Best Kids Events August
Annual Sand Castle Contest at Glen Island Beach
Best Kids Events August: Here’s ten cool things to do with the kids in August. Plus 13 more that run all summer long!
August
Free Local Music! Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce Summer Concerts, FDR Drive, Wed, 8/1: 7pm: Dance band FDR Drive, mainstays at The Heights at Brother Vic’s in South Salem, play a mix of music that includes current dance Hits, Motown, R&B, 70s, 80’s, 90’s, Rock, Pop Hits, Swing, novelty songs and standards. In the event of rain this event moves to the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. (Recreation Field, Chappaqua: 200 S. Greeley Ave. Chappaqua-millwoodchamber)
Sheffield Island Haunted Lighthouse, Sat-Sun, 8/4-5: Ghosts, ghouls and goblins greet visitors to the historic Sheffield Island Lighthouse decorated to provide thrills and chills for kids of all ages (only two rooms are kept dark). (Norwalk Seaport Association Dock, 4 N. Water Streets, Norwalk, CT.; www.seaport.org)
Historical Military Vehicle Show, Lasdon Park – Sat, 8/4: 1am-4pm & Sun, 8/5: 10am-3:30pm: Walk through a timeline of various conflicts in our nations history as you view a number of exhibits and vehicles from each time period. Vehicles will be exhibited from WWI to Desert Storm and the Westchester County Veterans Museum will feature a new display. Your entry fee also includes entry to the Lasdon Conservatory where you can stroll through it’s flowers of The Rain Forest exhibit. (2610 Amawalk Rd., Katonah; www.lasdonpark.org)
Renaissance Faire, Tuxedo Park – Sat-Sun & Labor Day, 8/4-9/30: 10am-7pm: A romp through Elizabethan England complete with 16th Century games, rides, arts, crafts, food, music and dance in Tuxedo Park. There’s 
mime, magic, music, comedy and storytellers, pirates, fairies, pole dancing, piping, acrobats, aerialists, a fire circus, birds of prey, sword fighting, knife throwing and the big one … jousting. Check for theme weekends & special events. (600 Rt. 17A, Tuxedo Park; www.renfair.com)
Sand Castle Contest, Glen Island Beach – Sat, 8/4: 11am-4pm: Get your team of sand architects, engineers and contractors together and start building. Or just stop by to get some sand between your toes and watch all the Type A Beach Personalities construct their watchtowers, moats and flanking towers. Plus deejay music and beach games. (Glen Island Park, Weyman Ave., New Rochelle; www.parks-westchestergov.com)
Hoops for Health, Mental Health Association of Westchester & NY Liberty Box Out Stigma, County Center – Wed, 8/8: 6pm: The NY Liberty take on the LA Sparks at 7pm. Prior to the game there will be a panel discussion promoting emotional wellness among young adults and athletes with Stephen Smith PHD MHA Westchester, Sue Wicks, former NY Liberty player and pioneer in LGBT rights and Michel Orth, Westchester County Commissioner of Mental Health. (198 Central Ave, White Plains)
Local! The Never-ending Story, Bedford Hills Memorial Park – Fri, 8/10: 8pm: Bring a beach chair or blanket and enjoy the movie under the stars, with popcorn, Summer Reading prizes, and fun for all ages at Sammarco Soccer Field.
