Events: Top Kid-Friendly Activities For The Week

By Gavriella Mahpour & Tiffany Lu

Whether you’re itching to get outside now that fall has officially arrived, or you prefer to stay indoors, this week’s event picks offer something for everyone. Frolic over to an outdoor fest, (spoiler alert: it’s supposed to be pleasantly sunny) or meander through a museum. Here’s what we’re the most psyched for this weekend.

Saturday, September 27

Museum Day Live!
Participating museums throughout NYC
Various times
In the tradition of Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Institution, museums all across the country (including many in NYC—such as the Morgan Library and Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan) will be opening their doors for free for the 10th Museum Day Live! You can download two tickets online for free admission at any participating museum that day. Free

Jeff Koons Family Day
The Whitney Museum of American Art
9am-1pm
Families with children of all ages are invited to the Whitney Museum for a free morning of art and learning during Jeff Koons Family Day. Tour the museum’s latest exhibit, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, participate in art activities and interactive gallery stations, and much more! No registration is required. Free with museum admission.

Chile Pepper Festival
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
11am-6pm
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is heating things up with the 22nd Chile Pepper Festival. Come for a fiery day of live music and dance, and of course, a variety of Chile pepper-inspired dishes. There will also be a farmer’s market and tours exploring Chile pepper plantings at the Garden. Join BBG in celebrating both Chile peppers and the cultures that use them. Free with garden admission.

Sunday, September 28

21st Annual Bus Festival
New York Transit Museum
11am-6pm
An annual NYC classic, the New York Transit Museum’s Bus Festival provides the perfect opportunity to introduce children to vintage city buses. This day-long fest will feature more than a dozen vehicles including “Betsy,” a double decker bus from the 1930s, Bus 2969, the same model that Jackie Gleason’s character drove in the TV show The Honeymooners, and the Tunnel Wrecker, an emergency vehicle designed to remove disabled buses and cars out of tunnels.  Remember, admission to the Transit Museum is only $1 (per person) all day! Festival admission is free.

The Medieval Festival
Fort Tryon Park
11:30am-6pm
Travel back in time to the Middle Ages during The Medieval Festival in Fort Tryon Park. This Sunday, the park will be transformed into a medieval market town complete with processional flags and banners! Fest-goers are invited to dress up in traditional costumes and enjoy live music, magic shows, dancing, and jousting. Crafts and food will be available for purchase at festival vendor stalls. Free