Great hiking and even greater views at Great Falls
Hope you and the kids have lots of spare time in your schedule, because there are loads of great ways to fill it over the next few days — see for yourself below. Happy Weekend!
Back to School Friday Night Concert
Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 5:30-8:30
Admission: Free
Celebrate the first month of school in the Capitol Riverfront! Arrive early to Yards Park’s last Friday Night Concert of the season to enjoy kids activities, face painting, balloon art and more from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Of course, stay for the music, food, and fun. Near Southeast Community Partners will be taking donations to benefit the purchase of art supplies for Van Ness Elementary School. Come for family fun and support the community.
Lumbee Nation Festival
Where: National Museum of the American Indian | National Mall, DC
When: Friday & Saturday, 10:30am – 5pm
Admission: Free
Join the Lumbee Nation of North Carolina as they host their first cultural festival at the National Museum of the American Indian. This unique celebration of Lumbee traditions will showcase storytelling, music, social dances, pine-needle basketry, patchwork quilting and more.
Virginia Indian Festival
Where: Riverbend Park | Great Falls, VA
When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm
Admission: $8
Eight American Indian tribes from Virginia, including the Rappahannock dancers and drummers, will convene for this annual festival at the park along the Potomac River. Enjoy hands on activities and live demonstrations including American Indian storytelling, shooting bow and arrows, throwing spears and making stone tools. Also, assist in building a dugout canoe and visit our marketplace of American Indian crafts, pottery and jewelry. Read more about Riverbend Park here.
Ren Fest
Where: Revel’s Grove | Crownsville, MD
When: Saturday, Sunday, & Monday
Admission: $19/age 16+, $8/age 7-15, free/6 & under
Enjoy the bounty of merriment at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. The annual faire recalls medieval times with a village full of fun and entertainment for the whole family. This is one of my very favorite events in the DC area, and it could very well become one of yours, too. Read more about Ren Fest here. Huzzah!
Fall Fests
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
The calendar may not say fall yet, but that’s not stopping the seasonal celebrations. Go on hayrides, get lost in corn mazes, pick some pumpkins and apples, whoosh down slides, and so much more. This recent post has a list of all the festivals happening around the area where you can get a head start on fall this weekend or plan your autumn amusement for later.
DC Shorts Family Showcase
Where: Throughout DC
When: Saturday
Admission: Free
As part of the DC Shorts Film Festival & Screenplay Competition happening in venues all around DC through September 17th, a Free Family Showcase will present a special selection that kids can see, too! Short films from all over the world appropriate for children aged 3 and up and their families will be screened at DC Public Library branches throughout 7 wards. Go here to register and for more information on locations and times.
Savor the Bay
Where: Sandy Point State Park | Annapolis, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $10, free for ages 12 and under
How about a day filled with delicious seafood, live entertainment, kids activities, food demos and competitions, loads of shopping options, vendors, exhibits, contests? You can enjoy all that and more at the 51st annual Maryland Seafood Festival. Even better, it all takes place on the beautiful shores of the Chesapeake Bay.
Walks in the Woods
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Looks like it’s going to be great weather to hit the trail with the fam! See flowers in bloom, tramp in places with scenic views, hike and explore history at interesting locales, and enjoy a day of active fun. This post, started in the early KFDC days and updated several times since, has a a bunch of recommendations for good walks in the woods with the kids.
WashingCon
Where: Georgetown U Hotel & Conference Center | Georgetown, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $40
If you’re serious about board games, this tabletop gaming convention is an event you don’t want to miss. There will be opportunities to demo new games, enter tourneys to test your gaming skills against some of the best players, meet people who make and sell games, and much more. Some highlights: Miranda Everts, game designer of Sleeping Queens, will be there, as will Susan McKinley Ross, designer of Qwirkle and Hoot Owl Hoot. Guests can hear a panel about Women in the Gaming Industry. And sponsors Peaceable Kingdom, Haba, ThinkFun, and Gamewright will be giving out a bunch of swag for kids!
Family Day
Where: Dance Place | Brookland, DC
When: Saturday, 9am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Stop by the dance studio in Brookline to try a wide variety of kids classes and celebrate the thriving artistic community. They believe it’s never too early to start dancing and offer a “Mommy and Me” class that begins at 18 months along with various classes for different age groups through high school. Get the kids moving in sample classes, make something beautiful with guided arts and crafts, and so much more!
The Legend of Pufferfish Pat
Where: Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center | Silver Spring, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $12.50/age 12+, $10/age 4-11, free/under 3
InterAct Story Theatre is returning to Silver Spring with a whole new season of family entertainment. First in the line-up this September: The Legend of Pufferfish Pat: A Tall Tale for Mad Times about a legendary cowboy hero who can outride, outrope, and outrun just about anything — except his own hair-trigger temper!
Nats vs. Phillies
Where: Nationals Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Thursday – Sunday
Admission: Ticket prices vary
The Nats are back at home this weekend to host the Phillies. There are games tonight, Friday, and Saturday at 7:05pm, and on Sunday at 1:35pm. Stay after on Sunday for Kids Run the Bases, and be sure to check these KFDC tips for doing a Nats game without breaking the bank.
