On the loose at the beautiful Meadowlark Botanical Garden
The KFDC crew is on vacation, so this week is going to be light on posts. You can count on the Weekend Round-Up for sure, but for other updates, check the KidFriendly DC Facebook page. Have a great Mon-Fri!
Monday – Enjoy what the Capital Weather Gang predicts will be a “magnificent Monday” at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna. With acres of beautiful grounds, ponds full of turtles and fish, a Korean Bell Garden, and plenty of other horticultural delights, it’s a great place for an outing with the kids. Hours are 10am – 8pm. Admission is $5/adults, $2.50 for ages 7-17 and 55 and up, free for kids 6 and under.
Tuesday – Get wet and stay refreshed at an outdoor pool, waterpark, or sprayground. The Summer 2013 guide has links to many local places where it’s all about being in the water.
Wednesday – See Lions and Tigers and Bears (oh, my!) at the National Geographic Museum’s newest photo exhibit. The free display showcases the majestic predators through Nat Geo’s always amazing images. Make a day of it and visit the Real Pirates exhibit while you’re there. Admission is $11/adults, $9/ages 5-12, free for under 5. Hours are 10am – 6pm.
Thursday – Take the little ones to Eastern Market, where they can shake those sillies out with Mr. Skip and the Boogies Babes. Showtime is 10:30am. Admission is $5/child, free for siblings 6 months and under.
Friday – Head on down to the county fair! Thursday and Friday are preview days at the 4-H Fairfax Fair and will feature carnival rides, amusements, and treats (plus it’s less crowded on weekdays). Held at Frying Pan Farm Park, hours are 10am – 3pm both days and 5-10pm on Friday as well. Day-of event tickets are $25, and you can download a $5 off coupon here.
Going for a spin at last year's Arlington County Fair
The county fair is pure nirvana for many kids. Where else do you get farm animals, carnival rides and games, the junk food gamut, live entertainment, pony rides, outdoor family movies, even piglet races all in one place? The season is upon us — there is a county fair going on right now, one starting today, two kicking off this weekend, and another a few weeks down the road. If you and the kids plan to enjoy the festivities (come on, you know you want to see those piggies run!), here are details on all the area fairs.
Arlington County Fair What: We went last year, and everyone had a blast! There are carnival rides for everyone from toddlers to adults, and the kids especially loved the pony rides and piglet races. You can also check out competitive exhibits, enjoy a show by the Harlem Wizards and other live entertainment, cheer on racing animals, view outdoor movies, and take the little ones to the Kids Court for moon bouncing, face painting, and more. When: August 8-12, hours vary by day, so check the schedule here. Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 Second St., Arlington, VA How Much: Admission is free. Buy tickets to use for rides and other activities: $1/ticket, $20/24 tickets, $40/48 tickets.
Montgomery County Fair What: Our family attended this fair two years ago (read a KFDC review of it here), so trust me when I say that there is so much to do, you have to see the schedule on the website for yourself to get the full scope. This year’s theme is “Sew It, Grow It, Show It,” and highlights include plenty of 4-H exhibits and demos, including opportunities to pet some of the animals; animal races, pony rides, a KidZone with interactive games and activities, tons of carnival and kiddie rides, arts & crafts, and monster trucks and a demolition derby, and much more. When: August 10-18, 10am – 12am daily Where: 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD How Much: Admission is $10, free for kids 11 and under. A one-day all-u-can-ride carnival wristband is available for $25.
Howard County Fair What: The fair began last weekend, but you have through this Saturday to enjoy rides, Shazam Magic Shows, musical entertainment in the evenings, pig races and pony rides, the Kids & Critters barn, and more. Most of the rides cost extra, and packages are available, so be sure to check out the website to see what’s available if you plan to go. When: August 4-11, 8am – 11pm daily, though activity times vary, so be sure to check the schedule. Where: 2210 Fairground Road,West Friendship, MD How Much: Admission is $5/age 10 and up, $2/seniors, free for kids under 10. Rides and games are extra.
Prince William County Fair What: Virginia’s largest annual county fair will include 4-H exhibits, rides, contests (think pie eating and water balloon tossing), rodeo, the Children’s Barn, Kid’s Zone, live performances, and more. On August Saturday, August 12, admission is half price. And on Tuesday, August 14, admission and all rides are just $2. When: August 10-18, Hours vary by day, so check the daily schedule on their website (scroll down the page). Where: Prince William County Fairgrounds. Get directions here. How Much: Admission is $8/ages 14-59, $5/seniors and ages 5-13, free for ages 4 and under. Daily ride wristbands are available, but prices vary by day.
Prince George’s County Fair
What: A variety of entertainment and attractions for all ages — 4-H exhibits magic and dance shows, pig and duck races, a horse pull competition, a chain saw artist, a K-9 show, and much more. When: September 6-9, hours vary by day. Where: The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro. Get directions here. How much: Admission is $6/ages 12 and up, $5/ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under. Rides and games are extra.
Anne Arundel County Fair What: Farm exhibitions, rides, lots of live entertainment, watermelon eating contests, and more. When: September 12 – 16, check the website for hours. Where: Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds in Crownsville, MD. Get directions here. How much: Admission is $6/ages 16 and up, $4/ages 8 – 15, free for ages 7 and under. Rides and games cost extra.
Friday evenings at The Yards Park are fun for all ages
While I hate to sum up this weekend’s recommendations for family activities with just three general ideas, county fairs, museum programs, and outdoor fun really are the main special events happening over the next few days. If those sound good to you, read on for specifics on all of them. If not, then scroll down for links to some always-useful ideas. Happy Weekend!
All’s Fair – Carnival rides and games, farm animals, live entertainment, pony rides, the junk food gamut, pig races. Yes, it’s county fair season. Four of them are happening right now; two have already started, two more kick off today. This post from a couple of days ago has the scoop on all of the county fun.
Music Al Fresco – Get the weekend started with free music in the fresh air at one of many outdoor concerts. Jazz vibraphonist Chuck Redd will entertain at Jazz in the Garden at 5:30pm, the soul band Quiet Fire will take the boardwalk stage at The Yards Park at 6pm, and the United States Air Force Band will perform Disney and Pixar favorites at the Air Force Memorial at 8pm. (My personal pick would be for The Yards, where there’s plenty of room to spread out, you can buy or bring food for a picnic dinner, and the kids can enjoy fountain play on a beautiful summer evening.)
Take Me to the River – Celebrate the Shenandoah at Riverfest, a family event designed to connect the community with the river. The festival will feature canoe rides along the South Fork off the Shenandoah River; live bluegrass music; fly fishing demos, environmental displays, and more. A kids’ area will have wild animals displays, gem/arrowheads, and face painting. Admission and activities are free. There will also be a silent auction and food for sale. The event runs from 10am – 3pm on Saturday.
Art-Stronomy Family Day –Reach for the stars at the American Art Musuem! See how American inventiveness, as depicted in The Great American Hall of Wonders exhibition, led to the great leaps of science and technology behind space travel and flight. Guests can try their hand at experiments and art activities, join a scavenger hunt through the galleries, and meet an astronaut from NASA. The free event runs from 11:30am – 3pm.
Bonsai! – It’s been awhile since I’ve suggested a visit to the U.S. National Arboretum (one of my favorite places to hang with the kids), mainly because it’s been so hot. But this weekend is supposed to see a dip in temps, so it should be a nice time to tour the collections, play among the old Capitol columns, and see the “Becoming a Bonsai” exhibit, which is only on display for a couple more weeks.
Oceanic Art – Head to the National Museum of Natural History for its Second Saturday Arts & Sciences program. Ocean animals and their environments will be this months’ theme. Guests can learn about the underwater world, while decorating a reusable cloth lunch bag with stamps and drawings of sea creatures. Just in time for back-to-school. The free event runs from 1-3pm.
Super Science Saturday: Energy – The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the Dulles annex of the Air & Space Museum, hosts its own special program on the second Saturday of every month. This weekend it’ll be all about energy. Visitos can enjoy hands-on demos and activities related to the subject. The permanent exhibits – the hangar full of air and space craft – are worth a trip out there themselves. The event runs from 10am – 3pm. Admission is free, but parking is $15.
