The Nassau Dad Drop: November 5th, 2026

Forwarded this email? Join other parents here.

This Halloween we had family over. My mom, brother, cousins, spouses and all the kids. A pack of children around the same age, and their parents struggling to keep up behind them.

The kids seemed like they had a strategy, a route and a goal. The adults had drinks and a vague idea of which direction we were walking.

For most of it, Niam was out in front with his cousins, running house to house like he’d been training for it all year. It was only towards the end of the night that it hit me. I’d walked up to only a handful of doors with him. He had basically been trick-or-treating on his own.

Sure, it was fun to watch. It was also a preview of him becoming an independent kid, no longer my little sidekick. I already know I’m not ready for next year.

Guess I need to raise the candy tax to make up for it.

🤝 Know a business that wants in?
The Nassau Dad Drop reaches parents who actually go places and buy things. If you run a business, or know one, that wants to reach families, hit reply or email [email protected]. Let's talk.

This Weekend → 🎩 Family Saturday at the Nassau County Museum of Art
Explore the galleries, then make a Gilded Age hat in the art studio, inspired by the museum’s Tiffany exhibit. Hands-on, low-key, and over in about 45 minutes, with a reading lab to wind down after. Pre-registration required.
💰 $20 adults / $10 kids (includes museum admission); members free
📅 Sat Nov 7, drop in 12–3 PM
🔗 nassaumuseum

🎨 Mineola Mural Festival in Downtown Mineola
“Beyond the Walls” returns to Downtown Mineola for an afternoon of art and creativity at Second and Main. Walk the murals, watch artists work, and let the kids soak up color on a free fall afternoon.
💰 Free
📅 Sat Nov 7, 12–5 PM
🔗 mineolany

💥 The Great Pumpkin Smash at the Science Museum of LI
Bring your leftover Halloween pumpkins and destroy them for science: slingshots, launchers, bats, and pumpkin cornhole bowling. Kids get to smash things on purpose, and the proceeds fund summer camp scholarships. The best way to say goodbye to October.
💰 $25 adults / $10 kids / free 3 and under
📅 Sun Nov 8, 12–5 PM
🔗 smli

Next Weekend → ⛸️ Disney On Ice: Spotlight Magic at UBS Arena
The big one for little skaters: Disney favorites on ice, plus Stitch and Angel’s Holiday Preshow included with your ticket. Weekend matinees make this an easy win, and the Magical Pass upgrade adds premium seats, a collectible lanyard, and a pre-show visit with a Disney star.
💰 From $46; ages 2 and up need a ticket
📅 Nov 11-Nov 15
🔗 disneyonice

🏹 Native American Fall Festival at Garvies Point Museum and Preserve
Hands-on history at its best: kids make pottery from natural clay, try the fire-bow, grind corn, carve a dugout canoe, and throw spears. Chief Redfeather of the Montaukett Tribe tells stories at 11, 1 and 3, with campfire cooking and popcorn all day.
💰 $15 adults / $8 kids 5–12 / $10 seniors 62+ / free under 5
📅 Sat Nov 14–Sun Nov 15, 10 AM–4 PM
🔗 garviespointmuseum

🧦 Snowflake Sock Skating at the Long Island Children’s Museum
No ice, no skates, no cold hands: kids slip on socks and glide around LICM’s indoor rink, then play in Snowflake Village with a holiday sweet shop, a giant snowman, and a pretend fire pit. Perfect rainy-day burn-off for toddlers through big kids.
💰 Free with museum admission ($20 / free under 12 months)
📅 Sat Nov 7–Sun Jan 3
🔗 licm

🎅 Santa Photo Experience at Roosevelt Field
The classic mall Santa is back early at Nassau’s biggest mall, on the first floor near Primark and Dick’s. Reserve a time slot online to skip the line.
💰 Visit free / photo packages from $39.99
📅 Sat Nov 7–Thu Dec 24
🔗 simon

✨ LuminoCity Holiday Lights at Eisenhower Park
Five years in and bigger than ever: 14 glowing acres, 100+ illuminated creatures, a 40-foot tree, and new this year, the Lumi Express holiday train.
💰 Adults $36, Children $28
📅 Wed Nov 11–Sun Jan 3
🔗 luminocityfestival

🎄 Christmas at Hicks Nurseries
Long Island’s largest Christmas store turns into a free family tradition: an animated walk-through story starring Santa and his elves, a mailbox for letters to Santa (with replies), and free daily pictures with Santa starting Black Friday. Bring your own camera.
💰 Free
📅 Sat Nov 14–Thu Dec 31 (walk-through story); Santa daily Fri Nov 27–Wed Dec 23
🔗 hicksnurseries

🚗 Nassau County Holiday Light Show at Nassau Coliseum
A drive-through light show with tunnels of lights synced to holiday music. Pajamas encouraged, nobody has to get out of the car.
💰 $35 per carload / $35 flex pass (online only)
📅 Select nights Nov 20–Dec 31
🔗 holidaylightshow

🌟 Magic of Lights at Jones Beach State Park
The 2.5-mile drive-through classic returns with LED scenes and animations, finishing at a holiday village with Santa photos, s’mores, and cocoa. Go in November for the lowest price of the season.
💰 $22 per car online / $30 at the gate; season pass $89.99
📅 Fri Nov 20–Sun Jan 3; Sun–Thu 5–10 PM, Fri–Sat 5–11 PM
🔗 magicoflights

🕯️ Candlelight Evenings at Old Bethpage Village Restoration
Walk a 19th-century village lit only by candles and lanterns, with Civil War era carols, fiddle and brass music, a bonfire, and hot cider. The most atmospheric holiday night out in Nassau.
💰 About $22 adults / $16.75 kids and seniors (2026 pricing not yet posted)
📅 Fri Dec 18–Wed Dec 23 and Sat Dec 26–Sun Dec 27, 5–9:30 PM, last entry 8:15 PM
🔗 oldbethpagevillagerestoration

🏰 Home for the Holidays at Planting Fields Main House
The Gold Coast mansion is decked out for Christmas with décor made from greenery gathered on the estate, and Santa is in the house all day for wish lists and photos. Kids can work on holiday crafts while they last, so get there early. No strollers inside, so wear the baby.
💰 Home for the Holidays: $25 adults / $15 kids 4–12 / free 3 and under
📅 Sat Dec 19–Sun Dec 20, 9:30 AM–12:30 PM and 1–4 PM
🔗 plantingfields

Two Things:

And if someone forwarded this to you, welcome. You can subscribe here: nassaudaddrop.com

See you next Thursday,
Akash