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- 💗 Duck Derby Splashes Into Westchester + Disney Magic on the Hudson
💗 Duck Derby Splashes Into Westchester + Disney Magic on the Hudson
We've got all the free events you could possible handle but, first, we need your help settling a debate...
Wes+Bec Willetts
July 29, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes
Hello, Westchester!
Are you all keeping inside like hermits in this stifling heat or are you out and about splashing around? And how were your weekends? We did a little Westchester, a little further out, and all activities as seen in this newsletter right here.
On Saturday we hit up TASH, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow’s Farmers Market. If you haven’t been, it’s a must. Endless stalls of items you’d actually want to have or try, a great live band encouraging the little ones to have a wiggle, and people splayed out everywhere enjoying the sun. That’s how you market! A few jars of jam and fresh lemonades later, we were on our way to the always great Sloop Brewery in Hopewell Junction to have a bite before heading to Heritage Financial Park in Wappingers Falls for an abundance of joy and baseball, thanks to the Hudson Valley Renegades. If you’ve never taken a trip out that way, fan or no fan, you’ll have a blast! They have so many activities, a family fun area, great food and drink, and there’s usually something special going on - for us it was New York’s 237th birthday so the Renegades had become the Big Apples for the game and yes, we came home with apple hats, hoodies, stuffed toys and … apples.
We rounded the weekend off with Puppy Pals Live for some heart-warming stunts and good, old-fashioned family fun! There’s another fun pup type event this week below if you missed it (this one is free!).
We’d love to hear if you make it to any of the events or activities from our newsletter - or indeed if you have a recommendation!
You can check out our Instagram for more on what was but now let’s look ahead on what could be!
Wes+Bec
In today’s edition…
Rubber duckies, we’re awfully fond of you…
Tons of great free events for kids and adults, alike…
Plus, our take on a heated pizza debate.
Today’s edition was brought to you by QueenBHive and Fallscapers.
Let’s go!
💓 The Pulse
Loving Westchester’s Featured Events!
Image from Westchester Parks Foundation
Thu., Jul 31 | Tibbetts Brook Park, Yonkers | 5.30-7.30p
If it looks like a duck, races through a lazy river like a duck, and could win you $1,000, it’s probably… the 2nd Annual Duck Derby hosted by the Westchester Parks Foundation. Race entry prices start at $25 and include a meal voucher. Kids enter and eat free! Click the image or link above for more race & event details.
🌅 Friday Freebies on the Hudson
Fri., Aug 1 | Hudson River Museum, Yonkers | FREE
Tick ‘exercise’ and ‘go to a show’ off your to-do list in one trip to the Hudson River Museum on Friday:
First, join yogi Karen Young in one of two free 45-minute yoga sessions (5p & 6p) overlooking the Hudson. Check here for additional details.
After the class, make your way down to the amphitheater for a free 8p show by internationally renowned tap dancer Omar Edwards and his band, the New York Jazz Gypsies. Additional details here.
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📆 What’s Happening?
Kid-friendly Fun!
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Tue., Jul 29 | Louis Engel Waterfront Park, Ossining | Pre-show entertainment 5p / Show 7p | FREE
The Village of Ossining requests that you be their guest on Tuesday night for The Little Mermen: The Ultimate Disney Tribute Band. Food trucks and activities kick off at 5p, just around the riverbend in Louis Engel Park, followed by the concert at 7p. Disney dress up highly encouraged and, parents, go ahead and sing. You know ‘em all anyway.
👮♂️ Family Fun Day!
Thu., Jul 31 | Pierson Park, Tarrytown | 2-4.30p | FREE
Dance music, bounce houses, treats, a dunk tank to soak a police officer… and you don’t even have to wait until the weekend to do it? For free?! It’s all happening at Pierson Park as park of the Tarrytown Police Department & Tarrytown PBA’s Family Fun Day on Thursday afternoon.
Thu., Jul 31 | Hudson’s Mill Tavern, West Haverstraw (Rockland) | 4p & 6.30p | Tickets $39.19
Let your kids creatively take part in the Labubu craze with a paint session just over the river in Rockland. Tickets include art supplies, guided instruction and Labubu designs to make your own.
