Cheer on the Spirit in the NWSL quarterfinal!
Happy Weekend!
Link up to posts with ideas galore for local fun:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path DC Museums
* MD & VA Museums
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Paddling Options
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Autumn Adventures
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Fall festival time is winding down, but there are plenty of other fantastic ways to enjoy the season around the area. This KFDC post has suggestions for great places to go for fall adventures.
Czech Christmas Market
Where: Czech Embassy | DC
When: Saturday, 9am – 6pm
Admission: Free with registration
The Embassy of the Czech Republic invites you to its annual Czech Christmas Market. Browse stands filled with beautiful hand-crafted ornaments and glassware, Bohemian garnet, crystal and beaded jewelry, fine art photography, books & prints, and traditional liquors. Savor gingerbread and wines from the South Moravian region. Enjoy mulled wine and delicious Czech pastries and cuisine. Listen to children of American Sokol Washington, DC, and Slavic American Sokol performing Czech Christmas carols. Especially for kids will be live animals for selfies, and astrophysicist Václav Pavlík will present The Christmas Star, combining astronomy and live science demonstrations, for children’s workshops during the day. Bring cash as some vendors do not take credit cards.
Marching Bands Field Show
Where: Monument Grounds | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Admission: Free
As part of the National Veterans Parade festivities, 20 high school marching bands are performing their halftime shows on the Mall between the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial. The public is welcome to enjoy the show and watch as talented student musicians bring the field to life with impressive choreography, lively music, and colorful displays.
Playoffs Spirit!
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Sunday, 3pm
Admission: Tickets start at $37 (check for deals)
The Washington Spirit are playing a quarterfinal playoff match on Saturday against the Portland Thorns. Bring the whole fam, wear your Spirit colors, and get ready to see amazing soccer play by some fierce women! Get there early — there’s a a special playoffs bandana giveaway for the first 9,500 fans to arrive.
Power Play
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Friday, 7pm
Admission: Tickets start at $12
See some exciting women’s pro soccer on Friday night as DC Power FC , our home team in the Gainbridge Super League, takes on Lexington SC. It’s a fun opportunity to introduce kids to women’s soccer, cheer on a local team, and enjoy an evening out with the fam.
The World & Me: National Bison Day
Where: Natural History Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: Free
Drop in to celebrate National Bison Day! Discover different bison adaptations and learn how the bison almost went extinct but are now rising in numbers. Families with learners of all ages will be invited to explore different stations, make observations of museum specimens up close, and explore bisons through play and art.
Building Readers Club
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate the joy of reading at this Building Readers Club day! Discover the steps of making a book through interactive table activities with local youth publishing house Shout Mouse Press and explore engaging children’s book reviews with The Giving Square. Then, experience books come to life during storytimes led by Shout Mouse Press authors. Plus, enjoy free admission to all Museum exhibitions, including Building Stories! If you’re not signed up for the Building Readers Club already, sign up here for free!
Caps vs Panthers
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 12:30pm
Admission: Ticket prices vary (check for deals)
There will also be action on ice – the Capitals take on the Florida Panthers Saturday afternoon. Arrive early to enjoy the excitement and score a special rally towel giveaway. Plan on a pre- or post-game bite to eat in tPenn Quarter, or pop in to the American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery or National Building Museum that are also in the area.
Veterans Day Activities
Where: National Museum of the U.S. Army
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
The museum is hosting a special Veterans Day celebration filled with activities for the whole family. Kids can get hands-on with history, explore a World War I soldier’s gear, discover the story of the Army’s pioneering “Hello Girls” telephone operators, and enjoy a special storytime for little ones. Families can also make greeting cards for local veterans. Don’t miss the museum’s fascinating exhibits highlighting more than 250 years of Army history. And all of it is free this weekend!
Adams Morgan PorchFest
Where: Around Adams Morgan, DC
When: Saturday, 2-5pm
Admission: Free
Get the best seats in the house (or on the sidewalk) as the front porches of homes and store fronts of local businesses are transformed into intimate performance spaces to be enjoyed by anyone who happens to stroll by. Enjoy a variety of music styles from 100 bands playing on porches, patios, and stoops in the neighborhood. New this year, explore two pop-up markets featuring vintage finds, local artists, and handmade treasures. There will also be specials around the neighborhood — pick up a free wristband that will get you discounts at various businesses.
DC United vs New York City FC
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 4pm
Admission: Tickets start at $20 (check for deals)
Catch one last match this fall. It’s Decision Day, the end of the MLS season, and the United is wrapping it up with a match against New York City FC. It’s also Fan Appreciation Night, dedicated to everyone who supported the team all year, and there’s a special ticket deal going on.
