Need a little break from harvest- and Halloween-themed activities? Celebrate NYC architecture this weekend with one of our October GoList picks, Open House NY, a weekend-long event offering FREE access to urban gems like the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm, Bartow Pell Mansion, and the African Burial Ground, among other family-friendly options. Kids can create a city at the Center for Architecture, build imagined cities at MOMA, and hit the Cooper Hewitt's Design Fest. All FREE.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled October mayhem:

As the month races toward Halloween in New York City, kids native to the Big Apple may need to take a deep breath. Two ideas: rest awhile in a comfy seat at the National Dance Institute's performance at Symphony Space on Saturday, or enjoy being part of the audience when Lisa Loeb plays at the Jewish Museum on Sunday.

Then again, kids may want to jump right into the weekend with the Icky Fest at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, or the "Fwite" Fest at 826NYC in Park Slope. There are giant pumpkins in the Bronx and photo-ops at Pumpkin Point on Governors Island to get into the fall spirit, or you can visit with the wee fairy folk during Enchanted Weekend at Wave Hill.

Head to Central Park for a FREE family festival celebrating 50 years of public art in our parks. They can also stuff themselves silly this weekend, from the 8th Annual Taste of the Seaport to the One More Bite Festival in Gowanus. Still hungry? Going to Queens? See our brand new guide to eats from around the world—in Astoria.

As always, our October GoList features the month's best picks, and our Fall Fun Guide provides a lowdown on seasonal to-dos. If you want to start planning, maybe for some Thanksgiving or even December holiday events, dig into our Event Calendar.