September will reach its half point this week, and fall is just around the corner. We have five, count ’em five, ways to pack in some end of summer fun. By a fortuitous coincidence all of our events are festive fests perfect for those who love books, honey, autumn moons, medieval times or a kid-friendly mix of music, gymnastics and art. Enjoy!
Saturday, September 17
Brooklyn Book Festival: Children’s Day
MetroTech Commons
10am-4pm
The Brooklyn Book Festival claims the distinction of being NYC’s largest free literary festival—and the day prior to Sunday’s festivities (on 9/18) is dedicated to all things kid-lit. The fest’s Children’s Day will feature acclaimed kids’ authors like Brendan Wenzel and Julia Sarcone-Roach, in addition to theatrical performances, an “Illustrator Smackdown,” workshops, picture book and young readers stages, and a Literary Marketplace. This event is free and will take place rain or shine.
NYC Honey Fest
Rockaway Beach
11am-5pm
Rockaway Beach will be buzzin’ this Saturday during the 6th annual NYC Honey Fest! This year, this bee-utiful festival will feature honey tastings from local hives such as Andrew’s Honey, Honey Bee Local, Brooklyn Grange, Edgemere Farm, and others. Activities for children include face painting, bee-hat and costume making, honey extraction demos, interactive activity stations, a honey-tasting contest, and a raffle. This event is free. The rain date for this event is Sunday, September 18.
Mid-Autumn Moon Family Festival
Museum of Chinese in America
12-4pm
The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is celebrating the harvest season with a Mid-Autumn Moon Festival this Saturday! Spend the afternoon eating mooncakes and making inedible ones out of Play-Doh, going on a moon scavenger hunt, getting your face painted, enjoying a harvest moon picnic, and much more! There will also be a special performance by the EastRiver Ensemble and plenty of arts and crafts activities. Tickets are $10 per person; free for children under the age of 2.
Sunday, September 18
The Medieval Festival
Fort Tryon Park
11:30am-6pm
Medievalists young and old will revel in the 32nd annual Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park! The entire park will be transformed into a medieval market village, complete with knights, jugglers, jesters, musicians, magicians, and more. Visitors can watch craftsmen such as blacksmiths and wood carvers show off their skills, listen to excerpts from Chaucer and Shakespeare, and watch falconers let their charges free. The main event is the Grand Tilts and Royal Joust, where knights in full armor try to unseat their competition! Plus, be sure to check out medieval art at the Cloisters. This event is free.
92Y Street Fest
Lexington Avenue (from 79th to 94th Streets)
12-5pm
You won’t want to miss 92Y’s Street Fest which brings family fun to 15 blocks along Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side. Check out performances by 92Y music and dance faculty and students on the KidCentral Stage; enjoy arts and crafts for all ages; watch demos by the 92Y Gymstar Gymnastics team, try the Tiny Tumblers Toddler Obstacle Course; and don’t forget the special area for ages 5 and under, which will feature fun, age-appropriate activities from 92Y Wonderplay Early Childhood Learning. This event is free and will take place rain or shine.
