Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Spring Fling | Pier 1 | Saturday, April 23 | Free | brooklynbridgepark.org
Why go: Support the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy while snacking on delicious Ditch Plains grub. Educate your children through activities with the New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Wildlife Theater Company, and others.
Prospect Heights Craft Fair | Prospect Heights | Sunday, April 24 | Free admission | brooklynian.com
Why go: Great rafffle prizes, one-of-a-kind items like stationary, clothing, jewelry, and more. Proceeds will benefit the arts program at the public elementary school, PS9. Plus, you are supporting local artisans and craft makers.
Socrates Sculpture Park’s 9th Kite Making Workshop | Saturday, April 30 | Free | socratessculpturepark.org
Why go: Enjoy an eco-friendly, hands-on activity with your kids by building kites out of recycled materials and making them soar above Vista, the park’s newest art exhibit.
2011 Lexington Craft Fair | Jackson Heights | Sunday, May 1 | Free admission | lexnyc.org
Why go: Find fabulous hand-crafted items from local artisans and munch on gourmet fare from some of NYC’s top food trucks. Proceeds will benefit the Lexington Foundation, which supports the Lexington School for the Deaf, the Lexington Hearing and Speech Center, Lexington Vocational Services, and the Lexington Center for Mental Health
Stone Barns Center Farm Market | Westchester | Starts Friday, May 6 | Free Admission | stonebarnscenter.org
Why go: Shop the very freshly picked produce, eggs, and pastured meats and support this working, non-profit farm and education center set on an 80-acre former Rockefeller estate in Pocantico Hills.
Downtown Boathouse Kayaking | Locations city-wide | Starts Saturday, May 14 | Free | downtownboathouse.org
Why go: Just by showing up and enjoying the rivers by kayak you are supporting this special NYC establishment and 501(c)3 non-profit. The multiple boathouse locations are always happy for the extra help if you’re interested in volunteering.
6th Annual Brooklyn Bike Jumble | Park Slope | Saturday, May 14 | Free admission | nybikejumble.com
Why go: This bi-annual cycling flea market helps NYC’s bike culture grow, which is something worth supporting, don’t you think? If you can’t make the jumble, Recycle-A-Bicycle has several similar events coming up throughout the boroughs in May and June.
Health and Wellness Street Fair | Gowanus | Saturday, May 14 | Free | newunderstanding.co
Why go: This is the feel good event of the season. Get face time with nutritionists, yoga instructors, acupuncturists, Chinese Medicine professionals, and remember to take notes during seminars and demos. Half the day is devoted to kids programming so don’t leave the little ones at home.
Brooklyn Craft Central’s Shop the Archway | Dumbo | Saturday, May 21 | Free admission | brooklyncraftcentral.com
Why go: Bask in the stunning water-perched space and support some of the over 55 NY-based vendors while you nosh on locally-sourced food and shop for unique items.
Bike and Roll’s Free Bike Fridays | Governors Island | Fridays, June 11-October 8 | Free | govislandblog.com
Why go: You get to borrow a bike for free for an hour while exploring Governors Island. The ferry to get there is free too.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram