Hit one of the amazing beaches in NYC, by train, ferry, bike, or car. Photo by Sara Marentette
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Best of September: Top Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Morningside Lights returns in full force for the first time since 2019, with hands-on lantern making and a community-wide procession. Photo courtesy of the event
Morningside Lights returns in full force for the first time since 2019, with hands-on lantern making and a community-wide procession. Photo courtesy of the event
8/28/22 - By Drew Kristofik

Labor Day kicks off September's activities, launching New York City's season of apple picking, fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes.

The kids are heading back to school, but there's still plenty of time for fun. The Richmond County Fair, the West Side County Fair, and the Queens County Fair all return with rides, games, and plenty of live music, unicycles are wheeling all over town, and trains are parading through Brooklyn.

All that, and the Met Museum is opening the doors to its new 81st Street Studio, there's a big Rosh Hashanah celebration happening in the Flatirown district, and the Poseidon Parade pairs perfectly with the Submerge Science Fest.

Looking to get away? We've found 30 fall day trips from NYC. We promise to keep your weekends focused on fun with our Family Activity Calendar, and our Fall Fun Guide is ready for the change of seasons, too.

Get our picks for every weekend in your inbox—sign up for our newsletters.

As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses and times. And keep in mind: Really cool things to do with kids often book up quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.

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Enjoy an old-fashioned county fair at the Queens County Farm Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum
Enjoy an old-fashioned county fair at the Queens County Farm Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum

Best Things To Do in NYC in September With Kids

14th Annual NYC Unicycle Festival

Citywide–FREE
Thursday, August 31-Sunday, September 3
The Bindlestiff Family Cirkus rolls out its 14th 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

Playground Adventure

Central Park –FREE
Saturday, September 2 | East 67th Street and Fifth Avenue
Saturday, September 9 | West 67th Street and Central Park West
Saturday, September 23 | Mid-Park between West 61st and West 63rd Street
Get ready for a summer learning expedition for the whole family at Central Park's unique playgrounds. Guides lead adventurers on a journey through the park's thrilling play features and facilitate fun, hands-on activities. READ MORE

Richmond County Fair

Richmond, Staten Island
Saturday, September 2-Monday, September 4
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

On-Site Opera: Song of the Nightingale

Downtown Brooklyn–FREE
Friday, September 8-Saturday, September 9
Catch the world premiere of Song of the Nightingale, commissioned and produced by On-Site Opera and Arts Brookfield. Adapted from Hans Christian Anderson’s The Nightingale, this modern-day fairy tale tells the story of a collector looking to gather up the world’s most beautiful objects. READ MORE

40th Annual Queens County Fair

Glen Oaks, Queens
Friday, September 8-Sunday, September 10
The Queens County Fair is back, and with it, the opening weekend of The Amazing Maize Maze. Step back in time and enjoy pie eating and corn husking contests, hayrides, carnival rides, and midway games. READ MORE

NYC Honey Fest

Rockaway Beach, Queens–FREE
Saturday, September 9
Now in its 12th year, the NYC Honey Fest celebrates the buzzing pollinators that live in NYC. Enjoy art, food, music, film, kids’ arts and crafts, and a bee-product marketplace. READ MORE

The Met Museum's 81st Street Studio Opening

Upper East Side
Saturday, September 9
Explore The Met's new drop-in discovery and place space for kids ages 3-11, their families, and caregivers at an opening festival packed with activities, storytelling, games, and more. READ MORE

Parade of Trains at Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
Saturday, September 9-Sunday, September 10
The Transit Museum’s vintage train cars are headed on a special trip to the end of the line—the BMT Brighton line. Ride the rails in historic style at the Brighton Beach station B/Q platforms. READ MORE

West Side County Fair

Upper West Side
Sunday, September 10
Summer on the Hudson's biggest event of the season—the West Side County Fair—returns, bringing with it a full afternoon of county fair magic in Manhattan. READ MORE

Walt Whitman's Song Of Myself

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn–FREE
Sunday, September 10
Contribute your own barbaric yawp to the 20th-annual marathon of Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself. Organized by the Walt Whitman Initiative and led by Karen Karbiener, this beloved New York institution is back in person—surrounded by spectacular views. READ MORE

BRIC Hip-Hop Block Party

Downtown Brooklyn–FREE
Sunday, September 10
Head to BRIC House for a day of family art-making, musical performances, panel talks, and workshops inspired by the building blocks of hip-hop. READ MORE

Ferragosto 2023

Belmont, the Bronx
Sunday, September 10
The Belmont section of the Bronx hosts the annual Ferragosto festival in the original Little Italy: Arthur Avenue and East 187th Street. READ MORE

Interactive Puppetsburg Show at Brooklyn Greens

Williamsburg
Opens Monday, September 11
Puppetsburg shows feature a different story each week that involves dancing, instruments, dress-up "photo-ops," one-on-one time with handmade puppets, and bubble time. READ MORE

Flatiron Jewish New Year Street Fair

Chelsea
Tuesday, September 12
The Jewish New Year's Street Festival is a pre-holiday celebration for young families in Lower Manhattan. Come by for fun music, Kosher food, activities, and shows to celebrate the new year. READ MORE

