Summer celebrations are in full swing throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley. This weekend, you'll find festivals—like the Hudson Valley Balloon Festival, the Haverstraw RiverArts & Music Festival and the Pleasantville Music Festival, to name a few. Plus, pirates invade Tarrytown at Pirates of the Hudson: The Greatest Pirate Story Never Told!.

Once you’ve had your fill of fanfare (balloons, pirates, festivals…) take the hoopla down a notch and enjoy silly fun at Adventures of Captain Underpants.

Read on for details and for additional weekend highlights—then explore our Event Calendar for many more options for fun events throughout the weekend and all summer long! 

This weekend is packed with awesome things to do, including five of our top event picks for the month, three of which are FREE. Celebrate French culture at the annual Bastille Day Festival on the Upper East Side, try an alfresco dance lesson at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing: LC Kids Dance and enjoy top-notch entertainment at SummerStage Bronx Family Day.

Just gotta have air-conditioning? You can catch cool kids' shows indoors at the New York Musical Theatre Festival and TADA! Youth Theater. And if you happen to be out in Manhattan around dusk on Sunday, be sure to check out the setting sun for the biannual sight known as Manhattanhenge.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide.

Any business that already has regulars just weeks after opening must be doing something right. Recess d.u.m.b.o., a brand-new play space in Dumbo, Brooklyn, certainly qualifies. While NYC has no shortage of indoor play spaces, especially in Brooklyn, we're always game to check out fresh ones around town. As soon as my 5-year-old and I walked in to Recess, we were hooked! This unique romping spot is a welcome addition to Dumbo's kid-friendly offerings. We've got the scoop on what to expect from the nabe's newest drop-in indoor play space.

There’s plenty to do with the kids during the summer on Long Island--and even the island's littlest residents can get in on the fun. After all, your baby’s first summer is an exciting time, so you want to get out there and explore as much as possible. We’ve rounded up a list of 10 things you can do with your little one this summer. And for more activities and events happening in the area, check out our Summer Fun Guide.

After the big barbecues and fireworks of July 4th weekend, it’s time to kick back, relax and just enjoy these lazy days of summer! Blueberries are the official state fruit of New Jersey and you can get your fill of them during Blueberry Bash at Terhune Orchards or the BlueBeary Blast at Camden Children’s Garden. For even more great family outings, check out awesome LEGO creations at Brick Fest Live, listen to live tunes during the Front Porch Bluegrass Festival or snap your pic with Ironman during Superhero Day at the Lakewood Blueclaws minor league baseball game.

Whatever you decide to do this weekend, we hope you enjoy it with family and friends. For even more activity options, check out our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide.

Summer gains momentum on the East End of Long Island in the weeks following July 4. Barbecues and beach parties are in full swing and nature lovers find an abundance of trails ripe for the hiking.

This weekend parents on the North Fork can entertain their children with nature games and tractor pulls, while those on the South Fork can enjoy boat building, baseball, historical celebrations and a night of marine discovery that just happens to coincide with the end of television’s “Shark Week.” And for more fun in the area, don’t forget our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide.

Until recently, when asked by kids if two boys or two girls could get married, my standard answer was, "No, but they can be in love if they want to." On June 26, 2015, my answer to this common question changed for good—now it is simply, "Yes." For some children, the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges is a nonevent; for others, it is life-changing. Perhaps your little one noticed the deluge of rainbows on TV, or you’ve suddenly been invited to Uncle Bruce’s wedding to his longtime roommate. Maybe you're celebrating the historic ruling with your family, or you took a wrong turn and found yourself smack-dab in the middle of the NYC's Pride Parade. However the topic has come up—or even if it hasn’t yet—consider checking out one of these fantastic books to help explain inclusive ways to define family.

The heat and humidity in the summer months leave many parents looking for fun ways to cool off with the kids, and one of my family’s favorite activities involves careening down a water slide. We’d previously stayed with the smaller water parks that cater to little kids, but recently we had the chance to pay our sponsor Splish Splash a visit. I was a bit apprehensive about graduating to bigger (and more intense) water slides, but I didn’t need to worry. With its tree-lined paths, kid-friendly coves and thrilling-themed slides, my two kids (ages 8 and 9 years old) both agreed that Splish Splash is the "best water park ever." Even my husband—who is not a big fan of amusement parks—had a fantastic day!