Start the weekend with a riverside concert at Yards Park
Happy Weekend!
Easy links to inspo for local fun:
* The Great Indoors
* Swim Spots
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Paddling Options
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Rock on the Riverfront
Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 7pm
Admission: Free
Kick off the weekend with live music in the fresh air — the Friday Night Concert series at Yards Park begins on Friday evening! Perfekt Blend is playing this first installment of the summer staple. Go early to let the kids play in the water features and grassy spaces, then enjoy the music along with food and drinks for purchase (or BYO picnic) and do some dancing on the boardwalk — all with the backdrop of scenic river views.
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 ages are welcome! 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. Be sure to register and fill out a waiver if you plan to go. When you’re done, head right down the boardwalk to Yards Park for the Friday Night Concert or get a bite to eat at one of the many nearby restaurants.
Family Fun Concert: Mr. Gabe
Where: Hill Center | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Friday, 5-7pm
Admission: $7/adult, $14/child
Start the weekend with concert for the whole fam. Mr. Gabe is performing at this session of the Hill Center’s weekly series. He’s been delighting young audiences in the DC area for years with an interactive style of musical entertainment that inspires kids to move their bodies and use their brains. Take the kids to see him perform nursery rhymes, folk songs, and modern favorites as well as originals.
First Look at the Lotus and Lilies
Where: Kenilworth Aquatic Garden | Northeast DC
When: Throughout the weekend, 8am – 4pm
Admission: Free
The lotus flowers have begun blooming at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! This is such a spectacular sight, it’s worth braving the high temps to see. View scenes from a previous bloom, and read about a fun way to get to them. The annual Lotus & Water Lily Festival is next weekend, July 18-20, and offers more ways to appreciate the flowers and park.
Romanian Weekend
Where: The Wharf | Southwest DC
When: Friday, 5-9pm, Saturday, 12-8pm & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: Free
Join the Embassy of Romania and the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York for a a three-day extravaganza on District Pier celebrating the richness and diversity of Romanian culture with music, dance, food, wine, spoken word performances, concerts, and craft shows!
The Sun at Maximum Activity
Where: National Air & Space Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
The Air & Space Museum is hosting a Soar Together Family Day that focuses on the sun. Right now, the sun is at “solar maximum,” a period when it becomes extra active every 11 years. Through fun activities, demonstrations, and talking to experts, learn how the sun can affect the earth, explore the science that helps us stay prepared, and see the sun’s changing features for yourself. Admission is free with timed-entry passes.
Drop-In Family Program
Where: The Phillips Collection | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: $20/adult, free for kids
Bring the whole family to investigate materials, methods, and ideas in art. Immerse in a world of color, line, and shape. Create expressive, abstract artworks in connection to nature using various tactile materials and tools. Join a family-friendly tour of Vivian Browne: My Kind of Protest at 11am to see how the artist explored meaning in her own colorful abstractions. Families can also enjoy the carpeted, creative-play area with blocks, books, toys, and games.
The World & Me: Caring for the Future of Our Planet
Where: Natural History Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Join the National Museum of Natural History for a special The World & Me session as they celebrate diversity found in nature, movement, and the planet we call home with local dancers from Company | E, musicians from Sound Impact, and educators from the museum. Watch a performance titled Letters to Earth, explore different hands-on activities with museum specimens, and discover ways to make an impact in taking care of Earth for future generations.
Show Time
Where: Theatres around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by show
There are a bunch of shows to catch on local stages… here’s what you can see this weekend:
* Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at National Theatre
* The Lightening Thief at Adventure Theatre
* Duel Reality at Harman Hall
* Dory Fantasmagory at Imagination Stage
* The Frog Prince at ThePuppet Co.
* A Wrinkle in Time at Arena Stage
* Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center
Fort Stevens Day
Where: Fort Stevens | Rock Creek Park
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Head to Rock Creek Park to join the 161st anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Fort Stevens. This special event will feature historians, storytellers, and a keynote address by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Cooling, III. There will also be activities for the whole family, including living history demonstrations, live music, 19th-century children’s games and crafts, history talks, and a guided walk from Fort Stevens to Battleground National Cemetery.
Water Power Day
Where: Peirce Mill | Rock Creek Park, DC
When:L Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
All ages are welcome to enjoy a day of STEM exploration and water-powered fun. See how Peirce Mill uses the power of water to grind corn into cornmeal. Then experiment with water toys, learn about Archimedean screws, and construct a paper-plate waterwheel. DC Water will provide fresh, cold drinking water, a river clean-up activity for kids, and a misting tent where folks can cool off safely. Rock Creek Conservancy will share the work they’re doing to keep Rock Creek clean and healthy — and what you can do to help protect our local waters. And the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin will host a creek critter meet and greet — learn about the macroinvertebrates that call Rock Creek home.
Family Workshop | Draw and Display
Where: National Museum of Asian Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 11am-12:30pm and 1:30-3pm
Admission: Free
Join the museum for a creative challenge! Kids ages 6–11 will engineer a safe way to display art — just like museum professionals do — in this workshop designed for families. Tour the exhibition Delighting Krishna and create your own fabric artwork inspired by South Asian pichwai paintings. Then use a variety of craft materials to experiment with different ways to mount and display the art.