The 97th Annual Feast of San Gennaro

Little Italy–FREE
Thursday, September 14-Sunday, September 24
The San Gennaro Festival 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. Actress Kathrine Narducci serves as grand marshall. READ MORE

Poseidon Parade

Rockaways, Queens–FREE
Saturday, September 16
Family-friendly and art-centered, this annual march celebrates self-expression, community, and beauty of the Rockaway shore. READ MORE

Wings, Wands, Fairies, and Dragons

Randall's Island–FREE
Saturday, September 23
Visit the Randall's Island White Garden for this fairy-focused workshop. Make all things fairy: a pair of wings, a wand, a dragon mask, and a fairy house to celebrate these enchanted creatures and the island's beautiful woodland. READ MORE

WeBop Family Jazz Party

Midtown West
Saturday, September 23
Ms. Goussy, Ms. Sofía, and the WeBop Family Jazz Band host a bilingual show celebrating Latin jazz rhythms. Take an imaginary trip to El Barrio (Harlem, New York), discover the clave, and sing WeBop favorites ¡con mucho sabor! READ MORE

Green Thumb Annual Harvest Fair

Lower East Side–FREE
Saturday, September 23
GreenThumb's annual celebration honors thousands of community gardeners and greening professionals across New York City for their work during the season and gives them the opportunity to show off their harvests. READ MORE

NYSoM SuperHero Festival 2023

Ridgewood, Queens–FREE
Saturday, September 23
NYSoM Fall Blockbuster presents its sixth annual Superhero Festival. The festival features a SuperHero Carnival inside Evergreen Park, character-themed games for prizes, classic arcade games, and meet-and-greets with superheros. READ MORE

Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, September 23
Mark Morris Dance Group presents a special outdoor performance and an all-ages family-friendly workshop.  READ MORE

Second Annual Rockaway Dog Parade

Rockaways, Queens–FREE
Sunday, September 24
Dogs (and their owners) compete for prizes and titles that include best dressed, funniest, and best matching in Rockaway's second annual Dog Parade. Cheer your faves on the Boardwalk from Beach 108 to Beach 95th. READ MORE

Morningside Lights: The Open Book

Morningside Heights–FREE
Saturday, September 23-Saturday, September 30
Morningside Lights returns for its 12th year, illuminating the night in a procession of awe-inspiring handmade lanterns floating through Morningside Park to Columbia's campus. This year, each of the 50+ community-built lanterns pays tribute to a book that inspires, enlightens, and shapes how we see the world. READ MORE

Pumpkin Nights at the Bronx Zoo

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Thursday, September 28-Sunday, October 29
Pumpkin Nights at the Bronx Zoo sparkle with more than 5,000 carved, animal-themed pumpkins over a half-mile jack-o’-lantern trail. The evening includes live pumpkin carving demonstrations, games, festive fall treats and food trucks, and fun for all ages.  READ MORE

Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival

Downtown Brooklyn–FREE
Friday, September 29-Saturday, September 30
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

Submerge: NYC Marine Science Festival

Midtown West–FREE
Friday, September 29-Saturday, September 30
The Hudson River Park presents Submerge—a free, two-day science extravaganza devoted to raising awareness about our coastal waters.  READ MORE

Cirque-tacular and DCA Productions Present Art of Circus

Tribeca
Saturday, September 30
Inspired by the world’s greatest visual art masterpieces and by the artists who created them, Art of Circus features dazzling circus performers, dancers, acrobats, and an original score by award-winning composer, Jesse Elder. READ MORE

All-New Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Saturday, September 30
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks – Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, Boneshaker, Bigfoo®, and more, plus the all-new Gunkster – light up the floor in outrageous monster trucks competitions and battles. Event performances also feature a dazzling dance party, spectacular laser light shows, and Hot Wheels toy giveaways. READ MORE

Brooklyn Book Festival

Downtown Brooklyn–FREE
Saturday, September 30-Monday, October 2
The 2023 Brooklyn Book Festival celebrates its 18th anniversary of presenting free literary programming. This year's fest includes events both in-person and virtual. Kid-friendly programming abounds during Children's Day on Saturday, September 30. READ MORE

Sesame Street: The Musical

Midtown West
Various dates through Sunday, October 29
Sesame Street’s very own Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Grover, Rosita, Bert, Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, The Count, Gabrielle, and a host of Honkers, Martians, and other favorites appear onstage in their very own musical. READ MORE

The Eric Carle Story Show

Midtown West
Sundays and Mondays through October 30
Experience the spellbinding stories and colorful characters of author Eric Carle in a whole new way at The Eric Carle Story Show! Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, this all-new, innovative stage production presents some of your favorite Eric Carle stories, brought to life in an intimate storytelling setting by world-class puppeteers and 45 handcrafted, magical puppets. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Multiple locations around NYC
Various Central Park playgrounds
Brighton Beach Station Platform
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk Roller Hockey Rink
Miller Theater at Columbia University