Tag Archives: Weekend June 4-5

The Weekend Round-Up: June 3-5

Taking in the views from the Sugarloaf Mountain summit -- a great place to hit the trail with kids

Taking in the views from the Sugarloaf Mountain summit — a great place to hit the trail with kids



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I hope you’ve got a little time to spare because you’ll need it to read about all of the excellent events happening around the area this weekend. Pop culture, folk music, jazz, trucks, wine, space, nature, live entertainment, and local communities are among the many things you can celebrate and enjoy. Details on all of the above are below. Happy Weekend!

Awesome Con
Where: Washington Convention Center
When: Saturday, 10am – 7pm & Sunday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $40-50

This celebration of popular culture is DC’s comic-con, embracing all aspects of geekdom and pop culture. Expect a wide assortment of comic books, collectibles, toys, games, original art, cosplay, a Kids Zone, and appearance from more than fifty movie and television celebrity guests throughout the weekend. Kids will love the chance to draw along with noted comic book artists, attend Superhero University and make Superhero symbols and capes, see a wizard magic show, and participate in a kid’s costume contest and puppetry class.

Summer Fun
Where: Throughout the area
When: All weekend long
Admission: Varies by activity

Free concerts al fresco, outdoor swimming, movies under the stars, sprayground fun, and much more! Activities exclusive to the season can be enjoyed all around the area, several taking place on Friday evening – a perfect way to kick off the weekend. The 2016 Summer Guide has the whole scoop on all of them.

Keep on Truckin’
Where: RFK Lot 7
When: Saturday, 8am – 1pm
Admission: Free

The Truck Touch event that easily takes the title as Mac Daddy of them all. This is the 9th year that the DC Department of Public Works welcomes guests to climb aboard, honk the horn, work the gears, and explore all kinds of neat vehicles that serve our city. There will also be opportunities to test ride Segways, spec out a helicopter, and sit atop police horses. Read more about it and see images from a past Truck Touch here (and be sure to note that it was posted a few years ago, so the dates don’t confuse you).

Washington Folk Festival
Where: Glen Echo Park
When: Saturday & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: Free

Get folksy at Glen Echo Park this weekend, as the 36th annual Washington Folk Festival showcases the diversity of traditional music in Washington. All of the artists hail from the DC area, but cultures from around the nation, as well as the world, will be represented through music, dance, crafts, and stories.

Jazz ‘n’ Families Fun Days
Where: The Phillips Collection
When: Saturday, 10am – 5pm & Sunday, 12-7pm
Admission: Free

Leading up to the DC Jazz Festival starting next week and part of The Phillips Collection’s Museum Walk events, there will be special performances and activities for guests, especially young ones. Enjoy both the art and live jazz throughout the museum, including musicians improvising to paintings in the galleries. Kids can join a scavenger hunt, visit an instrument petting zoo, create their own masterpieces to take home, and view the permanent collection, too. Read more about the event and museum in this post about our experience there last year.

Walk the Museum Walk
Where: Dupont-Kalorama Neighborhoods
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free

Get off the Mall and explore the many museums in the Dupont-Kalorama neighborhood during its 33rd annual Museum Walk Weekend. (You can also check out the Obama’s future neighborhood!) See the exhibits and enjoy special programs for free at seven diverse museums, including The Phillips Collection, Dumbarton House, Heurich House, and Woodrow Wilson House. If you don’t want to use the shoe leather express, there will be a free shuttle running between sites.

Imagination Bethesda
Where: Downtown Bethesda
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate children, art, and all things fun at the 22nd annual Imagination Bethesda. Where Woodmont Avenue meets Elm Street, activity tents will line the streets, face painters will bring butterflies and pirates to life, and a stage of live entertainment will have the whole street dancing. Activity details and the entertainment line-up are available on the website.

