Family events on Long Island
17 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 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 NYSF Full Moon Market
Full moon means tarot readers, healers, and oddity vendors take over The Fit Factory in Bohemia after dark. Free entry gets you access to metaphysical vendors, food trucks, and all the crystals and curiosities you didn't know you needed. Saturday night at 6pm on Johnson Avenue.
- When
- Where
- The Fit Factory, Bohemia
Editor's Pick Huntington Village New York Murder Mystery Pub Crawl
New York Improv Theater turns Huntington Village into a crime scene where you'll move between bars collecting clues to solve "A Portrait Without a Face." The walking route includes local history and ghost stories woven into the mystery. Starts at the Paramount on New York Avenue at 5pm—wear comfortable shoes since you'll be hopping between spots.
- When
- Where
- Paramount, Huntington
- Price
- See ticket page
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 SecretSeshLI
This weekly Saturday market at SquareHead Brewing brings local vendors, small batch goods, and craft beer together in one spot. Starts at 5 PM in Holbrook—browsing is free, and you can grab a pint from the brewery while you shop. Family-friendly setup with rotating vendors each week.
- When
- Where
- SquareHead Brewing Company, Holbrook
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
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
Clubhouse Tours: Family Program, $4 per person upon arrival
Tour the historic Main House at Connetquot River State Park Preserve, once the private retreat of the exclusive South Side Sportsmen's Club. You'll see preserved interiors and hear stories about Long Island's sportfishing past. 2 PM tour on Sunday. $4 per person.
- When
- Where
- Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale
Cocktails & Chromosomes
Cold Spring Harbor Lab scientists bring their research to Six Harbors Brewing in Huntington for an accessible talk about genetics over craft beer. Think TED talk meets happy hour—you'll learn something while drinking something. Free parking behind the brewery on New York Avenue.
- When
- Where
- Six Harbors Brewing Company, Huntington
- Price
- See ticket page
Writers' Circle: Exploring the Self
Melissa Dennihy leads a creative writing workshop focused on identity and personal growth through guided prompts. Studio Kash is on the second floor at 19 Scudder, just off Northport's Main Street. Bring your thoughts and a willingness to explore them on the page.
- When
- Where
- 19 Scudder Ave floor 2, Northport
- Price
- See ticket page
Hispanic Heritage Day
The Islip Arts Council celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with live music, cultural performances, and art at their Bay Shore gallery on Sunrise Highway. Free entry, Sunday afternoon at 2 PM.
- When
- Where
- Islip Arts Council Gallery, Bay Shore
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
Cocktails & Chromosomes
Cold Spring Harbor Lab scientists bring their research to Six Harbors Brewing in Huntington for an accessible talk about genetics over craft beer. Think TED talk meets happy hour—you'll learn something while drinking something. Free parking behind the brewery on New York Avenue.
- When
- Where
- Six Harbors Brewing Company, Huntington
- Price
- See ticket page
Living History Clubhouse Tours: Family Program, $4 per person upon arrival
Tour the preserved clubhouse of the South Side Sportsmen's Club, the private fishing club that operated here from 1866 until the state acquired it in 1973. Guides walk you through the Main House with period details intact—it's one of the few times you can get inside. $4 per person at the door.
- When
- Where
- Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale
Huntington Village New York Murder Mystery Pub Crawl
New York Improv Theater turns Huntington Village into an interactive crime scene where you'll piece together clues about a missing portrait while hitting bars along New York Avenue. Expect local history, ghost stories, and drinks as you play detective through the village's walkable downtown. Starts at the Paramount and winds through spots you can easily bar-hop between on foot.
- When
- Where
- Paramount, Huntington
- Price
- See ticket page