When Broadway’s dark, the waterfront is alive! Mondays in July and early August, stop by Hudson River Park’s Clinton Cove to see the greats perform. Read More

Carl Schurz's all-too-brief foray into outdoor evening films includes two family-friendly favorites this summer. Read More

Catch some of your all-time favorites on Wednesdays at the Center Green. Bring the family, a blanket or chair, and enjoy. Movies start at dusk, but come early to enjoy periodical entertainment.  Read More

Catch a family-friendly outdoor screening, with a cool breeze off the river. Read More

The 51st annual Harlem Week returns with live and virtual experiences celebrating the people, arts, culture, entertainment, and history of Harlem, centered around the theme, “Black Constellation: Mapping Our Joy, Dreams, and Liberation." Read More

Concerts at the Gantries provide free outdoor summer entertainment featuring Queens-based musicians of diverse backgrounds, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the borough through different genres of music.  Read More

Bring a blanket and a picnic and settle back for a jazzy evening under the stars. Read More

Catch a family-friendly outdoor screening, with a gorgeous view of Manhattan and a cool breeze off the river. Read More

Domino Square transforms into an outdoor movie theater, with double features of movies set in NYC. The 4pm showings feature family-friendly movies and activities, presented by A Rosie Day. The 7pm showings explore NYC from the 1980s to the 2010s, presented by Nitehawk Cinema, with DJ sets that take you back in time. Read More

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

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

The Hudson Classical Theater Company presents The Lady from the Sea, adapted from a play by Henrik Ibsen. Read More

Settle in for a movie night on the pier! Bring a blanket and a picnic and watch family-friendly flicks with the Hudson River as a backdrop. Seating opens at 6:30pm. The movies start after sunset, around 8:30pm. Read More

Hip to Hip Theatre Co. presents its 18th season of free Shakespeare in the parks, alternating between romance/magic—The Tempest—and tragedy—Hamlet. Read More

Drop in a line with the Hudson River Park River Project team and go catch-and-release fishing at the water’s edge. All the necessary equipment and instruction is provided. Read More

Hip to Hip Theatre Co. presents its 18th season of free Shakespeare in the parks, alternating between romance/magic—The Tempest—and tragedy—Hamlet. Read More

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

FAO Schwarz celebrates the 10th anniversary of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir with interactive in-store activities, bespoke window displays, and more.   Read More

Adults and kids ages 5+ learn catch and release fishing while engaging with Park educators about river ecology. Rods, reels, and instruction are provided.  Read More

Snuggle up under the stars for an evening of nostalgic classic cinema and feel-good fan favorites for all ages on Wednesdays in Prospect Park. Showtimes are at sunset; bring a blanket and a picnic. Read More

The Hippo Playground Summer Concert Series provides free kid-friendly jam sessions on select Wednesdays in July and August. Bring a blanket and some snacks! Read More

Free public kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge Park is offered throughout the summer on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Presented in partnership with Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse. Read More

Brooklyn Bridge Park brings back Movies with a View for its 25th season. Bring a blanket and a picnic. Sweet treats, savory snacks, and drinks, including beer and wine, are available for purchase. Read More

Explore the Bronx River with free community rowing, sailing, and birding excursions.   Read More

The Marriott Marquis is hosting Monday Movie Nights, featuring free screenings of family-friendly films on the giant lobby LED screen. Read More

Seaport Cinema screens family-friendly films on the rooftop, featuring themed food, cocktails (for adults), and surprises throughout the season. Read More

Picnic Performances are the perfect way to spend a summer evening, with 25 live and in-person music, dance, and theatrical shows. Bring a blanket and a picnic (of course). Read More

Theater for the New City's award-winning Street Theater Company presents Home Sweet Home, or A Life in New York, a rip-roaring original musical that tells a story of a young orphan, born in America but longing to understand his roots, as deportations shake the lives of his immigrant friends.    Read More

Revel in the midsummer madness as twins Sebastian and Viola survive shipwreck, revenge plots, and the trick doors of love. After a 1-year hiatus, The Public Theater's run returns to the newly renovated Delacorte Theater.   Read More

The City Parks Foundation's SummerStage returns in 2025 with tons of free performances in Central Park, and a few more costly shows as well. Read More

Discover the East River’s amazing biodiversity as Brooklyn Bridge Park trained staff use a seine net to humanely catch-and-release organisms, including fish, jellyfish, crabs, and more! Read More

Step into a small jewel box of a greenhouse that's filled with a tangled garden of life-sized flowers, each illuminated by programmed LED lights during this public art pop-up. Read More

Bryant Park's charming carousel serves as the backdrop for a mix of kid-friendly entertainment. Discover scientific marvels, be awed by trickery in magic shows, and see puppet shows and storytimes, too.  Read More

Gaze at the stars, planets, and moon through the high-powered telescopes of the Amateur Astronomers Association, and chat with the experts about the sights you see. Read More

The ShowBox Theater, located in the beautiful Battery Park Playscape, hosts a full season of music, dance, puppetry, and more with special free performances on Sunday afternoons. Read More

Toddlers and their caregivers are invited to enjoy interactive music-making, storytelling, and more entertainment at these weekly sessions in Teardrop Park. Read More

Hollywood epics illuminate a 30-foot inflatable screen, with Midtown Manhattan twinkling in the background.   Read More

ArtsConnection hosts a FREE movie and pizza night for teens. Every month is a new theme and movie menu to vote on.   Read More

Kids discover how animals build their homes to stay safe, raise families, and survive in the wild, then imagine what happens when animal architects move to the city! Kids pick an animal and create a paper habitat in an urban setting—like a rooftop nest or a spider web stretched between lampposts. Read More

Shakespeare Sports Theatre Company, a classically based arts and education organization, presents William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, a merry dance of mistaken identity, wacky characters, wild staging, and love—romantic and brotherly. Read More

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

The Drilling Company's 30th annual production is an adaptation of Shakespeare's most kid-friendly play, recasting Athens as the city's bureaucracy facing encroaching gentrification, the Woods as the Lower East Side's wild nightlife, the Fairies as the area's street spirits, punks and night workers, and the Rude Mechanicals (Bottom and friends) as a troupe of New York City artists who have day labor jobs between artist gigs. Read More

Following renovations, and with new operators in place, Prospect Park's LeFrak Center reopens for rollerskating, boating, and—for the first time—pickleball! Read More

Gather 'round Hans Christian Andersen's statue at the Conservatory Pond in Central Park to hear his tales—and other classic folk stories—told by a fine ensemble of storytellers. Read More

On select days throughout the year, all national parks in the United States are open to the public with no admission fee.  Read More

Classic films under the stars on the big screen are back in Bryant Park, and this summer, the series celebrates its 32nd anniversary. Bring a blanket and sit on the lawn to enjoy great food, friends, and entertainment.  Read More

The 19th precinct hosts an annual National Night Out celebration that includes delicious food, music, raffle prizes, and plenty of fun activities. Meet leaders and personnel from your local precinct and engage with neighbors, community members, and local businesses.  Read More

Bring a blanket and a picnic, and enjoy classical music under the stars on select Tuesday evenings at the Naumberg Band Shell. Read More

Young Dancemakers Company (YDC), a unique tuition-free dance ensemble of NYC public high school students, celebrates its landmark 30th season this summer with a spirited series of original works created and performed by the teens themselves.  Read More

Martha Diaz, executive director of the Hip-Hop Education Center, presents a hip-hop-themed storytime led by Easy AD from the hip-hop group Cold Crush Brothers. Easy AD reads a children’s book from the I Am Hip Hop series, which illustrates hip-hop culture. Read More

This hip-hop concert for families features an interactive, toe-tapping, get-out-of-your-seat good time with Lady B and her Bunnies of Lavender Blues!   Read More

Head to The Amph for a live performance of Terrestrials, an all-ages show exploring the strangeness that exists right here on Earth. Enjoy storytelling and inquiry with Lulu Miller. Audience participation encouraged! Read More

Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn sets up a big screen on the Coney Island Beach. Showtimes are at sunset; bring a blanket and a picnic. Read More

The National Double Dutch League (NDDL) presents an electrifying event that celebrates the history and cutting edge of Double Dutch! Cheer along and be amazed by dazzling Double Dutch Fusion Freestyle routines from championship teams.  Read More

The Fort Greene Conservancy hosts special screenings on Myrtle Lawn. Showtimes are at sunset; bring a blanket and a picnic. Read More

Mathematician Vanessa Landgraf presents an engaging night of clever creation, discovering fundamental concepts of symmetry, tensegrity, geometry, and even algebraic surfaces along the way. Read More

Bring your picnic blankets, lawn chairs, and loved ones for an unforgettable summer experience. Read More

Conservancy staff and special guests lead arts and crafts, storytelling, and nature-focused workshops for kids.  Read More

