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Free Spring Activities and Festivals for Families in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

1. Meet Baby Goats at Greig Farm

Spring has arrived, along with adorable baby pygmy goats, at Greig Farm in Red Hook. The farm is open daily until sunset and is free to visit, but bring some quarters for food to feed the goats or koi fish. 

2. Peekskill Cherry Blossom Festival

Marvel at the gorgeous cherry blossoms at Riverfront Green Park in Peekskill on Saturday, May 3, 2025, with guided tours of the blossoming trees, food vendors, live music, children's activities, a plant sale, and more. Check out our full rundown on cherry blossoms in the area. 

3. Yonkers Art Weekend at the Hudson River Museum

Enjoy free admission to the Hudson River Museum and family-friendly activities, including art workshops, a bubble extravaganza, and kite-flying in the courtyard on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

4. Green Ossining Earth Day Festival 

Celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Louis Engel Waterfront Park by the Hudson River and learn how to reduce your impact on the environment. Enjoy live music, food and drinks, eco-demonstrations, a kids' activity zone, and much more. For more Earth Day fun, check out our rundown of Earth Day Festivals in Westchester and the Hudson Valley.

5. Animal Babies at Sheldrake Environmental Center

Join a Sheldrake naturalist to learn about babies in nature and take a hike to find some new babies in the forest on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

6. Sheep Shearing at Muscoot Farm

Drop in to watch the annual shearing of Muscoot Farm's resident sheep and learn why it's done. This event also features vendors and activities and is held rain or shine on Sunday, May 11, 2025.

7. Free Kids' Programs Marine Education Center

The Marine Education Center in Mamaroneck's Harbor Island Park holds free educational programs on Wednesdays through Sundays from April until November. Activities include exploring the beaches of Long Island Sound, learning about different marine animals, and exploring the sea creatures in the center's display tanks.  

8. Spring at Untermyer Gardens

From daffodils to cherry blossoms, there is something new in bloom every week in spring at Untermyer Gardens. Plus, spring is when the garden's impressive fountains and waterfalls start flowing. Parking and entry are free.

9. Spring Horseshoe Crab Migration at Marshlands Conservancy

Search for Atlantic horseshoe crabs as they arrive at the shorelines of Long Island Sound to mate and lay their eggs during high tides from May through June. Marshlands Conservancy in Rye is a great place to see these as it features 1.5 miles of pristine shoreline with hiking trails open daily. Check the nature center for special events.

10. Beacon Strawberry Festival

Enjoy an old-fashioned strawberry festival to celebrate the arrival of spring, with live music on two stages, strawberry shortcake, arts and crafts vendors, children's activities, and more fun in Pete and Toshi Seeger and Riverfront Park on the Hudson River on Sunday, June 8, 2025. 

11. Westchester Cultural Heritage Festivals

Experience a wide variety of cultures without leaving Westchester. The County of Westchester presents a series of free cultural heritage festivals held outdoors in Kensico Dam Plaza every year, starting in spring. The series kicks off with the Polish Heritage Festival on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Spring Festivals and Events for Families in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

12. Sakura Festival at the Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden

Explore the traditional Japanese-style gardens as the spring flowers start to bloom at the Hammond Museum in North Salem. Don't miss the Sakura Festival on Saturday, April 19, 2025, celebrating the gorgeous cherry blossoms and their significance in Japanese culture.

13. Lego Festival at Legoland New York

Join the world's largest Lego fest at Legoland New York this Spring, featuring immersive zones, new costume characters, and brand-new Lego models. The Lego Festival kicks off Saturday, May 3, 2025, and runs on weekends until Sunday, June 8, 2025.

14. Fairy House Hunt at Locust Grove Estate

Put on your fairy wings and search the blooming gardens of the historic estate for enchanted fairy and gnome abodes, with lots of beautiful spring photo ops along the way. The hunt takes place every weekend in May and weekends in June through Sunday, June 22, 2025.

15. Earth Day Celebration at Bear Mountain State Park

Kids can enjoy live animal presentations and make treats to watch the bears eat at the Earth Day Celebration at the Bear Mountain Zoo on Saturday, April 26, 2025. Afterward, hit one of the many hiking trails in Bear Mountain State Park and finish off with a picnic, a carousel ride, or boating around the lake. 

16. Kids Fishing Day at Hudson Highlands Nature Museum

The Hudson Highlands Nature Center opens up its pond for fishing only one day a year on Kids Fishing Day, Sunday, May 4, 2025. Children can learn the basic skills of fishing or enhance their abilities to land a whopper. Families can also visit animals in the nature museum or check out the nature playground and gem mining at Grasshopper Grove, which opens for the season on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

17. Sheep and Wool Festival in Chestnut Ridge

This kid-friendly event features crafts, a petting zoo, pony rides, live music, and more at the Threefold Community Campus in Chestnut Ridge on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

18. Tulip Festival at Mohonk Mountain House

Purchase a day tulip pass and experience the amazing Tulip Festival at the Mohonk Mountain House, with more than 20,000 vibrant red, yellow, pink, and purple delights. Passes are available starting Monday, April 28, 2025.

19. Shake it Off's Holi Celebration

Get ready for an India-style celebration of Spring at Shake it Off's annual Holi Celebration in Hawthorne, featuring bounce houses, Bollywood dancing, and of course, the traditional throwing of the colors. Check it out on Saturday May 17, 2025, or learn how to host your own Holi party at home in our Guide to Celebrating Holi with Kids. 

20. Kelder's Farm Tulip Festival

Enjoy a hayride to the farm's 5-acre tulip field, with over six hundred thousand tulips featuring 100+ varieties. Also, enjoy a taproom for adults and farm attractions for kids, including animals, mini golf, tube slides, a jumping pillow, combine slides, and more. While blossoming times vary, tulip festival tickets are available from Thursday, April 17, 2025, to Sunday, May 11, 2025.

Outdoor Spring Adventures in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

21. Lilymoore Farm's Alpaca Bonnet Bonanza

Visit a local alpaca farm in the spring when the alpacas are the fluffiest. The Alpaca Bonnet Bonanza at Lilymoore Farm in Pleasant Valley is going on through Saturday, April 19, 2025, 

22. Amphibian Night Hikes

As the temperatures warm in spring, frogs and salamanders emerge from their winter slumber. Explore the local vernal pools yourself, or sign up for an amphibian night hike at Teatown Lake Reservation or at Westmoreland Sanctuary.

23. Spring Orienteering Meet - Raid the Sanctuary

If you enjoy hiking, trail running, geocaching, or a good challenge, this event, held on Saturday, April 26, 2025, is for you! Orienteering combines the terrain of the outdoors with the thrill of a scavenger hunt. Navigate through Westmoreland’s woods, off-trail, using only a map and compass. 

24. Visit Minnewaska State Park

Explore beautiful Minnewaska State Park in spring when the waterfalls are flowing at their heaviest and frogs are emerging from the vernal pools. Take the short trail to Awosting Falls or pack a picnic and take a day hike to Rainbow Falls. 

25. Sam's Point Ice Caves

Explore the ice caves at Sam's Point in Minnewaska State Park when they reopen in late May. The caves are known to have ice formations inside as late as June. 

26. Ziplining at Boundless Adventures

Conquer the obstacle course at Boundless Adventures. It's great for the 7+ crowd. Check out the Glow In The Park Events, where kids can climb after dark on select nights from 6pm to 11pm with neon lights, smoke machines, and music, starting May 3, 2025.

27. Storm King Art Center

Storm King Art Center reopens on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, with new outdoor installations that complement the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley. Spring is a special time to visit this 500-acre outdoor museum as the trees start to flower, but be sure to reserve your tickets in advance.

Educational Spring Activities for Kids in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

28. Victorian Springtime Tour of the Octagon House

Tour the historic house and lush gardens of the Armour-Stiner Octagon House in Irvington. While enjoying the seasonal blooms, learn about the exotic plant species on the property, the evolution of modern landscape architecture, and the restoration of this historic property. Springtime tours run from Thursday, April 24, 2025, through Monday, June 23, 2025.

29. Meet the Lorax at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum

In honor of Earth Day, the Lorax is visiting the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum on the weekend of April 18-22, 2025. Kids can meet and take photos with the costumed character, enjoy a reading of the Dr. Seuss book, and do fun crafts.

30. National Dinosaur Day at Lasdon Park & Arboretum

To celebrate this special Dino Day on Sunday, June 1, 2025, children can make Lasdon’s unique “Paleo-pouch” and then excavate a dinosaur to put in it.  They can also wear their “Paleo-pouches” during a guided tour of the Dinosaur Trail in which they will be able to touch real dinosaur fossils, including dino poo!

31. Spring Planting at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum

Kids can learn all about growing plants from seed and plant their seeds in a pot to take home on Sunday, April 27, 2025. A fun butterfly wing craft is also included. 

Delicious Spring Food Experiences in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

32. Dine outdoors at Harvest on Hudson

Spring is the start of outdoor dining at restaurants all over Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Harvest on Hudson is a particular family favorite not only for its delicious Italian food, including handmade pasta and artisan pizzas, but it also boasts a scenic riverfront location with a big lawn and playground. The outdoor patio also features a garden with flowers and seasonal vegetables. 

33. Blue Pig Ice Cream

Savor seasonal flavors at this local favorite ice cream spot in the village of Croton on Hudson, which features ice cream made from Hudson Valley Fresh milk and locally sourced ingredients. Enjoy seating on the outdoor patio and try the special spring flavors like Strawberry Nesquick, Fresh Basil, and Lemon Sugar Cookie Crumble.

34. Strawberry Picking at Dressel Farms

One of the largest strawberry producers in the Hudson Valley, Dressel Farms in New Paltz offers pick-your-own strawberry days in June. The roadside farm store also sells them by the pint or chopped up in their homemade ice cream. For more strawberry-picking fun, check out these other farms that offer strawberry picking in the Hudson Valley.

35. West Nyack Greek Festival

Explore a variety of Greek favorites at this annual foodie festival on Thursday, June 5, 2025, through Sunday, June 8, 2025. The West Nyack Greek Festival features Greek foods and desserts, live music and dancing, rides and games, and shopping.

Originally published in 2023.

Unless noted, photos courtesy of the venues.