Head to Planet Word for a day of special adventures
Happy Weekend!
All kinds of ideas for ongoing DC fun in these go-to posts:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Paddling Options
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Fall Ready!
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Fall is about to begin, and there are a lot of events around the area celebrating it. Festivals are happening at area farms, in local communities, even a 16th-century village in Maryland, and they’re welcoming visitors for all kinds of fun. A few are listed below, and you can get details on the rest of them in this round-up of autumn celebrations around the area.
Cox Farms Fall Festival
Where: Centreville, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $15-30 depending on dates
This festival is enormous! So big I recommend giving the website a good look to help prepare and navigate your way around the sprawling grounds that contain multiple slides, swings, games, mazes, pumpkins, picnics, live entertainment, farm animals, and much more. Expect some lines, especially for the giant slides that take you swooping down several humps over a hillside. There is also a Kiddie Zone just for little ones aged 5 and under. Be prepared for a crowd, especially on weekends.
Teddy Bear Clinic
Where: National Museum of Health & Medicine | Silver Spring, MD
When: Saturday, 9:30am – 11:30am
Admission: Free
Bring your favorite stuffed friend and explore the Teddy Bear Clinic at the National Museum of Health and Medicine with activities and crafts designed to highlight the body, physical fitness, and healthy habits. This family program is recommended for children in PreK – 2nd grade.
Colonial Market & Fair
Where: Mount Vernon, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday, 9am – 5pm
Admission: $28/adult, $14/age 6-11, free/5 & under
At George Washington’s old stomping grounds, they re-create a lively early-American marketplace with demonstrations, crafts, and entertainment. Take in the sights and sounds of it all on Mount Vernon’s 12-acre field and chat with colonial artisans selling traditional handcrafted food and wares. Colonial music transports you back to the 18th century as experts demonstrate period crafting techniques. And you can see General Washington in the General’s Tent. There’s plenty of fun for the whole family! Read more about Mount Vernon here.
Talk Like a Pirate Day
Where: Planet Word | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 6pm
Admission: Donation suggested
Have a mighty fun time at this Discovery Day, mateys! Adventures will include a treasure hunt with wordy clues across the galleries, mystery cases full of puzzle solving, an escape room-like experience, and more activities for a mighty fun time. Reserve tickets in advance.
Play the Bluey Way
Where: Tysons Corner Center | Tysons, VA
When: Friday & Saturday, 10am – 5pm | Sunday, 11am – 5pm
Admission: Free
Families are invited to to embrace more play, connection, and fun in their everyday lives through this activation inspired by Bluey. The event features a large-scale sticker-by-number mural designed by Ludo Studio artists, a crafting station, interactive games, family dance sessions, and appearances by Bluey and Bingo.
International Dot Day
Where: Hirhshorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Join NY Times #1 best-selling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, creator of The Dot, for a special celebration of International Dot Day at the Hirshhorn — the biggest dot on the National Mall. There will be special read-aloud sessions, book signings, and “dot light” tours featuring dotty artworks. You can also do some dot-making, inspired by The Dot’s Vashti, who learns that creativity requires courage.
Celebrate with Stamps Family Festival
Where: National Postal Museum | 2 Mass Ave NE, DC
When: Saturday, September 19, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free!
Drop in for an afternoon celebrating the art, culture, and creativity of stamps as the US Postal Service unveils the 2026 Christmas Cookies Forever stamps. The event will have hands-on activities, music, storytelling, and lots of opportunities to get creative. The big moment of the day will be the 12pm unveiling of the stamps.
Sawasdee DC Thai Festival
Where: 3rd – 6th Streets | Pennsylvania Ave, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 7pm
Admission: Free
The Royal Thai Embassy is bringing authentic Thai street food and culture directly to DC for this third annual festival. More than 40 street food vendors will showcase regional Thai dishes, street-side snacks, traditional desserts, and craft beverages. Other festivities include live Muay Thai demonstrations, design craft workshops, and traditional Thai massage, and more fun for all ages.
