For those of you staying in Westchester for Memorial Day weekend, there's no shortage of events worth attending, both here and in the Hudson Valley.

Many towns and villages throughout the county celebrate the occasion with parades and ceremonies. Standouts include the Memorial Day Races & Fair, with fun festivities rounding out the occasion.

The three-day weekend is also a great time for animal encounters, with the Memorial Day Dog Parade & Show leading the pack. A couple of the many seasonal festivals we previously told you about also take place this weekend, and there’s a performance by the The Zerbini Family Circus.

And, while all of the above are annual affairs, this Saturday is the only chance we’ll have to celebrate Playland's 90th Birthday, and loads of perks are planned for the occasion. While there, head next door (or to Croton or New Rochelle), when Westchester beaches open for the season.

So let everyone else deal with the traffic and hassle of heading out of town; there’s plenty to do right here at home! Read on to see all of our top weekend picks, and consult our Event Calendar for even more options.

This weekend is all about you, Westchester and Hudson Valley moms! We know how hard you work, how many balls you juggle, how many diapers you’ve changed, and we want to help you savor the moment when your family puts on their best manners and honors the lady who holds it all together. The tried-and-true Mother’s Day brunch is a popular way to celebrate, but we've also rounded up 35 ways to spend Mother’s Day that don’t involve a restaurant reservation. 

For live entertainment, kick up your heels with Laurie Berkner, or wag your tail with The Stunt Dog Experience. Looking for free events? More performances await at the 10th Anniversary of the Science Barge, where there will also be games, kites, giant puppets, robotics, and more; the White Plains Comic Fest will offer workshops, crafting, special appearances, and other comic-y attractions; and the Albany Tulip Festival will showcase more than just loads of beautiful blooms, but also Dutch traditions and festival-type fun. There are also carnival rides at the Hudson Valley Fair and at the season-opener of Rye Playland!

Looking for more ideas? Read on for all our top picks, head to our Event Calendar for additional options, and plan the rest of the month with our May GoList. For more seasonal activities, be sure to check out our Spring Activity Guide. Then, after polishing off your breakfast in bed, get out and enjoy all the fun ways you can spend this special weekend with your family.

From all the parents at Mommy Poppins: Have a very happy Mother’s Day—we know you deserve it!

The annual carnival presented by the Immaculate Conception School in Tuckahoe—known colloquially as "the ICS Carnival"—is one of two must-do carnivals in Lower Westchester (the other being the annual Lake Isle carnival). The large-scale scope of the event makes it destination-worthy for families with kids of all ages.

An annual tradition for more than 20 years, I’ve been taking my kids for nearly a decade, and I expect to continue to do so till they go off to college (maybe even beyond).

Read on for our first-hand account of this fun-filled annual tradition, and check our Event Calendar for other fun happenings!