All Weekend

Queens County Fair – Floral Park
NYC's only historic working farm, the Queens County Farm Museum, hosts its 30th annual fair with blue-ribbon competitions in livestock, produce, home crafts, arts and crafts, and more. Other old-fashioned fun includes pie-eating and corn-husking contests, pig races, hayrides, a petting zoo, carnival rides and a midway. For an extra fee, you can also get lost in the Amazing Maize Maze, which recently opened for the season. Admission to the fair is $8 for adults, $5 for children under 13 but there are additional fees for rides and attractions.

Morningside Lights Arts Workshops – Morningside Heights
This sounds really cool if a bit hard to describe. Artists Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles of Processional Arts Workshop are leading no-cost workshops throughout the weekend at Columbia University's Miller Theatre. Families can help create an imaginary illuminated cityscape, one building at a time, as well as paper lanterns to be used In the Morningside Lights public art parade in Morningside Park next Saturday, September 29. Raven is going on Saturday to check it out. Preregistration suggested. FREE

Jason and the Argonauts – Harlem
The Faux-Real Theatre Company brings Greek mythology to life at Morris-Jumel Mansion. The troupe describes early Greek theater as being like "avant-garde rock musicals" so in this production, cast members play instruments and romp around in platform shoes and sparkly costumes. Definitely not your grandmother's classic... and probably best for school-age kids. FREE

Global Shoes Opens at the Brooklyn Children's Museum – Crown Heights
After being closed for 11 days for its annual fall spruce up, BCM reopens with a new interactive installation about footwear that made our list of must-see exhibits this fall. Other attractions at BCM this weekend include a renovated Totally Tots Water Play area, a pair of concerts by Brooklyn kiddie crooner Suzi Shelton on Saturday, and an appearance by Harlem Globetrotter Buckets Blakes on Sunday. Free with admission: $7.50

Growing by Design: Designing for Kids – Midtown West
MoMA hosts a series of hands-on design workshops for families in conjunction with its Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900-2000. For children ages 10-14. Preregistration required. FREE

Feast of San Gennaro – Little Italy
Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston Streets, and Grand and Hester Streets between Mott and Baxter Streets
It's your last chance to hit this fest, which ends on Sunday. Officially a religious celebration with masses, processions and other liturgical events, San Gennaro also boasts fabulous food, games and carnival rides, including a Ferris wheel. At night, it becomes quite the party scene, so be sure to go early in the day to try to avoid rowdy crowds. Free admission but certain attractions cost extra.
 

Saturday, September 22

BAM Fisher Block Party – Fort Greene
The Brooklyn Academy of Music celebrates the newest addition to its campus, BAM Fisher, with a creative bash inside the building and outside on the street. Enjoy live music by Shine & the Moonbeams and the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls All-Stars Band; percussion, movement and silk-screening workshops; speed chess; arts and crafts; jumbo street games and table tennis. FREE

WILLiFEST – Williamsburg
The four-day Brooklyn arts fest wraps up with two special events for families. First up is the Blockbuster Block Party with appearances by players from the Brooklyn Nets and the Harlem Globetrotters, plus vendors, games and other kid-friendly fun. Then at 2pm, catch a free concert by the Z Brothers playing kiddie classics with a rock-and-roll twist at El Puente. FREE

MoMA Family Films: Animal Adventures – Midtown West
Families can catch four animal-themed shorts at the museum: A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog and Swimmy based on books of the same name, the experimental How the Frog’s Eye Sees and Jungle Beat: Stuck on You from Zimbabwe. Afterward, stick around and explore the galleries at no additional cost. Tickets are distributed first-come, first-served so arrive early! FREE

Breukelen Country Fair – Canarsie
In the past, the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum hosted an annual apple fest in the fall but the theme has changed somewhat this year. This celebration of Brooklyn’s rich farming history features live music, crafts, puppet performances, quilting workshops, apple cider pressing, fire-pit cooked food and old-fashioned country games. $5 for adults,$3 for children under age 10.

Sci-Tech Workshop: Hotel Transylvania Monster Animation Creations – Midtown East
In honor of the upcoming animated flick Hotel Transylvania, kids can create their own monster movies at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab. Children ages 8 and up can learn the basic techniques behind stop-motion animation and film editing, and get copies of their shorts to take home. Preregistration required. $6.

