Happy Memorial Day Weekend! It’s the unofficial start of summer! If you’re looking for something fun and family-friendly to do in town or in the area, we’ve got you covered! Check out these events!
It’s Fleet Week! Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (Pier 86, W 46th Street, NYC) will host a variety of events through Monday, May 27th. Enjoy live performances, interactive displays, and special events honoring our service men and women. Marvel at science demos and talks and hear stories from Intrepid former crew members. All activities on the pier are free. See website for schedule.
The 52nd Annual African American Day Parade and Festival will be held this weekend at Weequahic Park in Newark. On Saturday, enjoy the Family Fun-Fest which will include information stations, vendors featuring multi-ethnic food and merchandise, and Kidz Zone with arts & crafts, games, face painting, contests, bounce house, balloons, and more, DJ, dancing, and light refreshments. The festival will run from 2:00 PM to 9:00, with fireworks beginning at 8:30 PM. On Sunday, enjoy a Heritage Parade down Broad Street in Newark beginning at 1:00 PM.
Newark Museum (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host a variety of activities this weekend. The Family Gallery Program will be held on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. May’s theme for this program is Culture/Time/Place. Interpret artworks as they relate to our culture! Considering time and place as we create works that are representative of our personal experiences. The Self-Guided Weekend Family Program is held both Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM using the Red, Yellow & Blue Gallery Guides. These guides were developed to encourage 3-5-year olds and their families to discover together. Designed to encourage observation and conversation, they are available for free with Museum admission at the Front Desk and in the Education Lobby. Finally, the MakerSPACE Drop-in Program will be held both Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Inspired by the Museum’s collections and special events, monthly themes are designed for visitors of all ages to drop in and experiment with the tools and materials of artists. Get messy with clay and paint and found materials. Get creative with blocks and digital and computer tools. Stay as long as you like. All programs included with admission to the museum.
On Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Reeves-Reed Arboretum will host Discovery Saturdays. Make a discovery at the Arboretum and enjoy a unique family experience. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center, any time between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, on Saturdays for an interactive exploration of nature. Each week discover a new plant, animal, or environmental topic through experiments, stories, games, and crafts. This week’s theme is Bald Eagles! Borrow an Arboretum backpack loaded with binoculars, field guides, a magnifying glass, and everything else needed for outdoor Arboretum adventure! No pre-registration is necessary. Adults must be accompanied by a child! Free for RRA members. $5.00 per child for non-members.
Finally, take a free guided tour of the Arboretum on Saturday from May through October. No reservations are required, and tours are on a first-come, first served basis for individuals who would like to learn more about the current season’s highlights. Tours last approximately 30-45 minutes and run between 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM.
The Essex County Environmental Center (621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland) will host Crayfish and Aquatic Life Along the Passaic on Saturday from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM for adults and children ages 6 and up. Explore along the red trail to the river’s edge and visit the “muddy ditch” to scoop for crayfish. This location is a camper favorite and allows us to find a variety of aquatic organism to better understand the myriad creatures that call the Passaic River ecosystem home. Advance registration and minimum number of participants are required; call 973.228.8776. Cost is $10 per child and $12 per adult.
Also at the Essex County Environmental Center (621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland), enjoy Family Yoga from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. For ages 5 and up. Happy Baby, Cats and Cows, Tree, Elephant and Child’s Pose. Welcome to our Family Yoga Class, where you’ll share and enjoy an adventure of calming breath, fun asanas/poses, and gentle stretches with your nearest and dearest in a friendly, go-with-the-flow atmosphere. Advance registration and minimum number of participants required; call 973.228.8776. Cost is $10 per child and $12 per adult.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Blvd, Chatham Twp) will host Weekend Family Walk on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Walk along the trails to discover the unique animals and plants found at the Great Swamp and learn amazing new nature facts. This activity is suitable for all ages. Cost is $2 per person age 3 and up. Preregistration is required by calling 973-635-6629.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morris Twp) will host Plant Pole Beans on Saturday from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Help farmers stake poles and plant a variety of beans. Once harvested and dried later in the season, the beans will be shelled for winter cooking. Cost is $6 per adult, $5 per senior, $4 per child age 4-16, $2 per child age 2-3, and free for children under 2.
Also at Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morris Twp), join museum senior staff for a special guided tour of the exhibit, “Call of Duty: Patriotism During World War I.” Learn the meaning behind America’s iconic symbols and discover the home front activities of Caroline and Charles Foster and their peers. Free admission for current and past armed services members. For others, cost is $6 per adult, $5 per senior, $4 per child age 4-16, $2 per child age 2-3, and free for children under age 2. Preregistration is required by emailing ahartley-kong@morrisparks.net. The program will run from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturday.
Fosterfields will also host Meet the Servants at the Willows on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM and again from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. During a special hands-on guided tour, learn about the domestic help at the Foster home, the Willows, during the WWI era. Help the maid with some of the household chores and assist in the preparation of historic foods for the cook to bake in the wood-burning cook stove. Cost is $6 per adult, $5 per senior, $4 per child age 4-16, $2 per child age 2-3, and free for children under 2.
On Saturday and Sunday, Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 Hanover Avenue, Morris Twp) will host a Family Photo Scavenger Hunt from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Grab a camera or phone and stop by the Haggerty Education Center for a nature photo scavenger hunt. Visitors can pick up the list, head outside and shoot away. Take a picture of every item, return to the Education Center and pick up your prize. Lists change monthly. May’s theme is “Big, Bigger, Biggest” Cost is $10 per family at the door.
Montclair Art Museum (3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair) will host its Sunday Drop-In Studio. Drop by MAM’s Helen & Bill Geyer Art Studio to explore a range of art materials and processes based on artwork on view in the galleries. Open-ended activities are designed to spark creativity in artists of all ages and abilities with seasoned MAM studio instructors standing by to provide hands-on assistance and technical advice. Reservations are not required, and visitors of all ages are welcome! This event is free for members and included in museum admission for non-members.
The Borough of Woodland Park will host their annual Memorial Day Street Fair on Monday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on McBride Avenue from Lackawanna Avenue to Memorial Drive. Enjoy 100+ exhibitors, pony rides and a petting zoo, live music, and a kids zone.
For more upcoming events, check out Baristanet Calendar.