Tag Archives: Columbus Day Weekend

The Weekend Round-Up: October 6-9

Game tickets or not, show your love for the Nats this weekend!



There’s plenty going on to fill your long weekend — and I’m sure this is one when many of us feel especially appreciative of the extra quality time with our fams. Happy Weekend!

Natitude
Where: Nationals Park & Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday & Saturday
Admission: Ticket prices vary

It’s playoff time! If, like me, you weren’t lucky enough to score seats through official Nationals sales, you still may be able to go. Tickets are available through multiple online outlets — you can find links to some of them here (but note that you definitely won’t be getting any discounts this time). If you want to watch and work your Natitude, but don’t want to splurge on actually going to the game, many venues in the Capitol Riverfront ‘hood are hosting playoff food & drink specials and more fun.

Celebrate the Season
Where: Around the DMV
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by locale

Enjoy autumn fun and then some at a number of farms around the area. Pick pumpkins, whiz down slides, visit animals, jump on giant inflatables, take pony rides, indulge in caramel apples, and much more. This guide to fall festivals has details on all of them.

Wicked Fun
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

Get the Halloween party started early with activities and events that celebrate the spooky spirit throughout October. This post has details on where all the tricks and treats are happening.

Taste of DC
Where: RFK Stadium | Northeast, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Start at $10

Celebrate the food, wine, and culture of our city this weekend. Along with the obvious — tastings from more than 65 area restaurants — there will be cooking demos, live entertainment, a beer garden, and an area with activities especially for kids, including dancing, games, storytelling, arts & crafts, and more.

Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day
Where: Smithsonian American Art Museum | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 3pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at SAAM! Dance in the courtyard, create colorful crafts, and participate in a museum-wide scavenger hunt. Discover works by Latino artists, which are part of a major initiative at the museum to build a significant collection of Latino art in the nation’s capital. 

Block Party
Where: Anacostia Community Museum | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free

Join the museum in celebrating 50 years of being the premier cultural institution east-of-the-river! Live performances on an outdoor stage include Experience Unlimited with Sugar Bear, 17th Street Dance of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, Pepe González, the Wong People, Garfield Elementary School Band, Crazee Praize Nation, The JoGo Project, and Tradiciones Bolivianas. There will also be food trucks, art activities for kids, storytelling, a vendor’s marketplace, special appearance by WPGC-FM morning host Joe Clair, and more.

Grand Opening Celebration
Where: Sew Creative Lounge | Mt. Ranier, MD
When: Saturday, 12-6pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate the grand opening of Sew Creative Lounge! This will be a day of fun sewing and craft activities for all ages, plus discounts on registration if you mention KidFriendly DC! It’s also a great time to meet teachers and see some of the projects made in the children’s classes. Sew Creative Lounge is located at 3711 Rhode Island Ave, Mt. Rainier, MD.

Supernatural Shakespeare
Where: Folger Shakespeare Library | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 10-11am & 11am – 12pm
Admission: Free

Shake up your Saturday with a workshop at the Folger! These programs occurring on the first Saturday of every month, encourage families to experience Shakespeare’s language together. This session, get spooky with Shakespeare’s ghosts and witches. “Eye of newt and toe of frog!” Register here.

Taste of Bethesda
Where: Woodmont Triangle | Bethesda, MD
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free, but you pay for food samples

According to some stats, Bethesda has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the U.S. Accurate or not, DC’s suburban neighbor definitely has a food scene worth celebrating. The 27th year of Bethesda’s famous food and music festival will bring 60 restaurants and five stages of entertainment. Along with food samples and live entertainment, there will be a kid’s corner for face painting, arts & crafts, and more fun for young ones. Admission is free, and taste tickets are sold on-site in bundles of four tickets for $5.

Art on the Avenue
Where: Mount Vernon Ave | Del Ray, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 6pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate the diversity of Alexandria’s Del Ray community at this multicultural arts festival. Over 300 artists – jewelers, woodworkers, pottery makers, soap crafters, glass makers, painters, sculptors, fabric artists, and musicians – will have their work on display and for sale. And kids activities have always been a vital part of the festival – scarecrow stuffing, pumpkin painting, lotus flower design, screen art weaving are just some of the crafts to enjoy. Food vendors will also be there offering hot dogs, BBQ, Indian fare, crab cakes, chocolate bananas dipped on a stick, and home made cider donuts.

