Looking for the best things to do in New York City this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this weekend.
We wave goodbye to August this weekend and that can only mean one thing: Arthur Ashe Kids' Day takes center stage in Queens. The Battle of Brooklyn gets its annual revival, too, and CarMax hosts a kid-sized mini experience on The High Line.
If you're dusting off backpacks and prepping for the fall semester, don't miss the Back-to-School Party at Atlantic Terminal Mall or the NYSOM school celebration in East Harlem.
We're packing our Family Activity Calendar with tons of autumn fun, and our end-of-summer bucket list beckons with lots of end-of-the-season ideas.
Be sure to click through to each listing for all the details, including recommended ages and times. Check with each venue for COVID guidelines before heading out to any event.
CarMax Mini zooms in to the High Line this weekend. Photo courtesy CarMax
Asphalt Green Movie NightsUpper East Side–FREE
Bring the whole family and spread a blanket on Litwin Field to enjoy an outdoor movie-going experience, featuring Space Jam: A New Legacy (PG). Plus, munch on free popcorn while you watch! read more
Williamsbridge Oval Family DayWilliamsbridge, the Bronx–FREE
Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center hosts an afternoon of free family games, sports, obstacle courses, arts and crafts, popcorn, icees, bounce houses, and more! read more
Arthur Ashe Kids' DayFlushing, Queens–FREE
The 25th edition of this great day of family fun 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
Family Fun Day at St. James ParkFordham Manor, the Bronx–FREE
Head to St. James Park for an afternoon of family games, sports, obstacle courses, cotton candy, family photos, and more read more
Back-to-School Party at Atlantic Terminal MallDowntown Brooklyn–FREE
The Atlantic Terminal Mall and Brooklyn Bridge Parents host a family festival at Atlantic Terminal's outdoor plaza and street space. Stop by for free kid-friendly activities, arts and crafts, games, and more. read more
NYSoM Back-to-School WonderlandEast Harlem–FREE
NYSoM distributes school supplies on a first-come, first-served basis at East Harlem's Target Garden. Kids can visit with Alice in Wonderland characters, including Alice, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter. Play games to earn extra school supplies. read more
Soundwaves: A Musical CelebrationFlushing, Queens
Head to the Lewis H. Latimer House to explore instrumental music through the science of wavelengths, vibration, and sound. Participants learn how to create instruments out of household objects, tour the museum, listen to pieces made by musicians of color and have fun playing a water xylophone. read more
Alma Train Party at Grand Central StationMidtown East–FREE
Celebrate Alma’s Way, the hit PBS KIDS series and the launch of the new digital game, The Alma Train at a special “block party”-like event featuring activities and “stations” from some of the Bronx’s most famous institutes! read more
Movies Under the Stars: Uncharted (PG-13)Sugar Hill–FREE
Street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan in this 2022 action film, shown on a big outdoor screen. read more
Community Celebration - Free admissionCrown Heights, Brooklyn–FREE
The NewYork-Presbyterian Dalio Center for Health Justice hosts a fun-filled family day with live performances, food and drinks, arts and crafts, and an exclusive screening of the Dalio Center's new short film, Community Conversations: Motherhood During a Pandemic. read more
Hip-Hop en Familia!Corona, Queens–FREE
Visit the Lewis Armstrong House Museum to enjoy an instructional, all-ages hip-hop class courtesy of dancer Marley Lubin. read more
The Battle of Brooklyn, A Farce of Two ActsPark Slope, Brooklyn–FREE
Watch a short play written by snarky British loyalists in 1776 to mock the American defeat in the first and largest battle of the War for Independence. Was the revolution a scam? Were the Founding Fathers idiots? The anonymous author of The Battle of Brooklyn, A Farce of Two Acts thought so! read more
Hansel and GretelPark Slope, Brooklyn
The Brothers Grimm's scarytale is brought to life with marionettes and music by Engelbert Humperdinck. read more
CarMax Mini ExperienceHigh Line–FREE
CarMax is building a mini lot and bringing 40K mini cars to The High Line to present an immersive wonderland full of art, test tracks, games, and prizes, with a tiny CarMax store at the center. read more
Family Day: Discover and CreateHighbridge, the Bronx
Head to the Bronx Museum for an afternoon of artmaking, music, and the debut of Abigail DeVille's traveling sculpture, taking the form of a space capsule that records personal stories and unearths forgotten narratives of the Bronx community. read more
Battle of Brooklyn: Revolutionary FaireSunset Park, Brooklyn
Commemorate The Battle of Brooklyn, fought in 1776 on land that is now a part of Green-Wood Cemetery, during this family-friendly afternoon event that includes reenactments, demonstrations, music, storytelling, and hands-on activities. read more
Washington Square Park Folk FestivalGreenwich Village–FREE
The best of local New York and national folk talent, including old-time string bands, blues, jug bands, traditional Mexican and Balkan music, songwriters, New Orleans Jazz, Klezmer music, and more come together for this festival in Washington Square Park. read more
Opera on Tap brings a family-friendly, immersive opera experience to Pier I, with performances, games, and Coney Island-inspired amusements. read more
Pop in the CityMidtown West
Oversized ball pits, live DJs, cutting-edge effects and lighting, and 200 glittering disco balls are just some of the things to expect as you explore this walk, "swim," and slide-through experience. read more
Brookfield Place OpenFinancial District–FREE
Brookfield Place celebrates the wonderful world of tennis at its seventh annual Brookfield Place Open, with daily clinics and open-court sessions. Enjoy a free community day on Saturday, August 27. read more