Checking out the USS Barry on a paddling excursion
Looks like we have a beautiful weekend ahead of us, so along with this round-up of awesome ways to enjoy it, give this list of outdoor locales a browse, too. Happy Weekend!
Fair Play
Where: Howard & Arlington Counties
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Carnival rides and games, farm animals, live entertainment, pony rides, the junk food gamut, pig races. Yes, it’s county fair season, and a couple of them are ON this weekend — the Arlington County Fair has already begun, and the Howard County Fair starts Saturday. This post has the scoop on all of the county fun.
Summer Steps
Where: National Portrait Gallery
When: Friday, 5pm
Admission: Free
Start the weekend with a super cool step show! The performance, the culmination of the Summer Steps camp program, will feature over 150 amazing students as they celebrate a week of intensive training with the award-winning artists of Step Afrika. It’s a great event for the family in one of DC’s most beautiful museums.
Dear Evan Hansen
Where: Arena Stage
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Tickets prices vary (details below)
Whether a family outing with older kids (not recommended for all ages) or a grown-up night out, I highly recommend seeing this show. The world premiere musical is incredibly moving, brilliantly performed, and full of songs and a story that will stick with you for a while. Tickets start at $55, and for families with kids/teens interested in a theatre outing, Arena offers pay-your-age tickets (for patrons 30 and under) and the Family Fun Pack (four seats for $125). More details about both programs are available here. Bring tissues.
‘Tis the Season
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity
Take advantage of the host of activities that only occur this time of year. Enjoy an open air concert at one of the many series in the area. Get wet at an outdoor pool, sprayground, or water park. Feast on crabs. Ride mini-trains and carousels at local parks. And so much more…
Citi Open Tennis
Where: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
When: Friday – Sunday
Admission: Ticket start at $10
Enjoy the on-court excitement along with other fun activities as the Citi Open Tennis Tournament wraps up. With the quarter finals on Friday, the semis on Saturday, and the final matches on Sunday, the event is sure to serve up some excellent tennis.
Nats vs. Rockies
Where: Nationals Park
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Ticket prices vary
It’s a weekend at home for the Nats as they host the Colorado Rockies. There are games tonight and Saturday evening at 7:05pm, and on Sunday at 1:35pm. Don’t miss the special fun — Signature Sundays welcome fans to arrive early to meet select players and get autographs and Kids Run the Bases invites young fans ages 4-12 to do just that after the game.
Fest Africa
Where: Silver Spring Civic Center
When: Saturday & Sunday, 1-8pm
Admission: Free
The 13th Annual African Cultural Festival ‘FestAfrica 2015′, hosted by Afropolitan Youth Association, is a two-day celebration of African Culture & Heritage. The festival will feature music by local and international African Artists and dance performances, African cuisine, vendors, games for children, a health fair, a career fair, a tourism fair, and more. Bring a lawn chair or stand and enjoy great performances!
Antique Bike Show
Where: Patriot Harley-Davidson
When: Saturday, 9am – 6pm
Admission: $5 suggested donation
Go hog wild at this event hosted by the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. Benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project, you can check out cool rides and vote for your favorite. Along with the vintage bikes, there will be food trucks and live entertainment by blues band The Nighthawks (11am – 3pm). And the bike with the most votes will receive a Best in Show trophy. Patriot Harley-Davidson is located at 9739 Fairfax Blvd.
Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* See a Dickens classic come to life at Round House Theatre, where OLIVER! is on stage through August 16
* Cat-ch Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude at Adventure Theatre
* Fly away to Neverland at a performance of Peter Pan in the ThreeSixty Theatre at Tysons. We caught a show, and it was spectacular!
* Enjoy Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap as Dan Zanes take the outdoor stage
* Journey to the musical cosmos at Arts on the Horizon’s Space Bop
* Experience Double Trouble on the Imagination Stage
* And little ones will love Aquarium, also at the Bethesda theater
* See a show on strings at The Puppet Co. where Snow White and the 7 Dwarves is the current main stage production for the final weekend
* And Clowing Around is the featured Tiny Tots shows at the puppet theatre
Hilarious Hounds
Where: National Gallery of Art
When: Saturday, 10:30am & Sunday, 11:30am
Admission: Free
See movie shorts for little ones at the NGA this weekend. Laugh out loud as William Wegman’s famed Weimaraner dogs use everything from apples to zucchini to teach kids their letters in Alphabet Soup. The program also includes animated shorts featuring pups facing everyday challenges with comic results. After the films,pick up an activity sheet to explore paintings in the Gallery’s collection that include canines.
Milestones in Aviation & Space
Where: National Air & Space Museum
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Explore the past, present, and future of flight and space exploration at this Family Day. Celebrate the amazing accomplishments in aviation and aerospace, from jets making Hawaii a more accessible vacation destination to the CST-100 taking astronauts into space. With presentations and hands-on activities, this event will have something to offer everyone.
Open Studio Saturday
Where: Freer | Sackler
When: Saturday, 12pm & 2pm
Admission: Free
Discover Peacock Room REMIX with a gallery guide or on a family-friendly tour. With inspiration from the exhibit, return to the ImaginAsia classroom to experiment with art materials, solve creative challenges, and collaborate with friends and family.
Wildlife Tracking Awareness Day
Where: National Zoo
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Visit the Zoo’s residents and learn how threats to biodiversity and wild animals impact wildlife populations around the world. Educational booths and activities, animal demos, keeper and scientist talks, plus a special exhibit highlighting efforts to combat wildlife trafficking will be part of the day’s program.
Row Your Boat
Where: Potomac & Anacostia Rivers
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by boathouse
It’s forecast to be a beautiful weekend, and a great way to enjoy will be on the water, where you can paddle and explore. A bunch of places around the area rent kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and pontoons. Fletcher’s Boathouse is a popular place to go, or you can explore the Anacostia from Ballpark Boathouse in the Navy Yard. Bladensburg Waterfront Park also has vessels for rent along with free pontoon boat tours on weekends from 5-5:45.
Goats in the Graveyard
Where: Congressional Cemetery
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
A herd of 30 goats will be hanging out at Congressional Cemetery through August 20 to help with grounds maintenance by eating vines, poison ivy, ground cover, and even fallen debris, while also “depositing” fertilizer. But the goats aren’t the only reason to go; Congressional Cemetery is a beautiful and historic spot in the District, the final resting place of many famous folks, including J. Edgar Hoover, John Philip Sousa, and Choctaw Chief Push-ma-ta-ha. Open dawn to dusk.
Peachy Keen
Where: Local farms
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
It’s peach picking time at many local farms; the summer fruits are ripe and ready for harvest. If you want to get them at their peak, check out this list of area farms that offer pick-your-own. And it’s always a good idea to check websites or call for updates to see what’s available when you plan to go.
May the Yoga Force Be with You
Where: lil omm
When: Sunday, 2:30-3:30pm
Admission: $30/family
Families with kiddos 4-8 years are invited to learn the ways of the Force to “battle” evil Sith lords and use yoga poses to become AT-AT walkers, Chewbacca, and Jabba the Hutt, and other characters! This one-hour “playshop” will be a fun way to merge your child’s love of Star Wars with yoga-inspired movement. Costumes welcome, but light sabers should stay home.
Tennis on the Big Screen
Where: National Harbor
When: Sunday, 12:30pm
Admission: Free
If you can’t make it to the tennis tourney, head to National Harbor where they’ll be showing the Citi Open on the waterfront Jumbotron on Sunday. The 18’ x 32’ foot LED screen located on the plaza is great for viewing sports events. Bring lawn chairs to set up on the plaza green, or grab a meal and drinks and watch from a nearby outdoor patio. And if you want to make a day of it at National Harbor, this post details all there is to do there.
Full STEAM Ahead!
Where: Annmarie Sculpture Garden
When: Sunday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free for little ones, $5/adult, $3/ages 6-17
The amazing Garden & Arts Center in Solomons, Md, is injecting creativity and fun into STEM by adding Art, and turning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math into STEAM! The program, designed for toddlers and preschoolers, uses hands-on investigations and challenges as children explore, observe, ask questions, and make predictions about the world around them as they create and play. Drop in this Wonderful Water-themed session, and plan to explore the rest of the grounds and exhibits while you’re there – it’s seriously fantastic! Read more about Annmarie in this KFDC post.
Sing-Along for Statehood!
Where: The U.S. Capitol
When: Sunday, 10am
Admission: Free
Inspired by John Oliver’s recent, glorious Last Week Tonight segment on DC Statehood, a group of Capitol Hill parents and their kids are riding the momentum to bring awareness to DC’s cause. Not only will the song featured in the segment be the event anthem, DC’s youth will be the ones belting it out, just like Oliver’s version. If your child wants to join, see this post for more info and a link to the lyrics for advance practice!
