Top 20 May family events in Brooklyn

Lucky Brooklyn families have lots to look forward to in May including holiday celebrations, free carousel rides, a kite festival, street fairs and block parties, festive performances, the reopening of a library branch and Brooklyn's beaches, and more special events as the weather warms. Happy May!

1. Celebrate Holi at Brooklyn Children's Museum

Saturday, May 3 | 2.5hr Sessions at 10 am, 1 pm, and 4 pm | $14-$15, $10 Powder | Crown Heights

Celebrate springtime’s most vibrant celebration at Brooklyn Children’s Museum! Together with Ajna Dance Company and The Culture Tree, get ready for our annual celebration of springtime, renewal, color, and play.

Known as the “Color Festival,” Holi originated in India and is now enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. Join for a day of play featuring Bollywood dancing, colorful puppet shows, delicious treats, art-making, music, and more. And it wouldn’t be Holi without color powder! Make sure to wear WHITE for color powder play in neighboring Brower Park!

2. Catch an Annual Street Fair

Church Avenue Street Fair
Sunday, May 4 | 12-6pm | FREE entry | Flatbush
Come for food, rides, music, and more! Featuring a craft sale from The Craft Salon, attractions from Am Thai, Cinco de Mayo restaurant, Brooklyn Click and Connect, Ideal Supermarket, Alden Moves Dance Theater, Prospect Gymnastics, and more! This event is rain or shine!
Willowtown Spring Fair
Saturday, May 17 | 12-5pm | FREE entry | Brooklyn Heights
The Willowtown Association hosts its annual spring fair with face painters, bounce house, plant sale, music, games, and more.
The Fabulous 5th Avenue Fair
Sunday, May 18 | 10am-6pm | FREE entry | Park Slope
Come to one of the best street fairs in the city with lots of local food, shopping, art, music and fun on 5th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, between Sterling and 12th Street.
BAM DanceAfrica Outdoor Bazaar at The Plaza at 300 Ashland
Sat, May 24 12-10pm, Sun, May 25 & Mon, May 26 12-8pm | FREE entry | Fort Greene
DanceAfrica’s beloved bazaar returns, featuring more than 150 vendors from around the world, offering African, Caribbean, and African-American food, crafts, and fashion. Celebrate the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Africa and its diaspora—and see the streets surrounding BAM transformed into a global marketplace.

3. Jane's Carousel Day in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Saturday, May 3 | 11am-5:50pm | FREE | DUMBO

Celebrate Jane’s Carousel Day with free rides and face painting!

4. First Anniversary Celebration at Abolitionist Place

Thursday, May 8 | 2-4pm | FREE | Downtown Brooklyn

Celebrate the first anniversary of our favorite park, Abolitionist Place. Join us for an afternoon of live music, exciting games, juggling, and fun face-painted tattoos. More details to come!

5. Show Brooklyn Some Love Fest - Mother's Day Edition at Albee Square Plaza + City Point

Saturday, May 10 | 11am-2pm | FREE | For ages 1-10 | Downtown Brooklyn

Brooklyn Org, Brooklyn Bridge Parents, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and City Point will unite the community, leading cultural organizations, and nonprofits with the second free “Show Brooklyn Some Love Fest” at City Point in and Albee Square. Free flower bar to pick a flower bouquet for your mom, family dance party, music making, face painting, performances, treats for moms and much more!

6. Explore Schools Family Day at Atlantic Terminal Plaza

Saturday, May 10 | 12-3pm | FREE | Downtown Brooklyn

Join for a fun-filled day at Atlantic Terminal Plaza for our Explore Schools Family Day event! This is a fantastic opportunity for families to learn more about schools and programs in the area. Bring your kids along to participate in exciting activities and interactive sessions. Meet with school representatives, ask questions, and explore the educational and enrichment options available for your child. Don't miss out on this free and fun family event!

7. Brooklyn Conservatory of Music's 5th Annual Open Stages

Saturday, May 10 | 3-6pm | FREE | Park Slope

The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music’s fifth annual free music festival returns on Saturday, May 10. Open Stages is a Park Slope tradition that brings over 8,000 attendees together for a day filled with 10+ stages of outdoor music, 30+ live musical acts, dancing in the streets, activities for all ages, and joyful community connection. One neighborhood music festival like no other.

8. Enjoy Kid-Friendly Open Streets Programming

Sunday Family Games on car-free Washington Street
Sundays starting May 11 | 11am-1pm | For ages 1-6 | DUMBO
Sunday Family Games on car-free Washington Street are back for the season and a great way to play, meet neighbors, and enjoy an epic view! Free Legos, crafts, and a rotating roster of activities for kiddos. (Weather permitting).
Montague Open Streets: Mother's Day Mini Golf + Music + Brooklyn Bridge Parents Spring Fling
Sundays, May 11 and May 18 | 12-4pm | FREE | Brooklyn Heights
Enjoy free activities, entertainment, and more at Montague Street between Clinton - Hicks Streets, May 4-June 29.

9. Swamp in the City: Mothers' Day Family Dance at Strong Rope Brewery

Sunday, May 11 | 11am-6pm | $40 suggested or pay-what-you-wish | Red Hook

Get ready for four days of great music, delicious food, and vibrant community at the 8th Annual Swamp in the City: A Cajun & Creole Music Festival. Held along the scenic Red Hook waterfront, this festival brings the best of Cajun and Creole culture to Brooklyn, featuring some of the most talented musicians from Louisiana and beyond, plus plenty of opportunities to dance, eat, and celebrate. The event features Live Music from top Cajun and Zydeco bands, Dance Lessons and Jam Sessions, Cajun and Creole Food, Mothers' Day Family Dance, And so much more!

10. Kite Festival at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 5

Saturday, May 17 | 11am-3pm | FREE | Brooklyn Heights

Join Brooklyn Bridge Park for a day of sky-high fun at our annual Kite Festival! This is the one day each year when kite flying is open to the public in the Park—so don’t miss your chance to see the sky fill with color against the stunning Manhattan skyline. Bring your own kite, purchase one, or make one on site, and take part in a joyful spring celebration for all ages. Enjoy hands-on crafts, classic lawn games, live music, face painting, and engaging activities from local community partners. Be awed at the talent and learn tips from professional kite flyers. Whether you’re a first-time flyer or a seasoned pro, this is the perfect opportunity to welcome the season with a breeze.

11. Bedford's Welcome Back Block Party at Bedford Library

Saturday, May 17 | 11am-4pm | FREE | Bed-Stuy

Join Brooklyn Public Library in celebrating Bedford's return to the community: 11:30 am Bubbles the Silly Entertainer, 12:30 pm Fogo Azul Drumline, 1-4pm DJs, giveaways, balloon animals, and more!

12. Support local school events

PS 321 Spring Carnival
Saturday, May 17 | 10am-4pm | Free entry, buy event tickets | Park Slope
The annual Spring Carnival is a beloved community event and PS 321's second biggest fundraiser of the year. Adventure and fun await, including a 70-foot obstacle course, bounce houses and slides, circus entertainment, interactive science experiments, DJ workshops, cotton candy and pizza, face painting, body art, a used book sale, carnival games and prizes…and MORE!
Touch A Truck at PS 295
Saturday, May 17 | 11am-5pm | $8-$10 (ages 0-23 mos free) | For ages 2-12 | Park Slope
This large-scale event at the PS 295 Brooklyn campus features vehicles, food trucks, inflatable play spaces, live music, and hands-on activities.
Arbor Playground Fest at Brooklyn Arbor Yard
Sunday, May 18 | 11am-2pm | FREE admission, Food/Activity tickets available | Williamsburg
Spend the afternoon with your favorite after school and camp providers doing sports, arts and crafts, and activities. They’ll have face painting, tie dye, bounce houses, and so much more.
PS 8 Paddlewheeler Block Party
Saturday, May 31 | 12-4pm | $25 wristband, Food/Activity tickets available | Brooklyn Heights
PS 8 invites you to the 2025 Paddlewheeler block party and school fundraiser, one of the most fun events of the school year with rides, bounce house, arts & crafts, face painting, cotton candy, chess tournament, photo booth, hydrant sprinklers, a @djmarcbars dance party (2-4pm), and much more! Ticket details, event partners, and volunteer sign ups to follow.

13. Brooklyn Circus at Brooklyn Children's Museum

Saturday, May 17 | 11:30am-3:30pm | $15 per person | For ages 2-12 | Crown Heights

ABCirque (formerly The Muse) returns to Brooklyn Children’s Museum for a day of incredible performances and interactive hands-on experiences! This year, the main performance will take place outside on our rooftop to ensure everyone has a good view. Swing on silks, try your hand at juggling, test your balance, take a spin on a gigantic wheel, and more during this expanded day of programs. Main performances for Brooklyn Circus take place from 11:30 am – 12:10 pm and 2:30 pm – 3:10 pm followed by 20 minutes of interactive circus stations around the second floor of the Museum.

