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Best June Festivals and Street Fairs in NYC for Families

The Mermaid Parade on Coney Island is a joyful summer rite of passage. Photo by Raven Snook
The Mermaid Parade on Coney Island is a joyful summer rite of passage. Photo by Raven Snook
5/26/23 - By Drew Kristofik

Summer festival season kicks into high gear in June when the debut of warmer weather prompts a head-spinning number of fantastic fairs, parades, carnivals, and other fetes. Annual over-the-top celebrations include Museum Mile, Egg Rolls, Egg Creams & Empanadas, Make Music NYC, the Figment Festival, and Coney Island's iconic Mermaid Parade. June's also all about Pride fun, Juneteenth celebrations, and Brooklyn's adorable Dumbo Drop. Don't miss a minute.

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As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses, times, and recommended ages. And keep in mind: Really cool things to do with kids often book up quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

The Figment Festival returns to Snug Harbor for another day of interactive, art-inspired fun. Photo courtesy of the festival
The Figment Festival returns to Snug Harbor for another day of interactive, art-inspired fun. Photo courtesy of the festival

Festivals and Street Fairs in NYC From Saturday, June 1-Sunday, June 9, 2024

Red Hook Fest 2024 in Valentino Park

Red Hook, Brooklyn–FREE
Friday, May 31-Saturday, June 1
Red Hook Fest 2024 kicks off with a dance party and community barbecue at PS 15. With activities, free food, and great music, the opening night event is a fun neighborhood gathering for the whole family. The festivities continue on Saturday, June 1, with main stage events at Valentino Park and Pier.  READ MORE

Carnival at PS 111

Midtown West
Saturday, June 1
PS 111 is hosting a fantastic Spring Carnival, with the giant schoolyard filled with bouncy houses, face painting, carnival games, crafts, food and drinks.  READ MORE

Celebrate Pinkster in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, June 1
The Prospect Park Alliance presents a Pinkster celebration in the yard of Lefferts Historic House, an 18th-century Flatbush farmhouse that serves as the park's historic house museum. The celebration coincides with the completion of a multi-year restoration. READ MORE

City Island Spring Arts & Crafts Fair

City Island, the Bronx–FREE
Saturday, June 1-Sunday, June 2
Head over to City Island in the Bronx for its annual spring arts and crafts fair, featuring 50+ artists and craftspeople displaying and selling their works along the sidewalks of City Island Avenue. READ MORE

Drums Along the Hudson: A Native American Festival in Inwood Hill Park

Inwood–FREE
Sunday, June 2
The annual Drums Along the Hudson: A Native American Festival and Multicultural Celebration marks its 21st anniversary as Manhattan’s only open-air pow wow. The all-day event features Native American crafts, storytelling, and traditional food and dance. READ MORE

Dumbo Drop Block Party

Dumbo, Brooklyn–FREE
Sunday, June 2
The Great Dumbo Drop is back! The annual block party tradition returns with its signature wow factor—thousands of elephants dropping onto Washington Street, Brooklyn's most photographed block. READ MORE

Classical Kids Fair at the Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Sunday, June 2
The Classical Kids Fair invites families to enjoy live performances, an instrument petting zoo, arts and crafts, radio broadcasting workshops, and more. Listen and play music along with WQXR, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and dancers from the Met Opera ballet. READ MORE

Astoria Park Carnival

Astoria, Queens
Wednesday, June 5-Sunday, June 9
Dreamland Amusements packs Astoria Park with a Ferris wheel, roller coasters, Himalaya gravity defiers, swings, bumper cars, carnival games, and more kid-friendly amusements. READ MORE

Brooklyn International Music Fest at Jalopy Theatre

Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Friday, June 7-Saturday, June 8
The Brooklyn International Music Festival is a celebration of the music and culture from the diverse ethnic communities of New York City, offering dance, music, workshops, and lectures to explore an array of international and diasporic musical traditions. READ MORE

Jamaica Bay Horseshoe Crab Festival in Sunset Cove

Jamaica, Queens–FREE
Saturday, June 8
The 8th Annual Jamaica Bay Horseshow Crab Festival celebrates the ancient mating ritual of these charismatic “living dinosaurs” that come to our shores each year, helping provide a vital food source for migrating shorebirds like the endangered Red knot.   READ MORE

Brooklyn Pride’s 28th Annual Pride Celebration in J.J. Byrne Park

Park Slope, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, June 8
Brooklyn Pride hosts its annual multicultural festival featuring a​ cross section of the borough’s business, community, and citywide organizations. Hit the family fun zone in J.J. Byrne Park for family-friendly activities, music, face painting, arts and crafts, story times, and more. READ MORE

Big Summer Pride Twirl in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, June 8
Celebrate Brooklyn Pride in the Park with Papi Juice and Friends, featuring DJ sets and performance. READ MORE

Figment Festival at Snug Harbor

Snug Harbor, Staten Island–FREE
Saturday, June 8-Sunday, June 9
Attracting tens of thousands of visitors for the past 13 years, this family-friendly festival is an explosion of creative energy and imagination, perfect for adults and kids alike. READ MORE

BRIC: Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn–FREE
Opens Saturday, June 8
BRIC: Celebrate Brooklyn is a free summer-long outdoor concert and performance series that has been presenting talent from around the world and around the block for more than 40 years. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy! READ MORE

The Happening at Church Street School for Music and Art

Tribeca–FREE
Sunday, June 9
Church Street School for Music and Art hosts its annual community block party with live music, interactive art projects, games, and more. READ MORE

Emanu-El Downtown: First Fruits Festival

Chelsea
Sunday, June 9
Emanu-El Downtown hosts an al fresco Shavuot arts celebration. Kids can create floral crowns with designer Joshua Werber, experiment with BubbleDad, jam to Israeli music with Shira Averbuch, choreograph a modern dance parade with the Anna Sokolow Dance Ensemble, play games, indulge in ice cream and more.  READ MORE

Briarwood Block Party at the Hoover-Manton Playgrounds

Kew Gardens/Briarwood, Queens–FREE
Sunday, June 9
Council Member James Gennaro and Queens Recreation host a fun day of family activities in Hoover-Manton Playgrounds, including music, arts & crafts, games, fitness challenges, inflatables, popcorn, sports activities, and prizes.  READ MORE
Try paddleboarding and more sports in Central Park at Adventures NYC. Photo by Daniel Avila for NYC Parks
Try paddleboarding and more sports in Central Park at Adventures NYC. Photo by Daniel Avila for NYC Parks

Festivals and Street Fairs in NYC From Monday, June 10-Sunday, June 16, 2024

Museum Mile Festival

Upper East Side–FREE
Tuesday, June 11
NYC's biggest block party returns, bringing art outside (and in) on Fifth Avenue between 82nd Street and 105th Street. A collection of New York City’s finest cultural institutions are open free to the public throughout the evening, with outdoor events along the way. READ MORE

Queens at the Queens Botanical Garden

Flushing, Queens
Friday, June 14
Enjoy an evening of drag performances hosted by the incomparable queen, Marti Cummings, at the place where people, plants, and cultures meet! The program includes three amazing performers: Nani Tsunami, Janae SaisQuoi, and host Marti Cummings. Pride-themed crafts are available for all ages. Food and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are available for purchase. READ MORE

The 21st Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade and Summer Festival

Hunts Point, Bronx–FREE
Saturday, June 15
The annual Hunt’s Point Fish Parade celebrates the neighborhood's heritage. Activities include a children’s art corner, boat rides, bird watching, a day-long basketball tournament, face painting, print-making, tons of great food and activities, live music, and performances. READ MORE

Juneteenth Celebration in Rockefeller Park

Battery Park City–FREE
Saturday, June 15
Battery Park City’s 8th annual Emancipation Day celebration offers fun, history, art and a performance by Juneteenth LP, whose mission is to share music of the African Diaspora through the lens of Black classically trained musicians. The Federation of Black Cowboys share history and horseback rides (ages 3 and up). READ MORE

