Enjoy summer evenings at the Arboretum starting Sunday!
Happy Weekend!
Quick links to posts full of ideas fo 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
* Paddling Options
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Seasonal Fun
Where: Around the DC Area
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity
Enjoy summer fun with a host of activities that only occur this time of year. Jump in at an outdoor pool, sprayground, or waterpark. Take kiddos to the new Wild Kratts: Ocean Adventures exhibition at the National Children’s Museum. Enjoy a Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens. Go berry picking. Ride mini-trains at Cabin John and Wheaton Regional Parks. See at move under the stars at National Harbor. And much, much more! See the 2025 Summer Guide for details on all of these great pursuits.
The Wiz
Where: Stuart Hobson Middle School | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Fri, 6:30pm | Sat, 1pm & 6:30pm | Sun, 2pm
Admission: $12/child, $14/age 14+, $40/family of 4
Ease on down the road to enjoy some entetainment by local kids! Catch a performance of Stuart Hobson Drama Players’ latest productions, The Wiz, this weekend.
Sound Scene
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free
The interactive sound and multi-sensory arts festival is a celebration of sonic and sensory arts. There will be live performances, interactive installations, and activities for all ages. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged.
Pride Family Festival
Where: American Art Museum | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate World Pride with the American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Enjoy performances by DC’s Different Drummers, GenOUT, the youth chorus of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, and GRIDLOCK Dance. There will also be hands-on crafts activities, and a DJ will keep the creative energy high.
Summer Evenings at the Arb
Where: National Arboretum | Northeast DC
When: Starting Sunday thru August 30
Admission: Free
Stating this Sunday and all summer long, enjoy extended evening hours at the National Arboretum! This is part of Friends of the National Arboretum’s “mission to ensure the Arboretum’s gardens and collections are accessible to the public, particularly the local community, and to connect people with nature”. It’s a great chance to see one of the prettiest places in DC in a whole new (twi)light.
Strawberry Jubilee
Where: Great Country Farms | Bluemont, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $14/advance, $16/at gate, free/2 & under
It’s the second and final weekend of this strawberry festival in Loudoun County takes place this weekend and next. Get ready for lots of fun activities for all ages, including live music, farm contests, wagon rides, great food, and fun games for the whole fam. As if that’s not enough to keep the everyone entertained for the day, there’s also the five-acre play area, complete with the jumping pillow, slides, rope swings, mazes, a tractor tire mountain, and animal encounters.
Lincoln Park Learning Festival
Where: Lincoln Park | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Admission: Free
Join education non-profit Turning the Page at this learning festival and used book sale in Lincoln Park. Enjoy children’s activities led by the National Postal Museum, National Building Museum,DC Public Library, and Turning the Page. There will also be thousands of used books, CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records for all ages. All proceeds from the book sale support their work in local DC public schools.
Moonshot Studio: Celebrate Pesident Kennedy
Where: The REACH | Kennedy Center, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 4:30pm
Admission: Free
Get creative at this studio within The REACH at the Kennedy Center, where all are welcome and encouraged to partake in various art projects and activities. This month, celebrate the 35th president’s birthday throughout the month of May. Build a mini-boat, create a presidential portrait, write a poem using his speeches, and explore President Kennedy’s ideals by making a pennant flag.
Play Palooza
Where: Potomac Festival | Woodbridge, VA
When: Saturday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
This free family-friendly festival is popping up at the shopping center in Woodbridge for the afternoon. Enjoy bounce houses, obstacle courses, foam parties, a Truck Touch Zone, and meet-and-greets with popular kids’ characters. RSVP in advance!
The Wizard of Oz
Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: Fri, 7pm | Sat-Sun, 3pm
Admission: $15/adult, $13/child
Encore Stage & Studio presents this theatre by kids for kids show… When a tornado rips through Kansas, young Dorothy is whisked away to the magical land of Oz. She bravely embarks on a journey to Emerald City where she encounters a host of whimsical characters: good witches, bad witches, animals that talk, scarecrows that walk, and things magical to behold. Will Dorothy prevail over evil and make it back home? Follow the yellow brick road and find out with us! We recommend this production for ages 4+.
