August is here! What?! That’s insane!!! After a brief but intense heat wave, today’s weather seems a little more manageable. But that will end soon and temperatures are expected to be in the 90s again all weekend. Does that matter? Not at all. If you like the heat, there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you toasty and if you’re more of a cool weather person, plenty of air conditioned/water activities for you too! Enjoy the weekend and why not kick it off right here in Rye Brook tonight with Music in the Park!
Music in The Park
Tonight, Friday, July 31st, from 6:30-8:30, don’t miss Rye Brook’s 2nd summer concert at Pine Ridge Park featuring "The Blue and Green Jazz Quartet." This is a wonderful opportunity to come out, see some friends and enjoy some great Jazz music outside! Admission is free… don’t forget to bring a blanket and lawn chairs. (Rain date: Sunday, August 2 at 6:30 PM).
Rye Library Programs
Today, Friday, July 31st, from 4-5pm, kids in grades 3-5 can check out Summer Science Fun Club – Insects and Butterflies with Johnda Ferrari at the Rye Library. Pre-Registration is required for this fun program where your little one can “explore the amazing world of insects as a Young Entomologist. See the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful in these fascinating animals and marvel at the variety of shapes, sizes and adaptations of real-life specimens like butterflies and moths. Get bug facts, puzzles, handouts, games and take home a bug craft.”
And on Saturday, from 11-11:30 check out “Bilingual Birdies Spanish Storytime For The Family- Come by for a blast of culture, music, and stories in Spanish. Have fun learning songs and rhymes en espanol. Entertaining for all members of the family.”
Click here to learn more.
Home Depot Kids' Workshop
It’s the first Saturday of the month so that means it’s time for Home Depot’s super fun AND FREE kids' workshop! This Saturday, August 1st, from 9-12am, kids will have the opportunity to make a Chalkboard Door Hanger. This free hands-on workshop is designed for children ages 5-12. While pre-registration is not requruied, they do prefer you to register online to plan quantities needed. Kids will be able to keep their craft, receive a pin and an apron too!
Renaissance Fair
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Saturdays, Sundays & Labor Day from 10-7, August 1st-September 27th, head a little over an hour north west from Rye Brook up to Tuxedo Park NY to go back in time and enjoy the Renaissance Fair. This fun faire is a “rollicking romp through Elizabethan England” and features dance, music, storytelling, arts, crafts, food, games and rides all set on the beautiful grounds of Tuxedo Park. Click here to learn more. |
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Playland
Always a fun activity for the whole family, Playland in Rye NY is open for the summer! This amusement park offers rides, food, entertainment and an arcade! What more could a kid want?!
In addition, there are amazing fireworks displays choreographed to music every Friday in July and
August! This Friday don’t miss the Milt Gerver Big Band Orchestra from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. “Come out to hear, dance and swing! On the boardwalk - Use poolside parking entrance.”
And on Sunday, August 2nd, celebrate International Friendship Day at Playland with $15 ride admission specials, fun giveaways and acitvities and a free Playland Friendship Bracelet.
Park hours for this Friday and Saturday are 12-12am, and 12-10pm on Sunday.
Click here for more.
Westchester Children’s Museum
While you’re at or near Playland, why not check out the all new children’s museum! Admission price this summer is “Pay-What-You-Wish.” “The Westchester Children’s Museum, located on the Boardwalk at Playland in Rye, is open for the season. The museum’s hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Mondays and Tuesdays are reserved for by-appointment groups.
Among the exhibits this year are:
- “Build Your Own Roller Coaster” - an interactive, hands-on experience that involves the creation of your own roller coaster from design phase to testing phase. Visitors will have a chance to make discoveries about force, energy, friction, and stability - all while having a great time. Sponsored by Con Edison.
- KEVA planks - an interactive experience comprised of thousands of small, uniform building planks yielding endless creation possibilities. Incorporating elements of art and architecture, the exhibit will challenge children, fuel creativity, and allow for collaborative interaction.
Make things fly - The fun begins when junior inventors use odd materials to create a flying object and then experiment with it in the museum’s fantastic wind tunnel.”
For more info, visit their website.
Annie Jr.
Who doesn’t love a great performance of a cherished favorite, Annie! Well, you’re in luck! You don’t even have to leave the county to catch this performance, presented by Random Farms Kids' Theater.
