ART

GREEK HEROES The Children’s Museum of Manhattan presents the opening of “Gods Myths and Mortals,” a 4,000-square-foot national exhibit that allows visitors to explore the sights and sounds of Ancient Greece. The interactive show includes an enormous Trojan horse for riding, an Acropolis to scale, sing-alongs with lovely Sirens — part maidens, part birds — and a chance to join the legendary hero Odysseus on his epic journey home from the Trojan War. Along the way, visitors discover the roots of democracy, mythmaking, and Western education in a Greek town square and are introduced to Greek gods with special powers (recommended for children ages 6 to 10). Friday, May 25, exhibit runs through 2008, Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m, CMOM, the Tisch Building, 212 W. 83rd St., between Broadway and Amsterdam avenues, 212-721-1234, $9 children and adults, $6 seniors, free for children under 1 and CMOM members.

FILM

FUNKY CHICKEN The New York International Children’s Film Festival hosts a series of screenings at the IFC Center in June. Among the highlights is Mark Lewis’s “The Natural History of the Chicken” (2001), a quirky feature that has been described as the “‘Spinal Tap’ of chicken documentaries.” The film follows Valerie, a frozen hen who is resuscitated by a human and lives to tell about her neardeath experience; Cotton, a pampered chick who wiles away her days in front of the television and bathes with her owner, and Miracle Mike, who lived for two and a half years without a head (recommended for children 10 and up.) NYICFF was founded in

1997 to promote intelligent cinematic works for

children between the ages

of 3 and 18. The event has grown to become the largest festival for children and teenagers in North America, presenting a highly selective slate of animation, live action, documentary, and experimental films in March, with premieres throughout the year at the IFC Center and other locations.

Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3, 11:30 a.m., IFC Center, 323 Sixth Ave. at 3rd Street, $10.75 general, $7 children and seniors.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

FIRE IT UP The Macy’s July 4th 2007 Fireworks Spectacular, the 31st of its kind, takes over the East Side of Manhattan every summer. It’s worthwhile for you and your family to start planning your July 4th fireworks trip now, to avoid the enormous crowds at South Street Seaport and on the FDR Drive. If you’re lucky enough to live in an apartment building overlooking the East River, take advantage of your rooftop view. If not, parents and children can enjoy the fireworks from the FDR Drive. Bring chairs, snacks, and drinks, and be prepared to arrive early, with lots of patience — the spectacle doesn’t begin until 9 p.m.

Wednesday, July 4, 9 p.m., the East River, between 23rd and 42nd streets, and South Street Seaport at Fulton Street, 212-494-4495, free.

MUSIC

FILL UP THE TANK Madison Square Garden Entertainment presents Thomas and Friends Live! in “Thomas Saves the Day,” a 90-minute musical at the Beacon Theatre that follows the popular Thomas the Tank Engine and two other engines, Gordon and Henry, among other characters. The adventure includes a program of railroad-themed songs, which form the soundtrack as the engines prepare for the rails for the Magic Lantern Festival at the station on the island of Sodor. Jim Millan is a writer and director of the production, and Jenn Rapp is a director and choreographer. Friday, June 1–Sunday, June 3, 11 a.m., 2 and 5 p.m., Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway at 74th Street, 212-307-7171, $25–$69.

THE HOME OF HIP-HOP An allday outdoor concert for adolescents and teenagers whose tastes lean torwards the urban, the third- annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival celebrates hip-hop music and culture. The rotating lineup includes rap luminaries such as Ghostface Killa, a veteran of the rap super-group Wu-Tang Clan; a rapper and producer who helmed the now classic album “Breaking Atoms,” Large Professor, and one half of the duo Black Sheep, Dres. Among other featured guests is Chicago-born rapper Kanye West; Mr. West’s buzz-addled collaborator, Consequence, who performs selections from his long-awaited release “Don’t Quit Your Day Job,” and up-and-coming rapper and singer, Emily King, who merges R&B, rap, jazz, and rock on her debut “East Side Story.” Thursday, June 7, 14, and 21, and Friday June 22 through Saturday, June 23, times and venues vary. For complete information, go to brooklynbodega.com/ brooklynhiphopfestival.

