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73 Best Annual Family Festivals in NYC for Kids—and Most are Free

The Atlantic Antic is Brooklyn's biggest annual street fair. Photo courtesy of the event.
The Atlantic Antic is Brooklyn's biggest annual street fair. Photo courtesy of the event.
2/8/24 - By Drew Kristofik

In NYC, there's always something to celebrate. These New York City festivals are so fun they're worth attending every year, so grab your calendar and start making plans. Our picks for the top family-friendly festivals in NYC include everything from the interactive, art-filled Figment to the adorable Sheep Shearing Festival at the Queens County Farm Museum, and Manhattan's Museum Mile Festival, City of Water Day, and The Big Umbrella Festival. And, what's more NYC than the annual Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Fest?

Whether you're into math, sand castles, pride, or poetry, there's a New York City festival just right for your family, so read on for our massive list of the very best family-friendly festivals in NYC, organized by season, just for you.

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The NYC Winter Lantern Festival lights up the dark winter months. Photo courtesy the Winter Lantern Festival
The NYC Winter Lantern Festival lights up the dark winter months. Photo courtesy the Winter Lantern Festival

Family-Friendly Festivals in NYC in Winter: December, January, and February

Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival

Lower East Side – FREE
2026 dates TBD
The Better Chinatown Society's annual New Year's celebration is hosted in Sara D. Roosevelt Park with firecrackers, cultural performances, and much more. READ MORE

New York Sword Dance Festival

Manhattan and Brooklyn – FREE
2026 dates TBD
Half Moon Sword presents this 38th annual festival with free, family-friendly performances of this traditional dance form with modern twists by nine performing groups from around the Northeast. READ MORE

27th Annual New York City Lunar New Year Parade & Festival in Chinatown

Chinatown – FREE
2026 dates TBD
A half-million spectators line the streets of Chinatown for this colorful pan-Asian procession, which includes Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Malaysian, and even Hispanic floats and cultural performances.  READ MORE

NYC Winter Lantern Festival

Glen Oaks, Queens
November-January
2026 dates TBD
The NYC Winter Lantern Festival transforms the Queens County Farm Museum's grounds into an immersive river of light. Holiday lights and homemade lanterns take the shape of flowers, tractors, farm animals, and more, forming a dazzling seasonal display. READ MORE

Winter Solstice Celebration

Governors Island – FREE
Mid-December
2026 date TBD
Governors Island hosts a day full of free cel­e­bra­tions, cul­mi­nat­ing in a par­tic­i­pa­to­ry lantern parade. Head over to Colonels Row for food, fire pits, and games, along with DJ sets from the Low­er East­side Girls Club. READ MORE

Make Music Winter

Citywide – FREE
Sunday, December 21, 2025
Make Music's Winter festivities range from a chorus of ukuleles to carol singing, bell ringing, and a harmonica holiday jam. READ MORE

Celebrate the Holidays at PaleyLand!

Midtown West
December-January
2025-2026 dates TBD
The Paley Center's must-see holiday extravaganza fills five floors of the Paley with holiday fun and winter wonderland magic. Enjoy free hot chocolate, watch past and present holiday family specials on the big screen, discover the magic of a classic model railroad display, and so much more. READ MORE

47th Annual Three Kings Parade at Museo del Barrio

East Harlem–FREE
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Line up with live camels, colorful puppets, parrandas, music, and dancing on this magical day. This time-honored annual parade begins at 106th Street and Park Avenue and ends at 115th Street and Park Avenue. Return to the museum to keep the party going following the parade. READ MORE

Animation First Film Festival 2025

Upper East Side
Late January
2026 date is TBD
The seventh edition of Animation First, celebrating the artistry of French animation, presents seven feature-length films and five short film programs, with a special focus on Swiss animation. READ MORE

BAMkids Film Festival 2025

Downtown Brooklyn
Early February
2026 date TBD
Adventure and imagination come together at this fun-filled family film program, offering some of this year’s most exciting kid-friendly shorts from across the globe. Featuring the creations of more than 50 filmmakers, the fest is back for its 27th year, offering a new and exciting trove of animated, live-action, and documentary treasures. READ MORE
Lincoln Center's Big Umbrella Festival always includes whimsical art and live performances that are sensory-friendly. Photo courtesy Lincoln Center.
Lincoln Center's Big Umbrella Festival always includes whimsical art and live performances that are sensory-friendly. Photo courtesy Lincoln Center.

