Manhattan

The Wizard of Oz
Friday, July 10 at Dusk (around 8:30PM)
Pier 46 at Charles St (River to River festival)
FREE

It seems no matter how much time goes by, Judy Garland and her friendly entourage continue to resonate with kids and adults alike. Enjoy some free popcorn while you travel down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy and Co. on a giant, outdoor screen. Don't forget to bring blankets or chairs.

4th Annual NYC Main Squeeze Accordion Festival
Sun, July 11, 3PM-10PM
Riverside Park South, Pier 1, West 70th St
FREE

The squeeze box masters are back!  Don’t forget your dancing shoes for this all day festival of traditional and eclectic music from around the globe. Kids can get in on the act too, at the Accordion Kids Corner, where they’ll get free accordion instruction. There's also a cool flea market, all part of the Summer on the Hudson.

High Line Street Festival
Sun, July 12, Noon-5PM
Gansevoort St (b/w) 9th Ave and Washington St
FREE

This one is probably going to be pretty crowded, but it has a lot to offer. In celebration of the High Line opening and the 10th Anniversary of Friends of the High Line, a giant family-friendly event is going down. The festival will feature internationally-acclaimed artists, inflatable sculptures, cowboys, story-tellers, marching bands, swing bands, salsa bands, and many hands-on activities. There will also be a special greenmarket with the hard-to-miss World's Largest Lemonade Stand, and a live reading by Peter Brown.

This weekend is also the Harlem Market Hub grand opening (Sun, Jul 11, 10AM-5PM, @425 W 123rd St). It promises to be a new community gathering spot, filled with jewelry, art, hand-made crafts, housewares, furniture, vintage clothing, food, music and more.

Brooklyn

Celebrate Brooklyn: Family Concert-They Might Be Giants
Sat, July 11 at 4PM
Prospect Park Bandshell
FREE

Brooklyn’s legendary alternative rockers They Might Be Giants are, of course, also now recognized among the foremost creators of cool kids’ albums. They return to the Bandshell to headline this year’s annual Ezra Jack Keats Family Concert, which will also feature readings of Keats’ classic stories. The event will also include a special appearance by Livable Streets Education’s big purple friend, ZoZo. Gates open at 3PM, so be sure to get there early. 

Sportacular Weekend
Sat, July 11 & Sun, July 12, varying times
Brooklyn Children's Museum
 

Explore the wild world of sports in this new family festival, with games and physical activities from all over the world. Watch sick moves on skate, snow, and surf boards, see competitive jump rope and double dutch (where kids can get in on the action, too), learn about the animalolympics, play beach tennis, run through obstacle courses and even more. 

Queens

Animal Antics
Sat, July 11, Sun, July 12, varying times
Queens Zoo

Ever wonder how far a puma can jump? Or how high a bear can climb? This weekend, discover all of the amazing things that animals can do through games, crafts, and stories. Plus, help prepare snacks for parrots, pumas, pigs, and bears, then watch the animals devour your hand-made creations. 

Passport Fridays 2009
Fri, July 10, 6:30PM
Queens Museum
FREE
Leave your baggage at home and bring a picnic blanket out to Flushing Meadows Corona Park for the QMA's Passport Fridays, the weekly outdoor festivities feature dance performances by participants in the QMA/TOPAZ Arts Dance in Queens Residency Program, and continue with a live concert and film screening from one of the many countries that fuel Queens' cultural & artistic vitality. Colombia, Mexico, South Korea, East Africa, Jordan, Iran, Bangladesh & Taiwan are on your all inclusive summer itinerary. This week: Columbia. 

Staten Island

BBQ at the Zoo
Sat, July 11, 1PM-4PM
Staten Island Zoo
$10 for adults (kids free*)

In June, local celebs raised money in jars throughout the zoo grounds to benefit the education department. Find out who raised the most--since they will be givin' a smacker to an alpaca (for real). Matthew Titone, Diane Savino, Christine Quinn, Lou Tobacco, and Greg T from Z100 are participating New Yorkers. Kids get in free (with an adult) when they bring along their report cards with a grade of "A" or "1." 

Sweet Sushi
Fri, July 10, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30PM
Staten Island Children's Museum
Free (with admission)

As part of the King Kullen Kidz Cook series, kids will get introduced to Japanese cuisine in a very unique and kid-friendly way--with candy! Make sweet sushi that actually looks like the real thing, while learning about a different culture. If they're still all sugared up, take them to the museum on Sat, July 11 (at 1, 2, and 3PM), to learn the significance of Japanese lights and lanterns, and make their own. 

The Bronx

The Edible Garden
Sun, July 12, 10AM-6PM
The New York Botanical Garden

Every day at the Garden, children can discover the world of edible plants. In two gardens designed especially for kids, hands-on activities introduce children to the thrill of science exploration and seeing what seeds and soil can become. Plant beans to take home, make pollinator puppets, go on plant-part scavenger hunts, harvest fruits and veggies and more. 

Buggin' Out
Sun, July 12, 11AM
Van Cortlandt Park
FREE

Learn all about the creepy crawlers living in Van Cortlandt Park and make your own buggy craft. Ages 12 and under.

Even more cool events: 
Make your own music and animated shorts, and rock out at WhitneyKids Punk Rock, celebrate French culture at a Bastille Day festival, see the Annual Astoria Street Fair, or check out The Muppet Movie at Brooklyn's KidFlicks or E.T. at the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum. 





Photo Credit: Northcountry Boy