Susan Miele

Latest posts by Susan

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Great Jack-o’-Lantern Blaze, Applefest, Family Campout and More, Oct. 4-5

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 10/02/2014 - 10:00am

With October comes the beginning of Halloween season, and all month long there are parties, festivals, parades and haunted houses throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley. We’ve populated our Event Calendarwith a ton of these festivities (as well as a variety of non-Halloween events for when you crave diversity), so take a peak and plan ahead. There’s a lot to take in!

The Rivertowns, with the strong association with Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” go all out for Halloween, with month-long events that start this weekend like The Great Jack O Lantern Blaze and The Legend Behind the 'Legend'. For the older kids there are plenty of haunted happenings including Horseman’s Hollow and Scared by the Sound.

The season of fall festivals continues with Harvest Fest, as well as Warwick Applefest, which returns for an all-day celebration of apples—and much more! If instead of apples you’re in a pumpkin kind of mood, try All Things Pumpkin. Or, while you’re soaking up the remaining days of warm weather, indulge in a Family Campout. Also consult our guide for scenic autumn drives to enjoy the splendor of the season.

Read on for our top weekend picks. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond.

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Children's Book Festival, Arts Fest, Free Museum Day and More, Sept. 27-28

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 09/25/2014 - 11:00am

This weekend, skip the NYC museums and theaters in favor of all the great opportunities there are to enjoy the arts in Westchester and the Hudson Valley--many of which are FREE. Choose from the New Rochelle Arts Fest, the Rhinebeck Arts Festival and Smithsonian Museum Day Live!. A bilingual production of The Brave Calf also takes place on Saturday, as part of Hispanic Day Celebration.

Looking for more festivals? The Chappaqua Children's Book Festival returns with a huge selection of titles, a host of author and illustrator appearances and a surprising assortment of fun activities for families. There’s also the Fall Harvest Festival, which includes a Bungee Trampoline, and Bear Mountain Oktoberfest continues, with a different live band each day. For festivals beyond this coming weekend, check out our roundup of fall fests so you can plan ahead!

Enjoy the remaining warm days with some nature-focused events--bring a camera to Nature Photoscavenger Hunt or bring your fairy-lover to the Legends & Lore of the Little People, which should get an A for utter cuteness. If you’re up for apple picking, we’ve compiled a list of area orchards to visit.

Read on for more info and click through for additional details. Be sure to browse our Event Calendar for more events happening this weekend and beyond.

Smithsonian Museum Day Live: FREE Admission to Museums in Westchester and Hudson Valley

Submitted by Susan Miele on Fri, 09/19/2014 - 1:00am

If you’ve ever visited Washington, D.C., you’ve probably felt the pang of jealousy that entry to the Smithsonian Institution is free. Who wouldn’t want to see great art and rotating exhibits without opening their wallet? Well, now’s your big chance. Saturday, September 27, marks the 10th annual Museum Day Live! On this day, hundreds of museums nationwide offer free admission to visitors, orchestrated by Smithsonian Magazine. Of course there are many fantastic NYC museums participating in this event but we are happy to report that there are also several museums throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley that are also partaking--and we've got all the details! Read on to find out which museums are participating, how to get your FREE tickets and other fun perks.

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Welcome Autumn, Festivals Galore, Touch-a-Truck and More, Sept. 20-21

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 09/18/2014 - 11:00am

This weekend we officially welcome fall and the many seasonal events we can look forward to. Last week we noted the beginning of the fall-festival craze, and this weekend continues that trend. Take your pick among Fieldhome's Annual Fall Festival, the Southern Westchester Food and Wine Festival, the Peekskill Rotary Horse Show and Country Fair, the Hudson Valley Harvest Festival, the FDR Pow Wow and the ANDRUS Run for Kids Fall Festival. Additionally, the New York Renaissance Faire ends this weekend, and Bear Mountain Oktoberfest continues.

