Let me explain what my mom has to do with all this. My mom's family moved to Southeast Alaska in the 60s from Iowa because they were afraid the hippies were going to take over (I'm not joking). My grandparents lived on a homestead where they generated their own electricity from solar and wind power, pumped water from an artesian well, and truly lived off the land (including eating the bears they caught raiding the chicken coop-and let me tell you bear meat is definitely something that won't be taking off any time soon.) Anyway, my mom is up there now taking care of her elderly mother and reported to me that Wayne Price, a Tlingit from Haines, would be in NYC in September at the NMAI and we should go see him. Now my mom is the coolest mom ever and she knows what's up, but I still usually ignore everything she says on principle. I mean if you let your principles go what do you have left? But I do love the incredible art of the Tlingits. They have a wonderful folklore and tell their stories through amazing, abstract images of animals, carved into totem poles, woven into shawls, painted on objects, and even danced. This weekend at the National Museum of the American Indian will be a series of events where kids can learn about, experience and explore Tlingit culture. On Saturday from 11am-4pm, as part of a Lower Manhattan-wide event called The Big Draw there will be two floors of drawing activities revolving around the art and culture Northwest Coast communities. The Northern Tide Dancers, led by Wayne Price, will perform throughout the day, and museum visitors will be encouraged to draw images of the dancers. There will be special tours of the exhibit "Listening to Our Ancestors" led by artists and visitors can make balsa wood prints and feast bowls also. Cool. On Sunday from 1-3:30pm Wayne Price and the Northern Tide Dancers will be performing again with music, dance and masks and telling Tlingit stories. On both days at 10:30 and 11:45am there will be a free children's film that tells the Tlingit creation story of how Raven brought daylight to the world. I think you'll find Tlingit fables to be very interesting and kids will love them. Plus it gives a nice context to the rest of the events of the day. This event sounds really cool and is an opportunity for kids to experience native culture live and in person, plus make some cool art and have fun. I'm going, even if my mom did suggest it. But, briefly, here are a couple of other really cool things to do in NYC with kids this weekend: On Sunday Dan Zanes is appearing for a FREE performance at Jewpalooza(?!) On Saturday Sunday is the Battery Park City children's festival, Harmony on the Hudson, with free music by Tom Chapin and other great children's favorites. And last, but not least, on Saturday the Education Alliance hosts a free Downtown Community Fair which not only will have lots of fun music, demonstrations and activities, but will have information about 80 downtown programs. So if you're looking for that perfect after school activity, this is the place to go.