Show Time
Where: Theatres around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Mamma Mia! at National Theatre
* Les Misérables at OlneyTheatre
* The Emperor’s New Clothes at Creative Cauldron
* Frida: A Self Portrait at Klein Theatre
Family Day: Focus on Photo Granny
Where: Capital Jewish Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Sunday, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free, but donation encouraged
Explore and celebrate the photography of Esther Bubley with the whole family! Try out the tricks of the trade in a 1940s inspired photobooth. Play games and get creative with crafts inspired by Bubley’s portfolio. Be among the first to see Esther Bubley: Photographing the Homefront , and don’t miss the Children’s Section, How to Explore a Photograph. Best for ages 5-15 and their families.
Fun at Fairfax Parks
Where: Parks throughout Fairfax County, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
The Fairfax County Park Authority hosts all kinds of events on weekends for guests of all ages. Go on a family fishing adventure at Burke Lake Park. Celebrate fall nature at Hidden Meadows Nature Center. Join a STEM day at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. And there are even more interesting adventures! Details and registration for activities this weekend and beyond are available here.
Park it in MoCo
Where: MoCo Parks | Montgomery County, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Montgomery Parks also presents loads of special activities for visitors of all ages. Go on a pontoon boat ride at Black Hill Discovery Center. Join a guided walk for families that focuses on birds at Brookside Gardens. Learn about raptors at a Caretaker Chat at Meadowside Nature Center. Celebrate Maryland Emancipation Day at Nature Center. Find details on these activities and more!
Skate Under the Sky
Where: Local ice skating rinks
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by rink
It’s outdoor skating season! A few outdoor rinks have opened their ice, so you can glide the day (or night) away. Rockville Town Square, Westpost Outdoor Skating at Pentagon Row, and Reston Town Center are all open. This post has the scoop on all of them — indoor venues, too — including bonus activities while you’re there.
Tour the Veterans Memorials
Where: National Mall, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
Ahead of Veterans Day on Tuesday, visit the sites that honor those who have served. Make the rounds on the Mall at your leisure — the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, and Korean War Memorial are all within easy walking distance. And while not on the National Mall, another obvious place for a Veterans Day Weekend outing (or a visit anytime) is Arlington Cemetery. Note that Visitor Centers will be closed sue to the shutdown.
National Veterans Parade
Where: Constitution Ave. | Downtown DC
When: Sunday, 12pm
Admission: Free
It’s DC’s 3rd Annual National Veterans Parade. On Sunday, a procession of veterans organizations, floats, specialty vehicles, and marching bands will make its way down Constitution Avenue, from 7th to 17th Streets, to celebrate and honor our nation’s veteran community for their duty to defend and protect the United States. The parade steps off at the National Archives and will make its way west.
Holiday Movies on the Potomac
Where: National Harbor | Oxon Hill, MD
When: Sunday, 2pm
Admission: Free
Bundle up to enjoy an outdoor holiday movie at National Harbor. Every Sunday at 2pm, a free film will be shown on the Plaza’s big screen — this weekend is Elf! Pack your chairs, grab food from one of the many eatery’s there, and sit back to enjoy a family-friendly holiday classic.
Hoops Time!
Where: Colleges around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Ticket prices vary
The college basketball season just started, and with so many universities in the area, there’s always some good hoops action going on — and it’s also a great time for families. Here are a few games you can catch this weekend:
* George Mason men ovs Coppin State on Friday at 7pm
* GW men vs Hampton on Saturday at 6pm
* Maryland menMaryland men vs Georgetown on Saturday at 7:30pm
* Maryland women vs George Mason on Sunday at 1pm (go, Terps!)
* UVA men vs Arkansas on Sunday at 1pm
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* Just shared the 2026 KFDC Guide to the Holiday Season Around DC , so start making plans for holiday fun!
* Enchant DC is returning to Nationals Park for the holiday season, and they’re giving away 2,500 free kids tickets for admission on November 20 + December 1, 2, 8, & 9. Claim up to two free kids’ tickets per order with the purchase of at least one adult ticket.
* A local volunteer event ahead of Thanksgiving with a special Young Families Program. Find even more ongoing volunteer ops.
* Mount Vernon Salutes Veterans on Wednesday, November 11.
* Don’t feel like cooking for Thanksgiving? Clyde’s Restaurant Group will have both holiday dining and chef-prepared feasts to enjoy at home.
* Life is funny… reader submitted NYT cartoons.
* How moving is this?
* And how awesome was this?
* Generally, what a week! Historic firsts, a new world order, and a blue tsunamiii.