Bubble Days
Where: Maryland Science Center | Baltimore, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 12-4pm
Admission: $26.95/adult, $20.95/child
Pop in for the Maryland Science Center’s 20th annual Bubble Day — the sudsiest days of science that will be bursting with fun! World-renowned bubble artist Casey Carle returns with his suds-tacular show, Bubblemania. Mix up your own bubble solution, design your own bubble wand, and put your bubble making skills to the test. Experiment with bubble towers, double bubbles, fizzy foamies, and more as you explore 50 different ways to make a bubble in celebration of the Maryland Science Center’s 50th anniversary. Of course, explore the rest of the MSC while you’re there — it’s awesome! Read more about it here and here.
High Wheelin’
Where: Downtown Frederick, MD
When: Saturday, 12-3pm
Admission: Free
Penny farthing, anyone? Get a curbside seat to America’s only high wheel race in historic downtown Frederick, MD. The National Clustered Spires High Wheel Race is a unique event that celebrates the history of bikes. Watch the fun along the .4 mile route and plan to enjoy more time in the Frederick — the downtown area is great to stroll, eat, and shop!
Culture Queen’s Dance Party
Where: Anacostia Community Museum | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 1pm
Admission: Free
Join Culture Queen on an interactive journey through the Swinging ’60s as she teaches the hottest dances of the era like “The Twist” and the music of Rock & Roll kings and queens like Chubby Checker, Little Evarp, and many more.
Model Trains Open House
Where: Historic Vienna Train Station | Vienna, VA
When: Saturday, 1-5pm
Admission: Free (donations accepted)
Chug on down to the Historic Vienna Train Station for their first Open House since the pandemic began. See and hear HO scale model trolleys and trains, including Thomas and some of his friends on display and in operation. It’s a great family fun and activity for the young and young at heart. The Station is at 231 Dominion Road NE, Vienna, VA along the W&OD trail just past the Caboose.
HBD, Alexandria!
Where: Oronoco Bay Park | Alexandria, VA
When: Saturday, 6-9:45pm
Admission: Free
The City of Alexandria will celebrate its 276th (and the USA’s 249th) birthday on Saturday, with festivities for all ages — art activities, cupcakes, poetry, vendors to shop, and performances by Three Man Soul Machine and the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra ending with a Grand Finale fireworks display at 9:30pm.
Movie in the Park: Wicked
Where: Stead Park |1625 P Street NW, DC
When: Saturday, 8:30pm
Admission: Free
Grab a blanket and head to Stead Park for a sing-along movie night under the stars. Wicked will be shown, and all are welcome to join the outdoor movie fun!
Curiosity Day
Where: Planet Word | Downtown DC
When: Sunday, 10am – 6pm
Admission: Free- $25
Head to one of the neatest museums in DC for a special day of fun and curiosity. Be among the first to experience The Questions Beacon, a new addition to the Words Matter gallery — the interactive touchscreen lets you to see how the way we phrase our questions can change conversations, uncover new ideas, and even sway outcomes. There will be even more related activities for all ages — see details here. Be sure to reserve tickets in advance! Read more about Planet Word in this KFDC post.
Get Artsy with Yarn Bombs
Where: Wheaton Library | Wheaton, MD
When: Sunday, 1-3pm
Admission: Free
Join Wheaton Arts Parade for a workshop and learn how to make public art. Help assemble yarn bomb panels — the crochet decorations will be strung around railings in lamp posts for the parade in September.
Inside Info
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
If you’e seeking activities indoors, you have plenty of options. This post pulls together all the KFDC round-ups with ideas for inside fun. From museums and special programs for kids to play spaces and venues for indoor action to theaters presenting live entertainment and movies to stores where you can shop secondhand, you’ll find loads of ways to stay cool, dry, and sane. 🙂
Seize the Season
Where: Around the DC Area
When: All weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Summer is whizzing by, so enjoy the season while you can with activities that only occur this time of year. Some ideas: Start off the weekend with a free outdoor concert and water play at Yards Park, then continue the fun on Saturday and Sunday (and cool off) at a pool or spray park. Or enjoy a special exhibit like Fairies in the Garden at Annmarie Sculpture Garden. or The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens. Wind it all up with crab feast on Sunday. Get details about all of these summer diversions and even more in the 2025 Summer Guide.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* Go get a Free Slurpee on Friday, 7/11, at 7-Eleven!
* The weekend forecast shows possible thunderstorms, so be sure to check ahead that outdoor events are happening.
* There is still time to score amazing Prime Day deals — Amazon’s big sale is running through Friday. See KFDC recs from it.
* July/August book recs for kids of all ages.
* Conde Nast Traveler picks the 7 most toddler-friendly destinations in the US.
* Love this IG account — so many good salads! — and she has a substack, too. (PS: It will make you want to get this for all of your dressings… trust me, you should.)
* We’ve been brewing big batches of our own iced tea, and it’s so good and refreshing. Just pop one of these (family size) into one of these, boil (obvi), then let it chill in the fridge for awhile, and add some lemon if like.
* Recently saw The Materialists and really liked it.
* Nordstrom’s BIG anniversary sale is open now to Nordstrom cardmembers (July 12 for non-members) and it is really good. Some picks: NB 327 sneakers, Madewell barrel leg jeans Nike Killshot sneakers, lots of kids clothes and gear, and the Sola Wave red light therapy mask.
* I feel like Trish.