For alternative entertainment, little kids will enjoy the Junior League of Bronxville's Touch-A-Truck Event, which combines fun and a good cause (and not just trucks, either!). You can also take in a Family Concert, “let it go” at Fall Flicks or, if your kids are mature enough, catch a double feature of the first two Godfather movies at The Alamo Plays the Hits Film Series.

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 all week long!

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Festivals, Oktoberfest, Crafts at Lyndhurst and More, Sept. 13-14

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 09/11/2014 - 11:00am

We're entering peak season for festivals in Westchester and the Hudson Valley and this weekend is rife with the first batch. This weekend marks the return of Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain, where you can join in the celebration of all things German. Another returning cultural celebration is the Holy Trinity Greek Festival, running through Sunday, with food, dancing, rides and games.

Also back this year are the American Gold Cup, Fall Crafts at Lyndhurst, the Armonk Cider & Donut Festival and the Arts on Third Festival. Also, a new festival is making the scene this year--the first annual Tribes Hill Music Festival at John Jay Homestead, featuring a long lineup of musical performers, a jam session and other fun features.

Two film events are worth noting, both of which run all weekend: The Alamo Plays the Hits Film Series, where you can get jazzed by a big-screen showing of Singin’ in the Rain, and Patema Inverted, a Japanese animated film about friends with opposite gravities.

Read on for details on these and other great events happening this weekend. If you see something that piques your interest, be sure to click through to the listing for full details. And don't forget, our Event Calendar has even more fun happenings this weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: River Festivals, Grandparents Day, Jazz and More, Sept. 6-7

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 09/04/2014 - 11:00am

It may be back to the grind at work and school, but for recreation in Westchester, the party is still on this weekend, including three events we highlighted on our September Go List. Celebrate the Hudson River at the Yonkers Riverfest, the Annual Take Me to the River Festival or the Croton Yacht Club Hudson River Day. For a jazz theme, take in theWhite Plains Jazz & Food Festivalor theJazz Ensemble Performance by the NAACP Youth Organization.

Also this weekend, the NY Metro Reptile Show returns to White Plains, the Leukemia Cup Regatta is raising money for cancer research and Greenburgh Nature Center hosts its annual Harvest Party. And, of course, you can still check out the New York Renaissance Faire.

For those of you who don't know, this Sunday is Grandparents Day and Legoland Discovery Center is celebrating with FREE admission for grandparents all weekend. Visit our event calendar for more ways to celebrate Grandparents Day, plus lots of other fun events happening around town.

Read on for the best events happening this weekend in Westchester. If you see something interesting, click through to the event listings for full details.

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Fairs, Pirate School, Cheese-Making and More, August 23-24

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 08/21/2014 - 11:00am

Though the end of summer is on the horizon, there's still a lot of fun happening this weekend in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley. Take your pick of large-scale fairs this weekend--the Dutchess County Fair and the Otisville Country Fair make their annual return and the New York Renaissance Faire continues. For a list of even more New York fairs, view our roundup of other fun options!

More eclectic offerings include Living History: Military Reenactment Day, Cheese Making 101, Pirate School and the return of Fairy Walk. Read on for details about these events and more happening this weekend. If something piques your interest, be sure to click through to the event listing for all the details. And remember, our calendar of events has even more ideas for fun this weekend and beyond in Westchester.

Weekend Fun for Westchester Kids: Lego City Weekend, Jewish Music Festival, Pow Wow, Canoe Trip and More, August 16-17

Submitted by Susan Miele on Thu, 08/14/2014 - 11:00am

Keep the summer going this weekend in Westchester, with an array of fun options ranging from a chess tournament to a Jewish Music Festival and Lego City Weekend. There's truly something for everyone.

The New York Renaissance Faire continues this weekend, so dust off those princess crowns and pirate costumes! Also this weekend--celebrate Native American culture at the Nimham Pow Wow.

Read on for more details on our top weekend picks--many of which are FREE. Be sure to click through to the event listing for full details. Making plans weeks in advance? Check out our August Go List for our best bets for fun outings happening throughout the month. And remember to check out the myriad of weekday and weekend events we've captured in our event calendar--you'll find there's no shortage of fun things to do this summer in Westchester!