Submitted by Susan Miele on
A mainstay of Westchester summers is Rye Playland, whose rides, boardwalk, and other attractions have been drawing people from in and around the county for 91 years. Features have evolved over the decades, and this year brings new entertainment, new discount opportunities, a “floating” art installation, and the first new ride in a decade. Read on for the scoop!
Submitted by Susan Miele on
Below we’ve listed eight of our top picks for family fun in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this weekend, but several particularly stand out.
With the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing on Saturday, it's the perfect time to check out the Hudson River Museum's new Magic Tree House Space Mission Planetarium Show, along with the venue’s other Apollo 11–related attractions planned throughout the day.
The high-caliber Jazz Festival, an annual day-long concert we’ve previously reviewed, will take place Saturday at Caramoor in partnership with the renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center (with appeal for kids, too).
Other standouts are the Dutchess Dragon Boat Race & Festival, the return of the Orange County Fair, and Shakespeare in the Park.
Read on for more details and more picks—and our Event Calendar includes other events you’ll want to review before choosing what to do. Don't forget to consult our July GoList for our favorite events for the rest of the month, and check out our Summer Activity Guide for things to do all summer long, including the best swimming lakes and rivers for Westchester families.
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There's so much to do in Westchester’s Rivertowns, the scenic and charming cities, towns, and villages that line the eastern shore of the Hudson River, from Yonkers to Peekskill.
The best part about the Rivertowns, of course, is their location along the water. This affords them not only scenic views and aquatic activity, but also a rich history from centuries of settlement along its banks.
Below we've rounded up assorted highlights of Westchester's Rivertowns for family fun, including kid-friendly restaurants, cool museums, beautiful parks, historic mansions, and much more. There are also numerous family-friendly events—from festivals to performances—that can be found year-round on our Event Calendar and via our free newsletters.
Submitted by Susan Miele on
Summer fun is in full swing throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley, with several summer festivals and fairs offering plenty of weekend fun. This weekend’s headliners include the all-day Pleasantville Music Festival and the opening weekend of the Orange County Fair. The real attention-grabber is the annual Hudson Valley Balloon Festival, when the sky is painted with dazzling displays of color and whimsy, but there’s a lot more to this event that makes it worth a visit.
Several of our top picks this weekend are FREE, including the Bastille Day Celebration and Food and Farm Day. Want more FREE? Check out our roundup of 50+ FREE summer activities, including outdoor concerts and movies under the stars.
Read on for details and for yet more weekend highlights—then explore our Event Calendar for additional options for fun events throughout the weekend and all summer long. Don't forget to consult our July GoList for our top picks for the rest of the month, and follow us on Facebook!
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STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) is taking off, with public schools adding STEM to their curriculum, and after-school classes and STEAM camps sprouting up throughout Westchester. For those looking to expand their kids’ exposure, we've rounded up STEAM programs throughout Westchester for kids of various ages.
Even if your child isn’t destined to become an engineer or mathematician, STEAM education is increasingly valued by educators for its ability to foster creative approaches to problem-solving and skill-building. Best of all, these enrichment classes emphasize fun, so kids needn’t worry that a class in, say, robotics or coding is just “more school.”
Looking for more ways to emphasize the A in STEAM? Check out our supplemental roundup of Westchester art classes. And find even more kids' classes and enrichment programs in our Classes Guide for Westchester Kids. You can also find free coding for kids websites and apps.
Submitted by Susan Miele on
Summer fun is in full swing for families in Westchester and the Hudson Valley! Our July GoList features all the best events happening in July, including the colorful Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival and a high-end Jazz Festival developed in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center.
The month kicks off with a slew of 4th of July fireworks and also features scads of FREE outdoor concerts and movie screenings, plus various summer festivals.
Notably, July 20 marks the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. Various venues are commemorating the occasion, including Westchester libraries, which are putting their own spin on ways to provide out-of-this-world fun. July also marks Harry Potter’s fictitious birthday, and various Potter birthday celebrations are planned.
Now get your calendars ready and read on for our top picks for July. And there’s plenty more where that came from in our Event Calendar (updated frequently!) and weekly newsletters.
Submitted by Susan Miele on
The weekend after school ends needs to be pure fun, right? So how about taking your kids to not one, but two carnivals: the annual Fireman's Carnival in Mamaroneck, which runs a full week, and the Yorktown Heights Fireman’s Carnival, which runs daily through Sunday.
Sometimes kids need to get really messy (just not in your house!), and International Mud Day piles on the muck with buckets of icky fun; while good, clean fun awaits at the FREE Family Fun Festival in the form of circus performances, raptors, face painting, and more. The RiverBash Music Festival features performances, workshops, and other entertainment in support of environmentalism, also FREE. Want more events that are FREE? We’ve just released our roundup of our 50+ favorite FREE events this summer.
Read on for more ideas for the weekend, and stay with us for daily fun for Westchester kids all summer long! Though our top picks this weekend happen to fall predominantly in the Hudson Valley, there are many Westchester events to choose from on our Event Calendar. Sign up for our newsletters to get recommendations delivered to your inbox, and follow us on Facebook!
Submitted by Susan Miele on
The 4th of July means summer fun, barbecues, and, of course, stunning pyrotechnics. We’ve identified Westchester area Fourth of July fireworks displays over the course of an entire week (the benefit of Independence Day falling on a Wednesday!) along with lots of added attractions—a carnival, a fair, concerts, sports, bouncy houses, a parade, and other perks.
If you’re feeling adventurous, the famous Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular in NYC is best visited strategically, and we have the best spots to watch with your family; there’s also a show-stopping fireworks display that’s less frenetic over the bridge in Jersey City, which also features a full agenda of fun. Try these non-fireworks Fourth of July activities with kids before the show to get everyone into the holiday spirit.
Looking for more seasonal spectacles? Check out our guide to summer festivals and fairs in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.
Be sure to keep tabs on our Event Calendar, and sign up for our newsletters to stay on top of our frequent updates and announcements!
