Tweens and teens have lots of fun events to check out this summer, including a weekly community art workshop in Sunset Park, a math festival and Home Run Derby watch party in Manhattan, an ice cream fair in Prospect Park, a K-Pop celebration in Williamsburg, book talks in Brooklyn Heights & Kensington, and opportunities to watch the World Cup! Be sure to stop by Brooklyn Bridge Parent’s Summer Saturdays for Families at Atlantic Terminal Mall on July 18th. The theme for this month is Soccer, Sun & Fun!
Volunteer for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Kayaking Program | Pier 2
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays all summer
There is no minimum age for volunteers for the kayaking program in Brooklyn Bridge Park, but they find middle/high schoolers are a good fit. Volunteers are helping 4 days a week with things like set up and closing, on the pier, helping the public with life vests (making sure they’re properly fit) and getting in and out of kayaks on the floating dock. The volunteers generally are Not on or in the water and do not need to know how to swim. And after their shift IF we have available kayaks and no line of public paddlers, we also let the volunteers (if they want) go out in the embayment and paddle for a bit. Sign up to volunteer for the summer here.
Find Waldo Local Begins at Greenlight Bookstore | Fort Greene
Begins Wednesday, July 1st | Stop by any day between 10:00am-10:00pm for a stamp card
Waldo, the iconic children’s book character, has been roaming the globe (and beyond) for three decades. And just where is Waldo after all this time? Well, this summer he’s right here in Fort Greene / Clinton Hill! During the month of July, Greenlight Bookstore hosts “Where’s Waldo in Fort Greene,” an exciting month-long scavenger hunt to find Waldo in participating local businesses. Kids and families can search for Waldo and come back to Greenlight for prizes throughout the month. And Greenlight will host a Waldo Finale Party with more games and prizes on August 2nd! Stop by Greenlight throughout July for a stamp card with a list of participating businesses and scavenger hunt rules, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Waldo!
House of Goal at Industry City | Sunset Park
Friday, July 3rd-Sunday, July 19th | Daytime access is FREE | Get tickets here | FREE
House of GOAL is a cultural district where football collides with music, fashion, food, art, gaming, and community. Built by GOAL, it runs across six worlds – Play, Watch, Music, Flavor, Style, Tech, and Art – with every match live on the big screens. Don’t just watch the game; stand at the center of global football culture. Daytime access is free and open to the public, but you’ll need a free RSVP for each day you plan to attend. Evening performances and select events are separately ticketed.
Teen Community Art Workshop at the RISE UP Family Engagement Center | Sunset Park
4 week program beginning Tuesday, July 7th | 2:00pm-4:00pm | FREE | Ages 16-24 | Register here
Join RISE UP’s free 4-week youth art workshop to create community art projects, explore different art forms and materials, share stories and ideas, and learn about civic engagement through art. Free food will also be provided.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Williamsburg
Wednesday, July 8th-Sunday, July 19th | Times to be announced | FREE admission
Since 1887, the Italian American community has been celebrating their faith, culture, and family traditions on the streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Each July, the streets are filled with revelers from near and far to take part in a centuries old tradition known as the Dancing of the Giglio. For 12 days, the streets surrounding the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel are transformed into a vibrant festival, with food vendors, rides, games, and daily entertainment.
10th Annual NYC Math Festival at NYC Lab School | Manhattan
Saturday, July 11th | 10:00am-4:00pm | FREE
Get ready for the 10th Annual NYC Math Festival—a FREE, rain-or-shine outdoor celebration packed with mind-blowing performances, hands-on exhibits, and giant interactive builds for all ages! There will be Guinness World Record bubbles, NASA experts, juggling, robotics, and more!
Lindsay Park Summer Youth Day at Lindsay Park | East Williamsburg
Saturday, July 11th | 2:00pm-5:00pm | FREE
Come see DJ EE Cruize at Lindsay Park Summer Youth Day. There will be games, free food & drink, entertainment, community resources, and much more!
Paley Watch & Gaming Party: T-Mobile Home Run Derby ® at The Paley Museum | Manhattan
Sunday, July 13th | Doors at 7:30, Starts at 8:30pm | $20/person and children under 12 are free | Purchase here
Step up to the plate for an unforgettable summer celebration at The Paley Museum as they bring the excitement of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby to the big screen in their theater! Watch every towering blast with fellow fans while enjoying classic ballpark favorites like hot dogs and baseball snacks. Test your own power at the plate with Home Run Derby VR and MLB The Show 26—played both in their gaming space and on the massive theater screen for a truly larger-than-life experience. Capture the moment with fun photo ops, compete for bragging rights, and swing for incredible prizes throughout the event. It’s the ultimate home run experience for fans of all ages! Please note: The Virtual Reality (VR) lab is limited to age 12+ for PlayStation® VR2 and age 13+ for Meta Quest 3 (per manufacturer’s requirements).
The Art of Drag: Drag Makeup Demo at the Ryder Library | Borough Park
Thursday, July 16th | 3:00pm-4:00pm | FREE
Learn makeup tips and tricks from a drag artist in this live makeup tutorial and demonstration. Attendees will have access to eye and lip makeup, small mirrors, single-use applicators, and makeup removers. They will follow along, and ask questions with drag artist, Bella Noche from Drag Artists for Expression NYC. Bella Noche, the premiere mermaid drag queen of New York, sure leaves a splash wherever she swims. She aims to bring love and laughter to all audiences with her fantastical spark of colors, creativity, and charisma. Bella is known as a leader within the LGBTQIA+ community and the drag community for her various work across New York City and Long Island.
Summer Saturdays for Families at Atlantic Terminal Mall | Downtown Brooklyn
Saturday, July 18th (rain date July 19th) | 11:00am-1:00pm | Ages 0-12 | FREE | RSVP here
Join Brooklyn Bridge Parents and Atlantic Terminal Mall for Summer Saturdays with free water play, kids activities, giveaways and more fun on Saturdays in June, July and August on the Atlantic Terminal Mall Plaza. Come out to play, cool off and make friends! The theme for this month is Soccer, Sun & Fun!
Smorgasburg Great Ice Cream Fair at Prospect Park
Sunday, July 19th | 11:00am-6:00pm | FREE entry
A beloved summer tradition returns to Prospect Park! Join Smorgasburg, presented in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, for this special event with curated ice cream vendors alongside your favorite Smorgasburg regulars, all offering special ice-cream-forward treats for the day. Enjoy playful installations, hands-on activities, and family-friendly entertainment designed for all ages.
Author Talk: Mae Coyiuto Presents Goodbye and Everything After at the Brooklyn Heights Library | Brooklyn Heights
Friday, July 24th | 4:00pm-5:00pm | Teens | FREE | Register here
Join the Brooklyn Heights Library for a book presentation and Q+A with Mae Coyiuto on Goodbye and Everything After! Goodbye and Everything After is about a teen girl who comes face to face with her dad’s spirit when she ignores a strict Filipino superstition in this contemporary young adult novel that tackles grief, family tension, and first love. Mae Coyiuto is a Chinese Filipino author of the YA novels Goodbye and Everything After and Chloe and the Kaishao Boys, a 2023 New York Public Library Best Book of the Year. Born and raised in Manila, Mae is the first Philippines-based writer to have a YA title published by Penguin Random House USA. If she’s not writing, she’s usually fangirling over Beyoncé, tennis, Gilmore Girls, or all of the above. She currently lives in Manila. After the book talk, there will be a Kahoot game with the chance of winning prizes!
Creatures & Clay: A Chameleon Handbuilding Workshop at Dumbo Ceramics | DUMBO
Saturday, July 25th | 1:30pm-3:30pm | Ages 6 and up | $100 | Register here
Join Dumbo Ceramics for a one-of-a-kind pottery workshop featuring some very special live guests to Dumbo Ceramics: chameleons! In this playful 2-hour handbuilding class, participants will get up close with live chameleons, learn fun facts about these amazing reptiles, and use them as inspiration for their own clay creations. Participants can choose one piece to keep. Their staff will fire and glaze your piece, ready for pickup in 3-4 weeks.
Rebecca Mock launches Dare You to Dance with Kat Schneider at Lofty Pigeon Books | Kensington
Tuesday, July 28th | 6:30pm-8:00pm | FREE | RSVP here
Join Lofty Pigeon Books for the launch of Dare You to Dance, a heartfelt middle-grade graphic novel about a small-town ballerina attending a prestigious dance workshop—by award-winning illustrator Rebecca Mock!
Army Day Out: A K-Pop Fan Celebration at Brooklyn Bowl | Williamsburg
Friday, July 31st | Doors at 6:00pm/Show at 8:00pm | All ages | $20.41/ticket | Purchase here
K-Pop fans do not want to miss this special all ages show at Brooklyn Bowl. Come sing, dance, and celebrate your love of K-Pop!
Watch World Cup Matches at the Brooklyn Public Library | Various locations
Thursday, June 11th-Friday, July 15th | Days & times vary based on games | FREE
Visit a branch of the Brooklyn Public Library to watch a match with fellow fans! Whether you live in Sunset Park or Windsor Terrace, find a local branch to cheer on your favorite team.
Fan Zone “adidas Home of Soccer” at Brooklyn Bridge Park | DUMBO
Saturday, June 13th-Sunday, July 19th | 12:00pm-10:00pm daily | FREE
Spanning more than 25,000 square feet at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Emily Roebling Plaza near Pier 1, this free, open-to-the-public space will run through Sunday, July 19th. Everything you need to know about your visit here. You must have a free ticket to enter, RSVP here around 6 pm the evening the day before. With admission granted on a first come, first served basis. Bring a picnic blanket, hat and sunscreen!
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Updated: July 6, 2026 Featured image: Teens at a Brooklyn Bridge Parents event
