Submitted by Rosalind Muggeridge on Wed, 05/01/2019 - 9:04am Best Free Things to Do in New York City for Kids and Families May 2019This month is all about outdoor spring fun, and we've got the lowdown on all the great FREE events happening in NYC, including some stellar street fairs and festivals, and even the start of outdoor movies and music. There's also the opening of Governors Island, a Memorial Day Weekend concert, and Kids Food Fest. With most of the events happening alfresco, New York City families will have a bit more space to spread out, throw down a blanket, and enjoy the (late!) arrival of the warmer temps. Read on for more than 50 FREE things to do this May in New York City, including in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Find more top events in our May GoList, or our always packed daily NYC Event Calendar. Finally, get ready for the summer season with our roundup of the city's best beaches (opening Memorial Day), and a handy list of nearby water parks. Wednesday, May 1 – Sunday, May 5 Mother's Day: Make Your Own Bouquet ProjectWednesday, May 1 – Bronx Governors Island Opening WeekWednesday, May 1-Saturday, May 11 – Governors Island Bike Expo New YorkFriday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4 – Lower East Side Saturday, May 4 – Harlem Urban Wildlife FestivalSaturday, May 4 – Washington Heights Free Comic Book Day 2019Saturday, May 4 – Citywide Lincoln Center Block PartySaturday, May 4 – Upper West Side Cherry Blossom FestivalSaturday, May 4 – Randall's Island House Party: Saturday Morning CartoonsSaturday, May 4 – Downtown Brooklyn Events for Youth and Families: Madeline and the Bad HatSaturday, May 4 – Prospect Heights, Brooklyn LC Kids: Falu's BazaarSaturday, May 4 – Upper West Side Spring Into Stories: Brooklyn Public Library Children's Author and Illustrator FestivalSaturday, May 4 – Prospect Heights, Brooklyn New Museum Family Day: Lower East Side StoriesSaturday, May 5 – Lower East Side 18th Annual Irish Dance FestivalSunday, May 5 – Upper West Side Court Street Brooklyn Festival Sunday, May 5 – Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (fees for some activities) Brooklyn Inventgenuity Festival 2019Sunday, May 5 – Dumbo Monday, May 6 – Sunday, May 12 Children's Tennis ClinicsMonday, May 6 (repeats every Monday through May 20) – Tribeca Let's Go on Safari!Thursday, May 9 – Upper West Side LIC Springs Block PartySaturday, May 11 – Long Island City, Queens SandSational! in Riverside ParkSaturday, May 11 – West Harlem Lift Off: A Waterfront Kite FestivalSaturday, May 11 – Brooklyn Bridge Park Al Oerter Springfest 2019Saturday, May 11 – Flushing Meadows Corona Park Spring EventSaturday, May 11 – Rosedale, Queens Family Programs at BHS DUMBO: Eye Spy – Gallery HuntSaturday, May 11 – DUMBO International Migratory Bird DaySaturday, May 11 — Charleston, Staten Island Kids Food FestSaturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 – Financial District 12th Annual Japan DaySunday, May 12 – Central Park Monday, May 13 – Sunday, May 19 STEM ExpoFriday, May 17 – Corona, Queens 13th Annual Dance Parade and Festival 2019Saturday, May 18 – East Village Spring FestivalSaturday, May 18 – Lower East Side It's My Park DaySaturday, May 18 – Tribeca Essex Street Market Annual Birthday Block PartySaturday, May 18 – Lower East Side Spring FestivalSaturday, May 18 – Ridgewood, Queens Annual Children's FestivalSaturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 – Battery Park City Ninth Avenue International Food FestivalSaturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 – Hell's Kitchen (fees vary for food) Spring Fling in Prospect ParkSaturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 – Prospect Park The Fabulous Fifth Avenue Street Fair Sunday, May 19 – Park Slope, Brooklyn Monday, May 20 – Sunday, May 26 Turtle TimeMonday, May 20 – Tribeca Fleet Week NYC 2019Wednesday, May 22–Monday, May 27 – Citywide (mostly FREE) Opening Reception for The 31st Annual Contemporary Art Education ExhibitionThursday, May 23 – Downtown Brooklyn The 24th Annual Lower East Side Festival of The Arts Street Fair & Youth ProgramFriday, May 24-Sunday, May 26 – Lower East Side DanceAfrica Bazaar 2019Saturday, May 25-Monday, May 27 – Fort Greene, Brooklyn (fees for food and merchandise) Mamapalooza Festival Sunday, May 26 – Upper West Side Monday, May 27 – Friday, May 31 Memorial Day Concert at Green-Wood CemeteryMonday, May 27 – Sunset Park, Brooklyn (RSVP recommended) Ongoing Alley Pond Adventure Rope Course Public SundaysEvery Sunday through October 27 – Queens The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Salsa Sounds for KidsEvery Saturday (ongoing) – Industry City, Brooklyn Free Music Class at FEED DUMBOFirst Sunday of the month (ongoing) – Dumbo Literacy INC Read-AloudEvery Tuesday – Staten Island Lisa Anchin presents The Little Green Girl at Greenlight BookstoresStory time every Saturday – Fort Greene and Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn Socrates Sculpture Park: Saturday Sculpture WorkshopsRepeating every Saturday through September 14 – Long island City, Queens Category: Free ActivitiesSpring ActivitiesArea/Neighborhood: New York CityUptownDowntownBrooklynQueensBronxStaten Island
