Free Fun Friday: This Weekend's Guide to the Best of the Boroughs

Photo courtesy of Lefferts Historic House

Did you know that you don't need to head out of town to go apple picking or watch honey bees?  Want to find out where you can see top Broadway stars dance and sing without dropping a dime?  There is so much going on all over the city this weekend I decided to do a best of the boroughs so you can explore the best of your neck of the woods.

Brooklyn - Harvest apples right here in Prospect Park, just as Brooklynites did years ago when nearly every farm in old Flatbush had apple trees. Join the Lefferts Historic House Harvest Day where you can also work the cider press and help cook apple fritters over an open fire. Saturday and Sunday from 1-4PM.  The Brooklyn Book Festival is a huge, free public event that presents an array of literary stars and includes a youth section.  Gather around and enjoy a reading of Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by the one and only Mo Willems  at 11:30 AM.  Events take place all day starting at 10AM on Sunday at Brookly Borough Hall and Plaza.

Bronx - Live the life of a bee at Wave Hill's Honey Weekend. Kids can outfit themselves with wings and antennae, plus a kazoo to buzz with and a pollen cup and then emerge from a hive of six-sided cells and forage in the flowers.  Plus, on Saturday you can watch Bronx beekeeper Roger Repohl extract and bottle honey from their resident honeybees at 1PM.  On Sunday at 11AM, learn to cook with honey with pastry chef Newton Pryce and sample their delicious recipies.  Events throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.  And, catch kid super star Dan Zanes perform from his new album, Nueva York! at the Bronx Botanical Gardens on Sunday from 11AM - 1PM or 2-4PM.  This one is going to cost you, $30 for adults, $20 for kids but that includes admission to the beautiful gardens.

Queens - eat your way through Jackson Heights at the food portion of the Jackson Heights Film and Food Festival.  The Taste of Jackson Heights brings you flavors from around the neighborhood and the world. Sample small plates from the best Indian, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, Cuban, Greek, Italian, Latin American restaurants and more.  And stay tuned for the following weekend's Kids Film Festival.  Saturday, September 13, Noon-4 The Garden School Courtyard 33-16 79th Street between 34th Ave. & Northern Blvd.  Or, head over to Atlas Park in Glendale to pet some animals at their petting zoo and take a pony ride, Saturday 1-5PM.

Staten Island - audition for the music and theater workshop The Kids on Stage which is a truly awesome and FREE after school program in music and dramatic performance for children ages seven to 17. Registration and auditions will be held in the Cromwell Recreation Center and classes will take place in Walker Park.  Saturday, September 13th, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Manhattan - what could be more Manhattan than Broadway shows at Times Square?  Take your budding actor or actress to Broadway on Broadway where you can catch live musical numbers performed on a giant outdoor stage and on giant screens in Times Square. Spamalot’s Drew Lachey will host and the event stretches from 43rd to 47th Streets.  You can catch acts from the Lion King, Mary Poppins, Grease, Hairspray, Mamma Mia and a million other shows.   Will your kids force you to take you to Toys R Us?  Yes.  Will it be crowded and chaotic?  Yes, but hey that is what Broadway and Times Square are all about so go have fun and be sure to stick around for the big finale which will include loads of confetti.  Sunday starting at 11:30 AM.