Weekend Planner: Fun Family Activities In NYC (August 19-21)

Pier 5 Family Field Day in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Get moving outside with the whole family! Head over to Brooklyn Bridge Park for a great day out in the sun. Kids will get the chance to be the next Alex Morgan or Clint Dempsey during soccer games, and there will be potato sack and Hula Hoop races as well! (Saturday)

LIC Block Party at the Sculpture Center

Long Island City’s annual Block Party is back, and it’s a fantastic day for families. There will be comedy by Erin Markey, singing performances by Daisy Press and OTIUM, and a dance show by Jessica Lang Dance! TYGAPAW will DJall day, and there will be a massive range of activities for kids of all ages, plus food from local restaurants. (Saturday) Image: LIC Block Party 2015. Photo: Joanne O'Connor

26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest

Take your family’s creativity down to the shore this Saturday for the 26th Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest. There are various categories of competition in which the whole family can compete as a team or against each other to see who has the best sandcastle-building skills. Don’t worry if each of your kids has a different vision—past creations have ranged from traditional castles to extravagant skylines and designs. Make sure to pre-register in order to ensure your spot in the competition. (Saturday)

11th Annual Shorebird Festival at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Spend a day learning all about the beautiful birds of Long Island. The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center is hosting their annual Shorebird Festival–it’s a fantastic chance to watch, take photos of and learn all about the birds in our area. There are free bus rides from Manhattan for all NYC Audubon members. There will be activities with park rangers and plenty of chances to photograph the birds. (Saturday)

FlyNYC Festival in Riverside Park

Since 2009, the soaring FlyNYC Kite Flying Festival has brought families from all over the city to Riverside Park! With kite-making kits for the kids, kites available for purchase, and plenty of sky for everyone, this festival is a great way to enjoy the last few weeks of summer. Other attractions include a variety of food vendors, live music, and more. (Saturday)

1st Annual Coney Island Busker Fest at the Coney Island Brewing Company

Come out to Coney Island this Saturday for the first annual Busker Fest. Live music, entertainers including jugglers and face painters, and marching bands will make the boardwalk even more fun than usual. Get one last beach party in before the summer ends! (Saturday)

Summer Streets 2016

This Saturday is the last day of Summer Streets 2016! The NYC DOT will shut down seven miles of streets to cars, allowing walkers, runners, and bikers to enjoy the open space along Park Avenue and connecting streets. A variety of activities will take place 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)

Maritime Marionettes: "Jack and the Beanstalk" at Flushing Town Hall

See the classic fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk” performed with puppets and marionettes at Flushing Town Hall. Nova Scotia’s Maritime Marionettes are experts in the art of puppetry, and your child will fall in love with this story of adventure, daring, and fun! (Saturday)

17th Annual Blues BBQ at Pier 97 in Hudson River Park

In its 17th year, the annual Hudson River Park Blues BBQ is spicing things up this Saturday! A delicious combination of New York’s favorite BBQ restaurants and the nation’s best blues musicians, this event is sure to be full of culinary and musical flavor. Starting at 2pm, restaurants such as Arrogant Swine and Fort Gansevoort BBQ will dish out mouthwatering barbecue dishes on Pier 97, and blues musicians will hit the stage. The music lineup includes Blues Music Award winner Gaye and the Wild Rutz, as well as the Chicago-based duo the Cash Box Kings. Enjoy this afternoon of music, food, and family fun! (Saturday)

Harlem Week's NYC Children's Festival

Head uptown this weekend for Harlem Week’s NYC Children’s Festival! The specific children’s portion of Harlem Week includes a “Back-to-School” kids’ fashion show, as well as dance and spoken word performances, a double-dutch competition, games, sports clinics, face painting, and plenty more activities for the entire family. (Saturday and Sunday) Image: Harlem Week 2015. Photo: Hubert Williams

NYC Volkswagen Traffic Jam on Governors Island

If your little ones are obsessed with cars, take them to see this classic VW show! The NYC Volkswagen Traffic Jam is a spectator-judged, vintage Volkswagen car show. Enjoy a picnic, views of the New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty, as well as Beetles, buses, dune buggies, and more. Registration is not required for spectators. (Sunday)

Celebrate the National Park Service Centennial

Thursday, August 25 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service’s founding, and NYC is ready to celebrate! On Monday, August 22, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation will kick off the centennial celebrations in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The free event will include celebrity appearances–by Bill Nye and Questlove–views of the city skyline, food, family games, and special collaboration activities with One World Trade Center and parks from around the nation. Get the scoop on the Brooklyn celebration as well as a few more family-friendly, 100th anniversary events in the greater NYC area.

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.