FIDDLING AROUND Classical music lovers from the city arrive on the lawns of Katonah, N.Y., 50 miles north of the city in Westchester County, every year for the Caramoor Music Festival. The festival kicks off with a weekend of gala concerts. For young ears, the festival offers an outdoor event, Tony Trischka’s Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular. Mr. Trischka duels with banjoist Greg Liszt in a head-to-head performance, defying the boundaries of traditional bluegrass. Accompanying performers include vocalist and fiddler Mike Barnett, vocalist and guitarist Michael Daves, and bassist Skip Ward. Parents wishing to make a meal of the event can purchase tickets for $9 and enjoy the performance from the festival’s picnic grounds. Sunday, June 24, 4:30 p.m., Venetian Theater, 149 Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, 914-232-5035, $15–$45, $9 for picnic grounds seating.

THE GREAT LAWN’S GREATNESS

The summerlong Central Park SummerStage festival gives a shout out to youngsters with Global Family Day, featuring a performance by Hip-Hop Harry, a 6-foot tall yellow bear in a Kangol cap. Harry is kind of a funkier version of Barney the Dinosaur, if Barney had lived in the South Bronx in the 1980s. The Sippy Cups also perform, boasting such grown-up influences as the Velvet Underground, T. Rex, the Beatles, and Syd Barrett — the members of the bands performed in indie rock outfits before deciding to create children-friendly music, making their tunes appropriate and fun for parents and children alike. The dance portion of the day belongs to BREAK! The Urban Funk Spectacular, featuring veterans and rookies on the breakdancing scene. The entire day is preceded at 2 p.m. with a special performance by the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, who present “Cinderella Samba,” a marionette interpretation of Cinderella set in the jungles of Brazil, where Cinderella and her Prince Charming meet at a Carnival Ball. Sunday, July 15, 3 p.m., Central Park, Great Lawn, mid-park from 79th to 85th streets, 212-360-1399, free.

SANJAYA STRIKES AGAIN

“American Idols Live,” a concert featuring the top 12 finalists from the television talent show, comes to Nassau Coliseum in August. The season six contestants, including Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, who vied for the final prize, perform selections from the show. A fan favorite, Sanjaya Malakar, woos the crowd with his road show coiffures. Tickets for the concert are on sale now. Friday, August 24, 7 p.m., Nassau Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike at Merrick Avenue, (exit M4 Meadowbrook Parkway), Uniondale, Long Island, 516-794-9300, $39.50–$69.50.

PARKS

CRANK OUT THE SWEETS Lefferts Historic House, a museum of family life in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, celebrates June’s designation as Dairy Month with an ice cream social: The House offers the opportunity for families to make their own ice cream using a handcranked freezer, to churn their own butter, and to sample other 19thcentury dairy recipes. Saturday, June 2, 1–4 p.m., Prospect Park, Lefferts Historic House, Flatbush Avenue at Empire Boulevard, 718-965-8999, free.

PUPPY EYES For those children itching for a friend of the animal bent, the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals hosts Maddie’s Pet Adoption Festival, featuring a steel drum band, $25 microchipping for pets, and booths featuring the themes Ask the Veterinarian, Ask the Trainer, Ask the Groomer, and Ask for T-Touch Practitioner. On top of everything, the Alliance has hundreds of dogs and cats to choose from. Sunday, July 1, noon, Wolfe’s Pond Park, Cornelia, Holten, and Luten avenues on Raritan Bay, Staten Island, 212-252-2350, free. For complete information, go to animalalliancenyc.org.