Acton Children’s Business Fair
Where: Cleveland Park – 3400 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: Free

Do some shopping at the Acton Children’s Business Fair an outdoor market where children ages 6 to 14 become entrepreneurs for a day, creating a business, selling to real customers for real money, and keeping the profits. Like Eastern Market run by kids! There will be over 30 children’s businesses with products/services such as jewelry, original art, cupcakes, bath soaps, pet treats, hair braiding, facepainting, and more. A cash prize of $50 for best business will be awarded in each of the four age groups (6-7, 8-10, 11-12, and 13-14). Rain or shine!

Space Day
Where: National Air & Space Museum
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free

This annual favorite Family Day welcomes visitors to enjoy STEM-inspired hands-on activities, meet an astronaut, and learn about space from experts from the Museum and NASA. And all of it takes place amid the awe-inspiring collection of historic aviation and space artifacts in the much-loved museum on the National Mall.

World Ocean Day
Where: National Museum of Natural History
When: Saturday, 10am – 4:30pm
Admission: Free

Interactive activities throughout the museum will be open to explore ocean science in celebration of World Oceans Day. Appreciate the beauty of the sea and express yourself through art, njoy family activities in Q?rius Jr., talk with experts in the Ocean Hall and Q?rius and more!

Show Time
Where: Local theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue

– Reserve your free seats for Monkey Tales, this week’s Saturday Morning at the National perfromance
– Catch a performance of Little Red Riding Hood and the 3 Little Pigs at The Puppet Co.
– And Old McDonald’s Farm is the featured Tiny Tots show
– It’s opening weekend for Creative Cauldron’s production of The Wind in the Willows
– Encore Stage & Studio presents Cul de Sac, theatre by kids for kids
– See the student show Collide-O-Scope at Imagination Stage
– Spend Saturday morning with the grandsons jr. at Jammin’ Java
– See the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance perform at Saturday’s free Millennium Stage show at the Kennedy Center

Community Day
Where: Kalorama Park
When: Saturday, 11am – 3:30pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate the re-opening of Kalorama Park with a big, old-fashioned Community Day. Enjoy new playgrounds, a beautifully re-designed plaza, and a healthier Rock Creek Watershed, thanks to a sustainable stormwater system installed by the City. While the kids test out the new equipment, grown-ups can listen to local Bluegrass band By and By, Mayor Bowser’s remarks, and the James Benson Jazz Quartet. In between, there’ll be classes for adults, face painting for kids, and more!

Saturday Family Jazz Session
Where: Strathmore
When: Saturday, 11am
Admission: $10

Jumpstart a love for jazz with classes that nurture talent and spark musicality! Junior jazz aficionados can spend Saturday mornings singing, playing, and preparing for a lifetime of jazz appreciation at this fun, creative, kid-friendly series featuring classes with multi-instrumentalist and local jazz legend Seth Kibel and renowned jazz singer Rochelle Rice. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. All attendees, regardless of age, must have a ticket.

Celebrate Petworth
Where: 800 block of Upshur Street NW
When: Saturday, 11am – 5pm
Admission: Free

Head to the heart of the Petworth neighborhood to celebrate creativity, diversity, culture, people, and quality of life, the core components of what make Petworth a vibrant and wonderful place to live.

Youth Fishing Day
Where: Blackwater Wildlife Refuge
When: Saturday, 9am – 1pm
Admission: Free

Kids can cast a line and then some at this free fishing event. Staff will be on hand to help young fishers learn the basics, plus a free hotdog lunch will be provided along with photos of participants with their catch. Bait and poles supplied, or feel free to BYO.

Vintage Virginia Wine & Food Festival
Where: Bull Run Park
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $30/adults, $10/kids

A wine fest might sound like a grown-ups-only event, but this one offers plenty of fun for kids, too. Chef demos, food truck fare, live music, and a whole family area with activities especially for children are among the festivities. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunity for wine tasting, too!

