Tag Archives: July 4th 2020

July 4, 2020 · 7:26 am

Five Things for Today: July 4th, 2020

Happy 4th of July!

1. Looking to cool off? WTOP has the scoop on local pool reopenings. And here are quick links for facilities now open: PG County (only outdoor pools are open), Arlington County, Fairfax County.

2. For swimming at parks and other areas, see this Facebook post crowdsourcing recommendations. We really enjoyed a dip at Patapsco Valley State Park, which I mentioned a few weeks ago here.

3. Music for the 4th… The United States Air Force Band, Washington Performing Arts, and National Harbor have partnered together with special guest artists Joshua Bell, Soloman Howard, and Larisa Martinez to present a special online event, streamed live at 4pm. Hosted by DC’s own Aaron Gilchrist, morning anchor at NBC4, “A Tribute to the American Spirit” will highlight the resilience of all Americans, honor our veterans, and celebrate Independence Day with some patriotic favorites. And the annual A Capitol Fourth concert that usually takes place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol is going virtual this year. Watch the special 40th anniversary presentation on PBS at 8pm tonight.

4. Boozy Fourth of July drinks.

5. A round-up of stylish face masks and where to shop for them from Vogue. (You can also get very reasonably priced masks from Old Navy and Target, and these are so pretty.)

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Five Things for Today: July 3, 2020

The debate over the Emancipation Statue continues

1. Quick links for weekend activities:
* Local Hikes
* Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in bloom (more about it here)
* Shark tooth hunting (be sure to note restrictions)
* DC playgrounds
* Fairfax Parks, NoVa Parks, MoCo Parks.
* Pick Your Own places
* Paddling opportunities
* The virtual Smithsonian Folklife Festival
* July 4th protests and marches

2. Today, bring the kiddos to The Lane Social Club from 3-7pm for story time and afternoon of kid’s activism on their outdoor roof terrace. Cyana Riley, author of “Not So Different” will be there to read her book, and each child who attends will be able to decorate an activist T-Shirt that they can proudly wear all summer long. The T-shirt is black and white and says: “Science is Real, Black Lives Matter, Love is Love, No Human is Illegal, Kindness is Everything”. The Lane will supply fabric pens available for everyone to make the design their own. Reservations are required, as are masks (until seated at the table). Tickets are required and available here.

3. And speaking of activism, there’s going to be both a protest of and a conversation about the history of the controversial Emancipation Statue in Lincoln Park on Capitol Hill — the protest is 5-9pm, and the conversation 6:30-8pm.

4. Lots of July 4th recipes and menu ideas.

5. How to Guilt People Into Wearing a Face Mask 🙂

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Five Things for Today: July 2, 2020

Gonna eat me a lotta peaches… A past peach-picking outing at Homestead

1. Homestead Farm in Poolesville, MD, one of our favorite places for picking our own fruits and veggies, has peaches available right now. Read more about it in this KFDC post. And find even more PYO places here. (Update: Per reader comment below, it’s a good idea to call ahead before you go to make sure pickings are good.)

2. If you’re up for a museum outing indoors, the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore is open. Depending on the day you go, you can take a train ride or join a story time along with touring the exhibits. And to celebrate Independence Day, they’re hosting an “All American Weekend” July 3-5 with special festivities in partnership with the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum.

3. A bunch of DC restaurants are offering July 4th specials. Note that many require preordering (for take out) or reservations for eating there.

4. Ways to help out DC right now.

5. These bits people do to annoy their partners (but have become endearing inside jokes) are hilarious. Do you have one?

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Filed under 2020, All ages, Coronavirus, COVID-19, DC, Maryland, Summer, Virginia

June 30, 2020 · 8:14 am

Five Things for Today: June 30, 2020

DC’s best flower bloom (imo) has begun!

1. The area’s best flower bloom (imo) has begun at a recently reopened hidden gem of a place. The lotus flowers and water lilies have started to put on their seasonal show at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, where they are welcoming visitors to enjoy the park full of ponds and wetlands once again — with restrictions. Some of the paths, the boardwalk area, and visitor center are closed, and you have to follow a route through it all. But it’s wonderful as ever and will be even more so over the coming weeks as the bloom reaches its peak. A great way to get there is by bike along the Anacostia River Trail — read more about that here. And view more pics from our visit there on IG. Hours are 8am – 4pm, and admission is free. (Extra: The DC area’s best flower blooms.)

2. Montgomery Parks playgrounds have started reopening and will continue over the next couple of weeks. Two especially good ones are at Cabin John and Wheaton Regional Park (both have Miniature Trains that have started operating on weekends). Whether you plan to visit one of those or another Moco play area, be sure to check ahead and confirm it’s open.

3. Plan ahead: Mount Vernon is hosting An American Celebration on July 4th. It all takes place during the day, so no fireworks, but there will be special festivities like military demos, appearances by General Washington, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. And many exhibits, both outdoors and in, will be open to tour (the Museum is open, but the Mansion is not). Capacity is limited for social distancing, so advance purchase is recommended. Admission is $18-20/adult, $10-12/age 6-11, free/under 6.

4. In case you haven’t heard, the Hamilton movie is coming to Disney Plus this Friday, July 3. It’s not free, and you need to be a subscriber, but there is a way to do it cheaply — follow the link for details.

5. And here’s a little something awesome to get you psyched for it.

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