavenger hunt, see clowns and participate in a pie eating or hay baling contest! Phillipsburg, NJ, warrencountyfarmersfair.org.
Maine Lobster Festival (August 4-8)
More than 1,000 volunteers work year-round to exceed the previous festival’s success, and 2010 is no exception. Don’t fill up on the all-you-can-eat pancakes, because you’ll want to save some room for the 20,000 pounds of lobster available for sampling. A parade, arts and crafts, cooking contests, and kids’ events ensure that the five-day event is chock-full of variety. Rockland, ME, mainelobsterfestival.com.
Musikfest (August 6-15)
From blues, jazz and pop to rock, classical and country, this festival features a diverse lineup of musicians and bands—appealing to all musical tastes. Popular entertainers such as Norah Jones, Selena Gomez and the Counting Crows will make appearances. Bethlehem, PA, musikfest.org.
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in NY (August 7-8)
Celebrate the fifth month of the lunar calendar at this annual sporting event and cultural festival, where visitors can enjoy traditional Chinese food while watching Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s Meadow Lake transform into a racetrack for over 120 dragon boats! Queens, NY, hkdbf-ny.org.
Curious George Cottage Family Festival (August 13-15)
Hosted by the Margret and H.A. Rey Center and blending art, science and literature, this festival enables families to embark on a three-day adventure with every child’s favorite monkey. Enjoy a banana pancake breakfast, meet Curious George and the Man With The Yellow Hat, witness rocket launches and planetarium shows, hike one of the pristine nature trails, hear live music and take part in an eco-art project! Waterville Valley, NH, thereycenter.org.
Dutchess County Fair (August 24-29)
The mother of all county fairs, this much-loved festival showcases the best in area agriculture, arts and crafts, food and entertainment and draws over half a million visitors to the bucolic Dutchess County Fairgrounds each year. Don’t forget to take the kids to hear the Melody Singing Veggies! Rhinebeck, NY, dutchessfair.com.
Atlantic City Air Show (August 25)
Witness the heart-stopping solo routines, formation flying, and aerobatic maneuvers of military and civilian pilots over the Atlantic City Boardwalk. This year’s “Thunder Over The Boardwalk” show will be headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the U.S. Army Golden Knights, the Brazilian Smoke Squadron and more. Atlantic City, NJ, atlanticcitynj.com.
New York State Fair (August 26-September 6)
Each year, the New York State Fair descends on Syracuse with enough performances, exhibits, animals and thrill rides to satisfy the whole family. A puppet parade and petting zoo are perfect for the little ones, while educational history presentations will teach older kids about the Iroquois Indians and maple syrup-making. Don’t forget to see the sculptures made from butter and cheese! Syracuse, NY, nysfair.org.
American Folk Festival (August 27-29)
This free three-day festival on the Bangor Waterfront celebrates American and international music with traditional performances, arts and crafts demonstrations, a children’s area and a marketplace with handcrafted items and an array of foods offering visitors a “Taste of Maine.” Bangor, ME, americanfolkfestival.com.
Downtown Plymouth Waterfront Festival (August 28)
Take part in the popular Ducky Dash or go for a swim in the New England Aquarium’s Traveling Tide Pool at this year’s Plymouth Waterfront Festival. Stroll the arts and crafts show featuring over 100 local artisans, and enjoy two stages of live entertainment—not to mention a carnival complete with giant bouncy house! Plymouth, MA, plymouthwaterfrontfestival.com.
–Additional reporting by Brittany McNamara and Elizabeth Zelma
