Our overview of free kid-friendly events in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights and BoCoCa includes the Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day, street fairs in Brooklyn Heights, a community pizza party, a block party in DUMBO with thousands of elephants coming down the sky, family-friendly music festivals and much more.
Photoville @ DUMBO | 9/12-9/22
Photoville will present work by more than 600 artists in 90 photography exhibitions and outdoor installations. NYC’s premier photo destination built from re-purposed shipping containers returns to Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park from September 12 to 15 and 19 to 22. It will be open to the public— dogs included—free of charge. Read our exclusive Photoville family guide here.
Brooklyn Brews @ Downtown Brooklyn | 9/13 – 9/14
Brooklyn Brews is a celebration of the local community featuring Brooklyn breweries, music, lawn games, and kid-friendly activities. Friday 9/13 from 4 to 8 pm and Saturday 9/14 from 12 to 5 pm at MetroTech Commons in Downtown Brooklyn.
DUMBO Pizza Party @ Manhattan Bridge Archway | 9/13
DUMBO’s community pizza party in the Archway with slices & ice cream for $2 will take place on Friday, September 13 from 5 to 10 pm. There will be live music, balloon art, face painting and more!
Back-to-school Day @ Downtown Brooklyn | 9/14
Brooklyn’s own marching band and dance group, Brooklyn United hosts a back-to-school day with dancing and drumming workshops and live performances. Albee Square on Saturday 9/14 from 11 am to 6 pm.
Southwest Brooklyn Fall Festival @ Carroll Gardens | 9/14
On Saturday September 14. 2019, the Carroll Gardens Association (CGA) will be hosting the Southwest Brooklyn Fall Festival, celebrating the best of Red Hook, Carroll Gardens and the Columbia Waterfront. The Festival, which runs through the heart of the Columbia Waterfront District, is the one time of the year when Southwest Brooklyn’s diverse community of local businesses, artists, service organizations, and residents come together. The free event will feature activities for children including face painting, balloon twisting, a bouncy house, soccer, tennis, and martial arts.
BROOKYN BRUJERIA THE FESTIVAL @ DUMBO | 9/14
Join Chiquita Brujita for a day of Afro-Diasporic music, magic and DRUMS as we honor the strength and resilience of Brooklyn’s immigrant youth. Performances, a magic makers market, tarot readers, and more. 9/14 from 2 to 9 pm in the Archway under the Manhattan Bridge.
Sunday Social @ Brooklyn Heights | 9/15
The Montague Street BID and Brooklyn Bridge Parents are hosting a giant kids zone on car-free Montague Street with free activities for kids ages 1 to 10 on Sunday 9/15 from 12 to 5 pm. Stop by for STEM activities, puppet shows, face painting, Lego building, beyblade tourney, soccer, weaving, film making, martial arts and much more. More information here.
Grand Opening of Force Soccer Studios @ Gowanus | 9/15
Bring your family for a tour of the new soccer studio in Brooklyn, meet their soccer training staff and join them in mini soccer sessions throughout the day. The celebration will include food, music, autograph signing and soccer demonstrations. Where — 483 Baltic Street. When — September 15, 2019. Time — 10:00am – 4:00pm. Find out more here.
Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day @ Downtown Bklyn | 9/21
Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day is Saturday, September 21 which will feature kids book making, workshops, a Drag Queen Story Hour, story times, and a Literary Marketplace just for kids as part of the day’s celebration of childhood reading. Events take place at MetroTech Commons all day from 10 am to 4 pm. All details here.
Brooklyn Americana Music Festival @ Brooklyn waterfront | 9/20 – 9/22
Brooklyn Americana Music Festival comprises fifty free shows at nine locations along the Brooklyn waterfront. FREE kid-friendly day time shows for all ages in The Archway Under the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Find out more here.
Future Family Saturdays @ Navy Yard | 9/21
How are Brooklyn-based businesses helping to reduce, reuse, and recycle? How can you learn about ways you can make a positive impact on the environment? This family-friendly program focused on sustainable practices featuring some of the Yard’s most “green” businesses will take place on Saturday 9/21 from 12.30 to 3 pm. The afternoon will include hands-on activities, demos, and different ways for children of all ages to engage and have fun! Free RSVP here.
Intro to Preschool & Daycare @ DUMBO | 9/23
In this info session for families considering preschool and daycare in Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, BoCoCa, Fort Greene and Downtown Brooklyn we will cover everything you need to know about local preschools, daycare options, programs, application details and deadlines, waitlists, free universal Pre-K options, languages and more. This event is geared towards parents with children born in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The following preschools/daycares will be attending the event and the Q&A: Brooklyn Preschool of Science, International School of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Explorers Academy, Imagine Early Learning Centers, Elite Minds Montessori School, BASIS Independent Brooklyn and Open House Nursery School. The event will take place on Monday, September 23 from 7.00 – 8.45 pm at the NY Media Center in DUMBO. Tickets here.
Washington Street Block Party “The Great DUMBO Drop” @ DUMBO | 9/27
The DUMBO BID hosts its 3rd annual block party on Washington Street on Friday, September 27 from 4 to 8 p.m. There will be free kids activities including arts and crafts, photo booth and live music. The cornerstone events of the evening are The Great #DUMBODrops, which send thousands of toy elephants descending on the streets of DUMBO at 6 and 7.30 pm. Funds raised from the DUMBO Drop will support DUMBO’s local public STEAM schools PS 307 Elementary School and the Dock Street Middle School. Elephants can be purchased here.
Atlantic Antic @ Atlantic Avenue | 9/29
This year’s Atlantic Antic Street Festival will be held on Sunday, September 29 from 12 to 6 pm, rain or shine, along Atlantic Avenue from Hicks Street to Fourth Avenue including a kids zone with bouncy castle, rides and more.
Main photo: Sunday Social 9/15
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