Family-Friendly Festivals in NYC in Spring: March, April, and May

New York International Children's Film Festival

Multiple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn
March
2026 date TBD
NYICFF celebrates the beauty and power of film, sparks the inherent capacity of children to connect with complex, nuanced art, and encourages the creation of intelligent films that represent and celebrate unique, diverse, and historically excluded voices. READ MORE

SOLD OUT - Annual St. Patrick’s Day Open House at the Irish Arts Center

Midtown West – FREE
March
2026 date TBD
Get a taste of Ireland’s rich cultural traditions at Irish Arts' 25th annual open house! Guests of all ages can join in a céilí, sample the many educational offerings, make arts and crafts, and delight in the day’s free music and dance performances. READ MORE

Seaport Kids: Celebrate Holi at South Street Seaport

Seaport– FREE
2026 date TBD
Shake off the winter blues and douse your family in the colors of spring! The Seaport celebrates Holi with colorful puppets, dances, drummers, delicious food, and powder play. READ MORE

Colorland: Holi on Governors Island - SOLD OUT

Governors Island
2026 date TBD
Colorland Holi NYC celebrates colors, culture, spring, and unity. Attractions include vibrant colors, live bands, dance performances, food vendors, celebrities, kids' activities, vendors, and more.   READ MORE

Big Umbrella Festival at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side – FREE
2026 date TBD
The popular Big Umbrella Festival blooms as a free campus takeover at Lincoln Center full of relaxed spaces with multi-sensory experiences, performances, installations, and workshops specifically welcoming neurodivergent audiences and their families. READ MORE

Water Lantern Festival

Flushing, Queens
2026 date TBD
Design lanterns with messages of happiness, hope, love, and peace, then launch them into the water as the sun sets and watch them connect. READ MORE

Car-Free Earth Day

Citywide – FREE
2026 date TBD
Open Streets: Car-Free Earth Day is an annual car-free event hosted by NYC DOT. Programming is presented at signature locations citywide to promote activism and education surrounding climate change, sustainability, and other relevant topics. READ MORE

Earthfest at the American Museum of Natural History

Upper West Side
2026 date TBD
The American Museum of Natural History hosts a full day of family-friendly activities, performances, and lectures showcasing local and international efforts devoted to preserving planet Earth. This year’s event invites guests to bring in their own specimens and artifacts for scientists to attempt to identify and to get an up-close look at rarely seen specimens from the museum’s collections.  READ MORE

Children's Day Festival: Kodomo No Hi at Japan Society

Midtown East
2026 date TBD
Hang the koinobori (carp streamers) and don your kabuto (samurai helmet): The Japan Society's Children's Day is back. Celebrate Japan’s national holiday with the captivating tale of Momotaro (Peach Boy) through a thrilling theatrical performance filled with storytelling, music, dance, and lots of audience participation. Continue the adventure with life-sized samurai armor displays, carp streamer making, samurai helmet origami, and more. READ MORE

Annual Irish Dance Festival at Riverside Park's Pier I

Upper West Side– FREE
2026 date TBD
NYC's Irish Arts Center kicks off Riverside Park's 2025 Summer-on-the-Hudson series with an afternoon of traditional Irish dance and music performances and workshops curated by Niall O'Leary.   READ MORE

Japan Day Parade and Street Fair on Central Park West

Upper West Side – FREE
2026 date TBD
Japan Day is celebrated with a parade and street fair. Watch the parade march down Central Park West before enjoying the festive street fair along 72nd Street.  READ MORE

