Summer 2013 – All the Best Brooklyn & NYC Have to Offer: Events, Activities, Museum Exhibits, Street Fairs, and Much More!

Few things compare to Summer life in NYC, and with the school year ending and vacation beginning, there will be lots of activities happening to keep the entire family completely occupied. From The Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari to The MoMA’s Rain Room to outdoor fun on Governor’s Island or The Brooklyn Bridge Park, there’s a ton to do! We’ll be updating the list all Summer long so be sure to check back often. You can always visit our events calendar for more fun events and the plan your days.

Here’s to Summer 2013! Let’s make it a great one!

OUTDOOR 

Sundays through July 28th from 10am — 12pm
Bike NY: Learn to Ride Kids at The Brooklyn Bridge Park (BROOKLYN HEIGHTS)
This is a group class for children who are ready to ride a two-wheeler for the first time. Bike New York instructors help parents teach their kids how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bicycle. Please note: registration is required.
Details: Joralemon Street, Brooklyn. All ages welcomed. FREE for all. Visit the website for more information.

Saturdays through August 31st at 3pm
Bargemusic Family Concert at The Brooklyn Bridge Park (FULTON FERRY LANDING)
Walk across the gangplank of a renovated coffee barge into a “wonderfully intimate wood-paneled room with thrilling views of lower Manhattan and excellent acoustics.” Experience why critics call Bargemusic “the perfect chamber-music hall” and why artists say it is “unlike any other place in the world to perform.”
Details: All are welcomed. Visit the website for more information.

Through September 8th from 10:30am — 4:30pm
Dinosaur Safari at The Bronx Zoo (BRONX)
If you’ve got a dinosaur lover on your hands, then this event is a must-do! It’s a guided wagon tour past life-like, animatronic dinosaur species! There will be long-necked Brachiosaurus as well as Tricerotops. There will also be the Tyrannosaurus Rex (of course!) Plus… Accompanying each exhibit is a new theatrical show, Adaptations! Like I said… it’s a must-do!
Details: 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx. All ages welcomed. Cost: $17/general admission; $15/seniors; $12/children ages 3–12; FREE/children under 3; Wednesday from 10am–6pm — pay what you wish. Contact: 718-220-5100. Visit the website for more information.

Through September 29th — Saturdays and Sundays from 11am — 3pm
Free Art Island Outpost at Nolan Park (GOVERNOR’S ISLAND)
The Children’s Museum of the Arts presents artist-led workshops, self-guided art stations, large collaborative projects, puppetry, animation, and performance!
Details: Building 11 and 14, Governor’s Island. Ages 12 and under. FREE for all. Contact: 212.274.0986. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer from 12pm — 4pm
Luna Park (CONEY ISLAND)
Take a thrilling ride on the famous Cyclone or one of the new rides debuting for the 2013 season.
Details: 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn. Ages 3 and up. Cost: Pay-per-ride or POP packages available. Contact: 718.373.LUNA (5862). Visit the website for more information.

All Summer — Weekdays and Weekends from 10am — 8pm
Victorian Gardens Amusement Park at Wollman Rink (CENTRAL PARK)
Manhattan’s only amusement park is opening its door this weekend! Grab your little ones and enjoy the ride. Literally!
Details: 59th St. and 6th Avenue, NYC. All ages welcomed. Cost: $8 entrance fee; $24 unlimited wristband. Contact: (212) 982-2229. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer from 12pm — 5pm
The Prospect Park Carousel (PROSPECT PARK)
It’s a great weekend to ride the carousel! The 101 year-old carousel features 51 carved horses, a lion, a giraffe, a deer, and two dragon-pulled chariots.
Details: Ocean and Flatbush Avenues and Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn. All ages welcomed. Cost: $2 per ride, $9 book of 5 tickets. Contact: (646) 393-9031. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer — Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm — 6pm
Art Shack at Pier 25 (DOWNTOWN NYC)
This event is such a cool way to get kids engrossed in art and painting! They can enjoy the outdoors and views of the Hudson while creating a masterpiece! From the organizers, “Our Art Shack outdoor art program at Pier 25 dates back to 1996, when artist Xavier Rivera approached our founder, Bob Townley, with the idea for a free outdoor art program. If you’ve been around long enough, you may recall the area to the right just inside the Pier 25 entrance with outdoor wooden sculptures and a shipping container that served both as our Art Shack and as a pedestal for a giant iguana sculpted by Bob “Daddy-O” Wade. Xavier persevered through the demolition and rebuilding of Pier 25 with an art space astride the Hudson River Park bike path, and now our Art Shack once again is a permanent fixture of our Pier 25 programming.”
Please note: Event will take place if the weather permits.
Details: 120 Warren Street, NYC. All ages welcomed. FREE for all. Visit the website for more information.