14. Free kids concert with Suzi Shelton at Time Out Market NY

Sunday, May 18 | 10-11am | FREE | For ages 0-5 | DUMBO

Calling all of our smallest Brooklyn friends! Macaroni KID Brooklyn NW has teamed up with Time Out Market New York to schedule another free concert for toddlers and babies! As a true happiness-maker, Suzi’s performances are infused with charm and energy, leaving her young audience (and their grownups) smiling and inspired. For the youngest audience members, Suzi uses props such as books, egg shakers, dancing scarves, and special “friends” like Grey Squirrel, Snowy the Owl or her beloved Cinnamon Bear. Shows end with a disco dance party, bubbles and lots of hugs!

15. BAM DanceAfrica Festival

May 23-36 | Times and dates vary | FREE | Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn Heights

Enchanting Brooklyn for the 48th year, DanceAfrica 2025 culminates in Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation!, an extraordinary dance and music performance celebrating the culture of Mozambique. Featuring performances by The Song and Dance Company of Mozambique, Mama Coumba Saaraba, The Billie's Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble, and the DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, this dazzling event will shake up your senses and stir your heart. Along with this spellbinding performance, join the DanceAfrica community in a class, Community Day, workshop, late-night dance party, visual art, FilmAfrica’s dazzling cinematic series, and the iconic outdoor Bazaar. Experience in full the sights, sounds, and magic of Brooklyn’s most unmissable celebration.

16. Brooklyn Bridge Anniversary Family Walk

Saturday, May 24 | 10-11am | FREE w/ RSVP | DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge

Celebrate the 142nd anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge by taking a tour with the Environmental Education Center staff. Immerse yourself in the dramatic history and innovative design that forever changed the Brooklyn landscape. The morning begins with an interactive story and lesson on the bridge’s history and engineering. You’ll finish with an actual walk up to the Brooklyn Bridge tower! This program is designed specifically for children and families. Space is limited, please only RSVP if you know you can attend.

17. NYC Public Beaches Re-open for Swimming

Saturday, May 24 | 10am-6pm | FREE | DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge

It's finally beach season! NYC Parks maintains 14 miles of beaches. Beaches are open from Memorial Day weekend through September 7, 2025. Swimming is prohibited when lifeguards are not on duty and in closed sections marked with signs and/or red flags.

18. Celebrate Memorial Day

Brooklyn's 158th Memorial Day Parade in Bay Ridge
Monday, May 26 | 11am | FREE | Bay Ridge
A Brooklyn tradition since 1867, the Brooklyn Memorial Day Parade is considered to be the oldest continuously run Memorial Day parade in a large city in the nation. Veterans, civic groups, schools, and marching bands parade along 3rd Avenue toward the Verrazzano Bridge ending with a service honoring Veterans.
Memorial Day Concert at Green-Wood Cemetery
Monday, May 26 | 2-4pm | FREE | South Slope
Green-Wood’s cherished Memorial Day concert is back for its 25th year, and it’s sure to be a celebration you won’t want to miss! Grab a blanket, pack a picnic, and bring your friends to enjoy this beloved tradition that marks the unofficial start of summer. The concert will feature the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street with stirring works that honor those who have served in the armed forces, while also spotlighting music by some of Green-Wood’s own permanent residents, including James Weldon Johnson, Fred Ebb, and Leonard Bernstein.

19. 7th Annual Dumbo Drop Block Party and Elephant Drop

Friday, May 30 | 4-7pm Kids Zone (FREE) , 5pm & 7pm elephant drops ($15-25) | DUMBO

DUMBO DROP is an Annual Tradition where thousands of toy elephants parachute down from the skies of Dumbo onto cobblestoned Washington Street – Brooklyn’s most iconic block. Plus, there's an epic block party with kids activities, restaurant row and more! All proceeds from ticket sales go directly to Dumbo’s Title 1 public schools, PS307 Elementary + The Dock Street Middle School. Purchase a viewing ticket to watch the elephants fly!

20. NY Family Travel Fest at Atlantic Terminal Mall Plaza

Saturday, May 31 | 11am-2pm | FREE | For ages 2-12 | Downtown Brooklyn

Embark on a Global Adventure Without Leaving Brooklyn! Head to Atlantic Terminal Mall for Mommy Poppins' NY Family Travel Fest, a vibrant, travel-themed celebration designed for families with children aged 2–12. This free event offers a passport to fun with a lively world music dance party to get everyone moving, interactive cultural activities representing various countries, a MasterChef Junior Mystery Box Challenge inspired by the popular TV show, and All-Inclusive family vacation Raffle.