NYC Carnivals, Festivals and Parades: May 2024
By Shara Levine
May is full of festivals, carnivals, and parades for the whole family! We’ve rounded up some of the best ones coming up.
Click on your region to jump to events near you!
Manhattan
Japan Parade
Parade begins at W 81st Street and Central Park West, Upper West Side
Saturday, May 11, 1 pm
All Ages
Free
The 3rd Japan Parade celebrates, expresses, and brings awareness to the friendship between NYC and Japan. Visitors can sample authentic Japanese cuisine, and engage in fun and educational activities like shodō (Japanese calligraphy) and origami.
18th Annual Dance Parade
Parade begins at 6th Ave. and 17th St., Chelsea
Saturday, May 18, 12 – 7 pm
All ages
Free
Experience the world’s only parade to exclusively celebrate and showcase the diversity of dance. This annual celebration of eclectic dance styles from around the world boasts tens of thousands of dancers and spectators, more than 100 styles of dance, and nearly 200 dance groups.
Back to top Bronx
Bronx Week Parade & Festival
Parade begins at 1 Fordham Plaza, Belmont
Sunday, May 19, 10 am
All ages
Free
This annual event showcases local groups, talent, and Bronx Pride. Marching bands, cheerleaders, sports teams, youth groups, advocacy groups and the best of the Bronx will strut down Moshulu Parkway.
3rd Annual Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu Fair
Corner of Crescent Ave and Arthur Ave, Little Italy
Sunday, May 19, 12 – 6 pm
All ages
Free
The 3rd Annual Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu Fair, hosted by the Albanian American Open Hand Association, features traditional foods, entertainment, games, children’s activities, and more.
Back to top Brooklyn
Open Stages 2024
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Avenue, Park Slope
Saturday, May 11, 3 – 7 pm
All Ages
Free
Stoops, schoolyards, parks and local cafes throughout Park Slope will host 150+ inspiring artists sure to amaze the whole family.
Past acts have included Grammy Award-winners, talented teen rockers, high-octane marching bands, hip-hop artists, and music-makers of all kinds.
Back to top 
Queens
Sheep Shearing Festival
Queens County Farm Museum, 75-50 Little Neck Parkway, Glen Oaks
Saturday, May 11, 11 am – 4 pm
All Ages
$15; $12 for ages 3-11; free for ages 2 and younger.
Celebrate Spring on the farm at NYC’s ONLY sheep shearing festival. Farmer-led tours and sheep shearing demonstrations. Learn about the cycle of wool processing.
Get down to the foot-stomping rhythms of live music, and enjoy hayrides, kid’s crafts, and a free scavenger hunt to add to the fun!
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Queens International Children’s Festival
Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave, Jamaica
Saturday, May 18, 12 – 5 pm
All Ages
Free
JCAL’s Queens International Children’s Festival offers activities for the entire family to enjoy. The fun-filled family event features many activities including, live music, dance performances, games, arts and crafts, and more!
LIC Springs! 2024
Vernon Boulevard between 46th Avenue and 50th Avenue, Long Island City
Saturday, May 18, noon – 5 pm
All ages
Free
This community street festival celebrates Long Island City with live music, dance, and performances, along with interactive lessons, art, fitness classes, outdoor dining, pop-up activities, games, and more.
Back to top Staten Island
Kick-off to Summer Fair
Wagner College, One Campus Road, St. George
Sunday, May 19, 12 – 4 pm
All Ages
$20
Bring the family out for live performances, local vendors, hands-on activities, food for purchase, and inflatables for the kids!
Back to top Long Island
Arts Below Sunrise S.T.E.A.M. Festival
Festival begins at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway, Hewlett
Sunday, May 19, 10 am – 5 pm
All ages
Free
This community-wide event includes S.T.E.A.M. activities, live music, artists, dancers, demonstrations, craft and food vendors and an overall festive atmosphere for all ages. In addition, There will be contests and prizes!
Sciencestock
Leeds Pond Preserve, 1526 N. Plandome Road, Manhasset
Sunday, May 19, 1pm – 6 pm
All Ages
$15
Enjoy live performances by the Tucker Woods Band, Potato Phoenix, Jah Stix and the Dave Diamond Band. A perfect fusion of the vibrant energy of live music with the wonders of the natural world and scientific discovery.
Featuring non-stop performances by old favorites and new bands. Dive into a multitude of hands-on Science and Nature Activity Stations.
Foodie Fest
Tanger Outlets – Deer Park, 152 The Arches Cir., Deer Park
Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27, 12 – 7 pm
All Ages
Free
Kick off the unofficial start of summer with 30 food trucks and artisans offering a variety of menus as well as family fun including live music, bounce houses, and more!
Harbes Baby Animal Festival
Harbes Family Farm, 715 Sound Avenue, Mattituck
Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, 10 am – 6 pm
Ages 3 and up
$27.95
Spend the day in the Barnyard Adventure enjoying the cutest baby goats, lambs, bunnies, and chicks on Long Island! There will be free live music in the courtyard/picnic area all three days from 1 pm-5 pm!
The Mosaic Street Painting Festival
East End Arts, 133 E. Main St, Riverhead
Sunday, May 26, 12pm – 5 pm
All Ages
Free
For one day, East End Arts converts the Downtown Riverhead area by the Peconic River into a celebration of the arts. Music fills the air as do the enticing smells of the local food trucks.
Artists, musicians, and art lovers of all ages participate or watch as artists convert squares of the street into vibrant and moving works of art.
Back to top Rockland/Bergen
Palisades Mall Carnival
Palisades Center, 1000 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack
Weekdays, 5 – 10 pm, Saturdays and Sundays, 3 – 10 pm, through May 12.
All ages
Ride bracelets $45
Exciting games, thrilling rides, and your favorite fair foods make this a great day out for the family!
Sheep and Wool Festival
Orchard House, 275 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge
Sunday, May 19, 10 am – 4 pm
All ages
Free admission
Enjoy fiber craft activities, a petting zoo, live music, local craft vendors and delicious food. The Silent Auction, featuring clothing and decorative items made by Fiber Craft Studio friends and alumni, offers a rare opportunity to acquire unique, handcrafted items.
Nyack Famous Street Fair
Downtown Nyack, 100 Main Street, Nyack
Sunday, May 19, 10 am – 5 pm
All ages
Free
See over 300 exhibitors, from 4 states, with a great selection of arts & crafts, new retail items, home decor & unique gifts lining downtown.
For the foodies, all kinds of food & drinks will be available such as Cousins Lobster truck, baked macaroni & chicken strips trucks, empanadas, Italian, Island food, Thai, French, American, NY Soda Jerks & many more.
Nyack’s outdoor cafes will be offering fair specials. Music will be playing at the gazebo.
EarthFest Overpeck 2024
Overpeck County Park, Fort Lee Road, Leonia
Sunday, May 19, 12 – 5 pm
All ages
Free admission
Come out for EarthFest Overpeck, a celebration of clean water and a healthy environment, brought to you through a partnership between Hackensack Riverkeeper and Bergen County Parks!
Green-themed Vendors, Food Trucks, Children’s presentations, activities and fishing derby are all part of the fun!
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