Photo: Rise of the Jack O' Lantern

Ready? There is so much going on on Long Island this weekend, there's no time to be bored. In addition to pumpkin and apple picking and all kinds of farm fun, Rise of the Jack O' Lantern—a cool not-so-spooky walk at Old Westbury Gardens—starts this weekend, and there are so many fairs and festivals going on, no matter where you live, you're certain to find one right near you. Have a great weekend!

Okay, gods of Carma: we get it. We Angelenos are at your mercy. At your word the roads close and we’re glued where we stand. Now in your benevolence you have released us, and allowed us to pursue the infinite sources of entertainment within our reach. And there is a lot going on this weekend.  A lot. (You would think it’s a holiday weekend or something, but it’s not. Maybe in other places it is, but here it’s a run-of-the-mill, random, not-a-holiday weekend. With so much to do).

But I think you’ve taken it a little too far, my friends. Now, instead of being stuck at home, you want us to be in half a dozen different places at the same time. We’ve got the folksy fun of  Folk Festival Weekend at Underwood Farms in Moorpark, the playfully spooky Pumpkinliner in Fillmore, the Aquarium Kids Fun Run and Southeast Asia Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, the Angel Festival  in Sierra Madre, the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival at LACMA, and Abbot Kinney Festival and Discover Marina del Rey Day on the West side. (Seriously, festivals in the Marina and Venice on the same day, who thought of that? Oh, that’s right, you did, {cough} Carmaggedon {cough}. Thanks for that).

And CicLAvia?  The event that winds its way through the city, a giant street party incorporating landmarks such as Exposition Park, Little Tokyo, MacArthur Park, Chinatown and the grand opening of downtown’s Grand Park… and all of it done without automotive interference? Oh Carma gods, now you’re just toying with us.  What are you trying to tell us? Do we need our cars?  Are we better off without them..?

To be continued next weekend, as the Space Shuttle Endeavour winds its way through surface streets en route to its new home at the California Science Center. Is it a plane? A car? Or something else entirely… stay tuned!

Keep reading for our favorite picks for this weekend!

Welcome to October, month of harvest festivals! You could just pack up the kids and go town to town "festing" this weekend. There are also other fun events such as the Family Harvest Weekend at Four Sisters Winery, WBGO Kids Jazz Concert in Maplewood, International Steampunk City in Morristown, Italian Festival in Seaside Heights, or the Star Wars Reads day across the state.  Read on for our top picks and remember, you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

We love it when we have nothing but good news to share. And that's totally the case for this edition of our biweekly news post. We've got details about auditions for our favorite NYC children's theater troupe, the grand reopening of an American Natural History Museum classic, new play spaces in Brooklyn and beyond, and Staten Island's bid to get on the (tourist) map with a massive Ferris wheel.

Good ol' Linus from Peanuts cartoons said it best: "Happiness is a warm puppy." That is, of course, when he wasn't talking about his beloved blanket! There's just something about a baby blanket that makes moms and babies alike want to curl up, relax, and feel secure. I'll never forget my own blankie, which I affectionately named "Baby cover." A tattered yellow blanket adorned with a blue smiley-face patch, “Baby cover” was my best friend, my comfort, and really hard for me to part with until I was in second grade! Below, you'll meet some New Jersey-based moms and professional quilters who just love creating, and giving, personalized blankets.

OpenHouseNewYork is one of those amazing, (mostly) free, citywide events that we just love. New Yorkers of all ages are invited to explore hundreds of local sites like historic buildings, contemporary architectural marvels, amazing private residences and newly redesigned green spaces and waterways. While OHNY isn't a family event per se, many of the destinations are family-friendly, and some spots host activities specifically aimed at kids. For example, this year's OHNY, which takes place Saturday, October 6 and Sunday, October 7, includes an interactive dance performance at the Elevated Acre and drop-in design workshops at the Center for Architecture.

For the second year in a row, OHNY has teamed up with the Historic House Festival (formerly a separate event), which means 23 additional buildings will also be offering no-cost admission and special programming, like a backstage tour of Central Park's Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater and tours of the historic ship Lilac.

Both events give kids a whole new perspective on this city and its rich history—visiting and seeing and experiencing is a lot more interesting than reading about these places in books. Of course, like many annual NYC events, OHNY and the Historic House Festival are super-popular. While you can drop in to some activities, others require reservations, and they're going fast. So if you see one that interests you, move on it right away!

We're always on the lookout for cool public art installations since they're usually offbeat and always FREE. And the minute we read about Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi's brand-new Discovering Columbus installation—which is, essentially, a modern American living room built around the 13-foot marble statue of Christopher Columbus in Columbus Circle—we knew we had to get it on your radar.

Unlike most public art displays, Discovering Columbus isn't the kind of thing you can just walk up to and look at. Since it's 60 feet in the air, there are many stairs involved. Plus, due to all the (we suspect justified) hype, visitors must download no-cost timed tickets in advance. (We already have ours!)

Some of you have been envisioning this moment since baby girl was in utero.  Some of you cannot believe you just googled the words 'spa party'.   Either way, we've simplified the search for you in Central Connecticut, finding salons and spas that will provide the works for your girly girl and her gaggle of little girlfriends.  There are also several companies that simplify the  process by bringing the glam team to your digs. For even more great party ideas check out our Party Guide.