Juneteenth Family Day in Green-Wood Cemetery

Sunset Park, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, June 15
Celebrate this important holiday marking the end of slavery by delving deep into Black history at Green-Wood Cemetery. Participate in free kids’ art activities in the Historic Chapel and take a self-guided tour of the gravesites of fascinating Black historical figures. READ MORE

Father's Day BBQ in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn –FREE
Saturday, June 15
Assembly Member Brian Cunningham hosts a fun-filled Father’s Day celebration at Lefferts Historic House, with delicious BBQ, great company, and engaging conversations to spend quality time with the men in your life and connect with the community.  READ MORE

The 21st Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade and Summer Festival

Hunts Point, Bronx–FREE
Saturday, June 15
The annual Hunt’s Point Fish Parade celebrates the neighborhood's heritage. Activities include a children’s art corner, boat rides, bird watching, a day-long basketball tournament, face painting, print-making, tons of great food and activities, live music, and performances. READ MORE

Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Festival

Lower East Side–FREE
Sunday, June 16
The Museum at Eldridge Street presents the annual Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Festival, a joyous celebration of the diverse ethnic communities of the Museum's Lower East Side neighborhood. READ MORE

Juneteenth Celebration in Historic Richmondtown

Richmond Town, Staten Island
Sunday, June 16
Visit Historic Richmond Town to honor Juneteenth with demonstrations of hearth cooking, discussions of social history, and historical reenactment. Learn about the history and origins of this holiday celebrating the end of American chattel slavery. READ MORE
Celebrate Pridefest with the whole family in Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of the Pridefest
Celebrate Pridefest with the whole family in Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of the Pridefest

Festivals and Street Fairs in NYC From Monday, June 17-Thursday, June 23, 2024

Summer Solstice 2024 at Socrates Sculpture Park

Long Island City, Queens–FREE
Thursday, June 20
Celebrate Summer Solstice at Socrates Sculpture Park with workshops, performances and music that focuses on reflection and the human connection to the land & nature.  READ MORE

Citi Field Spring Carnival

Corona, Queens
Thursday-Sunday, June 20 - 23
Dreamland Amusements sprinkles Citi Field with rides (a Ferris wheel, roller coasters, Himalaya gravity defiers, swings, bob cars) and carnival games. READ MORE

Make Music New York

Citywide–FREE
Friday, June 21
Make Music New York puts the beat under city feet as musicians of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, physical capabilities, and skill levels represent New York City’s remarkable creativity and diversity. READ MORE

Swedish Midsummer Festival in Rockefeller Park

Battery Park City–FREE
Friday, June 21
Rockefeller Park is the setting for a unique celebration of the summer solstice. Learn traditional Swedish folk dances and join in a lively dance around the midsummer pole. READ MORE

Gregorian Festival at St. Gregory the Great

Bellerose, Queens
Friday-Sunday, June 21-29
St. Gregory the Great's Gregorian Festival features eight nights of live entertainment, rides, fair food, games, and more. READ MORE

The Mermaid Parade

Coney Island, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, June 22
Welcome summer with the return of the Mermaid Parade, an eclectic (and historically jam-packed) celebration, featuring revelers decked out in their most outrageous sea-themed costumes.  READ MORE

Pride Family Picnic at St. John the Divine

Morningside Heights–FREE
Sunday, June 23
The Queer Big Apple Corps Marching Band returns to the cathedral for another spectacular performance and all are welcome to picnic in the Cathedral Gardens and enjoy an afternoon of community and musical joy. READ MORE

PrideFest Festival

Greenwich Village–FREE
Sunday, June 30
The annual PrideFest street fair features live music, artists, craft vendors, food trucks, performers, and more. FamilyFest activities take over the streets around Astor Place. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Washington Street between York and Plymouth Streets
Church Street School for Music and Art
Hoover-Manton Playgrounds
Cathedral of St John the Divine