Summertime playtime on Governors Island

Governors Island has a public relations problem. Unlike other isles in New York Harbor -- Ellis, Liberty, Rikers, even -- many folks don't know it, and if they've heard of the place they hardly know what goes on there.

For nearly two centuries, the 172-acre island was a military base. In 2003 the federal government sold most of the island to the people of New York, and today it's a sprawling, no-vehicles-allowed park, strewn with picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, cafes and food carts, plus food fests, concerts, biking, mini golf, trapeze-swinging and more. This year outdoor sculptures by artist Mark di Suvero dot the island.

Governors Island is open Fridays (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.), today through Sept. 25. Free ferries run from downtown Manhattan or Brooklyn. For ferry schedules and more info, visit govisland.com. Here are five options worth checking out.

1. BREWERS PIC-NYC

Kick off the season with street food, craft beer and bluegrass music, on Colonels' Row (an area of stately homes), Sunday and Monday, May 29 and 30, noon to 5 p.m. (tickets, $15 and up, at brewerspicnyc.com; kids under 12 are free with parent). Or tantalize the taste buds at Cookout NYC's burger cook-off and kimchee eating contest, Sunday, July 10 (tickets at cookout nyc.com); Pig Island II, a pork and beer fest, Saturday, Sept. 10 (tickets at pigisland.com); or the Vendy Awards, when celeb judges pick the best street food vendor, Saturday, Sept. 24 (tickets at streetvendor.org/vendys).

2. JAZZ AGE DANCE PARTY

Break out your flapper dress and zoot suit for this Jazz Age lawn party, with dancing, dance lessons and Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra; Saturday and Sunday, June 25 to 26 or Aug. 20 to 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (tickets, $7 in advance, $10 there, at dreamlandorchestra.com/calendar.php).

3. VEUVE CLICQUOT POLO CLASSIC

The gents gallop whilst you sip Champagne and nibble super-chef Danny Meyers' tasty morsels; free on Sunday, June 5, noon (for info, visitvcseason.com).

4. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND CARAVAN

Music festival with the Dave Matthews Band, Dispatch, The Roots and more; Friday to Sunday, Aug. 26 to 28 (tickets required; visit dmbcaravan.com).

5. PEDAL, THWACK, SWING

Kick up the cardio with five miles of biking (your own or rent one -- open all season, one hour free on Fridays); free badminton on courts at Colonels' Row, Saturday, June 18, noon to 5:30 p.m. (info at recessnewyork.com); or Flying Trapeze lessons on the Parade Ground, Saturdays and Sundays (call Trapeze School New York for pricing, 212-242-8769; or look for "Governors Island" classes at newyork.trapezeschool.com/ classes/schedule.php).