Hanging on the front plaza at the Library of Congress, which reopens next week!
1. The Library of Congress’ annual Summer Movies on the Lawn series begins this Thursday, July 8, and it’s kicking off with a classic: The Princess Bride! BYO blanket and join the free event on the North Lawn (along East Capitol Street) at 8pm. Even more LOC news: the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building reopens to the public next Thursday, July 15! Hours will be 10am – 4:30pm Thursday – Saturday, and free, timed-entry passes will be required to visit. Read all about the Library of Congress in this KFDC post.
1. The lotus and water lilies have begun to bloom at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens! This is my very favorite bloom of all the big blooms in the area, the park stunningly gorgeous when it’s bursting with the pink, white, and peach-hued flowers. It hasn’t yet reached the peak, but it’s still so pretty to see, plus now is a good time to get an early look before the crowds descend. And, FYI, the annual festival to celebrate it will be virtual this year. See scenes from a past bloom here and read about a great way to combine a visit with another activity here. (PS: If you go and post photos on Instagram, please tag @kidfriendlydc (and #kidfriendlydc) to let folks know where you heard about it — and so I can see your pics! 🙂).
2. Glenstone, the indoor/outdoor modern art museum sprawling gloriously over 300 acres in Potomac, releases it’s next batch of tickets on July 1 at 10am. These will be for visits in September, and the free tickets go fast, so be ready to get them here. And note that children under 12 are not permitted, but I highly recommend a KidFree visit there if your kids aren’t old enough to go.
Reunite with some (very) old friends as the Natural History Museum reopens!
1. The National Gallery of Art East Building reopens this Friday, June 18! Free, timed-entry passes will be required for admission, and you can reserve them here. The museum will be open daily 11am – 4pm. See more about the East Building in this KFDC post about a different reopening.
2. Also reopening this Friday: The National Museum of Natural History! Hours will be 11am – 4pm Wednesday – Sunday. Free, timed-entry passes are required, though currently sold out. But consider this your heads-up to check back for them — they are released throughout each day, starting at 8am, for time slots 30 days out.
3. The Washington Nationals’ Summer Reading Program returns for another season! The team has partnered up with libraries around the DC area to promote reading during the summer break from school. Programs vary by library system, but most encourage kids to read at least 20 minutes a day (or have parents read to them) — from books to magazines to blogs — and many offer the chance to win prizes like tickets to future Nats games.
4. Want to watch Euro 2020 and Copa America with other local soccer fans? Washington Post has a round-up of places around the area that will be showing the matches.
Seasonal Treats
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity
It still may not be official on the calendar, but when it comes to local recreation, summer has arrived. Free concerts in the open air, outdoor swimming, movies under the stars, sprayground fun, and SO much more! Activities exclusive to the season can be enjoyed all around the area this weekend. Some are listed in this round-up, and the 2021 KFDC Guide to the Best of Summer in DC has the scoop on the rest.
Charm City Fun, Hon!
Where: Around Baltimore, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Not only is it nice to get a change of metro area scenery sometimes, Baltimore, our sister city just a 45-minute drive away is full of fantastic, family-friendly things to do. I’ve shared recommendations for them before, and now they are all listed together in a brand new post that includes big attractions, suggestions for places to eat, and neighborhoods to explore.
Colorful Pridemobile Parade Where: Various locations around the DC area When: Saturday, 3-6pm Admission: Free
June is Pride Month, and while the annual, much loved big parade isn’t happening in quite the same way, there still will be fabulous and colorful procession of sorts. This unique mobile parade will feature the official Pridemobile trolly, followed by a colorful array of automobiles decorated by registered organizations and businesses, all on display for enthusiastic onlookers to enjoy. The route will be shared with the general public prior to the event and will pass through some of the city’s most lively areas for optimum visibility, including Dupont and Logan Circles, and iconic landmarks such as the Capitol Building.
The Colors of Our Year
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Friday, 5:30pm & Saturday, 10am
Admission: Free
This weekend’s Millennium Stage will be led by the KC’s youth council. Spoken word, music, visual art, movement, and film will be among the entertainment presented on the outdoor plaza. Plan to visit Victura Park while you’re there. The pop-up wine garden and cafe on the grounds of The REACH is a great place to hang out and enjoy a nice day.
Splash & Swim
Where: Around the DC area
When: Starting Saturday
Admission: Free
‘Tis the season for water! And you can enjoy it at a bunch of places, in a bunch of ways around the area. Spray parks, outdoor pools, and waterparks are open and welcoming guests to splash around and cool off. The 2021 KFDC Summer Guide has details on where to go for water play — see info for sprays here, outdoor pools here, and waterparks here.
Beachy Keen: Sand, Surf, & Fossils
Where: Around the area
When: Daily
Admission: Varies by beach
The rain should let up by Saturday, so enoy a quintessential summer activity and hit the beach! There are several places within day trip-distance from DC that are nice for sand and surf, where you can also picnic, play, maybe fossil hunt, and enjoy beachy vibes. Head out to Calvert Cliffs State Park or Flag Ponds Nature Park. Or go east to Sandy Point State Park. You can also play paleontologist and look for prehistoric fragments along the Potomac at the Purse Area in Charles County, MD (one of our very favorite outings in the area). Find a few more beach recs in this round-up of swim spots around the area.
