Weekend Planner: The Best Weekend Events For Families (September 28-30)

Meet up in Dumbo, Brooklyn for an “elephant-dropping” block party. The party, which will feature dropping thousands of toy elephants from rooftops, is in an effort to help raise money for DUMBO public schools. dumbo.is

Ages 8 and up will love this production, which finds five performers performing acrobatics, with bicycles or simply on their own! Their goal? To build a contraption from their scrap metal set. newvictory.org

Who doesn’t love chocolate? The Big Chocolate Show gives you a chance to appreciate the sweet treat in a myriad of ways: Check out the Legends of Chocolate Awards or go to the show itself (and sneak in some tastings). The show sessions offer numerous exhibiting brands as well as several small classes all about cocoa. You can even get hands-on! bigchocolateshow.com

Want to get spicy on a Saturday? The Chile Pepper Festival returns to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for its 26th year. The event includes numerous opportunities for family fun, such as a slate of musical performances, a bevy of tastings, a fire-eater, and even more! Check out their website for more information. bbg.org

Get into costume and come to the Bronx Zoo for Halloween festivities during its annual Boo at the Zoo celebration! Kids can chow down on candy as they make their way through the zoo while participating in activities such as magic shows, a costume parade, a haunted pirate hayride adventure, live musical performances, and more. Plus, keep an eye out for spooky jack o’ lanterns! bronxzoo.com

Bring your family to the Little Red Lighthouse Festival in Fort Washington Park to enjoy food, music, and storytelling. The festival celebrates Manhattan’s only lighthouse which has inspired two children’s books. Children can also attend a fishing clinic, go on a tour of the lighthouse with the Urban Park Rangers, and enjoy a host of other activities. nycgovparks.org

image: riversideparknyc.org

Celebrate the spooky season with Luna Park’s Halloween Harvest! From a stage designed for dancing to arts and crafts, to master pumpkin carvers, this autumnal event is sure to excite kids big and small. lunaparknyc.com

image: nycgo.com

Travel back in time to the Middle Ages during the Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park. This Sunday, the park will be transformed into a medieval market town complete with processional flags and banners! Fest-goers are invited to dress up in traditional costumes and enjoy live music, magic shows, dancing, and jousting. Crafts and food will be available for purchase at festival vendor stalls. whidc.org

image: nycgovparks.org

Ages 2 to 8 will jam out with Sonia de Los Santos, whose songs reflect upon her Mexican heritage and intersperse with American classics. She plays both guitar and jarana at this show, which celebrates the release of her second family-friendly album. thejewishmuseum.org

image: getty.edu

You won’t want to miss 92Y’s Street Fest, which brings family fun to 15 blocks along Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side. Check out performances by 92Y music and dance faculty and students on the KidCentral Stage, enjoy arts and crafts for all ages, watch demos by the 92Y Gymstar Gymnastics team, try the Tiny Tumblers Toddler Obstacle Course, and don’t forget the special area for ages 5 and under, which will feature fun, age-appropriate activities from 92Y Wonderplay Early Childhood Learning. There will also be special performances from Broadway shows such as “Anastasia,” “The Band’s Visit,” “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” and more. 92y.org

image: prweb.com