Summer is here! Squeeze in a visit to a carnival in between your beach trips, BBQs and family vacations. The best part of it is that many of these carnivals are fundraisers for non-profit organizations, so you will have fun while helping others! Here is our guide to summer carnivals in Westchester, NJ, CT, and Long Island.
Northern New Jersey Carnivals
State Fair Meadowlands
Where: 1 Met Life Stadium Drive, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
When: June 20 – July 7, 2019. Opens at 2 pm on weekends and holidays and 6 pm on weekdays
Come to one of New Jersey’s largest family events. State Fair Meadowlands admission is free. There are plenty of free entertainments featuring live performers on 2 stages. The Death-Defying High Dive Act and the Racing Pigs are back along with other favorites. Over 150 rides and attractions for the entire family. Take a ride on the area’s only Sky Ride or a ride in the original Batcopter from the 1960s Batman TV series. And you won’t go home hungry with over 50 food vendors serving up delicious meals, snacks and sweets.
Glen Rock Family Fair
Where: Wilde Memorial Park at 683 Maple Avenue, Glen Rock, NJ
When: June 19 – June 22, 2019 at 5:30pm
Come celebrate the 125th anniversary of Glen Rock and the 20th anniversary of the Glen Rock Family fair! Enjoy exciting rides for all ages, carnival games and a variety of tasty fair food. Pay one price tickets are $25. Individual ride tickets are $1.25 per ticket, $20 for 20 tickets and $40 for 45 tickets.
Fairfield County Carnivals
Trumbull Day and Carnival
Where: Trumbull High School, 72 Strobel Road, Trumbull, CT 06611
When: June 28 and June 29, 2019. Friday 6:30pm-10:30pm. Saturday 1:30pm-10:30pm
Trumbull Day is returning the last weekend of June 2019. Come for carnival rides, amusement games and food trucks on Friday, June 28. Saturday, June 29, there will be a spectacular culmination of all festivities with a full day of carnival rides, amusement games, food trucks, band music, and ending with a fantastic fireworks display. Saturday hours will be 1:30 pm– 10:30 pm. Ride bracelets will be available for purchase each day! Bracelets will be $25 on Thursday and $30 on Friday and Sunday. Bracelets on Sunday will be honored from 1 PM until 6 PM. Tickets will be needed after 6 PM on Sunday. Food trucks will satisfy any food cravings on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Live music will entertain the crowd, and the beer and wine tent will be open near the stage in a shared section for food, libations, and vibrations.
St. Catherine of Siena Church Carnival of Fun
Where: St. Catherine of Siena Church at 4 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT
When: July 9 to July 13, 2019 from 6pm-11pm
Come to St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside’s annual Carnival of Fun. The carnival kicks off at 6 pm each night from Tuesday, July 9, through Saturday, July 13. There will be lots of rides, games, raffles, live entertainment, and dining under a big tent. Plus a grand raffle prize of a $30,000 American Express gift card.
Westchester County Carnivals
Rye Playland
Where: 1 Playland Parkway, Rye, NY
When: May 11 to September 2, 2019. Open daily (closed on Mondays). 12pm-10pm (some days open as early as 10 am and stay open as late as 11 pm)
Rye Playland is open all summer from May 11 to September 2, 2019. Take the kids to Kiddyland. Ride the Log Flume or the Dragon Coaster. Go on the bumper cars. Take the Playland Plunge. Be entertained with musical acts. Lots of food choices available on site, making it a fun day for the entire family!
Mamaroneck Firemen’s Carnival
Where: Harbor Island Park at 123 Mamaroneck Ave, Mamaroneck, NY
When: June 28 – July 6, 2019 from 6:45 pm- 11:30pm
Come to The Village of Mamaroneck’s annual Mamaroneck Firemen’s Carnival! Enjoy carnival rides, carnival games, and festival food. Catch the annual parade on July 2nd at 7 pm and don’t miss the spectacular fireworks display on the 4th of July. Individual ride tickets are $1.25 per ticket, $20 for 20 tickets and $40 for 45 tickets.
Yorktown Heights Fireman’s Parade and Carnival
Where: 1916 Commerce Avenue, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
When: June 21 – June 25, 2019. Wednesday 7pm-11pm. Thursday & Friday 6pm-11pm. Saturday: Noon-11pm. Sunday: Noon-9pm
Come to Yorktown Heights Fireman’s Parade and Carnival from June 21 – June 25, 2019. This is the 100th annual event supporting Yorktown Heights’ Volunteer Fire Department. A family-friendly event with parades, rides, midway games and lots of carnival food. Carnival admission is free. Unlimited ride wristbands (for riders 36 inches or taller) are $25 Wednesday – Thursday and $30 Friday – Sunday. Ride tickets are $1.50 each, $25 for 20 tickets, or $50 for 50 tickets plus 1 free ride. Rides take 3 or more tickets each.
Long Island Carnivals
Long Island FunFest
Where: 485 Wicks Road, Brentwood, NY 11717 (Suffolk County Community College)
When: June 13 – June 23, 2019. Open 4 pm to 11 pm weekdays and noon to 11 pm weekends (closing at 10 pm on June 23)
Long Island FunFest is open from June 13 to June 23, 2019. Admission is only $5 and free for children under 36 inches tall. Unlimited ride wristbands are $30 or $20 online in advance. Enjoy petting zoos, snake charmers, fire eaters, motorcycle shows, concerts and fireworks on June 14 and June 22. Over 30 rides, delicious foods and exciting games guarantee that there is something for the whole family to enjoy.
Maria Regina Parish Family Festival
Where: 3945 Jerusalem Avenue, Seaford, NY (Maria Regina Parish Grounds)
When: June 20 – June 23, 2019 from 5pm-10pm
The Maria Regina Parish Family Festival is open from Thursday, June 20 to Sunday, June 23, 2019, daily from 5pm-11pm. Admission is free all nights. There are over 25 midway games, rides, live music, food, and raffles. Each night has a different band making it worth multiple trips to the carnival.
About Daisy Mae VanValkenburgh
DaisyMae VanValkenburgh is a twenty-something blogger and Instagram lifestyle influencer finishing up her BA in journalism and moving onto her MSEd in higher education administration at Hofstra University on Long Island. She is a brother of Alpha Phi Omega, an editor-in-chief for multiple companies, a social media analyst, a website builder, and a dream chaser.
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