Search Results for: parents night out

Our most exciting weekend picks blog post ever is here and we couldn’t be more excited to share all of the fun you can have this weekend. The most important event happening is the World Series with our home-team hoping to #finishthefight. DCist has a list of watch parties in case you don’t have tickets to a game. Kids Euro Fest is kicking off this weekend and the lineup won’t disappoint. Be sure and visit the Big Draw Festival which takes place over two days and focuses on drawing. Check each event for any cancellations or changes due to weather.

Friday

3:00pm-4:00pm or 5:45pm-6:45pm: My Gym Potomac & My Gym Bethesda Halloween Party
Looking for not too spooky family fun this Halloween season? Find it at My Gym’s Halloween Party! Join us for ghostly games, music, treats, and loads of fun!  Kids can dress up for the party!  Book your spot today! Members $15, Non-Members $20, Siblings get 20% off

5:30pm-7:30pm: Hilloween at Eastern Market
Capitol Hill celebrates Halloween as a community each year in front of Eastern Market on 7th St. Count on moon bounces, hay rides, treats, face painting and many, many costumes.

5:30pm-8:30pm: BOOtanica
Gather the family together for a fun evening! Children can dress in their favorite costume, participate in a garden costume parade, paint a pumpkin, try a pumpkin treat, and top the evening off listening to award winning storyteller Gary Loyld present “Pumpkin Tales for the Young telling tales more funny than scary. Space is limited. Register children ages 3–12, parents are free.

6:00pm-9:00pm: Not-So-Spooky Parents Night Out at Busy Bees
calling all lil monsters, super heroes, princesses & knights. With Halloween just around the corner, we thought of adding some Not-So-Spooky fun into our Date Night! Bring your kids in costume: they will enjoy some awesome fun in our playscape, have a pizza dinner and Halloween cupcakes & milk for dessert! Your lil’ goblin will be ready for a great night sleep after so much fun! Space is limited, so go on and reserve your spot today. You know you deserve a lil’ break! Bonus: your kids will have a blast, guaranteed!

6:00pm-10:00pm: Soul Strolls in Congressional Cemetery
Trespass into the past and discover the secrets of some of Congressional Cemetery’s “residents.” Soul Strolls, the Cemetery’s annual twilight tours, explore the stories of individuals buried here through guided tours and costumed interpreters. Experience the history of this hallowed ground exactly the way it should be experienced in October – in twilight and darkness, happening upon vignettes and individuals under the guidance of one of our “Dozen Decent Docents.

Saturday

9:30am AND 11:00am: Saturday Morning Live at The National Theatre: Young Audiences of Maryland: Mark Lohr – Classic Comedy
Meet Mr. Jones, who will battle with furniture, juggle, spin plates and more in this fun-filled roller coaster ride of performance art. Creator and performer Mark Lohr has closely studied the comedic masters Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, and has melded that inspiration and other elements into his unique style. 

10:00am: Halloween-themed Kids Pizza Party at Matchbox
This hands-on pizza making classes will please any small chef. They will create a customized personal pizza, get a tour of the kitchen and pizza ovens and more. Come in costume! Just $32 per child inclusive of tax and gratuity. Recommended for ages 5-12.

10:00am-1:00pm: Trick or Treat at Tudor Place
Get into the Halloween spirit! Explore the Tudor Place garden as the seasons change, and trick or treat throughout the site. Make your own superhero bracers and festive owl decoration. Play traditional outdoor games, enjoy face painting, and paint your own pumpkin to take home. Costumes suggested but not required. 

10:00am-2:00pm: Kids’ Day at Washington International Horse Show
Hundreds of children and their families attend WIHS Kids’ Day — a free, fun, family-friendly event created to share the joy of horses with the local DC community and teach kids and their families about horses and equestrian sport. Children participate in more than a dozen hands-on educational and fun activities, including pony rides, the Horseless Horse Show, coloring station, face painting, pony brushing lessons, 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 donkey Blossom! 

10:00am-3:00pm: Witches & Wizards at B&O Railroad
Young witches and wizards can head to the B&O because wizarding school is now in session! Learn simple science in potions class and explore the history of railroading in our “magical objects” display! Grow your own plant buddy in herbology class plus run through our magical maze to enter a raffle to win a railroading storybook and a free cone card from The Charmery! All of this and more awaits you at Witches & Wizards weekend!

