Weekend Fun for NYC Kids: Bastille Day, Free SummerStage Bronx Family Day July 11-12

7/8/15 - By Stephanie Ogozalek

This weekend is packed with awesome things to do, including five of our top event picks for the month, three of which are FREE. Celebrate French culture at the annual Bastille Day Festival on the Upper East Side, try an alfresco dance lesson at Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing: LC Kids Dance and enjoy top-notch entertainment at SummerStage Bronx Family Day.

Just gotta have air-conditioning? You can catch cool kids' shows indoors at the New York Musical Theatre Festival and TADA! Youth Theater. And if you happen to be out in Manhattan around dusk on Sunday, be sure to check out the setting sun for the biannual sight known as Manhattanhenge.

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.

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Festival de las Flores – Flushing & Jackson Heights
On Saturday, hit the lovely Queens Botanical Garden to learn about the Colombian tradition of crafting silletos: large floral medallions. Live music and dance performances, crafts and storytimes are also on tap. On Sunday, head to Jackson Heights to catch a FREE flower-filled parade on 37th Avenue, and then return to the garden for more live entertainment and vendors.

Kid-friendly Shows at the New York Musical Theatre Festival – Midtown West
A July GoList pick: Catch a pair of up-and-coming family musicals at this annual theater fest: The Calico Buffalo, about the first-born son of a buffalo chief who shows up covered with the markings of a calico cat, and Acapella, about a successful young gospel singer who returns home to reconnect with his true voice.

The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Williamsburg
A kind of mini-San Gennaro, this century-old Catholic fest features live music, carnival rides and great eats, along with traditional processions of flower-strewn towers. Activities change daily so be sure to check the schedule before you go. Free admission but there are fees for certain activities

Viva la Frida! – the Bronx
Celebrate the life of colorful Mexican artist Frida Kahlo at the New York Botanical Garden (her birthday and the anniversary of her death take place this month). Explore the exhibit Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life and enjoy live music, dance and art performances, flower wreath making and a Frida lookalike contest (advance registration required for the competition). Free with All-Garden Pass

Vintage Bus Bash – Governors Island
Head to the attraction-filled isle to see old-school buses from the New York Transit Museum. Climb aboard the first air-conditioned model to roll through the city, a bus featuring fishbowl windows and one that looks like it was driven by Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners! FREE

Saturday, July 11

Midsummer Night Swing: LC Kids Dance – Upper West Side
Another July GoList pick: Put on your dancing shoes and let Rodney Lopez from Dancing Classrooms teach your little movers and shakers the basics of swing, meringue, tango and more in Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park. FREE

Princess Phooey – Chelsea
And another July GoList pick: Catch TADA! Youth Theater's latest show, a kooky musical fairy tale featuring a rebellious royal, her crazy chambermaids and stable boys, and an offbeat prince.

Seining the River Wild – Dumbo
Learn about the ecosystem under the Manhattan Bridge with local environmentalists, who'll help kids catch, log and release fish and other East River creatures. FREE

Mary Poppins – Roosevelt Island
Pack a picnic and tram over to the isle's Firefighters Field for an alfresco screening of Disney's magical musical about the best nanny ever. FREE

Toddlers Rock! Performance Series: Suzi Shelton – Upper West Side
Catch the Brooklyn mom and kindie rocker as she performs a pair of concerts at the Children's Museum of Manhattan in honor of its music-themed Frolic installation. Free with museum admission

Children's Book Celebration – Corona
Celebrate kid lit at the Queens Museum. Enjoy meet and greets with local authors and illustrators, and storytimes in English, Bengali, Mandarin, Spanish and Korean! Kids can also apply for a Queens Library card, enroll in the summer reading program and pick up some gently used books. Free with suggested museum admission

See all Saturday events.
 

Sunday, July 12

Bastille Day on East 60th Street – Upper East Side
Yet another July GoList pick: Celebrate French Independence Day at this fete featuring freshly made crêpes and éclairs, live French music and mime performances, an artisan market, classic Citroën cars, and a Kids’ Corner. Free admission but there are fees for certain activities

SummerStage Bronx Family Day – South Bronx
Our final July GoList pick of the weekend: Hit St. Mary's Park for a concert by Latin Grammy nominee Mister G, a former indie rocker now crooning bilingual tunes for tots. Additional entertainment includes the Houston-based dance troupe Soul Street Dance and DJ Asho spinning AfroCuba-style songs. FREE

See all Sunday events.

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