Enjoy Summer 2010: Outdoors, Fun and FREE!

It might be the hottest season of the year, but we know where to lead you for the coolest events of the summer. All you have to do is step outside and experience all that New York has to offer -- for FREE! This summer we have an amazing lineup of outdoor concerts, festivals and street fairs to get you out of the house, and you can leave your wallet at home.

We kicked off the summer with the Brooklyn Heights Association's Picnic on the Promenade on June 19, bringing families together to eat cupcakes from CRUMBS, enjoy the beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline and sing along with the Deedle Deedle Dees. The scene was equally picturesque at Pier 1 Harbor View Lawn of the new Brooklyn Bridge Park, where the BHA presented "I Do Not Doubt I am Limitless: Walt Whitman's Brooklyn." This evening of free music and poetry featured the sounds of CSC Funk Band and Cat Martino, set to a marathon reading of Whitman’s "Leaves of Grass."

One of our most exciting and eclectic events is going on all summer long on the beautiful Riverwalk Commons on Roosevelt Island. ROOSEVELT L!VE, an outdoor concert and event series, began on July 10 with the First Annual Albert Ayler Festival, a daylong tribute to the legendary free-jazz tenor-saxophonist Albert Ayler, complete with a crowd of Ayler fans, a marathon record fair and music from the jazz artists influenced by Ayler's work. On July 18 we enjoyed the dance, song and culture of New Orleans-style Mardi Gras and Brazilian-style Carnaval, along with delicious seafood from the Red Hook Lobster Pound, for Mardi Gras Meets Carnaval! Then came Conscious Cycle on July 31, an interactive art project revolving around the themes of conscious living and life's cyclical nature that encourages the community to be creative.

There’s even more to come, and it’s all off the F train stop to Roosevelt Island. On September 12, join Yelp for their So Long Summer! BBQ, featuring complimentary food from Riverwalk Bar & Grill for Yelp-ers on the list. Guests will get the chance to mingle with likeminded individuals while enjoying the cuisine and the view from Roosevelt Island, the city’s hidden gem.

September also features New York City's largest street festival, the 36th Annual Atlantic Antic! Stretching out over a mile through several different neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Atlantic Antic features everything from food of all ethnicities to one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and clothing to an entire block party for kids! Come to Atlantic Avenue on Sunday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to enjoy the Indian Summer and all of the unique offerings of this diverse and exciting street fair. On the same day, check out the Brooklyn Heights Community Stoop Sale, going on throughout the neighborhood and soaking up the foot traffic from the Antic!

If you're looking for another excuse to be outside, the New New York Green Block Party is coming to town on October 2 to satisfy your itch. This innovative event is combining everything you love about our borough with the latest education, products and visions for a greener New York City.

So grab your sunglasses and the SPF and experience summer in style, with lots of food, community and culture in the city's sprawling streets and parks. Because summer will be over before you know it...