The US Open returns to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens from August 23 through September 13, 2026 — 22 days of tennis, the longest edition in the tournament’s history. For Brooklyn families the headline is simple: eight of those days have free grounds admission, and the biggest free family day of the year has moved to opening day.
Key dates
Sunday, August 23 | Fan Week opens, and Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day kicks off the tournament for the first time.
Sunday, August 23 – Saturday, August 29 | Fan Week: seven days of free grounds admission, with the Qualifying Tournament on the courts.
Tuesday, August 25 | Roger Federer returns to Arthur Ashe Stadium for a one-night exhibition (ticketed).
Sunday, August 30 | The main draw begins.
Thursday, September 10 | “Open for All Day” — a second day of free grounds admission, the eighth of the tournament.
Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13 | The women’s and men’s singles finals.
See the full tournament schedule here.
Fan Week is free — and it is the family week
Fan Week runs Sunday, August 23 through Saturday, August 29, and grounds admission is free. Adults need to register for a US Open Fan Access Pass — new this year, it is required for everyone 18 and over, it is free, and it lives in the US Open app so you can add it to your phone’s wallet. Under-18s do not need one.
A pass is not a reservation: entry stops when the grounds hit capacity, and the free stadium events are first come, first served. Go early. The full Fan Week lineup, including the ticketed premium events, is on the US Open site.
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, Sunday, August 23
Sunday, August 23 | 9:30am–6pm | USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows | Free, with a Fan Access Pass for adults | Built for kids of every age
Kids’ Day has always been the friendliest day at the Open, and in 2026 it opens the tournament rather than closing out the week before it. The Savannah Bananas take over Arthur Ashe Stadium from 11am to 12:30pm for the stadium show, mixing Banana Ball with on-court games alongside US Open players, and stick around for a meet-and-greet from 1 to 3pm.
The Fountain Plaza Stage runs 10am to 6pm with a concert block from 1 to 3:30pm. From 1:30 to 5pm, eight field courts open up for Net Generation lessons, drills and challenges, and the rest of the grounds fill with face painting, balloon artists, airbrush tattoos, hair braiding and storytelling. Top players practise in the main stadiums from 9:30am to 6pm. Kids’ meals are $10. Full details here.
Kid-friendly events in Brooklyn
The US Open Ice Cream Truck | Williamsburg
- Date & Time: Wednesday, August 19th | 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Location: McCarren Park
- Details: The first-ever US Open ice cream truck is visiting public park tennis courts across all five boroughs from August 17th to 21st. During its Brooklyn stop at McCarren Park, it will be serving free chocolate and vanilla soft-serve, ice pops, and other surprises.
Tickets for the main draw
The main draw runs August 30 to September 13, and prices vary widely by day, session and stadium — night sessions cost more, and the marquee matches are in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Children two and older need their own ticket. Buy through the official US Open ticket site; resale markups on other platforms are steep.
If the ticket prices make your eyes water, remember that Thursday, September 10 is Open for All Day — free grounds admission during the main draw.
Do children need their own ticket? The tournament does not answer this clearly anywhere on its public pages, which catches families out every year. Long-standing practice at the Open is that everyone aged two and over needs a full-price ticket, and children under two get in without one but are not entitled to a seat — but that is not stated on an official 2026 page, so confirm it against the tournament’s A-Z guide or with the box office before you buy for a toddler.
Getting there from Brooklyn
It is Queens, but it is an easy trip. The 7 train runs straight to Mets–Willets Point, at the gates. From most of Brooklyn the simplest routes are the G to Court Square and across to the 7, or any Manhattan-bound line to Times Square–42 St or Grand Central–42 St and the 7 from there. The LIRR also runs to Mets–Willets Point on match days. The US Open’s own travel guide has the full rundown, including ferry and driving options.
Where to watch in Brooklyn
Most Brooklyn bars have not posted their tournament plans yet. One has, and it happens to be an easy one with kids in tow.
The Dram Shop
Sunday, August 30 – Sunday, September 13 | 339 9th Street, Park Slope | Free to watch, food and drink prices apply | Kids Eat Free on Saturday afternoons
The Dram Shop has the whole tournament on its published calendar, round by round, across eight TVs and a big-screen projector. Sound is saved for the matches that earn it: the women’s singles final at 4pm on Saturday, September 12 gets it, and the men’s final goes on at 2pm on Sunday, September 13 — opposite the NFL’s opening Sunday, so arrive early if tennis is what you came for. Screens are allocated first come, first served. See the full calendar here.
Just over the bridge: the Seaport Racquet Club
No Brooklyn venue has announced a free outdoor screening this year, but there is one a subway stop away. For three weeks the South Street Seaport turns itself into a tennis village, and the best of it is free, outdoors and easy to reach from Brooklyn Heights or DUMBO.
Seaport Racquet Club
Monday, August 24 – Sunday, September 13 | across the Seaport, Lower Manhattan | free to walk in | all ages, though some of the venues inside it are not
A full-size tennis court goes up on Seaport Square with stadium seating around it, and the public can actually play on it — free court time runs alongside the daily programming. Bring a racquet. The Seaport’s own page says the full schedule lands later this month, so look again before you go: player appearances are promised, including Naomi Osaka at an on-court wellness event and a Coco Gauff documentary screening, but none of them has a published date yet.
Watch parties at Sadie’s Garden Bar
Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30 | 10:30am–6:30pm | 19 Fulton Street | free to watch | daytime and outdoors, the easiest window with kids
Sadie’s puts every match on an 18-foot outdoor LED screen for the length of the tournament. Those two days are the World of Hyatt takeover, and per Time Out they run in daylight and finish by dinner, with a DJ on the Sunday — which makes them the family-plausible slot in a place that is otherwise a garden bar.
Seaport Cinema: King Richard
Tuesday, September 1 | at sundown | Heineken Riverdeck, Pier 17, 89 South Street | free with RSVP | PG-13, and a late start for little ones
The Seaport’s summer film series gives its September slot to the Williams sisters’ origin story, outdoors on the pier. RSVP here — it is free, but it does not hold you a seat, and seating is first come, first served. Come early for the waterfront view.
Getting there is the easy part: the A or C from High Street is one stop to Fulton Street, or you can walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and turn right.
Kids’ tennis lessons in Brooklyn
Watching the Open tends to produce a child who wants a racket. Registration for the autumn season is open, all details in our Tennis guide.
Playing on your own courts
If your child would rather just hit, a New York City Parks tennis permit costs $10 for the full season for anyone under 18, against $100 for an adult, and covers every public court in the city through the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Single-play tickets are $15. The Brooklyn permit office is at Litchfield Villa, 95 Prospect Park West, open weekdays 9am–4pm. Permit details here.
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