Make a day trip to Flag Ponds Nature Park
Savor the summer fun in the District and beyond! This round-up of special events and seasonal activities has all the details you need for making the most of your leisure time with the kids. Happy Weekend!
Mars Day!
Where: Air & Space Museum
When: Friday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate the Red Planet with a variety of educational and fun family activities at the annual Mars Day! Visitors can see a real meteorite that came from Mars, view the surface of Mars in 3-D with red/blue glasses. Learn about the latest missions and discoveries, talk to scientists active in Mars research, and more.
Rockin’ on the Riverfront
Where: Yards Park
When: Friday, 6:30pm
Admission: Free
Kick off the weekend with free music in the fresh air. Local fave Justin Trawick will be performing on the Yards Park boardwalk this evening. Catch the show along with great views of the Anacostia River from the comfort of a blanket spread out on the grass. Pack a picnic or purchase food there from nearby eateries and food truck vendors.
Show Glorious Show
Where: Round House Theatre
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $45/adult, $35/student
Adventure Theatre is bringing OLIVER! to Round House Theatre in Bethesda. Opening tonight and running through August 16, this stage version of the Dickens classic is ATMTC’s first full-length musical production. And if their trove of wonderful children’s productions on the Glen Echo stage is any indication, this one is sure to have us wanting more.
National Dance Day
Where: Kennedy Center
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
This celebration of the art of dance began a few years ago (read more background along with my ode to one of my favorite associated shows) and has become an annual happening. This year’s National Dance Day celebration in DC is in collaboration with the Kennedy Center’s 25/40 Celebration, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 40th anniversary of VSA. A variety of artists will headline the festivities at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, including tap dance Baakari Wilder famous for his Broadway role in Bring in da Funk, Bring in da Noise; Antoine Hunter, Deaf African American choreographer; DC-based hip-hop crew Culture Shock; Evan Ruggiero, one-legged tap dancer, singer, and guitarist; and AXIS Dance Company, one of the world’s most acclaimed physically integrated companies, along with SYTYCD Season 9 Alumni Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer.
Capital Fringe Festival
Where: Various venues
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by performance
The Capital Fringe Festival is in its final weekend and presenting several performances kids will enjoy. Augustus the Sissy, is a performance about friendship, football and the gift of being different . See Alice, a vibrant, steampunk reworking of a much-loved classic that puts us in the main character’s head as she enters Wonderland. Watch puppets in The Giant Turnip, a whimsical and light-hearted tale that celebrates caring for the earth and community. Enjoy Experimental, a comedy paralleling Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Those are just a few with the all-ages tag; more show details and ticket sales are on the Capital Fringe Festival website.
Montgomery County Farm Tour
Where: Montgomery County farms
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Learn about agricultural heritage, promote local farms, and indulge in seasonally fresh food as Montgomery County celebrates the 26th Annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale. Activities will vary from farm to farm, but several will have hayrides, pony rides, music, animals to visit, and other activities planned. All farms will be open Saturday, and some will reopen on Sunday, so be sure to check the website for the schedule before you go.
Lovin’ Summer
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity
Free concerts, outdoor swimming, movies under the stars, sprayground fun. Activities exclusive to the season can all be enjoyed this weekend. The Summer 2015 guide has the whole scoop on all of them.
More Live Entertainment
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Cat-ch Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude at Adventure Theatre
* The BFG is enchanting audiences at National Theatre
* 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 Maryland Youth Ballet takes the outdoor stage
* Experience Double Trouble on the Imagination Stage
* And little ones will live Aquarium, also at the Bethesda theater
* Katherine Lyons: Transformations Information 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 Old Macdonald’s Farm is the featured Tiny Tots shows at the puppet theatre
Baby Loves Disco
Where: Jammin’ Java
When: Saturday, 11am (doors open at 10:30am)
Admission: $12
Join the family dance party at Jammin’ Java for Baby Loves Disco’s Summer Healthy Snacks Party! The fun will feature BLD’s signature DJ and MC, along with all kinds of kids activities. The MC will pump up the crowd, and the DJ will spin G-rated dance tunes, while kids and parents get groovin’.
Peachy Keen
Where: Local farms
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
It’s peach picking time at many local farms; the summer fruits are ripe and ready for harvest. If you want to get them at their peak, check out this list of area farms that offer pick-your-own. You can probably still pick berries and other fruits & veggies, too. And it’s always a good idea to check websites or call for updates to see what’s available when you plan to go.
Tennis, Anyone?
Where: Kastles Stadium at the Smith Center
When: Sunday, 5pm (gates open earlier for pre-match festivities)
Admission: Tickets start at $15
The Washington Kastles will serve up exciting tennis action on the court at the Smith Center on Sunday. Sam Querrey is the featured player as they play the Springfield Lasers with Martina Hingis as the standout. And there are always fun activities going to outside the court for all ages to enjoy.
Kids Summer Safety Festival
Where: Veterans Plaza
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Mocha Moms and partners are hosting a day of fun and safety tips in Silver Spring. Along with a variety of demos and car seat checks, there will be firetrucks on display, face painting, live musics, kids crafts, and more activities for all ages.
Beach Day
Where: Flag Ponds Nature Park
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $6/car
‘Tis the season to hit the beach! There are several places within day trip-distance from DC that are great for sand and surf…and fossil hunting. That’s right, many spots in the Calvert Cliffs area are well known for shark teeth finds. We recently spent a day at Flag Ponds Nature Park and loved it. This post has all the details, plus a bit of info about another fave (though a pricey one) out that way, Brownie’s Beach.
Indoor Swim
Where: National Building Museum
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $5-16 (see details below)
Jump in at The BEACH, the Building Museum’s big summer installation that is a blast for all ages. The architectural simulation of a beach, there is a beach chair lined seashore that slopes gently into the ocean, and the “water” consists of nearly one million recyclable translucent plastic balls. It’s pretty cool just to view — but even better to experience. Admission is $5/youth member, $10/adult member and $13/youth non-member, $16/adult non-member.
Fancy This
Where: Brookside Gardens
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $8/ages 13 and up, $5/3-12, free ages 0-2
Walk amid a garden of butterflies at Brookside Garden’s amazing Wings of Fancy exhibit, back this year through September 25 after being closed last summer during renovations. The seasonal display featuring live butterflies and caterpillars from all over the world is sure to delight! Read about a KFDC experience at the exhibit. Plan to tour the rest of Brookside’s lovely grounds while you’re there and see if there are any other special kids’ programs to enjoy.
Find even more ideas for family fun in these popular KFDC posts:
The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy A Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids
The Great Indoors