Pawpaw Festival
Where: Meadowside Nature Center | Rockville, MD
When: Saturday, 12-4pm
Admission: $5
Get your paws on this delightful native fruit and celebrate it with Meadowside Nature Center. They’ll have music, crafts, games, face painting, and advice on growing pawpaws. You can also get a taste of the fruit and purchase pawpaw trees, so you grow your own at home.
Park After Dark
Where: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens | Northeast DC
When: Saturday, 6-9pm
Admission: Free
Embark on ranger led tours through the gardens during this special evening event. Tours will highlight the giant water lilies, with leaves measuring over five feet in diameter and flowers that bloom at night. Active nocturnal wildlife, a beautiful sunset over the ponds, and the collection of exotic night bloomers are only a few reasons to visit for this nighttime activity.
Kensington Train Show
Where: Kensington Town Hall | Kensington, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 5pm
Admission: $7/adults, $2/kids, $15/family
The Kensington Train Show with model trains, live music, and kids activities chugs into Kensington! The event is a benefit for the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation and the Kensington Historical Society.
Adams Morgan Day
Where: Along 18th St & Columbia Ave NW | Adams Morgan, DC
When: Sunday, 12-6pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate one of the city’s most diverse communities at the 39th Annual Adams Morgan Day, offering a day full of music, art, culture, dancing, and more. The family-friendly celebration will have activities for all ages, including free crafts for kids and adults, bike demos, live entertainment, and tons more. More details and the schedule of performances are available on the website.
Rosslyn Jazz Festival
Where: Gateway Park | Rosslyn, VA
When: Saturday, 1-7pm
Admission: Free
Head across the Key Bridge from the city for this free annual music festival. Enjoy six hours of performances, fun, and drinks, plus a Kids’ Jazz Zone where children can create their own instrument by the Sandbox and play lawn games. See the website for the line-up of bands and details on parking.
PG County Fair
Where: Show Place Arena | Upper Marlboro, MD
When: Through Sunday
Admission: $6/ages 13+, $5/age 6-11, free/5 & under
The county fair season continues! Enjoy a variety of entertainment and attractions for all ages at PG County’s annual event — 4-H exhibits, magic and dance shows, pig and duck races, a horse pull competition, a chain saw artist, a K-9 show, and much more carnival-style fun.
Rainbow Families Picnic
Where: Hillwood Estate | Upper Northwest, DC
When: Sunday, 11am – 2pm
Admission: $5/adult in advance, $18/day of, free/under 18
Connect with LGBT families and enjoy Hillwood’s urban oasis at this family celebration. Pack a picnic or purchase food from the café’s express menu, play lawn games, get faces painted, try on costumes, make a craft, explore the exhibitions, and more!
The Rumpus Room
Where: U Street Music Hall | U Street NW, DC
When: Sunday, 11am
Admission: $10/person or $30/4-person pack
It’s a daytime dance party for families, with sounds provided by DC’s top club DJs (who both happen to be parents themselves)! Created by respected D.C.-based DJs Marc Meistro and Stereo Faith, two parents who wanted to share the nightclub experience with their kids, The Rumpus Room adapts the club environment (think disco ball, lights, and, of course, music) into safe, family-friendly fun. Get ready for a dance floor filled with little ones, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. The event’s soundtrack will be a family-friendly mix of dance hits and classics, all at a kid-friendly volume. They’ll provide the shakers, hula-hoops, beach balls, and other props. You just come to dance! There will be some grown-up treats, too: U Street Music Hall will be serving brunch drink specials, including Bloody Mary’s and mimosas, to entertain parents.
Takoma Park Folk Fest
Where: Takoma Park Middle School | Takoma Park, MD
When: Sunday, 10:30am – 6:30pm
Admission: Free
Folk music and performances from around the world will be on six stages at the annual Takoma Park Folk Festival. The Grassy Nook Stage will offer activities for children — folksinging, musical games and dancing, storytelling, and more. And a crafts show and sale will showcase the works of local artisans. Pack snacks or purchase food from vendors there. Rain or shine.
Falls Church Feeds the World
Where: Christ Crossman UMC | Falls Church, VA
When: Sunday, 1-5pm
Admission: Free
Join in to help pack 30,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger. There will also be a children’s meal packing event through Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and a Mad Science Show for ages 3-11. Child care will be provided at no cost for children aged 3 and younger, and food and beverages will be provided to participants at no cost during the event. Register in advance to let them know you’re coming.
***MORE GOOD STUFF TO KNOW***
* Looking for a fun and enriching extracurricular activity for your kids? Enrollment is still open for Adventure Theatre’s fall programs!
* Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win 4 weeks of a class at My Gym Bethesda and My Gym Potomac!
* DC Theatre Week is coming up Septemeber 19 – October 1. The 12-day event with value pricing encourages ticket-buyers to attend live theatre and experience the many offerings in the area.
* There are so many great concerts coming up at The Anthem, the new music venue opening at The Wharf in October. Do you have tickets for any yet?
