Tag Archives: Weekend August 26-27

Whether you’re finishing up the first week of school, savoring the final weekend of your summer break, or still going with the flow of the season, there are options galore for making it awesome. Happy Weekend!

Free Parking
Where: National parks everywhere
When: Friday
Admission: Free
The National Park Service is celebrating it’s 101st birthday with a fee free day at national parks, which means there’s no entrance fee where they usually charge to get in. Take advantage of complimentary admission and visit and some of our local parks that normally require you to pay. Hit the trail at Shenandoah or Great Falls, take a ride on Skyline Drive, head to Fort McHenry, or explore Harpers Ferry.

Comcast Outdoor Film Fest
Where: Strathmore | Bethesda, MD
When: Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 7:30pm
Admission: Free
‭Enjoy summer fun under the stars during the Annual Comcast Outdoor Film Festival. The free event gives the community an unrivaled outdoor movie experience with digital cinema ‬projection. ‬See Moana on Thursday, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Friday, and The Lego Batman Movie on Saturday. Gates open at 7:30pm, and movies begin at dusk.

Smithsonian Sleepover
Where: National Museum of American History | National Mall, DC
When: Friday, 7pm – Saturday, 9am
Admission: $120-135
Registration is still open for a real night at the museum: Become a detective and roam through the galleries. Use your cunning and skills to collect clues that guide you to the crime scene. Along the way, take part in some great games, experiments, and craft projects — and even become a presidential candidate. After you have solved the crime, roll out your bag and sleep soundly knowing that you’ve protected some of America’s treasures — and had plenty of fun.

Ren Fest!
Where: Revel Grove | Crownsville, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 7pm
Admission: $19/adults, $16/seniors, free for 15 and under
Merriment, anyone? The Maryland Renaissance Festival is all about it. The fantastic trip back to medieval times is an event that appeals to all ages and sensibilities. Enjoy jousting matches, kids shows, cheeky comedy acts, tight rope walkers, jugglers, puppetry, Celtic music…and that’s just some of the live entertainment. There are also pony rides, a pirate playground, a giant slide, and some of the best people watching opportunities ever. Walk among knights, maidens, pirates, and villagers in puffy shirts in a 16th-century Tudor village as you chomp on turkey legs and down cups of mead. It all begins Saturday and will run every weekend through October 22. And this weekend only, kids ages 15 and under get in for FREE. Huzzah!

Community Day & Costume Sale
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest, DC
When: Saturday, 12-6pm
Admission: Free
Join Arena Stage to celebrate the American Voices that have shaped our country and their 2017/18 season! This Community Day is fun for the entire family with live entertainment, dance performances, face painting, story telling, poetry readings, cultural presentations, and more! You’ll also have the chance to buy costumes from historic Arena productions including Guys and Dolls, Oliver!, Carousel, The Music Man and other shows — perfect for early Halloween costume planning!

Hot Air Balloon Fest
Where: Spider Hill Farm | Prince Frederick, MD
When: Saturday, 1-9pm
Admission: $10/adult, $5/ages 3-12, free for 2 & under
Head out to Calvert County for the first ever Southern Maryland Balloon Festival! The family-friendly event will feature tethered hot air balloon rides, live bands, food vendors, a KIDZONE, and more. You can also enter a raffle for a chance to win a 45-minute non-tethered hot air balloon ride to be scheduled at a later date.

Summer Fun
Where: Throughout the DMV
When: All weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
There’s not much time left to enjoy some of the best activities of the season. Outdoor pools and spraygrounds, special museum programs and exhibits, music and movies in the open air, beach fun, mini golf and carousels rides, or a good ol’ crab feast. The guide to Summer in DC has all the inspiration you need to eke the most out of the summer wind-down.

Celebrate 17th Street
Where: 17th Street, Riggs Place to P Street | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 12-6pm
Admission: $10
The event in the Dupont Circle neighborhood will feature all kinds of activities for the whole fam. Live entertainment; more than 100 vendors selling food, art, and other cool wares; a kids zone with bouncy fun, face painting, games, and more; exhibits by non-profit groups, and appearances by city officials will be part of the festivities that celebrate the community and businesses.

Dragon Boat Regatta
Where: The Wharf | Southwest, DC
When: Saturday, 8am – 5pm
Admission: Free
The 4th annual Capital Dragon Boat Regatta will be an experience for athletes and spectators alike. The family-friendly event features the best premier and local dragon boat teams from along the east coast racing in multiple distances over the course of the day. The public is welcome to watch this unique event for free!

Irish Festival
Where: Waterfront Park | Alexandria, VA
When: Saturday, 11am – 7pm
Admission: Free
Head to Old Town for a day of fun and music to celebrate Irish history and culture. Along with lots of live Celtic music and Irish dancing, shop the vendor booths featuring a variety of Irish items, arts & crafts, and traditional festival foods.

Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook
Where: Adventure Theatre | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $19.50
Adventure Theatre’s summer production closes after this weekend! When Junie B. Jones, with her two bestest friends in the world, loses her new furry mittens to some “stealers,” she has to investigate. But Junie B. might have something she forgot to return, too. Recommended for all ages.

Shows on Strings
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo, MD
When: Friday & Saturday
Admission: $6-12
It’s your final chance to see Circus!, the Main Stage performance at the puppet theater in Glen Echo Park — recommended for children of all ages. And really little ones will love Dragon Babies, this weekend’s featured Tiny Tots show, where the lights stay on and doors stay open for an atmosphere suited to small fries.

Nats vs. Mets
Where: Nationals Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Ticket prices vary
It’s a weekend at home for the Nats as they host the New York Mets. There are games Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and two on Sunday — at 1:35pm and 8:08pm. (Note: Because of the doubleheader, there will be no Kids Run the Bases.) Check out all the family fun there is to enjoy, and get some KFDC tips for doing a Nats game without breaking the bank.

Military Family Appreciation Day
Where: National Portrait Gallery | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Join the Portrait Gallery in recognizing and honoring the US armed forces veterans with a program for the whole family. Create art, learn about American heroes, design your own exhibition, have your photo taken, and tap your toes to live music in the courtyard.

StepFest
Where: Kingman Island | Northeast, DC
When: Saturday, 5pm
Admission: Free, but reserve tickets!
Join Step Afrika! for their first-ever StepFest on Saturday. The show will feature performances by Step Afrika!, Coyaba Dance Theatre,  Soul in Motion, Dem Raider Boyz, The Lady Raiders as well as creative activities for all ages, including a scavenger hunt, drum making, talks on percussive history, boat tours. Be sure to check the website for schedule and details to help you plan.

Children’s Day at Run of the Mill
Where: Peirce Mill | Rock Creek Park, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free
The historic mill in Rock Creek Park is hosting it’s regular program with some extra fun this Saturday. Along with the opportunity to see the 2,000-pound millstone convert corn to cornmeal using good old-fashioned renewable energy of water, kids can enjoy activities and games, too. At 11am and 12:30pm, there will be hands-on tours of the mill designed especially for young children. And up at the barn, they can make toys such as marbles, tops, cornhusk dolls, and cup and ball toys. There will be even more traditional toys and games for kids to try out on the lawn! 

Discover BlackRock @ Open House
Where: BlackRock Center for the Arts | Gaithersburg, MD
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Help BlackRock kick off its 2017-18 season at complimentary day of fun and activities for the whole family. Get a taste of all that BlackRock offers through demo classes in dance, music, theater, and art; exciting performances; and exhibits in their gallery. There will also giveaways, music, face painting, art sales, and more!

Movies On The Green – Double Feature
Where: Fort Dupont Park | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 4:30pm
Admission: Free
Catch a couple of flicks under an amazing LED Wall that you don’t have to wait for the dark to see! Movie On The Green will host a double feature of The Jungle Book 2016 and the 41st Anniversary of Car Wash. Gates open at 4:30pm with a concession stand that hosts all your snack favorites.Bring your lawn chairs and blankets.

Little Mover & POP! Open Houses
Where: CityDance | Tenleytown, DC & Rockville, MD
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
CityDance invites Little Movers ages 3 to 7 to sample dance classes at an Open House this weekend. Children can try out Ballet, Hip Hop, Flamenco, and Sri Lankan – for free! Register for Tenleytown here and Rockville here.

Colonial Arts & Crafts
Where: Old Stone House | Georgetown, DC
When: Sunday, 11am & 1pm
Admission: Free
Children ages 5 and up are invited to drop in to discover the oldest home in Washington, DC! A corn husk craft and colonial era games will also be part of the day’s activities. Plan for a stroll, shopping, and brunch (or lunch) while you’re in the neighborhood full of restaurants and retail.

How ‘Bout Them Apples?
Where: Farms around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
The apple picking season has begun! Several farms in the area have opened their orchards for guests to start gathering. This round-up of area farms and orchards offering PYO opportunities has details. And I always recommend calling ahead to be sure the pickings are good the day you plan to go.

***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* Does your kid like to swim, bike, and run? JUST TRYAN IT hosts triathlons for ages 6-14 with proceeds benefiting local families that have a child with cancer in the DC area — and there’s one coming up on September 17.
* The next release of timed passes for December 2017 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture is on September 6. And remember that you can try for same-day tickets online daily starting at 6:30am, and a limited number of walk-up passes are available on weekdays starting at 1pm.
* Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for tickets to InterAct Story Theatre’s The Legend of Pufferfish Pat: A Tall Tale for Mad Times!
* If you haven’t yet bookmarked these KFDC posts, I recommend doing so: The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids
The Great Indoors.