Free Family Events This Weekend! (June 20-22)

Have all the fun without spending a dime!

Friday, June 20

Swedish Midsummer Festival
Wagner Park
5pm-8pm
The Swedish Midsummer Festival at downtown’s Wagner Park is a unique way of celebrating the summer solstice. The festivities include learning folk dancing from Barnklubben Elsa Rix and the Swedish Folkdancers of New York, making midsummer wreaths, and enjoying children’s games and Swedish treats. Don’t miss live music from Paul Dahlin and fiddlers from the American Swedish Institute of Minneapolis!

Saturday, June 21

Make Music New York
Various Locations
10am-10pm
Make Music New York is celebrating the longest day of the year by hosting live, free musical performances all across the five boroughs! With over 1,300 concerts on streets, sidewalks, and parks, this annual series has something for everyone, from jazz to hip hop, and rock to opera. Be sure to select “Kids” in the genre search bar for the best of family friendly shows, including Bethany Wild, Rolie Polie Guacamole, Lily Rose Children’s Music, among many others!

The Mermaid Parade
Coney Island
1pm
Ocean fans should head out to Coney Island this weekend for the one and only Mermaid Parade! One of the largest art parades in the nation, this festive event brings mystical creatures to life for a mix of all ages. Little ones will love seeing handmade costumes and floats, street theater, a marching band, and more! Want even more mermaid fun? Sign up you and your family to participate in the parade! Free to attend; To participate, $25 Adults, $15 Children.

*For more fun in Coney Island, check out this post!

Starting Saturday, June 21

North River Historic Ship Festival
Pier 25
Various times
Kids of all ages are invited to the sixth annual North River Historic Ship Festival! This maritime event is perfect for boat lovers who want to take a ride on tugboats, fireboats, schooners, and more. Other festivities, which will run until Tuesday, June 24 include a tour of the historical ships, a circus performance on a showboat, and fishing on the pier.

Barolosolo Cirkus
Brooklyn Bridge Park
3pm and 7pm
Circus lovers will get excited for Barolosolo Cirkus, a special event at Brooklyn Bridge Park that’s all about family fun! Performed this Saturday and Sunday in association with SummerStage Kids and by the Barolosolo Cirkus Company from France, this show will be a stellar combination of comedy, modern theater, poetry, and music. Additionally, attendees can enjoy interactive workshops, face painting, and more along with the show.

Sunday, June 22

Family Fun Day
BLDG 92
11am
What better way to spend a Sunday than at the museum? BLDG 92, which is part of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, is hosting a family fun day this weekend. Along with free admission to museum, this exciting day includes activities like a Yard Inspector Tour, where participants can step into the shoes of an inspector-in-training; and a tour of the the rooftop farm, which will educate guests on food, plant science, sustainability, and more.

Family Performance Festival
Central Park
12pm-1:30pm
See this special “Nature in Action, Story, and Song” event as part of Central Park’s Family Performance Festival series! “Stand up chameleion” Jackson Gillman will present hilarious yet informative stories and music about animals, bugs, flowers, and other components of our natural world. Don’t miss an eco-educational activity after the show!

Adventuring Portal

<a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&amp;D) games for kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&amp;D. Our D&amp;D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;Monday &ndash; Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).&nbsp;&nbsp;15 total gaming hours for $180.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor&rsquo;s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done &amp; take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&amp;D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do. All our games focus on experiential learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&amp;D adventuring! We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum.&nbsp; All girls&rsquo; groups available.&nbsp; I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started&nbsp;Adventuring Portal, an&nbsp;online Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;business&nbsp;for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&amp;D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.

Speakitaly NYC

SPEAKITALY NYC offers stimulating and entertaining lessons for children 0 to 16 years through a wide combination of activities based on the communicative approach anchored in the Common European Framework of Reference: active learning (group work, role plays, etc.) and practice exercises aimed to improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Kids will start speaking and using Italian in a very natural way.&nbsp; Small classes capped at 6 students to make sure each one gets the needed attention and facilitate learners' progress.&nbsp; Our method is driven by a didactic method that is the result of constant updates, professional certifications and more than 10 years of experience in working with non-native speakers from different native languages and levels of knowledge. Our aim is to develop a range of Italian language skills while improving accuracy that will enable the students and participants to interact without stress or feeling rushed. We want to help those in the community really embrace not only the true culture in Italy but the Italian culture within New York City&hellip; Who doesn&rsquo;t love what Italy represents in the kitchen, in history &amp; in the arts? Speakitaly wants to support multilingual families who want to learn a new language or pass along their ancestor&rsquo;s heritage and culture. Raffaella, the founder said: "We see language awareness and intercultural sensitivity as the milestones for an inclusive society. Italian, like all other languages, is an enrichment and a growth in every way. Vi aspettiamo!"

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp

Aviator Sports Summer Day Camp offers five daily rotating activities such as swimming, ice skating gymnastics, rock climbing, parkour, indoor/outdoor turf, and courts plus more in its ample 175,000 sq. ft. facility and 35-acre outdoor area. Aviator Summer Camp also offers off-site and on-site field trips such as a day at Green Meadows Farm, Launch Trampoline Park, and a Brooklyn Cyclones game. The summer camp runs from 9 am-5 pm with early drop off and late stay available. Bus transportation is also available throughout Brooklyn. Lunch and an afternoon snack are included. Sign up by February 28th to receive up to $300 off camp with early bird discounts.