Family events on Long Island
24 hand-picked family-friendly events — museums, library programs, festivals, and the family weekends Long Island does best.
Editor's Pick Northport Fall Festival
Northport Village's signature street festival shuts Main Street down for a full Saturday of food trucks, live music on the harborfront stage, kids' rides, and 100+ local vendors. Park on Bay Avenue by 10:30 AM — the main lot fills by 11. The food vendor lineup at the village green is the highlight; line up by noon for the first wave before the lunch rush.
- When
- Where
- Northport Village, Northport
Editor's Pick Urban Ecology: Adult Program, $4 per person upon arrival
This adult-focused program covers how raccoons, hawks, and other wildlife adapt to suburban spaces, plus practical ways to make your yard more wildlife-friendly. It's $4 per person at the door and runs about 90 minutes at the park's main office building.
- When
- Where
- Nissequogue River State Park Main Office (Charles & Helen Reichert Administration Building), Kings Park
Editor's Pick Oyster Bay Oyster Festival — 200K Visitors, One Weekend
Long Island's biggest single annual event — 200,000+ visitors descend on Theodore Roosevelt Park in Oyster Bay over a mid-October weekend for $1 oysters, 100+ food vendors, 250+ craft stalls, multi-stage live music, a tall ship in the harbor, and the working-fishing-village atmosphere that the Hamptons don't have. Free admission. Forty-plus years of history. The LI fall event of the year.
- When
- Where
- Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Oyster Bay
Editor's Pick Sayville Summer Family Fair
Sayville Village's annual summer family fair on Main Street. Carnival rides for kids 3-12, food trucks, live family music, free face-painting + crafts, fire-truck climb-on, beer garden in a separate adults-only zone. Free admission, ride wristbands $20. The South Shore family Saturday at its peak.
- When
- Where
- Downtown Sayville Main Street, Sayville
Editor's Pick Oyster Jamboree and Frolic
Free oyster festival at Harborfront Park with local shellfish, waterfront views, and whatever "frolic" means in this context. It's tied to Suffolk County's 250th anniversary celebrations, so expect live music, vendors, and probably some historical programming. The park's right off East Broadway with decent lot parking, though it goes fast on nice summer Saturdays.
- When
- Where
- Harborfront Park, Port Jefferson
Editor's Pick SecretSeshLI
This weekly Saturday market at SquareHead Brewing brings local vendors into the Holbrook taproom starting at 5 PM. You can browse while you drink—it's an indoor setup, so weather doesn't matter. High Street is right off Sunrise Highway with brewery parking available.
- When
- Where
- SquareHead Brewing Company, Holbrook
Greenport Maritime Festival — North Fork Harbor Weekend
Greenport's annual Maritime Festival turns the working harbor village into a regional weekend destination — tall ships in the harbor, oyster shucking competitions, traditional whaleboat races, food + craft vendors along Front Street, live music throughout. Free admission. The locals' East End fall favorite.
- When
- Where
- Greenport Village Harbor, Greenport
Editor's Pick Islanders vs. Rangers — Battle of New York
The Islanders host the Rangers at UBS Arena in Belmont — the regular-season opener of the most-watched rivalry in NYC-area pro sports. UBS Arena is the modernized 17,000-seat home of the Islanders since 2021. Plan extra time for parking + the Belmont Park access road traffic on game nights.
- When
- Where
- UBS Arena, Belmont Park
- Price
- See ticket page
Editor's Pick Celebramos la Independencia del Ecuador | La Gran Amazonia
La Gran Amazonia is hosting an Ecuador Independence Day celebration with live music and dancing, with proceeds supporting Fundación Loco Living. The party starts at 8pm on East Main in Patchogue. Expect traditional food, music, and a crowd that knows how to celebrate properly.
- When
- Where
- La Gran Amazonia, Patchogue
- Price
- See ticket page
Editor's Pick NYSF New Moon Market
This new moon market brings tarot readers, energy healers, and vendors selling crystals, oddities, and metaphysical goods to The Fit Factory in Bohemia. Food trucks set up outside starting at 6pm. Free entry, with plenty of parking at the Johnson Avenue location.
- When
- Where
- The Fit Factory, Bohemia
Long Beach Boardwalk Concert Series — Thursday Free Show
Free outdoor concert series on the Long Beach boardwalk, Thursdays in August. Bring a beach chair or blanket — the stage is mid-boardwalk near Riverside Blvd. LIRR direct from Penn, 50 min door to boardwalk.
- When
- Where
- Long Beach Boardwalk, Long Beach
Sands Point Preserve — Fall Mansion Tours + Trail Walks
Sands Point Preserve is the Port Washington-adjacent peninsula with three Gilded Age mansions, 5 miles of trails, and Long Island Sound shoreline. Fall mansion tours run Friday-Sunday September through November. The Hempstead House mansion is famously the supposed inspiration for Gatsby's mansion.
