The Weekend Round-Up: July 20-21

Here’s your list of weekend picks. And for even more things to do, the Everyday Play page is chock full of possibilities for fun. Happy Weekend!

18th Century Summer Market Fair
Where: Claude Moore Colonial Farm
When: July 20-21
Admission: $6/adults, $3/ages3-13 & seniors
Enjoy the colonial museum and working farm’s Summer Market Fair. There will be tons of activities for all ages: See colonial farm family and community members in character and costume, as well as chickens, turkeys and other animals. Dance and sing to period music. Watch the colonial blacksmith and cabinetmaker as well as spinners and pewter smith. Sit in the shade and enjoy rosemary chicken, fresh vegetables, roasted olives, fruit pies and more. The Colonial Tavern offers variety of chilled beverages including beer, wine, and fresh ginger ale. Browse original jewelry creations, soaps, lotions, herbs and flowers. Along with the special festivities, stroll the living history museum grounds for a glimpse of life in the old days.

Merrell Down & Dirty Mud Run
Where: Prince George’s Stadium
When: Sunday
Admission: $65/adult, $30/ages 7-13, $20/ages 4-6
Who’s up for a fun and muddy physical challenge? The Merrell Down & Dirty Obstacle Race is making its seventh stop across the nation on the series’ tour when it comes to the DC area on Sunday. And one of the best things about it is that kids can get in on the fun, too. For children ages 4-13, there’s the Adventure Kids series, featuring tike-size obstacles for a 100 yard dash or 1 mile course. For the grown-up crowd, the exhilarating racing series features 5K and 10K off-road courses filled with military-style obstacles, commanding cargo climbs, wild water crossings, and of course, tons of mud.

Summer Birthday Bash
Where: National Postal Museum
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
The National Postal Museum is turning 20, and to celebrate they are pulling out some of their favorite family programs to share with loyal and new fans. Fun and educational activities for all ages will be waiting. Check out their model trains (Owney the Dog loves trains!) in action and create a stamp design then enter it to win a prize — your design made into real stamps. The family programs at the museum never disappoint, and since this one is a special occasion, it’s bound to top them all!

Nats vs. Dodgers
Where: Nationals Park
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Ticket prices vary
Take the kids out to the ballgame this weekend! The Nats are hosting the Dodgers with an evening games on Friday and Saturday (7:05pm) an afternoon match-up on Sunday (1:35pm). Stay after on Sunday for Kids Run the Bases when children ages 4-12 can loop the infield after the final out. And before you go, read about the Jr. Nationals Kids Club, which for just $15 offers tons of cool benefits for kids 12 and under.

On the Fringe
Where: Several locations
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by performance
The Capital Fringe Festival is on for another weekend and presenting several performances kids will enjoy. Join Prince Parsley on a family-friendly adventure in The Shirt of Happiness (we saw it last weekend, and give it a big thumbs up). Mark Twain’s Riverboat Extravaganza is a puppet-packed vaudeville spectacular for all ages. The Yellow Boat explores the up and downs of life. Big River presents ballet with a twist. A Day in the Life of Miss Hiccup is a hilarious and beautiful physical comedy. Those are just a few with the all-ages tag, plus there are free street performances, to boot. More details and ticket sales are on the Capital Fringe Festival website.

Bubble Days
Where: Maryland Science Center
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission:
Fun will be bubbling up all over the building – and outside too – at the Maryland Science Center this weekend, as they celebrate the art and science of bubbles.  Throughout the day, guests can learn the secret science behind the making of bubbles and have the chance to take home their very own bubble solution.  Participate in games and contests for a chance to win great prizes and join workshops for some bubbling experiments.  The feature event is internationally famous bubble artist Casey Carle, performing his bubbly brand of humor and artistry in BUBBLEMANIA – guests will be amazed at what he can do with seemingly ordinary soap bubbles. Performances will be on the Atrium Stage at 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm.

Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
Encore Stage & Studio’s production of Legally Blonde the Musical opens this weekend! See Peter Pan and Wendy or Mouse on the Move at Imagination Stage. Catch a performance of Dr. Seuss’s A Cat in the Hat at Adventure Theatre. Dinosaur Babies are entertaining young audiences at The Puppet Co. You can also head to the venue early on Saturday & Sunday for Tiny Tots, puppet show performances especially for little ones. The Kirov Academy Ballet of Washington, DC, will be at Wolf Trap’s Children’s-Theatre-in-the-Woods on Saturday at 10:30am. Mr. Don is playing a CD release show at Jammin’ Java on Saturday morning. And Bright Star Theatre presents “Greece Lighting!” at this week’s Saturday Morning at the National.