“This TONY award winning musical is a Random Farms 20th anniversary production! Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a world-wide phenomenon and was the winner of seven TONY Awards including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by TONY Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin features some of the greatest musical theater hits ever written including "Tomorrow".”
Showtimes are Friday, July 31st at 11am and 7pm and Saturday August 1st at 1pm and 7pm.
Click here to buy tickets.
Westmoreland Sanctuary
On Sunday August 2nd at 11am, head to Westmoreland in Mt. Kisco for their fun and educational Animal Meet and Greet! “Westmoreland Sanctuary is home to many exciting animals. Amphibians to insects, birds to mammals, and reptiles galore all reside in our nature center. Join us as we learn what it takes to keep our ambassador animals healthy and some of their unique characteristics. $5 per person for non-members and free for members.”
Pleasantville Farmer’s Market
From Saturday, May 23rd (8:30-1) through December 5, the Pleasantville Farmer’s Market is open for all to enjoy in Memorial Plaza, next to the train station. There will be “farm-fresh foods, prepared foods created with regionally sourced ingredients, as well as many other unique offerings. It's a great way to support local agriculture and eat healthy year-round.”
This Saturday from 9:30 AM-11:30 AM kids will be able to create a one of a kind tie dye t-shirt at the Farmer’s Market. There will be sizes for every member of your family! So don’t miss it!
Bruce Museum
The Bruce Museum is a hidden gem just up the road from us in nearby Greenwich, CT. After you’ve checked out the museum, head across the street to a super fun playground the kids are sure to love!
Today, Friday, from 2:30-2:45, check out the Marine Tank Animal Feeding. Free with admission and no reservation required!
And on Sunday from 11:30-12:30 the whole family can head out on the “Family Gallery Tour- For children ages 6-10 and families. A Museum educator will lead an interactive, discussion-based tour of the Museum’s current exhibitions. Free with admission. No reservations.”
Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary
On Saturday, August 1st at 10am, why not give back to the earth and join in on Volunteer Corps Workday at the sanctuary. You will be able to help with “invasive plant removal, trail work, beach clean-up, and more!”
Godspell at Westchester Broadway Theatre
From July 9th - August 9th, Godspell comes to the stage at the Westchester Broadway Theatre. “The beloved classic from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin), is based on "The Gospel According to St. Matthew," the musical, uses "improvisation and contemporary themes to illustrate the parables, bringing these lessons vibrantly to life. Songs include "Day By Day," "Save The People," "Learn Your Lessons Well," "All Good Gifts," "Turn Back, O Man" and "By My Side."
For tickets and showtime information, click here.
Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones museum is an amazing place for the kids. Located about 20 minutes north of Rye Brook, in Norwalk, CT, it’s perfect for the whole family! Check them out here, then head on over for a fun filled day of learning and hands-on activities the kids will adore! The museum is open on the 4th but closing early!
Check out, Mega Making, Stepping Stone’s newest exhibit experience, which was “designed by Stepping Stones to celebrate creativity in our children! They will be the future engineers, designers, inventors, artists, teachers, scientists and the ones shaping the world - maybe in as little as 10 years from now!”
“The Mega Making exhibit experience is organized into five main areas: Art, Textiles, Construction/Woodworking, Tinkering and Book Nook/Future Ideas. Using real materials and real tools, young makers can explore art, textiles, construction and woodworking, tinkering and gadgets and a variety of materials, techniques and projects!” There will be staff members to help get kids started, “whether it’s working a needle and thread for the first time, practicing using wrenches and screwdrivers, tinkering with batteries and buzzers or picking out the perfect artist medium. Something for all ages, best for 5 and older. Children and their adults will surely enjoy a unique experience together!”
Stamford Nature Center
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The Stamford Nature Center is another fabulous destination just up the Merritt! Every Saturday from 1230-1pm (until August 22nd) check out Wild! Feeding! “Ever wonder what lizards like for lunch? Discover the many things our animals like to eat by helping to feed them. Help prepare salads for the tortoises, lizards, and the other fruit and veggie-loving friends in Heckscher WILD! Space for this program is limited to 20 children, ages 5 and up. Interested participants can sign up for a space, as available, in Heckscher WILD! any time after 10 AM each Saturday. Space is first-come, first served.” And on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 3pm (also until August 22nd) check out the Animal Meet and Greet. “Stop by our new exhibit, Heckscher WILD!, meet one of the animals, and discover how they adapt to their habitat. Animals will vary depending on the day and programs will be approximately 15 minutes.” Also on Sunday from 10-2pm, don’t miss the Sunday Farmers Market! There will be SNC’s own farm-fresh eggs from the chickens on Heckscher Farm, maple syrup made in the SNC’s own Maple Sugar House, and wool from their sheep. There will be weekly farm-related family activities with the "Market Madness" program led by one of the environmental educators.
