Things for Kids and Families To Do in New York City - October 2 & 3: Medieval Merriment, Birds of Prey and Chiles!

Our city’s parks are humming with activity this weekend.  In Central Park visit with live birds of prey or check out the enormous Ultimate Block Party for tons of inspiring fun and games.  In Brooklyn Bridge Park build a sand castle with the playground associates or visit the Botanic Gardens for a fiery festival. Harry Potter fans won’t want to miss the awesome Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park! If you want to do that fall thing and want some farm fun, there are plenty of harvest festivals to check out – right here in the city!  

You can also opt for some inside activities, too, there are many to choose from in our events calendar, like the Tom Chapin or Laurie Berkner concerts. It is also the first weekend of October which means many area museums will be offering special periods of free admission - including the Children’s Museum of Manhattan – why not go see the new Wizard of Oz exhibit?

Read on to plan your weekend and we hope it's a great one.

All Weekend:

Sand Castle Building--Brooklyn
Join in on the sandcastle building in Sand Village.  Turn the sand pit into a Sand Castle Kingdom!  No buckets or pails needed. FREE
 

Saturday, October 2, 2010
 

Raptor Fest—Upper West Side
Check out owls, hawks and other birds of prey with the Urban Park Rangers.  Don’t miss the flight demonstrations or the educational activities planned. FREE

Chile Pepper Fiesta—Brooklyn
Although this fiery festival isn’t specifically for kids there is plenty to keep them entertained.  They can get a chile pepper tattoo, make a spicy chile-spiked hot chocolate mix to take home or watch the pepper jugglers.  Plus non stop live music of all sorts and as much hot and spicy grub as you can handle. FREE with garden admission.

Medieval Arts Children’s Workshop—Upper West Side
Let the kids go medieval by trying their hand at some crafts from The Dark Ages, carve limestone blocks, create illuminated letters, design a gargoyle or try weaving.  $6 per child adult pair.

Great American Book Drive—Brooklyn
If you have any books laying around the house that you are pretty sure you won’t read again, bring them down the Central Library and donate them to Better World Books, who in turn will sell them to readers all over the world and give a cut to the Brooklyn Public Library.  You can also shop the $1 book selections; check out the arts and crafts fun for the kids and the live music by Lost in the Stacks. FREE
 

Sunday, October 3, 2010

The 26th Annual Medieval Festival—Upper West Side
Take a trip back in time to the days of yore along the Hudson River.  Jousting knights on horseback, beautiful damsels in distress, medieval pageantry, live strolling musicians, dramatic minstrels, courtly dancing, juggling jesters and a whole lot of mirth and merriment await at this huge annual fair.  New for 2010 – an exhibition Quidditch match! FREE

The Ultimate Block Party—Central Park
Play for Tomorrow is trying to bring play back into children’s lives and to further their mission they are putting on this huge event that will turn the bandshell into an interactive play space for families.  Expect crowds to come out to hear live music, play tons of different games including I spy, hide & seek and Simon says.  Check out the components from the Imagination Playground and other innovations in play. FREE

Tom Chapin Concert-Brooklyn
This award winning singer song writer has been called the pied piper of Children’s Music and is a long standing favorite of families everywhere. Don’t miss this special performance. Tickets: $7

Outside of NYC:

No matter where you are Fall is in the air.  Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester are all throwing fantastic fall festivals and the pumpkins and apples are ripe for the picking!  

A visit to the Long Island Fair at Bethpage Village Restoration is the perfect option; with lots of old time fun – music, juggling, traditional dancing and historic baseball. $12 for adults, $8 children 5-12 years.

You can also head up to Warwick in New York State for Applefest, one of the biggest and best festivals in the country with live music, a children’s carnival, over 200 vendors, a pie contest and whole lot more apple fun. FREE

There is a lot more in our Calendar of Events.

If you are planning an event, don’t forget to let us know.  Enter it into our calendar.
 

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