Local! 1 Stop Pony Band, Summer Concerts at Wampus Brook Park – Sat, 8/11: 8pm: Brian La Blanc and band captures the voices of some of the most iconic musicians and prolific hit-makers including Billy Joel, The Doors, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, John Lennon, Neil Young, and Jimmy Buffett. (28 Maple Ave., Armonk; www.smalltowntheatrecompany.com)
East Coast National Baseball Card Show, County Center – Thurs-Sun, 8/17-19: check times: 300 tables, new Hobby Box series, Sports Card Singles and thousands of autographed baseballs, memorabilia, modern and vintage sports cards, on-site authentication, and live signings from 100 of your favorite sports stars including Walt Frazier, Pete Rose, Tony Perez, Mike tyson and the NY Jets Sack Exchange. (198 Central Ave., White Plains; www.countycenter.biz
Carnival Alert! Dutchess County Fair, Rhinebeck – Tues-Sun, 8/21-28: 10am-10pm: 144 acres of bucolic fairgrounds play host to half a million patrons and thousands of farm animals, agricultural exhibits, horticultural displays and carnival rides. Grandstand concerts feature big name bands (check back for details) Plus racing pigs, diving dogs, a horse show, petting zoo, pony rides, jugglers, crafts vendors, food and country fair competitions like goat milking, chicken clucking, and horse shoeing. (6626 Route 9, Rhinebeck; www.dutchessfair.com)
Local! New Rochelle Opera: Bernstein & Friends, Summer Concerts at Wampus Brook Park – Sat, 8/25: 8pm: The New Rochelle Opera celebrates the 100th Birthday of Leonard Bernstein by performing many of his Broadway songs in their “Bernstein and Friends” program. NRO has been thrilling audiences with imaginative full opera productions since 1985. (28 Maple Ave., Armonk; www.smalltowntheatrecompany.com)
Living History: Military Reenactment Day at Boscobel – Sun, 8/26: 11am-4pm: Military re-enactors set up encampments from the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. They demonstrate camp life with inspections, formations, musket firings, artillery demonstrations, and drills. See General George Washington inspect his troops, President Abraham Lincoln address his army, and more on the Boscobel grounds overlooking the Hudson River and West Point. (Boscobel, 1601 Route 9D (Bear Mountain Highway) in Garrison; www.boscobel.org)
Rip Van Winkle,Hudson Valley Shakespeare Company – Fri-Sat 8/31-9/1 & Mon, 9/3: 7:30pm: In Seth Boakley’s new take on this old tale Rip is joined by an adventurous daughter and her hard-working mother, tinkers, butchers, innkeepers, tall tale-tellers and a few seafaring ghosts in HVSF’s first-ever mainstage commission. (Boscobel, 1601 Rt. 9D, Garrison; www.hvsf.org)
September
Lime Rock Park Historic Festival, Lakeville, CT – Thurs-Mon: 8/30-/9-3: check times: The east coast’s premier vintage racing and concours event presents three days of on-track racing. Including more than 250 cars and drivers, parading and racing everything from pre-WWI racers to the best competition machines from the 1920s to the 1970s. (60 White Hollow Rd., Lakeville CT: www.limerock.com)
CORNucopia at Philipsburg Manor – Sat-Mon, 9/1-3: 10am-5pm: This novel corn festival offers an inspired bounty of corn-centric delicacies (corn bread, salsa, chips, chili, ice cream and popcorn) demonstrations (corn grinding & cooking) games and crafts (Konk-a-Crow, Ring-a Cob) corn-shucking races and a mini maize-maze. Plus house tours, bluegrass and folk music and English country dancing in the barn. (381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow; www.hudsonvalley.org)
Carnival Alert! Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival, Fri-Sun: 9/7-9: check times: Three days of entertainment, carnival rides and games and 
OYSTERS, OYSTERS, OYSTERS. Featuring a 65 foot Ferris Wheel, an Arts & Crafts Show with 100 vendors, New England Seaport Village, Kids’ Cove with games, rides & activities under a circus tent, International Food Court, headline musical acts, harbor tour cruises, and vessel tours. Plus a Celebrity Oyster Slurp-off. (Norwalk Veterans Park, 42 Seaview Ave., Norwalk; www.seaport.org)
Local! Community Family Camp Out, Bedford Village Memorial Park – Sat-Sun, 9/8-9: 3pm-10:30am: Bedford Recreation provides tent set-up assistance, campfire, grills for cooking, picnic tables, informal activities, breakfast clean rest rooms, supervision, and a pool time Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Campsite registration begins 5/1. Contact the recreation office at 666.7004)
