NYC weekend planner: street fairs, festivals, parades

Lots of free and frugal events this weekend to enjoy this first full of autumn.  Let’s hope the weather cooperates for these outdoor street fairs and festivals for the entire family –

Saturday –

• Worldwide Day of Play — This children’s festival is sponsored by Nickelodeon and the New York Roadrunners Club, to encourage kids to play outdoors, including in NYC parks.  There will be games and races, including a tug-of-war, hoola hoop contests, prizes and more. At Grand Army Plaza, Fifth Avenue near 59th Street, Brooklyn, 9:30 a.m. to noon.
• Upper Broadway Autumn Festival — On Broadway, between 118th and 116th, Morningside Heights, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Broadway Autumn Festival — annual street fair on Broadway between Waverly Place and 14th Street, West Village, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Greenwich Avenue Festival — on Greenwich, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday –

• Central Park Autumn Fair — East 60th St., between Madison and Fifth Avenues, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Broadway Merchants Association Street Fair — Broadway, between Steinway and Crescent Streets, Astoria,Queens, noon to 6 p.m.
• Muslim Day Parade — this is the 26th annual parade sponsored by the Muslim Federation of America.  On Madison Avenue, marching south from 38th Street to 23rd Street beginning at 12:20 p.m.
• 92nd St. Y Street Fest ’11 — Annual outdoor street fair, including sampling of cultural and educational programs offered by the Upper East Side community center, with music, food and games for the kids.  On Lexington Avenue, between 79th and 96th Streets.

Saturday and Sunday –

• Autumn Crafts on Columbus — this is the first of three weekends for this art show, sponsored by the American Arts and Crafts Alliance.  This is NOT the usual kitschy, often junky stuff that passes for art at most street fairs.  This is real, collectible arts and crafts from bona fide professional artists, some of it museum quality with matching price tags.  But there’s no charge for browsing.  On Columbus Avenue, between 77th and 81st Streets, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Fest of San Gennaro – the annual festival of all things Italian closes Sunday for the year.  In Little Italy, centered on Mulberry Street.
• MotorExpo — this is the last weekend to visit the free auto show at the World Financial Center, and kick the tires on new car models from Chevrolet, Land Rover, Lincoln, BMW, Mercedes and others, and look but not touch the Aston Martins.