Family Friendly Festivals Around New York City

Each summer, this festival brings the best local talent to Central Park and delights thousands of attendees with its celebratory atmosphere. Enjoy Meer-side views and a variety of performances, featuring multicultural and family-friendly music, dance, and entertainment.

2-4 pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  This annual festival includes activities for the entire family. The art and crafts tent gathers more then 15 artists demonstrating traditional Chinese crafts such as calligraphy, rice doll making, bead stringing, kite making and more. All the demonstrations are hands-on so kids can try to make their own creations! Enjoy performances, music and food, and don't miss the opening parade on Saturday.

9am-5pm

Nancy L. said:  The Brooklyn Book Festival claims to be the largest FREE literary event in New York City. Featuring literary stars and emerging authors, this festival is sure to delight book lovers of all ages. The Festival includes a week of citywide events, Children's Day and Festival Day & Literary Marketplace.

Bookend Events: September 26-October 4

Children’s Day: October 2

Festival Day & YA Out Loud: October 3

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Don't miss out on county fair magic just because you live in the city! For one day only, enjoy carnival rides, a petting zoo, games, bands and sideshow performers, and several local food vendors, including a cotton candy booth... you know summer fairs are not complete without it!

1pm-6pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Organizations from the Bronx and beyond have come together to host Boogie on the Boulevard. The center lanes of the Grand Concourse from 162nd Street to 170th Street will be closed to cars and open for fun with a wide variety of music, dancers, arts and fitness programs.

2pm-6pm

Courtney Funk said:  Get ready to play all your retro favorites, browse gaming vendors, listen to awesome music, bring your best cosplay, and enter tournaments!

LI Retro and All About Kids are teaming up to create a Sensory-Friendly Calming Room that will be available during the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo . This room will be open to all kids who experience sensory overload and require a break from the event’s activities. The area will be equipped with low-lighting, soothing sounds, cozy spots, and sensory friendly toys. Trained staff will be available to assist all families with their specific needs.

Saturday: 10am-10pm

Sunday: 10am-5pm

Nancy L. said:  More than a dozen trucks will be on-site in South Slope to wow kids at Touch-a-Truck. Kids can check out emergency vehicles, construction vehicles, vintage vehicles, and more. There's also bouncy houses, interactive art projects, and, of course, food trucks at this fundraising event benefitting P.S. 295.

11am-5pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Get ready for a day full of fun at the Anne Loftus Playground. This summer festival is packed with kid-friendly activities like face painting, an arts and crafts corner, carnival games, inflatables, and of course, music to keep the beat going. Prizes are also available while supplies last.

11am-3pm

Jennie Utsinger said:  Come learn about healthy living at Twist and Sprout at the Queens Botanical Garden, presented by New York-Presbyterian Queens. Learn how to stay active with Fit Kids, try break dancing and hula hooping, and jump in the bounce houses. Once you've worn out the kids, watch some cooking demonstrations, enjoy fruit and veggie crafts, and step inside a NYP Queens ambulance.

12pm-4pm

Kelly R said:  Choose your own adventure at this annual NYC Parks celebration. Enjoy the outdoors at Central Park's Bandshell area, where you can experience rock climbing, zip lining, obstacle races, outdoor survival training, and more adventurous fun.

11am-4pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  The Empire State Fair is packed with fun for the whole family. Kids of all ages will be busy with many activities from thrilling rides to the biggest kiddie land! Check here for daily events. Don't forget Kids Go Free Night is May 16th!

Cost: $12-$30/person

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Pop Up New York is an exciting venture collaborating with local musicians, designers and restaurateurs to showcase the very best that your neighborhood has to offer. What better way to spend time with your family and give back to the community than enjoying a unique festival-like atmosphere on the streets of some of the trendiest neighborhoods in New York?

April-October

Select Dates, 10am-6pm

Location varies by date

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Riverside Clay Tennis Association (RCTA) offers this free Youth Tennis Festival as a part of their annual Raffle & Summer Picnic. Kids are invited to enjoy free tennis classes, get familiar with the sport and discover their talents. Stay for the potluck picnic, exhibition match, clowns and other fun activities. Don't miss the raffle at 1:30pm!

11am-2pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Every Thursday is Children's Day at Union Square Park! Activities are provided for kids to enjoy, including games, performances, character appearances, story times and a petting zoo. Please check website for more summer fun!

June-August

Thursdays, 9am-6pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Looking for a unique experience? Check out the NYC Unicyle Festival! Pre-festival activities begin on Thursday with a journey from Battery Park up the West Side to Central Park. On Friday, the official start to the Unicycle Festival is marked by the one wheel parade across the Brooklyn Bridge to Coney Island. The main events are held Saturday and Sunday on Governors Island. Explore a variety of unicycle sports, races, competitions and more! You can even ride a unicycle yourself!

Friday: Brooklyn Unicycle Day, 2pm-9:30pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  Stop by the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and cool off from the summer heat. Kids can enjoy music, live entertainment, food, games and jumping around in over 30 sprinklers! Get ready for a fun-filled afternoon!

12pm-4pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  The Annual NYC Honey Fest is fun for the whole family! Educational and interactive activities will help kids learn about the important role of honeybees in pollination. A honey-tasting contest, raffle, live music and several vendors are also on the schedule!

11am-6pm

Kelly R said:  Open House New York is an annual opportunity to experience New York's architecture through special access to some of the city's impressive buildings and the people who create and maintain them. Events like tours and performances take place at more than 250 locations throughout the five boroughs. Most sites allow families, and certain ones offer special programming for kids. Use the website to plan your weekend and learn which sites are family friendly.

Jennie Utsinger said:  Wear out your kids at the annual Flatbush Avenue Street Fair's outdoor games, bouncy houses, and carnival rides. The vibrant festival celebrates the Prospect Lefferts Garden/Flatbush community with music, food, and shopping.

12pm-6pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  This one-of-a-kind event includes a challenging race for children, teens and adults full of unique and thrilling obstacles. Hop, leap, crawl, and wiggle through the course and enjoy face painting, music, arts & crafts, games, prizes, and more! Registration online or at the event is required.

July 12: 9am-1pm, E 116th St (btw Fifth & Park Ave)

July 20: 11am-3pm, E 106th St (btw Lexington & Second Ave)

July 26: 9am-1pm, E 116th St (btw Lexington & Second Ave)

August 16: 9am-1pm, E 116th St (btw Lexington & Second Ave)

Emily N said:  Explore Fort Washington Park at the Little Red Lighthouse Festival. This annual event celebrates the only remaining lighthouse in Manhattan and kids and adults will have the opportunity to explore the area with Urban Park Rangers including attending a fishing clinic! The views are breathtaking and the history is fascinating making this festival worth the hike down.

12pm-4pm

Jennie Utsinger said:  Celebrate the start of the summer season with the Irish Dance Festival at Pier 1 in Riverside Park, hosted by the Irish Arts Center. Hundreds of the best Irish dancers will be performing and families can also enjoy music, Irish language lessons, children’s crafts, face-painting, and more. This festival is part of the Parks Department's Summer on the Hudson annual outdoor arts and culture festival.

1pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  One of the biggest harbor festivals in NYC, this premium family-friendly festival is dedicated to celebrating the New York Harbor and its surrounding waterways. The day is packed with kid-friendly activities, such as Waterfront Activity Fair and Disney Children's Activities. Enjoy free rides and tours on different types of vessels, free water activities such as rowing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, and the Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race.

10am-4pm

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  The Sweet Spot Festival is a family-friendly event that is a part of the Summer on the Hudson Annual Outdoor Arts & Culture Festival. Renowned North American sound architects will gather to create unique sounds for the enjoyment of music fans of all ages!

3pm-9pm

Nancy L. said:  Citi Summer Streets has become an annual tradition. There are nearly seven miles of streets around Manhattan that are shut down to traffic allowing participants of all ages and abilities to engage in a host of free activities. This event extends from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park along Park Ave and connecting streets. There are six rest stops along the way.

7am-1pm

Nancy L. said:  The Oyster Festival got its start celebrating Oyster Bay summer resident Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the U.S. Today's festival is a fun mix of food and craft vendors along with kids' activities on the waterfront inside of Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park. Enter at the corner of Audrey Avenue and South Street in downtown Oyster Bay.

Brigitte Nohra Miller said:  The Come Out & Play Festival dedicates one day each year as a Family Day. Throughout the day, games are designed specifically for families and after 7pm, games are for adults only. ESI Design offers games that connect together with a fun story line about Time Travel.

1pm-10pm

Jennie Utsinger said:  Bring your kids to the High Line's Summer Family Festivals. Artists, scientists, and performers come together for an engaging family experience. The festivals include storytelling, interactive performances, gardening, art projects, and theme-specific activities.

10am-1pm

Kelly R said:  The annual Street Games festival invites kids to enjoy classic games that were popular in the city in the 60s and 70s - pogo sticks, hula hoops, box car derby, and much more. All kids are included, regardless of age or ability, and special offerings like wheelchair basketball mean everyone can play. Pick up a Street Games Passport at the NYC Parks booth to track your participation and win a prize. The event also features yo-yo and dance performances, and food is available for purchase.

11am-3pm

Jennie Utsinger said:   The NYC Winter Lantern Festival features three dazzling events this year! A Bug's Night in Long Island is a drive-thru display of holiday lights, projection mapping, and handmade lanterns.

Head to Staten Island for Escape at Snug Harbor Cultural Center. Experience live cultural performances and over 1,000 lanterns sculpted into magnificent figures of luminescent art over eight acres.

In Queens, Illuminate The Farm will transform Queens County Farm Museum into an immersive and radiant oasis with festive holiday lights and handmade lanterns in the shape of flowers, tractors, and farm animals!

Time, date & cost vary by location