Spirit of Autumn
Where: ARTECHOUSE | Southwest DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $8/child, $12-20/adult

The new exhibition from ARTECHOUSE, Spirit of Autumn is kind of like entering a seasonal dreamworld. From floor-to-ceiling imagery projected onto the walls to audio of birds singing to opportunities to “play” in leaves, the large-scale installation captures quintessential fall with an enchanting multi-sensory experience for all ages. See fall leaves, including some created by you, swirl on walls and manipulate them with your movements. Make it rain and thunder with the clap of your hands. Watch autumn leaves spread across the floor as you wander through them. It’s immersive, beautiful, and enchanting for all.

Show Time
Where: Theatres around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue

* The Kennedy Center presents Night Train 57: A Sensory-Friendly Folk Opera featuring kids fave Dan Zanes
* Say arrrgh! to How I Became a Pirate at Adventure Theatre
* Imagination Stage’s newest production The Smartest Girl on the World, begins this weekend
* Pinnochio just began its run at The Puppet Co. (no lie!)
* And little ones will love Baby Bear’s Brithday, the Tiny Tots show at the puppet theater
* Our Town is now on stage at the Olney Theatre
* Take the sippy cup set to Art on the Horizon’s adorable Drumming with Dishes in Alexandria
* Catch The Cashore Marionettes at Publick Playhouse on Saturday
* Make it a KidFree outing to Arena Stage for Native Gardens
* Or have a date night at the Lansburgh Theatre for The Lover & The Collection
* Puppet Playhouse presents Jungle of Bungaloo at Encore Stage & Studio
* Death of a Salesman, on stage at Ford’s Theatre, is best for ages 13+
* Spend Columbus Day with Rocknocerous at Jammin’ Java – they’re playing a Monday morning show!

Get Merry at Ren Fest
Where: Revel Grove | Crownesville, Md
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 6pm
Admission: $22/age 16+, $10/age 7-15, free/6 & under

There are only a couple of weekends left to enjoy the bounty of merriment at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The annual faire recalls medieval times with a village full of fun and entertainment for the whole family. This is one of my very favorite events in the DC area, and it could very well become one of yours, too. Huzzah!

Sugar Skulls Painting
Where: Art Jamz | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 12:30-2pm
Admission: $33-38

Kids can get creative at this painting class for a deathly good time creating their very own bright and colorful sugar skull painting in this class just for young artists. Plan to get messy and have fun!

PorchFest
Where: Adams Morgan, DC
When: Saturday, 2-6pm
Admission: Free

Get the best seats in the house (or on the sidewalk) as the front porches of homes and maybe a few local businesses are transformed into intimate performance spaces to be enjoyed by anyone who happens to stroll by. Enjoy a variety of music styles from over 30 bands playing on porches, patios, and stoops in the neighborhood. Music maps will be available at the corner of 18th Street and Columbia Road NW on Porchfest Day.

Day in the Park
Where: Stead Park | Northwest, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free

The Washington Jewish Music Festival welcomes all to a fun-filled day in the park. Bring the whole family for a Sukkot celebration featuring games, kids’ activities, and musical performances by Mister G and Joanie Leeds!

College Park Day
Where: 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive | College Park, MD
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free

Join the College Park community in the 8th annual festival celebrating the city! The day will feature live entertainment on two stages, free admission to the College Park Aviation Museum, arts & crafts, dancing, public safety agencies, a health expo area, Maryland mascots, and the Tour de College Park — a family-friendly bike ride around town. Take the littles to the Kids Zone for a 83-foot air craft carrier obstacle course, a climbing wall, pumpkin and face painting, and so much more.

Opus 1
Where: Merriweather | Columbia, MD
When: Saturday, 4-11pm
Admission: Free

The inaugural art, music, and technology experience celebrates the art of sound with immersive art installations, mesmerizing music performances, and treetop projection mapping. Activations for all ages include an live enertainment in inflatable pavilion bedecked with light and projection, hands-on arts workshops, interactive games, a pep band march for all festival-goers, a culinary village, and more.

