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 😱 😂
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