Kids All Summer Long
Boundless Adventures, Purchase College – Fri-Sun, 4/27-6/8, Daily 6/9-9/3 & Fri-Sun, 9/4-11/26: The new Boundless Adventures Aerial Adventure Park on the Purchase College Campus is an aerial obstacle course that incorporates zip lines and climbing with a host of ladders, bridges, rolling elements and even aerial skate boarding into the ultimate tree-top monkey bar experience for kids and adults. (Read more.) (735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase; www.boundlessadventures.net)
The Heart of Robin Hood, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Boscobel – Fri, 6/8 – Sat, 8/25: check dates & times: HVSF takes on David Farr’s reimagined adaptation of Robin Hood, commissioned in 2011 by The Royal Shakespeare Company. In Farr’s telling, Maid Marion bands with Robin Hood to escape an impending marriage to Prince John and his evil plan to betray the king. Only to discover a roguish band of hoods whose pilfering of the wealth never quite makes it to the poor. Marion has some work to do on the heart of Robin before she can save the kingdom. (Boscobel, 1601 Rt. 9D, Garrison; www.hvsf.org)
Pirate Quest, Philipsburg Manor, Sat-Sun, 7/7-8/25: 10am-12pm: Kids can play our mobile game while hunting through the site’s grounds, loading precious cargo onto their digital pirate ships. They’ll explore the manor house, barn, and mill to discover what was considered “treasure” in the 18th century. Make sure to keep watch for pirates and sword fights along the way! Perfect for ages 5-8 (381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow; www.hudsonvalley.org)
Sleeping with Wolves, Wolf Conservation Center – Friday & Select Saturdays 6/2 -10/21: 6pm- 8:30am. Camp out overnight with 20+ wolves that call the WCC in South Salem home! It’s cheaper than a trip to Yellowstone – and you’ll leave a much smaller carbon footprint. The evening includes a pizza party with Ambassador wolves Atka, Alawa, Nikai and Xephyr, movies under the stars, tents for all campers, fireside snacks and a light breakfast. Pre-registration is required at www.nywolf.com)
Backyard Wilderness, IMAX Movies, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk – Daily: 3/24 – 9/3: 11am, 1 & 3pm: This new Imax movie was filmed outside the Croton on Hudson home of the Academy Award-nominated (Children of Fate) filmmakers Andrew Young and Susan Todd. “With input from our science advisors, we worked on filming scenes of the animals that actually live in our backyard, which is part of the eastern forest ecosystem,” Young told Westchester Magazine. Featuring local blue jays, raccoons and (you guessed it) coyotes! (10 N. Water St., Norwalk, www.maritimeaquarium.org)
Rye Playland – Daily except Mondays 6/1-9/9: check times: There’s 42 carnival rides, entertainment in Kiddyland and the Music Tower Stage every day at Rye Playland – except Mondays! Plus a beach nearby. There are kiddy rides like the Kiddy Coaster, Carousel and Whip and family rides like the Gondola Wheel, Family Flyer and Bumper Cars. Plus thrill rides like the Sky Flyer, Dragon Coaster and the Playland Plunge. And fireworks every Friday at 9:15pm from 7/1-9/1. Gotta go once! www.ryeplayland.org
Pride of the Hudson River Cruise, Newburg – Sat, 6/2- Sun – 10/28: check dates & times: See the majestic beauty of the Hudson River on this 2-hour narrated river adventure from Newburgh to West Point taking in the sights of Washington’s Headquarters, World’s End, Mt. Beacon, Bannerman Island, Constitution Island, Breakneck Mountain, and the town of Cold Spring. (Blu Pointe Landing, 100 Front St., Newburgh; www.prideofthehudson.com)
Sheffield Island Lighthouse Cruises, Norwalk Harbor – Sat-Sun: June & Sept, * Daily Jul-Aug: 11am, 2 & 3:30pm: Board the 45-foot C.J. Toth catamaran for a cruise to Sheffield Island on the Long Island Sound for a lighthouse tour, a hike through Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and a picnic and beach front activities. Sails run on weekends & holidays in June and September and daily in July & August. (Norwalk Seaport Association Dock, 4 North Water St., Norwalk, Ct.; www.seaport.org)