Walks in the Woods
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

Enjoy the season and some active fun. See the very beginning of fall foliage, tramp in places with scenic views, hike and explore history at interesting locales, and savor the time outdoors. This post has a a bunch of recommendations for places to walk in the woods with the kids.

Harvest Festival
Where: Agricultural History Farm Park | Derwood, MD
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: $15/car

Get a taste of farm life from the 1850s to present through a day of hands-on activities and experiences on a working farm. The Agricultural History Farm Park is situated on 455 acres of land in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve and serves as a historic farm site as well as a modern farming activity center. Activities include hayrides, live farm animals, corn maze, farm tours, antique farm equipment, garden tours.

Kinderfest
Where: Watkins Regional Park | Upper Marlboro, MD
When: Sunday, 12-5pm
Admission: Free

Head to Watkins Regional Park for the 35th Annual Kinderfest, a day focused on children that takes place every year on the first Sunday in October. The scores of events and activities to entertain the whole family include clowns and costumed characters, singers and dancers, pony and hay rides, carnival games, scarecrow workshops, sweet and savory refreshments, and spins on the famous Watkins carousel and miniature train. Admission to the event is free, but some activities require a fee. Read more about Watkins here.

***More Good Stuff to Know***
* Puerto Rico still needs help. If you want to know how you can contribute, PBS shares some good info.
* This is a great website to check out right now.
* The fifth annual Race for Every Child 5K run/walk and Kids’ Dash, which benefits Children’s National Health System, will take place Saturday, October 21. Sign up soon – registration closes October 12!
* Looking for a new podcast? Find some good recommendations here.
* Menomale in Brookland has delicious oven-fired pizza and more tasty food all ages will dig.
* DC school HUB is hosting a free Preschool & Private School Fair next Saturday, October 14 from 9-11 AM at Norbeck Country Club in Rockville. 
* My friend Margaret, a very talented architect and design consultant, just started a blog about (re)building her new home. Follow along as she documents the whole journey — she’s super cool, charming, and funny, so I know it’s going to be a great read!

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Filed under 2017, All ages, Annual, Art, DC, Eats, Educational, Exhibit, Fall, Farm, Festival, Indoor Play, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Music, Nature, Outdoor, Park, Seasonal, Special Event, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend

The Weekend Round-Up: October 8-10

Even superheroes love Ren Fest

Even superheroes love Ren Fest



Most of us have an extra day to fill with fun this weekend, and that won’t be a problem with so many awesome events and activities happening around the DC-Metro. Autumn festivals, post season baseball, loads of live entertainment, cool museum programs, even a chance to hang out in the Obama’s backyard are among your options. This round-up has the scoop you need to get your family’s good time started. And with both rain and sunny weather in the forecast, keep both the list of The Best Places in the DC Area to Spend a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids and The Great Indoors post handy, too. Happy Weekend!

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Playoffs Pep Rally
Where: Yards Park
When: Saturday, 3-5:30pm
Admission: Free

Get your weekend started early and Ignite Your Natitude! The Capitol Riverfront Pep Rally is celebrating the Nats in the playoffs with live music, local food vendors and food trucks, face painting, lawn games, giveaways, and Bluejacket brews starting two hours before the first pitch.

#OnePursuit
Where: Nationals Park
When: Friday, 5:30pm & Saturday, 4pm
Admission: Ticket prices vary

The postseason begins for the Nats this weekend as they host the Dodgers. Catch games Friday and Saturday — tickets are still available for both, though they won’t be the cheap seats at this point. If you can’t make it to the game, check out this Washington Post article with suggestions for watching the playoffs elsewhere with other Nats fans.

Taste of DC
Where: Pennsylvania Ave., 3rd-7th Streets NW
When: Saturday & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: $20, $10/ages 6-12, free for 5 and under

Celebrate the food, wine, and culture of our city during Columbus Day weekend. Along with the obvious — tastings from more than 50 area restaurants — there will be cooking demos, live entertainment, a beer garden, and an area with activities — dancing, games, storytelling, arts & crafts, and more — especially for kids.