Don’t let the soaring summer temperatures discourage you from enjoying the outdoors. Cool off by splashing around in Asphalt Green’s high-powered sprinklers and slip and slides. Read More

The first fully women-led music festival in Latin America returns to Summer for the City for the second year in a row, with individual live concert sets from an internationally sourced, all-women lineup of pan-Latin powerhouses. Read More

Teatro SEA’s annual festival of Latin American arts and culture brings together a lineup of Latiné children’s artists for a day of free family celebration. This year’s festival theme is “Latiné Children’s Music Day,” highlighting the importance of Latiné music created by and for children.  Read More

Henry Street Settlement hosts a fun afternoon complete with free roller skate rentals, a live DJ, art making, and more.  Read More

Knights in full armor battle on the grass in Central Park behind The Met. Bring a blanket and a picnic.  Read More

Brooklyn Rider and Mexican-born jazz singer Magos Herrera take audiences of all ages on a multi-sensory, participatory journey inside the world of a string quartet, with music that celebrates the Latin American songbook. Read More

Resident Artists from Hudson Classical Theater Company in the disciplines of acting, voice production, and stage combat lead a vigorous workout/training for teens. Read More

Sing along, listen, and build community with Climate Sing–First Tracks. Eisa Davis and Sxip Shirey premiere two brand-new songs celebrating planet Earth in Brooklyn Bridge Park as a teaser for a larger Climate Sing celebration in 2026.   Read More

The Queensboro Dance Festival (QDF) returns to Socrates with performances by a diverse line-up of Queens dance companies. Come early or stay after for family-friendly dance classes that teach dances from various Queens cultures. Read More

The Museum of Arts and Design welcomes makers of all ages for a day of free admission and exhibition-inspired creative projects to spark your inner artist! Cool off with a movie in The Theater at MAD, explore the exhibitions, and create a work of art with MAD’s artist educators or visit the creative play station hosted by Brooklyn-based toy company Clixo.    Read More

Frog and Peach Theatre Company presents the 2025 edition of Tinkerbell Live. Enjoy a unique blend of interactive games, catchy songs, and vibrant storytelling. Read More

The inaugural NoMad Jazz Festival culminates in a free two-day celebration in Madison Square Park, with performances by The Brandee Younger Trio alongside headliners Lizz Wright and Ravi Coltrane. Enjoy dance-worthy sets, tap performances, morning kids’ programming, and pop-up cultural moments. Read More

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

Head over to Socrates Sculpture Park for a pre-show workshop for kids, followed by a free performance of Hamlet. The workshop gives children a chance to interact with the text by previewing the story. Read More

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

Bring your picnic blankets, lawn chairs, and loved ones for an unforgettable summer experience. Read More

Who says Halloween only happens in October? Teens are invited to a haunted takeover of The Paley Museum! This after-hours bash brings the chills of Halloween to the heat of August with everything a horror-lover (and candy-lover!) could want.  Read More

Featuring beloved cinematic selections, these free-to-attend outdoor screenings include pre-screening activities, so arrive early and bring your own blankets and snacks.  Read More

Bring a blanket and a picnic for a screening of Hamilton: An American Musical on the field behind the Old Stone House. Fans are welcome to sing along!  Read More

Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn offers nostalgic classics and feel-good fan favorites for all ages. Showtimes are at sunset; bring a blanket and a picnic. Read More

Fosun teams up with Alamo Drafthouse to present FREE films on the giant 40-foot LED screen on the western side of the plaza, with free popcorn courtesy of Alamo Drafthouse. Read More

QPL Baby hosts a morning of musical exploration and summer celebration featuring performances from Urban Stages, hands-on play activities, face painting with Party Colors, giveaways, and more.  Read More

Hundreds of sand sculptors descend on Coney Island annually to create amazing works of art using all-natural elements at the beach.  Read More

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

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

The 13th annual Aarti Hindu Lamp Ceremony returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pebble Beach. Guests are invited to decorate palm leaf lamps and release them along the East River. Special guest artists are in attendance displaying their works. Read More

Did you know that Central Park and Prospect Park were designed? Explore the story of America’s first and most influential park designer, Frederick Law Olmsted with a reading of Parks for the People by children’s author Elizabeth Partridge. After story time, young park planners design their own ideal public park in celebration of International Day of Friendship!   Read More

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy hosts all-ages summer dance parties in the park.  Read More

