Side Yards is full of oddball fun, a perfect precursor to Halloween!
You’ll be screaming with joy about all the fantastic happenings this weekend, Halloween-inspired and then some. Happy Weekend!
Halloweekend
Where: Around the DMV
When: Troughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Break in the costumes and prep for Halloween on Tuesday all weekend long! There’s a scary amount of events and activities that celebrate the spooky spirit. Some are detailed below, and this post has details on even more happenings where the tricks and treats are going on.
Fall, Y’all!
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Celebrate the season at one of many area festivals. From pumpkin patches and apple picking to corn mazes and hayrides to giant slides and jumping pillows, there are activities galore that let you relish in the fun autumn brings. This post has details on where all the fall is happening.
Rosslyn Harvest Fest
Where: Central Place Plaza | Rosslyn, VA
When: Friday, 4-10pm & Saturday, 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free
Bring the whole family for fun at Rosslyn’s first-ever Harvest Fest! Kids can don costumes and trick-or-treat across Rosslyn collecting candy and golden tickets for big prizes. Find unique gifts at the Arts & Crafts Market. Wander through an inflatable corn maze at Gateway Park and stick around for festivities like pumpkin games, face painting, and a magic show!
Food History Festival
Where: National Museum of American History
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 5:30pm
Admission: Free
Savor a full day of free activities for visitors of all ages that will spark conversations about the past, present, and future of food. Watch live cooking demonstrations, enjoy film screenings, take curator-led exhibition tours, partake in hands-on learning activities, see rarely-exhibited objects on display, and go on garden tours. (PS: On Friday evening, many local restaurants will feature a special dish inspired by American food history and the legacy of Julia Child, with proceeds supporting the Smithsonian Food History Project.
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial 50th Anniversary
Where: Roosevelt Island | Across the Potomac, DC
When: Sunday, 9am – 4pm
Admission: Free
It’s been 50 years since the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial (aka Roosevelt Island) was established to honor Teddy, and the National Park Service is celebrating with a day full of activities for all ages. Take an early morning bird walk, join ranger programs, meet a Theodore Roosevelt reenactor and Civil War reenactors, hear a children’s Teddy Bear story time, take tours of the Island, go on Island safari walks, play games, view exhibits, do some crafts, and more. Food vendors will be there, too. View the schedule of activities here.
Kids’ Day at the Washington International Horse Show
Where: Verizon Center | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
This fun, family-friendly event created to share the joy of horses with the local D.C. community and teach kids and their families about horses and equestrian sport. Children can participate in more than a dozen hands-on educational and fun activities, including pony rides, the Discovery Communications Horseless Horse Show, the Horse Stars Hall of Fame interactive exhibit, coloring station, face painting, pony brushing lessons from Clay Hill Stables, plus giveaways from Georgetown Cupcake. Klinger, the famous horse from the U.S. Army Caisson Platoon, often attends as a special guest to greet the children. There’s even a pony kissing booth with Mini Cooper, the mini pony!
The Rumpus Room
Where: U Street Music Hall | U Street Corridor, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: $10
DC’s only daytime dance party for families, returns in time for Halloween! This October we’ll be getting (slightly) spooky in the club, so put on your costumes and come dance with us! Get ready for a dance floor filled with little ghosts, goblins, witches, dragons, and pumpkins of all ages. The soundtrack for the day will be a family-friendly mix of dance hits and Halloween classics, all at a kid-friendly volume. Rumpus Room is designed for kids 8 and under and their caregivers, but older siblings are welcome.
OAKtoberfest
Where: National Arboretum | Northeast DC
When: Saturday,
Admission: $20/child, $35/adult (to join the 5k)
Friends of the National Arboretum and the Washington Youth Garden present the first annual fall festival for the 2017 OAKtoberfest and 5k Fun Run on October 28, 2017 at the U.S. National Arboretum. The 5k course will showcase DC’s amazing fall foliage while winding through forests and fields- all on paved, uninterrupted paths. Stay the rest of the afternoon for a children’s tree climb, a kids’ bike rodeo, walking and bicycle tours, food trucks, and live music!
Fall Frolic
Where: Glen Echo Park | Glen Echo, MD
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free, but small cost for some activities
It’s a safe and fun Halloween event with something for everyone! Daytime activities for families will include pumpkin decorating, arts & crafts, face painting, trick-or-treating, and a costume parade around the Park.
KinderCare Learning Campus Grand Opening
Where: Franklin Farm KinderCare Campus | Herndon, VA
When: Saturday, October 28, 10am – 1pm
Tickets: Free
Help KinderCare celebrate the grand re-opening of their Franklin Farm campus! They’re proud to introduce the community to their new campus, which features lower class sizes and an individualized approach to learning that helps children reach milestones and become lifelong learners! Take a tour of the infant cottage and Kindergarten prep school, meet the talented teachers, and learn all about the curriculum. Enjoy a day of fun for the whole family – they’ve got lots to explore. Get into the fall spirit with a pumpkin patch and petting zoo, be amazed by magician Wacky Willy Woo Woo, take a spin on our hayride, and more! Food and drinks will be served, too. The Franklin Farm KinderCare Campus is located at 13228 Franklin Farm Road in Herndon, VA. RSVP here.
Kids Euro Festival
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
It’s another weekend of the series that’s essentially a passport to artistic adventures, as the 10th Annual Kids Euro Festival brings continental entertainment right to DC. More than 70 free performances all around the metro area — musicians, storytellers, dancers, and puppeteers, and more — are performing at a variety of venues around the city through November 5. See what’s on the schedule over the next few days.
