Yup, Halloween Events and Fall Harvest Festivals are taking over the city. Our event calendar is packed full of them and so is this weekend. Of course, the weather may not be playing nice so you maybe looking for some indoor activities. See them all in the calendar, but here are our selects for festivals, plus some other cool events you'll like (we've noted any festivals that will be going on rain or shine):

This weekend is also Diwali, find out about the events for kids to celebrate the Hindu Festival of Lights.

Picked your apples? Trudged through the pumpkin patch? Readied your costumes? Don’t think you’ve done it all for October yet! New Jersey boasts a variety of fests focused on everything from horses to cranberries, and garlic to pumpkin catapulting. Launch!

This Fall there are lots of new, wonderful art exhibits in the NYC museums. Natasha Schlesinger from ArtKids has offered to share some of the best ones, along with tips for enjoying them with children. So take a break from the same old kid venues and head out for some real art experiences. We've even including some of the museum family programs to make it more kid friendly.

Everyone's going crazy for Where the Wild Things Are movie coming out later this week. And New york City is so excited they've dedicated the entire week to the movie launch. This week you can hear the story read by the actors from the movie, get your picture taken in a scene from the film and see, or even buy, original illustrations from the book. Check out these fun, and free, events celebrating Where the Wild Things Are.

Many museums and venues that aren't regularly open make an effort to open on school holidays and offer special programs for families. Here's a list of some of your best bets for Columbus Day.

Many New Yorkers associate City Island with summertime (that is, if they even know about it).  Afterall, the main cuisine offered is seafood, there are panoramic water views, and sailboats galore.  However, we find the best time to visit City Island is a) anytime but a Friday or Saturday night (lunchtime is fine) and b) off-season!  Therefore we're recommending it as a perfect weekend daytrip. 

I have family visiting and I was thinking today that there really couldn't be a better time to visit Long Island than now. Fall is here, it's pumpkin and apple picking season, Fall farms are bustling, and there are plenty of Fall Festivals happening across the island as well. The weather forecast looks great for Columbus Weekend, and here are a few of our favorite suggestions for activities for you and your family to enjoy over the long weekend: