A glimpse of what’s on view at the REACH to Forest Festival
Happy Weekend!
Check out these go-to posts for ongoing local fun:
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Active Pursuits Inside
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Kid-Friendly Eats
* Ice Skating
* Baltimore with Kids
* Peaceful Places
REACH to Forest Festival
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Mostly free
This second (and last) weekend of the Kennedy Center’s festival has free programs, films, art installations, conversations, and more that explore the symbiotic relationship between forests and the human world. This includes a bunch of events and performances that kids and families will love — some of them are listed in this round-up, and you can also pop in to check out the cool art installations and get creative in the Moonshot Studio.
Celebrate Women’s History
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
March is Women’s History Month, and there are so many great ways to celebrate it around DC, with something for all ages. See some exhibits, tour local landmarks, support women in sports, enjoy live entertainment, attend a festival… all of it showcasing women and their accomplishments. This post has details on where you can do that over the next month — and beyond!
Hometown Hockey
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Friday, 7pm & Sunday,
Admission: Ticket prices vary (look for deals)
The Caps are playing at home this weekend — twice. See them take on the Philapdelphia Flyers on Friday evening or catch a match against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday afternoon. Either way, plan on more fun in the Penn Quarter area and pop into a museum or get a pre- or post game bite to eat — lots of family-friendly places to go.
Saturday Morning Live! One Inch of Wonder
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 9:30am & 11am
Admission: Free
Take the kids to a free performance at the National Theatre’s monthly series. In this show, an inchworm lives inside a poet’s typewriter. When the typewriter suddenly goes quiet, the inchworm must team up with the audience to reignite the poet’s imagination! In this interactive show by an award-winning duo, inspiration really can be found in the little things. Reserve free tickets in advance!
First Saturday
Where: National Gallery of Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate Women’s History Month at the National Gallery’s monthly First Saturday as you explore works of art and activities by women artist. Take little ones to storytime. Connect with portrait photography in Dorothea Lange: Seeing People during its last month on view, and watch Grab a Hunk of Lightning, a documentary about Lange. Experience portrait drawing with visual storyteller Wendy MacNaughton. Plus, watch kid-friendly short films, enjoy face painting, discover a curated selection of books in the library, and more!
Environmental Book Fair
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Families will enjoy a one-of-a–kind book fair dedicated to youth and children, featuring a collection of books for sale on the environment and well being in collaboration with Politics and Prose. Exciting programs include author readings, children’s storytelling by notable authors, and book signings.
Trailblazing Women in Transit History
Where: National Capital Trolley Museum | Colesville, MD
When: Saturday, 12-3pm
Admission: $12/adult, $10/ages 2-17 & seniors
Learn about women who made in impact in transit history at the National Capital Trolley Museum’s monthly All Aboard! program. There will be crafts and objects from NCTM’s collection available for visitors to enjoy. Plan to tour the rest of exhibits and take a trolly ride while you’re there.
Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Where: Old Town | Alexandria, VA
When: Saturday, 12:30pm
Admission: Free
Don your green and line the streets of Old Town Alexandria to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a bit early at the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade! Go early for a Fun Dog Show at 11am at King & N. Royal Streets as costumed dogs strut their St. Paddy’s spirit. A Classic Car Show will begin at 9am at the 100 block of N. Pitt Street, between King and Cameron Streets. The big procession kicks off at 12:30pm at Alfred and King Streets, then winds through Old Town, showcasing elected officials, Irish Ambassadors, military commanders, scout troops, high school bands, and local celebrities.
Magic Mirror
Where: The Puppet Co.
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11:30am & 1pm
Admission: $15
Magic Mirror is back after its special 40th Anniversary run in 2023! This production was the first show founders Christopher Piper and Allan Stevens worked on as the Puppet Co. Meet Toad, a young person destined for greatness in this mash-up story with lots of familiar fairy tales! Join us on this journey of dragons, monsters, and spirits of the woods. Recommended for ages 5+. Run time approximately 50 minutes.
Through the Sunken Lands
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 1:30pm & 4pm
Admission: $20
Tim J. Lord’s radio play transforms into a heartening world premiere musical that amplifies the voice of a commonly overlooked community. Follow Artemis—a young wheelchair user who’s determined to fight to save her dying town with the help of Aunt Maggie… and a talking heron! Recommended for ages 9+.
The Monster at the End of this Play
Where: Highland Elementary School | Wheaton, MD
When: Saturday, 11am & Sunday, 2pm
Admission: Free
A spooky forest. A mysterious letter. The worst villains in all of Fairytale Land. What could possibly go wrong? “The Monster at the End of This Play” is a lighthearted and humorous exploration of how the things we don’t understand are not always as scary as they seem. Best for ages 4 and up.
