Picks of the Week: September 16-22

The World Maker Faire; photo by Scott Beale via flickr

This Sunday, fall will (officially) be here! We’re loving the cooler weather, so the events lineup for this weekend includes a few outdoor choices, such as a kids race for a good cause, a fantastic fishing festival, and a county fair that’s always a winner. Continue reading for our complete top picks of the week.

Saturday, September 21

RBC Race for the Kids
Prospect Park
8am
Join the Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City for the RBC Race for the Kids in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Racers of all ages will be running (or walking) to raise a million dollars for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. The race kicks off Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play, a daylong event that encourages kids to get active with sports activities and games. Although Nick’s Worldwide Day of Play is sold out, race registration is still open. Online registration closes at noon on Friday, September 20. Race begins at 8:45am.

Bob the Builder Exhibit
Liberty Science Center
9am-5:30pm
Attention all Bob the Builder fans: Liberty Science Center’s new Bob the Builder exhibit opens this Saturday. Young builders can fix the dripping sink in Bob’s home, build a garage for the machines, decorate Wendy’s caravan, and learn about water conservation at the water pump. Free with Center admission.

Go Fish! Festival with Arm-of-the-Sea Theater
Wagner Park
10am-2pm
Get out the rods and tackle gear! All ages are invited to the Go Fish! Festival in Wagner Park during which master anglers will teach festgoers how to catch and release fish. There will also be fish-themed arts and crafts, displays and a performance of “The Rejuvenary River Circus” by Arm-of-the-Sea Theater featuring live music and gigantic puppets. Rods and bait will be provided. Admission is free.

Saturday, September 21-Sunday, September 22

World Maker Faire
New York Hall of Science
10am-7pm Saturday, 10am-6pm Sunday
The World Maker Faire is back at the New York Hall of Science this weekend, combining the best of a science fair and a county fair into one huge celebration of technology and entertainment. Hundreds of inventors and innovators will demo their inventions throughout the course of this two-day festival. Visitors can check out exhibits like Coke Zero and Mentos fountains and a life-sized mousetrap. Also, don’t miss performances by Circus Warehouse and Mario the Magician. Tickets start at $15 for kids ages 2 through 17 and $30 for adults. Children under the age of 2 are free.

Queens County Fair
Queens County Farm Museum
11am-6pm
The 31st Annual Queens County Fair is a must-see event for NYC families. Festivities include blue ribbon competitions, lumberjack shows, hay and carnival rides, pig races, plus pie-eating and corn-husking contests. Kids will love the Amazing Maize Maze and the Con Edison Ecology Booth, where they can take home a worm and participate in fall arts and crafts. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for kids ages 12 and under.

British Swim School - Long Island

<p>The premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages, offering programs for children ages 3-months through adults.&nbsp; British Swim School uses gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers. British Swim School&rsquo;s safe, fun, and effective instructional program has made it the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years. Come see the British Swim School difference!</p>

Speakitaly NYC

<p>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;</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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?</p> <p>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!"</p>

A-Game Sports

<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">A-Game Sports is a premier provider of sports camps, programming and instruction for kids of all ages ranging from toddlers to teens. As an instructional and recreational youth sports facility, our goal is to make athletics a rewarding experience for all kids. A-Game Sports is located in New Rochelle, NY, and offers camps, lessons, customized programs for more than 10 sports and rental space for private events. A-Game Sports was founded in 2013 by two guys who decided that it was time to do what they truly love in life. Since then, we've made the ideology of fusing hard work and fun into a reality. Our dedicated staff of professional coaches share their enthusiasm with kids of all ages and skill levels that take part in our programs.</p> </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p> </div> <div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">With turfed fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and flag football, batting cages and tunnels for baseball and softball, and various basketball programs, A-Game Sports is one of the premiere sports facilities for kids and adults of any age. Aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts will benefit from our many strength and conditioning programs, while children new to sports will learn skills and techniques within their chosen sport, all while having a great time and keeping the game fun.</p> </div>