Homecoming at Abe’s Place
Where: President Lincoln’s Cottage | Petworth, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free (parking $12)
Lincoln’s Cottage presents this annual day of family fun: Homecoming! During the Civil War the Lincoln family called the Cottage home, and every year they welcome everyone back “home” to join in a full day of activities where you can run, walk, and play like they did. There will be a puppet show, pony rides, storytime, activities for kids, cottage tours, picnic ops, and more.
Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival
Where: Great Country Farms | Bluemont, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $16/adult, $14/child, free/2 & under
Great Country’s Pumpkin Harvest Fest begins this weekend. Thrills for little people (okay, us grown-ups, too) include P-Rex, the pumpkin eating dinosaur; Oinkintucky Derby pig races; a cow train; wagon rides to pick pumpkins; five mazes; big slides; rope swings; tractor rides; and even more fun in the country. Find a future jack o’ lantern in the pumpkin patch, one of the largest u-pick patches in the area. See allllll of the many activities here.
Pumpkin Festival
Where: Butler’s Orchard | Germantown, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $18-20/weekends
Butler’s Orchard starts their seasonal celebration this weekend, too. Enjoy a country outing and celebrate the harvest with traditional autumn activities. An area favorite, kids love jumping in the hayloft, heading out on hayrides, the tube slide, a rubber ducky derby, animal petting area, pony rides, pumpkin picking, corn maze, face painting, and much more. Some activities and food cost extra. Purchase there or bring along a picnic, but be sure to treat the kids – and yourself – to a yummy caramel apple! Snag tickets in advance, as this fest often sells out.
Artsfest ’26
Where: Annmarie Sculpture Garden | Lusby, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $10/online, $13/at gate, free/11 & under
Celebrate the visual and performing arts at this event that brings together the country’s most accomplished artists for a fabulous weekend extravaganza of the arts — all set amidst the spectacular backdrop of the beautiful woods of Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center. Enjoy more than 170 artist booths, 40+ performers, activities for kids in the Discovery Tent, Studio School, and the Zany Zone, along with great food, wine & beer, and much more! Read more about Annmarie Sculpture Garden here and here.
Celebrate 50 Years of the American Folklife Center
Where: Library of Congress | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 3:30pm
Admission: Free
Mark the 50th anniversary of the American Folklife Center with activities, displays, and the new exhibition, “Alive in Many Hands: 50 Years of the American Folklife Center.” Explore American folklife through the themes of foodways, work, play, and place. Special guests Los Herederos will bring their Sonicycle, a mobile audiovisual station, for live DJ sets broadcast on LH Radio, a non-commercial internet radio. Join in and share your favorite music, memories, and stories through brief radio interviews recorded on-site. Register for free tickets.
Children’s Book & Learning Fest
Where: Woodrow Wilson Plaza | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Turning the Page is holding its annual children’s book and learning festival on Saturday. There will be 18 booths of interactive children’s activities and crafts from 8 local authors and 10 museum and community partners.
Children’s Day
Where: Brookside Gardens | Wheaton, MD
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Enjoy a day of activities geared towad kids to explore the science and at of gardening. Pot a plant, make some arts and crafts, do some yoga, enjoy performances, learn about garden science and wildlife, and more!
Chuseok Family Festival
Where: Asian Art Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate Chuseok, Korea’s beloved harvest festival, with the museum. Learn about both past and current traditions of one of the biggest holidays in Korea. Enjoy delicious food, a curated art and vendor market, family activities, and dynamic performances, including a special performance by Insun Park & Generals!
Fiesta de Los Ninos
Where: La Cosecha | Union Market, DC
When: Saturday, 12 – 4pm
Admission: Free
Bring the family for afternoon eof ating, dancing, creating, and celebrating to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month! There will be DJ and live performance, crafts and creative activities, plus treats snacks, and more fun. Get there on the early side — the first 150 kids get a free onísima donut!
Gimme an H!
Where: H Street NE, DC
When: Saturday, 12-7pm
Admission: Free
The annual festival on northeast DC’s thriving hip corridor is returning! This one is always huge — so beware that there could be a crowd — and there is tons to see and do. In past years, the event has featured loads of live entertainment, including a kids stage; cool art exhibits; food trucks; crafts for sale by local vendors; fashion shows; dancin’ in the street; and children’s activities, including face painting, story telling, and moon bounces. Public transportation is highly recommended, as parking is always difficult.
