Tag Archives: Week 30

The Weekend Round-Up: October 9-12

 

Happy Long Weekend!

 

Fallin’
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

Whether you want to experience traditional fall fun activities or enjoy the season in more mellow ways, there are plenty of options for both.  Check out this round-up of festivals that are happening around the area for pumpkin picking, farm animals, hayrides, and the like. And see this post for some great places to enjoy autumn (that are not fall festivals).

Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour
Where: Mount Vernon, VA
When: Friday – Sunday
Admission: Starts at $42/member, $46/non-member

Enjoy wine and the season at George Washington’s (former) digs. Taste unlimited samples from Virginia wineries after hours as you enjoy twilight on the grounds of Mount Vernon. Tickets are sold out for Saturday evening, but you can still snag them for Friday and Sunday.

Dinner & Concert (Kind Of)
Where: The Hamilton | Downtown DC
When: Friday & Saturday evenings
Admission: Free, but $100 food/drink minimum/table

The Hamilton can’t host live concerts right now, but they’ve come up with a different way to enjoy live music. On weekends, they are hosting screenings of concert films by awesome acts. You can watch them as you enjoy dinner — their extensive menu will be available. This weekend they are showing Pink Floyd – The Wall on Friday and The Rolling Stones: Shine a Light on Saturday. Dors open 6:30pm, and the concert begins at 7:30pm. Tables seat up to 4 or 6, and there is a $100 deposit to reserve, which will be applied to the bill.

Drive-In “Spooky” Movie Nights
Where: DC Party Box | Rockville, MD
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: $15/adult, $10/13 & under

Enjoy Sppoktacular theater at this drive-in, featuring an LED screen, FM broadcasting, and spooky surprises. There are two showings each night, a family-friendly film at 7pm and a classic or scary movie 10pm. This weekend it’s Hotel Transylvania and Halloween on Friday, Beetlejuice and Children of the Corn on Saturday, and Ghost Busters and Paranormal Activity on Sunday. Reserve in advance online, one reservation per car.

Fun at Fairfax Parks
Where: Parks around Fairfax County, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity

The Fairfax County Park Authority hosts all kinds of events on weekends for guests of all ages. Take teens on a fall foliage kayaking expedition. Practice mindfulness at Green Spring Gardens. Investigate salamanders at Riverbend Park. Details and registration for these and more nature activities this weekend and beyond are available here.

King Bullfrog Virtual Concert for Biden- Harris
Where: Online
When: Saturday, 1pm
Admission: Donations start at $25/family

Join local kids band King Bullfrog online for a fun way to support Joe & Kamala’s campaign — a virtual roots-and-blues concert for families! Want to join the fun, but are busy on October 10th? Audio and video of the concert will be available to ticket buyers on King Bullfrog’s website.

Plenty of space to explore exhibits safely at the National Portrait Gallery

Inside Info
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity

With a chance of wet weather this weekend, you may be seeking indoor activities. There are plenty of options for them, and venues are taking extra precautions to ensure safety during COVID. This post has details on outings that take place inside and this one has suggestions especially for little kids.

Monuments: Creative Forces
Where: Strathmore | Bethesda, MD
When: Through October 25
Admission: $5-30

This unique outdoor art installation throughout Strathmore’s 16 acres sounds like an ideal exhibition for COVID times, being in fresh air with a lot of space.  Monuments: Creative Forces by Australian artist Craig Walsh features moving, dimensional video portraits of artists whose work and artistic endeavors are changing the shape of our community in profound ways. The expansive portraits of these creative heroes were chosen by a diverse panel of community and arts leaders  are projected on to towering trees, transforming them into animated sculptural monuments.

Carpe Librum
Where: Canal Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free

The mobile book store returns to the Capitol Riverfront, selling high-quality, gently-used items. Browse thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records, all on sale for under $6. There’s something for everyone at this sale: children’s books, teen reads, brand-new bestsellers in amazing condition, classic vintage hardbacks, and more! Masks are required, check out will be no-contact, and social distancing will be practiced during browsing. Payment via e-pay methods such as Apple Pay or credit card is accepted; no cash. Carpe Librum is a donation-based used bookstore benefiting the DC nonprofit Turning the Page.