Al Fresco Films
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by location
Several movies serie and drive-ins will be screening films on weekend evenings. Catch a flick at the Alexandria Drive-in, PG Stadium, and in Greenbelt. The KFDC Summer Guide has details on what’s playing where. And be sure to check that they aren’t cancelled due to weather.
Indoor Flicks
Where: Movie theaters around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by theater
If you’re vaxed and ready to watch a movie inside at a theater, they are open. A few PG & PG-13 showing this weekend: In the Heights, Peter Rabbit 2, Cruella, Spirit Untamed (2021), A Quiet Place Part II,
100% Nats
Where: Nationals Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Tickets start at $13
The Nats are hosting the Giants at home this weekend, and you can cheer them on with 40,000-plus other fans as the ballpark returns to 100% capacity! There are games Friday at 7:05pm, Saturday at 4:05pm, and Sunday at 1:05pm, with promo giveaways on Friday (radio lanyards) and Sunday (kids sunglasses). And good news for little one and their parents: The playground will once again be open!
Tee Up Where: Top Golf | National Harbor & Gaithersburg, MD When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Starts at $27/bay
Practice your swing, enjoy a bite, and have some indoor/outdoor” fun. At Top Golf, you can stay dry if it rains, but still enjoy the outdoors if it doesn’t. Plus, there ’s a full service restaurant and bar (for parents, obvi) to make a full experience of it. And for some golf on a smaller scale, you can play mini-golf at several places around the area.
Arts in Foggy Bottom
Where: Around Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
Walk around Foggy Bottom to see the outdoor sculpture biennial “HUMAN/NATURE” featuring works by 12 artists installed throughout the neighborhood. Take a self-guided tour and scan QR codes located at each piece for more information the works. Pair it with a meal in the area — some family-friendly recs: Duke’s Grocery, Founding Farmers, Tonic, and Beefsteak.
Glow with Pride
Where: Georgetown, DC
When: Saturday, 7-9
Admission: Free
The artist is in at Georgetown Glow on Saturday evening. At the free outdoor public art experience featuring modern light art installations, artist Stephanie Mercedes will be at her work entitled “Weight of a Rainbow,” located next to the old Dean & Deluca, to talk about it. Her installation features a canopy of colorful lights dangling over the walkway with a collective a cappella choir of eight LGBTQ+ voices telling their stories through accompanied song.
DC Way Clean-Up
Where: Around Tyler Elementary | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 1:30pm
Admission: Free
A great family volunteering opportunity! Join DC Way for a clean-up of the area surrounding some of the fields they use. The soccer club’s two-year environmental project, will be able to play a role in keeping DC clean, safe, and healthy. Volunteers of all ages welcome!
***MORE GOOD STUFF*** * Starting Friday, June 11, DC Covid restrictions are lifted! * A reminder that many reopened museums and other places require timed-entry tickets, even when they’re free, and you often need to reserve them well in advance. Find a list and links to tickets here. * CertifiKID has a new ZavaZone offer worth checking out. * Many DC Libraries have reopened! * PTA/PTO parents should check out Enrichment Matters, a provider of after school programs, for next fall! * Join a virtual Juneteenth celebration through June 19. * Arena Stage recently announced the 2021-22 season! * President Lincoln Cottage just launched Lincoln’s Letters, subscription-based puzzle game played through mailed letters, that sounds pretty neat. *Acorns is a neat, easy way to invest and save money — we’ve been signed up for a couple of years now! (Sharing my referral link that offers a little starter gift.) * Excited about this space saving purchase! * Currently obsessed with the Mexican thriller Who Killed Sara? on Netflix. Anyone else?
* Places I’m Excited to Go to Again
Seize the Season
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity
Catch an open-air concert at one of several series in the area. Stay cool at an outdoor pool, sprayground, or water park. See a movie under the stars. Check out a seasonal exhibit. Go berry picking. Ride mini-trains and carousels at local parks. And much, much more! See the Summer 2019 Guide for details on all of these great pursuits.
Splash Around
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Starting Saturday
Admission: Free
This weekend is going to be a hot one. Luckily, spray parks, outdoor pools, and waterparks around the area have started welcoming guests to splash around and cool off. The 2021 KFDC Summer Guide has details on where to go for water play — see info for sprays here, outdoor pools here, and waterparks here.
Open Swim
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale This round-up of places to swim around the area will also come in handy as temps rise. Find beaches on the Bay (and even Atlantic), lakes and rivers, and swimming holes and creeks — all that welcome the public to take a dip!
