All Weekend:

The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival--Queens
Held to celebrate the 5th moon (month) of the lunar calendar, this 19 year old festival features traditional Chinese foods and performances, and hosts over 150 dragon boat teams from all over North America. FREE


Saturday

Target First Saturday at Brooklyn Museum--Brooklyn
First Saturdays at the BK Museum are always a good (albeit, sometimes crowded) time, but this weekend's Haitian theme is a great way to connect kids with what they have been hearing on the news. Highlights: homemade and make your own drums, horns and shakers; dance troupe; Haitian drumming to represent Haiti's history and culture. FREE 

Sadako & 1,000 Cranes, Kamishibai Storytelling & Origami Crane Making--Manhattan
Learn about Sadako, the legendary girl who inspired generations of children by folding paper cranes while battling illness caused by the attack at Hiroshima. One original crane from 1955 is on display, and kids get to make their own. The session at Noon is in English. FREE 

Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival Family Day--Manhattan
Two awesome free events, one location, one day. At 2pm, young women rockers from the nonprofit music and mentoring program Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls present a concert of all-original songs that range from political satire numbers to pop tunes. And at 4pm, feast your eyes on the Puppet Pageant: Pride and Prejudice and New York Real Estate. FREE

Poppa &  Momma Jones' Annual Block Party and Clothing Giveaway--Brooklyn
Bring your own bag and grab some clothes, donate, and enjoy all the block party festivities: snow cones and cotton candy machines, a blow up ride, hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken and more. Live entertainment by Black Velvet a.k.a. James Brown, Jr. FREE

Weeksville's Family Day, Vaudville--Brooklyn
An outdoor, vaudeville-inspired celebration for families with homegrown kid rock bands, open air art workshops, face painting, horseback rides, and photo booth. FREE 

8th Annual NYC Musical Saw Festival--Queens
Concerts and art exhibits that revolve around the 300 year old and unique art of playing the carpenter's handsaw. All different musical styles will be performed--jazz, classical, pop, folk, show-tunes--from players from all over the world. $10

Art of Recycling--Brooklyn
If you are headed to the Brooklyn Flea Market, don't pass up the Art of Recycling booth where kids can make their own collages and mosaics from left over tiles from updating and beautifying brownstones. FREE

 

Sunday

Celebrate Brooklyn Annual Family Concert--Brooklyn
Celebrate Brooklyn comes to a close with a day of family-friendly American roots and folk music to honor the legacy of the progressive children’s book author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats. Readings, music and more. FREE 

History Play Date--Manhattan
Get your hands dirty at the Dykman Farmhouse Museum by harvesting veggies from the Kitchen Garden and learn what the Dyckmans grew on their farm 200 years ago. Kids will also get to plant a seed to grow at home. Reservations recommended. FREE 

Fred van Lente presents The Amazing Spiderman--Governors Island
Van Lente, writer of the Amazing Spider-Man comic books, talks about setting two issues of the series on Governors Island, and takes questions about Spidey, how comics are made, and anything else you want to ask! FREE 

Jazz for Kids--Manhattan
Kids ages 2-8 can get schooled on all things jazz this weekend. Listen to kid-friendly jazz, play percussion instruments, and more. $5/person

Le Carrousel Magique--Manhattan
Magicians perform fun-filled tricks for kids of all ages. FREE
 

Outside of NYC:

If your travels take you to Long Island, check out all the cool day trips we've been posting about, like Cold Spring Harbor and Port Jefferson Village.

If you are Jersey bound, head to Four Sisters Winery at Matarazzo Farms for what sounds crazy: a family-friendly wine festival. Complete with wine tastings, vineyard & cellar tours, hayrides, grape stopping, and cool bluegrass/roots/folks/rock/country music. All weekend, $10/adults, $6 kids/ 11-20, Free/10 and under

This weekend, Upstate NY is hosting both a Native American Pow Wow and Festival. Read all about them in our Indian Summer post. 

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe