Category Archives: Museums

October 18, 2018 · 8:57 am

Kids Euro Festival: Your Passport to 2 Weeks of Free Cultural Adventures!

You don’t have to cross the pond to introduce your kids to European art and culture. Thanks to the European Union Delegation and more than 20 local and national cultural institutions, Europe is coming to us via the Kids Euro Festival, a virtual passport to two weeks of artistic adventures and entertainment right here in DC!

Beginning this Saturday, October 20, and running through November 4, the 11th Annual Festival will present more than 80 FREE children’s performances and adventures all around the DC-Metro area. Concerts, storytelling, puppetry, cinema, dance, magic, and workshops are among the offerings. And museums, public libraries, movie theaters, arts and cultural organizations, Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and other local theatres are some of the many performance venues, making the experiences accessible to families throughout the area and showcasing places that enrich and bolster the community.

A few of many highlights this year: The 60th anniversary celebration of the Smurfs presented by Belgium; “United in Music,” a performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage by a Latvian youth choir composed of both students with and without hearing impairments; and a performance of “Angelina, a contemporary Cinderella,” featuring Italian opera singers at the Shakespeare Theatre. And KEEN Day on October 20 features a full day of events for kids with disabilities.

The festival, designed for children ages 2-12, is the largest of its kind in the U.S. Most countries in the European Union are represented in shows and workshops that highlight national cultural traditions and art.

Visit the Kids Euro Festival website for the complete schedule of performances and age recommendations. You can also follow on Facebook for event updates and more info.

Where to Play on the Weekdays: August 27-31

Get to the Fun House before it closes in a week!

Monday – Go to a special summer exhibit or museum program while you can! Several around the area will come to an end after Labor Day. Explore the Fun House at the National Building Museum. Enjoy free admission for kids to the Newseum thanks to the Summer Fun Deal (and get a deal on adult admission here). Look for fairy houses and enjoy more artistic delights at Annmarie Sculpture Garden. Visit Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree for Washington, DC, at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden. Find details on these and even more soon-to-be over activities in the 2018 Summer Guide.

Tuesday – Head up to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to tour the historic ships. There are four vessels that welcome visitors to explore: The USS Constellation, USS Torsk, USCGC Taney, and LV116 Chesapeake. Admission to tour two ships is $15/adult, $7/ages 6-14, free for ages 5 and under, and you can add on for just a few dollars more per ship. Read more about the experience in this KFDC post.

Wednesday – Get artsy at All Fired Up, where you can walk-in and paint your own pottery. Right now on Mondays & Wednesdays, you can get 15% off select pieces from 12-3pm, and regular pottery prices range from $6-60. Locations are in Cleveland Park and Bethesda. All ages are welcome!

You can also play outside and get a taste of Tinkergarten! The program provides wonderful, outdoor, play-based early childhood classes for children 18 months – 8 years old and their parents/caregivers to come together weekly in local parks to play, discover, and learn together. Join a FREE trial class at Belle Haven Park in Alexandria, VA, from 9:30am-10:45am. Trial classes are a great opportunity to see what Tinkergarten is all about! Register in advance here. (Note: This was originally the Thursday listing, but I had the date wrong — oops! There will also be free trial classes this Friday, August 31, and next week, September 5 and 7.)

Thursday – Stay cool on the hot day at a public outdoor pool, which will only remain open daily through Labor Day. Even better, they’re free (or a small fee if you’re not a resident of the District or county where it’s located). Check out the 2018 Summer Guide for links to public pools in the area and be sure to note open swim times, as they may vary from pool to pool.

Friday – Spend what’s one of the last days of summer break for many local kids at the beach! Several places within day trip-distance from DC are great for sand and surf. Enjoy picturesque views of the Bay Bridge along with beach fun at Sandy Point State Park. Head out to Calvert County for a day at Flag Ponds Nature Park, including some fossil hunting. Head a little further out to North Beach or Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park). You can also play paleontologist and look for prehistoric fragments along the Potomac at Purse State Park in Charles County, MD.

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Filed under 2018, All ages, Art, DC, Exhibit, Free, Maryland, Museums, Outdoor, Seasonal, Summer, Virginia, Weekdays

Tagged as DC Kids Activities, DC outdoors, DC Weekday Activities with Kids, DC with kids, DMV Children, Family Fun, Free Things to do in Washington DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Fun with Kids in Maryland, Fun with Kids in Northern Virginia, Kid Friendly Adventures in DC, Summer 2018, Summer Activites, Weekdays August 27-31

August 23, 2018 · 6:09 pm

The Weekend Round-Up: August 24-26

Huzzah for the weekend!

Happy Weekend!

Ren Fest!
Where: Revel Grove | Crownsville, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 7pm
Admission: $19/adults, $16/seniors, free/15 & under
Merriment, anyone? The Maryland Renaissance Festival is all about it. The fantastic trip back to medieval times is an event that appeals to all ages and sensibilities. Enjoy jousting matches, kids shows, comedy acts, tight rope walkers, jugglers, puppetry, Celtic music…and that’s just some of the live entertainment. There are also pony and elephant rides, a pirate playground, a giant slide, 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 21. And this weekend only, kids ages 15 and under get in for FREE!

Comcast Outdoor Film Fest
Where: Strathmore | Bethesda, MD
When: Thursday – Sunday, 7:30pm
Admission: Free
‭Enjoy summer fun under the stars during the Annual Comcast Outdoor Film Festival. The free event gives the community an unrivaled outdoor movie experience with digital cinema ‬projection. ‬See Coco on Thursday, Black Panther on Friday, The Lion King on Saturday, and Wonder Woman on Sunday. Gates open at 7:30pm, and movies begin at dusk.

Summer Fun
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: All weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
There’s not much time left to enjoy some of the best activities of the season… Outdoor pools and spraygrounds, special museum programs and exhibits, music and movies in the open air, beach fun, mini golf and carousels rides, a good ol’ crab feast. The guide to Summer in DC has all the inspo you need to eke the most out of the summer wind-down.

Dragon Boat Regatta
Where: The Wharf | Southwest, DC
When: Saturday, 8am – 5pm
Admission: Free
The 5th annual Capital Dragon Boat Regatta will be an experience for athletes and spectators alike. The family-friendly event features the best premier and local dragon boat teams from along the east coast racing in multiple distances over the course of the day. The public is welcome to watch this unique event for free! And plan for even more fun at The Wharf — read more about it in this KFDC post.

Community Day
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 12-6pm
Admission: Free
Join Arena Stage to celebrate the upcoming 2018-19 season! This Community Day is fun for the entire family with live entertainment, dance performances, face painting, story telling, poetry readings, cultural presentations, and more! You’ll also have a chance to get in on some of the fun with dance workshops, juggling demos, and pony rides. You can even meet, adopt, and go home with your new best friend — the Humane Rescue Alliance’s mobile adoption vehicle will be onsite with adoptable cats and dogs.

Celebrate 17th Street
Where: 1500-1600 blocks, 17th Street NW | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 12-6pm
Admission: $10
The event in the Dupont Circle neighborhood will feature all kinds of activities for the whole fam. Live entertainment; more than 60 artists and makers selling food, art, and other cool wares; a Kids Zone with bouncy fun, face painting, games, and more; exhibits by non-profit groups; and appearances by city officials will be part of the festivities that celebrate the community and businesses.

Summer in the City Family Day
Where: Smithsonian American Art Museum | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Beat the heat and still play in the sun! Enjoy summertime games, crafts, and scavenger hunts, all while listening to relaxing island music in the museum’s beautiful Kogod Courtyard. While you’re there, treat the fam to refreshing summer snacks, available for purchase from the Courtyard Café. And be sure to tour the galleries filled with art that all ages will enjoy! See more of the America Art Museum here.

Circus Science Day
Where: Port Discovery | Baltimore, MD
When: Saturday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $15.95/age 2+
Join Post Discovery under the big top for Circus Science Saturday! Engage in interactive Circus Circuit stations: Learn the tricks of the trade such as juggling, balancing feathers, and much more. Stop by art tables to make-and-take a sound sandwich that you will use during a fun Circus Parade. Plus, hop in the backseat of the Circus Train Ride before the day is over and enjoy the view!

Sensory-Friendly Screening
Where: Regal Rockville Center Stadium | Rockville, MD
When: Saturday, 10:30am
Admission: $6.50
Catch a Sensory-Friendly Screening of A.X.L. on Saturday morning. The newest My Way Matinee from Regal gives everyone the opportunity to experience a movie once a month with the sound turned down and the lights turned up. Watch the trailer for the movie here.

Weekend Workers: Drawing Like a Shipbuilder
Where: Baltimore Museum of Industry | Baltimore, MD
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: $12/adult, $7/age 7-11, free/6 & under
Join the museum for a Weekend Workers session that will let your child’s creativity set sail! Visitors will learn about the history of shipbuilding in Baltimore, view material from the BMI Archives’ shipbuilding collection, and use actual drafting tools to draw their own ship blueprints. Read more about the Museum of Industry in this KFDC post.

Irish Festival
Where: Waterfront Park | Alexandria, VA
When: Saturday, 11am – 7pm
Admission: Free
Head to Old Town for a day of fun and music to celebrate Irish history and culture. Along with lots of live Celtic music and Irish dancing, shop the vendor booths featuring a variety of Irish items, arts & crafts, and traditional festival foods.

Irish Dance Open House
Where: Fuse Pilates | Foxhall Square, DC
When: Saturday, 12-1:30pm
Admission: Free
A new Irish Dance Academy is opening in Northwest DC with classes for ages 5 and up taught by a Riverdance and Broadway performer! This weekend you can check out District Irish Dance Academy and an intro class at an Open House.

StepFest
 Where: Kingman and Heritage Islands | Northeast DC
When: Saturday, 5pm
Admission: Free
Join Step Afrika! for StepFest, the culminating event of their annual Step Xplosion on Saturday. The show will feature performances by Step Afrika!, Coyaba Dance Theater, Dem Raider Boyz Step Squad, and many more dance groups as well as activities for all ages. Be sure to check the website for schedule and details to help you plan. ! Register for free here.

Tinker Bell
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: Through August 26
Admission: $19.50
This weekend is your last chance to catch Adventure Theatre’s summer production! Get to know Tinker Bell as the fiesty fairy tells her side of the story! Tinker Bell is a world premiere play that presents the tale of Peter Pan from the eyes of everyone’s favorite fairy friend. Recommended for all ages.

Shows on Strings
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $6-12
Peter and the Wolf is the Main Stage performance at the puppet theater in Glen Echo Park, recommended for children of all ages. And really little ones will love Mother Goose Caboose, this Sunday’s featured Tiny Tots show, where the lights stay on and doors stay open for an atmosphere suited to small fries.

Little Mover & POP! Open Houses
Where: CityDance | Tenleytown, DC & Rockville, MD
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
CityDance invites Little Movers ages 3 to 7 to sample dance classes at an Open House this weekend. Children can try out Ballet, Hip Hop, Flamenco, and Sri Lankan – for free! Register for Tenleytown here and Rockville here.

Play-Ka-Rah: The Ice child
Where: Keegan Theatre
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $17
Keegan Theatre’s series that encourage theatrical experiences for families features The Ice Child, a tale of growing up different. It’s a fairy story — a story told by the fairies about people. And it’s a love story – a story about love. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

KIDZ Bop Live 2018
Where: Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA
When: Saturday, 6pm
Tickets: $30-70
KIDZ BOP Live 2018 is the ultimate family concert experience, “sung by kids for kids.” The KIDZ BOP Kids headline this new show, performing some of today’s biggest hit songs that have also kept them at the top of the US Kids charts for over 15 years.

Shakespeare Free for All
Where: Sydney Harman Hall | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
See Romeo & Juliet for free as Shakespeare Theatre Company presents its annual Free For All program, when they offer complimentary performances of a Shakespearean classic to the public. Tickets are available through an online lottery or by waiting in line day-of with a limited number available.

***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* Need some school lunch ideas? Not-So-SAHM recently shared 25 Bento Box Lunches for Kids.
* Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win tickets to see InterAct Story Theatre’s Voytto Tech: a scifi fable!
* Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Museum Day is coming up on September 22, offering free admission to many museums that usually require an entrance fee (and there actually are some in the DC area).
* If you’re looking for book recommendations, here are a few good ones from a great source.