Summer in the city
Crank up the Alice Cooper, because schooool’s out for summer! And just in time for the season’s official start. Add Father’s Day into the mix, and you’ve got some great reasons to celebrate. This round-up of area events and activities will help make them all extra awesome. Happy Weekend!
Welcome, Summer!
Where: Throughout the DC-Metro
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by locale
Ring in the official start of summer with one — or several — of the many activities exclusive to the season: swim under the sky, see a concert under the stars, catch a baseball game, pick berries at a local farm, go crab feasting, and more. For the whole seasonal fun shebang, check out the guide to Summer in DC.
Night Vision
Where: National Mall
When: Friday
Admission: Free
Get an eyeful of the night sky at the Sixth Annual Astronomy Festival. This free public stargazing event will feature solar, optical, and radio telescope observations of the Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn; hands-on activities, demonstrations, hand-outs, posters, banners, and videos; a planetarium show with a portable blow-up dome, speakers from scientific and educational organization, and a chance to mingle with astronomers. Rain date is June 20th at The Catholic University.
Father’s Day at Mount Vernon
Where: Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
When: Saturday & Sunday, 8am – 5pm
Admission: $17/adult, $8/ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under
Spend the day with the Father of our Country! This weekend, guests can enjoy a meet-and-greet and photo ops with “General Washington” as well as a special “Father to the First Family” program. After, head to George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill, located three miles from the estate on Route 235 South – entrance is included in admission to Mount Vernon.
Nats vs. Pirates
Where: Nationals Park
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: Ticket prices vary
Pittsburgh comes to DC, as the Nats host the Pirates this weekend. Catch an evening game on Friday (7:05pm) or afternoon games on Saturday (4:05pm) and Sunday (1:35pm). Stay after on Sunday for Kids Run the Bases when children ages 4-12 can loop the infield after the final out. And be sure to check out these tips on how to do a Nats game without breaking the bank!
Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude is opening at Adventure Theatre with a PJ Party tonight
* Take the fam to Shakespeare in the park as Chesapeake Shakespeare Company presents The Comedy of Errors at Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park
* Potted Potter, a hilarious act condensing all seven Harry Potter books, is at the Lansburgh Theatre for its final performances(look for a ticket deal)
* See a show on strings at The Puppet Co. where Cinderella is the current main stage production
* And Old MacDonald’s Farm and Teddy Bear’s Picnic are the featured Tiny Tots shows at the puppet theatre
* Enjoy theatre by kids for kids as Encore Stage & Studio presents Alice in Wonderland
* Newsies is on stage at the National Theatre
* Creative Cauldron presents The Little Prince for the last weekend
Baby Loves Disco – School’s Out Party
Where: Jammin’ Java
When: Saturday, 11am (doors open at 10:30am)
Admission: $12
Join the family dance party at Jammin’ Java for a Baby Loves Disco celebrating the end of the school year! 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’.
Children’s Science Center Lab Opens!
Where: Fair Oaks Mall
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $12/ages 2 and up
The Children’s Science Center Lab officially opens at Fair Oaks Mall on Saturday! The Lab is Northern Virginia’s first interactive museum where children, families and school groups can explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts through fun, engaging hands-on exhibits, activities and programs. The Lab will be open 10am – 8pm Fridays and Saturdays during the summer, 10am – 6pm all other days).
Innovations in Flight
Where: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free, but parking is $15
Join the Air & Space Museum for a special family day celebrating flight. See a variety of vintage, recreational, and home-built aircraft flown in for the day, plus presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on activities for all ages. It’s a program dedicated to past, present, and future innovations in aviation and space.
Horse Around
Where: Great Meadows
When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday
Admission: $40/carload
Support “Team USA” Eventing at the start of their Road to the Rio Olympics. In addition to the horse riding competition, there will be a bounty of entertainment options for guests, including a Land Rover off-road test drive (for adults, of course), wine tasting and shopping in the vendor village, an opportunity to learn more about the Cross Country phase of eventing, and more.