SHOOTING AND SCORING In Manhattan, the smallest of children — those 5 years old and under — can play like the “big kids” and participate in “Summer on the Hudson: Soccer Tots & Pee Wee Basketball,” two ongoing summer workshops designed to teach children the rudiments of soccer and basketball, before the onslaught of school soccer and basketball leagues begins.

Wednesdays, July 11 through August 18, soccer, 9–10 a.m., basketball, 10:30–11:30 a.m., South Waterfront West Side, 71st Street and the Hudson River, 212-408-0219, free.

READINGS

A JAZZY SUMMER READING The Brooklyn Public Library kicks off its annual “Children’s Summer Reading” program on June 7 at the Central Branch and all neighborhood branches, with a reception of light refreshments, children’s activities, and open registration for parents and children. The series is an opportunity for readers of all ages to have fun and unwind at their local library, and includes discussions and entertainment. Featured guests include the widow of jazz bassist Charles Mingus, Sue Mingus, and composer Paquito D’Rivera. Ms. Mingus reads from her memoir “Tonight at Noon: A Love Story” (Pantheon), and Mr. D’Rivera reads from his “My Sax Life” (Northwestern). Thursday, June 7, 2–4 p.m., BPL, Central Division, 1 Grand Army Plaza, between Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, 718-230-2100, free. For complete information, go to brooklynpubliclibrary.org.

TRAVEL TO EXOTIC ISLANDS The New York Botanical Garden hosts an afternoon of Caribbean Storytelling led by the Latino poet and lecturer, Bobby Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzalez, who is of Taino Indian descent, tells Caribbean folktales and spins tales about flora, nature, and traditional culture from the tropic region. The event is featured as part of a fourmonth festival at the NYBG, “Caribbean Gardens: Journey to Paradise.” Sunday, June 17, 2:30 p.m., festival events and exhibit through Sunday, September 16, New York Botanical Garden, 200th Street at Southern Boulevard, Bronx, 718-817-8700, $18 general, $16 seniors and students, $5 children. For complete information, go to nybg.org.

RIVER TO RIVER

FESTIVAL

TAKING THE CHILDREN DOWNTOWN The summerlong River to River festival features a host of events taking place in downtown Manhattan. In June, childrenfriendly events begin with a pint-size version of Bang on a Can, the wellknown collective that regularly commissions and records contemporary music. Bang on a Can electric guitarist (and instrument inventor) Mark Stewart, Central Asian sound wizards Mashriq, and a host of special guests enchant and entertain young music fans with a wild assortment of instruments. Saturday, June 2, 2 p.m., Battery Park, Esplanade Plaza, State Street and Battery Place, 212-945-0505, free.

SEARCHING FOR A, B, AND C The Super Story Sundays series begins with “Alphabet City,” where children can walk around the Seaport and look for letters of the alphabet hidden in the architecture of Manhattan’s historic district. Sunday, June 3, 2 p.m., South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St., between Front Street and the East River Drive, 212-748-8753, free.

A SMORGASBORD OF FUN The festival and the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy celebrate the first day of summer in the traditional Swedish way, with picnicking, making floral headdresses, a maypole procession, and dancing until dark to traditional fiddle music. Music is provided by Paul Dahlin and fiddlers from Minneapolis’s American Swedish Institute. Dancers include the Barnklubben Elsa Rix ensemble and the Swedish Folkdancers of New York. A co-sponsor of the night is the Consulate General of Sweden. Friday, June 22, Wagner Park, Battery Place, between West Street and First Place, 212-267-9700, free.

TINKERBELL’S COLLEAGUES “Enchanted Fairies and Elves: Protectors of Woods and Streams,” also copresented by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, features storyteller Laura Martin as she regales children with fairy stories found in worldwide cultures. Children can make fairy houses and wings to take home. Sunday, July 15, 11 a.m., Battery Park City, Teardrop Park, River Terrace, between Warren and Murray streets, 212-267-9700, free.