Tag Archives: Air & Scare

Weekend Treats, No Tricks

Halloween has already begun, as far as Boba Fett is concerned

 

So, it’s not officially Halloween this weekend, but given all the events going on — and the fact that my kids are practically living in costumes — for all intents and purposes, it’s Halloween. So, I’m going with the theme. If you’re spooked by the idea of celebrating early, there’s still plenty more to do: a family day at the Newseum, theatre performances on local stages, museum exhibits, book readings, and more. And I’m not even going to mention the “s” word that’s supposedly on it’s way tomorrow (ignore it and it’ll go away, right?), but cooler weather is coming. Fingers crossed that it’s of the crisp, sunny fall day variety. Happy Weekend!

Halloween HappeningsYou don’t have to wait until Monday to get the Halloween festivities started. Catch a concert in costume at National Geographic Live; design a pop-up haunted house at the Building Museum; trick or treat at Old Town Boutiques; put some air in your scare at the Udvar-Hazy Center or College Park Aviation Museum; enjoy kids festivities at the MLK Library, Discovery Theater, GW University, and the Crime Museum. Find details for all of these events in this KFDC post about the many Halloween happenings around town.

Go “Around the World” at the NewseumSaturday is a special Family Day at the museum dedicated to all things news and media.  Take a trip across the globe with journalist Nelly Bly through a variety of activities geared especially toward kids, a scavenger hunt, front page news games, a historical enactment of Bly, and a 3-D short film among them. This all starts at 11am – see the schedule for activity times. Admission to the museum is still the regular price (21.95/adults, $12.95/ages 7-18, free for ages 6 and under), but you’ll get to experience the special activities along with all the permanent collections.  And, as mention in this KFDC post about the Newseum a couple of weeks ago, tickets are good for two consecutive days, so you can go back Sunday for even more.

Fall Frolic – Glen Echo Park’s annual Halloween-themed event is a seasonal fave for all ages.  The public is invited to explore the park through hands-on crafts, Halloween activities, and performances. Decorate trick-or-treat bags, make a spooky spider or a friendly ghost, and color Halloween pictures for free.  Pay a small fee $1-2) for pumpkin decorating and face painting. The Park’s studios and galleries will also be open for visitors to view the works of resident artists.  And a costume parade will conclude the fun at the end of the day.  This all happens on Saturday from 1-4pm.

Hansel & Gretel at the NationalThe free Saturday morning theatre fun continues. First up is Barrymore Eagle’s Costume Parade, so bring the kids in their charming or wild Halloween get-ups. Afterwards, kids will revel in the not-too-scary Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel, which is brought magically to life by the enchanting marionettes from Baltimore’s Black Cherry Puppet Theater. These performances at National Theatre take place at 9:30am and 11am, and tickets are required for admission. Free tickets are distributed half an hour prior to the start of shows on a first-come first-served basis. Only one ticket per person, and all attendees must be standing in line to receive a ticket. Children must be accompanied by an adult who remains present for the entire performance. Seating is limited, so get there early!

Go Nat Geo – Families can enjoy more than just  the aforementioned Halloween concert going on at the National Geographic Museum this weekend. On Sunday at 1pm, join Dig Deeper, a free archaeology workshop being presented in conjunction with the exhibition Anglo-Saxon Hoard: Gold from England’s Dark Ages. Email NatGeoMuseum@ngs.org to register.  And while you’re there, don’t miss Animal Grossology, a new exhibit for kids featuring some of the slimiest, stinkiest, yuckiest creatures on earth.  Admission to the exhibit is $8/adults, $6/ages 5-12, free for children 4 and under and includes the fun Weird But True exhibit as well as entrance to Ocean Soul: Photographs by Brian Skerry, a beautiful collection of images from oceans around the world that will captivate any photography buff or wildlife lover.

Take the FallThis is the last weekend for many area fall festivals, so if you still have yet to pick out pumpkins, zip down lofty slides, bounce on giant pillows, and have fun down on the farm, see this KFDC post to find out where you can go to squeeze it all in.  And if  you have been.. hey, go back for more!

