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Special Interests> Weekend Fun

Weekend Fun Guide

September 23 - 24

Here are some highlights of free and low-cost things to do in our parks this weekend. For more upcoming events, please visit our Events Calendar.

1. Celebrate the arrival of autumn at our fall fests

a young girl decorates a pumpkin at a fall festival

Join us in celebrating the new season at this weekend's fall festivals, featuring hay rides, arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, pie-eating contests, food sampling, tours, dance, live music, and more! Find an upcoming fall festival

2. Go birding with our experts

park rangers use binoculars to look at birds in the trees

Before the cold returns, birds fly south to spend winter in warmer regions. This season-long event is called fall migration, and it is one of the best times of the year to see all kinds of feathered friends who stop by our parks for food and shelter on their long journey south. Find an upcoming birding event

3. Check out this dance fest in a drained-out pool

dance performers dressed in swimwear perform ballet in a drained-out outdoor pool in the park

The Danza Highbridge Festival brings traditional and cultural dance performances to Highbridge Pool this Saturday! Event info

4. Volunteer at a local park

a woman tends to trees in park

Help care for trees, paint benches, clean up local parks, and more at a volunteer event. Find an upcoming volunteer event

5. Watch free movies outdoors

park guests use blankets to sit on the lawn to watch a movie on a big screen in the park

Showing this weekend: Motorcycle Diaries, Space Jam, Moana, Central Intelligence, and Thor: The Dark World.  View locations and showtimes

6. Go fishing on Randall's Island

a child and a mom use a fishing rod to catch fish from the river at Randall's Island

This Saturday, kids can learn how to fish while discovering NYC's aquatic life and the beauty of our waterways! Event info

7. Party at a free live outdoor jazz show in Harlem 

a couple dances on stage with a crowd

Go back in time to Renaissance-era Harlem with a night of live outdoor jazz and swing dancing lessons, followed by an open dance. Event info

8. Go hiking with our nature experts

a couple walks through Van Cortlandt Park at night

Head out on an early fall hike with our park rangers and friends through some of our most beautiful parks! Event info

9. Party at Riverside Park's Silent Disco

a girl dances in a party while listening to music on her headphones

Join us this Saturday for a night of dancing on the pier as we all wear special Silent Disco headphones to tune into three live DJs spinning your favorite tunes on three separate channels. Event info

10. Learn about the history of Gerritsen Creek 

wood pilings can be seen across a body of water in the park

These wood pilings across the creek in Marine Park are the remains of North America's first tide-powered mill! Learn all about it on a free park ranger-led tour this Sunday. Event info

11. Head to Dance Safari along the Hudson River

performers dance at the water's edge as guests look on from the park

This weekend, check out a series of live, site-specific dance performances at Riverside Park South while enjoying the view. Event info

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