Tag Archives: Fall Frolic

Weekend Treats, No Tricks

Halloween has already begun, as far as Boba Fett is concerned

 

So, it’s not officially Halloween this weekend, but given all the events going on — and the fact that my kids are practically living in costumes — for all intents and purposes, it’s Halloween. So, I’m going with the theme. If you’re spooked by the idea of celebrating early, there’s still plenty more to do: a family day at the Newseum, theatre performances on local stages, museum exhibits, book readings, and more. And I’m not even going to mention the “s” word that’s supposedly on it’s way tomorrow (ignore it and it’ll go away, right?), but cooler weather is coming. Fingers crossed that it’s of the crisp, sunny fall day variety. Happy Weekend!

Halloween HappeningsYou don’t have to wait until Monday to get the Halloween festivities started. Catch a concert in costume at National Geographic Live; design a pop-up haunted house at the Building Museum; trick or treat at Old Town Boutiques; put some air in your scare at the Udvar-Hazy Center or College Park Aviation Museum; enjoy kids festivities at the MLK Library, Discovery Theater, GW University, and the Crime Museum. Find details for all of these events in this KFDC post about the many Halloween happenings around town.

Go “Around the World” at the NewseumSaturday is a special Family Day at the museum dedicated to all things news and media.  Take a trip across the globe with journalist Nelly Bly through a variety of activities geared especially toward kids, a scavenger hunt, front page news games, a historical enactment of Bly, and a 3-D short film among them. This all starts at 11am – see the schedule for activity times. Admission to the museum is still the regular price (21.95/adults, $12.95/ages 7-18, free for ages 6 and under), but you’ll get to experience the special activities along with all the permanent collections.  And, as mention in this KFDC post about the Newseum a couple of weeks ago, tickets are good for two consecutive days, so you can go back Sunday for even more.

Fall Frolic – Glen Echo Park’s annual Halloween-themed event is a seasonal fave for all ages.  The public is invited to explore the park through hands-on crafts, Halloween activities, and performances. Decorate trick-or-treat bags, make a spooky spider or a friendly ghost, and color Halloween pictures for free.  Pay a small fee $1-2) for pumpkin decorating and face painting. The Park’s studios and galleries will also be open for visitors to view the works of resident artists.  And a costume parade will conclude the fun at the end of the day.  This all happens on Saturday from 1-4pm.

Hansel & Gretel at the NationalThe free Saturday morning theatre fun continues. First up is Barrymore Eagle’s Costume Parade, so bring the kids in their charming or wild Halloween get-ups. Afterwards, kids will revel in the not-too-scary Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel, which is brought magically to life by the enchanting marionettes from Baltimore’s Black Cherry Puppet Theater. These performances at National Theatre take place at 9:30am and 11am, and tickets are required for admission. Free tickets are distributed half an hour prior to the start of shows on a first-come first-served basis. Only one ticket per person, and all attendees must be standing in line to receive a ticket. Children must be accompanied by an adult who remains present for the entire performance. Seating is limited, so get there early!

Go Nat Geo – Families can enjoy more than just  the aforementioned Halloween concert going on at the National Geographic Museum this weekend. On Sunday at 1pm, join Dig Deeper, a free archaeology workshop being presented in conjunction with the exhibition Anglo-Saxon Hoard: Gold from England’s Dark Ages. Email NatGeoMuseum@ngs.org to register.  And while you’re there, don’t miss Animal Grossology, a new exhibit for kids featuring some of the slimiest, stinkiest, yuckiest creatures on earth.  Admission to the exhibit is $8/adults, $6/ages 5-12, free for children 4 and under and includes the fun Weird But True exhibit as well as entrance to Ocean Soul: Photographs by Brian Skerry, a beautiful collection of images from oceans around the world that will captivate any photography buff or wildlife lover.

Take the FallThis is the last weekend for many area fall festivals, so if you still have yet to pick out pumpkins, zip down lofty slides, bounce on giant pillows, and have fun down on the farm, see this KFDC post to find out where you can go to squeeze it all in.  And if  you have been.. hey, go back for more!

Book it to the JCCEnjoy a morning of crafts, folktales, and fun with children’s book author Vicki Weber. Her award-winning book, It’s Too Crowded in Here!, is a collection of Jewsish folktales and midrashic stories enlivened by colorful illustrations.  The event starts at 10am and is part of the Jewish Literary Festival that runs through November 2. Admission to this Sunday’s family program is $10 and includes a copy of the book. 

