Jazz meets art at The Phillips Collection this weekend!
If this first weekend of June is any indication of the summer fun to come, then things are looking excellent for the season ahead. There are events and activities to cover all interests, ages, and weather possibilities. And with storms in the forecast, it doesn’t hurt to confirm that outdoor happenings are still on. I’ll try to keep you updated, too. Happy Weekend!
Seize the Season
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity
Enjoy summer fun with a host of activities that only occur this time of year. Catch an open-air concert at one of several series in the area. Stay cool at an outdoor pool, sprayground, or water park. See a movie under the stars. Check out a seasonal exhibit. Go berry picking. Ride mini-trains and carousels at local parks. And much, much more! Check the Summer 2018 Guide for details on all of these great pursuits.
The Drive-In (as if!) 😉
Where: Union Market | Northeast DC
When: Friday
Admission: $10/car
Clueless is this month’s featured film at Union Market’s outdoor movie series. Watch Cher and friends on the big screen from the comfort of your car in the UM parking lot. Get there as early as 6pm and have a bite to eat in the Market or bring food back to your car. The lot closes at 8:15pm, and the film begins at 8:30pm. Advance purchase is recommended.
Imagination Bethesda
Where: Woodmont & Elm Street | Bethesda, MD
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
The annual Imagination Bethesda is back for its 24th year on Saturday. Musical performances and children’s entertainers will light up the stage, while hands-on art & craft activities will line the streets along Elm St. and Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Face painters balloonists, free giveaways, and more will round out the fun community day.
Jazz ‘n’ Families Fun Days
Where: The Phillips Collection | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 5pm & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: Free
Leading up to the DC Jazz Festival starting next week and part of The Phillips Collection’s Museum Walk events, there will be special performances and activities for guests, especially young ones. Enjoy both the art and live jazz throughout the museum, including musicians improvising to paintings in the galleries. Kids can enjoy story time, meet some of the artists, visit an instrument petting zoo, create their own masterpieces to take home, and more. Read about one of our experiences there.
Urban Kids Fishing Derby
Where: Constitution Gardens | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 8am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Gather up the kids and enjoy a day of fishing fun! This catch & release lesson is also a contest — youth who have the winning catches will receive gifts and other outstanding prizes. For the biggest fish, there will be a $100.00 prize, and there will also be goodie bags. Even more, the entire derby will be filmed for an upcoming segment on Urban American Outdoors TV with host Wayne Hubbard. You do not have to know how to fish, the event is free, and there will be plenty of family fun, fishing, and volunteers to help. Pre-registration is required!
Washington Folk Festival
Where: Glen Echo Park | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: Free
Get folksy at Glen Echo Park this weekend, as the 38th annual Washington Folk Festival showcases the diversity of traditional music in Washington. All of the artists hail from the DC area, but cultures from around the nation, as well as the world, will be represented through music, dance, crafts, and stories.
Wear Orange Day
Where: Anacostia Park | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 11am
Admission: Free
The community is invited and encouraged to join the DC Chapter of Moms Demand Action for a picnic on Wear Orange Day, a national campaign to honor victims of gun violence and their loved ones. The free event will include survivor speakers along with food, friendship, and fun for all ages. RSVP to let them know you’ll be going. There is also an event in Silver Spring — more info is available here.
Race to the Moon
Where: Udvar-Hazy Center | Chantilly, VA
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 4pm
Admission: Free, but parking is $15
Join this free alternate reality game at the Chantilly arm of Air & Space. Set in the thrilling era of early spaceflight, the game explores the exciting race to space by the first American astronauts. Your mission in this installment: Develop a rocket to launch into space, travel over 200,000 miles to the Moon, and land safely. It’s 1969 and national pride and prestige are on the line. The U.S. is in a tight race with the Soviet Union to see who can be the first to land humans on the Moon and return them safely to Earth. NASA needs engineers and scientists with real problem-solving skills.
Kids in the Castle
Where: Heurich House Museum | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Heurich House Museum will open its doors for free, kid-friendly, self-guided tours. Kids in the Castle gives families the chance to explore the ornate details of the Heurich. A suit of armor, woodcarvings of animals and magical beasts, and towering ceilings are just some of the features that make the mansion a magical castle to explore. Children and parents are invited to wander through the house at their own pace and complete a photo scavenger hunt to win prizes. If weather permits, families can also relax and play games in the Castle Garden. Register for free tickets; only a limited number will be available at the door.
