If the only concerts you’ve seen recently involved singing dogs, dinosaurs or puppets, maybe it’s time to check out a cool music festival that you will enjoy as much as your kids will. On September 11^th, the 3^rd Annual Hastings-on-the-Hudson “Take Me To The River” Grassroots Festival hits Draper Park in Westchester. It is an all day event and in addition to the musical grooves celebrating local and nationally acclaimed blues, folk, jazz and alternative musicians, it is also a festival showcasing an array of art, various art installations, and art activities for the kids. And you don’t need a car to get there.

We've asked our readers to share their awesome outings with us this summer. We'll be posting the best ones on the blog and one lucky winner will win a Flip Video Camera. Find out more details in our Summer Fun Activity Guide. Summer is coming to a close and so is the contest. We will accept submissions until Labor Day and then announce a winner the following week. So send in your story. We want to know about your awesome day.

Read this submission by Susan Atkinson about her fun day on Goveror's Island.

How can it be Labor Day weekend already? Seems like we were writing about what to do for Memorial Day Weekend! There is still time to wring the last few drops out of summer before back to school become a reality. There is plenty of fun to be had in The Big Apple and beyond – arts and crafts, a celebration of the new Cat in the Hat cartoon, storytimes, a huge parade and even a unicycle festival.

It is the first weekend of September which means there are a bunch of museum freebies to take advantage of – The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, The Brooklyn Museum and The Queens Museum are among them.  Plus as a Labor Day gift Cooper Hewitt is offering free admission all weekend, too.

I am actually looking forward to back to school. By the end of summer I am usually exhausted from running around for eight weeks and long for a return to a less hectic routine.  If you are planning your child's re-entry to the school year you may be thinking of after school activities like soccer, free after school classes, or programs for special needs kids.  And don’t miss our newly revamped and updated After School Classes Guide to find the best for your little scholar.

Read on to plan a great Labor Day Weekend.  We hope it is a great one.

Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, an excuse for a big barbecue party, and the day you stop wearing white. But originally it was a creation of the labor movement and dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers who have contributed to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. However you wish to honor it, we’ve got some suggestions on how to spend your first Monday of September. Have fun and Hello, Fall!

Is summer really over? Do we have to trade beach towels for backpacks already? I'm reluctantly gearing up, shifting my focus from planning days in the sun to planning afterschool activities, lunches, and routines.

I've spent the last week or so updating our Classes Guide so you should find lots of great information about all kinds of classes for kids in there from Mommy and Me to preschooler classes to classes for big kids. We have a bunch more posts about cool classes coming up in September so keep an eye out for some ideas for what's new and cool in classes this Fall.

Soccer has become more and more popular with both boys and girls in New York City and luckily there are plenty of leagues for kids to join. If soccer fever is running high in your house, you may want to consider registering your son or daughter for an outdoor youth soccer league this fall. League play will teach your kids the rules and skills needed for the game. Plus children can experience the camaraderie of being part of a team versus “taking a soccer class”.  Soccer leagues generally start with kids aged 4. The youngest teams aren’t competitive and everyone gets a chance to play.  And youth leagues are easy on the wallet a season runs about $200 and includes a uniform.  No matter where you live in the Big Apple there is a league close by. Check it out.

This weekend, New York City kids can play tennis, tour a really old boat, catch great live theater and a magic show. Or celebrate their love of reading, honey or the culinary diversity of Brooklyn and check out a re enactment of the largest battle of the revolutionary war (yep, it took place here, in Brooklyn).  If you plan on spending the last few moments of summer in Central Park, check out our recent posts on where to eat and what to do in the park.

Sadly, summer is quickly ticking away but there is still enough time to have an awesome day with your NYC Kid and tell us all about it to be entered to win a Flip in our Awesome Days of Summer contest – plus you can even see your mug grace our home page!

Read on and have a great weekend.

If you’re looking for some NJ-centric activities this weekend, rumor has it that Miss New Jersey and Miss Teen New Jersey 2010 are going to be at the OMG! Glam Tea Party. Beauty contestants and Glam tea? Can’t get much more Jersey than that. If this is just too girly for your almost-last weekend of summer, Rockit! Live will have plenty of teenaged boys playing electric guitars, and the St. Sebastian Feast statue will definitely be male. Or just go unisex and enjoy chocolate and vanilla treats at Camden Children’s Garden or haul bootie all the way down to Philly to see the immensely popular Yo Gabba Gabba Live. However you slice it, enjoy your last weekend of August!