Enjoy Hirshhorn (and more Smithsonian museum) exhibits until 10pm on Solstice Saturday!
Happy Weekend!
Go-to posts loaded with ideas for ongoing fun:
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Swim Spots
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Paddling Options
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places
Happy (Official) Summer!
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Summer officially begins this weekend, so enjoy some activities that are quintessentially exclusive to this time of year. Catch an outdoor concert or movie under the stars. Enjoy some water fun at an outdoor pool, sprayground, or water park. Check out a special seasonal exhibit. Do some crabbing (the feasting kind). Take a spin on a carousel or mini train. And so much more. Some activities are highlighted here, but see the 2025 KFDC Guide to Summer Around DC for even more summer faves.
Swedish Midsummer Celebration
Where: Sylvan Theatre | National Mall, DC
When: Friday, 6-9pm
Admission: Free
Join the Swedish Embassy on Midsummer Eve for an evening full of joy, music, and community — all against the stunning backdrop of the Washington Monument. Dance around the maypole (midsommarstång), make your own flower crown, and celebrate like a true Swede. Midsummer marks summer solstice, the longest day of the year and a magical moment when the sun barely sets in Sweden.
Uncle Devin: Family Fun Day Concert
Where: The Hill Center | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Friday, 5-7pm
Admission: $7/adult, $14/child, $50/summer pass
In this interactive concert, Uncle Devin uses his original tunes, funky grooves, and the DC style of African call-and-response to have children experience the infectious energy of a live Go-Go that just doesn’t stop. This percussion-driven show will have you dancing and singing as you learn about the history of DC.
Yacht Rock at the Yards
Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 6-8pm
Admission: Free
Set sail into the new season with a yacht rock concert at The Yards’ summer kickoff celebration! Cover band Yacht Lobsters will be playing, and thee will be giveaways — captains hats, sunglasses, and glitter tattoos and more — to complete the vibe. Go early and let the kids play in the water features and grassy areas. Plans to purchase drinks and bites there, and dress in your best nautical gear if you really want to get into the theme.
Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods
Where: Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, 10:30am
Tickets: $12
It’s the first weekend of Wolf Trap’s Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods. The annual summer series presents over 70 family-friendly performances from late June through mid-August. And it’s all on a stage nestled in a shady grove in the woods. The productions are geared toward younger children, but all are welcome. See what’s playing this weekend. And read a KFDC review of the series from a past summer here (it’s an old post, but the series is still very much the same).
Dory Fantasmagory
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Fri, 10:30am | Sat, 11am | Sun, 1pm
Tickets: $15-39
Bring kids to opening weekend of this laugh-out-loud comedy bursting with imagination… It’s tough being the youngest. Dory’s siblings won’t play with her and there are monsters to battle all over the house, like the hair-raising Mrs. Gobble Gracker. With the help of her fairy godfather, Mr. Nuggy, her monster-friend, Mary, and her mighty imagination, Dory sets out to win what she wants most: her family’s attention. Recommended for ages 3+.
Solstice Saturday
Where: Smithsonian Museums | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – midnight
Admission: Free
The Smithsonian is marking the first Saturday of summer — Solstice Saturday — by staying open late and hosting parties, special programs, performances, and more. All of the National Mall museums will have extended hours, with the National Museum of Asian Art and the National Museum of African Art staying open until midnight. Go here for details and schedules and note that some events may require free tickets.
DIY Kids Workshop: Door Knocker
Where: Lowes locations around the area
When: Saturday, 10am
Admission: Free
Let your kid hammer out some fun at the this Lowe’s Door Knocker workshop! Mini builders get to create their own door knocker and learn the basics of construction. This workshop helps kids add a personal touch to their room and builds confidence too, making it perfect for future lifelong builders!
Freedom Before Emancipation: Family Day for Juneteenth
Where: Mount Vernon Estate | Mount Vernon, VA
When: Friday & Saturday, 9:30am – 3:30pm
Admission: $26/age 12+, $13/age 6-11, free/5 & under
This program will be part of a visit to George Washington’s estate this weekend. Learn about Ona Judge, Christopher Sheels, and Mount Vernon’s many enslaved people who resisted enslavement and sought freedom before the Emancipation Proclamation. You can also join a special tour about enslaved people, enjoy musical performances, and tour the rest of the grounds and museum. Read more about Mount Vernon here.
Bugapalooza!
Where: National Museum of Health & Medicine | Silver Spring, MD
When: Saturday, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
It’s 2024 Bug Week at the museum and the public is invited to join museum staff to discover which bugs are bizarre, beneficial, or downright deadly. Learn how to battle the bugs or use them to your advantage. Bug costumes are encouraged! Plan to tour the rest of the museum whole you’re there — but be sure to read more about it first if you’re with young children.
Family Day: Honoring Juneteenth
Where: Library of Congress | 10 1st Street SE, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 3:30pm
Admission: Free with tickets
Join the Library of Congress for a special Family Day to celebrate Juneteenth! With a program focusing on themes of family and home, guests can create a fabric quilt square, hear local quilt artist Sandra Smith talk about her work, and explore quilting collections from the American Folklife Center. Bestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes will also be there to discuss her new middle grade novel, “Will’s Race for Home,” set during the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. And staff experts from the Manuscript Division will share insight on items from the Library’s Abraham Lincoln Papers. Of course, the rest of the Library of always fantastic to explore.
Walk the Museum Walk
Where: Dupont-Kalorama Neighborhoods, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Get off the Mall and explore the many museums in the Dupont-Kalorama neighborhood during the annual Museum Walk Weekend. See the exhibits and enjoy special programs for free at several diverse museums, including The Phillips Collection, Andersen House, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, O Street Museum in the Mansion, Dupont Underground, and the President Woodrow Wilson House.
Barbecue Battle
Where: 3rd-7th Streets | Pennsylvania Ave NW, DC
When: Saturday 11am – 9pm & Sunday, 11am – 7:30pm
Admission: Starts at $20/adults, free/12 & under
Join one of the biggest summer barbeques around as the Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle returns to pit some of the nation’s best barbequers against each other to compete for big prizes. The reward for attendees: Samples from all the entrants (plus, more food), 13 bands on four stages, cooking demos, kids’ fun featuring 90s-inspired activities, games, crafts & more! It all takes place along Pennsylvania Avenue NW, from 3rd to 7th Streets.
Moonshot Studio
Where: The REACH | Kennedy Center
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 4:30pm
Admission: Free
Get creative at this studio within The REACH at the Kennedy Center, where all are groups are welcome and encouraged to partake in various art projects and activities. This summer, the hands-on activities include graffiti lettering, making movies using stop motion animation, building an optical illusion called a zoetrope, and adding pizazz to portraits using embroidery.
Celebrate Juneteenth: Family Skate & Dance Night
Where: Franconia Rec Center | Alexandria, VA
When: Saturday, 6pm
Admission: $7
Celebrate the freedom and joyfully recognize the perseverance and spirit of Black people in this nation during this Juneteenth themed event. Wear black, green, red or yellow and enjoy a night skating and dancing with your friends, family and community. Groove to the tunes of DJ Jax as you celebrate resilience, community and possibilities of things to come. Enjoy refreshments and fun decorations and make new memories with family and friends.
A Wrinkle in Time
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Fri, 8pm | Sat, 2pm & 8pm | Sun, 2pm & 7:30pm
Tickets: $69-119 (find discount)
Meg Murry’s father was experimenting with time travel and the fifth dimension when he mysteriously disappeared. Now, Meg, her friend Calvin, and her younger brother Charles Wallace must race to rescue him. Can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space? Join Meg on this epic quest in an adventurous new musical adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery Medal-winning classic novel that will energize your spirit, expand your imagination, and inspire you to believe that love, friendship, and courage can conquer all.
