The Weekend Round-Up:
August 25-27

 

Happy Weekend!

View these round-ups full of ideas for ongoing DC area fun:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* The Great Indoors
* Swim Spots
* On the Water
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Peaceful Places

Huzzah for Ren Fest!
Where: Revel Grove | Crownsville, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 7pm
Admission: $24/adults, $21/seniors, $12/age 7-15
It’s time for merriment! And the Maryland Renaissance Festival is all about it. The wonderful trip back to medieval times is an event for everyone. Enjoy jousting matches, kids shows, comedy acts, tight rope walkers, jugglers, puppetry, Celtic music…and that’s just some of the live entertainment. There’s also a pirate playground, giant slide, labyrinth and games, and some of the best people watching opportunities ever. Walk among knights, maidens, pirates, and wizards in a 16th-century Tudor village as you chomp on turkey legs and down cups of mead. It all begins Saturday and will run every weekend through October 22. Be sure to reserve tickets in advance online, as they aren’t available on site. For more about Ren Fest, go here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, or  here. (Yeah, I kinda like it.) [Note: This originally said children age 15 and under were  admitted free opening weekend.  In past years they were, but now only ages 6 and under are free.]

Friday Night Concert…Encore (CANCELLED)
Where: The Yards | Capitol Riverfront DC
When: Friday, 7-9pm
Admission: Free
The Capitol Riverfront Friday Night Concert Series is back with a bonus concert on the Yards Park boardwalk with a grand finale performance by local favorite The JoGo Project. Get there early to let the kids play in the water features, then head over to watch the show. Food and cold Corona-brand beverages will also be available for purchase. [UPDATE: This concert has been cancelled due to projected thunderstorms.]

Friday Night Fishing
Where: Diamond Teague Docks | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 5-8pm
Admission: Free
Join Anacostia Riverkeeper for their summer Friday fishing program. All essentials are provided: rods, reels, bait, and lessons for first time fishers. Staff are there to answer any questions and help with casting, tips, and tricks. All ages are welcome. Register in advance. When you’re done, head to the Friday Night Concert down the boardwalk!

Funky Friday
Where: Eastern Market C Street Capitol Hill, DC
When: Friday, 4-10pm
Admission: Free
Eastern Market Main Street is hosting a mini-fair on C St SE. Grab a bite from one of the food vendors, put on some headphones and dance at the Silent Disco., and stop by the EMMS tent for a map of the Blue Ribbon Giveaway locations where every $5 spent will earn you an entry into a giveaway of a fun bundle of local goodies.

Back 2 School Festival
Where: Second Baptist Church | District Heights, DC
When: Saturday, 10am & 12pm
Admission: Free
The Greater Washington Urban League is hosting a Back to School festival to support DC families as they prepare to kick off the school year. Bring the whole family for wellness workshops; food stations, arts & crafts activities, and a voter registration drive. There will also be a backpack giveaway, but be sure to register to reserve one, as supplies are limited!

Maryland State Fair
Where: Timonium Fairgrounds | Timonium-Lutherville, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $7-12 (rides, games, etc. are extra)
If you missed the recent local county fairs or want to enjoy even more rides, games, live entertainment, 4-H exhibits, and carnival fun, head north to the Maryland State Fair.  You can even see some  thoroughbred horse racing!  The Fair will be held this weekend and the weekends of August 31 – September 4 and  September 7-10.

Around the World Cultural Food Festival
Where: Oronoco Bay Park | Old Town Alexandria, VA,
When: Saturday, 11am – 7pm
Admission: Free
Take a culinary trip around the world right in Alexandria.  The largest outdoor cultural food festival in the DC area celebrates intercultural diversity and brings together living traditions from countries around the world. Enjoy fare from ethnic food vendors, artisans and crafters, and lots of traditional performances. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

You’re the Sunflower…
Where: Montpelier Farm | Upper Marlboro, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 1-7pm
Admission: $5
If you missed the sunflowers at McKee-Beshers earlier this summer, or you want to see vast swaths of yellow splendor again, this weekend is your chance. Montpelier Farm’s sunflower fields will be open to visitors on Saturday and Sunday. And you can bring home stems for $1 each.

Beyond Granite
Where: Around the National Mall
When: Through September 18
Admission: Free
This series of installations around the National Mall is “designed to create a more inclusive, equitable, and representative commemorative landscape.”  Beyond Granite features six evocative works in different areas of the Mall.  Some of them are interactive, and one is even a playground that welcomes visitors to play.  See more details and get a glimpse here.  A great way to see them all is by bike, but most aren’t too spread out for a walk. View the map of installation locations here.

Seize the Season
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: All weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Time is dwindling to enjoy some of the season’s best places and activities. Outdoor pools and spray parks, special museum programs and exhibits, music and movies in the open air, beach fun, mini golf and carousels rides, a good ol’ crab feast. Check out the Summer Guide to help you enjoy the best of the season as it winds down.

International Dog Day Celebration
Where: Pupatella Pizzeria | Arlington & Mosaic District, VA
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
Join Neapolitan pizzeria “PUP”atella on the patio for a special pet-friendly International Dog Day celebration in partnership with Bark & Boarding! They’ll be offering special drink promotions for pet owners on their dog-friendly patios all day, like $19 beer pitchers and $8 house cocktails while Bark & Boarding will be on-site sharing about their upcoming initiatives + providing ice cream treats for pets! The celebration will be happening all day at their S. Arlington and Mosaic locations.

