Happy Weekend!
Link up to all kinds of DC fun:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* The Great Indoors
* Swim Spots
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Paddling Options
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Friday Night Fishing
Where: Diamond Teague Docks | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 5-8pm
Admission: Free
It’s the final chance to 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, and be sure to register and fill out a waiver if you plan to go. When you’re done, get a bite to eat at one of the many nearby restaurants.
Huzzah for Renn Fest!
Where: Revel Grove | Crownsville, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 7pm
Admission: $26/adults, $23/seniors, free – $14/age 7-15
The Maryland Renaissance Festival begins this weekend, and this trip back to medieval times is full of merriment for everyone! Enjoy jousting matches, kids shows, comedy acts, 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 re-created 16th-century Tudor village. It all begins Saturday and will run every weekend through October 19. FYI: It’s Children’s Weekend when one child aged 7-15 is admitted free with each adult ticket purchased. And if tickets sell out for this weekend, I recommend snagging them for a later date as they have been selling out quickly in recent years.
Community Day
Where: Arena Stage & 6th Street SW | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 7pm
Admission: Free
Arena Stage is taking over 6th Street SW for its annual Community Day! All are invited this FREE outdoor block party and indoor open house. The event will be full of connection, creativity, and joy — enjoy live music, dancing, and special performances; local vendors along 6th Street; food trucks and sweet treats, hands-on arts activities; games and surprises for all ages; and more!
Maryland State Fair
Where: Timonium Fairgrounds | Timonium-Lutherville, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $10/age 6-11, $12-15/age 12+, free/5 & under
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 28 – September 1 and September 4-7. Note that rides, games, etc. cost extra.
Just Drop In: How Things Work
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: $7/child, $10/adult
Kids can stop by the Building Museum anytime from 10am – 2pm and become mini engineers. They’ll use paper plates, straws, tape, and other simple materials to design and build marble mazes inspired by Rube Goldberg machines. Plan to tour the rest of the museum and exhibits, too. Building Stories and Brick City are especially great for kids.
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.
The Selfish Giant’s Garden
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11:30am, 1pm, & 3pm
Admission: $16
Bits ‘N Pieces Puppet Theatre’s The Selfish Giant’s Garden is based on Oscar Wilde’s famous fairy tale about a giant who learns it’s never too late to share. The production features lathe-turned wooden marionettes. The puppet’s simple wooden surface is left so children can use their imagination. The hair is made of rope, the eyes of shiny brads. The string puppet children are round and smooth while the Giant is boxy and rough. The musical show contrasts selfishness and sharing. How does a Selfish Giant learn to share? Recommended for ages 4+.
Minecraft Back to School Bash
Where: Art Place at Fort Totten | Northeast DC
When: Saturday, 1-3pm
Admission: Free
Get ready to go back to school at Art Place at Fort Totten, where they are hosting a free children’s festival with DC Fray and the Cafritz Foundation.
Families can kick off the new school year with a Minecraft-themed bash and pizza Party. Enjoy an afternoon of fun with games, prizes, school supplies, and free pizza.
Opera in the Outfield
Where: Nationals Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Saturday, 6:30pm (doors open 4:30pm)
Admission: Free
How about opera where there’s usually baseball? The Washington National Opera presents Opera in the Outfield for the 19th year with a simulcast performance of Puccini’s Turandot on Saturday evening. The show starts at 6:30pm, but gates open at 4:30pm for “pregame” activities for the entire family, including a performance by Step Afrika, a magic show by Musico the Magnificent, Taal dance company, and more. Get there early for a seat on the field, otherwise there will be plenty of seating in the stands.
United vs Miami
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Admission: Varies – look for resale tickets
Messi is coming to Audi Field! DC United plays Inter Miami on Saturday evening, and it’s a match soccer fans have been anticipating all season, as one of the GOATs will be playing. Seats have been sold out for awhile, but you can look for resale tickets here.
Flower Festival
Where: Summer Farms | Middletown,MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $19.50/age 3+
Escape to Summers Farm for their annual Flower Festival and enjoy the beauty of the 8-acre field glowing with thousands of blooms! Over 35 different varieties and colors make for very Instaworthy photos. Walk through, pick your own, take stunning pictures, sip a local drink in their spacious tent, and relax at the farm.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Fri, 7pm | Sat & Sun, 1pm & 7pm
Admission: Starts at $49
Experience the wizarding world like never before at this record-breaking hit and winner of six Tony Awards. When Harry Potter’s head-strong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all—with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for a mind-blowing race through time, spectacular spells, and an epic battle, all brought to life with the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage.
Sesame Street the Musical
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Fri, 2pm | Sat & Sun, 9:30am, 12:30pm, & 3:30pm
Admission: $40+ (find discount)
Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, and your favorite Sesame Street friends are bringing the TV show’s iconic songs and stories to the Kennedy Center stage. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy the Muppets from Sesame Street in an intimate, joyous theatrical setting. Don’t miss sing-alongs of the classic songs you know and love, music that will have you dancing in your seat, and lots of furry fun. Recommended for ages 2+.
Magic and Family Fun
Where: Lincoln Park | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Sunday, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Enjoy a morning of magic and family fun hosted by the Friends of Lincoln Park! Starting at 10am, Abracadabra Alex will perform his magic show that inspires amazement and laughter in kids of all ages. Following the show, there will be lawn games, soccer activities led by DC Way, math puzzles led by the Mathnasium, and light refreshments from Call Your Mother and Bullfrog Bagels.
Nick & Pinky LIVE: Smithsonian Treasure Hunt
Where: National Zoo | Woodley Park, DC
When: Sunday, 10-:30 & 1:30pm
Admission: Free
Join Nick the Music Man and Pinky Jackalope for an epic adventure! Discover treasures across the Smithsonian, in every color of the rainbow and get ready to sing, dance and play! This 30-minute interactive musical event starring Pinky the Jackalope puppet and Nick the Music Man playing his guitar is part of the Get a Head Start with the Smithsonian program. Plan to explore the rest of the Zoo after the show!
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!
Seize the Season
Where: Around the DC area
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.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* How about checking out a museum beyond DC? Get details on a bunch in MD and VA.
* Plan ahead for littles: On September 23, the Renwick Gallery is hosting Art in the A.M. At this before-hours program, children up to 5 years old and their caregivers can join the museum to learn, connect, and create in the galleries. Registration opens this Saturday, August 23, and is likely to fill up fast.
* Alexandria Restaurant Week starts up just as DC’s ends, running August 22-32.
* Back-to-school recipes.
* And lots of options to stock up on for school lunches and easy snacks on busy days.
* Gen Z quirks explained.
* Owen just moved into an off-campus apartment, and we got him this desk — reasonably priced, adjustable height for a tall guy, very easy to assemble, and looks nice!
* REI’s big Labor Day Sale begins this weekend — and it’s always full of awesome deals for everyone in the fam and so many activities.
* And a really good end-of-season sale for women… this blouse (I have and love), pants with patch pockets, an amazing denim jumpsuit, and a cool denim skirt.
* A new mix (of six).