Cinderella: A Salsa Fairytale
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Saturday, 1pm & 4pm
Admission: $12+
A bilingual Cinderella with a twist that kids will love! What will happen to Cinderella at the ball … game? That’s the surprising question in this contemporary Latin-American Cinderella musical that weaves subtle lessons on empathy, sportsmanship, and respect into an exciting, high-stakes story. An Imagination Stage original that broke new ground in bilingual children’s theatre. Recommended for ages 5+.
Junie B. Jones, The Musical
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am & 2pm
Admission: $25
It is Junie B.’s first day of first grade, and a lot of things have changed for her: Junie’s friend, Lucille, does not want to be her best pal anymore and, on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Also, Junie has trouble reading the blackboard and her teacher, Mr. Scary, thinks she may need glasses. Throw in a friendly cafeteria lady, a kickball tournament and a “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal,” and first grade has never been more exciting. Featuring a tremendously loveable character and fun-filled songs, Junie B. Jones will capture your audience members’ hearts just as the books captivated an entire generation of students.
Marching Toward Madness
Where: Colleges around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by game
The NCAA basketball season starts to get really exciting this timw of year as we get closer to March Madness and the Big Dance. Get ready for at a local game — with so many colleges in the area, there’s always some good hoops to see. Here’s who is playing at home this weekend:
* Catholic men vs Worcester State on Friday at 5:45pm
* American women vs Navy on Saturday at 12pm (in Annapolis)
* GWU women vs Loyola Chicago on Saturday at 2pm
* American men vs Navy on Saturday at 2pm
* George Mason men vs Duquesne o Saturday at 2pm
* Georgetown men vs Xavier on Saturday at 7pm
* Maryland Men vs Indiana on Sunday at 2pm (Go, Terps!)
Roam Free
Where: Dumbarton Oaks Gardens | Georgetown, DC
When: Throughout the weekend, 2-5pm
Admission: Free
There’s only a little over a week to take advantage of free admission to Dumbarton Oaks Gardens. From November through mid-March, there is no fee to roam the beautiful grounds. (It’s one of my favorite KFDC Tips to impart because it’s one of my favorite places in DC!) Stroll among the various plats, find lovely tucked away places to sit, and enjoy a delightful, relaxing wander around a peaceful place. Hours are limited, but you can make a longer day of it with play time at Montrose Park next door, a hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park right behind the the garden, and/or a bite to eat at one of of the many options in Georgetown. This KFDC post about Dumbarton also has some nearby food recs and this one from earlier KFDC days has more info and scenes.
Play with Extra Zip
Where: Beauvoir Outdoors | National Cathedral, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
The National Cathedral Elementary School’s playground is easily one of the best in the city. With lots of climbing and sliding structures and spaces for all ages, plus a super fun zipline, your whole crew is guaranteed to have a blast there.
Voting Rights Story Times
Where: Women’s Equality National Monument | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Sunday, 12pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate Women’s History Month by attending “Voting Rights Story Times.” Join the Yellow Roses, a youth advocacy and learning group, every Sunday in March at the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument as they share stories for children about determination, resilience, and perseverance in pursuit of equality. Learn more about the group and the story time events here.
Model Rocket Launch
Where: Goddard Space Flight Center
When: Sunday, 1-2pm
Admission: Free
Join the monthly model rocket launch at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Anyone is welcome, and if you’ve got a model rocket to fly, bring it along (though there are some restrictions – see them here). The program takes place the first Sunday of every month at 1pm.
Hit the Trail
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
We should have some good hiking weather at keast one day this weekend, so get out in nature to enjoy some family QT on the. trail. This post has a bunch of recommendations for great places to go with kids. A few specific suggestions for this weekend: At Calvert Cliffs State Park you can also do some fossil hunting, Patapsco Valley State Park has so many great hiking options, hit the trail right in the city at Rock Creek Park, or enjoy the glorious nature of Prince William Forest Park.
Ice Skating Wind Down
Where: Ice rinks around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by rink
The outdoor ice skating season is coming to an end soon. The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden rink closes after Sunday. A couple of others have already shut down for the season, and a couple more are only open through next weekend. See this post listing them all for details on where you can glide under the sky a final time this winter.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* The National Park Service just announced the predicted cherry blossom peak bloom dates: March 23-26.
* With rain in the forecast in Saturday, the post about indoor places for active fun is a good one to highlight.
* Local author JoAnn Hill just shared a sampling of Black-owned family-friendly DC restaurants from her brand new book Unique Eats & Eateries of Washington, DC. Yum!
* 14 Adventurous Family Trips That Your Kids Will Love suggested by Outside Magazine.
* A friend gave me this, and I love it!
* We took care of our friends’ dog recently, and he had the funniest dog toy.
* The cutest kids clothes in this spring sale (and check out the adult stuff while you’re there)
* An unexpected but quite pretty color for sandals.
* Picks from Anthro’s 40% off sale: This pretty print dress; these iridescent hoops; this cute & comfy dress; these stylish culottes; this vibrant skirt; this mini dress for teen Sash.
* Two of my favorite podcasters in one great episode.
* I haven’t been watching American Idol, but this makes me want to.
