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Valentine's Day, Film Festivals, Lunar New Year and More Best Things To Do in NYC February 2026

Tales from the Magic Garden brings Czech stop-action animation to the Animation First Film Festival.
Tales from the Magic Garden brings Czech stop-action animation to the Animation First Film Festival.
1/31/25 - By Drew Kristofik

Whether sending valentines or planning a Presidents Day weekend getaway—there is plenty to love about February! Don’t miss our favorite kid-friendly events and activities in New York City this month.

Brevity is the soul of wit, and February in NYC manages to cram annual favorites like Governors Island's Ice Sculpture Show, THREE kid-friendly film fests (Animation First, BAMKids, and the International Children's Film Fest), Chinatown's Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony, Ringling Brothers' Circus at the Barclay, and more into its meager 28-day span.

Plus, don't miss our own Winter Festival and Summer Camps Fair. Mommy Poppins has teamed up with top area summer camps for a fun, FREE day of play that helps get your summer camp plans on track early. Staycationing for February break? We have the 411 on what to do over midwinter break in NYC.

My Top 5 Events This Month, at a Glance

Want even more fun things to do this February? Our New York City Events Calendar is packed with great family activities every day of the month—and you can filter by age, location, and even FREE events!

Not on our newsletter list yet? Subscribe for free and get the best local family fun sent straight to your inbox. Already subscribed? Share it with a friend and start planning your weekend together!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Top Things To Do in NYC with Kids this February

Family Concert: Sonia De Los Santos at the Jewish Museum

Upper East Side
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Sonia De Los Santos performs songs from her native Mexico in both English and Spanish, along with bilingual versions of American classics such as This Land is Your Land. Playing guitar and jarana, De Los Santos also shares melodies connected to nature for the Jewish holiday of Tu B’Shevat (the birthday of the trees).   READ MORE

Winter Festival and Summer Camps Fair

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn – FREE
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Join Mommy Poppins and the best camps and activities for NYC kids for a fun indoor winter festival. Step inside the Giant Snow Globe, watch a magic show, enjoy face painting and balloon twisting, and try out archery, robotics, animation, tumbling, theater games, and lots more! READ MORE

Winter Math Festival at MoMath

Gramercy
Through Thursday, February 5, 2026
MoMath on Fifth hosts a lively Winter Math Festival, featuring a dynamic mix of interactive exhibits and engaging mathematical activities. Try puzzles, patterns, geometric constructions, and other interactive stations that invite you to experiment, build, compare, and play. READ MORE

Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert at the Theater for the New City

Lower East Side
Through Sunday, February 8, 2026
The 2026 Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert features dances, stories, and traditional music from native peoples of the Northeast, Southwest, and Great Plains regions. READ MORE

The 150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Midtown West
Monday, February 2-Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Cute canines strut their stuff at MSG, aiming for Best in Show.   READ MORE

Animation First Film Festival 2026

Upper East Side
Tuesday, February 3-Sunday, February 8, 2026
The eighth edition of Animation First, celebrating the artistry of French animation, presents six feature-length films and eight short film programs, with a special focus on Belgian animation. READ MORE

Architecture Valentines at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City – FREE
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Kids explore the fun and surprising world of architectural pop-ups, learning how artists and designers turn flat paper into three-dimensional structures. Look at creative examples of pop-up buildings, then use those techniques as inspiration to design building-inspired Valentine’s cards to share with friends, family, or anyone special. READ MORE

Winter Ice Sculpture Show on Governors Island

Governors Island – FREE
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Ten artists team up with a professional ice carver from Okamoto Studio for this live ice carving demonstration on Governors Island. Visitors can witness real-time ice carving, and enjoy snacks from local food trucks and live DJ entertainment.   READ MORE

Mardi Gras Jazz Parade at St. Ann

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Take a musical journey to the vibrant streets of New Orleans and dive into the spirited celebration of Mardi Gras for the whole family! Musicians unleash the irresistible beats of Mardi Gras classics, igniting a contagious rhythm for a vibrant second line parade. READ MORE

BAMkids Film Festival 2026

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Saturday, February 7-Sunday, February 8, 2026
Brooklyn’s favorite kids film program is back for its 28th year with a dazzling mix of animated, live-action, and documentary shorts. READ MORE

Hold On To Your Butts

SoHo
Opens Saturday, February 7, 2026
65 million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the earth... 30 years ago, a movie about dinosaurs ruled the box office... And now, two actors and a Foley artist perform a live, shot-for-shot parody of the greatest dinosaur film of all time.  READ MORE

The Orchid Show 2026: Flower Fantastic's Concrete Jungle at NYBG

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Opens Saturday, February 7. 2026
Now in its 23rd year, the Orchid Show showcases thousands of dramatically displayed orchids in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. In this year's show, orchids collide with concrete in a dazzling reimagining of the Big Apple from stoops and slice shops to the subway itself. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Celebration at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

Park Slope, Brooklyn
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Ring in the Year of the Horse at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and live music, festive snacks, crafts and more. READ MORE

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom at the New Victory Theater

Midtown West
Opens Saturday, February 14, 2026
A playful adaptation of every kid’s favorite alphabet book! From the adventuresome A, B and C to the lonely balladeer Z, little letters take on big personalities, puppeteered up the coconut tree to a mixtape of musical styles. READ MORE

Harlem Globetrotters at Barclays Center

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Dunks, alley-oops, looooong shots, magic, history, and laughs are all part of the game plan when the Harlem Globetrotters 2026 World Tour hits Barclays Center for one-game only. READ MORE

Paper Bag Players: Hey There, Howdy Everybody! at Tribeca PAC

Tribeca
Sunday, February 15, 2026
The Paper Bag Players return with a joyful new show packed with zany stories, foot-stomping dances, audience participation, and paper-and-cardboard magic! Classic sketches like “Tree Angel” mix with brand-new fun. READ MORE

MoMA Family Festival

Midtown West
Sunday, February 15-Wednesday, February 18, 2026
The Museum of Modern Art hosts a four-day fest packed with activities to explore creativity and the natural world, including environments created by artists specifically for kids. READ MORE

Black Future Festival at the Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Sunday, February 15-Saturday, February 21, 2026
BCM presents a week of reflection and future-forward fun inspired by the national celebration of Black History Month and the African Diaspora! The museum partners with Kendra J. Bostock and STooPS to honor Black culture with incredible dance performances, powerful storytelling, dynamic workshops, and more.   READ MORE

Presidents Day at Children's Museum of Manhattan

Upper West Side
Monday, February 16, 2026
Celebrate democracy at CMOM on Presidents Day and develop that activism muscle early. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival

Lower East Side – FREE
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
The Better Chinatown Society's annual New Year's celebration is hosted in Sara D. Roosevelt Park with firecrackers, cultural performances, and much more. READ MORE

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: The Greatest Show On Earth at Barclays Center

Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, February 19-Sunday, February 22, 2026
Packed with explosive excitement, The Greatest Show On Earth begins and ends with a bang! Lauren Irving, Alex Stickels, and Jan Damm serve as the soul, rhythm, and funny bone of the show, guiding audiences on a music-filled journey packed with never-before-seen stunts, acrobatic displays, and comedic acts.  READ MORE

Lunar New Year Family Celebration at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side– FREE
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Ring in the Year of the Horse with self-discovery, transformation, and connection, including a beloved lion dance performance on Josie Robertson Plaza by the Tai Look Lion Dance Company, a Chinatown favorite. READ MORE

New York International Children's Film Festival

Chelsea
Opens Friday, February 27, 2026
NYICFF celebrates the beauty and power of film, sparks the inherent capacity of children to connect with complex, nuanced art, and encourages the creation of intelligent films that represent and celebrate unique, diverse, and historically excluded voices. READ MORE

More Things to Do in New York City this Winter

Ultimate Winter Bucket List: 47 Best Things To Do with Kids in NYC

Don't let the cold stop you: NYC is a wonderland of winter fun. READ MORE

Best Museums for Kids in NYC: Children's Museums and Family-Friendly Museums in NYC

Make art, explore the natural world, and enjoy science projects at NYC's top kid-friendly museums. READ MORE

Best Sledding Hills in NYC

Hit these neighborhood hills across the five boroughs when the snow falls. READ MORE

Unique Behind-the-Scenes Tours in NYC for Families

Pull back the curtain on all NYC offers with the special sneak peek tours. READ MORE
Don't let the cold or snow keep you inside this season! We've got plenty of fun ways to play outdoors.
Don't let the cold or snow keep you inside this season! We've got plenty of fun ways to play outdoors.

At-Home Winter Fun for Kids

75 Best Movies for Kids: Top Family Movie Night Ideas

These classic family movies include wild adventures, sci-fi, and coming-of-age tales. READ MORE

40 Outdoor Activities for Kids this Winter

These activities will have kids begging to play outside this winter! READ MORE

32 Toddler Activities to Keep Little Ones Busy (and Happy) at Home

Prevent those toddler tantrums with our list of favorite activities! READ MORE

Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects

Bookmark this blockbuster list of arts and crafts and never run out of ideas for creative play. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
Recent Articles By Drew Kristofik:
Read more articles by Drew Kristofik.