Boston families will find plenty of fun and free things to do in and around town this weekend. From the 25th Annual Sheepshearing Festival at Gore Place in Waltham and the Fifth Annual Bookish Ball in Cambridge to the Boston College Arts Festival and Astronomy Day celebrations in Brookline and Topsfield, the weekend is filled with festivals and celebrations. Read on for more of our weekend picks, and be sure to check our Events Calendar for more ideas.

Looking for more things to do? We have some ideas of great places to hike with kids in the Boston area. And don’t forget Mother’s Day in two weeks - we’ve rounded up some brunch ideas, and would love to hear any other recommendations.

Enjoy!

This weekend I am organizing a 14th birthday party for an 8th grade class complete with a teen size bouncy house as well as planning to attend our school auction. It's going to be a busy one and there are so many fun events to add to the mix. Thomas lovers won't want to miss Thomas the Tank Engine during his only visit through CT this year at the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat.

Are you good at making tough decisions? We hope so, because there's a slew of amazing family activities to choose from this weekend, including three of our annual favorites: the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Sakura Matsuri: Cherry Blossom Festival, East Harlem's Street Games and the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair.

While those three festivals promise to be cool but crowded, there are other fun events that may be a bit more below the radar. Park Slope throws its annual Fifth Avenue Family Fest, YMCAs across the city host Healthy Kids Day and a bunch of awesome kids' bands hit the stage, including Alistair Moock, Recess Monkey and Kindiefest's all-star lineup.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. Remember, you can find additional ideas in our Event Calendar and our Spring Fun Guide.

True, last weekend's rain ruined a lot of outdoor events, but this weekend is literally BURSTING with festivals, fairs and outdoor celebrations so you and your NJ kids can get out there and soak in the springtime fun! Some of the highlights are Rutgers Day 2012, Sheep Shearing, Big Truck Day, and Communiversity of the Arts.  Read on for our picks and you can always find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar. Enjoy this last weekend in April, NJ!

CT Moms, an on-line forum group for you guessed it - CT moms, has kindly organized a diaper drive within Fairfield County. You may not know that many moms on government assistance can not use food stamps to buy diapers since they are not considered “consumable” products?  Crazy enough, diapers and baby wipes are off-limits to federal food stamps and Women Infant Children (WIC) programs  leaving low-income moms struggling. It costs nearly $100 per month to diaper a child. Cloth diapers are not accepted by licensed day care centers or in laundromats due to sanitary reasons.

Cleveland, Ohio is a bustling, energy-infused city that makes for a fun family getaway. This city is full of kid-friendly activities, from interactive museums to great sports teams to bargain-priced restaurants. It is a city with a compact center, so you can leave the car in the hotel parking lot and explore on foot. You can also take Amtrak to Cleveland, a nine-hour ride from NYC.

Cleveland stays close to its working-class roots by promoting family fun without a big price tag. Here are 16 reasons to check out Cleveland with the kids, including places to eat and where to stay.

Find more family fun destinations in our Family Travel Cities Guide.