Urban Wildlife Festival in St. Mary's Park

South Bronx – FREE
2026 date TBD
Get up close and personal with NYC’s wild residents. Learn about squirrels, turtles, raccoons, opossums, and coyotes, and discover the best places in New York City and New York state to watch wildlife. READ MORE

Sheep Shearing Festival at the Queens County Farm Museum

Floral Park, Queens
2026 date TBD
Visit the Queens County Farm Museum on the Nassau-Queens border to see the sheep get their annual haircuts. Move to the foot-stomping rhythms of live music, and enjoy farmer-led tours and a plant sale all day.  READ MORE

Submerge: NYC Marine Science Festival at Pier 84

Midtown West– FREE
2026 date TBD
Hudson River Park presents Submerge—a free science extravaganza devoted to raising awareness about our coastal waters. Celebrate local marine science through hands-on activities, catch-and-release fishing, science stage events, kayaking, and more!  READ MORE

Sound & Color! Spring Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Dumbo, Brooklyn – FREE
2026 date TBD
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy takes its beloved kite festival to the next level with live musical performances, food vendors, kids activities, and more. Watch your kite soar above the Manhattan skyline the one day of the year kite-flying is open to the public at Brooklyn Bridge Park. READ MORE

The Fabulous Fifth Avenue Street Fair

Park Slope, Brooklyn – FREE
2026 date TBD
Head to Park Slope's Fifth Avenue to peruse this street fair, featuring food and sale items, rides, bouncy castles, music performances, and more.  READ MORE

Fleet Week NYC

Multiple Locations – FREE
Late May
2026 date TBD
Fleet Week NYC takes a starring role in the 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States in 2026, moving from its traditional Memorial Day weekend schedule to Independence Day. The US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Coast Guard's celebration of sea services invites families to tour ships, watch the Parade of Ships, and enjoy exhibits, military band concerts, and aviation events throughout the week.   READ MORE

Lower East Side Festival of the Arts Street Fair

Lower East Side – FREE
2026 date TBD
NYC's Lower East Side Festival of the Arts is a cabaret-style festival featuring more than 100 performing groups from the Lower East Side. This year's theme: We will not be silenced, speak up for democracy. READ MORE

BAMKids SpringFest

Downtown Brooklyn – FREE
2026 date TBD
Families are invited to a joyous day of performances, interactive activities, and showcases of local talent! Dance to the rhythms of Brazil, feel the energy of Mozambique, and explore diverse art forms from around the world—all while learning about caring for our planet! Stick around for a free screening of The Wiz at 7pm. READ MORE
On three consecutive Saturdays in August, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are closed to cars and opened for people to play, run, walk and bike. Photo courtesy of the DOT
On three consecutive Saturdays in August, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are closed to cars and opened for people to play, run, walk and bike. Photo courtesy of the DOT

Family-Friendly Festivals in NYC in Summer: June, July, and August

Drums Along the Hudson: A Native American Festival in Inwood Hill Park

Inwood – FREE
Sunday, June 1, 2025
This annual event marks its 21st anniversary as Manhattan’s only open-air pow wow. The all-day event features Native American crafts, storytelling, and traditional food and dance. READ MORE

BRIC: Celebrate Brooklyn in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn – FREE
Various dates June 7 - August 16, 2025
BRIC: Celebrate Brooklyn is a free summer-long outdoor concert and performance series that has been presenting talent from around the world and around the block for more than 40 years. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy! READ MORE

Museum Mile Festival

Upper East Side – FREE
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
NYC's biggest block party returns, bringing art outside (and in) on Fifth Avenue between 82nd Street and 105th Street. A collection of New York City’s finest cultural institutions are open free to the public throughout the evening, with outdoor events along the way. READ MORE

