Contrary to popular belief New York City doesn’t close down in August.  In fact, it is humming with activity and tons of fun stuff to do.  In town this weekend you will find celebrations galore– Harlem, Ferragosto, the beach – they are all recognized with their own festival.  Plus there is a cool interactive theater production, favorite storybook characters to meet, crimes to solve, cell phones to dissect and ships to board, all this weekend and all for kids.   Not to mention, the popular traffic free Saturday in Manhattan, Summer Streets, and car free destinations in Astoria and Jackson Heights, too.

Don’t forget to tell us what you and the kids are up to this summer and be entered to win a flip camera in our Awesome Days contest (you can even see your day featured on our homepage!) If you are having a hard time coming up with ideas for fun check out our post with a fun free activity for every day of the summer, our Summer Fun Guide or our newly remodeled Events Calendar.

We’ve got the goods for an awesome weekend. Read on and have a great one.

Only three weeks to Labor Day and the start of the school year, so let’s party in NJ this weekend! You can fish, hula hoop, be a princess eating a peach, or eat ribs and listen to rock’n’roll. You can even enter the Empire State to attend the famous New York Renaissance Faire (because who doesn’t want to take their kid to see actors hamming it up and saucy barmaids in push-up bras?) Enjoy the waning days of summer!

Perhaps you've read about some of the great amusement parks around NYC and are dying to go, but if you don't have a car the trills may seem out of reach. No need to fret, we've got you in mind with this post. You can keep your commitment to public transportation (or a greener lifestyle) and still have all the fun. Here are four amusement parks accessible from New York City that are guaranteed to increase the thrills, without increasing your carbon footprint.

Feel like grabbing the kids and getting your “giddy-up” on? New Jersey offers miles of beautiful trails and scenic countryside to explore on horseback, no matter what your level of riding skill. Guided tours make it easy for “first-timers”, but we’ve included locations for more experienced riders as well. Ride ‘em, cowboys (and girls)!

With back to school right around the corner now is the perfect time for The Prospect Park Zoo to once again run their SPARKS workshops, created to help make science more understandable for children.  But unlike many programs at our city’s zoos, SPARKS isn’t for kids.  This unique and interactive seminar is for adults, specifically for parents (or caregivers) of preschool and elementary aged children.  SPARKS, which stand for, Supporting Parents in Advocacy, Reform, and Knowledge in Science, works by reinforcing and expanding on what adults already understand, teaching them what they don’t and ultimately giving them the opportunity to help educate the next generation in science.  Read on to learn more about this super cool (and free) program.

As usual, there is a ton going on this weekend, whether you are looking to beat the heat or relish in it. Whatever you prefer, definitely take advantage of these cool events before those Staples back-to-school commercials start to haunt you. If you need a little inspiration, check out the awesome days our readers have been having, and tell us about your own. If you don't know where to start, be sure to give the Mommy Poppins Summer Fun Guide a look. Remember, you can win a Flip and have your day featured on our homepage!

Some favorites for this weekend are the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Vaudville Festival, Celebrate Brooklyn Family Day, and a family festival that will spike your interest at Four Sisters Winery (NJ). If you are just looking to venture out, you might want to check out the popular car-free Summer Streets, make your first trip over to Imagination Playground, or Hunt for Pirate Treasure.

What's happening this weekend: