Happy Weekend!
Check out these KFDC go-tos for all kinds of family fun ideas:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Kid-Friendly Dining
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Indoor Action
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* The Great Indoors
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Wicked Fun
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Celebrate Halloween all weekend long and up to the big day! A scary amount of events and activities that embrace the spooky spirit are happening over the next week. A bunch are detailed in this round-up, but you definitely want to view this post, which has info on even more happenings with all kinds of tricks and treats.
Skaters Gonna Skate
Where: Silver Spring & Rockville, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by rink
Ready to glide under the sky? A couple of outdoor ice skating rinks, Silver Spring Veteran’s Plaza and Rockville Town Center, have started welcoming guests to skate the day (and night) away. The rest of the aea rinks will follow by mid-November.) This guide has details on all of them (indoor venues, too), including extra activities to enjoy while you’re there.
Hill-O-Ween
Where: Eastern Market | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Friday, 5-8pm
Admission: Free
Capitol Hill’s annual neighborhood event is legendary for little ones! Count on live pumpkin carving and a DJ spinning tunes for a spooky dance party. More details are still to come, but for past events the block of 7th Street SE next to Eastern Market is closed to traffic for one of the best community Halloween celebrations in the city. There have been moon bounces, goody giveaways, face painting, wagon rides, and more exciting festivities. The best part is seeing the masses of jubilant kids in all kinds of costumes indulging in the extravaganza.
Watch the Wizards
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Friday, 7pm
Admission: Tickets prices vary (look for discount)
The Wizards’ season just started so bounce on over to Capital One Arena and watch them play the Cleveland Cavaliers. Plan on a pre-game dinner in Penn Quarter — there are plenty of family-friendly places to go in the neighborhood. Some recs: Jaleo, Carmine’s, and Shake Shack. See even more places here.
Día de los Muertos | Day of the Dead Celebration
Where: National Museum of the American Indian | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free
Bring the whole family to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to enjoy fun festivities, including dance performances, artist and food demonstrations, coloring activities, and paper marigold and mask making. Visitors are also invited to leave photos and mementos of their loved ones on the ofrenda (altar) or commemorate them by writing their names on a butterfly to attach to the memorial arch.
Halloween Scenes
Where: Around Capitol Hill, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
One of my favorite things about Halloween on Capitol Hill is the many houses decked out in decor for the holiday. And strolling (or biking or scooting) around to see them makes for a wicked fun family activity. The Hill is Home makes that easier with their Spooky Hill Map. Even if you don’t live here, it’s worth coming to the area to experience, especially since you can make a longer day of it and plan for a visit to the Library of Congress or the U.S. Capitol, some browsing at Eastern Market, or play time at one of the many parks or playgrounds.
Air & Scare
Where: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | Chantilly, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free, parking is $15
The beloved Air & Scare event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center has loads of Halloween-themed activities like trick or treat stations, creepy crafts, spooky experiments, special story times and puppet shows, photo ops, and costume contests. Note that the outdoor part of the event is sold out, but there are plenty of indoor festivties, plus the whole museum to tour.
Museum Open House
Where: Kreeger Museum | Foxhall-Palisades, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
The Kreeger Museum invites all ages to their annual Open House! The free, family-friendly event will have live jazz music, art-making activities, and food trucks selling refreshments. Picnics are also welcome in the lovely sculpture garden. Entrance to the Museum will be free of charge with the permanent collection on view. If you have never been (or even if you have), it’s a great time to go. Read more about the Kreeger in this KFDC post.
Garlic Planting Party
Where: National Arboretum | Northeast DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Help ward off evil spirits at the Arboretum’s annual Garlic Planting Party in the Washington Youth Garden. Celebrate the WYG community and the end of the growing season with garlic planting, face painting, fall art activities, food tastings, vegetable harvesting, and more. Wearing costumes is highly encouraged! Read more about the Washington Youth Garden in this KFDC post and view scenes from fall at the Arboretum here — it’s gorgeous this time of year!
Something Wicked: Supernatural Shakespeare
Where: Folger Shakespeare Library | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 12:30pm & 1-2pm
Admission: Free
Get spooky with Shakespeare’s ghosts and witches. Join the Folger on fun escapades to explore the hurly-burly elements of Shakespeare’s plays. Costumes welcome. Note that the 11:30am workshop is recommended for ages 5–7, and the 1pm workshop for ages 8–14. Free registration is required.
Fall Block Party
Where: The Station at Riverdale Park | Riverdale, MD
When: Saturday, 12-5pm
Admission: Free
The Stations’s first annual Fall Block Party will feature local artists and businesses along with lots of family-friendly activities, including a 9-hole mini golf course, mat Pilates, face painting, pumpkins, and more. There will be a DJ, and The Shed will lead a drum circle and instrument petting zoo. There will also be a “Pup-kin Costume Contest,” a Halloween-themed costume contest for dogs, at 2pm. Food and drink vendors, too.
Día de los Muertos Family Day
Where: American Art Museum | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Bring the whole family for live entertainment, including traditional Mexican folk dance byCorazon Folklorico, a mariachi performance by Mariachi Aguila DC, and a showcase of different Latin American music genres and dances with Sol y Rumba. Kids 12 and younger can enjoy face painting throughout the day as well as Día de los Muertos-themed crafts. All ages can have fun exploring the museum in a Día de los Muertos scavenger hunt.