NYC KidsFest in Harlem

Harlem– FREE
Friday-Sunday, June 13-15, 2025
NYC KidsFest brings performances from some of New York City’s most innovative and talented artists into public spaces for all to enjoy. Catch sets by Divi Roxx and Ray de Jesus and enjoy face painting, balloon animals, science fun, and storytelling!   READ MORE

Juneteenth Celebration in Rockefeller Park

Battery Park City– FREE
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Battery Park City Authority's annual Juneteenth Celebration features a jam-packed lineup of free activities, including storytelling, pony rides, music, arts and crafts, and more for the whole family to enjoy. READ MORE

The 22nd Annual Hunts Point Fish Parade and Summer Festival

Hunts Point, the Bronx – FREE
Saturday, June 14, 2025
The annual Hunt’s Point Fish Parade celebrates the neighborhood's heritage. Activities include a children’s art corner, boat rides, bird watching, a day-long basketball tournament, face painting, print-making, tons of great food and activities, live music, and performances. READ MORE

Schomburg Centennial Festival

Harlem – FREE
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Celebrate the Harlem Renaissance and the Schomburg's engagement with authors of African descent and a century championing literacy and intellectual exploration in Harlem during this celebration that unites book lovers, authors, and comic book creators on 135th Street between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevards in Harlem. READ MORE

Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Festival

Lower East Side – FREE
Sunday, June 15, 2025
The Museum at Eldridge Street presents the annual Egg Rolls, Egg Creams, and Empanadas Festival, a joyous celebration of the diverse ethnic communities of the museum's Lower East Side neighborhood. READ MORE

Summer Solstice 2025 at Socrates Sculpture Park

Long Island City, Queens– FREE
Friday, June 20, 2025
Celebrate Summer Solstice at Socrates Sculpture Park with workshops, performances, and music that focuses on reflection and the human connection to the land and nature.  READ MORE

Swedish Midsummer Festival in Rockefeller Park

Tribeca – FREE
Friday, June 20, 2025
Rockefeller Park is the setting for a unique celebration of the summer solstice. Learn traditional Swedish folk dances and join in a lively dance around the midsummer pole. READ MORE

Make Music New York

Citywide – FREE
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Make Music New York puts the beat under city feet as musicians of diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientations, physical capabilities, and skill levels represent New York City’s remarkable creativity and diversity. READ MORE

The Mermaid Parade on Coney Island

Coney Island, Brooklyn – FREE
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Welcome summer with the return of the Mermaid Parade, an eclectic (and historically jam-packed) celebration, featuring revelers decked out in their most outrageous sea-themed costumes.  READ MORE

2025 Independence Day Celebration in Astoria Park

Astoria, Queens– FREE
Thursday, June 26, 2025
The jazz and swing band, Fleur Seule, plays a concert of standards and classic swing, followed by a spectacular fireworks display. READ MORE

RockStock and Barrels Festival 2025

Rockaways, Queens– FREE
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Rockaway rocks with family fun at the 19th annual RockStock and Barrels Festival. Enjoy surf contests, shop local arts and crafts vendors, catch skateboard demos, and listen to live music.  READ MORE

16th Annual Polish Festival at Snug Harbor

Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Enjoy Polish culture, music, food, face painting and bounce houses! “Taste of Poland” traditional cuisine is served throughout the day, including kielbasa, pierogi, golabki (stuffed cabbage), and baked goods.  READ MORE

PrideFest Festival

Noho – FREE
Sunday, June 29, 2025
The annual PrideFest street fair features live music, artists, craft vendors, food trucks, performers, and more. Family Fest activities take over the streets around Astor Place. READ MORE

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks

Lower East Side Waterfront– FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
The 49th annual Macy's 4th of July fireworks are set to sparkle over the East River once again. The dazzling display features thousands of shells bursting forth, synced to an original, curated musical score. READ MORE

4th of July Fireworks on Coney Island

Coney Island, Brooklyn– FREE
Friday, July 4, 2025
Coney Island's iconic 4th of July fireworks return for 2025! Bring the family, a blanket, and a picnic to watch the fireworks dazzle over the Atlantic. READ MORE

Annual Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg

Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Wednesday, July 9 - Sunday, July 20, 2025
The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and San Paolino di Nola is one of the oldest Italian American feasts in America. Celebrate with the congregation of OLMC church during this blocks-long carnival. The celebration dates back to 1903, when the Nolani immigrants first held their transplanted feast, maintaining many of the traditions from the Mezzogiorno. READ MORE

West Side Fest

West Side of Manhattan– FREE
Friday-Sunday, July 11-13, 2025
Go west, young families, for a weekend celebration of all the west side offers. Three days of festivities include free admission, crafts for kids and families, artmaking activities for all ages, performances, special indoor and outdoor programming, and much more. READ MORE

NYC Math Festival in Fosun Plaza

Financial District – FREE
Saturday, July 12, 2025
MoMath presents the annual NYC Math Festival, providing a full day of math fun in the sun for all ages. Enjoy hands-on math exhibits, entertaining mathematical games, and intriguing puzzles and brainteasers.  READ MORE

City of Water Day at the Seaport

Multiple Locations – FREE
Saturday, July 12, 2025
City of Water Day celebrates NYC's long history as a port and water-bound metropolis. Festivities include boat tours on all kinds of vessels, from tall ships to tugboats, plus free rowing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and more. READ MORE

Goatham Festival in Riverside Park

Upper Manhattan– FREE
Saturday, July 12, 2025
The Riverside goats are making a pit stop on the way to their summer home. Enjoy live music, refreshments and treats from local vendors, explore new Goatham merchandise, engage in educational activities for all ages, and meet the goats. Don't miss the first professional eating competition: The Great Goat Graze-off! READ MORE

New York City Poetry Festival on Governors Island

Governors Island – FREE
Saturday & Sunday, July 12 & 13, 2025
The New York City Poetry Festival unites the vast and diverse New York City poetry community on Governors Island. The festival invites poetry organizations and collectives of all shapes and sizes to bring their unique formats, aesthetics, and personalities to the festival grounds. READ MORE

Bastille Day on Madison Avenue

Midtown East – FREE
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Celebrate France’s national holiday at this annual street fair on Madison Avenue! Featuring French cuisine, music, dance, and myriad attractions for the whole family, FIAF's fête populaire invites New Yorkers to revel in the flavors, sounds, and joie de vivre of France. READ MORE

Harlem Meer Performance Festival

Central Park – FREE
Sundays, July 13-August 17, 2025
Each summer, the Harlem Meet Performance Festival brings the best local talent to Central Park and delights thousands of attendees with its celebratory atmosphere. Enjoy sweeping views of the Harlem Meer and a variety of performances, featuring multicultural and family-friendly music, dance, and entertainment for all ages. READ MORE

Waterfront Festival on Randall's Island

Randall's Island– FREE
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Celebrate summer with water-themed everything, including games, crafts, snacks, face paint, and live performances, set against the confluence of the Harlem and East Rivers and the city skyline. READ MORE

Thunderbird American Indian Mid-Summer Powwow at Queens County Farm Museum

Floral Park, Queens
Friday-Sunday, July 25-27, 2025
New York City's oldest and largest powwow features three days of intertribal Native American dance competitions, and the public is invited. More than 40 Indian nations are represented at this spectacular event held in the apple orchard on the farm grounds. READ MORE

BAAND Together Dance Fest at Lincoln Center

Midtown West – FREE
Tuesday-Saturday, July 29-August 2, 2025
See five of NYC’s most iconic dance companies—Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem—as the BAAND Together Dance Festival returns to the Koch Theatre.    READ MORE

Summer Streets

Citywide – FREE
Saturdays, August 2-23, 2025
New York's favorite car-free street festival returns as Summer Streets opens miles of NYC streets for people to play, run, walk, and bike across multiple weeks and in all five boroughs. READ MORE

Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island

Governors Island
Saturday & Sunday, August 9 & 10, 2025
Don your best period garb and hop the ferry to Governors Island for its annual Jazz Age Lawn Party. The festival is the world’s original and largest prohibition-era-inspired gathering. READ MORE

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Flushing, Queens – FREE
Saturday & Sunday, August 9 & 10, 2025
This annual sporting and multicultural event is held to celebrate the fifth moon (or the fifth month) of the lunar calendar. In addition to providing audiences with traditional Chinese foods and performances, the festival hosts dragon boat teams from across North America. READ MORE

44th Annual Battery Dance Festival in Battery Park

Battery Park – FREE
Tuesday, August 12-Saturday, August 16, 2025
The Battery Dance Festival presents free evening performances, featuring top-tier dancers from the US and around the globe, including debuts and premieres. READ MORE

Hudson River Park's Blues Barbecue at Pier 76

Midtown West
Saturday, August 16, 2025
The 25th annual Hudson River Park Blues Barbecue Festival returns to Pier 76 for a day filled with smoky goodness and great music. Pit powerhouses like Bark BBQ, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Jase’s BBQ, Kimchi Smoke, and Tikkun BBQ fire up their smokers while you take in live blues and roots performances. READ MORE

33rd Annual Coney Island Sand Sculpting Contest

Coney Island, Brooklyn – FREE
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Hundreds of sand sculptors descend on Coney Island annually to create amazing works of art using all-natural elements at the beach.  READ MORE

One Crown Heights Neighborhood Festival

Crown Heights, Brooklyn– FREE
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Celebrate diversity and unity in the community through local eats, live music, dance, double dutch, and performances at the ninth annual One Crown Heights fest.   READ MORE

Arthur Ashe Kids' Day at the US Open

Flushing, Queens – FREE
Saturday, August 23, 2025
The 27th edition of this great day of family fun traditionally offers interactive games, face painting, balloon artists, prizes, music, special guests, and more. Kids can step onto the US Open courts, just like the pros, with tennis activities for all ages and abilities.  READ MORE

16th Annual NYC Unicycle Festival

Manhattan and Brooklyn – FREE
Thursday, August 28-Sunday, August 31, 2025
The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus rolls out its annual NYC Unicycle Festival across New York City, bringing together recreational riders, world-class performers, mountain and off-road unicycle enthusiasts, and mono-wheel vehicle inventors.  READ MORE

Richmond County Fair

Richmond, Staten Island
Saturday, August 30-Monday, September 1, 2025
An old-fashioned county fair in New York City, the 42-year-old Staten Island tradition features family fun and entertainment for all ages, including circus performers, crafts and rides for the kids, live music, plenty of eats, and contests. READ MORE

FlyNYC 2025 in Riverside Park

Upper West Side– FREE
2025 dates TBD
Music and kites fill the air at this festival for all ages! Kite kits are provided free for children (while supplies last), or bring your own favorite kite from home. READ MORE

Beam Center’s Inventgenuity Festival

Governors Island – FREE
Mid-August
2025 dates TBD
Beam Center's Inventgenuity Festival is back on Governors Island with a wide array of creative activities and a celebration of its latest youth-built public artwork. READ MORE

International Puppet Fringe Festival NYC

Lower East Side
August
2025 dates TBD
The International Puppet Fringe Festival boasts more than 30 performances from acclaimed puppet troupes hailing from across the globe, artist symposiums, puppet cabaret, kids and family days, and much more. The 2023 Puppet Fringe Festival theme is “Halloween in August,” featuring spooky and silly puppets that celebrate this beloved holiday. READ MORE
You never know what you'll find at the Queens County Fair. Photo courtesy of the Queens County Farm Museum
You never know what you'll find at the Queens County Fair. Photo courtesy of the Queens County Farm Museum