Duets on Ice
Where: Online
When: Saturday, 4pm
Admission: Free

In anticipation of Laurie Anderson: The Weather scheduled to open at the Hirshhorn in Spring 2021, internationally renowned artist Laurie Anderson is recreating her iconic performance Duets on Ice and streaming it live online for the first time from the Hirshhorn’s outdoor Plaza. Debuted in New York in 1974, the performance comprises the artist wearing skates frozen into blocks of ice and playing her violin in a series of electronic duets until the ice melts, and she loses her balance.

Riding the trails at Kingman Island

Ride On
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free

Bike rides are an excellent activity for right now. You can enjoy the  fall weather while social distancing, and get some exercise, to boot. The DC area has plenty of good routes to ride, with something for every age and rider level. This post has a bunch of pedal-worthy recommendations.

Go Disc Golfin’
Where: Courses around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free

Hit the links, the chain links, that is! Disc golf is a great way to enjoy a nice fall day outdoors with the family. Not only is it fun and challenging, the courses, many of them set up in scenic places, are lovely this time of year. This post has info about one in College Park, and there are also great courses at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg and Burke Lake Park in Burke.

Do Some Garden-ing
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

Fall is a great time to roam the many gardens in the area as the changing leaves start to brighten up the summer green. Enjoy the fall flowers and manicured grounds of the Enid A. Haupt Garden behind the Smithsonian Castle (then visit the museums).  Explore, play, and see a variety of plant collections at the National Arboretum. Wander around Green Spring Gardens on a scavenger hunt. Venture out to the gorgeous Meadowlark Botanical Garden. Relish in the peace at the Brookland Monastery. Or roam the expansive grounds of Brookside Gardens.  You can bring along a picnic to many of these places and make it a whole day’s outing.

A peek at the powerful Americans exhibit at the NMAI

Indigenous People’s Day
Where: American Indian Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free with timed entry ticket

There’s no special event going on, but the NMAI is an ideal place to go for learning about Indigenous People. While the museum is closed on the actual day (Monday), it’s open all weekend and safety protocols are in place for COVID, including timed entry passes to limit capacity. If you can’t go this weekend, let this listing serve as a reminder to book passes for another day.  Reserve free tickets here.

Even More Activities
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale

If you want even more ideas for things to do over the long weekend, this post has plenty of inspo, listing both ongoing activities around the area as well as information on reopenings.

 

***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* Time 4 Mom is a new monthly subscription box especially for busy moms, and there’s a giveaway for a chance to win a complimentary box!
* Kids of all ages can join the Tiny Chefs and Teen Chefs Cooking Club, a new and fun (& yummy) online membership program from Tiny Chefs.
* Plan for Halloween with this round-up of wicked fun (& safe) activities coming up over the next few weeks.
* Hanna Andersson has super cute character inspired clothes for kids, plus pajamas on sale.
* N Street Village is hosting its annual SHERO Family Walk next Saturday, though it will be virtual this year. The event benefits N Street Village, the city’s largest provider of housing and services for women experiencing homelessness.
* This has been “shockingly” useful.
* Something fun and delicious to make this fall weekend.
* Scary Costume Ideas for 2020 😱 😂

 

Note: KFDC may earn a commission when you click on one of the links and make a purchase. Thank you for the support!

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Filed under 2020, All ages, DC, Fall, Farm, Festival, Maryland, Ongoing, Outdoor, Seasonal, Social Distancing, Special Event, Virginia, Weekend

Five Things for Today: October 8, 2020

Seen on a recent neighborhood walk

 

 

1. Capital Harvest on the Plaza (CHoP), which has been closed this season, is returning to Downtown DC to host a mini pop-up market today from 11am – 2pm on Woodrow Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (13th & Pennsylvania Avenue NW).  Swizzler Food Truck, Sugar Plug Bakery, DelMarVa Kettle Korn and Larry’s Produce will be participating in the first of its kind mini pop-up market.

 

2. This evening at 7pm, join the National Museum of American History for a virtual celebration for the opening of Girlhood (it’s complicated).  The new  exhibition showcases unexpected stories of girlhood, engaging the audience in timely conversations about women’s history.  Follow the link to register for the event.