Bryant Park’s first circus festival is a love letter to New York City’s groundbreaking circus artists, showcasing soaring aerial performances, acrobatics, clowning, a giant Rolly apparatus, and more! Read More

Mozart for Munchkins puts on free Saturday concerts that focus on a different style of music each week—classical, jazz, bluegrass, and more—performed by first-rate artists who have played the stages of Carnegie Hall, Broadway, Lincoln Center, and other top venues. Read More

Brooklyn Bridge Parents, the Atlantic Terminal Mall, and Brooklyn Org co-host a fun-filled day of crafts, games, and water fun. Enjoy DJ-spun tunes and more kid-friendly fare.  Read More

NYSoM distributes school supplies on a first-come, first-served basis at this back-to-school fest. Stop by and meet Iron Man and Batman, pose for pictures, and take part in various America-themed activities. Read More

Hip-hop institution, Funk Flex, a radio and club mainstay who’s helped break some of New York’s biggest artists and biggest hits, hosts his birthday party on Coney Island with a coterie of throwback R&B artists from the ‘90s. Read More

Soak up the last rays of summer and celebrate the sun with various solar-themed activities.   Read More

VW Grid­lock, the epic vin­tage Volk­swa­gen show, returns to Gov­er­nors Island to showcase vin­tage Volk­swa­gens from across the years, includ­ing icon­ic mod­els like the Bee­tle, Bus, Kar­mann Ghia, and Thing. Find them parked at Pic­nic Point all day for vis­i­tors to enjoy. Read More

Listen to the ancient Japanese tale of Urashima Taro, about a fisherman whose life is forever changed after meeting a magical princess in the form of a turtle. Inspired by this myth, families are invited to imagine themselves as a 10,000-year-old yokai, a mystical being who has witnessed centuries of human experience, then create collagraph prints of woven patterns on Tyvek, merging ancestral memory with tactile expression. Read More

Head over to Socrates Sculpture Park for a pre-show workshop for kids, followed by a free performance of Shakespeare's The Tempest. The workshop gives children a chance to interact with the text by previewing the story. Read More

Henry Street Settlement hosts a fun afternoon complete with free roller skate rentals, a live DJ, art making, and more.  Read More

Brookfield Place celebrates the wonderful world of tennis at its tenth annual Brookfield Place Open, with daily clinics and open-court sessions. Read More

Brooklyn Contra hosts an evening of colonial era and modern folk dances to live music. All dances are taught and appropriate for adults and kids 8 and up, no experience necessary! Read More

Watch a movie on the ship’s flight deck under the stars! Enjoy views of the Hudson River and city skyline while you watch some old and new favorites on the big screen. This year’s films dive deep into the mysteries of the ocean, inspired by the Museum’s newest exhibition, Mysteries From the Deep: Underwater Archaeology. Read More

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

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

Urban Park Rangers demonstrate a sustainable transformation of old paper scraps into a future garden! Learn about the history of papermaking and make your own paper embedded with native seeds. Read More

The Old Stone House & Washington Park partner with the Society of the Cincinnati of Maryland and the Michael A. Rawley American Legion Post to commemorate the Battle of Brooklyn with a reenactment.  Read More

Head off to see the Wizard...he’s giving out school supplies. NYSoM presents a Wizard of Oz-themed giveaway at El Barrio. Read More

Commemorate the Battle of Brooklyn, fought in 1776 on land now a part of Green-Wood Cemetery, during this family-friendly afternoon event, which includes a parade up to Battle Hill. Read More

The Urban Park Rangers invite families to explore the abundance of plants and trees in NYC that can be used for food and medicine. Rangers dive into how these plants could be used if one were to live fully off of the land in their region, lead some fun activities, and discuss how plants have been historically used by the Lenape. Read More

City Parks Foundation is celebrating the 80th anniversary of the world-renowned children’s story Pippi Longstocking, by the legendary Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, with a production that features nearly two dozen, hand-made marionettes crafted by the expert puppeteers.  Read More

This hip-hop concert for families features interactive, toe-tapping, get-out-of-your-seat good time with Lady B and her Bunnies!   Read More

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

Compare the architecture and engineering of the museum's neighbor, the Battery Park City “Green School” and a skyscraper, the Empire State Building, to see how buildings of different sizes can use design to be more energy efficient. Then design a school that shows how architecture can help address climate change!  Read More

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sam Amidon leads a participatory singalong channeling the country’s oldest vocal tradition—200 years old, in fact—as attendees raise their voices in four parts. The public serves as the performers, collectively creating the sound. Read More