We\u2019re now officially in August, but before we go into full back-to-school mode, there are still a lot of fun activities to do this month! One of the best events is happening right now: Harlem Week<\/a>.<\/p>\n Running August 1 through 16, 2026, it\u2019s one of the best free, family-friendly stretches of summer in New York City. This year marks the 52nd anniversary, themed \u201cHonoring Our Legacy. \u201c<\/p>\n Here is the family lineup:<\/p>\n Start with a Car-Free Saturday and a Run<\/p>\n On the first three Saturdays this month, Harlem closes its streets to cars from 7 am to 3 pm for Summer Streets, stretching along Park Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. You can ride bikes and scooters, and listen to live music, with no cars to worry about.<\/p>\n Saturday, August 8, is a good one if your family likes to move. The Percy Sutton Harlem 5K Run & Children\u2019s Run starts at 8 am at 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, and kids ages 2 to 18 can join at whatever pace works for them; it\u2019s just for the fast kids. Every finisher gets a New Balance lunchbox. Right after, at 9 am from the same spot, there\u2019s the Hazel Dukes Memorial Family Health Walk, a gentler option if a 5K sounds like too much.<\/p>\n Family Festivities<\/p>\n Some of the best parts of Harlem Week don\u2019t need a plan at all. On Sunday, August 9, from noon to 7 pm at Ulysses S. Grant National Memorial Park, there will be an International Village with crafts, jewelry, and food vendors, live music running most of the afternoon, and a gospel tribute in the evening.<\/p>\n Summer in the City, on Saturday, August 15 from 1 to 6 pm along West 135th Street, is Harlem Week\u2019s second-biggest day. There will be fashion shows, performances, free health screenings, and a variety of food vendors to grab lunch and dinner.<\/p>\n On Sunday, August 16, the festivities close with three stages of music, a Harlem Health Village, and Broadway performers.<\/p>\n Just for the Kids<\/p>\n There are a lot of events for kids and adults, but two events are really built with children front and center. The Alex Trebek Harlem Children\u2019s Spelling Bee is on Saturday, August 15, which is always fun to watch with the kids and cheer on the participants. Then the NYC Children\u2019s Festival at Howard Bennett Playground runs on Saturday, August 15, and Sunday, August 16, aimed at kids ages 5 to 12, with storytelling, arts and crafts, face painting, and double-dutch competitions.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also a virtual Hack-a-Thon and Youth Conference on Monday, August 10, which is more of a fit for tweens and teens.<\/p>\n Evening Outings\u00a0<\/p>\n On Tuesday, August 4, National Night Out takes place at three Harlem locations, with barbecues, bounce houses, and face painting.<\/p>\n Harlem Summerstage, Thursdays, August 6 and 13 from 5 to 7 pm, brings live soul, funk, and R&B to the plaza at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building.<\/p>\n And Harlem Summer Nights, on Fridays, August 7 and 14, from 5 to 10 pm under the Manhattan Valley Viaduct, is more of a food-and-culture street festival, best for families with older kids who\u2019ll be up for trying new and interesting food.<\/p>\n Harlem Week has been doing this for over 50 years; it\u2019s free, and there\u2019s something fun for every age.<\/p>\n Psst\u2026 Check Out Kids\u2019 Night on Broadway Is Back: How to Get Free Tickets<\/a><\/p>\n
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