Big fun on a big rig at Cheverly's Truck Touch last year
Explore the world right here in DC, get up close and personal with some of the coolest rides on the road, celebrate la dia, root for the hometeam, walk among butterflies, catch a live show… These are just some of the ways to enjoy family time over the next few days. And along with the list of ideas for weekend fun with the kiddos, here’s one more suggestion just for the grown-ups: Margaritas under the Supermoon. Happy Weekend!
Truck Touch
Where: Cheverly Nursery School
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: $5/ages 1-12, free for adults
Over 20 vehicles will be on display for young motorists-in-the-making to explore at Cheverly Weekday Nursery’s annual fundraiser. Children can sit in the driver’s seat of a fire truck, honk the horn of a dump truck, run around inside the trailer of an 18-wheeler, check out the inside of a police car, stand on the back of a garbage truck, and get behind the wheel of many more cool rides. And the fun doesn’t end there—games geared toward little ones, concessions, balloons, and more will also be available. The event will be held in the Cheverly United Methodist Church parking lot. All proceeds benefit the nursery school and Mother’s Day Out.
Around the World Embassy Tour
Where: More than 40 Embassies
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Sample Australia’s famous vegemite, experience a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, play classic Venezuelan games — all in one day! Passport DC invites the public to an open house of more than 40 embassies from six continents. The free event will showcase art, music, children’s activities, culinary delights, and more. It’s also your chance to check out the interiors of those huge mansions along Mass Ave that you usually just admire from the street. Free shuttle bus service will be available throughout the day (see route on the website), and many embassies are convenient to Metro for walking. Admission is free, but bring identification, as some embassies will conduct security checks. For more tips on making the most of your day, go here.
Flower Mart
Where: National Cathedral
When: Friday 10am – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free
The annual spring festival, in its 74th year, at the National Cathedral will take place today and tomorrow. While plant sales, floral and horticultural displays, and boutique booths will be of more interest to grown-ups, there will also be tasty foods, music and entertainment, games and rides, the All Hallows Guild antique carousel, and other fun activities to delight kids as well. Admission is free, though concessions and some activities will cost a fee. Proceeds from other sales benefit the Cathedral’s gardens, grounds and woodlands. See the website for the entertainment schedule.
Music by the River
Where: The Yards Park
When: Friday, 6:30-8:30pm (weekly through Sept. 14)
Admission: Free
The Yards Park annual Friday Evening Concert series begins tonight! From now through the summer, wind down every week with free music in the fantastic riverside setting. Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner (or purchase food there) to sit in the lovely tiered grassy area and watch bands play on the boardwalk stretching along the Anacostia River. And don’t forget about the fountains that welcome kids to play (swimsuits and change of clothes recommended).
Cinco De Mayo Festival
Where: National Mall
When: Saturday,
Admission: Free
Celebrate the day with the Maru Montero Dance Company as they host the 20th annual National Cinco de Mayo Festival to celebrate Latin American dance, music and crafts. Live performances will include salsa, Mexican folk dancing, mariachis, and other dance and music. The children’s pavilion will host arts and crafts activities where young people can make piñatas, braid hair, build dancing puppets, and enjoy a day of fun activities. For more info, see the festival website.
Space Day
Where: National Air & Space Museum, National Mall & Dulles
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free, parking is $15 at Udvar-Hazy
Have some out-of-this-world fun at the Air & Space Museum on the National Mall and in Dulles as they celebrate the arrival of Space Shuttle Discovery to the Museum’s collection. In DC, guests can learn about some of Discovery’s accomplishments, including its most significant payload-Hubble Space Telescope; find out from Astronaut Patrick Forrester what it is like to live and work in space; and meet the shuttle’s most famous passenger-Buzz Lightyear. There will also be opportunities to learn how space suits are made, do hands-on activities, and listen to stories about space. At the Udvar-Hazy Center, visitors can see the shuttle in its new home in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar, learn about some of the shuttle’s most significant missions, and meet astronauts Pam Melroy, Stephen Bowen and Tom Jones. Guests can also check out Space Shuttle Lego kits, enjoy show-and-tell demos of amateur radio satellites and storytime, try simulated space shuttle landings, and do more hands-on activities.
