AROUND TOWN Around Town AMERICAN ...

AMERICAN CRAFTS FESTIVAL Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, W. 64th St. (betw. Columbus Ave. & B'way), 973-746-0091, www.craftsatlincoln.org Two consecutive weekends, 6/14 & 6/15, 6/21 & 6/22. Sat. 12-9; Sun. 11-9. Free. The 27th-annual festival of the finest craft arts feat. 400 displays of pottery, leather, jewelry, glass, furnishings, silk & more from all over the country.

BAREFOOT DANCING Wave Hill, 675 W. 252nd St. (Independence Ave.), Bronx, 718-549-3200, www.wavehill.org Kick up your flip-flopped feet and dance the night away to the sounds of world music at Wave Hill, a 28-acre public garden & cultural center [Wednesdays in June & July, 7-8:30 p.m., $4].

BASTILLE DAY 60th St. (betw. Park & Madison Aves.), 212-355-6100, www.fiaf.org Allons enfants de la Patrie, let us eat crêpes & crème brûlée, listen to music & dance in the streets for the eighth-annual celebration of France's democracy & French-American friendship [7/13, 12-6, free].

BIG APPLE CONVENTION SHOW St. Paul's Church Aud., Columbus Ave. (59th St.), 201-865-3288, www.bigapplecon.com Not a farmer's market or an apple-o-philiacs get together, instead a comic book, toy, card, poster & memorabilia haven. The biggest event of its kind! Come & trade, buy or sell gold, silver & Modern Age comics. Special guests incl. Joe Linsner (Dawn) [7/25, 12-8 & 7/26, 10-7, $7].

CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL Prospect Park, Grand Army Plaza, 718-855-7882 x45, www.brooklynx.org/celebrate or www.celebratebrooklyn.org Two months of free outdoor events kick off on 6/12 with a 25th-anniversary gala at the Prospect Park bandshell. Concerts, movie screenings feat. musical accompaniment, storytelling, theater & dance performances. See "Music" & "Film" sections or call for info.

CENTRAL PARK CONSERVATORY Central Park, 212-348-4867, www.centralparknyc.org Check out Hansel & Gretel (212-988-9093) at the Marionette Theater Swedish Cottage at W. 79th St. [Tues.-Fri., 10:30 a.m. & 12 p.m.; Sat. at 1 p.m., through 6/15, sug. don. $6]. Harlem Meer Performance Festival (212-860-1370) takes place at the Dana Discovery Center, inside the park at 110th St. & Lenox Ave. Fest. feat. best of dance, jazz, latin & gospel music by the scenic Harlem Meer?see "Music" section for more info. [Sundays, 5/26-9/1, 4-6, free]. Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides (212-246-0520) Take a scenic trot around the park. Sigh with contentment as you gaze out at the lovely foliage and sweaty joggers. The carriages can be found?or smelled?lined up along Central Park S., 59th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.).

CHANGE YOUR MIND DAY Great Hill, Central Park, 106th St. (midpark), 800-950-7008, www.tricycle.com Expand your mind simultaneously with people in 30 other cities when you attend the 10th-annual afternoon of music, inspirational talks & meditation. This event is sponsored by Tricycle: The Buddhist Review & is open to all?amateurs & boddhisatvas alike. Bring a hat, water & blanket [6/7, 12:30 p.m.].

FLEET WEEK CELEBRATION Pier 86, W. 46th St. (12th Ave.), 212-245-0072, www.intrepidmuseum.org Find out why there are so many sailors strutting around town; visit NY harbor for Fleet Week. Event is hosted by New York City, the Navy & the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum. Festivities for the 16th-Annual Fleet Week incl. Memorial Day celebration complete w/fighter-jet flyover in the missing-man formation, 21-gun salute & the unfurling of an American flag big enough?100 ft. long!?to make even the smallest patriotic heart swell with pride. There's also military marching bands, the Fife and Drum Corps., demos incl. pier raid & helicopter rescue?plus for those of you who prefer more tame activities, arm wrestling & tug-of-war exhibitions. The Parade of Ships is a spectacle worth seeing [5/21-5/27]; call for sched. & locations. See also "Maritime Attractions" for other Intrepid events.

FORGET-ME-NOT GALA Cipriani, 110 E. 42nd St. (betw. Park & Lexington Aves.), 212-983-0700. Spend some money for a good cause. Sip cocktails, have some dinner & bid in the silent auction. Sought-after items incl. weekend at the Marriott w/dinner & theater tickets, weekend stay in South Beach, FL & lunch at the Seagrill w/Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Proceeds benefit services, education programs & training for people w/Alzheimer's, their families & caregivers [6/5, 6:30, $500+].