*SM&NC Sunday Market Admission Only: FREE. Please note free entry to the Farm Market does not include: Galleries, Heckscher Farm, Nature's Playground, hiking trails or participation in the Market Madness program.
Finally, on Sunday, from 11-3, check out Patterns & Forms: Numbers in Nature! “Join us for a special celebration of our summer exhibition, Nature's Numbers, with a look at the patterns and sequences of numbers in nature. Explore the spirals in seeds and shells, discover the family tree of our honeybees with an "open hive" (weather permitting), and take a closer look at our favorite fruits and veggies to see their patterns. Try the SM&NC Sunday Farm Market number scavenger hunt to win prizes and to pick up some great local food. Discover the Fibonacci sequence in nature and learn about the animals that he studied by meeting our rabbits and cows. Plant seeds to take home, create great Fibonacci-inspired art, and learn about this special numbers pattern through some Fibonacci hopscotch. Discover why numbers rule in nature at your #1 Nature Center! A schedule of events will be posted on our website closer to the event. Members: Free | Non-Members: Free with gate admission.”
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Maritime Aquarium
There is always SO much going on at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT.
On Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm, check out the Toy Boat-Making Workshop for a fund 20 minute boat-building project! “Build and decorate a toy sailboat to take home as a special keepsake of your Maritime Aquarium visit. Cost: $5 per child (in addition to Aquarium admission).”
Ongoing exhibits worth checking out include the butterflies in the Flutter Zone, the Dragon exhibit, the always curious and adorable Meerkats and the Jiggle A Jelly Jellyfish exhibition.
The aquarium is definitely worth a trip up the Merritt or 95!
Click here to learn more about Maritime.
Weekends at Stone Barns Center
Weekends at Stone Barns Center are wonderful! Experience what's happening on the farm, meet the farmers and greet the season. On a Saturday or Sunday visit Stone Barns to participate in a variety of seasonal, hands-on activities and even better, now drop-in tours are included with your one-day admission ticket! Tickets sell out so be sure to get yours ahead of time!
Prices are as follows; adult (ages 16+) $20, youth (ages 2-15) $10. Children under 2 & members: FREE. Click here to become a member and learn more! Or here to purchase tickets.
Heritage of India Festival
Head to Kensico Dam in Valhalla on Sunday, August 2nd from 12:30-6:30 for the Heritage of India Festival and “experience a variety of cultures from around the world this summer without leaving Westchester County during the annual cultural heritage celebrations held in county parks.”
Sandcastle Building Competition
Do you have what it takes to build the biggest and best sandcastle/sand sculpture or figure? Why not “grab your pails and shovels, put together a team, and enjoy a day of fun in the sun against the scenic backdrop of Long Island Sound, during the second annual Sand Castle Competition on Saturday, August 1, at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle.
Download the application form and official rules and check out all the details here.
Glen Island Park is located on Pelham Road in New Rochelle.”
Greenburgh Nature Center
The GNC always has a fun array of activities for families to enjoy each weekend!
Ongoing:June 27-Aug 2 from 10-3 don’t miss the Annual Butterfly Exhibit. “ Located in our new plant meadow, this exhibit provides a natural setting for people and pollinators. Learn about native plants and butterflies, and how they rely on one another. Exhibit appropriate for all ages. Members FREE, Non-members $11 adults, $10 seniors/students, $9 children ages 2-12, under 2 FREE. Includes admission to Manor House. NOTE: All visitors must see receptionist in Manor House to receive a stamp prior to entering the butterfly exhibit.”
Ongoing: Red Fox at Hickory Lane by Kathleen M. Hollenbeck. “This self-guided Story Walk runs Sunday, June 28 through Sunday, September 27. Stop by the Manor House (Closed Fridays) for a free CPK kid's meal bookmark and to enter a free raffle for a $20 CPK gift certificate, while supplies last.”