Thu., Jul 31 | White Plains Public Library Auditorium, White Plains | 6.30-7.30p | FREE
Sit! Stay! …and be entertained by a troupe of well-trained Golden Retrievers as they dance and perform tricks on stage as part of the White Plains “Neighborhood Nights” event series.
Fri., Aug 1 | Mount Vernon Memorial Field, Mount Vernon | 7p | Tickets from $16
Coming off a 1-all draw in their last league match against One Knoxville, Westchester SC return home to take on 2nd place Chattanooga. A win could push them into the top ten in USL1 standings. Come down and support your locals!
📖 Park and Read
Dates, locations & times detailed below | FREE
Westchester County Park’s free summer story time series continues with lively, bilingual read-alouds for ages 3–6, featuring music, movement, and tales brought to life by expert storytellers. Pre-registration encouraged; walk-ins are welcome if space allows.
Catch it this week on:
Tuesday, July 29: Tibbetts Brook Park, Yonkers – 11:00 to 11:45a
Wednesday, July 30: Saxon Woods Park, White Plains – 11:00 to 11:45a
Thursday, July 31: Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla – 11:00 to 11:45a
Friday, August 1: Westchester Children’s Museum on the Playland Boardwalk – 11:30a to 12:15p
✨ Summer Movies Under the Stars
Fri., Aug 1 | Locations & times detailed below | FREE
Grab your crew, a blanket and some popcorn and kick off August with one of these three summer classics:
Mamma Mia! | Pugsley Park, Peekskill | 8p
A League of Their Own | Schultze Park, Yonkers | Starts at dusk
The Sandlot | Old Croton Aqueduct Keeper’s House (east lawn), Dobbs Ferry | 8.30p
Grown Ups & Date Nights
Image from The Capitol Theatre
Thu., Jul 31 | Ridge Hill Town Square, Yonkers | 6-8p | FREE
Assemble your smartest group and head to The Hill on Thursday night for interactive, big screen trivia hosted by The914Collective. All participants receive a drink voucher with winners taking down gift cards from local retailers & restaurants. Click the header link to register your squad!
Thu., Jul 31 | Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown | 8p | Tickets $45.50-65.50
Singer-songwriter Nick Lowe leads instrumental surf-rockers, Los Straightjackets, in what promises to be an energetic gig on Thursday night in Tarrytown.
Fri., Aug 1 | Captain Lawrence Barrel House, Mt. Kisco | 6.30p | Tickets $85
A beer in one hand, scissors in the other. Learn the technique and skills needed for the meditative practice of bonsai trimming with a beginner class by Bonsai Bar hosted at Captain Lawrence Barrel House. Limited tickets remaining!
Fri., Aug 1 | The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester | Time | Tickets
“Easy on the ears, heavy on the heart,” is how Rolling Stone referred to Flatland Cavalry, The Cap’s Friday night musical guest… and with nearly 3 million monthly Spotify listeners, it seems plenty of Americana & country music fans already know it! Show details in the link above.
Live Music Scene
Image from The Capitol Theatre
Tuesday, July 29th
California Dreamin’ | Rye Town Park, Under the Pavilion, Rye | 7.30p | FREE
Riverrun | Uncle Lefty’s, Hastings-on-Hudson | 8-10p | FREE
Wednesday, July 30th
Cross County Center Summer Fest Concerts: FDR Drive | Cross County Center, Yonkers | 6.30-8p | FREE
Music in the Park: Andrea and the Armenian Rug Riders | Pine Ridge Park, Rye Brook | 6.45p | FREE
The Heavy Heavy | Garcia’s, Port Chester | Doors 7p / Show 8p | Advance tickets $30, Day of $35
Peekskill Summer Concert Series: Billy Badd Base Camp | Riverfront, Peekskill | 7-9p | FREE
Mount Pleasant Summer Concert Series: First Class Band | Carroll Park, Thornwood | 7-9p | FREE
New Castle Summer Concerts: The Grooves | 198 South Greeley Ave., Chappaqua | 7p | FREE
New Rochelle Summer Sounds: Galipote World Music | Hudson Park, New Rochelle | 7.30p | FREE
Thursday, July 31st
Armonk Summer Concert: The Men of Soul | Wampus Brook Park, Armonk | 6-8p | FREE
Larchmont Summer Concert in the Park: Sway / Larchmont Music Academy | Constitution Park, Larchmont | 6-10p | FREE
Sunset Jazz at Lyndhurst Concert Series: Steve Johns Quintet | Lyndhurst Mansion, Tarrytown | Grounds 4p / Show 6.30p | Tickets: $10 / Children Under 10 Free
