Enjoy art projects and more at Black Creativity Family Day at the Museum of Science and Industry. Photo courtesy of the museum.
MLK Weekend 2026 in Chicago: 18 Best Things To Do With Kids
Fat Shallot has kid-friendly food near Lincoln Park Zoo. Photo courtesy of the Fat Shallot
Best Cheap Places to Eat in Chicago for Kids & Families (Under $10!) — Recs From Locals
Visit the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago. Photo by Maureen Wilkey
Free Museum Days (and Always Free Museums!) in Chicago
Free activities for kids in Chicago include the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is always free. Photo courtesy of the museum via Facebook
GUIDE
Guide to Free Things To Do in Chicago with Kids
Tiny Picassos can enjoy different activities every day at the Art Institute’s Family Room. Photo by Maureen Wilkey, for Mommy Poppins
25 Free Things To Do Indoors in Chicago: Free Places To Play Indoors on Cold and Rainy Days
An offbeat Chicago museum makes a fun outing for teenagers. Photo courtesy of the WNDR Museum
Chicago's Best Indoor Places for Tweens and Teens To Hang Out
Frosty Fest is free this January in Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Gurnee Park District
Top Free Things To Do with Kids in Chicago in January 2026, According to MP Editors
Snow tubing is a favorite winter activity in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Canva
Chicago's Winter Bucketlist: 33 Things to Do this Winter in Chicago with Kids
Enjoy a kid-friendly tube fest at Sunburst Ski Hill. Photo courtesy of Sunburst Ski Hill
Best Snow Tubing Near Chicago for Families in 2025
Rack up those Scout Badges at these Chicago institutions. Photo courtesy of Canva.
Best Places in Chicago Where Kids Can Earn Scout Badges
Try a hands-on museum for the whole family. Photo by Kyle Flubacker courtesy of the WNDR Museum
Things to Do in Chicago That Everyone Will Love—From Toddlers to Teens (and Parents Too!)
You can easily spend all day at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Photo by the author
Brookfield Zoo Chicago: Tips and Tricks for Visiting with Kids
See what swims by at the Shedd Aquarium. Beluga photo courtesy of the Illinois Tourism Board.
The Best Zoos and Aquariums for Chicago Kids 2025
Photo courtesy of Enchanted Castle.
Best Kid-Friendly Arcades in Chicago
If your teens enjoy pottery, then MADE Chicago in Bucktown is the spot.
Best Crafting Parties for Teens in Chicago
Teen Saturdays at Chicago Architecture Center. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Architecture Center.
Teen Museum Programs in Chicago: Internships, Workshops, and More
Places to celebrate your baby before the smash cake. Photo by Kelly Patino for Mommy Poppins
Best Places to Celebrate a First Birthday in Chicago
Cooking classes for kids in Chicago. Photo courtesy of The Kid's Table
Cooking Classes for Kids in Chicago: A Baker's Dozen of the Best Culinary Experiences in the City and Suburbs
Try one of these local businesses for a fun and unique birthday party. Photo courtesy of Ultimate Ninjas
Only in Chicago: Unique Birthday Party Ideas for Kids
​Launch is a Chicago trampoline park with bowling and an arcade, too. Photo courtesy of Visit Lake County
Trampoline Parks in Chicago to Burn Energy Indoors

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!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

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

Places featured in this article: