ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
[Ages 6+]
The Liberty Science Center kicks off summer with an illuminating new exhibit, In The Dark. Aiming to ease darkness anxiety in children, this interactive show will display how animals and organisms have adapted to cool, dim conditions for centuries. Learn about dark caves, deep forests and the unknown that is the ocean floor. In The Dark boasts interactive displays, walk-through dioramas and even a few creatures. Don’t miss the recreated nighttime forest, featuring glowing mushrooms and illuminated fungi.
Through June; free with museum admission. 222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City, N.J., 201-200-1000, lsc.org.

SUMMER AT SWINDLER
[All ages]
Swindler Cove Park is a natural gem in the heart of urban Harlem. Featuring a forest and one of NYC’s only saltwater marshes, families can catch up on their bird watching here. On June 2’s Family Day, the New York Restoration Project’s staff and educators will lead games, hikes and nature projects such as DIY birdhouses. Kiddos will also have the chance to meet and greet the animals that call the park home. Pick up some gardening tips while you’re there, as expert gardeners will be onsite for tutorials and questions.
June 2, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; free. 10th Ave. & Dyckman St., 212-333-2552, nyrp.org.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION
[All ages]
Cobble Hill Cinemas’ Big Movies for Little Kids program is teaming up with the Children’s Museum of the Arts for their second annual student film festival. Aspiring filmmakers are welcome to view and gain inspiration from the short film submissions of their peers ages 4-18. Your kiddo can vote for their favorite, and the top three will premiere later in the month at the series’ annual Drive-In Movie Night on June 15. Children who didn’t submit will still get their directorial debut in the event’s animation booth!
June 4 & 15, 4 p.m.; $7, babies are free.
265 Court St., Brooklyn, 718-596-9113, cobblehilltheatre.com.

PREPARE TO BE A-MAZE-D
[All ages]
Summer is the season to get wet, so head to Coney Island for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s newest exhibit at New York Aquarium, A-MAZE-ING Water. This unique display, running through Labor Day, honors World Oceans Day. Kiddos and their companions will magically turn into a tiny, but important, drop of water and travel through a maze of waterways. Watch out for pollutants along the way! Every drop will eventually make its way to its desired destination: the ocean. This interactive exhibit is fantastic for broods to learn about bodies of water big and small.
Opens June 8; free with aquarium admission.

New York Aquarium, Surf Ave. & W. 8th St., Brooklyn,
718-265-3474, nyaquarium.org.

LOWER EAST EGG-CITEMENT
[All ages]
Take the family to the Egg Rolls & Egg Creams Festival, sponsored by the Museum at Eldridge Street, dedicated to celebrating the Lower East Side’s Chinese and Jewish communities. Believe it or not, these two very different cultures value their deep-rooted traditions in the same way: by keeping ancient customs present while also adopting new ones. This free fest is full of music (toe-tapping klezmer), dancing (the tricks of Chinese acrobats) and art. Be sure to snag a quick language lesson in Mandarin or Yiddish! And of course, kosher egg creams and traditional egg rolls will be available for noshing.
June 10, 12-4 p.m.; free. Eldridge St. betw. Canal and Division Sts., 212-219-0888, eldridgestreet.org.

MADISON SQUARE ROCKS
[All ages]
This summer marks the big 1-0 for the free weekly Madison Square kids concert series. June features groovin’ groups like The Deedle Deedle Dees, Alastair Moock & Friends and Shine & The Moonbeams. We’ll be marking our calendars for Audra Rox, who promises to kick off the 10th anniversary in style. Be sure to check out the entire schedule for future performances by The Suzi Shelton Band, Recess Monkey and The Dirty Sock Funtime Band.
Begins June 12, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.; free. Madison Ave. & 23rd St., 212-538-1884, madisonsquarepark.org.

SUMMER IN THE SQUARE
[All ages]
Union Square Park’s free Summer in the Square series is the perfect way to spend your pre-weekend day with the family in the great outdoors. Bring baby out to the playground at 10 a.m. for Mommy & Me yoga classes hosted by Bija Kids. Children’s entertainment and activities begin at noon, ideal for picnicking. Or, take advantage of the free salsa, Zumba and hip-hop classes sponsored by the renowned Peridance Capezio Center beginning at 6 p.m. Each week winds down with a Music in the Square concert featuring rock, jazz, folk and international acts.
Begins June 14, Thursdays, 10 a.m.; free.
E. 14th St. & Broadway, 212-460-1200, unionsquarenyc.org.

GONE FISHIN’
[Ages 5+]
In celebration of aquatic ecology, Central Park is hosting a free family fishing celebration. This catch-and-release event takes place at the now-flourishing Harlem Meer, stocked with largemouth bass, sunfish, pickerel and carp. The New York Microscopical Society will also host a microscope activity to investigate aquatic organisms. And for all the non-fishermen of the family, fishy arts & crafts will keep hands busy, along with storytelling from the Magic Goldfish.
June 23, 12-3 p.m.; free. Dana Discovery Center, 110th St. betw. 5th & Lenox Aves., 212-860-1370, centralparknyc.org.

ARTY BLOCK PARTY
[All ages]
The city shuts down 23 blocks of Fifth Avenue for the 34th annual Museum Mile Festival, a summer soiree unlike any other. Rain or shine, this is your chance to check out 10 of the city’s cultural greats: El Museo del Barrio, The Jewish Museum, The Guggenheim and The Met, among others. Enjoy performances from Sammie & Tudie’s Imagination Playhouse and Silly Billy. Mini-artists can partake in arts & crafts while face painting, magic shows and electrifying jugglers round out this evening of cultural fun.
June 12, 6-9 p.m.; free. 5th Ave. betw. East 82nd and 105th Sts., 212-606-2296, museummilefestival.org.

A PARTY FOR THE TROOPS
[All ages]
Were you or your spouse absent for your child’s birthday because of active military duty? If so, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum has an epic fiesta planned just for your fam! The Military Family Birthday Party is a special way to honor families who give so much to our country. This first-time celebration will include all the traditional b-day activities: balloons, singing, arts & crafts and, of course, yummy birthday cake. Kiddos and parents alike will also have the opportunity to meet other military families and swap stories.
June 21, 4-7 p.m.; reservations are required. 145 Brooklyn Ave., Brooklyn,
718-735-4400 x164, brooklynkids.org.

Entering its 82nd season, the annual Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit is one of those New York traditions that just never gets old. The art isn’t flagrantly modern, for the most part, but it doesn’t feel tired, either. The exhibitions run the gamut; the same block may feature landscape photographs from Southeast Asia, abstract paintings of electric guitars and clocks made from scrap metal. That’s the show’s beauty, really: Despite its large cast of regulars, you still never know what you’ll find. Everything is for sale—although it may cost you an arm and a leg—but it’s well worth the trip just to browse.
May 26-28, June 2-3, Sept. 1-3 &  8-9. University Place betw. 3rd & 12th Sts., wsoae.org.

DOWNTOWN
Hester Street Fair 

This annual street fair, an urban version of its country counterpart, is thankfully free of carnies and scary looking rides. Stroll through the outdoor market on the Lower East Side and support local artisans selling vintage threads and baubles, original art, handcrafted jewelry and homemade jams and pickles. Munch alfresco on summertime staples from Pies ‘n’ Thighs and Luke’s Lobster, then grab a gourmet ice pop from La Newyorkina or build your own gourmet gooey s’more at S’amore.
Saturdays through the summer,
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Hester St. at Essex St.,
hesterstreetfair.com. 

DOWNTOWN
HOWL! Festival 

Indulge your inner beat at the annual HOWL! Festival. Named after Allen Ginsberg’s celebrated poem, the festival kicks off with a group reading of “Howl” on Friday night. The rest of the weekend promises plenty of musical performances and dances. Be sure to check out one of the key attractions: 140 artists in action as they transform an 8-foot-high, 900-foot-long blank canvas into a mural of art encircling the park. HOWL! is kid-friendly, too, with carnival games, face-painting and story-telling.
June 1-3. Tomkins Square Park, 7th-10th Sts. betw. Aves. A & B, howlfestival.com. 

DOWNTOWN
Summer in the Square 

Union Square is the focal point every Thursday as the Union Square Partnership hosts its annual Summer in the Square, including a series of free activities and concerts in the park. “Fitness in the Square” starts at 7 a.m. and features yoga and cardio classes, while “Kids in the Square” begins at 10 a.m., offering activities for children. Starting at 6 p.m., local musicians regale listeners with everything from rock and jazz to folk and Latin music.
June 14-Aug. 9. Union Square, 14th-17 Sts. betw. Broadway & Park Ave. S.,
unionsquarenyc.org. 

DOWNTOWN
River to River Festival 

Watch Colombian Harpist Edmar Castaneda perform, take a walking tour of the Brooklyn Bridge or learn how to tie a knot. Or, do all three. This Lower Manhattan performing arts festival offers an array of free events every day at venues including Castle Clinton, Governors Island, South Street Seaport Museum, Wall Street Plaza and more. Featuring music, dance, art, film and theater events, the festival began as a way to revitalize the downtown area after 9/11 and is now celebrating its 10th year.
June 17-July 15. Various locations,
rivertorivernyc.com.