Family-Friendly Festivals in NYC in Fall: September, October, and November

Corn Fest at the Queens County Farm Museum

Floral Park, Queens
Saturday, September 6, 2025
The Queens County Farm Museum hosts Corn Fest to celebrate the grand opening of the 2025 Amazing Maize Maze. The event is jam-packed with a-maize-ing activities, games, and food.  READ MORE

West Side County Fair

Upper West Side
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Rescheduled due to last weekend's rainy weather, Summer on the Hudson's biggest event of the season—the West Side County Fair—brings with it a full afternoon of county fair magic in Manhattan. READ MORE

Ferragosto 2025 in the Bronx

Belmont, Bronx
Sunday, September 7, 2025
The Belmont section of the Bronx hosts the annual Ferragosto festival in the original Little Italy: Arthur Avenue and East 187th Street. READ MORE

99th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy

Little Italy
Thursday, September 11 - Sunday, September 21, 2025
The Feast of San Gennaro honors Italian Americans in professional baseball this year with its blocks-long street festival dubbed the "Feast of all Feasts!" Enjoy food, entertainment, and vendors along Mulberry Street from Houston to Canal.  READ MORE

Morningside Lights at Columbia University

Morningside Heights
Saturday, September 13 and Saturday, September 20, 2025
Morningside Lights returns for its 14th year, illuminating the night in a procession of awe-inspiring handmade lanterns floating through Morningside Park to Columbia's campus. READ MORE

Brooklyn Book Festival

Downtown Brooklyn – FREE
Sunday-Monday, September 14-22, 2025
Dive into some great books at the 2025 Brooklyn Book Festival. Kid-friendly programming abounds during Children's Day on Saturday, September 20. READ MORE

Battery Park City Block Party

Battery Park City– FREE
Saturday, September 20, 2025
The beloved neighborhood tradition returns to Battery Park City, with children’s games and family activities, live musical performances, local business and restaurant vendors, contests, prizes, and much more! READ MORE

Little Red Lighthouse Festival

Washington Heights – FREE
Saturday, October 4, 2025
Celebrate Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse with Urban Park Ranger presentations, readings of The Little Red Lighthouse and The Great Gray Bridge children’s book, live music, and activities for all ages. READ MORE

50th Annual Atlantic Antic: Playtopia

Downtown Brooklyn – FREE
Sunday, October 5, 2025
NYC's largest street fest, the Atlantic Antic fills Brooklyn’s Atlantic Avenue with food and craft vendors, family fun, and amazing performances. A highlight for families is Mommy Poppins and Brooklyn Bridge Parents' Playtopia @ Atlantic Antic, powered by Prospect Schools, a block-long family fun zone stuffed to the brim with STEM activities, balloon twisting, freebies, arts & crafts, interactive games, circus activities, and more for kids of all ages. READ MORE

Diwali at Times Square

Midtown West – FREE
Saturday, October 12, 2025
Billed as "the largest Indian Festival outside India," Diwali at Times Square features cultural performances, folk dances, concerts, Indian food, Indian clothing and jewels, Henna/Mehandi artists, balloon figures, and face painting plus free gifts and raffle drawings.   READ MORE

Open House New York

Citywide – FREE
Friday, October 17-Sunday, October 19, 2025
Open House New York is an annual festival that unlocks 300 destinations across the five boroughs for behind-the-scenes tours and special activities. Look at new buildings transforming the skyline, step inside infrastructure facilities keeping the city running, explore parks offering respite, discover state-of-the-art performance spaces, visit manufacturing workshops, browse private collections, and much more. READ MORE

Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival

Dumbo – FREE
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Celebrate the fall season at the 14th annual harvest festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. A fun procession kicks off the event, which includes arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more—plus BBP's signature pumpkin patch. READ MORE