HAMPTONS GREEK FESTIVAL Greek Orthodox Church, 111 St. Andrew's Rd., Southampton, 631-283-6169. Everything's Greek to us! Open wide for spanakopita, tiropita & melatzanosalata. Wash 'em down with some ritsina (mom's favorite) [7/10-7/13, 4-11p.m.].

HONG KONG DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL Meadow Lake, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, 718-760-6562. Watch the boat races, eat Chinese food & enjoy the show! [8/9 & 8/10, 9-5].

HUDSON RIVER PARK DAY Piers 25 & 26, N. Moore St. (Hudson River); Pier 84, 44th St. (Hudson River); Pier 54, 13th St. (Hudson River), 212-533-PARK, www.hudsonriverpark.org Get down and boogie for the Hudson River Park. Or, if you are in the mood for a more meditative activity, hop in a kayak and paddle to New Zealand [6/8, 1-9, free].

JUNETEENTH St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 290 Henry St. (E. B'way), 212-673-5300. The Slave Galleries Project pres. the 176th commemoration of the day that NY state abolished slavery. Dramatic readings, keynote speaker & gospel finale to follow. [7/5 from 4-6].

LES FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave. (10th St.), 212-254-1109. Revel in the ethnic & artistic diversity of the Lower East Side w/over 150 theater groups, poets, performance artists, musicians etc. at the eighth-annual LES Festival of the Arts. Regulars incl. David Amram, Penny Arcade & the Bangladesh Theater of America. [5/23-5/25, call for sched., free.].

MACY'S FIREWORKS DISPLAY East River, (betw. 23rd & 42nd Sts.), 212-494-4495. See the pretty fireworks on tv or push your way through the crowds on the FDR Dr.?we recommend the former. The "works" can also be seen from Queens & Brooklyn [7/4, 9 p.m.].

MERMAID PARADE Coney Island, Surf Ave. & Riegelman Boardwalk (betw. W. 10th & 15th Sts.) www.coneyisland.com Put on your flippers & fake eyelashes to be leader of the rag-tag mer-people. Don't get seduced by their sparkly & shimmery tales dragged across the hot pavement. If you have your own float, register online & be center stage at the fabulous fishy event [6/21, 2 p.m.].

MIDSUMMER NIGHT SWING Lincoln Center, Josie Robertson Plaza, Columbus Ave. (63rd St.), 212-875-5766, www.lincolncenter.org $14, $72/six-night pass, $120/10-night pass, $235 season pass. This year the swinginest dance party in town has its 15th season & continues to bring you more music from around the world?think everything from Latin to swing to ballroom to zydeco. Buster Poindexter starts off the summer?also two-stepping, sambaing & tangoing to the sounds of the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Cab Calloway Orchestra & Illinois Jaquet and His Big Band. It promises to be five long weeks of late nights & sore toes. Dance lessons are from 6:30-7:30, followed by live music performances & the time of your life from 8-10. Call for full sched. [6/2-7/26].

MOCCA ART FESTIVAL The Puck Bldg., 293 Lafayette St. (Houston St.), 212-696-7945, www.moccany.org Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art holds 2nd-Annual Art Festival for those of you who just can't get enough. Shake hands with comic, cartoon & animation artists from all over the world. Check out original artwork, limited edition prints, comics & panel discussions. And that's not all. Art Spiegelman, author of graphic novel Maus & ever-so-cute kids' book Open Me?I'm A Dog, will be there! [6/22, 11-7, $5].

MUSEUM MILE FESTIVAL Selected museums along 5th Ave. (betw. 82nd & 104th Sts.). Call for full sched., 212-606-2296. Nine of New York's best museums open their doors, displaying free art for everyone, just this one day a year. Start with the opening reception at El Museo del Barrio, then work your way through the Museum of the City of New York, The Jewish Museum, National Academy of Design, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Neue Galerie New York, Goethe Institut New York/German Cultural Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art & the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution [6-9, reception at 5:45, 6/10].

NY WATERWAY BASEBALL TRIPS Pershing Road, Weehawken, NJ, 800-533-3779, www.nywaterway.com This summer, feel fancy when you avoid the subway & arrive at the old ballgame on a boat! Take the Yankee Clipper or the Shea Express from Pier 17, E. 34th St., E. 90th St., Weehawken, Hoboken & Port Imperial. Docking time is 30 minutes before the Yankees or Mets game & undocking time is 30 minutes after. Wine, beer, soft drinks & snacks are readily available, so live it up [$13-$16].

PATHMARK MULTICULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL South Street Seaport, Pier 17, 866-864-1812. Annual festival brings you AsiaFest w/Asian music, drama, ballet, opera & acrobatics [5/31, 1-6] & the Nutrament Latin Dance Team Championship feat. sizzling dance competitions & free concert by Fulanito [6/1, 1-6].

PERUVIAN FESTIVAL Festival Site, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, 718-760-6562. Partake in Peruvian dancing, music & food [6/6, 10-6].

PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE & FESTIVAL Madison Ave. (23rd-41st St.), 212-764-1330 x336. Celebrate Philippine Independence & take a stroll on Madison Ave. Call to find out about marching regulations, attire & float restrictions [6/1].

PIER SHOW 10 499 Van Brunt St. (Beard St.), Red Hook, 718-596-2507, www.bwac.org The Brooklyn Working Artists Coalition pres. original artwork by more than 250 Brooklyn artists. Go gaze at art & the fantastic view of Manhattan & Lady Liberty [5/24-5/26, 5/30-5/31, 6/1, 6/6-6/8, 6/13-6/14, 12-6, free].

POETRY PROJECT St. Mark's Church, 131 E. 10th St. (betw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.), 212-674-0910, www.poetryproject.com $10, $7 st./s.c. Wednesday night reading series pres. Keith Abbott & Maureen Owen [5/28, 8]. Book party & reading for Susan Cataldo's The Mother Journal & Drenched [6/4, 7]. Poetry Project 24 hour Play Festival, process groups together 50 writers, directors, actors & musicians & gives them 24 hours to produce a play [5/26, 8]. Call for full sched.

PROSPECT PARK Grand Army Plaza (Prospect Park W.), Bklyn, 718-965-8999, www.prospectpark.org This gigantic piece of green has, besides lots of space for relaxing, napping & playing, many fun activities planned for you this summer. Everything from boating, carousel riding, walks, tours, music, zoo visits, bird watching, sewing, lectures, festivals & art, to so much more. Call or see website for complete sched.

PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE 5th Ave. (44th-86th Sts.). Puerto Rico, ho, Puerto Rico! Parade draws about 100,000 people waving red, white & blue flags (only one star though). Enjoy the crowds, but keep your hands off the ladies [6/8].

SPRING FEVER FESTIVAL 2003 The Brooklyn Lyceum 227 4th Av., Brooklyn, 347-683-7698 wwww.breedingground.com 5/21-6/7, Mon-Fri. 6, Sat.-Sun. 12. Different music, theater, film, dance & art performances every night.

STATEN ISLAND WATERFRONT FESTIVAL St. George, 718-815-3874. Five monthly Saturdays of free entertainment, 11-7, at the Richmond county ballpark on Staten Island. (raindates are Sundays) [6/7-10/25]. Themes incl. Celebrate New York [6/7], Jazz Up July [7/19], International Fun Fest [8/9] & Oktober/Rocktober/Howl-a-ween [10/25].

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL New York Historical Society, 2 W. 77th St. (Central Park W.), 212-873-3400, www.nyhistory.org If you have a thing for little red sweets wearing green hats, celebrate the only fruit to have seeds on the outside?thanks Snapple!?at fourth-annual affair feat. luncheon (guess what's for dessert) & speaker Anna Quindlen [6/3, 12-2, $250-$500].

SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK Various eateries in the city, 212-484-1222, www.nycvisit.com This year, as a special treat, restaurant week will be held for not one but two weeks! Over 170 restaurants collaborate to host a giant prix fixe pig-out. Three-course lunch at any location is $20.03 while a dinner will cost $30.03 (does not incl. drinks, tax or tip). Reservations can be made starting 5/27 [6/23-6/27, 6/30-7/4].

SWEDISH MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, Battery Park City, 212-267-9700. Drink schnapps, do the frog dance, eat meatballs & funky fish dishes, race in a sack & dance around the Maypole on the shortest night of the year. [6/20, 5-8]

TAKE HOME A NUDE Sotheby's, 1334 York Ave. (72nd St.), 212-966-0300, www.nyaa.edu Take it all off, baby! Just kidding?there will be nudity aplenty at this annual event, but not of the live variety. Paintings, sculptures, photographs & drawings feat. naked subjects will be up for grabs [6/25, 7, $175-$500, viewing period 6/18-6/24].

WALL STREET COMMUNITY DAY FESTIVAL Wall Street to Water Street, 212-809-4900. www.nycstreetfairs.com Seventh-annual festival in the heart of the financial district brings color & thousands of visitors to a usually tranquil neighborhood in summertime. Peruse the selection of arts, crafts, jewelry, antiques & ethnic foods from vendors & pop into participating stores & restaurants [5/23, 6/20, 7/11 & 8/15, 11-6, free.]

WASHINGTON SQ. OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT Wash. Sq. Park, 5th Ave. (Waverly Pl.), 212-982-6255. Started by De Kooning & Pollock in 1931, annual exhibition & 20-block street fest surrounds Washington Square Park for five days. Come face to face w/the artists and their works. Range of mediums will be displayed, incl. oils, pastels, glass, ceramics, photography & jewelry. All items available to buy. [5/24-5/26, 5/31 & 6/1, 12 p.m.-sunset, free].

