Pretend play at it best
Yowza, it’s hot out! And it’s going to continue into the weekend, with chances of storms to boot. Here’s where you can stay cool and dry, along with a few suggestions for outdoor recreation if you dare brave the heat (sunblock, hats, and shade recommended). Happy Weekend!
The Inside Scoop – It seems only appropriate that these ideas for indoor fun top this round-up of weekend activities. Enjoy the AC!
Living Earth Festival – The National Museum of the American Indian is celebrating indigenous contributions to environmental sustainability, knowledge, and activism. The three-day event has tons for families. Hands-on activities include pottery and cornhusk dragonfly art projects, Hawaiian games, and hula lessons. Enjoy craft demonstrators, music, dancers, and festival activities throughout the museum. At a Farmer’s Market, children may receive something to plant in their own garden, and you can shop for local produce, meat, and traditional dishes. There will also be a cook-off featuring Native and local Chefs, and on Saturday guests can hear a free concert at 5pm on the Welcome Plaza.
Mars Day – Taking place today, Friday, the National Air and Space Museum celebrates the Red Planet with a variety of educational and fun family activities. Visitors can see a real meteorite that came from Mars, view the surface of Mars in 3-D with red/blue glasses. Learn about the latest missions and discoveries, talk to scientists active in Mars research, and more. The free event takes place from 10am – 3pm.
Destination Asia – Explore the heritage of Asia at George Mason University this weekend at the 8th Annual Asian Festival. Enjoy everything from traditional performances and cultural exhibitions to authentic cuisine and over 200 retails shops selling Asian products. The event runs on Saturday 10am – 10pm and Sunday 11am – 6pm. Admission is free.
Kids Farm Celebration – In case you haven’t yet heard, the Kids’ Farm at the National Zoo will remain open thanks to a generous donation by State Farm. The public is invited to celebrate the good news on Sunday from 11am – 2pm. Guests can enjoy arts & crafts, animal demos, and visits with their furry friends, of course. Just like entrance to the Zoo, this event is free of charge.
Make a Splash – If you’re going to be outside this weekend, access to water will be a good thing, and I don’t just mean the kind you drink. Get wet and stay cool at a spray park or outdoor pool—find links to public pools and spraygrounds in this post about summer fun. Or, go play in the fountains at The Yards Park.
The Wizard of Oz x 2 – You can catch two different productions of the classic show starting this weekend. The Puppet Co. presents their version on July 22 – September 4 with several show times this weekend. You can also see the play performed by people, The Act III Theatre Company, at Encore Stage and Studio in Arlington. Tickets are still available for all of the weekend performances.
Theatre in the Woods – This week’s performers at Wolf Trap’s summer theatre series are Bob Brown Puppets and the band Recess Monkey. While outdoors, the venue is shaded by a lovely canopy of trees, and the 10am showtime will get it all started before the day really heats up. Read of review of our Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods experience.
Family Films – Catch one of the movie series especially for families that run on the weekends. The Atlas Performing Arts Center hosts its Family Series on Saturdays at 5pm. This week’s showing will be “Babe.” While tickets are free, there is a $2 per ticket booking fee. For a screening under the stars, head to National Harbor on Sunday for its free Movies on the Potomac series. This week, see “Shrek Forever After,” starting just after sunset.
Stories in Art – On Sunday, the National Gallery of Art’s summer drop-in program welcomes kids ages 4-7 to explore Dutch art through storytelling, gallery tours, and hands-on projects. Sessions are hourly starting at 11:30am. Sign-up begins at 11am in the West Building Rotunda, and space is limited. Read a review of our experience at a session last summer. And for more details on this summer’s program and tips on signing up, see this post.
Portrait Story Days – Drop in at the National Portrait Gallery on Saturday from 1-4pm and Sunday from 2-5pm, 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 Sequoyah, who created the Cherokee writing system.
