Our June overview of free events for families in Brooklyn includes a bus festival, an outdoor opera, street fairs, shadow puppet theater, outdoor story time, basketball clinics, concerts and more.
Greek Festival| Boerum Hill | 6/3-6/8
Greek food, Greek music and dancing at the Greek Festival at 64 Schermerhorn Street (between Court Street and Boerum Place) from Monday 6/3 to Saturday 6/8 in the afternoons and evenings.
Basketball Clinics | Brooklyn Bridge Park | Starting 6/4
Join the 2-hr basketball clinics at Pier 2 led by KING Hoops, NYC’s premier youth basketball organization. Learn basketball basics as head coaches lead participants through drills and games. Recommended for 7+. Tuesdays 5 to 7 pm; and Sundays 12 to 2 pm, June 4 – August 25
Spark in the Park| DUMBO | 6/6
Visitors of all ages develop their engineering skills at the Imagination Playground outside in the Plaza of Brooklyn Bridge Park on Thursday, June 6 from 2 to 5 pm. Free play time for ages 1 to 7 held by Spark Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
Brooklyn Americana ‘Unplugged’ Music Series | Brooklyn Bridge Park | 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28
Featuring some of the finest acts in Americana music, Friday night Brooklyn Americana ‘Unplugged’ Music Series spans the range of Americana music including Folk, Country Blues, Old Time, Bluegrass and Jazz. The performances take place every Friday in June at 6PM at The Greenway Terrace by Pier 3 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Puppet Theater | Vinegar Hill | 6/8
The Midnight Radio Show will be bringing one of their shadow puppet theater shows, “The Happiness Tree,” to PS 307. This is a community event — all are welcome! The event will take place in the P.S. 307 Auditorium on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at 10 a.m. The show is appropriate for children of all ages, and adults too! Tickets are free! Tickets can also be purchased as a donation. RSVP here.
Susan Komen Breast Cancer fundraiser block party | Brooklyn Heights | 6/8
Bounce castle, karaoke, face painting, magic show and more during the Susan Komen breast cancer fundraiser block party on Pineapple Street between Hicks and Willow in Brooklyn Heights on June, 8th from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm.
Free family program | Brooklyn Historical Society DUMBO | 6/8 & 6/29
On June 8 we will bring Drag Queen Story Hour to BHS DUMBO. Participants can register here: https://bhsdragqueenstoryhour.eventbrite.com. On June 29 we will host Picture This – Color a mural. Children create collages on background line drawings that depict either the DUMBO waterfront, the Empire Stores (past and present), or New York City landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge. Participants can register here: https://bhspicturethisjune.eventbrite.com
New York Transit Museum Bus Festival | DUMBO | 6/9
Join the New York Transit Museum for their 26th Annual Bus Festival at Brooklyn Bridge Plaza. See and step aboard buses from their vintage fleet. Enjoy special activities and photo ops and meet some of the bus drivers who help keep our city moving. This free event takes place on Sunday, 6/9 from 10 am to 4 pm. Great for ages 2 and up.
Summer Reading Storytime | Brooklyn Bridge Park | 6/12, 6/19, 6/26
Listen to Brooklyn Heights librarians read stories from the Brooklyn Public Library’s reading list. Free event on Wednesdays at 10.30 am at Pier 3. Great for ages 1 to 5.
The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital | Brooklyn Bridge Park | 6/12
A favorite summer tradition in New York, the Metropolitan Opera’s Summer Recital Series returns to Pier 1’s Harbor View Lawn! Bring a picnic blanket and snacks, starts at 7 pm on Wednesday, 6/12.
Live at the Archway | DUMBO | 6/13, 6/20, 6/27
Eleven weeks of free family-friendly concerts and interactive arts programming held on Thursdays beneath the Manhattan Bridge Archway in DUMBO from June 13 to August 29. New this season are opening acts for kids beginning at 5:30 p.m. These include: interactive, contemporary puppet shows, a PS 307 and Dock Street school concert and a kids fashion show. During Live at the Archway evenings, beer, wine, and dinner bites will be for sale from The Dumbo Station, the DUMBO BID’s newest plaza concession.
Pop-up adventure play:groundNYC | Cobble Hill | 6/15:
A pop-up adventure playground, brought to the neighborhood by play:groundNYC and Friends of Christ Church Cobble Hill. Kids of all ages are welcome to create, build, and dream big using recycled materials in the courtyard, while parents can relax inside with a coffee. 326 Clinton Street on 6/15 from 12 to 3 pm, rain or shine.
Gardening Party – Poplar St. Community Garden | Brooklyn Heights | 6/15
The Poplar St. Community Garden is bright with blooms of many kinds, lush, enchanting, and fun! Come enjoy a beekeeping show–and–tell, get to know some of the many kinds of plants, and, whether child or adult, have fun getting hands–on. We’ll have light refreshments, live music, and plenty of gardening chatter too. NW Corner of Hicks and Poplar Sts. on Saturday 6/15 from 12 to 3 pm.
Food Art and Jazz Show | DUMBO | 6/15
Food art and live Jazz show for kids of all ages at Automatic Studios at 52 Bridge Street in DUMBO on Saturday 6/15 from 2 to 4 pm. Bring your own apple to create food art.
Make Music Cobble Hill will be taking place on Friday, June 21st from 5 to 9pm on car-free Court Street between Atlantic & Bergen. This free block party on the longest day of the year will feature four free bands throughout the evening as well as craft and fitness activities for children and adults.
Make Music New York | DUMBO | 6/21
Celebrate the longest day of the year with street band Honk in the Archway under the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO on Friday, June 21st from 4 to 6 pm.
FamilyFest | Atlantic Terminal’s Plaza | 6/22
Pop-a-shot basketball, circus arts workshop, summer dance jam, chess games, book mobile and much more at the Atlantic Terminal Family Fest on Saturday 6/22 from 1 to 3 pm in Downtown Brooklyn.
FAD MINI Kids and Family Market | Boerum Hill | 6/29 & 6/30
FAD mini will bring together the regions’ best designers and makers of children’s clothing, toys and games for a kids and family market experience at the Invisible Dog Art Center in Boerum Hill. Free activities include story time in the garden, a glass bead-making demonstration, clay throwing and a mosaic tile workshop, hands on Shibori tie dyeing and face painting. It will take place from 11 am to 6 pm at 51 Bergen Street Saturday and Sunday.
