Happy Weekend!
#OptOutside
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission:Varies by Locale
I love this initiative started by REI a few years ago. Skip the shopping (or do it off-hours online) and get out to enjoy some family QT outdoors. You’ve got your pick of places around the DC-Metro for adventures in the fresh air. Take a hike, hit a playground, explore a garden, visit animals, or see what else there is to do al fresco in this post with tons of inspiration for fun (hopefully) in the sun.
Season’s Greenings
Where: U.S. Botanic Garden | National Mall area, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
Easily one of DC’s most popular holiday attractions, Season’s Greenings is an annual delight for all ages. The conservatory exhibit features Washington landmarks constructed from plant materials. But the highlight, hands-down, is the garden railway, which never fails to impress and enchant with intricate, imaginative designs. This year’s America’s Gardens exhibit is as lovely and whimsical as it is impressive. Get a glimpse of it before you go in this new post.
Native American Heritage Day: Family Fun Day
Where: American Indian Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Friday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
The museum’s unique family celebration of Native American Heritage Day showcases Native culture through interactive dancing, games, storytelling, hands-on activities and make-and-takes, as well as music and dance presentations. Join in recognizing the many contributions of Native Americans to all aspects of life in the United States. The program features the Dineh Tah Navajo Dancers throughout the day. (And if you haven’t seen a performance in the NMAI’s beautiful atrium (or even if you have), I highly recommend going — they are always so interesting and entertaining for all ages.)
Thankszipping
Where: Adventure Park at Sandy Spring | Sandy Spring, MD
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: $29-56
After all of that turkey, what’s better than a climb in the trees? Bring out-of-town relatives or just the fam to the Adventure Park for a day of navigating the ropes courses. There are 13 trails, 29 zip lines, 6 difficulty levels, and almost 200 challenge bridges — something for everyone! Read about one of our past experiences at the Adventure Park.
Visit While You Can
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $10/adult, $7/child for exhibits
Whether you explore the exhibits or hang out in the stunning Great Hall, this weekend is your last chance to spend time at the National Building Museum for a few months. It will close temporarily from December 2, 2019 to March 2020 while it undergoes repairs.
Holidays on the Stage
Where: Local theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
If you’re looking for holiday-inspired entertainment to get into the spirit, it’s starting! The Nutcracker will enchant audiences of all ages. Enjoy a classic with The Velveteen Rabbit at Adventure Theatre or The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at Imagination Stage. Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead Scrooge on A Christmas Carol journey at Ford’s Theatre. Get details on these shows and see what else is coming up soon in the 2019 Guide to the Holiday Season.
More Show Time
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by show
* Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (The Musical) is at the Kennedy Center
* Let Newsies entertain you at Arena Stage (find discount tix)
* The Great Zucchini is performing at Jammin Java on Saturday morning
* See Singin’ in the Rain at Olney Theatre
* Source Theatre’s Little Shop of Horrors is recommended for tweens and up.
* Enjoy a performance of Amadeus at The Folger
The Muppet Christmas Carol Screening
Where: National Museum of American History | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 3:45pm
Admission: $10
The Muppet Christmas Carol, part of Smithsonian Theater’s Holiday Film Series, is guaranteed to put you in a holiday spirit that will stay with you forever. Enjoy the incredible spectacle of Kermit the Frog as Bob Crachit, Miss Piggy as Emily Crachit and Michael Caine as Scrooge.
Christmas at Mount Vernon
Where: Mount Vernon Estate, Museum, & Gardens
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, 9am – 4pm
Admission: $20/adult, $12/age 6-11, free/5 & under
Christmas past meets Christmas present at George Washington’s estate. Just as the Washingtons celebrated the holiday with family and friends, visitors can start a new tradition of visiting Mount Vernon this holiday season.
The holidays are full of delight at George Washington’s estate. During the day, tour the Mansion, watch historic chocolate-making demonstrations, and meet Aladdin the Camel. Mount Vernon is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and New Years. So bring the entire family to the home of George and Martha Washington this holiday season. There are also Candlelight Tours on select dates, plus even more seasonal activities — visit the website for details.
Holly Trolley Holidays
Where: National Capitol Trolley Museum | Colesville, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $7/adults, $5/ages 2-17 (includes unlimited rides)
There are a few happenings at the Trolley Museum this winter. At the Winter Wonder Garden, see toy trains and street cars in an indoor winter village. Then on weekend from December 7-22, guests can ride with Santa on the street cars as well. And Winter in Washington, a special exhibit celebrating the season with street cars in the Nation’s Capital, will run through January 26.
Festival of Trees
Where: Maryland State Fairgrounds | Timonium, MD
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: $14/adult, $6/child, free/4 & under
Kick off the holiday season by welcoming Santa Claus to a winter wonderland at the annual Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Festival of Trees! The East Coast’s largest holiday-themed festival will return to the Maryland State Fairgrounds with decorated trees, a gingerbread town, shopping, breakfast with Santa, endless holiday activities, and non-stop entertainment for children of all ages!
More Holiday Happenings
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
This weekend is the start of even more big holiday events around DC and the continuation of others. If you hope to hit ‘em all during the season, you should get going now. For the complete rundown on all the area’s holiday happenings, see the 2019 KFDC Guide to the Holiday Season in DC.
Small Business Saturday
Where: Around the DMV
When: Saturday
Admission: Free, but plan to buy & support local
If you’re planning to do some holiday shopping this weekend, make a point of going to local, independent stores, both to score great, unique gifts and to support people and places that help make our communities thrive.
Weekend Walk-In: Bot Shop
Where: American Visionary At Museum | Baltimore, MD
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: $5
Join the museum for this month’s Weekend Walk-in, a hands-on, drop-in, art-making workshop in the AVAM classroom! During this session, bring new life to recycled and found objects and create a reclaimed robot! Supplies & boundless inspiration provided. Read more about the wonderful American Visionary Art Museum here.
Story Time on Kindness
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Sunday, 11am – 12pm
Admission: Free
This weekend’s Story Time at the Hirshhorn explores kindness. Look at the work For Freedoms by Hank Willis Thomas and Emily Shur, a reimagining of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms. After a reading of Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, kids can stay and make their own artwork to take home. Of course, plan for time to tour the museum, too!
Free Community Day
Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts | Downtown, DC
When: Sunday, 12-5pm
Admission: Free
The first Sunday of every month is a great opportunity to explore the National Museum of Women in the Arts when admission is FREE! Works span the centuries, from the 16th to the present in a variety of mediums, highlighting women artists all over the world. Plan for a Fierce Women tour, offered 1-2pm or explore the museum on your own.
Book Signing and Drawing Demo
Where: Politics & Prose | Rockville, MD
When: Sunday, 5pm (doors open 4:30pm)
Admission: Free
Jan Brett, one of America’s most beloved children’s author/artists, will be at Politics and Prose at Johns Hopkins University Gilchrist Hall in Montgomery County for a drawing demonstration and signing of her new book, The Tale of the Tiger Slippers. Brett is a master of bringing the wonders of nature and culture to generations of children, parents, and teachers. Her meticulous, whimsical art is inspired by her thorough research of the flora, fauna, and local cultures throughout the Americas, the Arctic, Europe, Africa and Asia. Join her for this event and help celebrate her 70th birthday!
Night Lights
Where: Around the DMV
When: Evenings throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Twinkling lights forming enchanting displays are easily a holiday season favorite. The popular and free ZooLights begins this weekend (FYI: the DC Circulator is offering special weekend shuttle service to ZooLights from the Woodley Park Metro for just $1/ride! Several parks and gardens in the area have also transformed into a sparkling wonderlands. Some you can walk through for an up-close experience, others you tour by car. If you opt for the latter, dress the kids in PJ’s, turn up the holiday tunes, and bring along a thermos of hot chocolate — it doesn’t get much cozier than that.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* There’s still time to enter the giveaways for tickets to The Illusionists at National Theatre and Singin’ in the Rain at Olney Theatre.
* Go, Sascha Baron Cohen.
* TodayTix Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have started, and they’re offering up to 60% off theater tickets for a variety of show in DC!
* KiwiCo has a great sale right now on their ever-popular activity boxes for kids.
* Everyone should read this book.