Families' & Kids' Activities

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Central Park W. (79th St.), 212-769-5800, www.amnh.org In addition to the usual assortment of 32 million artifacts, fossils & stuffed animals?not the cuddly kind, mind you?the museum has the following exhibitions on display over the summer. Vietnam: Journey of Body, Mind and Spirit explores Vietnamese life & culture as exemplified through crafts, photos & videos. Einstein is a comprehensive exhibit of this famous scientist's life & theories [through 8/10]. Look Up! Hayden Planetarium star show for kids. All about the sun, moon & stars [Sat. & Sun. 10:15 a.m., $5-$10 online or call 212-769-5200]. For inquisitive young minds the museum offers activities incl. chocolate camp, culture club, astrophysics camp & primatology camp [call or see website for hours & prices].

ART ZONE Queens Museum of Art, NYC Bldg., Flushing Meadows, Corona Park (Grand Central Pkwy.), Queens, 718-592-9700, www.queensmuse.org Hands-on workshops designed to supplement exhibitions on display & the artists behind them. [5/25, 6/1 & 6/8, 1 & 3, $3]. While you're there take a look at The Panorama of the City of New York which squeezes all five boroughs into one 9335 sq. ft. room via 800,000 little buildings. Find your own at this permanent exhibition. Other activities incl. the Animation Festival, films & popcorn are free w/admission [Sun. 1 & 3, through 6/8]. Juneteenth 2003 is a annual observance of freeing of the last slaves feat. educational presentation & entertainment [6/14, 2:30].

ASPHALT GREEN AQUA CENTER 555 E. 90th St. (York Ave), 212-369-8890, www.asphaltgreen.org Water wonderland built in former Municipal Asphalt Plant. Classes for kids incl. synchronized swimming, water polo & lifeguard training. Out-of-the-water sports classes range from martial arts, chess & yoga, to general run-of-the-mill sports incl. soccer, basketball, etc. [Mon.-Fri. 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.].

BATTERY PARK CITY PARKS CONSERVANCY Various locations, 212-267-9700. Take a stroll on the streets of downtown Manhattan & sample art, music, walking tours & storytelling. Watch the sun go down to the sound of music w/the aptly named Sunset Singing Circle led by Terri Roche [Fri. 6/6, 6/13 & 6/27, 7 p.m.]. Tickle a fish after you catch it & before you release it at Go Fish w/Vital Children's Theatre, followed by theatrical productions & art projects [6/28, 10-2]. Family Dances are a time for joyful prancing [6/20, 7/19 & 8/9, 6:30]. Relax & hum along to those summertime blues by the Hudson River at River & Blues [6/10, 6/17, 6/24 & 6/31, 7-8:30]. Or, sprawl out & listen to timeless tales told in Rector Park at Stories for all Ages [6/14, 7/19 & 8/9, 11-12:30]. Drumming for all ages & levels at Sunset Jam, [7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16 & 8/23, 6:30-8:30]. Other activities incl. kids basketball, soccer, gardening, art classes & more [call for full sched.].

BRONX ZOO Bronx River Pkwy, (Fordham Rd.), 718-367-1010, www.bronxzoo.com Special events this summer incl. Jungleworld in June award-winning rain forest exhibit [6/7, 6/14, 6/21 & 6/28, 11, 2 & 4]. At Spots and Stripes Forever meet peacocks, pythons & zebras [7/5 & 7/6]. See what the tigers are up to after zoo hours at Summer Nights Featuring Tiger Mountain [7/5, 7/12, 7/19 & 7/26, 5:30-8]. Watch your fingers at Paws, Claws and Jaws where you'll meet armed and dangerous animals; stay for grizzly & reptile feedings & Native American music & dance [8/9 & 8/10]. Also, you can visit the Congo, the butterflies, the Bengali Express, the Children's Zoo & even ride a camel! Whatever you do this summer make sure to visit the zoo [Mon.-Fri. 10-5; Sat., Sun. & holidays 10-5:30. Thurs.-Tues. 11, $7 s.c., $6 child. under 12].

BROOKLYN CULTURAL ADVENTURES PROGRAM Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1000 Washington Ave. (Carroll Pl.), Bklyn, 718-623-7200, www.bbg.org Two week "cultural smorgasbord" camp for kids 9-12, feat. activities incl. visits to eight gardens, libraries & museums. Call or visit website for more info & to register.

BROOKLYN ARTS EXCHANGE 421 5th Ave. (8th St.), Bklyn, 718-832-0018. For teens ages 12-17 who just wanna dance, BAX pres. Dancer for a Week Intensive to give intermediate & advanced dancers the real-deal dance-company experience. Renaissance girls & boys age 11-15 can explore their inner artiste at Teen Arts Camp, a four-week dance, theater, video & musical theater experience. For those who aspire only to be drama-ramas, BAX also offers Theater Now! Intensive for ages 12-17, a hiphop theater workshop teaching human beat-boxing, rapping & b-boying/girling. Call for prices, dates & brochure.

BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM 145 Brooklyn Ave. (St. Marks Ave.), Bklyn, 718-735-4400 ext. 118, www.brooklynkids.org Science programs, early childhood development programs, cultural programs & collections central workshop programs?in other words, programs galore! Call for full sched.

BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ART 200 Eastern Pkwy. (Washington Ave.), Bklyn, 718-501-6330, www.brooklynart.org Listen to music from the Congo at First Saturday, then make a collage out of shells, beans, raffia & rice [6/7, 6-9]. Arty Facts is a program for kids 4-7 & their adults that lets them explore the galleries & create art [5/31, 6/1, 6/7, 6/8, 6/14, 6/15, 6/21 & 6/28, 11 & 2].

CENTRAL PARK WILDLIFE CENTER 64th St. (5th Ave.), 212-861-6030, www.wcs.org Keep cool this summer at Chill Out! the hottest party in town. Guest list incl. polar bears, penguins & puffins. Activities incl. kid's music, games & crafts [8/2 & 8/3]. Call for times & prices.

CHARLES WAY FOOTBALL CAMP East Stroudsburg University, PA., 800-555-0801, www.footballcamps.com The "total football camp" for aspiring quarterbacks. Learn how to pass, tackle & be buried in a pile of weighty footballers. Teachers incl. some pro-footballers like the New York Giants [6/29-7/3, $519-$629].

CHELSEA PIERS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX Piers 59-62., 23rd St. (Hudson River), 212-336-6666, www.chelseapiers.com If the heat hasn't zapped out all your energy, Chelsea Piers will. Try out the largest rock climbing wall in the Northeast, the longest indoor track?quarter mile?in the world or the only indoor ice-skating rink. Also, professionally surfaced in-line skating rink, soccer fields, basketball courts & batting cages, gymnastics facility, bowling lanes & golf driving range. Various classes & summer sports camps (ice skating, ice hockey, roller hockey, golf & gymnastics) for young enthusiasts. Call for sched. & prices. Go for the gold at the ISI Figure Skating Competition, when international amateur skaters cut the ice at the Sky Rink [6/6-6/8, free]. Swim Across America hosts the Hudson River Swim, a fundraiser for cancer research [7/25, free, call 888-SWIM-USA or see www.swimacrossamerica.org to take part]. Music at the Piers brings two live bands of every possible style to the main plaza on Sat. & Sun. afternoons [6/7 through Sept., 12 p.m., free.] Call for complete summer sched.

CHILDREN'S DAY South Street Seaport, 212-SEAPORT, www.childrensday2003.com New York's biggest children's festival brings many famous furry & faces downtown incl. Elmo, Gordon, Cookie Monster, Digit, Snoopy, Curious George, Wild Thing, Angelina Ballerina & Thomas the Tank Engine, not to mention stilt-walkers, jugglers, face painters & the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players! [6/7, 12-4].

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF THE ARTS 182 Lafayette St. (betw. Broome & Grand Sts.) 212-274-1776, www.cmany.org Come to a party for all ages & Splash into Summer: A Beach Party Extravaganza w/live music, magicians, face painting, raffle & silent auction [5/30, 5-8, $75, $25 child.].

CHILDREN'S SCULPTURE GARDEN Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Ave. (112th St.), 212-662-4481. Sculptor-in-residence Greg Wyatt invites children of all ages to marvel at 120 whimsical miniature bronze works designed by kids, which surround his towering "Peace Fountain." Somewhat surreal, w/an elegance that both rivals & aptly complements the spectacular cathedral itself, the garden is a must-see & the perfect setting for contemplation, meditation or lunching. [Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.].

DANCING THROUGH BROOKLYN PARKS 718-567-9620 for info. Young Dancers in Repertory offers children ages 4-14 free dance lessons during July from 10:30-11:30: Dyker Beach Park, 86th St. (14th Ave.) [7/8, 7/15, 7/22 & 7/29]; Leif Erikson Park, 67th St. (5th Ave.) [7/9, 7/16, 7/23 & 7/30]; Sunset Park, 44th St. (6th Ave.) [7/10, 7/17, 7/24 & 7/31]

EGG ROLLS AND EGG CREAM BLOCK PARTY 12 Eldridge St. (betw. Canal & Division Sts.), 212-219-0903. Chinese & Jewish folk artists come together to celebrate the two cultures that have shaped the area where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown [6/1, 12-4].

EMPIRE STATE BLDG. OBSERVATORY 34th St. (5th Ave.), 212-736-3100. If your children enjoy riding in elevators, this is the activity for them. Ride into the sky or to the 86th floor?whatever comes first! Oh, there is a great view too!