Legally Blond
Where: The Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Fri, 8pm | Sat, 2pm & 8pm | Sun, 2pm & 7pm
Tickets: $59-325 (find discount)
The fabulous, feminist modern classic! When the effervescent Elle Woods is dumped by her boyfriend, she follows him to Harvard Law School, determined to win him back. But what starts as a plot to regain her relationship turns into much more as Elle realizes her true potential—in law, love, and life. Legally Blonde is a hilarious, inspirational romp that proves you don’t have to change who you are to achieve your dreams. Recommended for ages 12+.
Les Misérables
Where: The Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Friday, 7:30pm | Saturday & Sunday, 1:30pm & 7:30pm
Admission: $49-219 (find discount)
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries, 438 cities, and 22 languages, Les Misérables is unquestionably one of the world’s most popular musicals. Recommended for teens and older.
More Show Time
Where: Theatres around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by show
There are even more show to catch on local stages, several your last chance before curtains close:
* Senior Class at Olney Theatre
* Twelfth Night at Folger Shakespeare Theatre
* Frankenstein at Klein Theatre (find discount)
FIFA Club Cup: FC Salzburg v. Al Hilal
Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC
When: Sunday, 6pm
Admission: Tickets start at $53
The best club teams around the world compete in this new global soccer tournament, and a couple of the matches are taking place here in DC, one of them on Sunday evening. See some exciting futbol action as FC Salzburg and Al Hilal play each other at Audi Field.
African American History & Culture
Where: NMAAHC | National Mall, DC
When: Throughout the weekend, 10am – 5:30pm
Admission: Free
Events to celebrate Juneteeth at the National Museum of African American History & Culture are sold out, but it’s still a great time to visit. The museum on the National Mall may just be the best place to learn about Black history and culture in America, covering everything from early slave trading to modern day achievements by Black people. It’s a huge museum with a lot of exhibits to navigate, some of them very heavy and somber, so be sure to read the KFDC Guide to visiting the museum with kids before you go. Free, timed-entry passes are required, and they are available online here.
Hike the Underground Railroad Experience Trail
Where: Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park | Sandy Spring, MD
When: Daily, sunrise to sunset
Admission: Free
A great outing anytime, but particularly meaningful for Juneteenth, this hike offers insight into the experience of enslaved peoples’ escape to freedom. The walk through woods and along edges of fields (with a map and explanation of the hike) is interesting and enlightening as well as an active way to spend time outdoors.
It’s Getting Hot Out Herre
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Over the years, I’ve shared many blog posts with ideas for indoor fun and places to go when you need a break from the elements — from museums and special programs for kids to play spaces and venues for indoor action to theaters presenting live entertainment and movies, and much more. Now, this new post pulls all of those round-ups together in one convenient place — just click through to explore loads of indoor activities around DC.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* Find even more ideas for things to do (+ a mix of other stuff) on my other, “grown-up” blog District Mix!
* See the round-up of shows coming to local stages this summer (includes ticket discounts).
* If you’re looking for weekday activities indoors now that kids are on break from school (and because it’s insanely hot out), be sure to check these regularly occurring programs at DC museums.
* The five best museum cafes in DC, according to Tom Sietsma.
* Cute summer totes: This with a cool border, this one in several colors, this pretty shape, and checkered.
* Groupon has a good deal going on for Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg. Read about our stay there a bunch of years ago.
* DC public pools update: Dunbar, Ballou, and Roosevelt pools are closed for the summer, and 21 other pools are now open on weekdays. Check the schedule for hours as they vary by pool.
* Sasha just returned from a school trip to China (which sounded amazing!) and she brought home a few Labubus. I had never heard of them before, but coincidentally just saw this article.
* A towel poncho for kids is kind of genius beachwear.
* This headline made me lol. This one, too.
