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60 Free Events and Activities
in NYC in October for Kids
Here is a list of 60 free things to do in New York City this October, including events in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx.
Stargazing on The High Line
Chelsea
Tuesdays through October 31
The high-powered telescopes of the Amateur Astronomers Association allows you to gaze at the stars, planets, and moon, and chat with the experts about the sights you see.
Lalo-Palooza in Washington Park
Park Slope
Thursdays, October 10-24
Dance with your kids at Lalo-Palooza, a free outdoor music series where families can move to tunes from award-winning children's performer Suzi Shelton and participate in fun, kid-friendly activities.
Movie Nights at Hudson Yards
Midtown West
Fridays, October 4-October 25
Take in a movie at the Big Screen in the Public Square & Gardens, where you can relax in a lounger (or on a blanket that you can bring) and enjoy the film while the sun sets.
Waterfront Walks
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Sundays, through October 20
At this free walking tour, you can learn about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, the park’s sustainable design, and how the park came to life. Waterfront Walks are held every Sunday through October starting from Pier 1.
Quetzali Travels to Central and South America: Bilingual Puppet Show at Brooklyn Children's Museum
Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 3
Go on an adventure and learn about Hispanic heritage with Karina Onofre and Quetzali the puppet and explore countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina!
Rosh Hashanah in Prospect Park
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 3
Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel.
Interventions: Analphabetes on Governors Island
Governors Island
Saturday, October 5
Greek-born and Paris-based choreographer Lenio Kaklea designed this dance piece as a response to physical landscape. Consisting of three distinct levels of spectatorship — near, far, and very far away — the performance blends environment with choreographic image, creating a structure that organizes the audience’s visual experience.
Carroll Park Fair
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 5
Find some bargains and meet your neighbors. Face painting, music, crafts, housewares, art, books, clothes, jewelry, antiques, collectibles, and more.
Sunnyside Gardens Park Annual Oktoberfest
Sunnyside, Queens
Saturday, October 5
Sunnyside Gardens Park transforms into an authentic Biergarten with German-style beer, traditional German food, and live music and entertainment for the whole family.
Building a Comic Book Environment at J. Hood Wright Rec Center
Washington Heights
Saturday, October 5
Professor Ed Murr, formally an artist at Marvel Comics will discuss the fundamentals of comic books. Create your own comic book world, unique characters and sequential art. Community Science Fishing in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Community Science Fishing in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Heights
Saturday, October 5
Learn how to bait a hook, drop a line, and maybe even reel up a fish! Guided by BBP's Education team, learn the basics of rod and reel fishing while catching-and-releasing some of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s finest - and contributing to the Conservancy's data base.
Hands on History: Transfer at Jamaica at King Manor
Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, October 5
Celebrate more than 200 years of local transit history at King Mansion's newest exhibit, Transfer at Jamaica! Stop by and learn all about the transit developments from the 18th Century and beyond and design your very own train!
Turn a New York City Skyscraper Green at the Skyscraper Museum
Battery Park City
Saturday, October 5
Did you know that we can grow gardens on a skyscraper? It is possible! Learn how architects design green skyscrapers with vertical gardens and green roofs, then make paper flowers and plants together to create a model of a green skyscraper.
Children's Harvest Festival at Saratoga Farms
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 5
The Children's Harvest Festival is an annual street fair hosted by The Campaign Against Hunger. Stop by for face-painting, scavenger hunts, performances, free food, games, and more.
Queens Theatre's Classical Kids Fair
Flushing, Queens
Sunday, October 6
WQXR is heading to Queens for a Classical Kids Fair at the Queens Theatre. Families can experience live performances, an instrument “petting zoo,” arts and crafts, radio and dance workshops, and more.
Blessing of the Animals at St. John the Divine
Morningside Heights
Sunday, October 6
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine welcomes families for a day of music, prayer, joy, blessings, and fun in honor of Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment.
45th Precinct Fall Festival
Pelham, Bronx
Sunday, October 6
Celebrate autumn with NYPD units, including K9, Mounted, and ESU, climb the NYPD rock wall, and play in the game truck. Pumpkin painting, bounce houses, games, giveaways, and a costume contest are on the schedule, too!
