Arts festivals, an old-school prom and some offbeat theater keep us on our toes in the dog days of summer.

Wild Wednesdays at the High Line
Every Wednesday throughout summer, the High Line invites families and kids to join in for some hands-on, nature-based fun with gardeners and educators, including the Children’s Workyard Kit, where children can build their own work with real lumber planks, simple tools and natural materials. Creature feature: The last Wednesday of every month features a live critter to explore.
4 PM; Chelsea Market Passage, on the High Line near West 16th Street
$Free; ages 4+

HotelMotel
Presented by The Amoralists Theatre Company, this theatrical event in the intimate, magical environs of the quirky Gershwin Hotel, is performed for only 20 audience members at a time. Actually several plays-within-plays—including the NY premiere of Animals and Plants and Pink Knees on Pale Skin—this intimate evening defies description and promises to be a memorable experience.
Wednesday - Monday through August 29, check site for performance schedule
The Gershwin Hotel, 7 East 27th Street
Tickets: $60 general admission

All-You-Can Eat Crayfish Buffet; Food Trucks! Ice Cream!
Who doesn’t love IKEA’s funky bargain food fests? This month’s after-store-hours mudbug munch offers all the crayfish you can eat for $9.99 (August 19). For lunch with fewer legs (and more wheels), the city’s best food trucks circle the wagons for the infamous Parked festival (August 20); join New Amsterdam Market for Ice Cream Sunday, a day-long event featuring eclectic and seasonal ice creams created just for the event by some of the Northeast’s most creative artisans (August 21).

Downtown Dance Festival
Battery Dance Company celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Downtown Dance Festival with eight days of programming at multiple venues through August 20th, featuring a diverse mix of New York-based companies and special guests. Also: low cost master classes and workshops and free indoor performances at Dance New Amsterdam. See festival site for schedule.

The New York International Fringe Festival
The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) is the largest theater and multi-arts festival in North America, with more than 200 companies from all over the world performing for 16 days in more than 20 venues plus programs for kids, workshops, parties and much more.
Show list and tickets.

Enchantment Under the Sea Dance & Old Fashioned Prom
A re-enactment of the 1955 dance scene from Back to the Future? Perhaps. You’ll have to attend to find out what the zany folks at Dances of Vice have in store for “hep cats, rebels and sweethearts” at this tail-end-of-summer soiree at Morningside Castle in Harlem. Cold canapés and warm hors d’oeuvres will be served along with Hendrick’s gin punch and live music.
August 20, 9 p.m. (8 p.m. with VIP ticket)
Morningside Castle, 100 Claremont Avenue (Between 120th & 122nd Streets)
Tickets: $20 In Advance / $25 Day of Show; $35 VIP tickets

Live Music Round-Up
Punk headliners shake things up at the Vans House Party with Tokyo Police Club, Against Me!, Japanther and others; Indie rock sweetheart Eleanor Friedberger and controversial darlings Deerhunter make for an interesting evening at Webster Hall; Avant-garde chamber music featuring Taka Kigawa should be just as interesting, though much less noisy (at Le Poisson Rouge); This week’s PS 1 Warm-Up will feature a live performance by beat-savvy knob-twiddler Juan MacLean.