The holiday season is upon us. This is evident by the holiday-themed events that have begun popping up around town. Of course, if you’re not quite ready to embrace the spirit, there are plenty of other things to do, such as Family Days at the museums and the Gustafer Yellowgold show at the Alden Theater. For more ideas for family fun this weekend, both with and without the turkeys and tinsel in mind, hear are some recommendations.
Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade
Get into the Turkey Day spirit a little early. On Saturday, November 20, the 13th Annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade will bring a procession of holiday fun to the streets of Downtown Silver Spring. Marching bands, floats, giant balloons, trained dogs, antique cars, and holiday displays will be part of the procession. The pageantry begins at 9:30am at Georgia and Ellsworth Avenues.
ICE!
The National Harbor’s signature holiday attraction sounds pretty cool, both literally and figuratively. I have yet to experience it myself, so here’s the description from the website:
“Bringing to life the 1957 Dr. Seuss holiday classic tale, ICE! features 10 colorful scenes straight out of the pages of the original storybook. Sculpted from TWO-MILLION pounds of ice, the indoor walk-through attraction brilliantly showcases how the “Whoville-hating” Grinch learns the true meaning of Christmas. Visitors will take an adventure through the Grinch’s frozen world, see jaw-dropping ice sculptures and walk through larger-than-life scenes that re-create the original storyline. Little kids and big kids alike can even zip down two-story-tall slides made completely of ice!”
ICE! will be open through January 9. Tickets are $29/ages 13+, $18/kids 4-12 and can be purchased online for various times.
The Singing Lizard — for Free!
As part of their ARTdays at CHAW series, the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop presents a free concert for families. The Singing Lizard’s live shows are fast-paced, fun, and full of exciting songs that both kids and adults enjoy. The concert is from 10:00 -11:00 a.m. in CHAW’s Black Box Theater.
Grand Canyon Adventure
Just because the Natural History Museum isn’t hosting a Family Day this weekend, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit. Besides the incredible exhibits that get kids of all ages ogling – dinos, mammals, insects, butterflies – the IMAX theater has some compelling movies, including the recently opened Grand Cayon Adventure: River at Risk 3D. The film about a whitewater ride with inspirational message about water conservation is a more than worth every cent of the $9 tickets.
Jewish Folk Arts Festival
The Jewish Folk Arts Festival is a celebration of the talent and diversity of Jewish performing and visual arts in the Greater Washington DC/Baltimore region. The richness of values, culture, and heritage is passed from generation to generation through singers, writers, dancers, visual artists, storytellers and craftspeople. All performers and workshop presenters donate their time to the festival. In its final few days, the festival is being held at the JCC of Greater Washington located at 6125 Montrose Road in Rockville. Hours are 12pm – 6pm. Ticket prices vary by day and age; visit the website for specifics.
Holiday Shows
“Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer” opens at Adventure Theater today, November 19, and “A Christmas Carol” opens at Ford’s Theater tomorrow, November 20. See this post about holiday shows for complete details on both.
Ice Skate Amid the Sculptures
The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink opened for the season last weekend, and mild temps over the next few days will make it a great time to get gliding. Afterward, treat yourself and the kids to hot chocolate and other goodies at the Pavilon Café. The rink is located on the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Open Saturday 10am – 11pm and Sunday 11am – 9pm. Admission is $7/adults, $6/children 12 and under.
Geckos and Wild Music at the Nat Geo
There’s a reason why I keep recommending Geckos: Tales to Toepads and Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life at the National Geographic Museum: Both exhibits are awesome. For more details, photos, and a lengthier review, check out this post from a few weeks ago.
