Tag Archives: ARTdays at CHAW

Peak Weekend

Sweetest scarecrow I ever saw

Late October is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a combo of the crisp, cool weather, brilliant hues of fall foliage, anticipation of Halloween, and myriad events and activities hailing it all.  These next few days are no exception — there  are plenty of family pursuits happening that fit right into that formula.  Happy Weekend!

Halloween Jump StartTrick or treat at the Zoo, decorate skulls at the National Museum of Health & Medicine, take a train ride through Maryland woods. If your little monsters are ready for a scream, these are just some of the events happening this weekend to get the Halloween party started. This KFDC post has details on all of them.

Jump Off!Join the National Children’s Museum at Watkins Regional Park on Saturday from 12-4pm for the 4th Annual Jump Off! Designed to inspire children to be physically active while having fun, the event will feature free, outdoor exhibition performances by nationally renowned Double Dutch jump rope teams along with numerous family-friendly activities. Highlights will include performances and workshops by Jump Off! Veterans, special guest appearances by The Washington Mystics representatives, music and live entertainment, giveaways and promos; Frisbee decorating (while supplies last), and parachute play with NCM staff. Admission is free.

Go EuroPerformances representing 27 countries in the European Union are part of the four-week festival presented by the French-American Cultural Foundation.  See Cool Frogs at the Kennedy Center, Irish dancing at La Maison Française, Czech films at AFI, a puppet show at CHAW, and more cultural productions throughout the weekend. See the Kids Euro Festival schedule for specifics.

Fall at Mount VernonMount Vernon welcomes the autumn season with Fall Harvest Family Days that include wagon rides, wheat treading in the 16-sided barn, 18th-century dancing demonstrations, a straw bale maze, farrier (blacksmithing) demonstrations, apple-roasting, corn husk dolls demonstrations and early-American games and music. Guests can also get a view of the estate from the water – Potomac River sightseeing cruises are half-price during this weekend event. Fall Harvest Family Days take place Saturday and Sunday from 9am – 5pm and are included in regular estate admission $15/adults, $7/ages 6-11, free for children 5 and under.

ARTdays at CHAWThe series presenting art and cultural adventures for families has several performances on the line-up on Saturday.  Catch a Kids Euro Fest performance at 10:30am and 12:30pm, as puppet performer Juha from Finland takes the all-ages audience to Finnish Lapland with his show “Off to Lapland.” Later in the day, from 4-5:30pm, get your percussion on at “Get Down With Your Rhythm Self,” a community drumming circle that welcomes all beats, experience levels, and ages.  All ARTdays events are free.

Show TimeThere’s even more live entertainment to enjoy on stages all over the area. Dr. Wonderful and her dog are having some amazing adventures at the Kennedy Center, Alladin is still trying his luck at Imagination Stage (and Certifikid has a deal on tickets for Sunday shows), and marionettes are entertaining Tiny Tots at The Puppet Co. Playhouse. Get time and ticket details on these performances and more in this KFDC post.

Woof WalkHere’s an event for the whole family, including Fido. To promote dog walking as an easy and enjoyable way to get up, get out, and get moving, THE POWER OF PETS™ by Mars Petcare and the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington is hosting a community walking and family fitness event for dogs and their owners on the National Mall (near the Capitol Hill Reflecting Pool) complete with free activities. On Saturday from 10am – 2pm, there will be a 2K community dog walk, a question and answer session with a Banfield Pet Hospital veterinarian, doggie and kiddie obstacle courses, fitness demonstrations, arts & crafts, bounce house and face painting, music and a dance party, and healthy snacks for pets and people. Register online.

Arts for Families: Make an African MaskThe Textile Museum is hosting its monthly program for families on Sunday from 2-4pm. Explore the many cultures of Africa and the rich history of mask-making. Create your own mask using cardboard, paint and raffia, combining elements and features from the human, animal and spirit worlds. Paint clothes are suggested. This free activity is recommended for ages 5–12. No reservations are required.

Friends Community School FairOn Sunday from 12 – 4pm, join the FCS community for their annual Fall Fair. There will be a haunted house, an obstacle course, a moon bounce, books and toys for sale, and plenty of good food.  Friends Community School is a small Kindergarten through 8th grade Quaker school that welcomes students of all beliefs. The fair will take place at the school – 5901 Westchester Park Drive, College Park, Md.

Last Call for MerrimentIt’s the final weekend of the Maryland Renaissance Festival, the annual faire that recalls medieval times with a village full of fun and entertainment for the whole family.  Partake in it all on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am – 7pm. One-day tickets are $19/adults, $16/seniors, $9/kids ages 7-15, free for children 6, and are available at the Box Office each day.  For more info about Ren Fest, see this KFDC post.

Celebrate the SeasonFall festivals are still going strong at area farms and other venues – a friend just let me know that American Plant in Bethesda has a super cute set-up for little ones, including a straw maze, a small haunted house, plus free popcorn and cider. The Cabin John Shopping Center is also hosting a fall shindig from 1-3pm that will include hay rides, scarecrow making, face painting, balloon art, and more. And for a big list of places where you can embrace the autumn spirit, see this KFDC post.

Walk in the WoodsHow about hitting the trail to enjoy the autumnal color spectrum?  This KFDC post has a bunch of recommendations for good places to hike with kids.

Out & About – If you want to get outside without committing to a long walk, check out some of The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors With the Kids.

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

‘Tis the Weekend

The holiday season is upon us. This is evident by the holiday-themed events that have begun popping up around town. Of course, if you’re not quite ready to embrace the spirit, there are plenty of other things to do, such as Family Days at the museums and the Gustafer Yellowgold show at the Alden Theater. For more ideas for family fun this weekend, both with and without the turkeys and tinsel in mind, hear are some recommendations.

Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade
Get into the Turkey Day spirit a little early. On Saturday, November 20, the 13th Annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade will bring a procession of holiday fun to the streets of Downtown Silver Spring. Marching bands, floats, giant balloons, trained dogs, antique cars, and holiday displays will be part of the procession. The pageantry begins at 9:30am at Georgia and Ellsworth Avenues.

ICE!
The National Harbor’s signature holiday attraction sounds pretty cool, both literally and figuratively. I have yet to experience it myself, so here’s the description from the website:

“Bringing to life the 1957 Dr. Seuss holiday classic tale, ICE! features 10 colorful scenes straight out of the pages of the original storybook. Sculpted from TWO-MILLION pounds of ice, the indoor walk-through attraction brilliantly showcases how the “Whoville-hating” Grinch learns the true meaning of Christmas. Visitors will take an adventure through the Grinch’s frozen world, see jaw-dropping ice sculptures and walk through larger-than-life scenes that re-create the original storyline. Little kids and big kids alike can even zip down two-story-tall slides made completely of ice!”

ICE! will be open through January 9. Tickets are $29/ages 13+, $18/kids 4-12 and can be purchased online for various times.

The Singing Lizard — for Free!
As part of their ARTdays at CHAW series, the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop presents a free concert for families. The Singing Lizard’s live shows are fast-paced, fun, and full of exciting songs that both kids and adults enjoy. The concert is from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. in CHAW’s Black Box Theater.

Grand Canyon Adventure
Just because the Natural History Museum isn’t hosting a Family Day this weekend, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit. Besides the incredible exhibits that get kids of all ages ogling – dinos, mammals, insects, butterflies – the IMAX theater has some compelling movies, including the recently opened Grand Cayon Adventure: River at Risk 3D. The film about a whitewater ride with inspirational message about water conservation is a more than worth every cent of the $9 tickets.

Jewish Folk Arts Festival
The Jewish Folk Arts Festival is a celebration of the talent and diversity of Jewish performing and visual arts in the Greater Washington DC/Baltimore region. The richness of values, culture, and heritage is passed from generation to generation through singers, writers, dancers, visual artists, storytellers and craftspeople. All performers and workshop presenters donate their time to the festival. In its final few days, the festival is being held at the JCC of Greater Washington located at 6125 Montrose Road in Rockville. Hours are 12pm – 6pm. Ticket prices vary by day and age; visit the website for specifics.

Holiday Shows
“Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer” opens at Adventure Theater today, November 19, and “A Christmas Carol” opens at Ford’s Theater tomorrow, November 20. See this post about holiday shows for complete details on both.

Ice Skate Amid the Sculptures
The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink opened for the season last weekend, and mild temps over the next few days will make it a great time to get gliding. Afterward, treat yourself and the kids to hot chocolate and other goodies at the Pavilon Café. The rink is located on the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Open Saturday 10am – 11pm and Sunday 11am – 9pm. Admission is $7/adults, $6/children 12 and under.

Geckos and Wild Music at the Nat Geo
There’s a reason why I keep recommending Geckos: Tales to Toepads and Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life at the National Geographic Museum: Both exhibits are awesome. For more details, photos, and a lengthier review, check out this post from a few weeks ago.

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Filed under All ages, Annual, Art, Christmas, DC, Educational, Festival, Free, Holidays, Live Entertainment, Movies, Museums, Music, Outdoor, Seasonal, Weekend

Seize the Weekend

Frolicking at the U.S. National Arboretum

If you’ve been following my posts this week, then you likely are aware that Saturday is jam-packed with options for family activities.  And if you haven’t been keeping up, here’s the quick list of links:

Festival of the Building Arts at the National Building Museum
RiverFrontFest
Truck Touch
Alexandria Arts Safari
Zestfest
ARTdays at CHAW

So, the big question is: What about Sunday? Here are some suggestions for seizing the day — on either half of the weekend:

Apple & Pumpkin Picking
Many of our area farms are still in the midst of apple picking season, and most have pumpkin patches that could be yielding your next jack o’ lantern. For some ideas on where to go, check out this post from a few months back about peach picking; these same farms are onto autumn produce now.

Fall Festivals
I wouldn’t continue recommending these festivals if they weren’t so much fun. And they are a fantastic seasonal tradition for kids. Hop on a hayride, negotiate a corn maze, pick some produce, swoop down slides, and enjoy a beautiful day outdoors.

Maryland Renaissance Festival
The merriment continues in Crownesville, MD. On weekends through October 24, you can time trip at the charming medieval village that hosts the annual faire. For details on admission and what you will find there, check out the original post about the event.

U.S. National Arboretum
You have nearly 450 acres of amazing plant collections to explore, not to mention a koi pond, the old National Capitol columns, a special orchid exhibit, and more at the Arboretum. Tour the gardens, play in the fields, then spread out a picnic in the Grove of State Trees, the designated eating spot for visitors.

See a Show
Catch a performance at one of several area theatres — Rumplestiltskin at the Kennedy Center, Bunnicula at Imaginations Stage, Spot’s Birthday Party at Adventure Theatre. Check out this post for play descriptions and ticket information.

Take a Hike
The weather couldn’t be more perfect for a family walk in the woods. Here are some ideas on where to hit the trail with the kids.

Happy Weekend!

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Filed under All ages, Art, DC, Fall, Festival, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Outdoor, Seasonal, Virginia, Weekend