Please Do Touch the Art
Where: Torpedo Factory
When: Through July 17
Admission: Free

Target Gallery, the contemporary exhibition space for the Torpedo Factory Art Center, encourages people to touch, feel, dine upon, and even lick the artwork in Please Touch, which opens Saturday for a six-week run. The all-media exhibition features 20 works with which audiences can get hands-on.

Happy Trails
Where: Around the area
When: Saturday
Admission: Free

Saturday is National Trails Day, and you can celebrate by taking part in one of many special events around the area. Take a hike, do some volunteer trail maintenance, go bird watching, and more. Find an event for your family on the National Trails Day website. Or if you just want to hit the trail for a hike, check out this post about great walks in the woods with kids.

Market Days
Where: North Bethesda Market
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free

North Bethesda Market has launched its first Home and Garden Market, an outdoor event for the entire family on Saturdays through June. Shop for plants and fresh cut flowers, find decor to refresh your home and garden, and enjoy live music and a fresh grilled lunch al fresco. Whole Foods will offer gardening items just for kids, and you can get tips on flower arranging and creating a succulent garden during free weekly seminars.

Kids Kandinsky Trees
Where: Art Jamz
When: Saturday, 1-2pm
Admission: $27-29

Jam on and paint a colorful tree in the style of Wassily Kandinsky. The session is the first in a series of Kids Summer Painting Classes. ArtJamz instructors will help participants create awesome original art work with all kinds of cool inspiration. Sign up in advance.

Savage Fest
Where: Baldwin Common and Carroll Baldwin Hall
When: Saturday, 10am – 6:30pn
Admission: Free

This 29th annual community festival will feature live music from local bands, pony rides, a petting zoo, jugglers, magic shows, local history reenactments and tours, dancing, demonstrations and other entertainment throughout the day. The venue is located at 9035 Baltimore Street in Savage, MD.

Occoquan Arts & Crafts Show
Where: Downtown Historic Occoquan
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free

Over 10,000 peple are expected to attend the Town of Occoquan’s 47th Annual Arts and Crafts Show. Along with the creative items for sale by more than 300 contemporary and country crafters, there will be live entertainment, a DJ, food, and a Kidz Corner.

Fiesta Asia Street Fair
Where: Pennsylvania Avenue, 3rd – 6th Streets, NW DC
When: Sunday, 10am – 7pm
Admission: Free

Celebrate Asian Heritage Month at the annual street fair presented by the Asia Heritage Foundation and Passport DC. This showcase of Asian art and culture will include music and dance performances, martial arts demos, food, hands-on activities, and more. Kids can enjoy activities like origami, sidewalk chalk, dragon making, story telling, and more. While admission is free, be prepared to spend on food and in the marketplace.

Falls Church Feeds the World
Where: Christ Crossman UMC
When: Sunday, 1-5pm
Admission: Free

The public is welcome to join other members of the community in working together to assemble and package 20,000+ meals to combat hunger around the world – and enjoy a children’s festival taking place outside. The free event features activities that teach children about food insecurity in our community and worldwide, and includes food at no cost.

WJMF in the Park
Where: Stead Park
When: Sunday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: Free

Bring the whole family to the park for a day of free concerts, games, and fun! Part of the Washington Jewish Music Festival, this evnt will feature The Macaroons’ catchy pop-rock mixes with The Brothers Yares’ Middle Eastern-inflected Folk and Americana sound. Ari Jacobson is the musical master of ceremonies, and there will also be face painting, games, and workshops throughout the day. The Washington Animal Rescue League will join with adoptable puppies and when you’re ready for some grub, grab a falafel or grilled cheese nearby from DC Ballers and The Big Cheese.

Nature & Recreation in Annapolis
Where: Quiet Waters Park
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $6/car

Head east to explore a new park. We recently discovered Quiet Waters, kind of by accident, and it made for a fantastic outdoorsy Mother’s Day. Hike in the woods under a leafy canopy, paddle the South River, take in scenic vistas, and even view some art. Read more the locale in this new post.


