If you've been looking for an excuse to explore the great Governors Island--and especially if your exploration party includes children of any and all ages--the free Figment 2010 festival this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13, makes this the weekend to finally get on the ferry and go. Figment 2010 promises to be a wild, participatory "explosion of creative energy" in which artists and musicians and dancers and puppeteers transform this beautiful, utterly unique piece of New York City into a large-scale collaborative artwork, filled with fun and games and sights and sounds and more than few surprises.  

We went to the Figment festival last summer (which is when all of these pictures were taken) and had a total blast. We loved the crazy goings-on on the lawns--the "true mirror", the megasoccer game that had some 75 players, the cookie frosting table, the pool of petals, the spray-paint-able graffiti wall--and, especially, the City of Dreams mini-golf course, each hole designed by a different artist. It was also just cool to stroll around Governors Island itself, with its spectacular views of Manhattan and tree-lined promenades past all of those stately old mansions on Colonel's Row. Even the ferry ride over, launching from the Battery Maritime Building downtown, is fun! 

For everything you need to know about Figment 2010, including a map of all performances, installations and activities, go to the Figment 2010 website, here. For information about Governors Island--including bike rentals and ferry schedules--see the official NYC website here.