Rhode Island Row Block Party
Where: Rhode Island Row at 2300 Washington Place NE
When: Saturday, 5-8pm
Admission: Free
Rhode Island Row has the perfect family-friendly way to kick off the most relaxing time of the year – a Summer Block Party with live music, beer and barbeque, and free family activities. Join the community to enjoy the sounds of the region’s hottest blues group, the Kelly Bell Band, while enjoying scrumptious food and drink from Carolina Kitchen’s Cook Out and Beer Garden. There will also be face painting, balloon twisting, and other summer fun for all ages.
Feasting on Film
Where: National Gallery of Art
When: Saturday, 10:30am & Sunday, 11:30am
Admission: Free
Give the kids a taste of documentaries at the National Gallery. In these screenings, children from around the world invite you into their homes, food, community, and culture through a series of delicious documentary shorts films from the series There’s No Food Like My Food, which documents customs and cuisine from across the continents.
Colonial Wheat Harvest
Where: Claude Moore Colonial Farm
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: $3/adult, $2/ages 3-12, free for under 3
Help the Claude Moore Colonial Farm family harvest their rye and wheat crops. Then participate in making bread from these essential grains. A fun and educational activity for all ages!
Inti Raymi
Where: National Museum of the American Indian
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 4:30pm
Admission: Free
In Andean countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, Inti Raymi is one of the major celebrations of the year. In the United States, this is also the summer solstice. On the other side of the equator, it is the winter solstice. Seldom seen in the United States, this important celebration of the winter solstice is celebrated by these Andean cultures with music, dance, food and hands-on activities, as these communities share their culture in honor of one of the oldest festivities in the Andes.
Taiwanese Cultural Heritage Night
Where: Ossian Hall Park
When: Saturday, 7:30-8:30pm
Admission: Free
Enjoy the exotic and diverse beauty of Taiwanese culture, dance, martial art, and music. There will also be unique souvenirs for kids that evening. Ossian Hall Park is located at 7900 Heritage Drive in Annadale.
Family Fitness
Where: Canal Park
When: Sunday, 2pm
Admission: Free
Get the whole crew exercising for Father’s Day! Join the Capitol Riverfront BID and DCBFIT on Sunday, in the middle block of Canal Park for a fitness class geared toward your entire family. DCBFIT will lead an action-packed workout for kids — and kids-at-heart — of all ages. Move through a series of stations featuring jump rope, stretches, and high-energy exercises for every fitness level.
Father’s Day Farm Fun
Where: Ticonderoga Farms
When: Sunday, 10am – 5pm (11am – 2pm for ribs & beer)
Admission: $12.95, $1/rib
Enjoy a day on the farm this Father’s Day! Ticonderoga Farms is kicking off a new partnership with Famous Dave’s on the day that honors dad and will have buck-a-bone ribs and beer tastings while supplies last, plus live music along with their regular expanse of amusement that kids love (adults, too – that jumping pillow is pretty rad).
Row Your Boat
Where: Potomac & Anacostia Rivers
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by boathouse
A great way to enjoy a summer weekend is on the water, where you can paddle and explore. A bunch of places around the area rent kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and pontoons. Fletcher’s Boathouse is a popular place to go, and we recently rowed from the Ballpark Boathouse at Yards Park. Bladensburg Waterfront Park also has vessels for rent along with free pontoon boat tours on weekends from 5-5:45.
Take Your Pick
Where: Area Farms
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Strawberries are ripe and ready for harvest, and many area farms welcome guests to come PYO. However, it’s always a good idea to check websites or call ahead to confirm availability the day you plan to go. Sunscreen and hat also recommended.
Portrait Story Days & Discoveries
Where: National Portrait Gallery
When: Saturday, 1-4pm & Sunday, 2-5pm
Admission: Free
Drop in at the Portrait Gallery to listen to a story about Benjamin Franklin and complete a hands-on activity. When you’re done there, pick up a Portrait Discovery Kit to explore the museum. For more about the program, see this post about one of our experiences there.
The Ins and Outs of DC
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by adventure
If you’re just looking for things to do outdoors or inside, depending on the weather or simply your preference, these posts are chock full of evergreen pursuits:
The Great Indoors
The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids
