For our guide to free weekend events for families, click HERE!
-
World Elephant Day Weekend at the Bronx Zoo
Join the Bronx Zoo this weekend for World Elephant Day! To honor the elephants lost each year for their ivory, help the zoo create 35,000 origami elephants for a Guinness World Record. Zoo visitors can also listen to original music created by DJ Ecotone using wild elephant calls and participate in one of three yoga sessions at Astor Court. (Friday-Sunday) (Image via bronxzoo.com) -
FringeJr Festival at 14th Street Y
Celebrate the New York International Fringe Festival’s 20th anniversary in a kid-friendly way at FringeJR! All FringeJR productions are recommended for families and groups with children ages 5-12. This year’s lineup includes "Amelia and her Paper Tigers," a show that tells the story of Amelia Earhart’s legacy through music, puppetry, and circus arts starting on Sunday; and "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon," which follows a girl on her quest for her family's good fortune, opening on Saturday. Be sure to stop by Fort FringeJR, where kids can enjoy free arts and crafts and hang with their favorite characters from the shows! (Starts Saturday) -
Squirt Gun Fight On Coney Island
Head to the Coney Island boardwalk to participate in the annual Squirt Gun fight! All you have to bring is a bathing suit and water gun of your choice. (Saturday) -
Summer Streets 2016
Take advantage of Summer Streets, the annual summer festival that gives New Yorkers the chance to stroll and play on completely traffic-free city streets. On three Saturdays in August, the New York City Department of Transportation will close seven miles of streets to cars, allowing walkers, runners, and bikers to enjoy the open space along Park Avenue and connecting streets. This encouragement of healthy transportation takes place from 7am-1pm and stretches from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. A variety of activities will take place at the five stops along the route and all are free to the public, including a zip line, free bike and rollerblade rentals, fitness classes, and a giant “Beachside Slide” in Foley Square. (Saturday) (Photo via SummerStreets on Facebook) -
Dragon Boat Family Festival at MOCA
Check out the Museum of Chinese in America this Saturday for a Dragon Boat Family Festival! All ages can enjoy calligraphy workshops, storytelling, arts and crafts, a bug gallery hunt, and zongi (pyramid-shaped rice balls) wrapping and tasting. (Saturday) -
Japanese Culture Festival
Head to the Children’s Museum of the Arts on Sunday for its Japanese Culture festival. The Japanese Folk Dance Institute will perform a traditional folk dance and teach fest-goers how to make their own flower hats for the Flower Hat Dance parade. There will also be origami making, Japanese garden designing, and much more! (Sunday) -
"This Frog: A Kermit Kompilation from Sam and Friends to Stardom" Screening & Live Event at the Museum of the Moving Image
Celebrate Kermit the Frog by watching a compilation of Jim Henson’s most popular performances as the friendly frog. The show starts with Kermit’s debut in 1955 all the way up to his current appearances. (Saturday) -
SummerStage Family Day in East River Park
SummerStage presents Family Day, a concert with performances specifically for your little ones. DJ Spinna will start off the concert with his hip-hop and electronic dance beats. His music has hints of jazz, funk, and soul, and is sure to get you moving. Shine and the Moonbeams will wrap up the concert with their soulful family music. Kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy this lively, outdoor concert. (Sunday) -
Battery Dance Festival
The 35th annual Battery Dance Festival is sure to get your hips swinging. With past audiences of over 10,000, and various professional and emerging dancers, NYC’s longest-running dance festival is sure to be a hit. Choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Mary Anthony and Elizabeth Streb will be present at the festival; so grab the family and stop by! (Starts Sunday through August 20) -
Bark in the Park at MCU Park
Head to the Brooklyn Cyclones’ MCU Park for their annual Bark in the Park baseball game! Fans are invited to bring their dogs as the Cyclones take on the West Virginia Black Bears. You’ll have the opportunity to meet animals for adoption through the Sean Casey Animal Rescue, take part in a pre-game pooch parade, and enjoy performances by Pawstars, a group of canine performers. Pet adoptions, dog licensing, and the emergency preparedness clinic begins at 2, and the game begins at 4. (Sunday) (Photo from the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals via Facebook) -
End-of-Summer Fun Guide
Whether the last weeks of summer mean taking it easy at home or packing your bags for one more family trip before the first day of school, we’ve put together a list of 10 essentials for making the most of those last summer days and getting ready for the year ahead—including some savvy suggestions from local experts.