Archery Clinic – Inwood
Head to Dongan Lawn in Fort Tryon Park and make like Katniss. Urban Park Rangers will lead an archery class, which is open to all children 8 and up. No experience is required and all equipment is provided. FREE

Carnival Panorama: Families Celebrate Carnival Traditions – Corona
In conjunction with the multi-museum exhibit Caribbean: Crossroads of the World, the Queens Museum of Art, El Museo del Barrio and the Studio Museum are hosting a joint carnival celebration in Queens with costume making workshops, steel drum lessons, live island music, face painting and balloon twisting. FREE

See all Saturday events.

Sunday, September 23

Brooklyn Book Festival – Brooklyn Heights
Lit lovers of all ages will dig this annual fest featuring more than 200 local writers. Kids will want to head to the Target Children's Area for readings by awesome children's authors like Selina Alko (B is for Brooklyn) and Judith Viorst (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day), plus cool activities like a Comics Quick Draw! competition and YA Jeopardy. FREE

Kite Flight – Midtown West
The rooftop parking lot of the Port Authority Bus Terminal may seem like an odd location for a family event, but this kite festival is a total blast. Sponsored by the Fashion Center, it usually features free kites, snacks, face painting, circus performers, live music and two areas for flying, one for pros, the other for the rest of us. FREE

Sneak Peak at Freshkills Park – Staten Island
The 2,200-acre landfill is shaping up to be one of NYC’s best green spaces. While it's not finished, you can get a preview of what's to come at this event. Take a kayak or walking tour of the property, bird-watch, make and fly kites, craft puppets, try a pony ride and check out the latest in sustainable weed management: goats! FREE

Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Family Day – Chinatown
The Museum of Chinese in America hosts its annual Chinese harvest family day. Drop in to make lanterns, shadow puppets and other holiday crafts. There will also be a performance of Chang-Er Flies to the Moon! by Chinese Theatre Works, family-friendly museum tours and a craft activity lead by Chinatown: One Year in Poems author and illustrator Kam Mak. $10.

Autumn Moon Cultural Festival and Children Lantern Parade – Chinatown
Another Chinese harvest celebration: The Better Chinatown Society's fest in Sara D. Roosevelt Park features cultural performances, arts and crafts, food vendors, and a children's lantern exhibit and parade. FREE

Edible Garden Festival – the Bronx
The New York Botanical Garden celebrates the harvest of Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens. Kids can decorate harvest bags or make paper chef hats, go on a scavenger hunt, watch cooking demos by garden staff and sample yummy snacks. For an additional $5 fee, families can attend a cooking workshop with Batali himself. $25 for adults, $10 for children ages 2-12, free for kids under 2.

Lunch Money Concert – Tribeca
The new season of 92YTribeca's Bring Your Own Kid concert series kicks off with Lunch Money performing tunes from the new album Original Friend. Kids will love grooving to "Getaway Car," "Snow Day" and other silly songs. $15, free for children under 2.

92nd Street Y Streetfest – Upper East Side
The venerable institution sponsors this 16-block street fair. Check out the Y's fall programming and classes, enjoy family performances, arts and crafts, sports and games, and lots of vendors. Make sure to hit 84th Street where most of the kids' activities will be clustered. FREE

Native American Festival – the Bronx
The Pelham Bay Park Dog Run is transformed into a huge cultural fest featuring Native American performances, exhibits, arts and crafts, food, storytelling, nature programs and more. Families will be able to interact with many of the performers and try hands-on activities that help kids learn about the Taino, Cheyenne-Pawnee, Ojibwe/Oneida tribes. FREE

See all Sunday events.

Outside NYC

My family and I are planning our annual apple picking trip this weekend! This is a great time to go—if you wait until October all the fruit may be gone. We've got the scoop on the best pick-your-own places in the tri-state area in our Apple Picking Guide.

Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, New Jersey hosts its beloved Crystal Spring Oktoberfest all weekend. There will be a slew of German eats on offer: bratwurst, potato pancakes, spaetzle and plenty of beer for adults. Also on tap are traditional German music and dancing, a petting zoo, a bouncy house, carnival rides and games.

The 23rd annual Long Island Apple Festival takes place at the historic Sherwood Jayne Farm in Setauket, Long Island on Sunday. The fruit-filled fun includes hay wagon rides, face painting, apple relay races and old fashioned games and crafts.

Don't forget: We have additional activity options in our Event Calendar.