The Weekend Round-Up: October 8-10

Most of us have an extra day to fill with fun this weekend, and that won’t be a problem with so many awesome events and activities happening around the DC-Metro. Autumn festivals, post season baseball, loads of live entertainment, cool museum programs, even a chance to hang out in the Obama’s backyard are among your options. This round-up has the scoop you need to get your family’s good time started. And with both rain and sunny weather in the forecast, keep both the list of The Best Places in the DC Area to Spend a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids and The Great Indoors post handy, too. Happy Weekend!

Playoffs Pep Rally
Where: Yards Park
When: Saturday, 3-5:30pm
Admission: Free
Get your weekend started early and Ignite Your Natitude! The Capitol Riverfront Pep Rally is celebrating the Nats in the playoffs with live music, local food vendors and food trucks, face painting, lawn games, giveaways, and Bluejacket brews starting two hours before the first pitch.

#OnePursuit
Where: Nationals Park
When: Friday, 5:30pm & Saturday, 4pm
Admission: Ticket prices vary
The postseason begins for the Nats this weekend as they host the Dodgers. Catch games Friday and Saturday — tickets are still available for both, though they won’t be the cheap seats at this point. If you can’t make it to the game, check out this Washington Post article with suggestions for watching the playoffs elsewhere with other Nats fans.

Taste of DC
Where: Pennsylvania Ave., 3rd-7th Streets NW
When: Saturday & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: $20, $10/ages 6-12, free for 5 and under
Celebrate the food, wine, and culture of our city during Columbus Day weekend. Along with the obvious — tastings from more than 50 area restaurants — there will be cooking demos, live entertainment, a beer garden, and an area with activities — dancing, games, storytelling, arts & crafts, and more — especially for kids.

White House Fall Garden Tours
Where: White House
When: Saturday, 10am – 4:30pm & Sunday, 10am – 2:30pm
Admission: Free
It’s a rare opportunity to enjoy autumn at the White House! The annual Fall Garden and Grounds Tours are being held this weekend. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Kitchen Garden, and South Lawn will be on view to guests. The public is invited, but every visitor, small children included, needs a ticket to tour. Starting at 9am on both days, tickets will be distributed at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion at 15th & E Streets NW on a first-come, first-served basis. Tour times are indicated on each ticket, so keep your day open if you hope to go.

VelocityDC Dance Festival
Where: Sidney Harmon Hall
When: Friday & Saturday
Admission: Tickets start at $18
If you like dance, you’ll love this festival featuring performances by some of the city’s best-known ensembles, undiscovered gems, and everyone in between. Returning for its 8th season, the VelocityDC Dance Festival will showcase styles ranging from ballet to hip hop, tap to flamenco, demonstrating why it’s a highlight of Washington’s dance season.

Merriment for All!
Where: Revel’s Grove in Crownesville, Md
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $24/ages 16 and up, $10/ages 7-15, free for 6 and under
Enjoy a day of merriment at the Maryland Renaissance Festival! The annual faire recalls medieval times with a village full of fun and entertainment for the whole family. This is one of my very favorite annual events in the DC area, and it could very well become one of yours, too. Huzzah!

Fallin’
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by locale
Enjoy autumn fun and then some at a number of farms and other locales around the area. Pick pumpkins, whiz down slides, visit animals, jump on giant inflatables, take pony rides, indulge in caramel apples, and much more. The KFDC guide to fall festivals has details on all of them.

Peirce Mill Heritage Day
Where: Peirce Mill, Rock Creek Park
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Step back in time to 1820 with the National Park Service and Friends of Peirce Mill for Peirce Mill Heritage Day! At center stage is the last remaining water mill in DC — visitors can witness the intricate workings of this four-story machine as it grinds corn into meal, powered by a giant water wheel (milling demos take place about every 15 minutes from 11am – 2pm). There will be arts and crafts activities, including water mill toys, corn husk doll making, cornmeal play dough, flour sacks, and Peirce Mill stamps. Watch the hand-assembly of a dry stone wall, see logs hewn with an ax, and crank an old-fashioned cider press. And for your musical entertainment, a local musician Orrin Star will play bluegrass throughout the day. A new addition this year will be a presentation on Latino bread-making culture, with on-site preparation of tortillas using cornmeal. Read more about Peirce Mill in this KFDC post.

Art Safari
Where: The Torpedo Factory
When: Saturday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
Alexandria’s wonderful tradition for families, Art Safari returns for its 21st year with a full day of hands-on activities for kids and families. Artists will lead young visitors in creative projects across a variety of media, including clay, papier-mâché, fiber, and printmaking. All activities are free, with most appropriate for children ages 5 – 11 and some requiring parental assistance. Children should wear clothing that can get a little dirty.

Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Find Knuffle Bunny at Adventure Theatre
* Synetic Theatre presents The Music Box, a collection of comedic vignettes set to music, for families
* Catch the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s fantastic production of Romeo & Juliet (recommended for older children or make it a date night)
* The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane opens on the Imagination Stage
* See (and smell?) Flowers Stink, a collaboration between the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Kennedy Center
* It’s the final weekend to watch Rapunzel let down her hair at The Puppet Co.
* And Tiny Tots can enjoy a Tots Sing-a-Long at the puppet theater
* The Olney Theatre presents The Diary of Anne Frank
* See the superbly acted The Little Foxes at Arena Stage (recommended for teens and up)
* Make it a date night to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Kennedy Center
* Ruthless, The Musical just opened at Creative Cauldron

hiSTORYtime
Where: National Museum of American History
When: Saturday 11am – 12pm
Admission: Free
This new program is aimed at boosting early literacy while introducing young visitors (ages 0 to 6) to objects in the museum’s collection. Drop by to listen to stories about music, then kiddos can participate in music making and craft their own instruments.

Wicked Fun
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Get the Halloween party started with activities and events that celebrate the spooky spirit. Creep through the woods in a mini-train ride. This post has details on where the tricks and treats are happening.

Maryland Pumpkin Festival
Where: Summers Farm
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $13.95, 2 and under are free
Along with Summers Farm’s regular offerings, such as the corn maze, hay slides, farm animals, hay rides, pumpkin patch, pig races and jumping pillow, their annual Maryland Pumpkin Festival celebrates all things pumpkin with bonus activities: Enjoy pumpkin hunts, pumpkin sculpting demonstration, face painting, an appearance by Mr. Brown the Clown, live music, and more!

An Apple a Day…
Where: Area orchards
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Take advantage of apple season! Several area orchards and farms welcome guests to gather their own. Many on this list with pick-your-own opportunities have apples among their PYO offerings. We also just visited Waters Orchard in Germantown last weekend, and it was fantastic — a great variety of apples in a beautiful setting! And I always recommend calling ahead to be sure the pickings are good the day you plan to go.

Story Time with Bear Song
Where: Walls of Books
When: Saturday, 11am
Admission: Free
Bring little ones to the bookstore in Shaw for story time with Bear Song. Go early, grab your seat, and settle in to sing great songs, hear great stories, and see great smiles on all the little faces. During Story Time – and, of course, a little bit after, all kid’s books are 10% off!

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Where: Air & Space Museum
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate the contributions of Latinos to aviation and space exploration. Hear about Latin American aviators, meet Hispanic scientists and engineers, and enjoy hands-on activities. Many of the activities and presentations are available in English and Spanish.

SerbFest
Where: Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Potomac
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Free
Celebrate Serbian culture an enjoy family activities at this three-day festival. There‘s something for everyone, including traditional Serbian cuisine (authentic split roasted pig, lamb , and grilled meats), beverages, dance and music performances, gifts and boutique items, and lots of family-friendly activities.  Saint Luke’s is located at 10660 River Road in Potomac, MD.

National Chess Day
Where: Bowie Town Center
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: $15
Ready, set, checkmate! A chess tournament hosted by Prince George’s County Home School Chess Club will be held in celebration of “National Chess Day” at Bowie Town Center. Chess enthusiasts are invited to participate in this spectacle with dozens of chess boards arranged in a giant square in the food court at Bowie Town Center. Activities will include a chess 101 basics workshop, monster chess, chess team trivia quiz, blitz chess rounds and live simultaneous play.

Hands-On History Hats Off Program
Where: National Museum of the U.S. Navy
When: Saturday, 11am – 1pm
Admission: Free
Head to this hidden gem of a museum for a hands-on opportunity to learn about the history of the U.S. Navy through its ever-changing headgear. Located behind the fighting top, families will be able to pick up and wear hats of the Navy from different eras. There will also be a hat designing station! Read more about the US Navy Museum in this KFDC post.

Movie Time: Abulele
Where: Edlavitch DCJCC
When: Saturday, 3pm & Sunday, 12:30pm
Admission: $13.50/adult, $6.75/14 and under
In this heartfelt family film, Adam, a young boy grieving from the loss of his brother, discovers a mythical furry beast (an Abulele) living in his building. When Adam realizes that it’s not the Abulele but the humans who are the real monsters, he risks everything to save his friendly giant. Catch this film at the DC JCC located at 1529 16th Street NW.

Light the Way – Walk for Independence
Where: National Mall
When: Sunday
Admission: $25/adult, $10/child
The 6th Annual Light the Way – Walk for Independence encourages people of all ages, particularly people who are blind or visually impaired, to maintain active and productive lifestyles. This year’s event will provide participants with a morning of fun-filled exercise, camaraderie, and entertainment. Join CLB and walk the scenic, historic, and accessible route between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument. Warm up and wind down with a hip hop dance instructor from Yala Fitness. There will also be a “Kids Zone” tent with a Bubbleologist, face painter, and glitter tattoo artist.

Walks in the Woods
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Fall is a perfect time to hit the trail, when you can enjoy the foliage just as much as the activity itself. This go-to KFDC post has a bunch of recommendations for good places to hike with kids.

Hiking & History
Where: Harpers Ferry
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free ($10 if you park in lot)
Get some fresh air and exercise as you take in the start of autumn hues and historic sites. Harpers Ferry is an easy day trip or weekend destination from DC, and fall is a great time to go. For more about a visit there, see this recent post.