NJ Weekend Events July 17-18: FREE celebrations of National Ice Cream Day, Summer Sailing, Butterfly and Family Festivals!

Ronald Reagan developed National Ice Cream Day in 1984 as a national holiday?! Who knew?! Well, we can’t imagine what else you would want to be doing this weekend except eating ice cream in honor of your country, but we’ll give you a few other options, you know, in case you’re lactose intolerant or something. You could also enjoy a live butterfly release or even venture into Manhattan for the mother of all family festivals, Global Family Day. Or maybe you could do all of these, ice cream cone in hand. Enjoy!

Long Island Weekend Round-Up of Events July 16th - 18th

Many outdoor activities are planned for this upcoming weekend.  There is a comedy show geared towards children taking place at Caumsett State Park.  Or you could enjoy one of the park offered nature-themed programs and explore the great outdoors.  And for those with a sweet tooth, try the annual Copenhagen Bakery Food Fest in the picturesque town of Northport on Long Island's North Shore.  Go for the pie and stay for the pie-eating contest!

Free This Weekend: Target Arts and Wonder Weekend Events

You may be familiar with many of the free museum times that Target sponsors throughout the city on a regular basis, but this week Target is ramping it up with three days of fun—and FREE—cultural offerings at museums and performing arts institutions around the city during theTarget Arts & Wonder Free Family Event, Friday, July 16 through Sunday, July 18.

Highlights include a Kids Design Festival at the Cooper Hewitt, Family Arts Weekend on the High Line, a block party with El Museo del Barrio, and much more:

Day Trippin': Visit a Long Island Farm

For many, Long Island conjures up images of beaches, malls and traffic and not much else.  But, Long Island is filled with hidden gems that have nothing to do with shopping or the sea (unfortunately traffic is always possible). Once a farming community, you can still find a lot of family farms throughout the Island and these days many have added pick-your-own fields, petting zoos, gourmet fresh markets, garden centers and kid activities. Each farm maintains its personal flavor, here are a few that are really worth the drive.

If you are looking to sink your hands into the soil or spend a day gorging on fruit, head to one of Long Islands many pick-your-own farms.

Outdoor Party Planners in NJ

One of the best things about summer, in our humble opinion, is being able to party hardy in the great outdoors. So save your pretty plates and table linens for Christmas, and take your fiesta outside with the help of one of New Jersey’s numerous party planning companies. We’ve got everything from children’s birthday bashes to block parties to neighborhood movie nights, and it’s their job to help you enjoy your gala under a big blue sky.

Four Great Museum Exhibits for Kids to Visit this Summer in New York City: Curious George, King Tut, Toys and The Amazon River

Are the hot and sweaty trips to the beach, playground and pool getting to you yet? Is it time to look for some entertaining and enriching indoor activities for the kids? Well, if you haven’t seen the inside of a New York City museum since May, you may want to check out one these four exhibits that have recently been unveiled that the kids will just love – and maybe you will too.  Read on for the scoop.

Free Tickets to New Family Film Standing Ovation

If your kids love High School Musical, Glee or American Idol or if they just love to sing and dance, then they might be interested in the new family film, Standing Ovation. Standing Ovation is about 5 friends who go against the odds to perform in a singing and dancing competition. The film is filled with original music and dance numbers. Read on to watch the trailer and find out how you can get free tickets to the movie before it comes out, just for our Long Island readers.

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