My family and I had Coney Island practically to ourselves on opening day last Saturday thanks to stormy skies. While in Luna Park, we got a sneak peek at its newest ride, the Thunderbolt roller coaster, tentatively scheduled to open next weekend. Also coming soon: a brand-new mini-amusement park at Staten Island's Midland Beach. Looks like this summer is shaping up to be a fun and dizzy one.

This week we launched our Hamptons and North Fork Family Guide for the season, in case you're planning on a weekend getaway or perhaps a whole summer on Long Island's East End. Be sure to check our LI site for frequent posts about the best things to do in the area with kids, like family-friendly fishing charters and the best weekend events. You'll find other great summer day trip ideas, like New Jersey playgrounds with free mini zoos or boating in Westchester, on all of our regional sites, and more far-flung destinations such as San Antonio, Texas on our Travel site.

If you're sticking around the city this season like my family, make sure you check out our roundup of the best things to do with kids this June and our list of more than 50 NYC summer camps that still have space. Speaking of camp, we're currently giving away a FREE week of Summer Media Camp at Queens' Museum of the Moving Image. Enter now.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

May is winding down, summer is on the horizon and there are lots of fun events happening this weekend throughout Westchester. To help you get ready, we've rustled up our top weekend picks including nature themed activities, art festivals, musical performances and more.

Of historical significance, this weekend marks the 70^th anniversary of D-Day, and Lasdon Commemorates D-Day has planned a full day of displays, period music and dancing, memorabilia and more to commemorate the Normandy invasion. Also noteworthy this weekend is the annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks. There’s still time for you to sign up--you can even form a team!

Other weekend events include the White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival, which showcases the work of local artists while raising money for kids’ arts scholarships or you can shop for crafts, food and other items at the Tarrytown Craft, Food & Street Fair. And if you haven’t yet seen Lightscapes--the light-and-art installation of elements found in nature--this weekend is your last chance before the exhibit closes.

For unadulterated carnival fun, the ICS Carnival is a can’t-miss with full-fledged rides, carnival games (with decent prizes!), classic carnival fare including candy apples and cotton candy, sand art and more. This runs Thursday through Sunday.

Read on for our best bets--many of which are FREE. As always, if something piques your interest, be sure to click through to the event listing for full details. To stay in the know, sign up for our weekly newsletter--it's FREE! And don't forget to check out our Events Calendar for more events happening this weekend and beyond!

Whether it's the sea or the strawberry your family favors, there's festival for both this weekend. The Nassau County Strawberry Fair is coming to town and visitors can get the small, red berry in almost every form. Rides, games and live music will accompany this weekend-long festival. On Sunday, HarborFest returns to Port Washington with its Family Fun Park, among other activities.

Families can also cheer on fellow Long Islanders at this year's Long Island Got Talent? competition Saturday night. Watch as teens and tweens take to the stage to show off their singing, performing and other hidden talents.

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What's that you say? June? Why, yes please!  Bring on the summer! With Memorial Day come and gone, we are now officially in the summer season, which means an abundance of grade A, E-ticket activities. And what better to get you started than the Great Big Family Play Day at Pan Pacific Park? This thing has it all: music from the Beat Buds, Twinkle Time and Rhythm Child, a meet-and-greet with Anna and Elsa, a pump & splash zone, pamper & playtime, and hold the phone, some Weework crafting courtesy of you know us, you love us, Mommy Poppins - and, forget about those Frozen chicks; you can meet a Mommy Poppins blogger! (You can win cool stuff, too, if you're into that kind of thing.)

The summer season is also known as kids out of school season, which is to say, anyone want to watch my kids for me? Not that I've forgotten to schedule a summer full of engaging and enriching activities or anything, but if I had, I could totally check out our round-up of LA Summer Camps that still have openings. (Or I could go with my back-up plan and encourage them to run away with the circus).

And, of course, summer means more time outdoors, especially after that frigid winter we had. (Or maybe heard that other folks did). Luckily, we've rounded up some SoCal-centric fun in the sun. We've got the splash pads to keep you cool; we've got the hikes to help you get back to nature.

And we've got the activities to keep you going whatever the weather may be...

People looking for a break from Boston's urban life can take advantage of the Spring Sheep Festival at Yarmouth Port or Dairy Day at Drumlin Farm. History comes to life this weekend on Georges Island with Civil War Dress Up and Lawn Games, while Larry Spotted Crow Mann uses story, dance, and drums to illuminate the history of the Nipmuc people. If you prefer the fantastic to the historical, head on over to Cirque du Soleil's Amaluna, a story of femininity, goddesses, and coming of age. Families with children on the Autism spectrum can take advantage of a special Spectrum Express at the Wenham Museum and a sensory friendly screening of Maleficent at the AMC in Braintree. For all the best Boston has to offer this month, check out the June GO List for our picks.

Also on Mommy Poppins this week:

• Looking for fresh strawberries? Check out Where to Take Your Kids Strawberry Picking.
• Anna gives us a recipe for Two Ingredient Paleo Banana Pancakes and Dari teaches us how to make magnetic clothespin keepers as part of our Wee Work Series. To get Wee Work activity ides in your inbox, click here.

Enjoy your weekend, and be sure to check our full calendar for more ideas!

Summer has officially started on Long Island, so many families will be flocking out to the East End every weekend for some warm weather fun. Besides visiting one of the area's many beautiful beaches, there are also plenty of family-friendly events to enjoy. Below, we rounded-up ten must-attend events during the weekend of May 31 - June 1.

Be sure to check out our Long Island Calendar for more kid-friendly activities, as well as our Hamptons and North Fork Guide. And don't forget to subscribe to our weekly newsletter so you can receive our roundup of fun things to do delivered directly to your inbox.

Summer fun really heats up this weekend with a bunch of outdoor festivals including two of our top picks for all of June: the action-packed Ultimate Science Street Fair in Washington Square Park and the multicultural celebration Drums Along the Hudson in Inwood Hill Park, and both are 100% FREE.

Other cool activities include a FREE concert by Morgan Taylor (a.k.a. the man behind Gustafer Yellowgold) and astronomer-led stargazing, both in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Plus, an interactive high-tech show premieres at the New Victory Theater.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Summer Fun Guide. And if you're looking to plan out your entire month, check out our brand-new NYC Go List, which highlights the absolute best things to do with kids throughout June.