On Saturday, August 1st at 11:30am, check out “Teaching Trails- Guided Trail Experience through our woodland forest. Discover who left that track, which tree makes the best animal home, or who uses that fallen tree for protection. Program runs approximately 45 minutes. FREE!”
Also on Saturday at 1pm, check out “Remedies and Edibles- We use plants every day for food, shelter, medicine, clothing, and more. Come explore with a naturalist as we take a walk on the GNC grounds, highlighting plant’s various uses along the way. Members $5/person, Non-Members $8/person.”
Sunday there will be another installment of Teaching Trails at 11:30am.
And finally, at 2pm on Sunday, learn about the “Long Migration- Come join a naturalist to learn about Birds of Prey and get to know some of our local migrants. Did you know the Arctic Tern’s annual migration route covers over 25,000 miles? Try that for your commute! Members $5/person, Non-Members $8/person.
Hudson River Museum
The Hudson River Museum, in Yonkers, boasts an amazing Planetarium, six galleries, and mansion!
In addition, this weekend HRM has Art Projects on Saturday and Sunday from 1-4pm for the kids to participate in and Science Projects on Saturday from 1-4pm. Also, kids can build fairy houses on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4!
And on Sunday at 7pm check out the performance of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream where an envious King Oberon conjures magic and mischief to win his queen back.”
For more info, click here.
Michael’s
Most Saturdays, from 10-12pm, Michael’s offers a fun crafting opportunity for kids to participate in while their parents shop! This Saturday’s project sounds like a blast for kids, it’s creating a Rain Stick!
For just $2, kids can spend 30 minutes at this drop-in program, have fun, express their creativity, and take home a completed project. Supplies include. For more information click here.
Crafts at Lakeshore
Lakeshore will also be holding a fun, free crafting workshop this Saturday from 11-3pm for kids ages 3 & up. Their project is perfect for summer, creating a “Friendship Day Keepsake.” It will be so much fun!! Click here to learn more.
All summer long, Rye hosts a great farmer’s market in the back parking lot behind Encore, Chase bank and Blue Mercury on Sundays from 8:30-2pm.
The Village of Mamaroneck will be hosting Summer Nights on the Sounds again this season featuring concerts that will take place at the Harbor Island Bandstand at Harbor Island Park. This Sunday night from 7PM - 9PM check out “Weird Science!” A great way to wind down the weekend and prepare for the week ahead!
Movies
While the weather is predicted to be nice this weekend, sometimes you just need to head indoors to a dark, quiet place to veg out! Out this weekend in theatres, “Pixels” rated PG-13. In regular and 3-D format. Also relatively new, “Ant Man” also rated PG-13. Perhaps a little more kid friendly, Minions is still in theaters! My kids loved it and it’s out in regular and 3-D versions. Also still out, and a movie I absolutely LOVED, “Inside Out.” This is an animated movie about dealing with all those emotions in our bodies represented by voices you’re sure to recognize! Jurassic World is also still out but for older kids as it has a PG-13 rating.
Check out showtimes here!
Other good weekend ideas include baseball games!! Check out the Met's and Yankee's schedules! The Rockland Boulders are home tonight and tomorrow night if you feel like staying more local!
Or maybe the Bronx Zoo?
The NY Botanical Gardens is a beautiful nearby destination!
Or how about fruit picking? Silverman’s Farm is a great nearby option in Easton, CT where you can pick your own fruit…depending on what’s ripe. Check it out!! http://www.silvermansfarm.com/pick_your_own.html
And Bowlmor bowling alley is now open in White Plains!
The beaches in Rye and Greenwich are a close, easy option that the whole family will love!
What about mini golfing? Nearby spots to play this fun game include Saxon Woods and Playland!
Finally, a fun activity to cool down on the hot summer days that lie ahead, sprinkler park! There’s a great one located in Mamaroneck, at Harbor Island Park. And while you’re there, you can check out the beach, the playground and all the yummy restaurants on Mamaroneck Ave!
Remember, it’s always a good idea to call ahead to ensure a scheduled activity is still running. Email me at ryebrook@hamlethub.com and let me know if we missed any super fun, family friendly events and/or if you would like to advertise with us!
Photo Credit: Kelly Schwark