- When
- Where
- Sands Point Preserve, Sands Point
- Price
- See ticket page
Harbes Family Farm — Pumpkin Picking + Winery Weekend
Harbes Family Farm in Mattituck combines a working farm + pumpkin patch + corn maze + on-site winery — making it the locals' pick for an East End fall day-trip with both kid-friendly farm activities and adult winery tastings. Open daily mid-September through Halloween.
- When
- Where
- Harbes Family Farm, Mattituck
- Price
- See ticket page
Writers' Circle: Exploring the Self
Melissa Dennihy leads this creative writing session focused on identity and personal growth through guided prompts. Happens Saturday afternoon at Studio Kash's Scudder Avenue space in Northport—after, you're a two-minute walk to Cow Harbor for coffee or a drink if you want to keep the introspective vibe going.
- When
- Where
- 19 Scudder Ave floor 2, Northport
- Price
- See ticket page
Korea Festa 2026, Labor Day Edition
This three-day Korean culture festival runs Labor Day weekend at Mahanaim in Huntington, with food, performances, and cultural exhibits. It's the final edition after years of drawing crowds to celebrate Korean traditions and cuisine. Free admission, with parking available on Nassau Road.
- When
- Where
- Mahanaim, Huntington
Clubhouse Tours: Family Program, $4 per person upon arrival
Tour the Main House of the former South Side Sportsman's Club, a private fishing retreat that once hosted wealthy anglers in the early 1900s. Guides walk you through the restored rooms and share stories about the club's heyday. Entry is $4 per person at arrival, and the tour lasts about 45 minutes.
- When
- Where
- Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale
Caumsett State Park — Fall Hike + Private Beach Day
Caumsett is the Lloyd Harbor peninsula state park reached by a 1.5-mile walk through mature forest to a private (no parking, no crowds) beach on Long Island Sound. Free, family-friendly, dog-leash-allowed. Fall foliage peak is mid-October. The 'private beach' aspect is real — most visitors don't make the walk.
- When
- Where
- Caumsett State Park, Lloyd Harbor
NYSF Full Moon Market
This full moon market brings tarot readers, energy healers, and vendors selling crystals, oddities, and metaphysical goods to The Fit Factory in Bohemia. Food trucks set up outside starting at 6pm. Free entry, with plenty of parking at the Johnson Avenue location.
- When
- Where
- The Fit Factory, Bohemia
Long Beach Marathon + Half — Boardwalk Sunday
Long Beach's annual fall marathon + half-marathon along the 2.2-mile boardwalk + neighborhood streets. The boardwalk loop is genuinely one of the prettiest urban race courses in metro NYC. Spectator-friendly — most of the course is visible from the boardwalk.
- When
- Where
- Long Beach Boardwalk, Long Beach
- Price
- See ticket page
Long Island Fall Festival — Pumpkin Picking + Cider Weekend
Long Island's farm trail comes alive in October with pumpkin picking, hayrides, cider donuts, and corn mazes across two dozen working farms in Nassau and Suffolk. The Wednesday + Thursday before peak weekends are dramatically less crowded. Bring cash for many farm stands; not all take cards.
- When
- Where
- Long Island Farm Trail (multiple locations), Long Island
- Price
- See ticket page
Unsung Warriors Showcase
Tacos Mi Poblanita II turns into a performance venue for a night of hip hop, R&B, and comedy acts. Expect live music, food vendors, drinks, and a raffle for Highly Baked gift bags. The Brooklyn Avenue spot kicks off at 6 PM.
- When
- Where
- Tacos Mi Poblanita II, Freeport
- Price
- See ticket page
Clubhouse Tours: Family Program, $4 per person upon arrival
Tour the Main House of the former South Side Sportsmen's Club, a private fishing retreat that once hosted wealthy anglers in the early 1900s. Guides walk you through the restored rooms and share stories about the club's heyday. Entry is $4 per person at arrival, and the tour lasts about 45 minutes.
- When
- Where
- Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale
Cocktails & Chromosomes
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists bring their research to Six Harbors Brewing in Huntington for an informal talk series that pairs genetics with good beer. Expect real lab work explained in actual English, plus the chance to ask questions over pints. Parking's tight on New York Avenue, so give yourself extra time or walk from the village.
- When
- Where
- Six Harbors Brewing Company, Huntington
- Price
- See ticket page
SecretSeshLI
This weekly marketplace at SquareHead Brewing draws local vendors selling everything from vintage clothes to handmade goods. Starts at 5 PM Saturdays with craft beer available from the brewery. High Street has street parking and a small lot behind the building.
- When
- Where
- SquareHead Brewing Company, Holbrook