EVERETT CHILDREN'S ADVENTURE GARDEN NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 200th St. (Kazimiroff Blvd.), Bronx, 718-817-8700. Budding Botanists is a drop-in program for pre-schoolers to learn their ABCs in the garden, Tues.-Fri. 1:30-3. Call to register for the Children's Gardening Program (Sats. through 6/21) & other garden-related workshops. Or just take a flower-powered walk along the floral trail & learn about the interaction of plants & animals.

FAMILY DAY Sunset Park, Brooklyn, 718-965-6533 Fun-filled family fiesta feat. music, performances, boxing,?pit siblings against one other, then bet on the bigger one?sporting events & food [6/5, 11-7].

HISTORIC RICHMOND TOWN 441 Clarke Av., SI, 718-351-1611, www.historicrichmondtown.org Wed.-Sat. 10-5; Sun. 1-5. $5, $4 s.c., $3.50 st./child. Children learn & experience what it was like to live in New York when kids played with "hoops and graces" instead of video games.

LA MANO POTTERY 237 W. 18th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-627-9450, www.lamanopottery.com Classes in wheel throwing, hand-building & mosaics for kids & adults. Summer classes held in the garden [$200-$350, call for more info].

LIBERTY HELICOPTERS W. 30th St. (12th Ave.), 212-967-2099, www.libertyhelicopters.com Not for those with acrophobia! Hover above our great city in a helicopter & bring your camera. Tours incl. Taste of New York & Lady Liberty [5-7 minutes, $56], The Big Apple [10-12 minutes, $101] or New York, New York [15-17 minutes, $162, 9-9].

LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ, 201-200-1000, www.lsc.org Daily 9:30-5:30. $10, $8 st./s.c. Bones: An Exhibit Inside You is all about?you guessed it?bones! Try on casts & learn about the skeleton [opens 5/24, through 9/7]. A T.rex Named Sue is coming to a science center near you. Sue is the biggest & best-preserved T-rex unearthed. But she's not too ferocious [opens 6/7, through 9/7].

MUSEUMKIDS Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave. (82nd St.), 212-570-3961. Family programs incl. film screenings, museum tours, gallery workshops, introduction to the encyclopedia collection & storytelling. Call for complete sched. & times.

MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN (american craft museum) 40 W. 53rd St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-956-3535, www.americancraftmuseum.org Weekend family workshops in conjunction w/William Morris: Elegy and Libensky and His Students exhibitions. Kids & their adult companions work w/glass media, exploring light & its properties, as well as the form & function of glass using prisms, lenses & filters. Also, learn how to mold glass & create sculptures?plus how an artist's sketch becomes a 3-dimensional glass object. Call for full sched., prices & details.

MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE 18 First Pl. (West St.), Battery Park City, 212-968-1800 $7, $5 st./s.c., child. under 5 free. Take a tour, then make some paper flowers at Battery Park in Bloom: A Shavuot Garden Tour w/senior horticulturist Laura Steger [6/8, 2:30].

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART 45-20 33rd St, Long Island City, 212-708-9400. Family programs incl. Tours for Fours, designed for four-year-olds & their folks, feat. an intro to painting, sculpture, photography & interactive works [7/3, 7/17 & 7/31, 10:30-11:15, $5 per family, prereg. by mail req.]. Focus on Photography: Ansel Adams is a two-part photo workshop. First, families will see the exhibit at MOMA Queens, the next week they'll learn to take their own photos [Thurs. 7/10-8/21, 3:30-4:30, $20 per family, prereg. by mail req.]. MOMA P.S.1 Summer Celebration, is a family-friendly afternoon feat. food, music, art, & performances [7/27, 12-6].

NBC STUDIO TOURr 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 50th St. (betw. 5th & 6th Aves.), 212-664-4000. Take a tour of a place where tv magic is made.

NEW YORK FAMILY ARTS FESTIVAL Theater of the Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave., Morningside Heights, 212-843-9231. 5/31-6/29. Cornucopia of cultural events celebrating diversity & family. Chinese Cultural Village (6/28, 12-8) feat. activities incl. fan-dancing, painting & calligraphy.

NEW YORK AQUARIUM W. 8th St. (Surf Ave), Coney Island, Brooklyn, 718-265-FISH, www.nyaquarium.com I want to be under the sea?or at least at the aquarium for Summertime Splash. Weekend of tides, tentacles & tales highlighting new exhibit Alien Stingers [6/7, 6/8]. Corals of the Carribbean combines Caribbean music, arts & crafts w/fascinating facts such as, "coral consists of millions of tiny organisms" [6/21, 6/22]. Hop-along to the Sea Life Sock Hop feat. doo-wop music, classic cars & airbrush face painting?oh, sea jellies too [7/12 & 7/13, 7/26 & 7/27]. Travel to the deep seas of Asia at Aquatic Asia & see pacific water dwellers incl. dragon fish, sea turtles & sharks [8/23 & 8/24].

NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 718.699.0005. Romp, swing & splash at the Science Playground, then pick your brain at World Inside Your Head exhibit & learn all kinds of brainy fun facts about that squishy stuff inside your noggin [call for times, $7.50, $5 st./s.c., $2.50 child. 2-4].

NEW YORK WATERWAY CRUISES Pier 78, 38th St. (Hudson River), 800-533-3779. Around New York in 90 minutes?ok, not all the way around, but close enough. Important sites to see incl. the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge & Empire State Bldg. On-deck tour guides share history & trivia. Call for sched. & prices.

92ND ST. Y 1395 Lexington Ave. (92nd St.), 212-996-1100, www.92ndsty.org The Y offers a variety of camps, classes & activities for kids of all ages incl. gymnastics, swimming, basketball & tennis?plus art classes incl. cartooning, music classes incl. acoustic guitar & composing, dance lessons incl. jazz & hiphop. Also arts & recreation programs for children w/developmental disabilities. Call for catalog, info or to reg.

PINKSTER CARNIVAL Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum 5816 Claredon Rd. (betw. 58th &59th Sts.), Bklyn, 718-629-5400 Pinkster is the Dutch Colonial Pentecost celebration marking when the Holy Spirit descends. Not to worry, it's a friendly fun-filled day of games, races, prizes, face painting, bouncing castles, popcorn, cotton candy, performances & bbq. Not nearly as scary as it sounds! [6/1, raindate 6/7, 12-4].

QUEENS BOTANICAL GARDEN 43-50 Main St., Flushing, 718-886-3800, www.queensbotanical.org Laura Melling leads kids in a dance around the garden for Flowering in the Sun, but only if the sun is out [6/7, 12, $5]. Discover the traditions of the tree of life at Summer Circles [6/21, 12, $5]. Mmm?honey! Learn all about the sticky yellow stuff & its creators at Pooh-bear-recommended Bees & Flowers workshop [6/28, 12, $5]. Budding horticulturists ages 5-14 will want to sign up for the Children's Garden Program [6/7-8/20, Mon. & Wed. 9:30-12, 6/8-8/21, Tues. & Thurs. 9:30-12, $100, call to register, x229].

ROOSEVELT ISLAND aerial tramway 60th St. (2nd Ave.), 212-832-4543. Ah, the tram, nostalgic, romantic & fun for kids. See the city from inside a four- sided glass cable car that dangles 250 ft. above the East River for three & a half minutes. Roosevelt Island has beautiful community gardens, a pint-sized lighthouse & an ideal picnicking park. [Sun.-Thurs. 6 a.m.-2 a.m., Fri. & Sat. 6 a.m.-3:30 p.m., $1.50/one-way fare].

SONY WONDER TECHNOLOGY LAB 550 Madison Ave. (56th St.), 212-833-8100, wondertechlab.sony.com Find out how CDs work, then edit sound samples or burn a CD to send into space?plus Sat. & Sun. afternoon workshops & free movie screenings [Call for sched., closed June-mid-July].

SOUTH ST. SEAPORT MUSEUM 213 Water St. (Fulton St.), 212-748-8600, www.southstseaport.org Celebrate a summer birthday with pirate party?arr, matey?on the barque Peking at the South Street Seaport Museum. Activities incl. pirate flag making, searching for hidden treasure & raising the sails for the high seas. Call for rates & reservations. Or Paint the Brooklyn Bridge in watercolors w/artist Naima Rauam at the Children's Center, Pier 16 [5/24, 1-4, $5]. If your dream is to sail the high seas to China, then be there when a clipper ship returns from its trip around the globe & learn about teas, silks, porcelain & the art of Chinese painting w/storyteller Barbara Aliprantis. Children's Center, kids 7+ [5/31, 1-4].

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens, 718-347-FARM. Not for the allergic! Fresh strawberries & strawberry products aplenty?plus country western music, hayrides, games, food & historic house tours [6/21 & 6/22, 11-4]

SUMMER INTENSIVE Broadway Dance Center, 221 W. 57th St., 5th fl. (B'way), 212-582-9304, www.bwydance.com One-week programs of intensive dance, incl. mock audition & real show. Pick your week according to age, instructor & dance style. One week $700. See website for more details.

TEN STAR ALLSTAR BASKETBALL CAMP Colgate College, Hamilton, NY, 704-377-6387. Boys ages 8-19 & girls 10-19 apply to dribble, shoot & pass the time away. [7/6-7/10, $499].

