We’ve hand-picked the best things to do with kids in Suffolk from our September calendar. This month, celebrate the fast-approaching fall with a few fairs and festivals, like a Barn Dance in Riverhead, a Fall Festival and Craft Show on the North Fork, and Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck’s annual BBQ and Duck Race in Center Moriches; don’t miss Sesame Street Live’s newest show when it stops by the Nassau Coliseum; check out top local players at the Usdan Center’s chess tournament; and stop by The Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills for an inventive exhibit featuring the work of artist Richard Gachot.
Also see: September 11 memorial events on Long Island this month
Duck, Duck, Camp!
Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck was established 45 years ago to offer kids afflicted by polio the chance to enjoy summer activities. Today the camp, which sits on 37 acres along the shores of Kaler’s Pond, lets kids with special needs enjoy boating, arts and crafts, music, adaptive sports, games, swimming, and, of course, campfires. The camp also offers education activities. To raise funds for the camp, the Moriches Rotary will host its 43rd Annual BBQ and Duck Race, complete with hay rides, bouncy rides, clowns, raffles, music, and a Duck Pond Race with a potential first prize win of $10,000. September 11. Starts at noon. $10; $5 kids under 12. BBQ dinners extra. $100 to enter the Duck Pond Race. Camp Pa-Qua-Tuck, 2 Chet Swezey Road, Center Moriches.
Sing To Me, Elmo
Elmo, Big Bird, and all their friends put together a band using musical instruments made from unusual materials including rubber duckies and cookie jars in Sesame Street Live: Elmo Makes Music. September 16 at 7pm; September 17 at 10:30am, 2pm, and 5:30pm; September 18 at 1pm and 4:30pm. $18.50-$103.50. Nassau Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale. For tickets: Ticketmaster.com.
Grab Your Partner
Bring a picnic dinner to the Barn Dance at the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Enjoy free wagon rides, live music with callers, and a Chinese auction. September 17. 4-7pm. $20 for a family of four. Cornell Cooperative Extension, 423 Griffing Avenue, Riverhead.
Celebrate Fall
Enjoy a North Fork tradition at the Hallockville Museum‘s Fall Festival and Craft Show featuring tractor pulls, hay rides, an assortment of craft vendors, antique automobile displays, live music, tours of historical buildings, children’s games, and more. Proceeds benefit the organization’s educational programming. September 17-18, 10am-5pm. $7; $5 seniors and children under 12. Hallockville Museum Farm and Folklife Center, 6038 Sound Avenue, Riverhead.
Check Mate
Kids in grades K-12 can compete in the Usdan Chess Challenge, directed by the center’s chess instructors, Brian Karen and Joel Salman. The competition is a U.S. Chess Federation-rated tournament. Advance registration required; call 631-643-7900 or email kdiscioarro@usdan.com. September 25. 10:15am. $35. Usdan Center, 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights.
Trash Transformed
Whimsical artist Richard Gachot retrofits found objects to suit his art depicting people, animals, insects, and flowers. The Art League of Long Island displays his work in The Many Faces of Richard Gachot. August 28 through October 2. 9am-4pm weekdays; 11am-4pm weekends. FREE. The Art League of Long Island, 107 East Deer Park Road, Dix Hills.
For even more upcoming family activities on Long Island and in the NYC area, check out our full Calendar of Events