Museum Morning
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
There’s all kinds of fun for little ones at the Hirshhorn this weekend. On Saturday, enjoy the Library + Art Pop-Up and find a cart in the galleries and check out a fun kit full of our favorite finds for kids. On Sunday, examine artist Hiroshi Sugimoto’s Seascape Series and take a seaside journey with the book Flotsam by David Wiesner. Following the read-aloud, participants will create their own adventure stories.
Shake Up Your Saturday
Where: Folger Shakespeare Library | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 1pm
Admission: Free, but registration required
Join the Folger’s family program that takes place the first Saturday of every month. In this session kids ages 5-11 can make Shakespeare’s poetic language their own in “Dressing old words new.” Go here to sign up — ages 4-7 at 10am, and 8-11 at 11am. And read more about the Folger Shakespeare library in this KFDC post.
Curtains Closing on a Wildly Fun Treasure Hunt
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $19.50
This weekend is the last chance to see Judy Moody and Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt, the hilariously entertaining and engaging production at Adventure Theatre. Based on the popular children’s books, the play follows Judy Moody and her little brother Stink on a weekend family getaway to Ocracoke Island that turns into quite an adventure for the duo. Read a full KFDC review of the show here.
Annapolis Irish Festival
Where: Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds | Annapolis, MD
When: Friday, 4-10pm & Saturday 11am – 10pm
Admission: $15-20/adult, free/12 & under
Magical Celtic traditions and music are just part of the celebration at the 5th Annual Annapolis Irish Festival. Along with a lively lineup of Celtic music acts, there will be over 90 vendors selling everything from food to art to clothes and accessories. Little Leprechaun Land, an area especially for kids, will offer pony rides, face painting, balloon art, cultural activities, bouncy fun, music and magic shows, and Irish dancing – and it’s all part of admission.
Smile Project Carnival & Concert
Where: RFK Stadium | Hill East, DC
When: Friday & Saturday,
Admission:
Thrill rides, carnival food and games, cash bars, live art installations by local artists, and music performances. Produced by Broccoli City and Southwood Ent., the mission of the Smile Project Carnival is to encourage smiling more often to support physical and mental health.
Happy Trails
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
Saturday is National Trails Day, and you can celebrate by taking part in one of many special events around the area. Take a hike, do some volunteer trail maintenance, go bird watching, and more. Find an event for your family on the National Trails Day website. Or if you just want to hit the trail for a hike, check out this post about great walks in the woods with kids.
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 35th annual Museum Walk Weekend. (You can also check out the Obama’s future neighborhood!) See the exhibits and enjoy special programs for free at several diverse museums, including The Phillips Collection, Dumbarton House, the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, Anderson House, and Woodrow Wilson House.
Vintage Virginia Wine & Food Festival
Where: Bull Run Park | Centreville, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $30/adults, $10/kids
A wine fest might sound like a grown-ups-only event, but this one offers plenty of fun for kids, too. Chef demos, food truck fare, live music, and a whole family area with activities especially for children are among the festivities. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunity for wine tasting, too!
Smokin’ Saturday
Where: Cox Farms | Chantilly, VA
When: Saturday, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Head to the farm for their weekly gathering of food and fun! Visit friendly critters, play on the wooden climbing structures, enjoy pulled pork from the smoker and other tasty eats, listen to live music, take a ride to Foamhenge, and frolic around the grounds. Visit the website for timing and more details.
Kid Obstacle Challenge
Where: Wicomico Motorsports Park | Charlotte Hall, MD
When: Saturday
Admission: $52-$66/age 5-16, free for parents
Run, jump, scale, and wade your way through the largest touring adventure and obstacle course event series for kids in the nation! The Kids Obstacle Challenge event series for kids ages 5-16, includes 13-15 fun and challenging obstacles through water and mud! Designed for kids to push their limits and reach new heights, it offers the ultimate experience that involves the whole family. Participants can rope swing into a giant mud pit, army crawl through tough terrain, scale up rugged cargo nets, and slide into a muddy paradise! Prepare to Brave Your Adventure and have some muddy family fun! Parents are invited to run for FREE with the purchase of a child’s ticket.