Frankenstein
Where: Klein Theatre | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 2pm & 7:30pm
Admission: $39-142 (find discount)
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production reimagines Mary Shelley’s romantic gothic science fiction masterpiece as a chilling exploration of what it means to create a new life. Visceral and provocative, this production reveals the inner lives of Elizabeth and Victor Frankenstein in bold new ways. Riding the edge of cinematic thriller and intense drama, Frankenstein redefines the legend we know, the name we fear, and the monstrous act at the heart of the story. Recommended for teens and older.
Kimberly Akimbo
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Fri, 7:30pm | Sat-Sun, 2pm & 7:30pm
Admission: $69-169
This new musical about growing up and growing old (in no particular order), just opened at National Theatre. Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey. She is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush… and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure. Recommended for ages 13+.
Senior Class
Where: Olney Theatre | Olney, MD
When: Fri, 7:30 | Sat & Sun, 1:30pm & 7:30pm
Admission: $26-101
This World Premiere musical-lovers’ musical is full of dancing and comedy and dedicated to the timeless belief that the show must go on… When budget cuts to the arts program mean their high school theatre can’t pay for My Fair Lady, Colin and G.B., two Broadway-obsessed students, decide to stage their own original musical version of Shaw’s Pygmalion. The search for an actress to play Eliza Doolittle leads them to a Harlem-born-and-bred subway dancer who just might be perfect — but artistic egos and culture clashes threaten to undermine the production before the big opening night. Can the Senior Class musical be saved? (And will Colin score his much-wished-for “Jimmy” Award to launch his meteoric rise to stardom as the first-ever J-EGOT?) Recommended for teens and older.
Twelfth Knight
Where: Folger Shakespeare Theatre | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Fri, 8pm | Sat, 2pm & 8pm | Sun, 2pm & 7:30pm
Admission: $20-84
Viola washes up on the shore after losing her twin brother in a shipwreck. In disguise as her twin brother, she lands in the world of Duke Orsino. A playful interpretation of a beloved Shakespeare comedy that brings gender fluidity, mistaken identities, and what it means to move between worlds into a joyful discovery of love. Recommended for teens and older.
World Heritage Festival
Where: Veterans Plaza | Silver Spring, MD
When: Sunday, 1-7pm
Admission: Free
Explore cultures across the globe at the World Heritage Festival. Taste delicious ethnic food, while getting refreshed with a scoop of ice cream, shaved ice, or even a fresh smoothie. Enjoy a beautiful cultural performance and shop from more than 60 vendors displaying everything from fine art to jewelry, ceramics to crafts, and every creative item in between. Other vendors include area nonprofit organizations, entrepreneurs, and local businesses.
World Pride Family-Friendly Dance Party
Where: Dupont Underground | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Sunday, 3-6pm
Admission: Free
Bring your little movers and shakers (and your own dancing shoes!) for an afternoon filled with music, laughter, and tons of excitement. Enjoy a fantastic playlist of kid-friendly tunes that will get everyone on their feet. This event is the perfect way to celebrate World Pride with the whole family in a welcoming and joyful environment.
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.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* Have you explored many museums beyond DC? Here are a bunch to visit in MD & VA!
* There is a Bark & Brunch this Saturday at The Yards with a guided walking tour and brunch specials at nearby restaurants.
* The US Botanic Garden just announced that new open hours for the Conservatory this summer. From June 9 – August 31, it will be open 11am – 6pm.
* The National Postal Museum is hosting a FREE virtual STAMP Camp this summer for kids ages 6-12.
* We were at a BBQ last weekend with food from Federalist Pig, and it was delicious!
* Beach weekend planned, now looking at beach hats.
* Just learned my favorite flip flop brand makes others kinds of shoes, sandals and slides. Styles for kids and guys, too!
* Really enjoyed this TV series and starting this new one next.
* How awesome is Jennifer Hudson’s Spirit Tunnel? (This one and this one are a couple of faves.)
