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Weekend Fun: City of Water, Back to the Beach, Bastille Day

Dive into science with your family this summer for catch and release fishing, microscopic investigations, River-inspired crafts and more. Photo courtesy of Hudson River Park
Dive into science with your family this summer for catch and release fishing, microscopic investigations, River-inspired crafts and more. Photo courtesy of Hudson River Park
7/10/19 - By Drew Kristofik

Some weekends it feels like all the summer fun is happening at once—not that we're complaining!

Saturday brings City of Water Day to the Seaport, the It's Your Tern Festival to Governors Island, the Boardwalk Children's Festival to the Rockaways, Woodstock nostalgia to the Children's Museum of Manhattan, and Colonial ice cream flavors to Washington Heights.

On Sunday, cheer the Disability Pride Parade from Madison Square Park to Union Square, or allez-y vites to celebrate Bastille Day in Midtown East. Plus, you can dance to early American music at SummerStage's Family Day in Central Park.

Staten Island's Midland Beach hosts Back to the Beach all weekend, with live music, rides, and fab food—and it's a snap to get there from Manhattan. This weekend you can also rev your engines at the NYC E-Prix in Brooklyn, gorge on Italian treats at the Annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or practice 18th century military drills at the New York Historical Society's Continental Army Weekend celebration.

And that's just the tip of the calendar iceberg: Check out free outdoor movies, the best pools for toddlers and kids, a whopping list of 35 great summer day trips, and our boredom-busting rundown of 100 free things to do with kids this summer.

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In Italian Williamsburg celebrate the annual Giglio Feast held every July. Photo by Mommy Poppins
In Italian Williamsburg celebrate the annual Giglio Feast held every July. Photo by Mommy Poppins

All Weekend

Back to the Beach

Midland Beach, Staten Island — FREE
Back to the Beach is one of Staten Island’s BIGGEST events and features vendors, live music, rides and games for the kids, great food and, of course, an amazing fireworks display, which sparkles up the night sky on Saturday, July 13 (Happy early Bastille Day!). READ MORE

Annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Brooklyn
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

New York City E-PRIX

Red Hook, Brooklyn
Formula E–the world’s first fully-electric race car series–travels from Hong Kong to Paris, Rome to Berlin and... the streets of New York City. READ MORE

The Man in the Iron Mask

Upper West Side
Hudson Warehouse is celebrating its 16th anniversary of bringing the classics to the parks. An adaptation of Dumas' swashbuckling tale takes over the month of July, directed by Nicholas Martin-Smith. READ MORE

Family Art Project: The Memory of Space

Riverdale, the Bronx
Exhibiting Sunroom Project Space artist Amir Hariri helps families draw plans and then build constructions purely from impressions and memories. Take a walk around Wave Hill to collect natural materials that remind you of home, and add them to your constructions of cardboard, foamcore and wood. READ MORE

Revolutionary Summer: Join the Continental Army

Upper West Side
The Continental Army wants you! Fall in with a company of soldiers for the afternoon. READ MORE
City of Water Day celebrates our waterfront and champions a climate-resilient New York Harbor. Photo by David Gonsier for the Waterfront Alliance
City of Water Day celebrates our waterfront and champions a climate-resilient New York Harbor. Photo by David Gonsier for the Waterfront Alliance

Saturday, July 13

City of Water Day at the Seaport

Citywide — FREE
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

Summer Kickoff Carnival

The Rockaways, Queens — FREE
Bring family and friends to enjoy music, games, amusement, giveaways, mechanical rides, arts and crafts, and refreshments. READ MORE

It's Your Tern Festival

Governors Island — FREE
Celebrate some of Governors Island’s living treasures with NYC Audubon. Learn what makes these little seabirds so special with free activities and bird walks for the whole family. READ MORE

Science Saturday at Pier 84

Midtown West — FREE
Families dive into science with catch and release fishing, microscopic investigations, River-inspired crafts and more. READ MORE

The Good Egg

Upper West Side — FREE
Jory John and Pete Oswald, the author and illustrator of The Good Egg and The Bad Seed, stop by Books of Wonder to read their stories, answer questions from the audience, and autograph their hilarious books. READ MORE

Midsummer Nights Swing: The Mambo Legends Orchestra

Lincoln Center — FREE
LC Kids Dance with Dancing Classrooms is back for another year, teaching the basics of merengue, tango, salsa, and swing. READ MORE

Family Day - Colonial Ice Cream – SOLD OUT

Washington Heights — FREE
Take a break from the summer heat and make your own colonial inspired ice cream. READ MORE

Peace, Love and Groovy Fun: Bands that Rock!

Upper West Side
This summer is the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is “gettin’ groovy” all summer long with performances, workshops, and music. READ MORE
Bastille Day remains a symbol of liberty worldwide so join the party on East 60th Street! Photo by Michael George
Bastille Day remains a symbol of liberty worldwide so join the party on East 60th Street! Photo by Michael George

Sunday, July 14

Bastille Day on Madison Avenue

Upper East Side
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

SummerStage Family Day: Railroad Earth/Ranky Tanky

Central Park — FREE
Central Park SummerStage presents a free, family-focused show featuring two bands that make distinctly American music.  READ MORE

I Wan Jan Puppet Theater

Flushing, Queens
Fourth generation master puppeteers from Taiwan return to Flushing Town Hall! Known for mesmerizing, traditional hand puppet shows based on Peking Opera, the I Wan Jan troupe will bring Cave of Fire and Cloud, a classic episode from the renowned epic Journey to the West. The story will be revealed through action rather than words as the performance emphasizes exciting martial arts scenes and performance techniques.  READ MORE

Family Workshop I Wan Jan: Puppetry from Taiwan

Flushing, Queens
Join members of the National Marionette Theatre for a puppet making workshop. Visitors will get an up-close look at the meticulouosly crafted marionettes, learn about the art of puppetry, and make a simple hand-puppet.  READ MORE

Disability Pride Parade

Union Square — FREE
Celebrate NYC’s people with disabilities with food, music, and fun - and a short march to Union Square. This event, now in its fifth year, promotes the inclusion, awareness, and visibility of people with disabilities. READ MORE

Big City Fishing Sundays on Pier 84

Midtown West — FREE
Adults and kids ages 5+ learn catch and release fishing while engaging with Park educators about river ecology. Rods, reels and instruction are provided. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Riverside Park
Pier 17, South Street Seaport
Pier 84 Hudson River Park
Broadway, between Madison Square Park and Union Square