MUSEUM EXHIBITS

Through July 7th from 10:30am — 4:30pm (hourly)
IMAX Flight of the Butterflies at The American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
This is a great way for children (and adults alike!) to learn about the 3,000-mile journey traveled every fall by half a billion Monarch butterflies… at one of NYC’s favorite museums! This migration, which begins in Canada and continues through the United States to Mexico, is the longest and most amazing insect migration on Earth.
Details: Central Park West at 79th Street, NYC. All are welcomed. Cost: $25/adults; $19/students and seniors; $14.50/children ages 2-12. Price includes admission to the museum. Contact: 212-769-5200. Visit the website for more information.

Through July 28th from 10:30am — 5:30pm (Fridays until 8pm)
Rain Room at The MoMA (MIDTOWN)
This is part of PS 1 MoMA’s new, environmentally-focused exhibit, and the kids will LOVE it! A field of falling water that pauses wherever a human body is detected, Rain Room offers visitors the experience of controlling the rain. Known for their distinctive approach to contemporary digital practice, Random International’s experimental projects come alive through audience interaction—and Rain Room is their largest and most ambitious to date. The work invites visitors to explore the roles that science, technology, and human ingenuity can play in stabilizing our environment. Using digital technology, Rain Room creates a carefully choreographed downpour, simultaneously encouraging people to become performers on an unexpected stage and creating an intimate atmosphere of contemplation.
Details: 11 West 53rd Street, NYC. All ages welcomed. FREE with museum admission. Contact: 212.709.9400. Visit the website for more information.

Through August 31st from 10am –8pm
Shipwreck! at Discovery Times Square (TIMES SQUARE)
SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure will capture your imagination and take you on an incredible journey through thousands of years of maritime history. Experience hurricane-force winds, pick up treasure with a robotic arm, and explore the mysteries of the deep. This exhibit features over 500 authentic artifacts, including gold and silver treasures, as well as the incredible science and technology used to work thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface.
Details: 226 West 44th Street, NYC. Ages 5 and up. Cost: $20.50/adults; $15.50/children 4 to 12 years. Contact: 866.987.9692. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer — Weekdays/Weekends from 10am — 5pm
MoMath Exhibitions at the Museum of Mathematics (FLATIRON DISTRICT)
There’s a new museum in town and it’s been getting rave reviews — the Museum of Mathematics! More than 30 exhibitions reveal the wonders of math in this 19,000-square-foot space. Interactive, hands-on, engaging and fun, the exhibitions invite participation, encourage experimentation, and spark curiosity in visitors of all ages and math skills. They bring math concepts to life in ways that amaze, astound enlighten and entertain. Many have surprising outcomes that stimulate visitors to want to understand why.
Details: 11 East 26th Street (between 5th and Madison Avenues), NYC. All are welcomed. Cost: $15/adults; $9/children. Contact: (212) 542-0566. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer — Weekdays/Weekends from 10am — 5pm
The Big Adventure at The Brooklyn Children’s Museum (CROWN HEIGHTS)
Visit the latest exhibit at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum,  Big Adventure, where  kids will be able to choose activity adventures that identify challenges, solve problems, make decisions, set goals, enhance creativity, and help them gain confidence.
Details: 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn. All ages welcomed. FREE with museum admissions. Contact: (718) 735-4400. Visit the website for more information.

Through January 5th — Weekdays/Weekends various times
The Art of The Brick at Discovery Times Square (TIMES SQUARE)
Legos, legos everywhere! This exhibit features the work of Nathan Sawaya and his apparent love of legos. Children will love to see each sculpture, which is made entirely of legos. Swimmers in the water or meticulous skulls, take your pick! The works are imaginative and funny, and the kids will adore it!
Details: 226 West 46th Street, NYC. All ages welcomed. Cost: $14.50–$19.50/children 4 to 12; FREE/children under 4. Contact: 866-987-9692. Visit the website for more information.

Through January 5, 2014 from 10am — 6pm
Whales: Giants of the Deep at The American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Get a load of this! Whales: Giants of the Deep brings you close to some of the most massive mammals on Earth. Featuring life-size models, interactive exhibits, films, as well as over 20 whale skulls and skeletons.
Details: Central Park West at 79th Street, NYC. All ages welcomed. Cost: $25 adults; $14.50 kids age 2-12; $19 seniors/students (General admission plus 1 ticket includes admission to the museum and Rose Center plus 1 special exhibition). Contact: 212-769-5100. Visit the website for more information.

OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVALS

Through July 14th
River to River Festival (NYC)
This festival features more than 150 music, art, dance, theater, and film at over 25 sites throughout New York City. From the Signs of Paradise exhibit to the Come out and Play Field Day and Family Day, this festival is certainly a must-d0. There are so many events though, so be sure to visit the website for more information.
Details: NYC. All ages welcomed. Visit the website for more information.

Through August 8th at 12pn
R&B Festival at MetroTech Commons (FORT GREENE)
The Brooklyn Academy of Music has a lunch time concert that brightens up the afternoon and fills the tree-lined streets of downtown Brooklyn with rhythm and blues and all things fabulous.
Details: All are welcomed. FREE for all. Visit the website for more information.

Through August 10th
Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park Bandshell (PROSPECT PARK)
Although the concert tends to attract adult crowds, kids have a blast there rocking out to live music! The Dance Troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo will be performing excerpts from ballets on June 27th, the Irish band, The Waterboys will be performing on July 19th, and an indie rock concert by They Might Be Giants will take place on August 10th. The kids are in for a musical treat!
Details: Prospect Park, Brooklyn. All are welcomed. Cost: $3/suggested donation. Visit the website for more information.

Through August 29th
SummerStage (CITYWIDE)
Sponsored by the City Parks Foundation, SummerStage includes over 100 performances throughout NYC all Summer long. There are theater performances, music performances, circus acts, and so much more. Simply visit the website and take your pick!
Details: Visit the website for more information.

OUTDOOR MOVIES

Coney Island Flicks on The Beach 
Mondays July 1st — August 19th
From Wreck it Ralph to The Hunger Games to Men in Black III, there are tons of picks for adults and kids alike.
Details: Visit the website for more information.

Williamsburg Summer Movies 
Mondays June 24th — July 29th
Catch flicks like Despicable Me, Up, and Hugo on the big screen.
Details: East River State Park, Kent Avenue and North 8th Street, Brooklyn. Visit the website for more information.

Red Hook Flicks 
Tuesdays July 9th — August 7th
Some films for the entire family are Kung Fu Panda and Akeelah and The Bee. Check out a full schedule of events on their website.
Details: Valentino Pier, Ferris Street between Coffey and Van Dyke Streets, Brooklyn. FREE for all. All are welcomed. Visit the website for more information.

DUMBO Films — Syfy Movies With A View
Thursdays July 11th — August 29th
Before the films, catch some pre-show entertainment with a live DJ! There are movies that are perfect for family night (Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) and then there are flicks that are perfect for couples night. Check out the website to plan your Summer nights.
Details: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, Harbor View Lawn. All are welcomed. FREE for all. Visit the website for more information.

Movies Under The Stars at Habana Outpost
Sundays Through October 27th
With choices like Grease, Hairspray, and lots of other awesome tween picks, this is a great way to enjoy a movie night out. It’s free, but it is encouraged that viewers purchase food and drinks.
Details: 757 Fulton Street between Oxford Street and Portland Avenue, Brooklyn. All are welcomed. FREE for all. Visit the website for more information.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES 

Through September 15th 2013: various times
Gazillion Bubble Show at New World Stages Theater (MIDTOWN)
You’ve seen how your kids react to bubbles. Now, imagine how they would react to seeing people inside bubbles, or lasers shooting through bubbles, or bubbles within bubbles?!  They will be enthralled…and so will you. I’m been to this twice because we love it so much. Awesome show and well worth the price and trip. The Gazillion Bubble Show in Manhattan, is all about bubble magic and everyone from David Letterman to Oprah thinks the show is pretty fantastic.
Details: 340 West 50^th Street, NYC. All ages welcomed. Cost: $44.50 -$89.50 (VIP package). Purchase tickets: Telecharge at 212.239.6200 or at www.telecharge.com. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer — Saturdays and Sundays from 11am — 3pm
Kids Corner at Habana Outpost (FORT GREENE)
Eat delicious food, drink, and enjoy a kid-friendly planned activity! Please note: There will be a different activity each weekend so be sure to visit the website and plan accordingly!
Details: 757 Fulton, Brooklyn. All ages welcomed. FREE for all. Visit the website for more information.

All Summer — Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm — 5pm
Family Days Bowling at Brooklyn Bowl (WILLIAMSBURG)
Grab your kids and gather ’round for a day of indoor fun! Seriously, bowling is the new black and it is certainly fun for the entire family. Pack a snack or try tasty food from Blue Ribbon, which will be available for purchase.
Details: 61 Wythe Ave (Btwn N 11th St & 12th St), Brooklyn. All are welcomed. Cost: Saturday $25/lane/half hour; Sunday $20/lane/half hour; Shoes: $4.95/per person. Socks:$3/pair. Contact: (718) 963-3369. Visit the website for more information.