DOWNTOWN
Swedish Midsummer Festival

Scandinavians are hot. That’s a fact. Male or female, these high-cheekboned wonders will be running rampant at the Midsummer Festival at Battery Park. The festival, starting at 5 p.m., is meant to celebrate the summer solstice, or some pagan jazz like that. For some reason, the solstice makes people want to dance around trees with wreaths on their head. We don’t know why, but who cares when you can munch on waffles and herring and pretend you’re a Viking against the backdrop of the New York Harbor? OK, we could do without the herring part. Go summer!
June 22, 5-8 p.m. Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, off Battery Place, bpcparks.org.  

DOWNTOWN
Gay Pride Parade

With the passage of gay marriage in New York last year and President Barack Obama coming out in support of same-sex marriage, expect this year’s Gay Pride Parade to be one big love fest. This über-fun event takes over the entire west side of Manhattan, with a parade down Fifth Avenue, parties on the pier, performers, a street fair and fireworks.
June 24. Begins at 36th St. & 5th Ave., ends at Christopher & Greenwich Sts., nycpride.org.

DOWNTOWN
Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival

A great way to enjoy the late sunshine after work, this weekly festival brings musicians as diverse as the Portland Cello Project and Marshall Crenshaw together with a full bar and wonderful (yet affordable) wines in the courtyard behind City Winery. It’s an eclectic celebration of the melting pot of New York City.
June 26-Aug. 28, Tuesday nights, 5:30 p.m. City Winery, 155 Varick St., www.citywinery.com.

DOWNTOWN
Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival 

Celebrate the blues with old and new artists at the second annual Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival at the World Financial Center Plaza. Buddy Guy, ranked in the top 30 of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, will headline the show on July 11, and Grammy-nominated singer Neko Case will perform July 12. Other performers include Charles Bradley and John Mayall.
July 11-12, 6-9:30 p.m. World Financial Center, 220 Vesey St., betw. North End Ave. & West St., artsbrookfield.com. 

MIDTOWN
India Day Parade 

Celebrated to commemorate Indian independence from Britain, there is usually a Bollywood star or two in attendance at this glittery parade to which Indians from all over the tristate area come to party like it’s 1999. There’s food and goodies sprinkled along the parade route, so you can chow down on your favorite goodies like samosas and kebabs.
August (date TBA). Madison Ave., from 38th to 28th St., fianynjct.org.

UPPER EAST SIDE
Museum Mile Festival 

For those who want to explore a few of New York City’s most famous museums for free, the 34th annual Museum Mile Festival is the event to attend. Known as New York’s biggest block party, Fifth Avenue will be closed to traffic from 82nd Street to 105th Street, and 10 museums will open theirs doors to the public free of charge. The event will also feature live music and outdoor art activities for kids. Participating museums include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, El Museo Del Barrio, Museum of the City of New York and more.
June 12. 5th Ave. betw. 82nd & 105th Sts., museummilefestival.org.

UPPER EAST SIDE
Bastille Day 

If you secretly wanted to protest at Zuccotti Park but didn’t want to deal with the lack of showers and that whole sleeping outside thing, Bastille Day on 60th Street is for you—it’s like the sanitized, more fun version of protesting. After all, it was the poor French who decided they weren’t going to take it anymore from that bossy monarchy. The good news is no one is going to be guillotined at this Bastille Day. Instead, visitors can play pétanque, sip on kir royales and eat some smelly cheese.
July 15, 12-5 p.m. 60th St. betw. 5th and Lexington Aves., www.bastilledayny.com.
 

UPPER WEST SIDE 
Midsummer Night Swing

If you’re looking for a fun new way to dance away a hot summer’s night in New York, consider Lincoln Center’s outdoor dance party. Midsummer Night Swing offers a one-hour dance lesson followed by live music and dancing at the bandshell and elevated dance floor in Damrosch Park. Opening night features music from the ’50s and ’60s, and subsequent nights features such genres as jazz, salsa and rock ‘n’ roll.
June 26-July 12, 6:30-10 p.m.; $17, passes for multiple nights are available. Damrosch Park, at 62nd St. betw. Columbus & Amsterdam Aves., www.midsummernightswing.org. 

GOVERNORS ISLAND

The Seventh Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party
A free ferry to Governors Island lets you slip away to a Gatsby-inspired refuge. Come to the best 1920s outdoor summer party of 2012, featuring live music, a 50-foot-square real wood dance floor (with dance lessons), delightful and refreshing cocktails, fun summer foods and desserts, an old-fashioned DJ spinning records on an antique phonograph, vintage booths and so much more. 
June 16-17 & Aug 18-19; $15, kids are free. Governors Island, dreamlandorchestra.com.