Book it to the JCCEnjoy a morning of crafts, folktales, and fun with children’s book author Vicki Weber. Her award-winning book, It’s Too Crowded in Here!, is a collection of Jewsish folktales and midrashic stories enlivened by colorful illustrations.  The event starts at 10am and is part of the Jewish Literary Festival that runs through November 2. Admission to this Sunday’s family program is $10 and includes a copy of the book. 

Stage Delights – See Gustafer Yellowgold, the small, yellow, cone-headed fellow, who came to the Earth from the Sun, at Jammin’ Java.  Catch the final performances of Alladin’s Luck at Imagination Stage. Watch the Three Billy Goats Gruff on strings. These shows, plus a few more, will entertain audiences at local theatres this weekend.  This KFDC post has more details on all of them.

Potrait Story Days – Drop in at the National Portrait Gallery from 1-4pm on Saturday and Sunday to listen to a story about a person who has influenced American history and culture and to create a special piece of art. This weekend, learn about Girl Scouts founder, Juliette Gordon Low.

And as always, these posts are worth checking out once the forecast is firm:

The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors With the Kids

Rainy Day Recreation (ie, Indoor Fun)

 

 

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Filed under All ages, Annual, Art, DC, Educational, Fall, Farm, Festival, Free, Halloween, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Music, Outdoor, Park, Seasonal, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend

The Weekend Selection

As any good mom (or PTA member) would do, I’m starting this post on weekend activities with a plug for an event at my son’s school. And I do this without guilt, because I know it’s going to be a few solid hours of fun for the whole family.

Maury Elementary will be holding its annual Fall Festival tomorrow, October 23, from 10am – 2pm. Come partake in arts & crafts for kids, face painting, games, food, cake walks every 10 minutes, a costume parade at 1pm (come dressed!), a dunk tank, and a cook-off with judging and sampling. Tickets will be available for purchase to redeem for activities and food (costs are fairly minimal). If you’re in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, come check it out. Maury is located at 1250 Constitution Avenue NE.

And now onto the rest of the weekend round-up. Here’s a quick list of links for posted events with a few more ideas for recreation with the kids to follow.

Boo at the Zoo
New Shows at The Puppet Co.
USA Science & Engineering Festival
Race & Festival for World Peace
Storytelling and a Library Celebration in Georgetown
Kids Euro Fest
National Geographic Museum Exhibits

The Pirates of Penzance
The Washington Savoyards, deemed the light opera company of DC, is performing Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” starting tomorrow, October 23, at the Atlas Theatre on H Street NE. Word from my local parents’ group is that the show is appropriate for grade school-aged kids and should be a good time for the family. The play runs through November 7. Tickets range from $15 – $45 and can be purchased through the website.

Air & Scare
Get a head start on Halloween and discover the spooky side of air and space at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s Sixth Annual Air & Scare on Saturday, October 23, from 2 – 8pm. Kids are encouraged to arrive in costume for creepy crafts, eerie science experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities. Story time and dress-up will be awaiting little ones in the Tot Zone. And guests can complement their garb at a face painting station, then pose for a photo with their favorite Star Wars characters. The event is free, though parking is $15. Visit the Air & Space website for directions to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

It’s the Great Pumpkin…
If you still need the goods to carve some jack o’ lanterns, head to a local patch for some pumpkin picking. This is a repeat suggestion from me, but a relevant one until Halloween has past. See this post on peach picking for farm suggestions — all of these places are onto their autumnal harvests. You can also check out this post for farms holding annual fall festivals. Most have pumpkins for the picking as well.

Family Movie Time
Here’s a great way to wind down the weekend. Every Sunday evening from 5 – 9pm is Family Night at Old Arlington Grill. Films geared toward ages 3-10 play on the large screen, so kids are entertained while parents enjoy dinner. Admission is free; the only cost is the meal. Old Arlington Grill is located at 2903 Columbia Pike in Arlington.

Happy Weekend!

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Filed under All ages, Annual, DC, Fall, Festival, Free, Halloween, Live Entertainment, Music, Outdoor, Play, Weekend