VANDERBILT Y SUMMER CAMPS Several locations around Manhattan, 212-756-9600. Sports camps, pool parties, performing arts camp, New York City camp w/field trips around city, tutorial camp for children who need help in math & reading, nursery camp & teen camp.

YOUTH THEATER HISTORY CAMP Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, 421 E. 61st St. (1st Ave.), 212-838-6878. Nurture the young thespian (ages 12-15) at week-long adventure in history & theater at museum's historic 18th-century landmark site. Activities incl. role-playing, drama games, developing characters & scenes, 19th-century costume design, readings & utilizing historic artifacts [7/21-7/25, 9-3, $150, $125 before 6/27].

YWCA-NYC 610 Lexington Ave. (53rd St.), 212-735-9731, www.ywcanyc.org/csl Make cool stuff at the Craft Students League. Classes incl. beading, ceramics, decorative finishes, enameling, wearable art jewelry/metalsmithing, woodworking, drawing & painting, mixed media & book arts. [7/7-8/11, $100-$400, call for complete sched.].

Gay Pride Week

This June, while many eyes will be on our nation's capital as the Supreme Court weighs in on whether gays and lesbians can have sex in the privacy of their homes without government interference, this city will host a broad range of events for gay New Yorkers. Of particular note is the NYC Gay Men's Chorus "Pride for All Ages" concert with the highly anticipated debut of the Youth Pride Chorus?the first group of its kind, comprised of 42 LGBT youth and their allies, ages 14 to 21. Organizers chose the theme of "Peace Equals Pride" for this year. The LGBT Pride Rally?Sunday, June 22 in Bryant Park from 2 to 6?will feature Stacyann Chin of Def Poetry Jam, Zanna Don't's Jai Rodriguez, comic Lea De Laria, Flotilla DeBarge and many others. The grand marshals for this year's parade, which kicks off at 52nd & 5th Ave. at noon on Sunday, June 29th, are Terrence McNally and Cherry Jones.

For outer-borough gays & lesbians, the celebration starts early: the 11th-annual Queens Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade, 89th St. (37th Ave.), Jackson Heights, 718-GAY-2300 [Sun. 6/1, 12:30 p.m.] & festival at 37th Rd. (betw. 73rd & 77th Sts.), 12-7. And the 7th-annual Brooklyn Pride Parade at 15th St. (Prospect Park W.), Park Slope, 718-670-3337 [Sat. 6/7, 8]. High-stick skaters & their adoring fans will be at the Chelsea Challenge 2002, an ice hockey tournament, held in the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers, at Pier 61 (23rd St. & Hudson River) courtesy of the NYC Gay Hockey Association [6/20-6/22, see www.nycgayhockey.org for sched.]. Heritage of Pride sponsors pride week (212-80-PRIDE for info) w/anti-war theme "Peace Equals Pride." The revelry begins w/the rally at Bryant Park, feat. emcee/comedian Kate Rigg, speakers incl. musician/activist Holly Near, Def Poetry Jam's Stacyann Chin, drag empress Flotilla DeBarge & Housewives on, 42nd St. (6th Ave.) [Sun. 6/22 at 2 p.m.]. The following Sun. [6/29] playwright Terrence McNally & actress Cherry Jones grand marshal the 34th Annual Gay & Lesbian Pride March from 52nd St. down 5th Ave to Christopher St. (Greenwich St.). There will be a moment of silence at 2 p.m. The PrideFest 2002 street fair takes over Washington St. (betw. Christopher & Spring Sts.) [Sun. 6/29, 11-10:30]. Celebrate to the sounds of the 240-member New York City Gay Men's Chorus w/the Youth Pride Chorus?at their Pride For All Ages Carnegie Hall concert [Sat. 6/18, 8 p.m.] feat. reading of Oliver Button is a Star! narrated by Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis, $20-$80 (212-247-7780 for tkts). Keep moving that groove thang as DJ Brett Henrichsen, supported by DJ Kris Kono, turns the beat around for sweaty girls & boys at Dance 17, which once again takes over Pier 54, 13th St. at the Hudson River [Sun. 6/29, 4-11 p.m., $50 till 6/28, $65 day of from Universal Gear, call 800-494-TIXS or visit www.boxofficetickets.com for specifics]. Break out the black leather & bondage accoutrements for the 20th-annual Leather Pride Night. Benefit feat. fetish wear auction, prizes & more at the Puck Bldg., 295 Lafayette St. (Houston St.) [Sat. 6/14, 8-12 a.m., $20, $15 adv., see www.leatherpridenight.org for more info]. The 11th-Annual Dyke March meets at Bryant Park (42nd St. & 6th Ave.) and steps off at 5 p.m. sharp [Sat. 6/28, lesbiannyc.com/dykemarch]. Lastly, hundreds of gay men & lesbians tie the knot or renew their vows in a massive ceremony to show support for gay civil rights. The lucky couples meet at Sherm