Spring showing off at Dumbarton Oaks Garden
Happy Weekend!
Easy links to lots of ideas for ongoing local fun:
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade
Where: Constitution Ave, 7th – 17th St NW | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
The pinnacle of cherry blossom festivities just might be the parade. Thousands of people line Constitution Avenue to watch the procession of lavish floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, and a variety of performers roll through the city. Tickets for grandstand seats are available for $25-40, but you can stake out a spot along the curb for free. Plan to arrive early to get a good view — the crowds come out for this one, especially if it’s a pretty spring day.
Sakura Matsuri
Where: Pennsylvania Ave, 3rd-7th St NW | Downtown DC
When: Saturday & Sunday 10:30am – 6pm
Admission: $10-15/ages 13+, $50/family package, free/12 & under
Following the Cherry Blossom parade (or during or on Sunday), head over to Sakura Matsuri, the Japanese Street Festival that is America’s largest exhibition of Japanese culture. The 61st annual event will feature live music and dance performances, all kinds of Asian and Western foods, martial arts demos, Japanese art, and more. And once again, it will be held over two days! (PS: Note that the family package for $50 includes 2 one-day entry tickets (kids 12 & under are free), 2 kids T-shirts , 2 Omen masks for kids, and 2 Japanese Snacks.)
Nats vs. Guardians
Where: Nationals Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Ticket prices vary (look for discount)
It’s a weekend at home for the Nats with games Friday (7:05pm), Saturday (4:05pm), and Sunday (1:35pm) against the Cleveland Guardians. There’s a Josiah Gray bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, and Sunday is a Value Day with tickets starting at just $9. Be sure to get more KFDC tips on doing Nats game without breaking the bank!
Bloom Town
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Varies by locale
Admission: Varies by locale
The cherry blossom peak at the Tidal Basin has passed, but there are more blossoms and other big blooms to enjoy around the DC area, a couple of them literally coming now. Bluebells are blanketing the grounds around the area, wisteria is brightening up local scenery, and there is a glorious cherry blossom bloom of a particular variety in at least one local spot. And the best places to see them are great for more than just the flowers. This post has details on where to go for those and other big blooms coming up.
Lincoln Assassination Commemoration Activities
Where: Ford’s Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Friday & Saturday
Admission: Free – $3
Ford’s Theatre Society and the National Park Service are hosting special commemoration activities surrounding Abraham Lincoln’s assassination (April 14, 1865) on-site at Ford’s Theatre. A wreathlaying at Petersen House, ranger led walking tour, and presentations telling the story of Lincoln’s death are some of the programs being offered along with the ongoing museum visits and self-guided tours. See the schedule of commemoration events here. And read more about Ford’s Theatre in this KFDC post.
Go for a Spin
Where: Cabin John (Bethesda) & Wheaton Regional Park, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $2.50
All aboard! Montgomery Park’s Cabin John Train and Wheaton Train and Carousel are open for the season. Take kiddos for a spin around the parks on replicas of an 1863 steam locomotive. Or go for whirl on the Carousel (Wheaton only). Plan for time on the playgrounds, too — both offer lots of fun for little ones. Read more about Cabin John here and Wheaton here.
Root (root, root) for the Baysox
Where: Prince George’s Stadium | Landover, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Ticket prices vary
The Nats aren’t the only baseball team in town. The Bowie Baysox, one of the local minor league teams, just started their season and are hosting the Akron Rubber ducks all weekend. It’s baseball on a smaller (and less expensive) scale than at Nationals Park, and there’s always extra fun and games especially for kids — read more about Baysox games in this KFDC post. And a head’s up that Sunday is Kids Opening Day with pony rides, a petting zoo, and more special treats for young fans.
Air & Space Family Day: All About Rockets
Where: Air & Space Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Learn all about rockets — how they work, what they are used for, and why they are designed the way they are — at this Soar Together Family Day. Join the Air & Space Museum to explore rockets and the important role they play in spaceflight and exploration through activities for all ages. Enjoy demos and hands-on explorations, design challenges, art activities, and more.
Rocknoceros Jam
Where: Jammin Java | Vienna, VA
When: Saturday, 11am (doors open at 10am)
Tickets: $10
Kindie rock band, Rocknoceros, is returning to Jammin Java with a new show called “All About the Sprout.” The concert will include classic Rocknoceros songs and new music about seeds, sprouts, and spring. Seating is first some, first served. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, too.
Horse Expo
Where: Frying Pan Farm Park | Centreville, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Frying Pan Farm Park is hosting its first-ever horse expo! There will be demonstrations, speakers, food trucks, and businesses that sell horse-related products and services. Both experienced riders and people new to the world of horses are welcome to join the festivities.
More Fun at Fairfax Parks
Where: Parks throughout Fairfax County, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
The Fairfax County Park Authority hosts all kinds of events on weekends for guests of all ages. Learn about animal adaptations at Hidden Oaks Nature Center. Go on a wildflower walk and do some related crafts at Burke Lake Park. See how an Oliver Evan’s mill operates at Colvin Run Mill. And there are even more interesting adventures! Details and registration for activities this weekend and beyond are available here.
Herring Heroes Obstacle Course
Where: Peirce Mill | Rock Creek Park, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Each spring, the mighty herring travel upstream from the Chesapeake Bay to Rock Creek, where they lay their eggs. Friends of Perice Mill invite the public to learn about the spring herring migration, and see if you’re as strong as a fish on a fun obstacle course. Can you swim up imaginary rapids and find your way on a Rock Creek balance beam? Go up the fish ladder, and carry an egg on a spoon? After you’ve completed the course, look for herring swimming past Peirce Mill! Read more about the historic spot in this KFDC post.
More Than True: Folk and Fairy Tales with Character
Where: Highland Elementary School | Wheaton, MD
When: Saturday, 11am & Sunday, 2pm
Admission: Free
Join Interact Story Theatre for this FREE Wheaton Family Series program… Once upon a time, there was a little girl — or a little boy — or a dog, or a dragon, or a fairy, or a giant. And that person, or animal, or mythical creature had an adventure, and the adventure brought choices, and the choices ushered in change. In this program, audience members have the chance to choose their own adventures, and even swap the outcomes of the tales, as they travel through stories to discover a world of character built with imagination! Best for ages 4+.
Weekend Workshops
Where: National Portrait Gallery | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11:30am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Drop in at the National Portrait Gallery to do some art making! All ages are welcome to get creative at Weekend Workshops. Learn about artists and changemakers, then create art inspired by their stories. Of course, explore the whole museum while you’re there. See more about the National Portrait Gallery here.
Superman (1978) Free Screening
Where: Old Greenbelt Theater | Greenbelt, MD
When: Saturday, 1pm
Admission: Free
Grab your favorite superhero gear and join OGT for this free showing of the 1978 classic Superman: The Movie! Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, young Clark discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luthor, while, as novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane.
DC Scavenger Tour
Where: Around Georgetown, DC
When: Saturday, 1pm
Admission: $30
Join local author JoAnn Hill and tour guide Katie Kirkpatrick of Off the Mall tours as they turn Georgetown into a giant game course with this fun scavenger hunt adventure. Based on JoAnn’s newest book DC Scavenger, this event combines the excitement of the Amazing Race with a thrilling pursuit throughout Georgetown. Teams will explore some of Georgetown’s most cherished wonders and overlooked gems by deciphering clever clues and examining puzzling photos. Throughout this fun competition, you’ll encounter historical markers and buildings, innovative artworks, and beloved neighborhood treasures while learning local history. Get a glimpse of Joann’s book here, here, and here!
Tulips Galore
Where: Burnside Farm | Nokesville, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $27-31/ages 6+
Experience a bit of Holland in Northern Virginia at Burnside Farms’ annual Festival of Spring. Blooming tulips stretching along acres of fields in an array of colors and varieties is stunning. Even better, you can pick your own (5/person) to bring the beauty home. Admission also includes bouncy fun, a playhouse area, cornhole games, and authentic dutch wooden shoes to “klomp” around in. Note that the website says tickets are sold out, but they are releasing day-of tickets each day at 12am, so you can try for those.
Happy Emancipation Day, DC!
Where: Freedom Plaza & Pennsylvania Ave. | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 2-9pm
Admission: Free
There will be a second parade in DC on Saturday to celebrate DC Emancipation Day! The procession will be led by Mayor Bowser, and it will be followed by a concert featuring local and national artists, and a fireworks display to end the night! Emancipation Day honors President Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act in 1862, which freed over 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.
Model Train Open House
Where: Historic Vienna Depot | Vienna, VA
When: Saturday, 1-5pm
Admission: Free
Visit the historical Vienna Stain station to watch model train and trolley activities that realistically depict an actual railroad that existed in North Carolina in the 1950′s, the Western North Carolina (WNC). Locomotive, rail car, and towns industry in this layout is modeled after those places and things as they looked in that era. Thomas the Tank Engine (and a few of his friends) are chugging around among the bigger steam and diesel locomotives. The Vienna Depot is located at 231 Dominion Road NE in Vienna, Virginia just down the street from the red caboose.
RiverRun
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Through April 22
Admission: Varies by event (some free)
This international festival celebrating the world’s rivers is running at the Kennedy Center until Earth Day. All kinds of performances and events will be presented by talent from across the globe. Performing and visual artists, authors, chefs, filmmakers, climate experts, and more fascinating people will help carve an artistic path throughout the Kennedy Center with world-class performances, exhibitions, films, talks, workshops, and more events — see the website for the full schedule.
Spring Breakin’
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
As Spring Break starts for DCPS students and other kids around the area, you might be looking for extra activities to keep the kids (and yourself) entertained over while they are off from school. This annual KFDC guide has plenty of ideas to help with that. Of course, you can also use it for finding more weekend fun, Spring Beak or not.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* The Main Reading Room in the Library of Congress is now open to visitors, Tuesday through Friday, 10:30-11:30am and 2-3pm.
* This Tuesday, April 18, from 11:30am – 1pm, the 30th Annual Federal Inter-Agency Holocaust Remembrance Program, Rays of Hope, will take place. All are welcome to participate and view the program broadcast from the Department of Justice. Visit the website for more information.
* A recent fun listen that made me want to (re)watch St. Elmo’s Fire.
* Three shows to watch right now.
* This cheese and kimchi dish sounds odd but yummy.
* Warm weather means outdoor lawn games!
* Sale on sale 😁
* Entries from the Washington Post’s Squirrel Photography Contest.
