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Indigenous Peoples Day Weekend in NYC: Harvest Fests, Halloween, and More Things To Do

The Brooklyn Children's Museum and North American Indigenous Center of New York host a two-day celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day. Photo by Winston Williams/courtesy of the museum
The Brooklyn Children's Museum and North American Indigenous Center of New York host a two-day celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day. Photo by Winston Williams/courtesy of the museum
10/8/25 - By Drew Kristofik

It's Indigenous Peoples Day weekend in NYC, and we've found tons of things to do with kids. Here are our top picks for family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this long holiday weekend.

Indigenous Peoples Day falls on Monday, October 13, and families can make corn husk dolls at Wave Hill or head to Randall's Island to celebrate native New Yorkers on Sunday and Monday. The Brooklyn Children's Museum stages a two-day celebration, too. Columbus Day celebrations linger, including the Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. And, if you're ready to flip the page on fall, take note: Rockefeller Center's ice skating rink opens for the season Saturday!

All that, plus the New York Botanical Garden stages a salute to Wicked and the NY Aquarium transforms into Ascarium on Coney Island.

More Things To Do in New York City this Week with Kids

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Best Things To Do in NYC this Weekend with Kids

How to Train Your Dragon in Sol Lain Playground

Lower East Side – FREE
Friday, October 10
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive, yet overlooked, son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition by befriending Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. READ MORE

Raptorama at Salt Marsh Nature Center

Marine Park, Brooklyn – FREE
Saturday, October 11
See live birds of prey up close at the Salt Marsh Nature Center with NYC Bird Alliance, American Littoral Society, and the Marine Park Alliance Forever Wild Committee. READ MORE

Fall Fest Atlantic Terminal Mall Plaza

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn – FREE
Saturday, October 11
Atlantic Terminal Mall and Brooklyn Bridge Parents host a free family-friendly fall festival on Atlantic Terminal’s outdoor plaza and car-free Fort Greene Place with an "urban pumpkin patch" with 1,000 pumpkins waiting to be decorated by the kiddos, along with arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, block building, haunted trucks to enter (if you dare), soccer, costume dance party, face painting and more! READ MORE

Wicked Day at the New York Botanical Garden

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Saturday, October 11
Witches land at NYBG, with live performances by Wicked on Broadway cast members, face painting, hands-on games, Wicked trivia, giveaways, and more. READ MORE

Día de los Muertos Community Day at the Morris Jumel Mansion

Washington Heights – FREE
Saturday, October 11
Celebrate the Latin American tradition of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, by making sugar skull masks, crafting paper marigolds, and creating colorful papel picado. Enjoy music, sweet surprises, and the chance to connect with fellow community members. READ MORE

The Legend of Gideon at the Central Park Carousel

Central Park
Saturday, October 11
Meet Gideon, the carousel horse set free by a wizard's spell, as he gallops off to rescue his best friend with help from a sweet rat, brave pigeons, and a touch of magic.   READ MORE

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink Opening Week

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, October 11
The world's most famous ice rink opens for the season. Grab your ice skates and your reservations, and take a spin on this iconic ice skating rink.  READ MORE

New York Ascarium!

Coney Island, Brooklyn
Opens Saturday, October 11
The New York Aquarium dives into Halloween with marine-themed magic shows, Halloween crafts, a larger-than-life pumpkin display, Wildlife Theater shows, games, and more. READ MORE

Festa D'Italia & Motori D’Italia at Casa Belvedere

Tompkinsville, Staten Island
Saturday, October 11-Sunday, October 12
Celebrate Italian culture at Staten Island's Casa Belvedere with live entertainment, homemade Italian delicacies, games, rides, crafts, all-you-can-eat contests, and a display of exotic cars and motorcycles. READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Weekend at Wave Hill

Riverdale, the Bronx
Saturday, October 11-Monday, October 13
Wave Hill celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day with an indigenous-themed birding walk and corn husk doll workshops. Admission is free on Monday. READ MORE

Community Superheroes Week with FDNY at CMOM

Upper West Side
Saturday, October 11-Friday, October 17
CMOM invites families to focus on fire safety with friends at the FDNY and celebrate the superheros in us and in our community.   READ MORE

Free Second Sunday at the Whitney

West Village – FREE
Sunday, October 12
Admission to the Whitney is free for all visitors all day on the second Sunday of every month. Enjoy art, all-ages artmaking related to art on view, storytimes from The New York Public Library, tours, the Whitney’s restaurants, city views, and more, this month celebrating the Sixties Surreal exhibit. READ MORE

Harvest Festival at Onderdonk House

Ridgewood, Queens
Sunday, October 12
Celebrate autumn at the historic Onderdonk House with crafts, games, and more. Kids enter for free with a ticketed adult. READ MORE

Carl Schurz Park's Annual Harvest Festival

Upper East Side – FREE
Sunday, October 12
Carl Schurz Park's annual harvest fest packs a punch with plenty of festive fall activities for the whole family. Visit the pumpkin patch on the Mayor's Lawn at East End Avenue and East 88th Street to pick your own pumpkin and decorate it. ​ READ MORE

Día de los Muertos at The Met Cloisters

Inwood
Sunday, October 12
Celebrate Día de los Muertos, a day of remembrance honoring loved ones who have passed away, with art making, music, and community storytelling, throughout the grounds and gardens of the beautiful Met Cloisters. READ MORE

Michael & the Rockness Monsters at the Jewish Museum

Upper East Side
Sunday, October 12
During the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, explore the natural world as Michael & the Rockness Monsters take you on a musical journey where you grow like trees, fly like birds, and swim through the oceans of imagination. READ MORE

Diwali at Times Square

Midtown West – FREE
Sunday, October 12
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

Indigenous Peoples Day on Randall's Island

Randall's Island – FREE
Sunday, October 12-Monday, October 13
Head to Randall's Island for a celebration of NYC's indigenous people. This two-day fest includes performances of spoken word, live music, and guest speakers. Food and wares are available for purchase. READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Day at Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Sunday, October 12-Monday, October 13
Native artists share their living traditions at this two-day celebration of Indigenous cultures. Take part in Haudenosaunee social dances, create your own beadwork and pottery, learn traditional mush making, and shop at a Native artisan marketplace.  READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Day in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn – FREE
Monday, October 13
Join the Prospect Park Alliance when school is closed for Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel. READ MORE

Columbus Day Parade

Midtown East – FREE
Monday, October 13
The 81st annual Columbus Day Parade processes up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street—with red carpet performances on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets—including high school bands, professional musicians, folk dance troupes, floats, and more.  READ MORE

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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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