Create a Suspended Sculpture at Lehman College Art Gallery
Kingsbridge Heights, Bronx
Sunday, October 6
Experience an inquiry-based inclusive family tour of LCAG's exhibition, Incandescence: The Chandelier in Contemporary Art and create a suspended sculpture based on the work of Charlotta Westergren.
Celebrate the Gifts of the Harvest at Salt Marsh Nature Center
Marine Park, Brooklyn
Sunday, October 6
Beautiful seasonal changes and the harvest bounty inspire a plethora of dances and musical performances presented by the Brooklyn Dance Ensemble.
Drop-In Program: After School Gallery Explorers at the Jewish Museum
Upper East Side
Tuesday, October 8
Preschoolers and elementary school-aged children are invited to explore the exhibition, Ilit Azoulay: Mere Things. Using cut-outs of photographs, magazine images, and other art materials, create a colorful collage portrait inspired by the artwork on view.
Anti-Racist Family Day at Brooklyn Children's Museum
Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 10
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum hosts its fourth annual Anti-Racist Family Day in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library. Participants learn about age-appropriate anti-racist practices, including celebrating and affirming different races and identities, talking about injustice and fairness in our society, and modeling ways young children can engage in activism.
Festival of Firsts: Farah Siraj at Lincoln Center
Midtown West/Upper West Side
Saturday, October 12
Farah Siraj and her band perform selections from her soon-to-be-released EP for the first time, fusing Middle Eastern music, flamenco, jazz, bossa, and pop. Siraj’s songs are sung in Arabic, English, and Spanish.
Children's Harvest Festival at Far Rockaway Farms
Far Rockaway, Queens
Saturday, October 12
The Children's Harvest Festival is an annual street fair hosted by The Campaign Against Hunger. Stop by for face-painting, scavenger hunts, performances, free food, games, and more.
Harvest Time at Bay 84th Street Community Garden
Rockaways, Queens
Saturday, October 12
Bay 84th Street Community Garden invites kids to take home a “starter” plant with seeds of their choice for the winter. Kids can nourish it and watch it grow. When the garden opens in April 2025, they are encouraged to bring their plants to the garden and let it thrive in the designated children's planting bed.
Fall Fest at the Atlantic Terminal Mall
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Sunday, October 13
Brooklyn Bridge Parents hosts a family festival with arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, block building, music, and more! Kids are encouraged to come in costume.
Carl Schurz Park's Annual Harvest Festival
Upper East Side
Sunday, October 13
Carl Schurz Park's annual harvest fest packs a punch with plenty of festive fall activities for the whole family. Visit the pumpkin patch on the Mayor's Lawn at East End Avenue and East 88th Street to pick your own pumpkin and decorate it.
Indigenous Peoples Day on Randall's Island
Randall's Island
Sunday, October 13-Monday, October 14
Head to Randall's Island for a celebration of NYC's indigenous people. This two-day fest includes performances of spoken word, live music, and guest speakers. Food and wares are available for purchase.
Columbus Day Parade
Midtown
Monday, October 14
The 80th Columbus Day Parade processes up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street—with red carpet performances on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets—including high school bands, professional musicians, folk dance troupes, floats, and more.
Indigenous Peoples Day in Prospect Park
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Monday, October 14
Join the Prospect Park Alliance when school is closed for Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel.
28 Liberty Family Movies at Fosun Plaza
Financial District
Thursday, October 17
Fosun teams up with Alamo Drafthouse to present two FREE films on the giant 40-foot LED screen on the western side of the plaza: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on September 26 and the original Ghostbusters on October 17. Both films are rated PG.
Open House New York
Citywide
Friday, October 18-Sunday, October 20
This year's Open House NYC once again offers a hybrid of virtual experiences, self-guided explorations, and in-person tours. Enjoy food trucks, pop-up eateries, outdoor activations, and more.
