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Weekend Fun: Country Fair, Beacon Corn Festival, Movie on the Beach

Enjoy good-ol'-fashioned fair fun at the Otisville Country Fair this weekend. Photo courtesy of the event
Enjoy good-ol'-fashioned fair fun at the Otisville Country Fair this weekend. Photo courtesy of the event
8/7/19 - By Susan Miele

Here’s hoping you’re staying in town this weekend, ’cause there’s plenty for families to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley!

The South Salem Fire Department's Carnival is in town, featuring rides, games, and food, as is the Otisville Country Fair, which offers distinctive twists like a chainsaw competition and a cast-iron frying-pan toss. Join a citizen-scientist project at the Great Hudson Estuary Fish Count, or join Hudson River–​philes at the Beacon Corn Festival. Ready to abandon yourself to summer? Take in a nighttime movie on the beach and don’t worry about the sand in your shoes.

Read on for more details on our top weekend picks—many of which are FREE. Planning the rest of the summer? Check out our August GoList for our top picks for the month. And remember to check out the extensive weekday and weekend events listed in our Event Calendar!

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The Otisville Country Fair is packed with fun for kids. Photo by Linda Fairweather
The Otisville Country Fair is packed with fun for kids. Photo by Linda Fairweather

All Weekend

Otisville Country Fair

Otisville
This good old-fashioned country fair has a hay-bale toss, a chainsaw competition, horseshoe tournament, car show, tractor pull, cast-iron frying-pan toss, hayrides, antique machinery, storybook princess parties, animal tent, and food.  READ MORE

Hudson Valley Jazz Festival

Multiple Towns
The Hudson Valley Jazz Festival returns for its 14th year with four days of performances scattered around the Hudson Valley at various venues in Greenwood Lake, Warwick, Sugar Loaf, and other communities. Most performances listed are FREE. READ MORE
Take part in the Great Hudson Estuary Fish Count on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Teatown
Take part in the Great Hudson Estuary Fish Count on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Teatown

Saturday, August 10

Great Hudson Estuary Fish Count

Sleepy Hollow
Take part in a citizen science project as you seine for fish and other creatures in the warm waters of the Hudson River. Help identify, record, and share the results with other participating sites and create an artistic rendering of your experience to take home. READ MORE

South Salem Fire Department's Carnival

South Salem
Spend any of four August evenings enjoying the fun of a classic carnival—rides, games, food, and prizes. Additionally, a fireman's parade is scheduled for Wednesday, with 20 fire departments joining. Enter the raffle on Saturday for a chance to win cash prizes. READ MORE

Annual Moon Viewing Concert

North Salem
Experience Japanese traditions at this celebration of Japan's culture, including a tea demonstration,Bento dinner, and performance of Japanese music, amidst the glorious setting of Japanese paper lanterns decorating the Japanese Stroll Garden. READ MORE

Movies in the Sand

Mamaroneck – FREE
Summer isn't over yet! This outdoor family film series takes place on a sandy beach!  READ MORE
Find lots of kids' activities at the free Beacon Corn Festival on Sunday. Photo by Julia Sun
Find lots of kids' activities at the free Beacon Corn Festival on Sunday. Photo by Julia Sun

Sunday, August 11

Beacon Corn Festival

Beacon – FREE
This festival, hosted by the Beacon Sloop Club, celebrates all things corn at the Beacon Riverfront Park. Expect live music, food, craft vendors, and free kids’ activities. READ MORE

A Celebration of Pete Seeger's 100th Birthday with Film and Dance

Rosendale
Folk singer and environmental activist Pete Seeger is honored on what would be his 100th birthday with a presentation of a film he made of his family’s around-the-world visit with musicians in 28 countries, followed by a performance by The Vanaver Caravan SummerDance on Tour. READ MORE
Pull up a blanket and listen to live music at Great Jazz on the Great Hill. Photo courtesy of the festival
Pull up a blanket and listen to live music at Great Jazz on the Great Hill. Photo courtesy of the festival

Beyond Westchester

Great Jazz on the Great Hill - CANCELED

Manhattan – FREE
Canceled due to weather. This won't be rescheduled. Bring a picnic, blanket, and dancing shoes for the 11th edition Great Jazz on the Great Hill, featuring live music and swing dancing in a beautiful park setting. This year's artists include Lezlie Harrison, Jeremy Pelt, Wycliffe Gordon, and Bobby Sanabria. READ MORE

38th Annual Battery Dance Festival

Manhattan – FREE
Celebrate the 38th year of New York City’s longest-running public dance festival, presented by Battery Dance, with a full week of exciting international and local dance companies, performed against one of the most beautiful backgrounds in the City. READ MORE

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