Summer in the City
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Enjoy activities around the area exclusive to summer. Start the weekend off on Friday with a free outdoor concert, then continue the fun on Saturday and Sunday with water play at a pool or spray park. If it’s raining, head indoors for one of a few special summer museum programs, like indoor mini golf, free admission to the Newseum, or Stories in Art at the NGA. Complete it all with a family movie under the stars at National Harbor on Sunday night. Get details about all of these summer diversions and even more here.

Stories in Art
Where: National Gallery of Art
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Free
Children ages 4-7 can pack their imaginations and travel to the National Gallery of Art. This week’s session of the series that explore the nation’s coasts, forests, farms, and mountains through works of art will focus on the art of Jasper Francis Cropsey. There are several time slots available each day. Sign-in will take place in the West Building Rotunda, beginning at 10am on Friday and Saturday and at 11:00amon Sunday, and will continue until all spaces are filled. And they do often fill up, so plan to get there early to register. For more about the series, check out this KFDC review from a couple of years ago.

Artful Conversations
Where: National Gallery of Art
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
Artful Conversations for kids ages 8-11 is also on again this weekend. Guests will observe a work of art, participate in a discussion about it, then sketch their own masterpiece. Sessions are on Saturday at 11am and 1pm, and Sunday at 12pm and 2pm. Sign-in takes place in the West Building Rotunda beginning at 10am on Saturday and 11am on Sunday and will continue until all spaces are filled.

Living Earth Festival
Where: National Museum of the American Indian
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Free
The annual festival celebrates Native contributions to protecting the environment, promoting sustainability, and using indigenous plants to improve health and nutrition. Guests can engage directly with Native researchers and practitioners; see music, dance, and films; and enjoy family activities, like crafts and storytelling. There will also be a food market, plus cooking and craft demos that highlight the ways the Earth’s gifts feed human creativity.

Butterfly Harvest
Where: Great Country Farms
When: Saturday, 9am – 6pm
Admission: $10/adult, $8/child, $8/girl scout and chaperons
It’s the season for the mighty migration of the Monarch Butterflies and Great Country Farms wants to make a difference. Together with local Girl Scouts, they plan to design and build a Monarch butterfly garden & educate others on how they can help. Join them on Saturday for a variety of way to be a part of it: Plant milkweed to harvest their eggs and raise them in a safe environment to take home. Learn about the life cycle of the Monarch Hear the adventure of the Monarch Butterfly as it travels 5,000 miles from Canada to Mexico ever year. Stroll through the Butterfly Waystation. Create & Color Butterfly crafts. Shop for butterfly-friendly habitat to take home to plant. And get Passes to come back in September for those who have butterflies to release.

WagFest 2013
Where: Brambleton Town Center
When: Saturday, 1-3pm
Admission: Free
The pet-centric event will feature a Mutt Strut around the Brambleton Town Center, tips on summer pet safety from Sit Means Sit dog trainers, live music, free raffle prizes and more. The top 10 winning dogs in Northern Virginia Magazine’s “Dog Days of Summer” online contest will be announced at the event. If you plan to attend, RSVP to RSVP@NorthernVirginiaMag.com with your name and the total number of people and furry friends in your party.

Rocket Night @ Big Train
Where: Shirley Povich Field in Cabin John Regional Park
When: Sunday, 6pm
Admission: $4.50/adults, $3.50/seniors, $2.50/ages 6-12 (plus fees)
Activity Rocket, the website that lets you search and compare activities, classes, and camps in DC, Montgomery County, and Fairfax County is about to relaunch, and to celebrate they are hosting a Rocket Night @ Big Train Baseball and offering half-priced tickets, to boot! Discount tickets to the match-up against the Southern Maryland Nationals on Sunday evening can be purchased through the Activity Rocket website. The game starts at 7pm, and there will be a pre-game dance party from 6-7:15pm.

The DC Scoop
Where: Union Market
When: Sunday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free
Taste (and judge!) the District’s best ice cream, gelato, custard, frozen yogurt, & other summer treats – for FREE – on National Ice Cream Day! The DC Scoop is a kid-friendly event with activities for all ages. Enjoy ice cream cooking demonstrations, a book signing with ice cream expert Cesar Vega, and music. Children will enjoy live entertainment, face painting, and music and dancing with the Boogie Babes — lve music performances by The Singing Lizard, Oh Susannah, and Mr. Skip! An ice cream eating contest begins at 3pm! Children through age 12 are eligible to enter to participate in the Kids Ice Cream Eating Contest at the DC Scoop! One of the highlights of the annual DC Scoop event, kids compete with each other to see who can eat their bowl of ice cream the fastest. The top finisher from each age group will be declared the DC Scoop Ice Cream Eating Contest Winner! Participation in the Ice Cream Eating Contest will be selected in a random drawing at 3pm on the day of the DC Scoop Event. Participants must register for the drawing at the DC Scoop Event and be present at 3pm for the contest.