Check out some of the best events for families happening this May in Suffolk County, Long Island, including kid-friendly shows, Mother’s Day activities, and fundraising events.
Top Picks for Mother’s Day
This Mother’s Day, there are many ways to tell Mom or that special lady in your life how much you love her. Here are a few nearby options.
Mother’s Day Floral Bouquet Workshop: In this indoor, all-weather event, children will work alongside a floral designer to create a personal flower arrangement that will delight Mom, Grandma, or anyone else. Registration required. May 6 at 4pm. All ages. $10 with $10 museum admission, includes accompanying adult and all materials. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury. 516-333-0048.
Lowe’s offers a Build and Grow Clinic to build a heart-shaped vase for Mother’s Day. Event includes project, an apron, a project-themed patch, and goggles. Check locations online to find a participating store near you. May 7, 10am. FREE. Lowe’s, 2796 Route 112, Medford. 631-207-4541.
Mother’s Day at the Museum: Mothers and grandmothers are invited to visit the Heckscher Museum admission-free on their special day. May 8, 11am-5pm. All ages. $8 adults other than moms; $6 seniors (62 years); $5 students ages 10 and over; FREE children under 10. The Heckscher Museum, 2 Prime Avenue, Huntington. 631-351-3250.
Enjoy a Mother’s Day Brunch, entertainment, and activities for the kids, including a special craft for Mom – all at a terrific aquarium. May 8; seatings at 10:30am, 1pm, and 3pm. Call for reservations. $24.95-$34.95. Atlantis Marine World, 431 East Main Street, Riverhead. 631-208-9200.
Usdan Open House
The Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts will hold its final Open House for the 2011 summer camp season on May 15, 11am-2pm. Children ages 6 to 18 will be bussed to the 200-acre woodland setting to learn more about Usdan’s day camp. Parents can also get more information about the more than 40 programs in music, dance, theater, creative writing, nature and ecology, and chess. (New for 2011: “Video Game Art and Design.”) FREE. 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights. 631-643-7900 .
Walking For Women
Join hundreds of women, their families, and communities for the 2nd annual Every Woman Matters: A Walk for Women and Their Families. Learn about women’s health and wellness programs and participate in fun hands-on activities. Proceeds from the 5K walk will benefit the new Katz Institute for Women’s Health and Katz Women’s Hospitals of North Shore-LIJ Health System. The event, which will be held rain or shine, features exhibitions, giveaways, refreshments and musical entertainment. May 22; check-in begins at 8:45am; walk begins at 10am. Jones Beach State Park, Field 5, Wantagh. For more information and to register, visit www.everywomanmatterswalk.com.
Long Island Live Steamers
One of Suffolk County’s best-kept secrets: the Long Island Live Steamers hosts public run days twice a month over the summer, and families are invited to ride the steam, diesel, and electric trains operating on eight acres of scale tracks all day. Come early to watch the trains “steaming up.” You can bring lunch and have a picnic on their grounds, too. Everyone must have a ticket to ride; tickets are free, but donations are appreciated. May 22 and 29. 10:30am-3pm. 631-345-0499.
Kites for a Cure
Come fly a kite, have snacks, color and design your own kites, and enjoy the beach with your family while helping to raise awareness and money for lung cancer research. This is the 5th Annual Kites for a Cure, benefitting the nonprofit corporation Uniting Against Lung Cancer, which has raised $7 million in lung cancer research grants. Coopers Beach, 268 Meadow Lane, Southampton. May 28, 4-6pm (rain date May 29). $30 donation.
The Amazing Air Show
Bring your beach towels and chairs and watch the amazing air show at Jones Beach. Bethpage Federal Credit Union and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation will stage the 8th Annual Bethpage Federal Credit Union Air Show at Jones Beach for hundreds of thousands of spectators, and this year, commemorate America’s Centennial of Naval Aviation. May 28 and 29. 10am-3pm. $10 vehicle fee. 1000 Ocean Parkway, Wantagh. 631-885-4543.
Also see: Our Online Calendar, for even more upcoming family events on Long Island and in the New York metro area