White House Fall Garden Tours
Where: White House
When: Saturday, 10am – 4:30pm & Sunday, 10am – 2:30pm
Admission: Free

It’s a rare opportunity to enjoy autumn at the White House! The annual Fall Garden and Grounds Tours are being held this weekend. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Kitchen Garden, and South Lawn will be on view to guests. The public is invited, but every visitor, small children included, needs a ticket to tour. Starting at 9am on both days, tickets will be distributed at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion at 15th & E Streets NW on a first-come, first-served basis. Tour times are indicated on each ticket, so keep your day open if you hope to go.

VelocityDC Dance Festival
Where: Sidney Harmon Hall
When: Friday & Saturday
Admission: Tickets start at $18

If you like dance, you’ll love this festival featuring performances by some of the city’s best-known ensembles, undiscovered gems, and everyone in between. Returning for its 8th season, the VelocityDC Dance Festival will showcase styles ranging from ballet to hip hop, tap to flamenco, demonstrating why it’s a highlight of Washington’s dance season.

Merriment for All!
Where: Revel’s Grove in Crownesville, Md
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $24/ages 16 and up, $10/ages 7-15, free for 6 and under

Enjoy a day of merriment at the Maryland Renaissance Festival! The annual faire recalls medieval times with a village full of fun and entertainment for the whole family. This is one of my very favorite annual events in the DC area, and it could very well become one of yours, too. Huzzah!

Fallin’
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by locale

Enjoy autumn fun and then some at a number of farms and other locales around the area. Pick pumpkins, whiz down slides, visit animals, jump on giant inflatables, take pony rides, indulge in caramel apples, and much more. The KFDC guide to fall festivals has details on all of them.

Peirce Mill Heritage Day
Where: Peirce Mill, Rock Creek Park
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free

Step back in time to 1820 with the National Park Service and Friends of Peirce Mill for Peirce Mill Heritage Day! At center stage is the last remaining water mill in DC — visitors can witness the intricate workings of this four-story machine as it grinds corn into meal, powered by a giant water wheel (milling demos take place about every 15 minutes from 11am – 2pm). There will be arts and crafts activities, including water mill toys, corn husk doll making, cornmeal play dough, flour sacks, and Peirce Mill stamps. Watch the hand-assembly of a dry stone wall, see logs hewn with an ax, and crank an old-fashioned cider press. And for your musical entertainment, a local musician Orrin Star will play bluegrass throughout the day. A new addition this year will be a presentation on Latino bread-making culture, with on-site preparation of tortillas using cornmeal. Read more about Peirce Mill in this KFDC post.

Art Safari
Where: The Torpedo Factory
When: Saturday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free

Alexandria’s wonderful tradition for families, Art Safari returns for its 21st year with a full day of hands-on activities for kids and families. Artists will lead young visitors in creative projects across a variety of media, including clay, papier-mâché, fiber, and printmaking. All activities are free, with most appropriate for children ages 5 – 11 and some requiring parental assistance. Children should wear clothing that can get a little dirty.

Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue

* Find Knuffle Bunny at Adventure Theatre
* Synetic Theatre presents The Music Box, a collection of comedic vignettes set to music, for families
* Catch the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s fantastic production of Romeo & Juliet (recommended for older children or make it a date night)
* The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane opens on the Imagination Stage
* See (and smell?) Flowers Stink, a collaboration between the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Kennedy Center
* It’s the final weekend to watch Rapunzel let down her hair at The Puppet Co.
* And Tiny Tots can enjoy a Tots Sing-a-Long at the puppet theater
* The Olney Theatre presents The Diary of Anne Frank
* See the superbly acted The Little Foxes at Arena Stage (recommended for teens and up)
* Make it a date night to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Kennedy Center
* Ruthless, The Musical just opened at Creative Cauldron

hiSTORYtime
Where: National Museum of American History
When: Saturday 11am – 12pm
Admission: Free

This new program is aimed at boosting early literacy while introducing young visitors (ages 0 to 6) to objects in the museum’s collection. Drop by to listen to stories about music, then kiddos can participate in music making and craft their own instruments.

Wicked Fun
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity

Get the Halloween party started with activities and events that celebrate the spooky spirit. Creep through the woods in a mini-train ride. This post has details on where the tricks and treats are happening.