Stage Delights – See Gustafer Yellowgold, the small, yellow, cone-headed fellow, who came to the Earth from the Sun, at Jammin’ Java.  Catch the final performances of Alladin’s Luck at Imagination Stage. Watch the Three Billy Goats Gruff on strings. These shows, plus a few more, will entertain audiences at local theatres this weekend.  This KFDC post has more details on all of them.

Potrait Story Days – Drop in at the National Portrait Gallery from 1-4pm on Saturday and Sunday to listen to a story about a person who has influenced American history and culture and to create a special piece of art. This weekend, learn about Girl Scouts founder, Juliette Gordon Low.

And as always, these posts are worth checking out once the forecast is firm:

The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors With the Kids

Rainy Day Recreation (ie, Indoor Fun)

 

 

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Filed under All ages, Annual, Art, DC, Educational, Fall, Farm, Festival, Free, Halloween, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Music, Outdoor, Park, Seasonal, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend

Halloweekend

Giddyup! Spidey rides the carousel at last year's Hilloween.

There’s a whole weekend and then some to get through before the official trick-or-treating begins on Sunday evening. If you and the kids are looking for activities in the Halloween spirit to pass the time from Friday on, here are a few ideas.

Hilloween
Capitol Hill’s annual event is legendary for little ones.  On Friday, October 29, from 5:30 – 7:30pm, 7th Street SE next to Eastern Market will be closed to traffic for one of the best kids’ Halloween celebrations in the city. Hayrides, moon bounces, goody giveaways, and even a mini carousel will add to the excitement.  The best part is seeing the masses of jubilant kids in all kinds of costumes indulging in the neighborhood extravaganza.

All Aboard the Halloween Train
Ride the “Eye Spy” Halloween Train at Cabin John Regional Park or take a Haunted Train Ride any evening through Halloween.  More info about both journeys on the tracks in Maryland’s dark woods is in this post from a few days ago.  Along with the train rides, there are more tricks and treats for kids at both locations.

Stage Fright
So, maybe “fright” is a strong word for this weekend’s Saturday Morning at the National production.  A costume parade with Barrymore Eagle and some kid-friendly improv from Now This! will give audience members a chance to show off their trick-or-treating duds (come in costume!) and make suggestions for Halloween-themed improv performances. Kids are encouraged to dress up.  Show times are 9:30am and 11am.  Tickets are free and distributed a half hour prior to performances on a first-come, first-served basis.  Every person be standing in line to receive a ticket.

Trick or Treat with the Boutiques
Spook and shop all at once.  Old Town Alexandria’s annual Halloween event invites kids of all ages to visit local shops for tricks and treats on Saturday, October 30.  The giveaways will be available throughout the day during store hours.  The list of participating boutiques is available on the Old Town Boutique District website.

Fall Frolic
Glen Echo Park is hosting an afternoon of Halloween amusement with gobs of activities for kids of all ages.  At the Fall Frolic, guests can decorate a pumpkin, create a spooky spider, or make friendly ghost.   Kids can design their own trick-or-treat bag then use it to collect goodies from the park’s theaters and galleries. A pumpkin promenade, face painting, and costume parade will round out the fun.  Admission is free, though pumpkins and face painting cost $1.  The event runs from 1pm – 4pm on Saturday, October 30.

Pumpkin Glow Night
The Annual Fall Pumpkin Festival is still underway at Great Country Farms, and this weekend, it will be at its brightest for Pumpkin Glow Night.  On Friday and Saturday evenings, more than 1,500 jack o’lanterns carved by local school children will be lit all at one time for a spectacular pumkin display.  Guests can also bring their own jack o’lanterns for a chance to win Best in Glow, Scariest, and Funniest.  A bonfire and roasted marshmallows will help make it a great country experience. The Glow is from 6 – 9pm, and the lighting countdown begins at 7pm.  Admission is $10 for kids 3-10, $12/ages 11 and up, free for children 2 and under.  For directions and more info, visit the Great Country  Farms website.

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Filed under All ages, Annual, DC, Fall, Festival, Free, Halloween, Maryland, Outdoor, Park, Seasonal, Shop, Virginia, Weekend