August is both the time to prepare for the start of school (finishing up your summer homework and waking up earlier each day) and celebrate the last few weeks of summer. Don’t count down the days, make the days count! Have you been meaning to go to the NYC public pools? Pack your towels and head out in August! Was the Color Factory on your summer bucket list? Take advantage of August to visit the Instagram-friendly exhibit. Did you check out Belvedere Castle yet? Now’s your chance to pay a visit to Central Park to see the newly renovated Belvedere. In addition to all of the classic summer activities, August is full of kid-friendly events to fill your days. We’ve got the top kid-friendly August events to conclude your perfect summer!
Manhattan
393 Broadway, New York, NY 10013
Kids take over the runway at this event, and Sunni Dai Kids Fashion Week welcomes you and your family to come watch in their NYC show. Check out the popular trends and styles in kids’ fashion, including brands such as Lola and the Boys, Mia New York, Beachboom Swimwear, Different is the New Cool, and more. Partnering with The F.R.E.S.H foundation, 10% of ticket sales will be donated to cancer research. August 10, $15 General Admission, $35 VIP Seating, 1-4 pm.
Catch up on the latest in kids fashion at the Sunni Dai Kids Fashion Show! Photo courtesy of Sunni Dai Kids Fashion Week.
West 70th Street, New York, NY 10069
Take the summer fun into the air with this kite festival! Bring your kite from home or use the free kite kits. Fly kites with your children, watch all of the kites soar in the sky and enjoy music throughout the day. August 17, free, 12-5 pm. Pier 1 in Riverside Park South
Lincoln Center Family Day
Hearst Plaza, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023
The Lincoln Center has plenty of events lined up for Family Day, and they want you and your family to join! The Brown Rice Family performs their global music in the morning, including rock, Brazilian, Latin, funk, hip-hop, Afrobeat and more. Lola Lovenotes, an NYC-based muralist and visual artist, will also do a live graffiti demonstration. There will also be spoken-word performances, high-energy dancers, and storytelling, featuring Najee Omar and VIBEZ by SOLE Defined. August 3, free, 11-2:15 pm.
Brooklyn
NYCRUNS Brooklyn Ice Cream Social 5K & 10K
Center Drive, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Whether your family wants to run this 5K or 10K competitively or just walk with maybe some jogging, this run in the park is for you! Afterward, enjoy water and fresh fruit during the run and ice cream — so use the ice cream as your motivation. You’ll also get a t-shirt, and of course, that amazing feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line. August 24, $30 register before 6/18, $35 register before 8/13, $40 until online registration closes, $50 register at race day, 8:00 am 10k, 8:15 am 5k.
Sign up for this exciting 5k as a family! Photo courtesy of NYCRUNS.
Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest
Coney Island Beach, Brooklyn, NY 11224
Start taking your beach trips now to practice for this iconic event. While your family may train for the Sculpting Contest all year, it is also perfectly fine to sign up just for fun. Spend the day in the sand and work together as a family to see how creative you can truly get. The Sculpting Contest is also fun to just observe. Bring your family to marvel at all of the sandcastle masterpieces — they are sure to impress! August 17, free, 12-4 pm.
14th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party
Selected by New York Times as one of the year’s most memorable events, time travel back to the Jazz Age at this exciting, annual lawn party! There will be a Children’s Parade, High Court of Pie Contest, Croquet Tournament, Kidland with carnival games, gourmet food trucks, vintage clothing, dance contests and lessons, a magic show, a motorcycle exhibition and jazz music to last the entire day. August 24-25, $45 General Admission for adults, Free for children 12 and under, 12-6 pm. Colonel’s Row on Governors Island, Hay Road, Brooklyn, NY 11231.
Throw it back to the Jazz Age in August with your little ones! Photo courtesy of Jazz Age Lawn Party.
Queens
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
Flushing Meadows Park, 111th Street to Van Wyck Expressway, Queens, NY 11355
Bring your family to the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival for a full day of arts and crafts, food, and Dragon Boat racing. Over 200 Dragon Boat teams all across North America will race in their custom made, colorful boats with a Dragon head at the front and a Dragon tail at the back. There will also be martial arts demonstrations, traditional Chinese food, an International food court, Chinese musical and dance performances, and folk arts and crafts. This celebration and sporting event is the largest multicultural festival in New York, so you don’t want to miss out! August 3-4, free, 9 am-5 pm.
Watch these magnificent boats paddle away! Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival.
Pride Night at Citi Field with the NY Mets
Citi Field, 123-01 Roosevelt Ave, Queens, NY 11368
Join other baseball fans, LGBT activists and families looking for a fun and educational evening at Citi Field, where the NY Mets take on the Washington Nationals. Come support the LGBT Network’s anti-bullying programs in Long Island and NYC Schools at the 4th Annual Pride Night, and enjoy an exciting ballgame at the same time! August 10, $45-$78 depending on seat, 7:10-10 pm.
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day
Arthur Ashe Stadium, 124-02 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, NY 11368
Come experience the largest grassroots tennis and entertainment event in the world. Past performers include Shawn Mendes, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and The Jonas Brothers, paired with past tennis players, including Serena Williams and Andy Murray. Celebrities have even made appearances, such as Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres! There will also be face paint, balloon artists, storytelling, hair beading and braiding and more. Proceeds will go to USTA Foundation, which free or low-cost tennis, education, and life-skills programming to children. August 24, Festival events and workshops free, stadium show $25, 9:30 am-4 pm.
Join in on the tennis-frenzy at Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day this August! Photo courtesy of Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day.
Bronx
Honey Weekend
Wave Hill, West 249th Street and Independence Avenue Ecology Building, Bronx, 10471
Head to Wave Hill for a weekend all about honey and bees! There will be candle-making, honey extraction demonstrations, “Be a Bee” Family Art Project, talks with local beekeepers and tons of honey to taste. Come learn about why bees are important through a series of fun and interactive activities. August 17-18, $12 adult, free for Wave Hill members and children under 6, 10 am-3 pm.
Get crafty at Honey Weekend! Photo courtesy of Wave Hill.
Totally Tomatoes Weekend
August 10-11, free, 10 am-6 pm. 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458-5126
Is it a fruit? Is it vegetable? Either way, the tomato is well-loved. We grow tomatoes in the garden, slice tomatoes for our salads, and enjoy ketchup at our summer barbecues. Come celebrate the glory of the tomato at Totally Tomatoes Weekend, presented by Edible Academy! There will be tastings, cooking demonstrations, gardening activities, music, and more.
Kingsbridge Art & Music Festival
August 6, free, 4-8 pm. Kingsbridge, 234th Street and Bailey Avenue, Bronx, NY 10463
Bring a creative mind and a bit of rhythm to this art and music festival. Explore the various arts and crafts workshops and demonstrations as you listen to great music. There will also be face painting, balloons, clowns, a bounce house, and food. Share the last month of summer with your local neighborhoods and communities as you make your way through the activities and attractions with your family.
There’s lots of family fun at the Kingsbridge Art & Music Festival! Photo courtesy of Kingsbridge Art & Music Festival.
