Zestfest | KidFriendly DC

Frolicking at the U.S. National Arboretum

If you’ve been following my posts this week, then you likely are aware that Saturday is jam-packed with options for family activities. And if you haven’t been keeping up, here’s the quick list of links:

Festival of the Building Arts at the National Building Museum
RiverFrontFest
Truck Touch
Alexandria Arts Safari
Zestfest
ARTdays at CHAW

So, the big question is: What about Sunday? Here are some suggestions for seizing the day — on either half of the weekend:

Apple & Pumpkin Picking
Many of our area farms are still in the midst of apple picking season, and most have pumpkin patches that could be yielding your next jack o’ lantern. For some ideas on where to go, check out this post from a few months back about peach picking; these same farms are onto autumn produce now.

Fall Festivals
I wouldn’t continue recommending these festivals if they weren’t so much fun. And they are a fantastic seasonal tradition for kids. Hop on a hayride, negotiate a corn maze, pick some produce, swoop down slides, and enjoy a beautiful day outdoors.

Maryland Renaissance Festival
The merriment continues in Crownesville, MD. On weekends through October 24, you can time trip at the charming medieval village that hosts the annual faire. For details on admission and what you will find there, check out the original post about the event.

U.S. National Arboretum
You have nearly 450 acres of amazing plant collections to explore, not to mention a koi pond, the old National Capitol columns, a special orchid exhibit, and more at the Arboretum. Tour the gardens, play in the fields, then spread out a picnic in the Grove of State Trees, the designated eating spot for visitors.

See a Show
Catch a performance at one of several area theatres — Rumplestiltskin at the Kennedy Center, Bunnicula at Imaginations Stage, Spot’s Birthday Party at Adventure Theatre. Check out this post for play descriptions and ticket information.

Take a Hike
The weather couldn’t be more perfect for a family walk in the woods. Here are some ideas on where to hit the trail with the kids.

Happy Weekend!

Celebrate NoMa at Zestfest

Want to explore one of the city’s emerging neighborhoods and have some fun in the process? Today marks the beginning of Zestfest, a three-week long outdoor festival to activate spaces, create new parks, and make the streets of NoMa vibrant and exciting.

In case you aren’t familiar with NoMa, it’s the district just north of Capitol Hill and Union Station, north of Massachusetts Avenue (hence, NoMa). And for the next three weeks, various venues around the area will host all kinds of events for the public to enjoy and help them get to know the locale.

Especially fun for families will be the Capitol Hill North Neighborhood Association Picnic (CHNNP) this Saturday, October 9. From 12pm – 3pm, there will be face painting, mommy & me yoga, a large canvas for kids to paint, tasty food, children’s music, and more.

Visit the Zestfest website for the complete schedule of events over the next three weeks. And for more information about NoMa, visit the NoMa BID website.