Susquehanna Wine & Seafood Festival
Where: Concord Point Lighthouse | Havre de Grace, MD
When: Saturday, 12-7pm
Admission: Starts at $15
Experience some of Maryland’s best seafood in a fun, casual, waterfront setting at the 6th Annual Susquehanna Wine & Seafood Festival. The family-friendly event will feature 20+ local restaurants and food trucks, each serving signature seafood dishes. Along with the culinary offerings, the festival will feature live music, a family zone, cooking demos by local chefs, wine pairings, mixology demos, unique shopping, and more fun. Wine tasting tickets are extra.
Old Firehouse Block Party
Where: Old Firehouse | McLean, VA
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free
Help celebrate the Old Firehouse’s 35 years of serving the Greater McLean community. Enjoy music, giveaways, games, amusements, crafts, food and more. The Old Firehouse is located at 1440 Chain Bridge Road in McLean.
Come From Away
Where: Ford’s Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Fri, 7:30pm | Sat, 2pm & 7:30pm | Sun, 1pm
Admission: $25-95 (find discount)
On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Come From Away returns to the historic Ford’s Theatre stage, telling the heart-warming true story of how a small Canadian town cared for 6,579 airline passengers stranded there on 9/11. When 38 planes were diverted to its doorstep, the town of Gander doubled in size, playing host to an international community of strangers and offering food, shelter and friendship. Recommended for ages 10+. (Recently saw this, and it was wonderful!)
Neon Nights
Where: The Yards Boardwalk | Navy Yard, DC
When: Saturday, 6:30-8:30pm
Admission: Free
Get ready to rewind the clock at this ’80s-themed concert featuring live music from The Rockits. The six-piece band brings an energetic mix of classic hits, soulful grooves, and dance-floor favorites, with plenty of sing-along moments to keep the party going on the waterfront. Registration encouraged!
United vs Charlotte FC
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 7:30pm
Admission: Tickets start at
Bring the whole fam out for an exciting evening of soccer! Get there early for an extra treat this match — the first fans through the gates can get a Talon bobblehead. There are concessions at Audi Field, or you can plan to get dinner ahead of the game in the Navy Yard. See some recs for places to go here.
Just Tryan It Kids Triathlon
Where: Landon School | Bethesda, MD
When: Sunday, 8am
Admission: $65
Kids ages 6-14 can have fun competing in a triathlon — and support a great cause. They can swim, bike, and run with proceeds benefitting families in treatment for pediatric cancer in the Greater Washington DC area. It doesn’t matter if they’re first time triathletes or a pros — racers are separated into heats, and kick boards and training wheels are allowed.
DC Family Bike Fest
Where: Alethia Tanner Park | NoMa, DC
When: Sunday, 10am
Admission: Free
This annual gathering for kid bikers, family bikers, and the bike-curious will have fun for the whole fam! Check out family bike options and meet local shops and orgs. Join a neighborhood bike ride, Kids Bike Parade, library storytime, and/or learn to ride workshop. Enjoy demos, test rides, gear swap, BIG raffle prizes, food trucks, and lots more. Plus, there will be free tuneups sno cones!
Community Day & Watch Party
Where: National Harbor | Oxon Hill, MD
When: Sunday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
Head to National Harbor for an afternoon of family activities, entertainment, health screenings, and more from government agencies, and local vendors. Especially fun will be the Kids Zone with games and activities, Park Rangers showcasing animal fossils and furs, and WOW Wheelz offering a free interactive driving academy. The day wraps up with a Commanders vs. Cowboys Watch Party at 4:25pm on the jumbo screen at The Plaza.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* There’s a new round-up of live entertainment coming to the area this fall, so go save your seats!
* Not really good stuff, as it’s terribly concerning and infuriating, but have you been following what’s happening with the Kennedy Center?
* In that vein, a new IG to follow.
* Did you know there’s a free Dancing on the Waterfront series at The Wharf? Learn a new style every Thursday through October 8.
* Kids and family movies coming to theaters this fall.
* Amazon’s next big sale is coming up October 7-8, but you can shop some early deals now.
* It’s not too soon to snag one of these… the good ones always go fast!
* I think it might be an overalls fall. These and these are cute, too.
