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February 25, 2011 · 10:06 am

And the Winner is… The Weekend Round-Up

I loved reading the feedback from yesterday’s giveaway and learning which features readers enjoyed most on KFDC. If it had been, say, an awards ceremony, the weekend round-up easily would have won the golden trophy. I hope this one keeps fans happy.

Here are my nominations for fun family activities happening around town over the next couple of days. Happy Weekend!

Intersections: A New America Arts Festival – Celebrating art as an inspiration for connection and conversation, The Atlas Performing Arts Center kicks off nine days of performances and events today. Kids will get the most out of it on Family Saturday during the “Capture the Wind” event. Along with several family-friendly performances, including Adventure Theater’s “Mirandy & Brother Wind,” there will be hands-on arts activities, a cakewalk contest, and more fun for all ages. Saturday’s festivities run from 1 – 6pm, with a detailed scheduled available here. For show times throughout the festival and to purchase tickets online, visit the Intersections website.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! – As an early celebration of Dr. Seuss’ Birthday on March 2, Target stores are hosting Read Across America Day. From 9 – 11am you can enjoy a free Dr. Seuss story time at any Target store in the area, and hear readings of books by the beloved children’s author.

Orchid Exhibit Family Day – Museum goers of all ages are invited to explore the world of orchids at the National Museum of Natural History on Saturday. Enjoy stamp art and calligraphy, take a photo with a human-sized orchid, and learn how to pot an orchid to take home. Orchid experts from the Smithsonian and U.S. Botanic Garden will be available all day to answer questions and to discuss unique plants from their collections that will be on display for one day only. The free event runs from 11am – 3pm.

The Magic of Disney – Mickey and friends will be livening up the Patriot Center stage on Sunday, February 27, with two performances of Disney Live!: Mickey’s Magic Road Show. Join the gang as they watch world-class magicians perform magic from legendary Disney films. Tickets are still available for both the 12:30pm and 3:30pm shows and can be purchased through the Disney Live! website. Prices range from $22 – $50.

Saturday Morning at the National – The National Theater’s weekend series for children is back on this Saturday as adroit ventriloquist, Tom Crowl, shares the stage with his rambunctious pals. “Dangerous” Dudley Duck lives life on the edge, blurting out everything that pops into his head. Clair Voy Ant, the French Psychic Insect, sees all, knows all, and tells all, like it or not! Raoul the Monkey and Percival the Pirate complete the crazy cast. Showtimes are 9:30am and 11:30am. Tickets are free, but required, and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis 30 minutes before each show.

Celebrate Black History Month – It’s the last weekend to take part in the special events and exhibits around the area that pay tribute to Black History Month. See this post for details on where and when they are happening.

Tiny Tots – Two puppet shows for the littlest ones will be performed at The Puppet Co. this weekend: Clowning Around on Saturday and Panda-Monium on Sunday. Both start at 10am. Tickets are $5 and available online. Tiny Tots shows are recommended for ages 0-4.

Stories in Art – Pop Artist Jim Dine is still the subject for this week’s children’s program at the National Gallery. The workshop will start with a reading of “The Tin Forest,” a story about an old man who followed his dreams, transforming a junkyard into a magical place. From there, the group will examine the unique materials used by Jim Dine then create their own imaginary forests. Hour-long sessions begin at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. Sign-in will take place in the East Building Atrium, beginning at 11am that day and will continue until all spaces are filled. No admission fee required. For a review of the Stories in Art program, see this post from a few months back.

Theater Time – Several live family-friendly productions are in local theaters, and tickets are still available for some of this weekend’s performances. Check out this post to see what’s playing and how to reserve your seats.