Play Work Build
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $10/adult, $7/child
The much missed exhibition/play space at the recently reopened National Building Museum will once again welcome guests starting this weekend! Play Work Build first opened back in 2012 as a temporary exhibit, but everyone loved it so much, it became permanent. With old building toys on display (and some to play with), plus big foam blocks for constructing all kinds of configurations, it’s a fun place to bring the kids within the museum. Capacity will be limited in the exhibit, and masks and hand sanitizing required. Timed-entry passes to PWB are included with admission. Plan to tour the rest of the exhibits and, of course, hang out in the Great Hall, one of the most stunning spaces in DC. Also, look out for the colorful front lawn in celebration of Pride Month!
Inside Info
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place
If you’d rather stay cool indoors, there are plenty of options. Smithsonians and other venues have started to open, but timed-entry tickets are required, so make sure to reserve in advance. All are taking extra precautions to ensure COVID safety, which includes limited capacity.
Capital Harvest on the Plaza
Where: Woodrow Wilson Plaza | Downtown DC
When: Friday, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Browse produce from local farms and artisan producers right downtown at Capital Harvest on the Plaza (CHoP). The farmer’s market is opening for its 13th season and will continue weekly through the fall. The convenient location at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW) is fun to stop by after visiting museums or for people working in the area. with a bounty of fresh, seasonal produce and a range of delicious prepared foods.
KC Entertaiment
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
There may not be shows on Kennedy Center stages just yet, but you can enjoy all kinds of fun and entertainment at The REACH on weekends. In celebration of Pride Month, Millennium Stage will present The Wig Party: A Capital Drag Festival on Friday and Saturday. Plus there will be dance lessons, yoga sessions, an arts market on the plaza, and the Victura Park pop-up offering snacks and sips in the beautiful outdoor area.
PG Drive-In
Where: Prince George’s Stadium | Bowie, MD
When: Friday, 8:30
Admission: $30/vehicle
The Bowie Baysox and Prince George County organizations are presenting Drive-In Movies at Prince George’s Stadium on Friday evenings in June. This weekend, see Avengers: End Game. Lot opens at 7:30pm, and tickets must be purchased in advance.
Movies in the Park
Where: Virginia Highlands Park | National Landing, VA
When: Friday, 8pm
Admission: Free – pre-registration required
See a movie under the stars at the weekly series in National Landing. Moana will be on the big outdoor screen this time. Bring chairs and blanket, pack a picnic or grab food from Sweet Frog and Capital Chicken & Waffles food trucks…and sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!
Drive-In, in NoVa
Where: Alexandria Drive-In Movie Theater | Alexandria, VA
When: Friday & Saturday, 8pm
Admission: $40/car
You can also catch a flick from the comfort of your car in Virginia. See Guardians of the Galaxy on Friday night and Jurassic World on Saturday. Food trucks will be there both nights offering savory and sweet concessions with online ordering through Goodfynd. Purchase movie tickets in advance!
US Air Force Band Summer Concerts
Where: Air Force Memorial, VA & National Harbor, MD
When:Friday, 7:30-9pm & Saturday, 7-8:30pm
Admission: Free
Join The United States Air Force Band’s Concert Band for an evening of chamber music. Bring a chair and enjoy DC’s finest musicians playing some of the world’s finest music! Concerts are at the Air Force Memorial on Friday (1 Air Force Memorial Drive, Arlington VA) and at National Harbor’s waterfront on Saturday (Oxon Hill, MD). Parking info here and here.
Reap the Fruits (& Veggies)
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place
Strawberries, cherries, even spinach are ripe and ready for harvest, and many area farms welcome guests to come PYO. It’s always a good idea to check websites or call ahead to confirm availability the day you plan to go. Sunscreen and hat also recommended.
Walk the Museum Walk
Where: Dupont-Kalorama Neighborhoods, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Get off the Mall and explore the many interesting sights and museums in the Dupont-Kalorama neighborhood during the 38th annual Museum Walk Weekend. Usually offering free admission and special programming at museums, this year is a bit different. Five diverse museums — the Phillips Collection, Dumbarton House, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, Anderson House, and the Woodrow Wilson House — have created a self-guided walking tour around the area. Of course, you can still visit the museums, but be sure to check out guidelines and make sure tickets are available.
Virtual Pride Story Time
Where: American Art Museum Online
When: Saturday, 10am
Admission: Free
The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s annual Pride Month program celebrates inclusivity and love for all. Enjoy a lively virtual story time performance with legendary DC drag queen Ruth Allen Ginsburg. Ruth brings fun for the whole family as she reads classic nursery rhymes and tales for children.
Haunted Tales Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Where: Watson Adventures Online
When: Saturday, 7-8:30pm
Admission: $19
Are you prepared to Zoom with ghosts? Kids and adults team up to explore real places that are said to be haunted, and you’ll learn the tales of the ghosts who linger there. You’ll follow a trail of clues across eerie websites, in search of answers to tricky questions. Ghost-plagued places include the Hollywood Hotel where Marilyn Monroe and other celeb ghosts haven’t checked out; the White House in search of presidential ghosts, and the Salem Witch Trial Memorial where you’ll learn the chilling fate of Giles Corey, just to name a few. For ages 10 and up. No previous knowledge is required. Teams of up to six can play together or remotely. Each team must have one adult. Advance booking is required.