Family Day
Where: National Postal Museum
When: Saturday, 12-3:30pm
Admission: Free
You may know the story of the Hindenburg disaster, but did you know it was a flying post office? Learn about the luxurious life on board the Hindenburg, the postal clerks who processed mail in transit, the mail that survived the crash, and more in hands-on activities and a fascinating tour with curator Cheryl Ganz. This event is presented in connection with the Museum’s exhibit Fire & Ice: Hindenburg & Titanic.
Nats vs. Phillies
Where: Nationals Park
When: Friday 7:05pm, Saturday 1:05pm, Sunday 8:05pm
Admission: Tickets start at $10
The Nats are hosting the Phillies this weekend, and there are promos that families in particular will enjoy for the afternoon games. Harris Teeter Family Fun Packs are available for for both games, kids ages 4-12 can run the bases after the final out on Saturday.
Wings of Fancy
Where: Brookside Gardens
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm (runs through September 12)
Admission: $4/ages 3-12, $6/adults
It’s opening day of Brookside’s yearly live butterfly exhibit. See butterfly species from around the world in the park’s South Conservatory. Of course, the butterflies aren’t the only reason to visit gardens in Wheaton; its 50+ acres are gorgeous, with an amazing variety of flora, all kinds of plant collections, a cute little children’s garden, a Nature Center on premises, and open grassy spaces. Go here to see what’s in bloom now.
Look Both Ways: Street Arts Across America
Where: Kennedy Center & other DC venues
When: May 6-12
Admission: Free
The Kennedy Center presents this week-long series of free performances and events at the Kennedy Center as well as locations around Washington. The program includes large-scale spectacles, street musicians, parade culture, puppetry, circus arts, chalk drawings, clowning, and more . From a circus-punk marching band and political puppet theater to jugglers, contortionists, and stunt dogs, the electric energy of live interactive performance invades the streets of Washington. On Sunday at 6pm, Happenstance Theatre, a Chicago-based circus-punk marching band Mucca Pazza, will brings its sweet sounds indoors, using trombones, marching drums, accordions, and more to get the audience moving.
Show Time
Where: Theatres around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
Rapunzel at Imagination Stage. Five Little Monkeys at Adventure Theatre. Pinocchio and Tiny Tots on the puppet stage. A Kinderkonzert at the Kennedy Center. This new post about live entertainment in late spring. This brand new post about live entertainment in late spring has details on all of these shows and more.
International Children’s Festival
Where: Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center
When: Sunday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
Here’s another opportunity from Passport DC to go global this weekend. In it’s 6th year, the International Children’s Festival lets children of all ages travel the world in a single day. More than 20 embassies will be represented at the Meridian International Center with fun entertainment and hands-on activities to help introduce kids to different world cultures.
Happy Birthday, Launch Zone!
Where: National Children’s Museum
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
The National Children’s Museum is celebrating three years of the Launch Zone, and you’re invited to join in the fun. Be a part of the festive birthday celebration, complete with hands-on art projects, special guests, giveaways, and more. As a special reverse birthday present from the NCM to you, see the unveiling their new Imagination Playground, a breakthrough playspace that encourages child-directed, unstructured free play!
Hike And Yoga Adventure
Where: Meet at Rock Creek Nature Center
When: Sunday, 10-11am
Admission: Free
lil omm students and their families are invited to join a hike and outdoor yoga adventure! Hayley (and her friendly dog Lulu) will guide families through wooded trails in Rock Creek Park and pause along the way to align bodies like the surrounding nature-inspired findings. Meet outside the Nature Center at 5200 Glover Road NW at 9:45. Pre-registration is required. Participants should wear comfy walking shoes and bring water. No mat needed.
And don’t forget to check out the indoor and outdoor lists for even more ideas!
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