Maryland Pumpkin Festival
Where: Summers Farm
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $13.95, 2 and under are free

Along with Summers Farm’s regular offerings, such as the corn maze, hay slides, farm animals, hay rides, pumpkin patch, pig races and jumping pillow, their annual Maryland Pumpkin Festival celebrates all things pumpkin with bonus activities: Enjoy pumpkin hunts, pumpkin sculpting demonstration, face painting, an appearance by Mr. Brown the Clown, live music, and more!

An Apple a Day…
Where: Area orchards
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

Take advantage of apple season! Several area orchards and farms welcome guests to gather their own. Many on this list with pick-your-own opportunities have apples among their PYO offerings. We also just visited Waters Orchard in Germantown last weekend, and it was fantastic — a great variety of apples in a beautiful setting! And I always recommend calling ahead to be sure the pickings are good the day you plan to go.

Story Time with Bear Song
Where: Walls of Books
When: Saturday, 11am
Admission: Free
Bring little ones to the
bookstore in Shaw for story time with Bear Song. Go early, grab your seat, and settle in to sing great songs, hear great stories, and see great smiles on all the little faces. During Story Time – and, of course, a little bit after, all kid’s books are 10% off!

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Where: Air & Space Museum
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate the contributions of Latinos to aviation and space exploration. Hear about Latin American aviators, meet Hispanic scientists and engineers, and enjoy hands-on activities. Many of the activities and presentations are available in English and Spanish.

SerbFest
Where: Saint Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Potomac
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Free

Celebrate Serbian culture an enjoy family activities at this three-day festival. There‘s something for everyone, including traditional Serbian cuisine (authentic split roasted pig, lamb , and grilled meats), beverages, dance and music performances, gifts and boutique items, and lots of family-friendly activities.  Saint Luke’s is located at 10660 River Road in Potomac, MD.

National Chess Day
Where: Bowie Town Center
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: $15

Ready, set, checkmate! A chess tournament hosted by Prince George’s County Home School Chess Club will be held in celebration of “National Chess Day” at Bowie Town Center. Chess enthusiasts are invited to participate in this spectacle with dozens of chess boards arranged in a giant square in the food court at Bowie Town Center. Activities will include a chess 101 basics workshop, monster chess, chess team trivia quiz, blitz chess rounds and live simultaneous play.

Hands-On History Hats Off Program
Where: National Museum of the U.S. Navy
When: Saturday, 11am – 1pm
Admission: Free

Head to this hidden gem of a museum for a hands-on opportunity to learn about the history of the U.S. Navy through its ever-changing headgear. Located behind the fighting top, families will be able to pick up and wear hats of the Navy from different eras. There will also be a hat designing station! Read more about the US Navy Museum in this KFDC post.

Movie Time: Abulele
Where: Edlavitch DCJCC
When: Saturday, 3pm & Sunday, 12:30pm
Admission: $13.50/adult, $6.75/14 and under

In this heartfelt family film, Adam, a young boy grieving from the loss of his brother, discovers a mythical furry beast (an Abulele) living in his building. When Adam realizes that it’s not the Abulele but the humans who are the real monsters, he risks everything to save his friendly giant. Catch this film at the DC JCC located at 1529 16th Street NW.

Light the Way – Walk for Independence
Where: National Mall
When: Sunday
Admission: $25/adult, $10/child

The 6th Annual Light the Way – Walk for Independence encourages people of all ages, particularly people who are blind or visually impaired, to maintain active and productive lifestyles. This year’s event will provide participants with a morning of fun-filled exercise, camaraderie, and entertainment. Join CLB and walk the scenic, historic, and accessible route between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument. Warm up and wind down with a hip hop dance instructor from Yala Fitness. There will also be a “Kids Zone” tent with a Bubbleologist, face painter, and glitter tattoo artist.

Walks in the Woods
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

Fall is a perfect time to hit the trail, when you can enjoy the foliage just as much as the activity itself. This go-to KFDC post has a bunch of recommendations for good places to hike with kids.

Hiking & History
Where: Harpers Ferry
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free ($10 if you park in lot)

Get some fresh air and exercise as you take in the start of autumn hues and historic sites. Harpers Ferry is an easy day trip or weekend destination from DC, and fall is a great time to go. For more about a visit there, see this recent post.


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