Harrison Summer Concert Series: Home Grown w/ Cherko Line Dancing | Village Green, West Harrison | 6.30p | FREE
Larry Haddad Organ Trio | Jazz on Main, Mount Kisco | 7p | Advance: $25, Door: $30, $25 food & drink minimum per person
Tarrytown Summer Concert Series: Frankie Sands | Pierson Park, Tarrytown | 7-9p | FREE
Little Lies (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) | Emelin Theater, Mamaroneck | 7.30p | Tickets: $41-53
The Heavy Heavy | Garcia’s, Port Chester | Doors 7p / Show 8p | Advance tickets $30, Day of $35
Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets | Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown | 8p | Tickets $45.50-65.50
Friday, August 1st
Concert Series at Ridge Hill: Jake’s Rock and Country Band | Town Square, Yonkers | 6-8p | FREE
Russell De Luca | Bedford Playhouse, Bedford | 6.30p | FREE
Yonkers Waterfront Live: The Hot Toddies | Waterfront Amphitheater, Yonkers | 6.30-8p | FREE
Kristina Marinova: Grateful Dead Piano Works | Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown | 7p | Tickets $36-46
The Garifuna Collective | Caramoor, Katonah | 7.30p | Adult tickets from $43
New Rochelle Summer Sounds: FDR Drive | Hudson Park, New Rochelle | 7.30p | FREE
Flatland Cavalry | The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester | Doors 6.30p / Show 8p | Tickets from $40.50
Ticket Alert!
Image from The Capitol Theatre
The Capitol Theatre have just announced that Rockabilly icons, The Stray Cats, will be coming to Port Chester on November 9th. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 1st at 10a on Ticketmaster.
Thanks to our partner, Fallscapers!
Let Fallscapers transform your porch into an autumn wonderland
With summer in full flow, we know the last thing on your mind is setting up pumpkins to glow up your porch this fall. All the more reason to allow Fallscapers to start thinking about it for you! Fallscapers is offering limited availability for the autumn 2025 season and taking early interest now, no commitment necessary.
🍕 Eats-chester
We’re not diving into the New York / Connecticut pizza debate… merely dipping our toes into it. See, we’re a pizza household here in Westchester with each member their own favorite, Pizzeria La Rosa in New Rochelle (Bec), Pizza Fenice in Pelham (Wes), Sunrise Pizza in Rye (Kai)… and we all love Johnny’s in Mt. Vernon.
We’re all also very aware of Connecticut’s self-proclaimed “pizza capital of the United States” moniker, as we’re reminded by billboards every time we’re stuck in Western CT traffic heading up 95. That said, we knew that Sally’s Apizza was a sponsor partner of the Shoulder Check Showcase event we attended last Thursday and, as we left the rink, our first mission was to keep the kids satisfied with dinner with Sally’s Stamford location the obvious choice…
We had high expectations and I have to say, they were exceeded. The four of us (our baby girl Beckett included, she’ll eat anything) devoured a small cheese pie and a basil burrata pie with pepperoni. Jeez. They were both incredible. Bonus points for the Maine Root Beer that took us back to our recent northeast road trip (if anyone knows where to get the blueberry soda around here, please let us know and we’ll give out a shout out in our next edition!)
We want to hear from you! Who sits on the Westchester pizza throne in your household who could stand up to New Haven? Drop us a line and let us know. As for us, I’d say we’re keeping an open mind and mouth with the whole debate at this point, just don’t ask me what ‘abeetz’ is…
Thanks for reading Loving Westchester!
We’re really enjoying putting this together twice a week, and hope you enjoy reading it. Please feel free to drop us a line about your favorite spot, an upcoming event, or just to say Hi - we love to hear from you! You can reach us at [email protected].
Check us out on Instagram for additional event details outside of our normal Tuesday & Friday e-mails and, as always, please send this along to a friend who’s always asking “what’s going on this weekend?”
Until next time,