Ahhh….SHARKS! – Today and tomorrow, the National Children’s Museum is celebrating all things sharks. Head to the Launch Zone at the National Harbor to join in all kinds of fun activities: Hunt for shark teeth at their “beach,” see and touch real shark jaws and other artifacts, and make a shark craft. The free event runs from 11am – 4pm on Friday, and 11am – 6pm on Saturday.
Facing History: Alexander Calder – This regular series at the National Portrait Gallery is designed for children with their families to explore portraiture in depth. Participants take a brief guided tour of the exhibition, this week focusing on Alexander Calder’s wire self-portrait; listen to a children’s story or short gallery talk; and create a piece of art using some of the same materials or concepts. The event is free, but space is limited , so registration is required. The class run from 2-4pm on Saturday.
Portrait Story Days: Wilma Rudolph – Drop in at the National Portrait Gallery on 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 American athlete Wilma Rudolph.
For even more ideas for fun with the kids, check out these popular KFDC posts:
Going for a whirl at last year's Montgomery County Fair
It’s county fair season! And just in time, too. As the start of a new school year looms less than two weeks away for some of us, a good old-fashioned county fair is just the quintessential seasonal activity needed to squeeze some more fun out of the summer break. A couple of have already begun, as I mentioned in the last round-up of weekend activities, there’s one starting today (hello, Arlington!), some of the biggest begin this weekend, and the fun will continue into September. Here are the basics on all of them, and more details can be found on the websites.
Arlington County Fair What: Check out competitive exhibits, whirl on carnival rides, enjoy the Star Family Circus and other live entertainment, watch piglet races, view outdoor movies, and take the little ones to the Kids Court for moon bouncing, face painting, and more. When: August 10-14, hours vary by day, so check the schedule here. Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 Second St., Arlington, VA How Much: Admission is free. There is a charge for rides and other activities.
Montgomery County Fair What: Our family attended this fair last year (read a KFDC review of it here), so trust me when I say that there is so much to do, you have to check out the website and download the schedule to get the full scope. Highlights include Monster Truck Madness, an Alice in Wonderland performance, animal races, pony rides, a KidZone with interactive games and activities, tons of carnival and kiddie rides, arts & crafts, and 4-H exhibits and demos, including opportunities to pet some of the animals. When: August 12 – 20, 8/12: 3pm – 12am, 8/14 – 21: fair runs 10am – Midnight, carnival runs 12pm – Midnight Where: 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD How Much: Admission is $10, free for kids 11 and under. A one-day all-u-can-ride carnival wristband is available for $25.
Howard County Fair What: There are just a few more days left to enjoy rides, Shazam Magic Shows, pig races and pony rides, the Kids & Critters barn, and more. Most of the rides cost extra, and packages are available, so be sure to check out the website to see what’s available if you plan to go. There will be live entertainment a couple of evenings—Richie Fields on Friday and Tori Anderson & Possum Holler on Saturday. When: August 6 – 13, 8am – 11pm daily, though activity times vary, so be sure to check the schedule. Where: 2210 Fairground Road,West Friendship, MD How Much: Admission is $5/age 10 and up, $2/seniors, free for kids under 10. Rides and games are extra.
Prince William County Fair What: Virginia’s largest annual county fair will include 4-H exhibits, rides, contests (think pie eating and water balloon tossing), rodeo, the Children’s Barn, Kid’s Zone, live performances, and more. On August 17, all rides are just $2. When: August 12 – 20, Hours vary by day, so check the schedule on their website. Where: Prince William County Fairgrounds. Get directions here. How Much: $8/ages 7 and up, $5/seniors and kids ages 3-6, free for children 2 and under. Daily ride wristbands are available, but prices vary by day.
Anne Arundel County Fair What: Farm exhibitions, rides, lots of live entertainment (including Rodney Atkins in concert), watermelon eating contests, and more. When: September 14 – 18, check the website for hours. Where: Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, 1450 General’s Highway (Route 178), Crownsville, MD How much: Admission is $6/ages 16 and up, $4/ages 8 – 15, free for ages 7 and under. Rides and games cost extra.
