Memorial Day Weekend and Fleet Week Activities in NYC for Kids and Families—May 29 - 31, 2010

Who says you have to leave town to have fun on Memorial Day? I say, let everyone else battle the traffic and the crowds while you and your gang have the city all to yourself.  There are some big doings in store for you during the official-unofficial start of summer (and even before!)

Wednesday, May 26 is the first day of Fleet Week NYC 2010.  The event kicks off with a line up of military ships parading up the Hudson River to the Intrepid. The museum will host a ton of fun activities during rest of the week and the weekend. Saturday and Sunday the city is hopping with big annual events like BAM’s Dance Africa, a live arts festival on the Lower East Side and a Family Festival up at the Cloisters. Not to mention the super popular children’s author who is in town for the holiday, live music, poetry, art and nature programs - even a quidditch match, all in the city over the next few days.

Also, starting today, The Whitney is open around the clock for the next 3 days (until Friday May 28th at midnight) as part of Michael Asher’s 2010 Biennial project. Admission will be pay what you wish for the overnights (Wednesday: midnight to 9:00 am, Thursday: 11:00 pm to 9:00 am, Friday: 6:00 pm to Midnight.) A convenient and inexpensive way to see the 2010 Biennial before it closes.

Lastly, something you definitely won’t be able to see at the beach is the spectacular sunset occurring Sunday and Monday.  The setting sun will be lined up exactly with the east west cross streets in Manhattan.  If you stand as far east as you can on the grid and look westward over the avenues towards New Jersey you will see the sun lighting up every single cross street during the last few minutes of day light. The phenomenon is called Manhattanhenge and it happens just twice a year.

Read on to see what else is going on in New York City between now and the big weekend and  have a great Memorial Day!

All weekend:

Fleet Week 2010—Midtown West
Kids can get up close and personal with American Navy ships and sailors while they are at stationed at the Intrepid. There is a lot going on at the Intrepid while the ships are in town: tours of the visiting ships, piers filled with displays from nearly every branch of the military plus NYPD and FDNY.  During the weekend they will be presenting performances from Promises Promises, American Idiot, Addam's Family, Million Dollar Quartet, Hair, Wicked and the Rockettes on the flight deck. Plus live music, the popular tug of war and jousting competitions between various military branches.  A visit Monday will allow you to watch the solemn Memorial Day Ceremony where they unfurl an enormous American Flag and military planes fly overhead.  FREE with museum admission

Don’t miss the parade of ships on Wednesday morning which you can easily view from Manhattan’s riverfront west side.

Dance Africa 2010—Fort Greene
A huge arts festival celebrating Africa and its peoples is an annual Memorial Day tradition at BAM.  Friday night brings the first of five dance performances and there are also a variety of films and an art exhibition scheduled. Don’t miss the huge outdoor bazaar complete with street performers and over 250 vendors selling African, Caribbean, African American wares and food. Kids will love the children’s village with face painting and craft projects. Events require a ticket ranging in price from $7.50 (film) to $20+ (dance performance). Bazaar is FREE

15th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts – Lower East Side
A big weekend of visual arts, films, theater and dance performances including a huge outdoor festival on East Tenth Street Saturday where there will live music, poetry, dance and comedy. Also on Saturday the Johnson Theater will be showing special performances for kids between 2:00 and 5:00 pm.  FREE

Annual Family Festival—Inwood
The Cloisters, the amazingly beautiful museum devoted to everything medieval is featuring castles as their festival theme this year.  Join a workshop where by looking at the tapestries, paintings and architectural details kids can learn about life in a castle and even make their own medieval masterpiece.  Or listen to a demonstration of period musical instruments like the rebec, the shawm and the recorder. Plus a self guided art scavenger hunt. FREE with museum admission

Safe Escapes!—Staten Island
Better safe than sorry, kids can learn about what goes into an emergency kit and then pack and decorate their own. FREE with museum admission.
 

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Book Release Party for City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems and Jon J. Muth – DUMBO
Two of the most popular children’s book creators will be signing their new book.  Get there early kids this is be crowded. FREE reservations required.
 

Friday, May 28, 2010

Beach Campfire –The Rockaways
Join the park rangers for nighttime fun on the beach, a roaring fire, songs, stories and more. What could be better? FREE Reservations required.
 

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Saturday Sculpture Workshop:  Fishing Pole Art – Long Island City
Visit this cool waterside park with awesome views to create art with kid-made fishing poles of paint, markers, string and sticks. FREE

River of Words – TriBeCa
Visit the Poet’s House and listen as Robert Hass reads his own environmentally aware poetry and those written by  children from across the country aloud.  FREE

Marine Ecology aboard the Schooner Pioneer—Financial District
Climb aboard this ancient ship to learn about the ecosystem of NY Harbor and test the water quality.  Also get to know the creatures in the touch tank on the boat.  $30 for Adults,  $20 for Children 12 years and under.

Dragon Boat Festival Workshop—Upper East Side
Celebrate the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival by creating lotus leaf glutinous rice bundles, sweet or savory.  $50 for one adult and child.

Sunday, May 29, 2010

Quidditch Match – Upper East Side
Yes, you read that right. Grab your Harry Potter maniacs and head over the to the park to see the best Quidditch players in the country battle it out on broomstick. Don’t get too excited, they don’t fly.  FREE

Video Juke Box – Williamsburg
A variety show for kids complete with a former school teacher as a host presiding over live music, comedy and video segments all about shapes.  Tickets are $5 for adults and $10 for children.

Bowery Kids presents Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band – The Bowery
The clubs intimate setting allows the kids to get real close and join in on the fun at this live music concert by the award winning performers.  $10
 

Monday, May 31, 2010

Parked! – Carroll Gardens
The city’s best food trucks converge at BKYN Yard to help it open for the season. The Dessert Truck will be there along with Rickshaw Dumplings, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Halo Berlin and a lot more. Come hungry! FREE admission bring money for food.

Holiday Monday at the MET – Upper East Side
The museum is open today and be offering special family discussions and sketching in the galleries. FREE with museum admission

Outside of NYC:

If you do leave town, you may want to try this fun activity on Long Island.  Long Island Live Steamers, these are these little steam engine led trains and they are open to the public a few times a year.  It always seems like something my son would love but I haven’t gotten a chance to take him. The trains run in Southaven County Park which is about halfway out on the island.  You can ride for free and donations will be accepted. Stop by on Sunday between 10:30 and 3:00 on your way to or from the beach.

There's also lots of strawberry picking in NJ and LI or check out some of our day trip ideas.