It's been a high-tech week here at Mommy Poppins NYC. We shared some of our favorite FREE coding websites for kids, rounded up Minecraft clubs in NYC, explored the American Museum of Natural History in a whole new way thanks to the History Hero app and tonight, my daughter and I are off to see the digitally interactive Little Mermaid Second Screen Live.

Lest you think HAL has taken over, we posted about some good old-fashioned analog activities, too, like great places to see autumn leaves in NYC and the top family shows opening this fall. Our regional sites are also chock-full of seasonal fun like fall harvest festivals in Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut and on Long Island, and family-friendly apple and pumpkin-picking spots throughout the tri-state area.

This weekend brings some of our absolute favorite annual events in NYC, including Maker Faire at the New York Hall of Science and the Queens County Fair. Plus, on Sunday Mommy Poppins is hosting a special eco-themed family cruise on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship. Enjoy hands-on nature activities, sailor skills, face painting and stunning New York Harbor views. Tickets are selling fast so get yours today.

Here's what else we covered in NYC this week:

This weekend, four food inspired festivals take center stage. Head over to the Garden of Eve Organic Farm for the Long Island Garlic Festival, which is now in its 10th year. In the mood for some Mediterranean food? Then check out the Greek Festival at the St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church. Take a trip to the East End and feast on fresh seafood at the Greenport Maritime Festival. Embrace the late summer harvest of corn, beans, and squash at the Celebration Of The Three Sisters at Sylvester Manor. In the mood to do some shopping? Help save the planet and stock up on clothing, toys, and books at the Chicken Kidz Consignment Event. For a completely different change of pace, take a trip into Manhattan and set sail with the Mommy Poppins gang at the NY Harbor Ecology & Science Cruise. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family.    

Beautiful Litchfield County is a tourist's dream during autumn. Yankee Magazine selected Kent as the top foliage town in New England last year. I live in the county next door to Litchfield, and I was surprised to hear that so many of my neighbors have never visited! 

If you would like to check it out for the first time or a repeat trip, you'll want to read our post on 13 Fun Things to do With Kids in Litchfield County This Fall. For those in Hartford County we've rounded up some great Fall Festivals and Fairs. With all of this talk about Fall we'd be remiss if we didn't mention our Halloween and Fall Fun Guide too!

I took my family apple picking last weekend and it was our unofficial kickoff to fall. Nothing tastes quite like a freshly picked apple. Confused as to where to go? Consult our Apple Picking Guide for plenty of ideas. And to plan ahead for a month full of activities, check out our September Go List .  

Our events calendar is always updated with the latest happenings, and here are suggestions for this weekend!

Sometimes too much of a good thing can actually turn boring. That even applies to cool cultural outings like going to New York City's world-class museums. My eight-year-old son has explored nearly every inch of several NYC institutions, in particular the American Museum of Natural History. Unless there's a new exhibit or a special way to experience these spots, we don't really want to go. So I'm always on the lookout for fresh ways to keep visits fun.

That's why I was excited to hear about the new History Hero app, a cool, interactive way to tour a bunch of cultural attractions scavenger hunt-style. While the app was designed with tourists in mind, it's an enriching experience for local families, too. Currently, NYC kids can use the History Hero app to explore the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. (If you're planning on traveling, there are tours of famous sites in Washington D.C., Chicago, London, Rome and Paris, too.)

A few weeks ago, I used the History Hero in AMNH with a pair of third graders and we all had a blast. We saw the museum in a whole new way, learned new things about old exhibits, and even discovered a few new-to-us galleries.

Sunday marks the first day of fall, and our weekend roundup offers plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the season, from RiverSing in Cambridge to Riverfest in Somerville, from Arlington Town Day to Brookline Day to Allston Village Fest, from Harbor Arts Festival in Boston to Trails & Sails on the North Shore. Our best bets for the weekend are below, but if this isn’t enough, check out our 20 Things to Do with Kids This Fall for more of our top picks.

With our kids’ team sports season kicking into high gear, Tara delves in to what it means to be a good spectator at your children’s games. And check out her special post on the best Boston locations for family photos. Plus, she has rounded up dance classes from all over the world, from Armenia to West Africa, offered to children right here in the Boston area. Fun!

Happy first day of fall.

Aarr, mateys, methinks we're not in Kansas anymore! Thar be three Oz events if thar be one, with new sea shanties, and them scalawags the flying monkeys comin' at ye larger than life. Repeat after me: thar be no place like home.

Especially when the home ye speak of belongs to the many legged beasties of the clan arachnid. The Spider Pavilion opens this weekend, and ye best take care lest the scurvy critters send ye to Davey Jones locker!

But ye need not abandon all hope! If ye have mastered the art of speaking in pirate's tongue, ye shall be rewarded with a doughy morsel fit for a king. Dress like a pirate, and ye can feed yer entire crew!

Keep reading for some of aarrr favorite picks for the weekend…

This weekend we officially welcome fall and there are lots of great seasonal events to enjoy. Westchester has something to satisfy every taste, from history buff to horse fanatic, foodie to crafty. Events happening all weekend include Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst, the Peekskill Rotary Horse Show and Country Fair and the FDR Pow Wow. The New York Renaissance Faire and Bear Mountain Oktoberfest continue this weekend as well.

On Saturday head to Fieldhome's Annual Fall Festival or check out the Armonk Cider and Donut Festival. Sunday is the Southern Westchester Food and Wine Festival and the Washington-Rochambeau Regatta. Also on Sunday, take to the water with Mommy Poppins for the NY Harbor Ecology & Science Cruise With Mommy Poppins & Manhattan By Sail. Tickets are still available but selling fast!

Read on for our top weekend picks. If you see something interesting, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond.

On Sunday, we officially welcome fall and the weekend is packed with seasonal fun like the Queens County Farm Museum's annual County Fair, the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum's Breukelen Country Fair and the opening of the New York Botanical Garden's Haunted Pumpkin Garden.

This weekend also brings one of our absolute favorite annual events: the super-creative World Maker Faire at the New York Hall of Science. Three Mommy Poppins bloggers are going with their families, including me, so if you see us be sure to say hello!

Another great place to catch the Mommy Poppins gang? On Sunday's eco-themed family cruise on Manhattan by Sail's Clipper City Tall Ship. Enjoy hands-on nature activities, sailor skills, face painting and stunning New York Harbor views. Tickets are selling fast so get yours today.

There's also a lot of FREE fun this weekend including no-cost kids' concerts at the South Street Seaport, the Brooklyn Book Festival and the illuminated Morningside Lights procession through Morningside Park.

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 Fall Fun Guide.