One Journey Festival
Where: Washington National Cathedral | Northwest DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 6pm
Admission: Free
Be part of the first national celebration of refugee talents, courage, accomplishments, and contributions of refugees. Celebrate refugees from around the DC area and across the United States, the One Journey Festival will be inspiring day of food, music, dance, fashion, art, and fun. Festival goers can meet refugees and their families from around the world and discover ways to get involved in assisting and supporting refugees locally. The day’s events will include everything from cooking demos with famed chef Jose Andres to a Saharan belly dancing workshop. See the full schedule of events on the website.
Occoquan Arts & Crafts Show
Where: Downtown Historic Occoquan, VA
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
Get ready for a weekend full of art, crafts, entertainment, and family fun. Over 10,000 people are expected to attend the Town of Occoquan’s 49th Annual Arts and Crafts Show. Along with the creative items for sale by more than 300 contemporary and country crafters, there will be live entertainment, a DJ, food, and a Kidz Corner.
Shows on Strings
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $10 & $6
Sleeping Beauty is the Main Stage production at the puppet theatre in Glen Echo. Told with rod puppets and wonderful special effects, the show is a real treat for princesses and princes, big and small. And little ones will enjoy World on a String, this weekend’s featured Tiny Tots show — the lights stay on, doors remain open, and performances are short for newbie theatre-goers.
Pinnocchio
Where: Gunston Arts Center | Arlington, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Tickets: $15/adult, $10/child
Travel with Pinocchio on his road of misadventures, meeting many kooky characters along the way. From Pleasure Isle, to his showdown with the Great Fish, Pinocchio tries to find his way back to his father, Geppetto. Will he learn to choose truth and kindness on his quest to become a “real boy?” Find out at Encore Stage and Studio’s by kids for kids production! Recommended for ages 4+.
Commit to Be FitWhere: Rhode Island Row | Northeast DC
When: Saturday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
Join friends and neighbors and commit to being the healthiest you at the Commit to Be Fit event at Rhode Island Row! Enjoy free fitness classes, health screenings, healthy food offerings, kids activities, giveaways, and more! This takes place outdoors at Rhode Island Row – 2300 Washington Place, NE.
RiverPalooza
Where: Harpers Ferry Adventure Center | Harpers Ferry, WV
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
RiverPalooza is a season-long celebration of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, featuring two months of paddle trips ranging from bird watching, fishing, and snorkeling on the Shenandoah to overnight camping on the Potomac’s beautiful Paw Paw Bends! It all kicks off on Saturday in Harpers Ferry with lots of paddling and tubing fun and post-paddle grilling. Register in advance to guarantee a water vessel.
Field Day
Where: Town of Somerset | Chevy Chase, MD
When: Sunday, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Field Day is free for-fun potluck with friends & friend of friends altruistically organized by a bunch of buddies who wanted an old school day in the sun. Relax in a sunny field while listening to music and entertainment from yet-to-be-discovered local artists. Play yard games, bring food to share, and invite a friend!
Farmers Market at the Ballpark
Where: Nationals Park | Capitol Riverfront DC
When: Sunday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
The Nats may be on the road this weekend, but there’s still something happening at he ballpark! The Nationals along with Kaiser Permanente present the first annual Farmers Market at Nationals Park. Located in Center Field Plaza, fans and neighbors will have access to locally sourced produce, meats, dairy products and more. Fun games will also be set up for everyone to enjoy, and Screech and the Racing Presidents will be in attendance!
Visit the website for the full vendor list. Garage C will be open with free parking.
Israel@70: A Musical Celebration
Where: Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner | Tysons, VA
When: Sunday, 2-6pm
Admission: Free
Party with the Jewish community of Greater Washington and celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday. Enjoy live music from Israeli artists, food and fun activities for the whole family, including arts & crafts, outdoor Games, Israeli dancing, photo booths, henna tattoos, and more.
***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* The Chinatown Community Festival that was scheduled for this weekend has been postponed due to inclement weather. A new date will be announced soon.
* Two giveaways are currently running on KFDC: Enter to win admission for 4 to Wings of Fancy at the Brookside Gardens and Under the Big Top at the B&O Railroad Museum.
* 826DC, the nonprofit that supports kids with creative and expository writing skills, is hosting a free summer workshop for students in grades 3-6. Walking Gemstones and Other Invisible Science will run July 16-27, 9am -12pm. Learn more!
* If you’re looking for good places to watch the Caps vie for the Stanley Cup, here are some recommendations (though not all kid-friendly).