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Filed under All ages, Annual, DC, Educational, Festival, Free, Live Entertainment, Museums, Theatre, Weekend, Winter

Tagged as Atlas Performing Arts Center, Clowning Around, Disney Live!, Intersections: A New America Arts Festival, Jim Dine, Mickey’s Magic Road Show, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of Natural History, Orchid Exhibit Family Day, Panda-Monium, Read Across America Day, Saturday Morning at the National, Storiies in Art, Target, The Puppet Co., Tiny Tots, Tow Crowl

February 11, 2011 · 9:55 am

We Love Weekends

Who needs chocolate when you've got something this sweet?

You’d think with all I’ve posted about Valentine’s Day, I’d be a huge fan of cupid and his holiday. Truth be told, I don’t actually celebrate it for myself (which is somewhat strange, since as mentioned before, my husband and I actually met on February 14). However, I do celebrate it with the kids, as I love the tradition of passing out little Valentines to classmates, and when Owen brings home a handmade card from school that says “I Love Mommy” my heart just melts.

If you’re also a sucker for Valentine’s Day when it comes to the kids (or even yourself), there are tons of ways to get into the spirit this weekend. And if you’re looking for some non-love-themed family pursuits, there are plenty of those to enjoy, too. Happy Weekend!

The Power of Chocolate – The National American Indian Museum is hosting a two-day celebration of one of the world’s favorite flavors. Festivities will include performances by local dance troupes, demonstrations by Panamanian artisans, presentations by experts at MARS Chocolate North America, live food demos with the museum’s Mitsitam Cafe executive chef Richard Hetzler, and hands-on activities for families, including paper mola making. For specifics, see the full schedule. The free event is happening on Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 4:30pm.

All You Need is Love – Kids have their choice of Valentine’s Day workshops and events this weekend. From learning about the heart to creating Valentine hearts, there are plenty of ways to celebrate love. For details on all of them, see this post from a couple of weeks ago.

Central Asian Festival – This month’s Arts for Families program at the Textile Museum welcomes guests to a festival featuring Central Asian music and food along with hands-on art and textile activities. Enjoy a fun exploration of Central Asian dance led by members of the Silk Road Dance Company. Take part in an energetic dance circle or test your ability to work with others by animating a huge dancing dragon inspired by Uzbek legends. The free event runs from 12-4pm on Saturday.

Celebrate Black History Month – A Family Day at the Air & Space Museum, an exhibit at National Geographic, stamp collecting at the National Postal Museum, reading about Rosa Parks, and special tours at Mount Vernon are just a few ways kids can celebrate and observe Black History Month. For details on all of them, see this post from last week.

Puppetry Festival – The McClean Community Center’s Alden Theatre is hosting a day dedicated to puppetry on Saturday. Guests can enjoy two puppet shows starting at 1:30pm, then make their own puppets at puppet creation stations. Admission is $12, $10/McLean district residents. Purchase tickets through the Alden Theatre website.

Rockville Winter Festival – Celebrate the season at the Rockville Town Center with fun for the whole family. Life-sized ice sculptures of kids’ favorite characters, live music, outdoor winter games, Disney on Ice ticket giveaways, and more. Festivities are from 12 – 4pm. The complete schedule of events is available on the website.

Tot Trails at Port Discovery – Celebrate the grand opening of the Baltimore children’s museum newest permanent exhibit. Tot Trails was created with the littlest explorers – infants and toddlers — in mind. Both Saturday and Sunday will be full of programs and activities for families, from moon bouncing and Valentine-making to story time and clown performances. See this post from a few days ago for more details.

Theater Time – Several children’s stage productions are in local theaters, and tickets are still available for some of this weekend’s performances. Check out this post to see what’s playing and how to reserve your seats.

Stories in Art – Pop Artist Jim Dine is the subject for this week’s children’s program at the National Gallery. The workshop will start with a reading of “The Tin Forest,” a story about an old man who followed his dreams, transforming a junkyard into a magical place. From there, the group will examine the unique materials used by Jim Dine then create their own imaginary forests. Hour-long sessions begin at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. Sign-in will take place in the East Building Atrium, beginning at 11am that day and will continue until all spaces are filled. No admission fee required.