Brooklyn Folk Festival 2025

Gowanus, Brooklyn
Friday, November 7 - Sunday, November 9, 2025
The Fabulous Jalopy Theatre and School of Music present the 15th annual Brooklyn Folk Festival. The festival features great events for the whole family, including a banjo throwing contest at the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse, a concert by Hopalong Andrew (Sunday at 2pm), jam sessions, and workshops. READ MORE

Hearth & Harvest Festival in Historic Richmond Town

Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Celebrate Native American culture and traditional 19th-century harvest activities through food, dance, storytelling, and crafts during this special program at Historic Richmond Town. READ MORE

Annual Bus Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Heights – FREE
2025 dates TBD
The New York Transit Museum invites visitors aboard some of its beloved vintage vehicles at this annual fest. Explore buses from the vintage fleet representing more than 80 years of New York City surface transit history.  READ MORE

China Institute Mid-Autumn Family Festival

Financial District
2025 date TBD
Celebrate the fall harvest by participating in unique mid-autumn festivities, flavors, and activities for the entire family. Discover shadow puppetry, mooncakes, traditional Han garments, sugar paintings, and much more. READ MORE

Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival

Downtown Brooklyn – FREE
2025 dates TBD
The Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival is an annual celebration of the neighborhood's cultural community and the artists, writers, and performers who inspire the borough’s creative spirit. READ MORE

Curtain Up Broadway Festival Celebration

Midtown West – FREE
September 2025 dates TBD
Curtain Up Broadway Festival brings Broadway to the streets in the heart of New York City: Times Square. Stretching between 45th and 47th Streets, the festival includes interactive events and performances that are all live, free, and open to the public. READ MORE

Sugar Hill's Storytelling Festival

Harlem
Mid-September 2025 dates TBD
The Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling hosts its fourth storytelling fest, inviting the city's best storytellers to explore the myths, folktales, tall tales, traditional and bilingual stories, and personal narratives that bind us. READ MORE

Sunnyside Gardens Park Annual Oktoberfest

Sunnyside, Queens
October 2025 dates TBD
Sunnyside Gardens Park transforms its picnic grove into an authentic biergarten with German-style beer, traditional German food, and live music and entertainment for the whole family. READ MORE

Blessing of the Animals at St. John the Divine

Morningside Heights – FREE
October 2025 date TBD
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine welcomes families for a day of music, prayer, joy, blessings, and fun in honor of Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment. READ MORE

Red Hook Harvest Festival

Red Hook, Brooklyn – FREE
2025 date TBD
Join the Red Hook Community Farm for the annual Red Hook Harvest Festival, a celebration of urban farming, youth empowerment, community connections, and a bountiful fall harvest. READ MORE

The Met Fall Festival 2024

Upper East Side
2025 date TBD
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's people-powered block party includes live music, energizing performances, and artist-led experiences for all ages. Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon of cultural adventures all celebrating the creative spirit of New York City. READ MORE

18th Annual Brooklyn Children’s Book Fair at the Brooklyn Museum

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn – FREE
2025 dates TBD
The annual Brooklyn Children's Book Fair brings together 40 Brooklyn authors and illustrators to share their latest books. Throughout the day, children and their companions can attend readings and presentations, learn about the creative process, get books signed, and have fun drawing and coloring. READ MORE

Halloween Harvest Festival 2025 in Socrates Sculpture Park

Long Island City, Queens – FREE
October 2025 date TBD
The Halloween Harvest Festival returns to Socrates Sculpture Park, bringing with it family-friendly workshops, a community resource fair, and New York’s second-largest dog costume contest, co-presented with Chateau le Woof. Celebrate the autumn season with pumpkin decorating and creative workshops.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Various locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn
Governors Island
Various Locations
Multiple locations around NYC
Various locations
Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens
Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk
Multiple locations in Manhattan
Pier 17, South Street Seaport
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Hudson River Park - Pier 76
Multiple locations around NYC
Riverside Park South - Pier I
Miller Theater at Columbia University
Little Red Lighthouse (in Fort Washington Park)
Citywide and online
Emily Warren Roebling Plaza
Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
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