Festivals

Buying local is the hip new thing, but beyond just being trendy and "supporting local businesses," buying local is important to us because it builds community and sustains what we love most about NYC: its cool, eclectic mix of unique, small shops and walkable city streets.

There are several Holiday shopping events that make shopping locally into fun, outings. Plus we've got a round-up of sample sales. Read more »

Starting this weekend, most events taking place for kids in NYC invite you to come in costume. So, get your Princesses and Spidermen ready and check out these fall festivals:

NYC Apple Day 2008 - the LES turns the "Big Apple" green with NYC Apple Day and  Go Green Lower East Side. Be transported back in time with the old-fashioned apple cider press, a live honey beehive plus some modern faves like Read more »

In addition to all the local Halloween Parades and Festivals, the city is literally packed with FREE Halloween activities. In fact there are so many great things to do on October 25th you may need a magic eight ball to decide where to go. Luckily your kids will be so hopped up on candy they will have the energy to take in several events in one day.

Keep reading to find out where and when you can levitate at magic shows, hop on hay rides, take a creepy candle-lt tour of Grant’s Tomb, visit haunted houses, dance your way through the post trick-or-treat sugar comma and get the whole family dressed up, even the dog. (Photo  by Istolethev). Read more »

Fall has arrived and it's time to get yourself some pumpkins! Check out our posts on the best pumpkin picking and apple picking in the area if you want to head out of town. Or, you can stock up on pumpkins and fall fun right here in NYC with the top picks of this weekend's local pumpkin events. Plus, did you know that there are lots of free kids cooking classes available this weekend? Keep reading for the full scoop... Read more »

Fall brings lots of things with it: cool mornings and chilly nights, great colors and foliage, plenty of Holidays, and, it's a great time of year for getting out of the city to enjoy the crisp Fall air. So we're giving you a couple more reasons to hop on the LIE for some Fall Festivals worth a day trip this Columbus Day Weekend.

For more fall day trip ideas and Long Island fun check out our New York Halloween Guide. Read more »

Take advantage of the amazing fall weather this weekend with our pick of the best free outdoor kids events. Find out where you can hear They Might Be Giants, the coolest weekend activity for four-year-olds and why now is the time to hop on the Roosevelt Island tram. Plus, keep reading to get a special discount code for half price tickets to Goody Two Shoes kid-disco where you can party like it was 1999. Read more »

Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be raining all weekend so here is your line-up of mostly free and mostly indoor activities to help motivate you to get out the door....

Celebrate Museum Day and get into participating museums for FREE on Saturday Sept 27. The long list of locations includes a lot of kid-favorites like the Children's Museum Of Manhattan, the NYC Fire Museum, the NY Transit Museum, and the Skyscraper Museum.  All you need to do Read more »

I have the pleasure of introducing another new reader-turned-contributor to Mommy Poppins today. Karina Glaser hails from the North, no not Sarah Palin's North, Manhattan's. She has promised to keep us informed on the best stuff for kids and families going on in Washington Heights and Inwood. Check out her Washington Heights and Inwood post in our Neighborhood Guide. And here's a great event for this weekend I've heard many people rave about: Read more »

Jodi Call wrote a great piece for us this summer with four excellent outings and I thought it was so great I invited Jodi to write for us more often. Jodi thought it was so great, she started her own blog; Pistols and Popcorn follows her amazing adventures around New York with her son, Roan. Here's, hopefully, one of many awesome posts from Jodi:

“What kind of thing do you want to do this week-end?” It’s the question I pose to my son, Roan. But we both know I’ve always got something in mind. This week he tried to trip me up with this: “I want to do nothing, but we can do it outside.” Oh brother, mister. You’ve no idea who you’re messing with.

This weekend is the 2008 Art Under the Bridge Festival. This is the 12^th year of the festival, and my 3^rd year as a devotee. After a summer full of orchestrated outings and a few weeks of structured school days, the timing couldn’t be better for an entire weekend of chaotic fun with your kids. Read more »

Stills from films to be shown at the Jackson Heights Film Festival 

If you do one thing this weekend, head over to the 3rd annual Jackson Heights Kids Film Fest where you can catch 14 short children's films, many of which are award-winning and hot off the film festival circuit. This year's selections include films that explore themes of both American and immigrant life, the avant-guard and classic video games. Held at the Eagle Theater, Jackson Height's very own Bollywood venue, the event draws families in search of a kid-friendly afternoon of movies that go far beyond the usual Disney fare. Really, where else can you watch a range of cool short films while munching on a samosa and holding your toddler in your lap? As an added bonus, after the films join the post screening dance party with the Opus Ditty band. $10 (kids under 10 free) Sunday. 10:30AM - 12 PM.

Plus.... Read more »