Fairs & Festivals

Summer Streets Returns This August: Explore Car-Free NYC with Kids

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 08/01/2019 - 2:30pm

Summer Streets, easily one of our favorite NYC seasonal festivals, returns for its 12th season of car-free Saturdays on August 3, 10, and 17.

The annual Summer Streets event gives New Yorkers three consecutive Saturdays of car-free summer fun, with a seven-mile stretch of city streets from the Upper East Side to the Brooklyn Bridge closed to cars and open exclusively to pedestrians, skaters, and bicyclists. Five fun-filled rest stops overflow with fun activities, giveaways, and entertainment.

Most of the interactive stations are 100% FREE but some require advance registration. Read on for all the details on this ultimate summer street fest.

Best Summer Festivals for NYC Kids This August

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Fri, 07/26/2019 - 3:00pm

We've rounded up over a dozen mostly-FREE, family-friendly festivals happening throughout the Big Apple in August to help you get the most out of NYC with kids during the last month of summer. Many families flee the city in August for end-of-summer vacations, but it's actually one of my favorite months to be in NYC. With summer staples like swimming, play fountains, and Governors Island, plus hundreds of free summer activities and only-in-August favorites like Summer Streets and Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, there's plenty to do if you stick around.

Fairs, Festivals, and Community Celebrations in August for Long Island Families

Submitted by Lisa Mancuso on Fri, 07/26/2019 - 12:45pm

Fairs and festivals abound in the summer on Long Island, and that’s great news for families. August festivals focus on art, music, food, and even sports, and these outdoor celebrations offer the perfect opportunity for old-fashioned family fun. From Nassau to Suffolk, and out on the East End, chances are there is a fair or festival for your family.

Some of these fairs are annual events while others are just getting started; some take place along the community's Main Street (no cars allowed!) or in the town park. Check out our list below to see if there’s a fair or festival happening in your neighborhood, or attend one in another community and get the added perk of discovering someplace new. Wherever you go, you are destined for a good time.

20+ August Fairs and Festivals for New Jersey Families

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Thu, 07/25/2019 - 1:31pm

When it comes to fairs and festivals, August in New Jersey is like one big party! Flutter over to Pennington for a Butterfly Festival, have sky-high fun at a Hot Air Balloon Festival, indulge in sweet summer peaches at Princeton's Just Peachy Festival, or enjoy classic fair fun like carnival rides and games at a county fair. With so many options, the family calendar will be packed all month long.

Read on for our top picks, and find more ways to make the most of August with our Summer Fun Guide.

Hot-Air Balloons in NJ: Guide to the QuickChek Balloon Festival

Submitted by Erica Hartman on Thu, 07/18/2019 - 12:00pm

The QuickChek Balloon Festival, one of New Jersey’s most highly anticipated family events of the summer, will take place Friday, July 26 – Sunday, July 28, 2019 at Solberg Airport in Whitehouse Station.

This summer festival fave has everything: beautiful hot-air balloon ascensions, top-notch performers, rides, freebies, great food, and a central New Jersey location. Here's what you need to know before you go.

Hudson Valley Balloon Festival 2019 Returns to Rhinebeck, NY

Submitted by Sandy on Fri, 07/05/2019 - 10:00am

Huge, colorful, hot-air balloons will take to the skies above Rhinebeck next weekend for the Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival. This summertime family favorite features synchronized launches that decorate the sky with festive colors and eye-popping designs. Whether you choose to take a ride (tethered or otherwise), or watch with your feet firmly planted on the ground, the experience is well worth a day trip.

The 28th annual festival will continue to be held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck—from Friday, July 12 to Sunday, July 14, 2019. Read on for details about this Insta-worthy festival, and consult our Summer Activity Guide for more fun all season long. If you haven't already, stay in the know about family attractions like this by signing up for our newsletters and following us on Facebook.

Best July Fairs and Festivals for New Jersey Families

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Sun, 06/30/2019 - 10:46am

Soak up the sun, sandcastles, and even sunflowers at family-friendly summer fairs and festivals throughout New Jersey in July. Independence Day kicks off a festival-filled month with fireworks and festivities. Plus, plenty of county fairs offer good, old-fashioned fun in July—swing by events in Cumberland, Ocean, Burlington, Morris, Gloucester and Monmouth counties.

Hit the Jersey Shore for fun-in-the-sun festivals, like the Wildwood Crest Sand Sculpting Festival, Anglesea Blues Festival, and Surf and Turf Festival. And admire a sky full of brilliant colors at the QuickCheck Festival of Ballooning and the Warren County Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Mark your calendars with these 30+ July fairs and festivals. And for more July happenings, check out our July GoList and Summer Fun Guide for NJ Kids.

Best Summer Festivals and Fairs for NYC Families in July

Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Thu, 06/27/2019 - 12:30pm

So far this summer, we've posted FREE outdoor movie screenings, FREE kayaking, and FREE things to do every day with kids in New York City. Now we're rounding up our favorite and (mostly) FREE family festivals and city street fairs going on in the month of July.

Two of our favorite annual fests take place this month: the big Bastille Day street fair on the Upper East Side, and City of Water Day at South Street Seaport and other locations around town. But that's just the beginning. We've rounded up lots of other options, including Come Out & Play Family Day and Back to the Beach in Staten island.

So go grab your calendar (and check ours frequently)! Here are the best sizzling summer fests for New York City families.