Cool! Marine Life Study Cruises, Maritime Aquarium Norwalk – Weekends in Jun & Sept & most days Jul-Aug: 1:15pm – check dates: Study the biodiversity of Long Island Sound’s interdependent marine life. Participants utilize such sampling techniques as a plankton tow, biodredge, mud grab and otter trawl that may bring up fish, crabs, lobsters, sea stars and more. A video microscope and touch tank on board enhance observations. Check dates. (10 N. Water St., Norwalk; www.maritimeaquarium.org)
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Air Shows, Sat-Sun 6/92, 9/16: 2-4pm: This “living” museum of antique aviation, offers one of the largest collections of early aero-planes (1909 to 1939) in the world plus weekend airshows and bi-plane rides (shown here). The museum displays aircraft from the Pioneer Era, World War I and the Lindbergh Barnstorming era. Museum hours are 10am-5pm daily. Air shows 2-4pm Sat & Sun. (9 Norton Rd, Red Hook; www.oldrhinebeck.org)
Planetarium Shows, Hudson River Museum, Sat-Sun: 12:30, 2 & 3:30pm in June: HRM presents three star shows every weekend, for kids 5+ and 8+, from a repertory of ten feature shows. The age appropriate shows range from One World, One Sky produced by Sesame Workshop and the Liberty Science Center for 5+ and featuring Big Bird and Elmo to We Are Aliens a 360° digital planetarium show narrated by Rupert Grint (from Harry Potter films) that takes an epic ride in search of evidence of alien life for 8+. (511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers; www.hrm.org)
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat Ride, Sat-Sun, 5/12-6/10, Daily 6/16-8/26, Sat-Sun, 9/1-23 & Daily 9/28-10/21: Take a 2 ½ hour narrated train and riverboat ride through what the Nature Conservancy calls “one of the last great places on earth,” the Connecticut River Valley. The train passes farms, waterfalls, and wetland habitats with blue heron and egrets. The riverboat cruise on the Connecticut River passes the historic Gillette Castle, Goodspeed Opera House and Haddam Swing Bridge. Check out their special Dinner Train, Riverboat Lunch and Sunset Excursions. (1 Railroad Ave., Essex, CT; www.essexsteamtrain.com)
Public Sails on the Schooner Soundwaters – Sat-Sun, 6/23-8/5: 3pm & 9/1-29: 2pm: Board the 80’ Tall Schooner Soundwaters, the ship that Pete Seeger made famous, for a two-hour afternoon journey on the Long Island Sound. The Schooner Soundwaters, seats 40 and sails from Boccuzzi Park in Stamford. Sunset sails are also offered on Friday and Saturday nights and Fireworks Sails on Wed, 7/4 & Sat, 7/7. (Bocuzzi Park at Southfield, 166 Southfield Ave., Stamford CT; www.soundwaters.org)
September
Lime Rock Park Historic Festival, Lakeville, CT – Thurs-Mon: 8/30-/9-3: check times: The east coast’s premier vintage racing and concours event presents three days of on-track racing. Including more than 250 cars and drivers, parading and racing everything from pre-WWI racers to the best competition machines from the 1920s to the 1970s. (60 White Hollow Rd., Lakeville CT: www.limerock.com)
CORNucopia at Philipsburg Manor – Sat-Mon, 9/1-3: 10am-5pm: This novel corn festival offers an inspired bounty of corn-centric delicacies (corn bread, salsa, chips, chili, ice cream and popcorn) demonstrations (corn grinding & cooking) games and crafts (Konk-a-Crow, Ring-a Cob) corn-shucking races and a mini maize-maze. Plus house tours, bluegrass and folk music and English country dancing in the barn. (381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow; www.hudsonvalley.org)
Carnival Alert! Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival, Fri-Sun: 9/-79: check times: Three days of entertainment, carnival rides and games and OYSTERS, OYSTERS, OYSTERS. Featuring a 65 foot Ferris Wheel, an Arts & Crafts Show with 100 vendors, New England Seaport Village, Kids’ Cove with games, rides & activities under a circus tent, International Food Court, headline musical acts, harbor tour cruises, and vessel tours. Plus a Celebrity Oyster Slurp-off. (Norwalk Veterans Park, 42 Seaview Ave., Norwalk; www.seaport.org)
Local! Community Family Camp Out, Bedford Village Memorial Park – Sat-Sun, 9/8-9: 3pm-10:30am: Bedford Recreation provides tent set-up assistance, campfire, grills for cooking, picnic tables, informal activities, breakfast clean rest rooms, supervision, and a pool time Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Campsite registration begins 5/1. Contact the recreation office at 666.7004)
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