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Filed under All ages, Animals, Annual, Art, DC, Educational, Exhibit, Festival, Free, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Music, Nature, Outdoor, Park, Seasonal, Spring, Summer, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend

This Weekend: Museums, a Folk Fest, and Tons of Seasonal Fun

Playing in the fountains at the U.S. Botanic Garden

As this post goes live, the forecast is calling for both sun and showers this weekend. Luckily, there are options for family fun to suit all weather possibilities — museum family days, the Washington Folk Festival, a community children’s fair, theatre performances, strawberry picking, and much more summer recreation. Here’s where it’s all happening. Happy Weekend!

Celebration of TextilesThis free, annual two-day festival at the Textile Museum offers something for everyone.  Venture outside to the spectacular garden to participate in hands-on textile activities, watch live sheep being shorn (weather permitting), and learn from embroidery, weaving, and lace-making guilds of the region as they demonstrate their skills.  Explore the exhibitions Green: the Color and the Cause and Second Lives: The Age-Old Art of Recycling Textiles. Also on view will be DC Public School student’s textile art projects inspired by this year’s theme of recycling and created in part of the 2011 Museum-School Partnership. The celebration will take place on Saturday from 10am – 4pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. All ages are welcome.

Washington Folk Festival  – Get folksy at Glen Echo Park this weekend. In its 31st year, the Washington Folk Festival will showcase the diversity of traditional music in Washington. All of the artists hail from the DC area, but cultures from around the nation, as well as the world, will be represented through music, dance, crafts, and stories. The public is invited to enjoy the festival that is renown in the folk community Saturday and Sunday from 12-7pm both days. Admission is free.

Imagination BethesdaOn Saturday from 11am – 4pm, join the Bethesda Urban Partnership to celebrate children, art, and all things fun at the 17th annual Imagination Bethesda. Where Woodmont Avenue meets Elm Street, activity tents will line the streets, face painters will bring butterflies and pirates to life, and a stage of live entertainment will have the whole street dancing. Activity details and the entertainment line-up are available on the Imagination Bethesda website.

Summer in the City – Outdoor concerts, a children’s garden and more ongoing seasonal fun has begun in DC. From Jazz in the Garden on Friday evenings to open swim at local pools to play time at the Botanic Garden,  this post has the scoop on where and when you can experience the joys of summer.

Bear Awareness Days – The National Zoo is hosting two days of fun, family programming all about bears. Enjoy special keeper talks and animal demos, learn about the bears of the world, and find out how to stay safe around local bears. Kids of all ages can help bear-proof a campsite, share what they love about bears, sneak a peek at our bamboo shed, and even bring their own teddy bear for a check-up. This free program will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 2pm. View a schedule of activities on the National Zoo website.

The Time is Still Ripe – Strawberry fields may not be forever on DC area farms, but they’re still yielding fruit for now.  This may be the last weekend to harvest your own — if you plan to go, this list includes farms offering pick-your-own opportunities.

Family Night Out at the Theatre1st Stage Theatre at Tysons Corner presents a special family performance of  “Jack and the Bean-Stalk” on Saturday at 6pm.  The brand new adaptation of the classic fairytale just opened last weekend and will run through June 19.  Tickets are $15 and available for purchase online.

National Trails DayThe first Saturday of every June is National Trails Day. Celebrate it this weekend by taking a family hike.  For some ideas on where to go, see this post about good walks in the woods with the kids.

History in the Making Family DayThe Smithsonian American Art Museum is celebrating  History in the Making: The Renwick Craft Invitational 2011 with a day of activities for the family.  Guests are invited to take a family-oriented tour of the exhibition galleries, then make arts and crafts inspired by the work of the four artists on view.  There will also be live music and a scavenger hunt.  The free event runs from 11am – 2pm on Saturday.

Click, Clack, MooOn Sunday at 3pm, the Alden Theatre in McLean presents a new musical based on the Caldecott Award-winning book by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin.  All day long Farmer Brown hears “click clack moo, clickety clackety moo…” The cows are typing and protesting their working conditions! When his granddaughter Jenny comes to visit, Farmer Brown declares the farm a “tech-free zone.” The hilarious musical is all about negotiation and compromise.  Recommended for ages 4 and up.  Tickets are $12, $8/McLean residents.

Best in Shows – Along with the above-mentioned plays, there are several more performances to see around the area, including A Year with Frog and Toad, which is in its final weekend at Adventure Theatre.  Find out what else is on stages this weekend — see this post for live entertainment options for the family.

Sunny Days – The weather forecast is looking good for at least part of the weekend.  Bask in the sunshine and have a good time with help of this list of great places to enjoy a beautiful day outdoors with the kids.

Rainy Days – Let’s hope you won’t have to use this, but if the skies should open up this weekend, these ideas for rainy day recreation will come in handy.

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Filed under All ages, Annual, Art, DC, Educational, Farm, Festival, Free, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Music, Outdoor, Seasonal, Summer, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend

Review: A Year with Frog and Toad at Adventure Theatre

Frog and Toad begin their on-stage adventure

Frog and Toad have become two of the most beloved characters in the children’s book world, and that sentiment translates easily to the stage in Adventure Theatre’s latest musical production “A Year with Frog and Toad.”

Based on the books by Arnold Lobel, the show follows the amphibian friends through a year together, starting with their springtime rouse from hibernation until it’s time to go back to sleep the next winter. The seasons serve as a chronological backdrop for their adventures, as they plant flowers, swim, rake leaves, go sledding. And while the setting transforms to convey a change in weather and time of year, one thing remains endearingly steadfast throughout: the devoted and touching friendship of Frog and Toad.

Turtle and Mouse wow with a musical number

Along with a gang of other animal characters (played by just three other actors), Frog and Toad put on a performance that is abundantly entertaining for all ages. From the songs to the set to the story, both the overall production and well-thought details keep the audience engaged for the entire hour of show. The ragtime-style music, played by a three-piece band “hidden” in the marshland set, had my five-year-old bopping in his seat (I had to exercise some restraint myself) as the wonderfully talented cast sang and danced with spirited energy.

The set is imaginatively designed to look like a swamp, with tall wooden pieces painted muted greens and browns to create grass, dandelions, and cattail growing along a pond scattered with lily pads. New seasons are indicated with bubbles for a summer swim, leaves falling in autumn, and snow spraying from above for a wild winter sled ride.  Some of my favorite touches were the clever props used to remind us that the characters are little creatures living in a big world–a watch face is Toad’s clock, forks are used to rake leaves, their sled is made of a matchbox, a frying pan is fashioned from a bottle cap. Spotting these small details is almost a game in itself that only adds to the fun.

Friends on a sledding adventure

Amid all the fantastic musical numbers and charming scenery, at the core of the show is the tale of Frog and Toad’s friendship. Many life “lessons” about thoughtfulness, comaraderie, acceptance, and loyalty are played out through their interactions. At the beginning of the show Toad complains that he never receives any mail, so Frog writes him a letter that he sends by “snail mail.”  In a scene when Frog wants to be alone, Toad goes to find him thinking something is wrong, until Frog explains that sometimes he just wanted to be by himself. They rake each other’s leaves as a nice surprise for their friend (only to have them messed up by a mouse).  And when the letter finally arrives at the end of the play, Toad realizes just how lucky he is to have a friend like Frog.

A Year with Frog and Toad” is playing at Adventure Theatre through June 5.  Performances are at 10:30am Wednesday through Friday, and at 11am and 1pm Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are are $15 and can be purchased online in advance, which I recommend, as I saw some disappointed theatre-goers at the box office when they learned the show was sold out. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

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Filed under Gradeschoolers, Live Entertainment, Preschoolers, Theatre