What: Figment Art + Music Festival 2009
Where: Governor’s Island
When: June 12, 10am-5pm; June 13-14, 10am-7pm
Why: In a weekend packed with festivals, we couldn’t overlook this hippy celebration of creative culture. Figment, now in its third year, will easily help adults cast aside economic woes and give kids the ultimate playground at this volunteer-fueled art event, which welcomes any interpretation of “work.”
While there is an emphasis on collaboration and participation, everyone is invited to come and just enjoy the festivities that will include—take a deep breath—a Mega soccer game, vintage-style photo shoots, yoga workshops, garden gnome adoptions, a lecture on Western art history, Chi meditation, a virtual Tuuug of War, an improv and physical comedy class for kids, an interactive mobile exhibit on dinosaurs from the American Museum of Natural History, a homemade cookie class, a bluesy rock ‘n’ roll performance by The Bourbon Shakes, an “Everything You Want, Right Now!” conversation on the ways advertising distorts culture, footloose hula hooping on the grass, and an exploration into what makes street art around the world so inspiring.
Financed entirely through contributions and grants (and no corporate sponsorships that might muddle the message of a supportive community), Figment is participatory art in the truest sense. There are no costs to artists or visitors, who are welcome to tote along projects or work—as long as it doesn’t have to be “staked into the ground, be connected to a power source, plotted on the map, or scheduled for a stage or performance area.” (The deadline for artist participation was May 15.)
“Art is not just something that you stand still and quietly look at,” asserts the event’s website. Instead, those who make the trek to Governor’s Island are encouraged to let loose and follow their instincts. “Touch it, smell it, climb it, write on it, talk to it, dance with it, play with it, learn from it,” and contribute to Figment’s uniquely dynamic and collaborative atmosphere.
Cost: Free
How to get there: Catch the free ferry from The Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan, or from the Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn. Ferry schedules change daily, so visit the Governor’s Island website for times. For a full schedule of events, visit figmentnyc.org.
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