Stay cool and have a blast at Yards Park
The first official weekend of summer may have passed, but this one is going to feel like summer in DC. (You all know what I’m talking about.) There are lots of great ways to have fun while keeping cool, but for the can’t-miss events under the sun: water bottle, sunscreen, and hat recommended. Happy Weekend!
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Where: National Mall, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
The annual Festival celebrating living cultural heritage and community traditions is underway. Visitors of all ages will have ample opportunity to discover Catalonia and Armenia through special exhibits, performances, exhibits, demos, and more, including plenty of activities especially for children. For specifics, see the festival schedule. And it all takes place right on the National Mall, where you can have even more adventures at all of the museums.
Caps Fan Fest
Where: Kettler Capitals Iceplex | Arlington, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
The Washington Capitals annual Caps Fan Fest will likely be more popular than ever this year after the recent championship win. Watch the team’s Development Camp scrimmage, shop the equipment sale, zip around the rink in a public skate, and take advantage of a photo opportunity with the Stanley Cup®!
Keep on Truckin’
Where: RFK Stadium, Lot 7 | Kingman Park, DC
When: Saturday, 9am – 2pm
Admission: Free
The Truck Touch event that easily takes the title as Mac Daddy of them all. This is the 11th year that the DC Department of Public Works welcomes guests to climb aboard, honk the horn, work the gears, and explore all kinds of neat vehicles that serve our city. There will also be opportunities to test ride Segways, spec out a helicopter, and sit atop police horses. Read more about it and see images from a past Truck Touch here (and be sure to note that it was posted a few years ago, so the dates don’t confuse you).
Lovin’ Summer
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Get your summer on this weekend with a host of activities exclusive to this time of year. Kick it off with an outdoor concert or free fishing. Enjoy some water fun at an outdoor pool, sprayground, or water park. Check out a special seasonal exhibit. Do some crabbing (the feasting kind). Catch a flick under the stars, and so much more. See the 2018 KFDC Guide to Summer in DC for the full scoop on these and even more summer favorites.
Kids Free for the Summer
Where: Newseum | Near the National Mall, DC
When: Begins Sunday!
Admission: FREE for kids, $24.95/adult
Take advantage of the Newseum’s annual program that welcomes youth visitors for free during the summer, from July 1 through Labor Day. The Summer Fun Deal waives the regular entrance fee for kids with one paid adult admission. The deal benefits kids ages 7 and up most, since children 6 and under always get in free, and much of the Newseum’s collection will be better appreciated by older children. And right now, you can get 15% off adult tickets.
Story Time and Singalong
Where: Solid State Books | H Street NE, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am
Admission: Free
Join the new bookstore in the Atlas District for songs and stories in the children’s section with Bearsong , a local entertainer specializing in young children’s music. Stay to browse the shop and let the kids explore the adorable nook created especially for little ones.
Circus Science Saturday
Where: Port Discovery | Baltimore, MD
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: $15.95
Get ready for a day full of fun science while learning about the your favorite circus tricks under Port Discovery’s Big Top! Clown around at interactive Circus Circuit Stations! Learn the tricks of the trade such as juggling, balancing feathers, and much more! Stop by art tables to make-and-take a sound sandwich that you will use during a fun Circus Parade. Plus, hop in the backseat of the Circus Train Ride before the day is over and enjoy the view!
Museum Morning
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
There’s all kinds of fun for little ones at the Hirshhorn this weekend. On Saturday from 10am – 2pm, enjoy the Library + Art Pop-Up and find a cart in the galleries and check out a fun kit full of our favorite finds for kids. On Sunday, join STORYTIME from 11am – 12pm and explore contemporary art through stories and movement. And be sure to stop in the Sculpture Garden outside and add a wish to Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree for Washington!
Show Time
Where: Venues around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by show
* See Tinker Bell light up the stage at Adventure Theatre
* Vital Theater Company’s The Wizard of Oz is the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods performance at Wolf Trap
* You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is on the Imagination Stage
* And little ones will love Paper Dreams at the theatre in Bethesda
* It’s opening weekend for Snow White and the 7 Dwarves at The Puppet Co.
* And Baby Bear’s Birthday is the featured Tiny Tots show at the puppet theater
* Teen ages and up will enjoy Second City’s Generation Gap at the Kennedy Center
* Make it a date night for Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Camelot
UniverSoul Circus
Where: National Harbor | Oxon Hill, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Tickets: $13+ (look for a ticket deal)
The world-class, live entertainment attraction that has captured the hearts and imaginations of a new generation of families is celebrating its 23rd year of FUN. UniverSoul connects with progressive, upwardly mobile, urban pop cultures from around the world, embracing and celebrating the unique and familiar aspects of global cultures and ethnicities into a stellar production that blends circus arts, theater and music. A fresh, cool, and hip approach to live family entertainment!
Complimentary Community Day
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts | Downtown, DC
When: Sunday, 12-5pm
Admission: Free
The first Sunday of every month is a great opportunity explore the National Museum of Women in the Arts when admission is FREE! Works span the centuries, from the 16th to the present in a variety of mediums, highlighting women artists all over the world.
The Inside Scoop
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
We’re going to have some of the hottest days of the year thus far, so if you prefer to spend the day indoors, or just want more options for activities around town, this go-to post lists 100 suggestions for things to do.
***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* The next batch of free tickets for Carne Y Arena, the incredible virtual reality immigration experience for tween ages and up, will be released Sunday, July 1, at 8am.
* Planet Word, a museum dedicated to language and words, is slated to open in late 2019 — and it sounds fantastic!
* If you’re looking for a last minute camp for your child, CARE Actor is offering one-week sessions during July and August at several locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland.
* You can recycle clothes at H&M for a reward of a discount. Drop off textiles of any brand in any condition, and get 10% off your next purchase. Just ask for the garment-collecting box.
* The Salt Line is a great riverside spot to dine or have drinks in the Capitol Riverfront. Bonus: There’s an in-ground fountain that delights kiddos, or you can plan to go before or after some water fun at nearby Yards Park.
