The Weekend Round-Up: November 1-3

Happy Weekend! Way to go, Nats!

Nationals Victory Parade & Rally
Where: Constitution Avenue | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 2-5pm
Admission: FREE
Fight Finished. And now it’s time to celebrate our NATS! A victory parade will begin at Constitution & 15th NW then proceed east along the avenue to Pennsylvania & 3rd NW, where there will be a rally. It’s guaranteed to be awesome — and a bit nuts with a huge crowd of excited fans, so be prepared! Parking will be extremely difficult so, I recommend getting there by public transportation, bike, scooter, or the shoe leather express. See you there to celebrate our WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!

Kids Euro Festival
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
It’s another weekend of the series that’s essentially a passport to artistic adventures, as the 11th Annual Kids Euro Festival brings continental entertainment right to DC. More than 70 free performances all around the metro area — musicians, storytellers, dancers, and puppeteers, and more — are performing at a variety of venues around the city through November 10. See what’s on the schedule over the next few days.

Día de los Muertos | Day of the Dead Festival
Where: American Indian Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Free
Celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with performances and family activities. The Day of the Dead is a festival celebrated by people in Mexico, parts of Central and South America and in many Latino communities across the U.S. as a way to honor family and friends that have passed away. This celebration originates from the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, including the Mexica (Aztec) and Maya.

Pumpkin Chunkin’
Where: Great Country Farms | Bluemont, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $10/adult, $8/child
What to do with your jack-o-lantern now that Halloween is over? Bring it to Great Country’s smashin’ session and let it fly! The Silo Drop and the Zip Wire Sploosh let you do the smashin’ yourself, or bring your pumpkin to the Pumpkin Drop Zone and add it to the upside down “fireworks display” as the pumpkins are dropped from a 40-foot lift. What happens to all the smashings? The pigs and cows love to eat them, and the rest are composted. Along with the smashing, enjoy a whole playground of farm fun! The Roosteraunt Concession stand will open 11am – 3pm, and the Cider Donuts are not to be missed.

Shake Up Your Saturday
Where: Folger Shakespeare Library | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 10-11am & 11am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Shake up your Saturday with a workshop at the Folger! These programs occurring on the first Saturday of every month encourage families to experience Shakespeare’s language together. This session, imagine yourself in the two worlds of As You Like It, the court of Duke Frederick and the Forest of Arden. Register here. And read a KFDC write-up about the Folger here.

Family Celebration
Where: National Children’s Museum | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: $25/family
After years of anticipation, the new National Children’s Museum is opening! All are welcome to join a Family Celebration on Saturday afternoon to help the kick off the launch. Enjoy exhibit experiences, friends from Nickelodeon, and refreshments by Bluestone Lane. Registration required.

Maryland Emancipation Day
Where: MoCo Parks | Montgomery County, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Varies by program
Celebrate Maryland Emancipation Day, which commemorates the adoption of the 1864 Maryland Constitution that abolished slavery in the state of Maryland. Join Montgomery Parks for free activities that take place all weekend long, such as hikes on the Underground Railroad Experience Trail, living history demonstrations, hands-on activities, and tours of historic sites. Some events require registration.

Zeus the Mighty
Where: Embassy of Greece | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 12:30pm
Admission: Free
In celebration of National Geographic’s new seven-book kids series, Zeus the Mighty, the Embassy of Greece will open its doors for an intimate event that will bring the rollicking multimedia series to life via educational and fun activities, trivia, and photo opps. In addition to learning all about the new book – which is designed to educate kids about the myths, culture, and geography of ancient Greece – families will also be treated to an amazing live showing of our new kids podcast, Greeking Out, which will feature the main star of the brand new Kids Place Live show! RSVP here.

Creativity Workshop
Where: The Phillips Collection | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Admission: $18/adult & child, $15/members ($5/additional person)
Let your creativity fly at the Phillips’ new art-making stations — it’s an art materials “petting zoo” for the whole family! The workshop includes an Artful Wellness Kit for parents and caregivers. Geared toward families with children ages 2 to 8.

Arts & Crafts & Storytime
Where: House of Sweden | Georgetown, DC
When: Saturday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
Bring children ages 3-10 to the House of Sweden for activities just for them! From 12-3pm, they can express themselves through art in special workshops — attendees are set up with everything they need to participate. (Note: This will also take place on October 12, November 2, and November 16). Then at 3pm, experience Swedish children’s literature (in English). And while you’re there, tour the photo exhibition ‘Swedish Dads,’ portraits 45 fathers who have chosen to stay at home with their children for at least six months.

Celebrate Diwali
Where: Freer|Sackler Gallery | National Mall, DC
When: Sat, 10:30am – 12:30pm, 1:30-3:30pm & Sun, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in this family workshop. Explore artworks from the Indian subcontinent on an educator-led tour. Then, return to the studio to create your own colorful book featuring a traditional rangoli design. This program, led by teaching artist Sushmita Mazumdar from Studio PAUSE, is designed for children ages 6–12 and adults to enjoy together. Free registration is required — email asiaworkshops@si.edu to sign up.

Show Time
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by show
* Reserve free tickets the The Really Big Dinosaur Show, this week’s Saturday Morning at the National show
* Newsies is opening at Arena Stage
* Little theatre-goers will love Inside Out at Imagination Stage
* Kid Prince and Pablo at the Kennedy Center is a reimagined version of Mark Twain’s classic The Prince and the Pauper
* No lie, Pinocchio is at The Puppet Co.
* GET’M is bringing laughs to the Kennedy Center stage
* Source Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors is recommended for tweens and up.

Día De Los Muertos
Where: General Getty Neighborhood Park | Wheaton, MD
When: Saturday, 2-4:30pm
Admission: Free
Join Montgomery Parks to celebrate Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Originating in Mexico, the vibrant tradition is an opportunity for family and friends to gather and celebrate the lives of deceased loved ones. The festive event will include a Mariachi band, face painting, games and building a communal Altar de Ofrendas (Offerings). Altar de Ofrendas traditionally include candles, flowers, food, photographs, and mementos to honor the memory of passed relatives. Everyone is encouraged to bring items to include in the altar.

Fall Fest & Family Photo Day
Where: Tusculum Farm | Laytonsville, MD
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate fall with the whole family at Tusculum Farm. From hayrides, to outdoor games, flower arranging and pumpkin painting, to food trucks and an art market from the local Countryside Artisans–there will be something for everyone at The Farm’s fall fest. Also, Tusculum Farm’s grounds will also be open for groups and photographers looking for fall portrait backdrops — no reservations needed for this day only!

Side Yards
Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Saturday, 5-9pm
Admission: Free
Head to the Yards Park for this annual nighttime circus featuring new sideshow performances, carnival games, immersive entertainment, and activities for all ages! Enjoy an evening of side-show fun including gravity-defying aerialist routines, unbelievable contortion, mind-blowing mentalism, feats of magic and mesmerism, and so much more. Guests will also have the chance to test their own wits in a pop-up carnival escape room. Other activities include face painting, tarot card readings, balloon twisting, caricature sketches and other circus fun. 

Post-Halloween Smithsonian Sleepover
Where: National History Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday – Sunday
Admission: $100
The Nation’s T-rex has returned to the Natural History Museum, and his towering skeleton has been drawing big crowds to the amazing Deep Time exhibition in the brand-new David H. Koch Hall of Fossils. A post-Halloween Smithsonian Sleepover offers the perfect way to avoid the rush and spend plenty of quality time with your favorite dinosaur. And as a bonus, you can wear your Halloween costume one more time. Pack your sleeping bag and a toothbrush and join a small group of fellow adventurers as one of the world’s most popular museums closes its doors and the crowds leave for the day. For kids ages 8-14.

Sunday Funday: A Halloween-Themed Event
Where: Wheaton Veterans Urban Park | Wheaton, MD
When: Sunday, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Keep the fun going after the big day and head at this Sunday Funday Halloween-themed event! Activities include a Halloween costume contest, pumpkin painting, s’mores roasting, face painting, balloon sculptues, lawn games, and a DJ and music. There will also be plenty of food, hot chocolate, cider, and beer available for purchase.

Bulgaria Day
Where: KID Museum | Bethesda, MD
When: Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $12/child (includes two adults)
KID Museum is celebrating the culture of Bulgaria through creative, hands-on projects, performances, and food, presented in partnership with Botev Academy Bulgarian School. Kids will make scary Kukeri masks, build traditional Bulgarian houses, learn to do cross stitch, and more! Enjoy live dance performances, poetry readings, and an interactive presentation about Bulgaria’s National Revival Day holiday. Visitors can sample traditional delicacies, including kyufteta (Bulgarian meatballs), kebapcheta (kebabs), and sarmi (stuffed cabbage, provided by Balkanik Taste food truck. Read more about KID Museum here.

Free 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 to 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. Plan for a Fierce Women tour, offered 1-2pm or explore the museum on your own.

Astronomy Adventure
Where: Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium | Arlington, VA
When: Sunday, 1pm
Admission: $5/adult, $3.50/child
A 2-for-1 astronomy adventure! Author Laura Gehl will read from her new picture book biography about Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, a groundbreaking astronomer who overcame obstacles including weak eyesight and gender discrimination to help make the Hubble Space Telescope a reality. The interactive author talk will be followed by a popular Planeterium show, The Secret of The Cardboard Rocket, which will take kids on a tour of the solar system. This program is aimed at ages 5-12, but all ages are welcome!

Day of the Dead Art Workshop
Where: MangoStreet | Shaw, DC
When: Sunday, 8:30-10:30am
Admission: $27
MangoStreet is honored to celebrate the Day of the Dead with an art workshop with guest artist Irene Clouthier! Young Artists ages 5-8 can experience the importance of honoring our past heritage, and the cycle of life, through the whimsical celebration of the Day of the Dead. They’ll recreate an ofrenda/altar, make papel cortado, and construct mosaics. Then they’ll explore the process of cartonería—a traditional Mexican sculpting technique—in the making and painting of Catrinas, and delve into the work of Guadalupe Posada, originator of the Catrina.

Fall Farm Fun
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place
Just because you’re not picking out a potential Jack o’ lantern, that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun on the farm. Many area farms have way more to enjoy than just pumpkin patches. Whiz down slides, bounce on giant jumping pillows, visit farm animals, and loads more. This list of fall fests has details to get started — Ticonderoga, Cox, Clark’s Elioak, and Great Country Farms are all good bets for a great time.

Leaf Peep on the Trail
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Take in the brilliant color spectrum of autumn and get a little exercise, to boot, on a family hike. From right here in the city to country locales, you’ve got your pick of places where you can enjoy the fall foliage and some time outdoors. This post about good area hikes with kids started in the early KFDC days, and with many new recommendations added since, there are lots of great trails to make for happy trampers.

The Ins and Outs of DC
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by adventure
With a mix of weather in the forecast, these posts that are chock full of evergreen pursuits are great to have bookmarked:
The Great Indoors
The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids

***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* You have through Friday to enter for a chance to win tickets to Rent at National Theatre!
* View scenes of fall at Huntley Meadows Park in this new post.
* A ghost story for Halloween.
* NATS ❤️