Glen Echo Fall Frolic
Where: Glen Echo Park | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free, but small cost for some activities
It’s a safe and fun Halloween event with something for everyone! Activities include decorating a Trick-or-Treat bag and other crafts, a festive fall photo-op, a costume contest (will you win for “Most Spooky,” “Most Creative,” or “Best Group?”), and Trick-or-Treating at resident art studios and galleries. They focus on the arts-y & crafts-y more than the scary at this event, but they love to see all the costumes, even the scary ones, so get the kids dressed in their Halloween best!
Hill Family Biking Halloween Ride
Where: Around Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 4-5:30pm
Admission: Free
It’s the second annual Hill Family Biking Halloween Ride! The rolling fun will start at Lincoln Park by the Lincoln Statue, but the route will be a mystery until the day of the ride! We’ll be using the Spooky Hill is Home map built a route along the scariest blocks on the Hill. The ride will end at Eastern Market Metro Plaza for some spooky fun including live music from the Knox Engler Band and a costume contest with awesome prizes.
Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure!
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Saturday, 11am & 1:30pm | Sunday, 1:30pm & 4pm
Tickets: $23.50
Equal parts interactive science, comedy, and personal empowerment messages, Doktor Kaboom returns with a new show. Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! illustrates physical science concepts, which are also metaphors for real-life mental and emotional pressures. Praised for keeping crowds riveted with interest and rolling with laughter, Doktor Kaboom is also known for empowering volunteers from the audience to be the heroes of the moment. In Under Pressure!, Kaboom validates the pressures some students may feel, and shares tools and life lessons as resources for dealing with the difficulties that face us all. Recommended for ages 8+
Winnie the Pooh
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am & 1pm
Admission: $12-44
Everyone’s favorite bear from the 100 Acre Wood is surrounded by Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl in this delightful and gentle musical. Set during one busy day, there’s a Heffalump to catch, Eeyore’s tail to find, and a misunderstanding between Rabbit and Kanga to sort out. In the end, friendship and understanding win the day. Recommended for ages 3+.
She Persisted
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: Sat, 11am & 2pm | Sun, 2pm
Tickets: $27
There’s a couple more weekends to catch Adventure Theatre’s current show… Fourth-grader Naomi’s field trip to a Women’s History Museum turns into a time travel adventure where she encounters inspirational women who have overcome barriers and made waves throughout U.S. history. From activists to athletes, artists and more, the musical features the stories of female trailblazers such as Harriet Tubman, Virginia Apgar, Ruby Bridges, Sally Ride, Florence Griffith Joyner, and Sonia Sotomayor.
Hocus Pocus Trick or Treating
Where: Shipgarten | McLean, VA
When: Sunday, 12-6pm
Admission: Free
Bring the whole family for an unforgettable experience meeting friendly, fun characters from Hocus Pocus, plus face painting and arts & crafts kids can enjoy. They’ll also have live music, moonbounces, and a full playground so everyone can have a blast! Dogs are welcome at Shipgarten too, whether on-leash or in our off-leash dog park.
NSO Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular!
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Sunday, 2pm & 4pm
Admission: $23.50
An annual tradition at the Kennedy center as the Concert Hall transforms into a ghostly sight when ghoulishly attired National Symphony Orchestra musicians celebrate Halloween. Enjoy a concert filled with musical treats from fa-boo-lous new works to spooky old classics. Arrive early for trick-or-treating and a special Haunted Hall Musical PLAYspace! Recommended for ages 5+.
Fall Festing
Where: Around the DC region
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Fall festivals are in full swing at locales all around the area to celebrate the season. From pumpkin patches and apple picking to corn mazes and hayrides to giant slides and jumping pillows, there are activities GALORE to help folks embrace the autumn spirit. See a whole round-up of where you can do that here.
Autumn off the Farm
Where: Around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Farm festivals may be the go-to autumn outing, but there are lots of other fantastic ways to enjoy the season around the area. This KFDC post lists 10 great places to check out for fall adventures.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* On the National Mall next Tuesday!
* Speaking of the Mall, have you been to these DC museums located beyond it?
* Be aware of multiple street closures on Sunday for the Marine Corps Marathon — see specifics here.
* Groupon currently has several good deals for local kids activities, including the LEGO Discovery Center, The St. James’ Super Awesome & Amazing activity center + indoor water park, and Regal Movie Theaters.
* Disney’s Frozen just opened at Olney Theatre — it’s sold out this weekend, but you can reserve tickets for upcoming performances.
* Recently bought (and love, it’s so soft) this half-zip that is similar to this one that is triple the cost.
* Bookmarking these comments full of lunch ideas.
* Anthro has a 40% off sale promo going on that includes home & furniture. How lovely is this vase? And this rug? And this apron? And this doormat? (PS: The sale includes clothing and accessories, too.)
* Just finished this book and relished every second of reading it. The unique premise could be considered kind of cheesy just hearing about it, but the writing is so polished and smart that the whole novel is actually quite brilliant. I learned about it from Darcy, who always has the best book recs.
* How fun is this “spooky” umbrella that will delight well beyond Halloween? (Same for this wine stopper and this garlic press.)
* I’ve been seeing so many great slouchy bags as an accessory for the season… like this brown suede, this olive green leather, this one with embroidery, and this cute inexpensive canvas tote.
* Lol…only a few months from this (#5).
* DC weather observations.
