Getting up close and, perhaps, a little too personal with a funky car at last year's H Street Festival
This weekend is one of those times I wish there were seven of me, so I could attend multiple events at one time. Yes, there is that much good stuff happening over the next few days — and that’s just counting the special one-off events, not the ongoing assortment of recreational mainstays in the DC-metro. And it’s all forecast to go down amid superb weather conditions. Whatever you and the kids end up doing, you’re practically guaranteed a great time. Happy Weekend!
H Street Festival – I have very high hopes for the Festival this year. We attended last fall, and it was pretty good, but all of the street construction going on at the time posed some obstacles, making it somewhat difficult to navigate with kids in tow. But with the corridor now free of barriers and pavement back in place, I think this year’s H Street celebration is going to be excellent. There will be live entertainment on four stages, plus a kids stage; art exhibits; a fleet of food trucks; art exhibits; crafts for sale by local vendors; fashion shows; pie eating contests; dancin’ in the street; and lots of kids’ activities, including face painting, story telling, and moon bounces. And you can leave the car at home—free shuttle bus service will be available from Gallery Place and Eastern Market Metros. Enjoy the festivities from 12pm – 7pm.
An Apple a Day – One of fall’s most anticipated traditions is underway: apple picking! Many area orchards and farms offer pick-your-own opportunities, and with so many apple varieties that ripen at different times, the pickings often last through October, sometimes even into November. This post has a good selection of farms and orchards where you can reap the fruits.
The Big Build – Budding builders can start honing their skills as they work alongside professionals, including architects, designers, builders, artisans, and trades people at the National Building Museum on Saturday from 10am – 4:30pm. Guests can try their hands at a variety of construction techniques, build a miniature house from sticks, create mosaics, talk with the experts, enjoy a live Bob the Builder show, and more. This free event (a $5 donation is suggested) takes place
Harvest Time, Honey – Discover the busy world of bees and other pollinators as the Patuxent Research Refuge host the Maryland Honey Harvest Festival on Saturday from 9am – 3pm. Guests can enjoy arts& crafts, honey tastings, candle-making demos, environmental tram tours and much more — all for free! The event will be held at the Refuge’s National Wildlife Visitor Center. More information about the Refuge is available on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website.
Greek Festival – There’s music, dancing, and a marketplace full of Greek goods, but if you go to this annual Festival at the Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in 16th Street Heights, be sure to go with an appetite. Because, really, it’s all about the food. We’re talking authentic Greek fare, and a huge variety of it. Be prepared to stand in line if you go at a mealtime, but the queue moves fast, and the wait is beyond worth it. After indulging, sit back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment. All in all, a good time for the whole family. The Festival runs Friday and Saturday from 12 – 9:30pm and Sunday 12 – 7:30pm. Admission is free, but you pay food and drinks.
Cider Festival – Great Country Farms is celebrating apple season with a focus on one of the fruit’s yummiest products – cider. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be cider pressing demos with the farm’s antique cider press as well as tastings. Visit the website for activity times. The $8/child and $10/adult admission also covers hayrides, wine tasting across the street at Bluemont Vineyard, visits with barnyard animals, and loads of fun for kids, including a pumpkin jumpin’ pillow, 60-foot slide, five mazes, and pedal tractors.
Collection Connections – Drop in at the National Postal Museum on Saturday from 11am – 2pm to make a stamp collection to take home. Guests can choose a collection topic from thousands of international postage stamps. While there, kids can sit in the driver’s seat of mail truck, take a Pony Express journey, and view the Owney the Postal Dog exhibit among other mail-related fun.
Tales of Beatrix Potter – Be among the first audiences to see The Puppet Co.’s latest production. Tales of Beatrix Potter, which explores the fantasy world of one of Victorian England’s best-known authors and illustrators, opens today and runs through October 9. Showtimes are 10am and 11:30 on Fridays, and 11:30am and 1pm on Saturdays and Sunday.
A Century of Women in Aerospace – The National Air & Space Museum is celebrating National Aerospace Week with a family event that recognizes the women who have contributed to technological advances in aviation and space. On Saturday from 10am – 3pm, meet women who are today’s role models and learn about the historical women who have inspired them through storytelling, arts & crafts, and more. Just like admission to the museum, the event is free.
Shiver me Timbers, It’s Pirate Day! – Ahoy, mateys! In preparation for International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19), the National Children’s Museum Launch Zone needs all hands on deck! Batten down the hatches and head on over for a day full of pirate-themed activities, including a treasure hunt around National Harbor. Be there or walk the plank, savvy? The free event takes place on Saturday from 11am – 4pm.
Maryland Renaissance Festival – I’ve recommended the faire in Crownsville, Md, for three weeks now, and its going to remain in the weekend round-up until it closes in late October. Enjoy a village full of medieval amusement, spend a day outdoors, and get some good ideas for Halloween costumes all in one fun day. This post has all the details you need.
Washington Youth Garden Turns 40 – The garden on the ground of the U.S. National Arboretum is celebrating a big anniversary with a loads of festivities on Saturday from 11am – 3pm. There will be children’s activities, a juggler, live music, a food tent, hand cream making and bee-keeping demos, and much more. Go here for more details and the schedule of events.
Nationals vs. Marlins – It’s a weekend of home games for the Nats as they host the Florida Marlins. There are games tonight and Saturday evening at 7:05pm, and on Sunday at 1:35pm. Don’t miss the special promos — Signature Sundays welcome fans to arrive early to meet select players and get autographs and Kids Run the Bases means young fans 12 and under can loop the infield after the game. Tickets for all of the games are available for purchase online or at the Box Office.
Brookside Gardens Children’s Day – This year’s theme for the annual event is “Adventures with Food – Let’s Move and Groove!”. From 11am – 4pm this Saturday, children will move and groove throughout the day keeping fit while they enjoy activities throughout the gardens. There will be a Little Sprouts area for toddlers, an activity circuit, face painting, fruit and veggie bingo, a kids’ farmer’s market, story time, and lots more. Admission is free.
Colonial Market & Fair – Take a day trip back to 18th-century America at Mount Vernon’s Colonial Market & Fair. Watch artisans and craftspeople from all over the country demonstrate early techniques of their crafts, many of which will be for sale. Live entertainment will include music, puppet shows, a sword swallower, a fire eater, and a miracle medicine man. Admission is included in the entrance fee to the Estate: $15/adults, $7/kids 6-11, children 5 and under are free. Food will be available at extra cost. For more information and the full performance schedule, visit the Mount Vernon website.
Fiesta Musical – Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the National Zoo on Sunday from 11am – 5pm The annual event will include animal demos, Hispanic and Latino music and foods, costumed dancers, and crafts for sale. Admission to the event is free, but if you drive and park in the Zoo lot, be prepared to pay – $10 for the first hour, $15 for two to three hours, and $20 for more than three hours. Parking is free for FONZ members.
And just to make heads spin a little more, this post has tons of ideas for savoring the glorious early fall weather:
The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids
