A perfect way to enjoy a summer day
Happy Weekend!
Find seasonal and ongoing activities for all ages and interests in these posts:
* Swim Spots
* On the Water
* Indoor Outings
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Peaceful Places
* Bike Rides
Summer Staples
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Get your summer on this weekend with a host of activities exclusive to this time of year. Kick it off with an outdoor concert or free fishing. pool, spray park, or go big at a waterpark. Cool off indoors at special museum program like the Summer Block Party at the Building Museum. Do some crabbing (the feasting kind). Catch a movie under the stars, and so much more. See the 2021 KFDC Guide to Summer in DC for the full scoop on these and even more summer favorites.
Friday Night Fishing
Where: Diamond Teague Docks | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 5-8pm
Admission: Free
Kick off the weekend with some catch and release as Anacostia Riverkeeper kicks off their summer Friday fishing program. Families and kids of all ages are welcome to join for a few hours of fishing. All essentials are provided: rods, reels, bait, and lessons for those who want to fish for the first time. Staff will be present the whole time to answer any questions and help with casting, tips, tricks, and any other fishing help you may need. Be sure to register and fill out a waiver if you plan to go. When you’re done, head right down the boardwalk to Yards Park for the Friday Night Concert or get a bite to eat at one of the many nearby restaurants. (KFDC Tip: All Purpose Pizzeria is great for families!)
Live Music by the River
Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 7-9pm
Admission: Free
Friday Night Concerts are back at the Yards Park! The series is kicking off with a live performance by 90s cover band Uncle Jesse on the boardwalk. Bring the kiddos early to play in the water features, then head over to hear the music. BYO food for a picnic, but note that no outside alcohol will be permitted. Wine, beer, and seltzer will be available for sale. If not fully vaccinated and over the age of 18, they ask that masks are worn.
After Hours
Where: The Station at Riverdale, MD
When: Friday, 6-9pm
Admission: Free
The Staion at Riverdale is kicking off its summer series. Every Friday through August 13, there will be exciting, family- and dog-friendly programming on The Village Green, including live DJ sets, outdoor games, nine-hole miniature golf, a photo scavenger hunt, plus giveaways, prizes and more. All are welcome to the free events!
I Get My Peaches Down in Virginia (& Maryland)
Where: Area Farms
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place
It’s peach picking time at many local farms. If you want to get them at their peak, check out this list of area farms that offer pick-your-own (note that not all of them have peaches, so be sure to read descriptions… one that definitely does and we love to go to is Homestead Farms). And it’s always a good idea to check websites or call for updates to confirm availability when you plan to go.
Fairytales in the Sun
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday, 11am
Admission: $20.50
Adventure Theatre is presenting its first in-person productions since pre-Covid times. Two one-act plays, The Flood in the Future by Lyra Yang and From Cinders to Ella by Michelle Lynch, will be performed outside in the grassy field next to ATMTC and the Irish Inn and Covid protocols will be followed. BYO blanket or chair.
HBD, Alexandria!
Where: Oronoco Bay Park | Alexandria, VA
When: Saturday, 8:45pm
Admission: Free
The City of Alexandria will celebrate its 272nd (and the USA’s 245th) birthday on Saturday, with a performance by the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra ending with a Grand Finale fireworks display at 9:30pm. To limit crowds,the fireworks display will be visible from multiple vantage points along the Potomac River waterfront from Canal Center Plaza to Jones Point Park.
Inside the Wardrobe
Where: Georgetown Park | Georgetoen, DC
When: Friday, 5-9pm | Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 9pm
Admission: $28/adult, $19/age 4-15
This new interactive fashion funhouse just made its debut in Georgetown, and it sounds like a blast for budding (and seasoned) fashionistas. Inside the Wardrobe is an experiential, very Instagrammable, 20,000-square-foot walk-through art installation that celebrates our return to getting dressed in real clothes and going out again after over a year of being confined to our homes. Go on a journey through more than 20 interactive experiences focused on the fun and tactile nature of engaging with your closet. Style surrounds at every turn, sparking conversation about its evolving nature and how we present ourselves to the world. It runs through August 29.
UniverSoul Circus
Where: National Harbor | Oxon Hill, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Tickets: $27+
The world-class, live entertainment attraction that has captured the hearts and imaginations of a new generation of families is celebrating its 23rd year of FUN. UniverSoul connects with progressive, upwardly mobile, urban pop cultures from around the world, embracing and celebrating the unique and familiar aspects of global cultures and ethnicities into a stellar production that blends circus arts, theater and music. A fresh, cool, and hip approach to live family entertainment!
Stickwork Sculpture at the US Botanic Garden
Do Some Gardening
Where: U.S. Botanic Garden | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
The National Garden, the lovely outdoor area on the west side of the Botanic Garden, has reopened. Take a stroll along the paths, check out the plants and small creek that runs through it, bring a picnic to enjoy at one of the tables by the fountain or in the small amphitheater, and explore Patrick Doherty’s amazing stickwork sculpture that was installed in late 2019 to celebrate the USBG’s bicentennial (still there)! Now that the National Garden is open, all of the outdoor areas are accessible.
Secret DC Book Signings and Walking Tours
Where 1: Solid State Books | H Street NE, DC
Where 2: Vanadu Books | Hyattsville, MD
When: Friday, 7-8:30pm | Sunday, 3-4pm
Admission: Free
Discover some of DC’s most obscure places with JoAnn Hill, author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. She will be doing a walking tour of select book sites and book signings at Solid State Books on Friday from 7-8:30pm. She also will be signing books and conducting a house tour at Vanadu Art House on Sunday from 3-4pm, partnering with artist Clarke Bedford. Admission is free and open to all for both of the events.
Shakespeare in the Park
Where: Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park | Ellicott City, MD
When: Saturday, 8pm & Sunday, 6pm
Admission: $19/adult (one free kid per adult)
See a Shakespeare play in the park! The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company has brought back its annual outdoor show, presenting The Adventures of Pericles through August 2. Bring along a picnic to enjoy as you watch the play — there are no food vendors, but you can BYO food, beer, and wine.
Bike to the Blooms
Where: Kenilworth Aquatic Garden | Northeast DC
When: Daily, 8am – 4pm
Admission: Free
The annual lotus flower and water lily bloom has begun at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, and it’s one bloom that is always spectacular! You can add some adventure to an outing to see it by biking the Anacostia River Trail there. No matter how you go, try to see it during the peak. See scenes from a past bloom here and read more about Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens here.
More Bike Rides
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
There’s a quick link to bike rides up top as well as a specific one above, but here’s a stronger recommendation just to get out for a family ride. There are a bunch of great routes for the whole crew to ride all around the area. This one on the Anacostia River Trail includes the lotus and lilies at Kenilworth and another park for some play. Cycle the Mount Vernon trail and stop at Gravelly Point to watch the airplanes. Another fun ride is down the National Mall to Georgetown then onto the Capital Crescent Trail. You can find even more recs for good two-wheel trips here.
Hike+
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place
Take advantage of the nice weather with a family hike — then extend (and elevate) the day with some some snacks (or a whole meal) and sips after. A few awesome combos for that: Sky Meadows State Park and Barrel Oak Winery. Sugarloaf Mountain and The Comus Inn or Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard (note: Comus is not a winery or brewery, just a restaurant, but a very scenic and fun one). Great Falls (MD side) and The Old Angler’s Inn. Patapsco Valley State Park and the Guinness Brewery.
We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Saturday, 7pm
Admission: Tickets start at $20
Our local women’s pro soccer team is playing in DC Saturday evening. Watch the Washington Spirit take on the North Carolina Courage at Audi Field. Parking can be difficult, so I recommend taking Metro to the Navy Yard area (or parking in the neighborhood) and having a pre-game bite to eat, then it’s an easy walk to the stadium. El Bebe, The Salt Line, Dacha, and All Purpose are convenient, family-friendly spots to eat there.
Dupont’s Basement: An Arts Market
Where: Dupont Underground | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Sunday, 12-5pm
Admission:
Dupont Underground is hosting this arts market before it goes on vacay for the summer, so go do some shopping in the unique space. It’ll have funky stuff — art, collectibles, jewelry, vintage items — and variety of food. Vendors include Sweets by Shy, Future of What, Pencil Roots, Xolo Books, Black Vinegar and so much more. It’s also a chance to see the cool space below the streets of the city.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* There’s a brand new post about exploring art at the Kreeger Museum. Have you been?
* Starting Monday, July 12, timed-entry passes will no longer be required to visit the National Gallery of Art! Open daily 10am – 5pm.
* Just started reading this book and really enjoying it so far.
* A perfect summer salad.
* The 10 best places to travel in August, according to Travel & Leisure.
* If You Give a Mom A Cookie…