 

3. Enjoy wine and the season at George Washington’s (former) digs.  The annual Mount Vernon Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour is taking place tomorrow through Sunday.  Tickets are sold out for Saturday evening, but you can still snag them for Friday and Sunday. Tickets start at $42/members, $46/non-members.

 

4. Washington Post recommends 13 books to help you weather the rest of 2020 and beyond.

 

5. The buzz from last night.

 

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Filed under 2020, All ages, Coronavirus, COVID-19, DC, Maryland, Social Distancing, Virginia

Five Things for Today: October 7, 2020

Catch Degas at the Opéra at the National Gallery of Art through this weekend

 

1. There are only a few days left to see Degas at the Opéra at the National Gallery of Art.  The exhibit showcasing some of the artist’s most renown works closes after October 12.  More galleries on the museum’s Ground Floor are currently accessible to view even more art.  Admission is timed entry to limit the number of people, and there is plenty of space and protocols on place for a safe experience. Hours are 11am – 4pm daily. Reserve free passes here.

 

2. Rosslyn Cinema is back at Gateway park this fall with a line-up of outdoor movies to enjoy on Friday evenings in October.  This week’s film is You’ve Got Mail, October 16 is Remember the Titans, and  October 23 is Hocus Pocus.  Admission is FREE, but you must register the Wednesday before the movie you want to attend — that’s today if you want to see Meg and Tom quaintly message over AOL.  Food and drinks will not be for sale there, but you can BYO (no alcohol, though). Follow the link for more details and registration.

 

3. The DC Government just published Guidance for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos during Covid-19.  And you can check out a KFDC round-up of happenings going on around the area to celebrate.

 

4. Black-owned Etsy shops.

 

5. And the Federal Employee of the Year is…

 

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Filed under 2020, All ages, Coronavirus, COVID-19, DC, Maryland, Social Distancing, Virginia

Five Things for Today: October 6, 2020

Geared up for a weekend getaway

 

1. Long weekend coming up!  There’s still time to plan a getaway, and if you’re looking for some ideas for a few day’s escape,  this post has some recs for places to go.  You could also browse VRBO or AirBnb to find a vacation rental.

 

2. It was just announced the National Zoo’s new panda cub is a boy!  While you can’t visit him yet, you can see the rest of the animals at the Zoo, and this great fall weather makes it an excellent time to go. Hours are 8am – 4pm daily. Be sure to reserve free walk-in passes in advance.  Parking passes can also be reserved for $30.

 

3. National Geographic has tips for talking to kids about the election.

 

4. FAQ on mask wearing and covid-19 (seems important to reiterate given these reactions to last night).

 

5.  Now available 💚

 

Note: KFDC may earn a commission when you click on one of the links and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

 

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Filed under 2020, All ages, Coronavirus, COVID-19, DC, Fall, Maryland, Virginia

Five Things for Today: October 5, 2020

A view from Georgetown Waterfront Park

 

1. The very popular annual Taste of Georgetown has been canceled this year due to COVID, so the Georgetown BID is hosting Taste and Shop Georgetown instead. Starting today through October 25, more than 65 restaurants, retailers, salons, and services will offer specials and promotions over this three-week period throughout Georgetown’s commercial district.  This program features take-out, delivery, and outdoor dining specials, in addition to fall shopping and service deals, and gifts with purchase.  Follow the link for a list of participating places. And if you head down there with the kids to dine and/or shop, plan a stop at Georgetown Waterfront Park to hang out by the water, stroll around, and see the ducks!

 

2. Tomorrow, October 6, plan to join Kramerbooks for an online Storytime with Eva Chen!  Eva will be reading from her new picture book Roxy the Last Unisex Rex, which will be released the same day (and can be purchased through the link). Tune into IGTV at 10am to join!🦄

 

3. Guidance for Teenagers to Stay Mentally Strong During the Pandemic

 

4.Warm and cozy fall soup recipes.

 

5. News from the weekend 😁

 

PS:  For ongoing/weekday activities with kiddos, see this KFDC post for what is open around the area and get ideas for indoor places especially good for little kids.

 

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Filed under 2020, All ages, Coronavirus, COVID-19, DC, Maryland, Social Distancing, Virginia