If you’re looking for fun family activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this weekend, you’ve come to the right place! For a FREE performance by a troupe that’s played at Carnegie Hall, catch the Calpulli Mexican Dance Company. Pixie lovers will delight in a Fairy Walk, while baseball fans can enjoy extra entertainment at Rockland Boulders Beach Day. For midway fun, try the Otisville Country Fair, and the most intriguing nature program on our radar is Sky Hunters in Flight, which introduces visitors to the uncommon sport of falconry.

For more summer fun in and around Westchester, look no further than our Event Calendar, where you'll find many more great ways to enjoy August with your family—many of which are FREE. 

It's no secret that the Queens neighborhoods of Sunnyside and Woodside are loaded with kids and families, and while we're spoiled with fantastic parks and libraries, the popular area is definitely lacking indoor play spaces.

Sure there's Chuck E. Cheese's, but try finding a local drop-in play spot on a rainy or too cold or too hot day, and you're sure to hear other parents complain about the dearth of options—until now. Sabrina's Play Studio opened this summer on busy Queens Boulevard across from the New Calvary Cemetery, and parents immediately, with their toddlers and older kids in tow, began to queue.

Check out our review of this bright, indoor kids' playground in western Queens that offers both weekday and weekend drop-in play sessions.

Nature is abound on Long Island and one way to squeeze in some quality family time is to learn which animals share our home. Luckily, various kinds of birds can be found here throughout the year and families can learn more about where the best spots are to watch our feathered friends take flight.

Can't get enough? We've also rounded up places where you can have an Animal Encounter or On the Farm birthday party.

Soak up these last few weekends of summer with big family fun! Round up the troops and head to the Hunterdon County 4-H Fair for tractor pulls and down home eats, get in on some swashbuckling action during the Oasis Pirate Adventure or check out the Laurita Winery Food Trucks & Fireworks Festival for both grown up and kid-friendly activities. Need a jump on back-to-school learning? Sign up for the Bats for Beginners program at Tenafly Nature Center or learn about colonial craftsmanship firsthand during Industrial Crafts Day at Cooper Gristmill Park. Whatever you decide to do this weekend, we hope you enjoy it with family and friends. For even more activity options, check out our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide.

So the countdown to the unofficial end of summer has begun. That doesn’t mean, however, that enterprising parents won’t find plenty to do on the East End of Long Island this weekend.

From car shows to barbecues and cardboard boat racing, late-summer events dot the landscape of the North and South Forks as communities squeeze out that last ounce of vacation before the kids return to school.

And for more exciting events, check out our LI Calendar, as well as our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide.

One of my favorite things about August in LA is Culver City's annual Shakespeare in the Park, courtesy of the Actors' Gang. Each year the Gang gives an upbeat, modern makeover to a different Shakespeare play aimed at families; recent highlights have included the Superhero Twelfth Night, the Star Wars Romeo and Juliet, and the My Little Pony Midsummer Night's Dream. This summer, Media Park comes alive every Saturday and Sunday morning with the Harry Potter Hamlet; and to go or not to go is hardly a question.

Whether your child is sports-obsessed or simply extremely active, having a sports-focused birthday is a great way to host a large group of kids and keep them entertained. There’s also the added bonus of sending worn-out kids home to happy parents!

We've rounded up our top picks for sports-themed parties, most of which are all inclusive, so all you have to do is show up with the birthday boy or girl. Many of them also allow you keep costs down by bringing your own food (also helpful for for parents of children with allergies). For even more birthday ideas, check out our Party Planner Guide.