Seat yourself at the Newseum for Nationals at 10
There’s something to indulge just about every interest in this latest round-up. Lego mania, Fair play , Nats news, a peachy celebration, live entertainment, and STEM fun are just some of the ways to pique yours. Happy Weekend!
Fairfax 4-H Fair & Carnival
Where: Frying Pan Farm Park
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Depends on activities (see details below)
Head on down to the 4-H fair! From Friday through Sunday, enjoy carnival rides, amusements, treats, farm animals and rabbits, rides and displays, horse and dog shows, the tractor pull, kids crafts and face painting, plus plenty of good food, drinks and live music. Held at Frying Pan Farm Park, hours for the many activities vary by day, so be sure to check the website before you go. Carnival ride tickets are $1 or 24 for $20 (most rides take 3-5). Unlimited carnival ride tickets are $25, and you can get a $5 off unlimited rides coupon here.
BrickFair ‘15
Where: Dulles Expo Center
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $12, free for ages 3 and under
The nation’s largest LEGO Fan Festival will be enthralling guests of all ages this weekend. BrickFair brings together LEGO enthusiasts from across the country to showcase their amazing brick constructions, from tiny intricate works to elaborate, towering creations. Over 800 exhibitors will be there to display their designs, along with vendors selling all things LEGO — T-shirts, hats, mini figures, models, and more. And guests can use it all as inspiration to do some building there themselves!
Nationals at 10
Where: Newseum
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $10/adults, free for kids
Celebrate opening weekend of the exhibit Nationals at 10: Baseball Makes News, which debuts at the Newseum today. On Saturday, enjoy a special Family Day full of ballpark fun — decorate baseball keepsakes, race across a giant gameboard, play fun games, take a swing in the Great Hall of News, and enter to win tickets to an upcoming home game. Even more, adult admission will be just $10 all weekend, not to mention kids are free thanks to Newseum’s Summer Fun Deal!
Peach Fuzztival
Where: Great Country Farms
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: $12/adult, $10/child
Great Country Farms is teaming up with Bluemont Vineyard and Dirt Farm Brewing to celebrate the start of peach picking season! Along with tons of fun activities, you can also learn how the peaches are grown and used in food and drink and enjoy the results as well. Kick off each morning with a Peach Pancake Breakfast at Great Country Farms, then later on get the whole family involved in a Peach Eating and Peach Pit Spitting Contests and Family Water Games. All the fun farm attractions will be open, and there will also be live music to entertain the crowd. Over at Bluemont Vineyard, enjoy special peach drinks and wine. And the newly opened Dirt Farm Brewing will release their 2nd summer seasonal, made with the farm’s fresh peaches.
Citi Open Tennis
Where: Rock Creek Park Tennis Center
When: Saturday & Sunday, gates open at 9am
Admission: Ticket start at $10
Enjoy the on-court excitement along with other fun activities as the Citi Open Tennis Tournament swings into action this weekend. Saturday is the first day of qualifying rounds, and there will also be live entertainment. Sunday is National Parks Kids Day and will include a USTA Play Day, story time, Platform Tennis, appearances by local mascots, face painters, and more.
Seize the Summer Days
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Summer is zooming by, so seize the season while you can with activities that only occur this time of year. Start the weekend of with a free outdoor concert this evening, then continue the fun on Saturday and Sunday with water play at a pool or spray park. Take it indoors at special summer program like The BEACH at the Building Museum or Wings of Fancy at Brookside Gardens. Complete it all with a family movie under the stars at National Harbor on Sunday night. Get details about all of these summer diversions and even more here.
Heritage Family Day & Helicopters
Where: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free, but parking is $15
Celebrate the global feats in the fields of science, math, technology, and engineering. Meet scientists and engineers who are active in fields such as robotics, aerospace design, and aviation, and develop your own skills through hands-on activities.
Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* See a Dickens classic come to life at Round House Theatre, where OLIVER! is on stage through August 16
* Cat-ch Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude at Adventure Theatre
* Families with teens shouldn’t miss Dear Evan Hansen at Arena Stage. And if your kiddos are young, make it a date night
* Fly away to Neverland at a performance of Peter Pan in the ThreeSixty Theatre at Tysons. We caught a show, and it was spectacular!
* Enjoy Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap as the Pushcart Players take the outdoor stage
* Experience Double Trouble on the Imagination Stage
* And little ones will live Aquarium, also at the Bethesda theater
* Rainbow Puppets’ Pirate Party is this week’s free Saturday Morning at the National performance
* See a show on strings at The Puppet Co. where Snow White and the 7 Dwarves is the current main stage production
* And Bunny Business and Merlin’s Magic are the featured Tiny Tots shows at the puppet theatre
* Andrew & Polly are playing the Saturday morning show at Jammin’ Java
Civil War Tours to Treasure
Where: Anacostia Community Museum
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Get a personal docent-led tour of the exhibition How the Civil War Changed Washington and participate in a self-guided treasure hunt activity. Kids will receive a free museum token for finishing the hunt. Each Tours to Treasure program lasts approximately 90 minutes; recommended for families and children ages 6 and up. Sign up on the website or call 202.633.4844.
Hit the Harbor
Where: National Harbor
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Make a family day of it at National Harbor! There are a bunch of activities and attractions to keep the whole gang amused and entertained for hours. Go for a spin on the Capital Wheel, paddle (or pedal!) on the Potomac, climb around gigantic art, ride whimsical creatures on the carousel, grab a bite to eat and have a sweet treat, catch a free outdoor movie, and even more. This new post has details about our recent experience there.
Stop & Smell the White House Roses
Where: White House Rose Garden
When: Sunday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Spend the day at the White House – the outdoors area, anyway. This Open House is a fabulous, free garden party to celebrate and explore the Kennedy Rose Garden through activities, discussion, crafts, and more. With activities for all ages to enjoy, families are encouraged to attend.
Pop-Up Sing-a-Long
Where: lil omm
When: Sunday, 3:30-4:40pm
Admission: $10/family
Families are invited to celebrate and enjoy music with your baby or toddler (children of all ages are welcome)! You’ll get to preview Meadowlark Music’s Sing-a-long Socials with singing, guitar, dancing, rhyming, laughing, clapping, tapping, drumming, and a few props here and there — all to enhance experiencing music together. Register in advance on the website.
Geared Up
Where: Fillmore Silver Spring
When: Sunday,
Admission: $10 donation
Join Bach to Rock, America’s music school for all ages, for Geared Up, a benefit concert and fashion show in Silver Spring on Sunday. The event will include raffles, makeovers, and live performances by B2R student bands that won their respective Battle of the Bands competitions, including Maryland students from B2R Gaithersburg and B2R Bethesda. All proceeds from the event will go toward backpacks for underprivileged students in Montgomery County.
Indoor Play
Where: Local indoor play areas
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Various by venue
If you can’t stand the heat, head indoors to play! There are lots of places in the area to run, bounce, climb, swing, flip, and slide — all in the cool comfort of the indoors. This post has a bunch of recommendations for playground-style fun out of the sun.