Show Time
Where: Theatres around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Creep into the Concert Hall at the Kennedy Center for the NSO’s annual Halloween Spooktacular
* Reserve free tickets for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, this week’s Saturday Morning at the National performance
* Arrrgh! It’s the final weekend to see How I Became a Pirate at Adventure Theatre
* The Adventures of Peter Pan just opened at Synetic Theatre– and it’s wonderful! (Read the KFDC review here.)
* Take yourselves out for a grown-up night to see The Book of Mormon at the Kennedy Center
* Or bring kids ages 9+ to the Kennedy Center for Grey Skies Blue
* Enjoy Primary Blues: Blues 10 for Families1 at Strathmore
* The Smartest Girl on the World is on the Imagination Stage
* Pinnochio is running at The Puppet Co. (no lie!)
* And little ones will love World on a String, the featured Tiny Tots show at the puppet theater
* Our Town is still on stage at the Olney Theatre
* Art on the Horizon’s adorable Drumming with Dishes is now in DC at the Atlas Performing Arts Center
* Go KidFree to Arena Stage for The Price
* Or have a date night at the Lansburgh Theatre for The Lover & The Collection
Virginia Tech Maker Festival
Where: Northern Virginia Center | Falls Church, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Get ready for hands-on experiences, live performances, and interactive demonstrations that will inspire a wonder in science. The National Capital Region’s 3rd Annual Maker Festival day is full of fascinating, interactive activities for all ages. Be part of the festival fun!
Family Fun Day
Where: Theatre on the Run | Arlington, VA
When: Saturday, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Admission: $15
Join Jane Franklin Dance for a Family Fun Day! The public is invited to enjoy two performances, including a premier of their newest work, Complete Dogness. Prior to the first show there will be movement classes for both parents and kids, and the shows will conclude with a free snack and a chance to meet the cast of the show! PS: KFDC readers can get a 15% discount on an upcoming show using the code BITS.
Side Yards
Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Saturday, 5-9pm
Admission: Free
The fourth annual sideshow extravaganza, Side Yards, is back at Yards Park! The evening of all-ages quirky amusement will feature an aerialist, escape artists, poi spinning, contortionists, fire artists, and more attention grabbing acts. Enjoy the thrills and entertainment on the boardwalk along the river. Food and drinks will be available for purchase or plan to dine at one of many nearby eateries.
Furr-tastic Felines
Where: Freer|Sackler Galleries | National Mall, DC
When: Sunday, 12-4pm
Admission: Free
On National Cat Day, join the Freer|Sackler for free family activities inspired by the exhibition Divine Felines. Take a tour into the past and learn about cats in ancient Egypt (12:30pm & 2:30pm). Then, head to the studio to make cat mummies and amulets to protect your Halloween treats. From 12–3pm, a Smithsonian conservator will demo how to care for mummified objects and share X-ray scans of objects on display. Halloween costumes encouraged! Candy generously provided by Mars, Inc. All ages welcome with adult companions.
Mini Golf Fore Good
Where: Adventure Theatre MTC Academy | Rockville, MD
When: Sunday, 12-4pm
Admission: $10
Join Adventure Theatre for their Mini Golf Fore Good fundraiser, an event that will benefit DC area kids through their theatre programs, classes, and camps! The ATMTC Academy studios at Wintergreen Plaza in Rockville will be transformed into an 18-hole mini golf course for families to swing their way through. There will also be a Halloween costume contest, a Tricky Tray for a chance to win amazing prizes, fun giveaways, snacks, and more!
Creepy Critters
Where: Locust Grove Nature Center | Bethesda, MD
When: Sunday, 2-3pm
Admission: Free
Spiders, bats, and toads… do these critters give you the jitters? We’ll celebrate nature’s creepiest with crafts, games, and live animal encounters. What cool secrets will they reveal? This free program requires registration for each participating child. Recommended for ages 4 – 10.
Leaf Peep on the Trail
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Take in the brilliant color spectrum of autumn and get a little exercise to boot on a family hike. From right here in the city to country locales, you’ve got your pick of places where you can enjoy the fall foliage and some time outdoors. This post about good area hikes with kids started in the early KFDC days, and with many new recommendations added since, there are lots of great trails to make for happy trampers.
Recreation on Ice
Where: Local ice rinks | Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by rink
The outdoor ice skating season around DC has begun! A few local rinks are welcoming skaters to glide away under the sky, and indoor rinks also host public skate sessions. See this post with details on where you can enjoy some cool recreation.
***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* DC Pediatric Smiles will be hosting a Halloween Candy Buyback On Thursday, November 2 from 3-6pm, to help keep kids’ teeth clean and healthy! Keep a few special treats and bring the rest to them — they’ll buy Halloween candy for $1 per pound!
* Registration is open for the Polar Bear Plunge, where participants will raise money for Special Olympics DC by jumping into pools of ice-cold water at Nationals Park, taking place February 10, 2018.
* The Washington Posts’s On Parenting blog has a new write-up about this wonderful storytelling podcast for kids.
* Murder is Her Hobby, a new exhibit at the Renwick Gallery featuring dollhouse-sized recreations of real crime scenes, makes for a great KidFree outing.
* Maketto on H Street is one of my new dinner faves. (I’ve loved their lunch for awhile now, too.)
* My friend, Beth, wrote this beautiful open letter to her girls on her blog (and it made me cry).