Fall Festival at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum
Inwood
Saturday, October 19
Fall Festival returns to the Dyckman Farmhouse with live music from the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra and José Luis, an arts and crafts table, and a paint and sip activity lead by Art on the Avenue. The historic Hessian military hut is open to visitors, as well as the iconic Dyckman Farmhouse – featuring exhibitions from two local Uptown artists.
Red Hook Harvest Festival
Red Hook, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 19
Join the Red Hook Community Farm for the annual Red Hook Harvest Festival, a celebration of urban farming, youth empowerment, community connections, and a bountiful fall harvest.
Treats in the Streets
Midtown West
Saturday, October 19
Head downtown for a day of unique and traditional Halloween happenings in the Meatpacking District. Families can trick-or-treat at Diane Von Furstenberg and Serafina Meatpacking.
Lenfest Kids: Big and Small
Manhattanville
Saturday, October 19
Thinking about small perspectives isn’t just a way of understanding cinema. It’s a way of understanding the world. Shrink down to a subatomic level in The Incredible Shrinking Man and grow to enormous size in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, exploring techniques like rotoscoping in Gulliver’s Travels, stop-motion in James and the Giant Peach, and much, much more.
Sound & Color! Autumn Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 19
Celebrate the changing of the seasons at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s Sound & Color! Autumn in New York fall festival, an afternoon packed with music, arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more.
Hands on History: Spooky Season at King Manor
Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, October 19
Celebrate Spooky Season at King Manor with a discussion of author Washington Irving and his 1820 story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Kids can also make Headless Horseman paper pumpkin masks to take home!
Ghastley Gargoyles at the Skyscraper Museum
Battery Park City
Saturday, October 19
Learn about the long and spooky history of gargoyles and discover the NYC skyscrapers that have these iconic figures. Then, kids finger-paint their own scary gargoyles to decorate a skyscraper.
SALSAbration, Free Ice Cream and Kids Activities on The East River Waterfront Esplanade
Midtown East/Upper East Side
Saturday, October 19
EsplanadeFriends host a FREE Salsa Celebration on the East River Waterfront, with live music from Cuarteto Guataca along with free Salsa lessons, free A La Mode ice cream (while supplies last), and craft activities for kids—all with a spectacular water view!
Diwali at Times Square
Midtown West
Saturday, October 19
Billed as "the largest Indian Festival outside India," Diwali at Times Square features cultural performances, folk dances, concerts, Indian food, Indian clothing and jewels, Henna/Mehandi artists, balloon figures, and face painting plus free gifts and raffle drawings.
College Point Street Fair
College Point, Queens
Sunday, October 20
College Point boasts the only NYC Street fair that offers free rides, including a bouncy house. Games, fair food, and more.
Release of the Fishes
Greenwich Village
Wednesday, October 23
Help the Hudson River Park’s River Project team return its Wetlab fish residents to the Hudson River as the flow-through aquarium closes for the season.
Musique Macabre: A Creepy Concert at King Manor
Jamaica, Queens
Friday, October 25
In the spirit of All Hallows’ Eve, King Mansion presents a concert of the Creepy and the Macabre, featuring King Manor’s own early-19th-century square piano and baroque violin. The program includes titles like “Le Tombeau” and “The Sultry Dance of Death,” with haunting songs written by fellow Founding Father, Francis Hopkinson—and a grand sonata by Ignace Pleyel (published in 1818), recently found in the depths of King Manor.
Grand Opening of Winter Village at Bryant Park
Midtown West
Friday, October 25
Bryant Park braces for winter with the official launch of its 24th annual Winter Village. That means one of NYC's favorite, FREE ice skating rinks is ready to make its season debut, too. Enjoy a twirl on the ice, peruse the holiday shops, and enjoy a snack at the Lodge Deck.
Movie Night at Crocheron Park: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Bayside, Queens
Friday, October 25
Cuddle up under the stars for a Halloween-y screening of Ghostbusters, Frozen Empire (PG-13). Bring a blanket and a picnic!
Seaport Kids: Halloween Block Party
South Street Seaport
Saturday, October 26
Front and Fulton Streets transform into a Halloween-themed block party for kids 2-8 (and the bigger kids who love all things Halloween) with a little help from Mommy Poppins and Brooklyn Bridge Parents.
Third Annual City of Forest Day
Citywide
Saturday, October 26
Presented by Forest for All NYC in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Partners, including NYC Coalition and NYC Parks, City of Forest Day is an annual day of activities across the city to raise awareness of the importance of the New York City urban forest, and the essential role New Yorkers play every day in caring for the “lungs” of New York City.
Bklyn Boo! at City Point
Downtown Brooklyn
Saturday, October 26
Downtown Brooklyn hosts a Halloween fete at Albee Square with slime-making, a costume dance-off, and puppet shows.
Ocean Breeze Fall Festival
Ocean Breeze Park, Staten Island
Saturday, October 26
The annual Ocean Breeze Fall Festival promises a pumpkin patch, food trucks, and fun for the whole family!
Halloween Harvest Festival 2024 in Socrates Sculpture Park
Long Island City, Queens
Saturday, October 26
Celebrate the autumn season with the cutest and spookiest dog costume contest around, presented by Chateau le Woof! Enjoy workshops, music, and food vendors.
Campfire Stories and Songs
Battery Park
Saturday, October 26
Cozy up to a campfire for stories and singalongs with family and friends, featuring award-winning NYC singer/songwriter Suzi Shelton. Take part in a City of Forest Day nature project, Halloween craft, lawn games and smore!
King Manor Fall Festival
Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, October 26
King Manor's annual fest features corn husk doll-making, pumpkin-picking, candy, crafts, and - of course - the Queens Fiber Arts Festival! This jam packed celebration also includes art making classes, performances by Mazarte, and a workshop that explores the Victorian fascination with the occult.
Open House at Lincoln Center
Midtown West/Upper West Side
Sunday, October 27
David Geffen Hall welcomes guests to experience the performing arts up close, with free workshops, participatory art-making, music, and dance. The full day of events includes an exciting concert with Mo Willems, in participation with musicians from the New York Philharmonic; excerpts from The Sound of (Black) Music, a concert presentation of Rodgers and Hammerstein songs as viewed through a utopian, afrofuturistic lens; a puppet parade for all; interactive workshops and an AI installation; a participatory dance party, and more.
Live Music, Free Ice Cream and Kids Activities on The East River Waterfront Esplanade
Midtown East/Upper East Side
Sunday, October 27
EsplanadeFriends host a FREE Live Music Event on the East River Waterfront, with live music from Gene Casey and the Lone Sharks, FREE face painting, Halloween arts & crafts, complimentary A La Mode ice cream (while supplies last), and additional activities for kids—all with a spectacular water view!
Pumpkin Sing-Along in Sakura Park
Upper West Side/West Harlem
Sunday, October 27
Every Voice Choirs hosts a pumpkin sing-along community concert in Sakura Park.
Halloween on the Harlem Meer: Pumpkin Flotilla
Central Park
Wednesday, October 30
The Harlem Meer comes alive as the sun sets in this annual Halloween favorite. Hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns both spooky and sweet set sail at dusk in New York City's largest pumpkin flotilla.
BAMboo!
Fort Greene
Thursday, October 31
BAM’s annual free community Halloween celebration happily haunts the neighborhood with family-friendly music, carnival games, arts and crafts, candy giveaways, trick-or-treat popcorn, and family-friendly Halloween short films in the BAM Rose Cinemas. Costumes are encouraged.
Dumboween: Halloween March to the Arch
Dumbo, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 31
Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Beginning at Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets, costumed participants parade to the Dumbo Archway, led by live music and puppets.
51st Annual Village Halloween Parade
Greenwich Village
Thursday, October 31
The world's most famous Halloween parade weaves through the streets of Greenwich Village once again.
32nd Annual Canstruction Competition 2024 at Brookfield Place
Financial District
Opens Thursday, October 31
An extraordinary annual design competition, and the most unique food charity in the world, Canstruction challenges teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to build sculptures made entirely out of unopened cans of food.
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