Dog Day(s) of Summer
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place (but mostly free)
Saturday, August 26, is National Dog Day, so do something special with your pup this weekend! Washingtonian has a round-up of ways to celebrate. And I recommend a nice hike…some good spots with a pooch in tow: Rock Creek Park in Northwest DC, Riverbend Park in McLean, Roosevelt Island in DC (but accessed from the GW Parkway), Turkey Run Park in McLean, and Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. And Congressional Cemetery is our go-to spot to let our Teddydog run off-leash.

Family Fun at the Freer
Where: National Museum of Asian Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 2-3:30
Admission: Free
Join docents at the Free Gallery of Art in the Peacock Room and in the Japanese art exhibition Rinpa Screens for engaging and collaborative hands-on activities that are geared toward families with kids ages 5 and up. Exciting stories, scavenger hunts, sketching, and other activities will bring the whole family together to imagine, create, and learn.

Mango Soiree
Where: THEARC | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 12-2pm
Admission: $5
THEARC is hosting a cooking workshop where their former Market Champion Taylor Forsythe will teach you to make a refreshing vegan Mango crumble and coconut whipped cream using affordable ingredients. Celebrate summer flavors with these simple, yet delicious plant-based treats. The whole fam is welcome to this kid-friendly event!

Vamos United!
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Admission: Tickets start at $40
DC United is home this weekend, and there’s a match against Philadelphia on Saturday. As always, I recommend taking public transportation as parking can be difficult. Or park in the Navy Yard neighborhood and plan to walk from there (and maybe grab dinner after the match — El Bebe, All Purpose Pizza, The Salt Line, and Dacha are very convenient and my top recs for family-friendly spots to eat there). Purchase match tickets here.

Beauty and the Beast
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo, MD
When: Through Sunday
Admission: $15
Terry Snyder’s Beauty and the Beast features half height marionettes, a projected magic mirror, and two storytellers guiding our audience through a sweet retelling of the original Beauty and the Beast tale. Will they fall in love in time to break the curse? Run time approximately 45 minutes.Recommended ages 4+.

Moulin Rouge: The Musical
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Through September 24
Admission: $45-199
Enter a world of splendor and romance, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory! A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment. Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza. Recommended for ages 12+.

Cambodian Rock Band
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Through Sunday
Admission: $66-105 
It’s 2008 and a father-daughter duo are heading to Phnom Penh; she to prosecute a notorious Cambodian war criminal, he 30 years after escaping then-Communist rule. In a psychedelic theatrical extravaganza set to some of the country’s most popular rock music, including from Dengue Fever, Cambodian Rock Band shines a light on the country’s vibrant ’70s rock scene and how an entire generation of musicians was purged by the Khmer Rouge, as it brings long-buried family secrets back to life. Recommended for teens and older.

National Cinema Day: $4 Movies!
Where: Movie theaters around DC 
When: Sunday
Admission: $4
Sunday is National Cinema Day, and many movie theaters around the area (and country, for that matter) will be offering tickets for just $4!  All Regal and AMC theaters are participating, as well as the Angelika (in DC and Mosaic), Landmark Theatres (E Street), and The Alamo.  (PS: If you haven’t yet seen Barbie, I highly recommend it!)

Wonderful World of Watkins
Where: Watkins Regional Park | Upper Marlboro, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free 
Go over the rainbow and beyond at Watkins Regional Park – there is so much fun to be had at the PG County locale.  The adorable Wizard of Oz themed playground will have kiddos frolicking for hours. Be sure to stop by Old Maryland Farm to visit the animals, and spend time at Watkins Nature Center to view even more cool creatures and birds.  Trails winding through the woods make for nice hikes, too!

We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Sunday, 5pm
Admission: $15
The Washington Spirit return to Audi Field after nearly a month to face the Portland Thorns in an epic regular season showdown between the 2021 and 2022 NWSL Champions. It is also Women’s Empowerment Night, a celebration of equality and inclusion for all women in soccer and beyond. (PS: Arrive early to enjoy $2 beers from 3:30-4:30pm.)

Open Swim
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Something quintessentially summer to do this weekend: Seek out some cool spots to go for a swim.   This round-up has details on where to do that. Find beaches on the Bay (and even Atlantic), lakes and rivers, and swimming holes and creeks — all that welcome the public to take a dip.

Take Your Pick
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Apples are now available at some spots for PYO, and berries, peaches tomatoes, and a few others crops are some of the pick-your-own options at local farms right now.  This post has info on some good places to gather them.  It’s always a good idea to check websites or call ahead to confirm availability the day you plan to go. Sunscreen and hat also recommended.

***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* There’s a new giveaway going on for a chance to win a free music lesson and more with International School of Music!
* Metropolitan Washington Summer Restaurant Week begins Monday, August 28, and runs through September 3.
* DCist has a guide on where to eat during the run.
* 15 Must-Try Coffee Shops Around DC
* Travel and Leisure’s 22 best family vacation in the US.
* A mouth-watering summer salad.
* Such a cute, simple bag from Uniqlo. Btw, did you know they have great kids section?
* Can’t wait to watch this! (On Netflix starting this weekend!)