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6/29/25 - By Drew Kristofik

Cue the fireworks, because July is here, bringing with it tons of 4th of July fun, plus plenty more family-friendly things to do in New York City.

Independence Day kickstarts July with a bang, and fireworks are exploding all over town, including the big Macy's 4th of July display, which returns to the Lower East Side. Annual favorite festivals help beat the heat with the seafaring-inspired City of Water Day and the wet-and-wild Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green.

July's greatest hits also include the West Side Fest and a Bastille Day blockbuster on Madison Avenue.

Keep an eye on our lists of FREE outdoor movies and summer concerts, which are frequently updated, and find more top July fun on our list of 100 FREE things to do this summer in NYC and our Ultimate NYC Kids Summer Vacation Guide.

More Things To Do in NYC this June with Kids

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Top Things To Do in NYC this July with Kids

Slide City Waterpark at Kingsborough College

Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn
Thursday, July 3-Sunday, 13, 2025
The first all-inflatable touring amusement park, Slide City Waterpark, provides super-sized water fun for all ages.  READ MORE

Nathan’s Famous 4th of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest 2025

Coney Island, Brooklyn – FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
Hearty eaters compete to see who can chow down on the most franks at this classic NYC summer event, which takes place on the corner of Surf and Stillwell. READ MORE

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks

Lower East Side – FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
The 49th annual Macy's 4th of July fireworks are set to sparkle over the East River once again. The dazzling display features thousands of shells bursting forth, synced to an original, curated musical score. READ MORE

Richmond Town Independence Day Celebration

Richmond, Staten Island
Friday, July 4, 2025
Celebrate our nation’s independence with old-fashioned family fun! Visit Historic Richmond Town for home-churned ice cream, a patriotic pinwheel parade, and an inspirational reading of the Declaration of Independence. READ MORE

Shark Party at the New York Aquarium

Coney Island, Brooklyn
Opens Friday, July 4, 2025
Celebrate one of the ocean's scariest predators with educational presentations, live entertainment, and hands-on activities! READ MORE

Big Umbrella Day at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side – FREE
Saturday, July 5, 2025
The celebrated Big Umbrella Festival returns as a free one-day Lincoln Center campus takeover full of relaxed spaces with multi-sensory experiences, performances, installations, and workshops specifically welcoming neurodivergent audiences and their families. READ MORE

Memnon in Marcus Garvey Park

East Harlem – FREE
Opens Saturday, July 5, 2025
The Classical Theatre of Harlem presents the East Coast premiere of Will Power’s exhilarating new epic that resurrects the story of Memnon, the Ethiopian king and demigod who rides to Troy’s defense, through rhythmic verse, pulse-quickening choreography and music. READ MORE

Mr. Puppy: The Musical

Midtown West
Opens Sunday, July 6, 2025
Mr Puppy dreams of adventure and wants to see the world, but he's trapped in a toy store. When other toys try to discourage his dream, he bravely follows his heart and escapes in a toy flying balloon. Outside, he discovers an exciting world of fantastic cultures and amazing music.  READ MORE

Annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Wednesday, July 9-Sunday, July 20, 2025
The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and San Paolino di Nola is one of the oldest Italian American feasts in America. Celebrate with the congregation of OLMC church during this blocks-long carnival. The celebration dates back to 1903, when the Nolani immigrants first held their transplanted feast, maintaining many of the traditions from the Mezzogiorno. READ MORE

West Side Fest

Chelsea – FREE
Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 13, 2025
Go west, young families, for a weekend celebration of all the west side offers. Three days of festivities include free admission, crafts for kids and families, artmaking activities for all ages, performances, special indoor and outdoor programming, and much more. READ MORE

Wild at Night at Wave Hill

Riverdale, the Bronx
Fridays beginning Friday, July 11, 2025
After the sun sets, Wave Hill belongs to the creatures of the night. Bats, fireflies, katydids, and more emerge from their daytime slumber to animate the grounds far from human eyes and ears. On these exclusive evenings, immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of nature after dark with a series of indoor and outdoor nature experiences. READ MORE

City of Water Day at the Seaport

Citywide – FREE
Saturday, July 12, 2025
City of Water Day celebrates NYC's long history as a port and water-bound metropolis. Festivities include boat tours on all kinds of vessels, from tall ships to tugboats, plus free rowing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and more. READ MORE

NYC Math Festival in Fosun Plaza

Financial District – FREE
Saturday, July 12, 2025
MoMath presents the annual NYC Math Festival, providing a full day of math fun in the sun for all ages. Enjoy hands-on math exhibits, entertaining mathematical games, and intriguing puzzles and brainteasers.  READ MORE

Family Day at Perelman Performing Arts Center

Financial District – FREE
Saturday, July 12
Perelman Performing Arts Center NYC brings together families and artists for a day-long takeover of its indoor and outdoor spaces. Enjoy workshops, performances, interactive creation stations, dance battles, live music, and more.   READ MORE

Bastille Day on Madison Avenue

Upper East Side – FREE
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Celebrate France’s national holiday at this annual street fair on Madison Avenue! Featuring French cuisine, music, dance, and myriad attractions for the whole family, FIAF's fête populaire invites New Yorkers to revel in the flavors, sounds, and joie de vivre of France. READ MORE

New Victory Dance: Program A

Midtown West
Thursday, July 17, 2025
New Victory Dance celebrates the artistry and diversity of NYC dance with affordable performances specifically curated for young audiences that feature a cross-section of internationally recognized New York City-based companies. READ MORE

Waterfront Festival on Randall's Island

Randall's Island – FREE
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Celebrate summer with water-themed everything, including games, crafts, snacks, face paint, and live performances, set against the confluence of the Harlem and East Rivers and the city skyline. READ MORE

Sprinkler Day at Asphalt Green

Upper East Side – FREE
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Don’t let the soaring summer temperatures discourage you from enjoying the outdoors. Cool off by splashing around in Asphalt Green’s high-powered sprinklers and slip and slides. READ MORE

Thunderbird American Indian Mid-Summer Powwow at Queens County Farm Museum

Floral Park, Queens
Friday, July 25-Sunday, July 27, 2025
New York City's oldest and largest powwow features three days of intertribal Native American dance competitions, and the public is invited. More than 40 Indian nations are represented at this spectacular event held in the apple orchard on the farm grounds. READ MORE

BAAND Together Dance Fest at Lincoln Center

Midtown West
Tuesday, July 29-Saturday, August 2, 2025
See five of NYC’s most iconic dance companies—Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem—as the BAAND Together Dance Festival returns to the Koch Theatre.    READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Kingsborough Community College
Multiple locations in Manhattan
Pier 17, South Street Seaport
Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
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