All Weekend

Figment NYC 2013 – Governors Island
Let your creativity run wild at this two-day festival on Governors Island, where visitors of all ages can make, participate or collaborate on a wide variety of art projects. The members of the Figment arts collective will debut their new mini-golf course and Interactive Sculpture Garden, and also host all kinds of artsy happenings. In years past, activities have included cookie making, splashing around in big buckets of colored water, giant murals, fashioning fairy wings, playing limbo and frolicking in a tent filled with rose petals. It's a truly unforgettable experience. Note: Make sure to catch a morning ferry! There will be long lines by noon. Rain or shine! FREE

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party – Flatiron
Pit masters from all over the country descend on Madison Square Park to sell their succulent smoky ribs, juicy pulled pork, mouthwatering sides, desserts and drinks to families and foodies. The fest also features workshops, book signings and great live blues. Arrive early because it gets super-crowded. Free admission but barbecue plates are $9, desserts and beverages are $3-$8.
 

Saturday, June 8

Ezra Jack Keats Family Concert: Wynton Marsalis – Park Slope
Celebrate Brooklyn!'s main event for families features a performance by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and legendary trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, followed by a reading of Keats' classic children's books. In the event of rain, check Celebrate! Brooklyn's Twitter feed for updates on whether it's still happening. Free but there is a $3 suggested donation.

Jam on Dumbo: Zack Orion and the Ardeshir Mountain Boys – Dumbo
Jam on Dumbo kicks off its no-cost kids' summer concert series under the archway of the Manhattan Bridge with this bluegrass band. There will also be arts and crafts, face painting and other fun. Rain or shine. FREE

Long Island City Bike Parade – Long Island City
Families can pimp their rides at the Socrates Sculpture Park’s pre-parade workshop and then show them off in a colorful bike procession, which ends in Queensbridge Park with a festival. FREE

Mini Mermaid March – Williamsburg
If you're worried your little ones aren't yet old enough to experience the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island on June 22, then try this procession just for tots instead. It kicks off with a Mermaids on Parade storytime at children's furniture store Mini Jake and later, families dressed in their fishy finery will march down Bedford Avenue to the Williamsburg Walks celebration. FREE

P.S. 75 Spring Fair – Upper West Side
Enjoy Carnival-themed activities like Samba dancing and a Brazilian-style parade at this school fete. There will also be an international food court, a rummage sale, crafts and other activities. Rain or shine. Free admission but there are fees for activities.

Brooklyn Pride Festival and Kids' Space – Park Slope
Celebrate gay pride at this family-friendly street fair featuring food, shopping and a stage with live music, comedy, dance and other entertainment. There's even a dedicated kids' area with puppet performances, storytime, bookmaking and other activities. Stick around until evening for the Brooklyn Pride Parade, which kicks off from a new location this year: Fifth Avenue and Lincoln Place. FREE

NatureFest 2013 – Staten Island
Head to Willowbrook Park in Staten Island's Greenbelt for the Staten Island Museum's annual fest featuring nature walks, arts and crafts, and other eco-fun. FREE

New York Restoration Project's Harlem River Festival & Row NY Regatta – Harlem
Watch regional rowing clubs race in the Harlem River followed by a family festival with rowing clinics, kayaking, seining, nature walks, and arts and crafts. FREE

Hands-on History: Work & Play – Jamaica
Kids can discover what life was like for their 19th-century peers at the King Manor Museum by trying butter churning and other period chores, and playing old-fashioned games. FREE

Bronx River Festival – the Bronx
Enjoy a day on the beautiful banks of the Bronx River. (Yes, there is a river in the Bronx, which runs right by the Bronx Zoo.) Come for food, live music and lots of outdoor fun, including canoeing, field day games, a nature scavenger hunt and cycling. FREE

P.S. 198 Spring Carnival – Upper East Side
This school fundraiser features performances by Little Club Heads and the Lorenz Latin Dance Studio, along with games, crafts, sports and food. In the event of rain, the carnival will move inside the building. Free admission but there are fees for activities.

Staten Island Children's Museum's Carnival Science Spectacular – Staten Island
Geek out at this science-themed fete with Lego and robotic workshops, a giant game of telephone and a look at the science behind the circus. There will also be bouncy houses, live music and other traditional carnival fun. In advance: $12, at the door: $15

Little Red Lighthouse Tour – Washington Heights
Don't worry: Even little kids can make it to the top of this NYC landmark. (My son did it at age three!) Before you go, read the classic children’s book that made it famous: The Little Red Light House and the Great Gray Bridge. The Parks Department only opens this lighthouse to the public a few times a year so don't miss it. FREE

New York Classical Theatre Presents The Seagull – Upper West Side
The theater troupe mounts an environmental staging of Anton Chekhov's mature drama in Central Park. The audience literally follows the action by moving wherever the performers go. The company is also hosting preshow family theater workshops. FREE

See all Saturday events.
 

Sunday, June 9

Egg Rolls & Egg Creams Festival – Lower East Side
The Museum at Eldridge Street hosts this mash up of Jewish and Chinese culture. Enjoy Yiddish and Chinese lessons, Chinese opera and acrobatics, tours of the historic synagogue-turned-museum and Klezmer music performances. There will also be delicious noshes: The egg rolls are kosher and the egg creams are made with Fox's U-bet chocolate & flavored syrups. FREE

Almost Summer Celebration – Battery Park City
Catch the Grammy-winning king of NYC kid rock, Dan Zanes, and beloved folk crooner Elizabeth Mitchell in a rare no-cost concert in Robert F. Wagner Park. My son and I saw the pair play together last year and it was an excellent show. Other entertainment includes Native American storytelling, lawn games, and nature and art activities. In the event of rain, the festivities will move indoors to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. FREE

The Epiphany School Spring Carnival – Gramercy
This annual school fundraiser features two bouncy castles, a massive inflatable slide and blow-up obstacle course, arts and crafts, and a silly string squirting area. There will also be a photo booth, a gently-used book swap, a Glee-style performance by the Kids Company Musical Theater Program and a top-notch food truck “parking lot.” In the spirit of full disclosure: I'm running this fest so I know it will be great. Free admission but there are fees for activities.

Israel on Nostrand Avenue Festival – Marine Park
NYC's largest celebration of Israeli culture features a kibbutz petting zoo, bouncy castles and slides, Kosher food and sweet treats, live music and dance performances, plus a special area just for tots. Free admission but there are fees for activities.

Scandinavian Music Festival: Children's Concert – Inwood
Head to Fort Tryon Park where Hans Christian Andersen's tale The Emperor's New Clothes will be performed with live harp and trombone accompaniment. The concert will also include Scandinavian folk songs. FREE

See all Sunday events.
 

Outside NYC

Long Island's Benner's Farm throws its annual Strawberry Festival this weekend. Watch as Mr. Benner hand-cranks his own berry-filled ice cream and then take a taste. Alstede Farms in Chester, New Jersey also hosts its annual Strawberry Harvest Festival with pick-your-own berries, pony rides, bouncy castles and more. Just want the fruit? We've got the scoop on the best pick-your-own-farms in New Jersey, Connecticut and on Long Island.

Head to the Village Center for the Arts in New Milford, Connecticut for Paint the People, a unique interactive arts festival full of offbeat experiences like propelling paint-filled balloons via slingshot onto T-shirts. Sounds very Figment.

And of course our brand-new Westchester site has the skinny on the best things to do this weekend and beyond in the region!

Don't forget: There's even more fun to be found in our Event Calendar.