10:00am: John Henry, the Guitar Playing Man, Halloween Concert at the Avalon
For the fifteenth year, John Henry brings his playful musical style to the Avalon for our annual Halloween concert party. Children are encouraged to come in costume (adults too!) and sing and dance along during the show! Treats will be distributed afterwards.

10:00am-11:30am: Ele-fun! Preschool Class
Come join the herd with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s gentle giants!! Try out your own trunk as you learn about elephants! Friends of the National Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 2-3 to discover a whole new view of the National Zoo. “Adult-and-me” format classes use interactive learning stations, hands-on activities and crafts, Nature Play, and exciting Zoo Walks to engage your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity about wildlife and the natural world.

10:15am (sensory-friendly) AND 11:30am: Saturday Family Story Sessions at Strathmore: The Miraculous Magical Balloon with Synetic Theater
Families enjoy diverse and dynamic programs from some of the best storytellers in our area. At Strathmore’s Saturday Family Story Sessions, stories encourage active imagination and come alive through improv, puppetry, songs, and more. Kids and parents alike will be enamored by the epic tales storytellers spin. Snag a spot in the cozy Mansion Music Room and get up close to the performers—you might even find yourself participating in the story!

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage: Room on the Broom
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song and musical instruments, and you will receive a list of all the songs to practice at home.

10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm: 6th Annual Pumpkin Hunt at Lee-Fendall House
The Lee-Fendall House Annual Halloween Pumpkin Hunt returns to Alexandria! Alexandria’s ghosts and goblins will fill the museum’s garden with hundreds of colorful toy-filled Halloween objects for local children to discover. Other activities include crafts, games, refreshments, spooky stories, and a costume parade. Every participating child will receive a toy pumpkin. All children of elementary school age or younger are eligible to participate in the Halloween Pumpkin Hunt. Older children and adults are welcome to enjoy all other activities. Tickets are available for sale through Eventbrite.

11:30am-3:00pm: Día de los Muertos Family Day at American Art Museum
Celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with SAAM! Enjoy Mexican folk dance performances throughout the day, a live Mariachi band, and face painting! Leave your handmade ofrendas (offerings) including paper marigolds, calaveras (skull masks), and paper monarch butterflies on our beautiful Day of the Dead altar.

12:00pm-5:00pm: DC Mac n Cheese Festival
Festival featuring over 25 kinds of mac & cheese, more than 60 craft beers, wines, ciders and spirits to sample, live music from DC’s hottest bands and more. 

12:00pm-5:30pm: Air and Scare at National Air and Space Museum (Virginia Location)
Explore the spooky side of air and space at Air & Scare, our annual Halloween event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Participate in creepy crafts, spooky science experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities. Arrive in costume to get into the Halloween spirit and enjoy safe indoor trick-or-treating.

12:00pm-2:00pm: Spooktacular Family Day Piano Show
Need an excuse to dress up? Nope, we didn’t think so. But…. don’t miss an afternoon Halloween party that’s not to be missed. Come down to the National Harbor for some serious FUN! They will combine 2 hours of all request live music with a costume contest, a lunch buffet, fountain drinks, and of course encouragement of singing along and wiggling in your seats!

1:00pm-4:00pm: Fall Fest at Market Commons
Pumpkin decorating, family photos, kids’ crafts & activities, tricks & treats, dog costume contest and more.

1:00pm-4:00pm: Glen Echo Fall Frolic
Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual Halloween-themed family event. It’s open to the public, and visitors of all ages are invited to the Park to explore the arts through hands-on crafts, Halloween activities, trick-or-treating and visiting open studios. It’s a safe and fun Halloween event with something for everyone! See schedule of events online. The Halloween celebration will conclude with a costume parade through the Park at 3:30pm.

2:00pm-6:00pm: Pumpkin Rock n Roll at Warner Circle Park
The park will be transformed into a full-blown Halloween extravaganza. Participate in a fun costume contest and parade, and enjoy family-friendly attractions including festival-style musical performances, food trucks, inflatable rides and slides and a rock wall. The main event is a derby race of Halloween pumpkins-turned-boxcars! Admission is free.

2:00pm-5:00: Día de Los Muertos at District Wharf
Celebrate the Day of the Dead at The Wharf. We’re taking over Pearl Street for a memorable afternoon with live music by La Unica, beer stations, street food, a photobooth, and more. Want to get creative yourself? Decorate a sugar skull or get your face painted. Plus, we’re giving out prizes for the best self-painted faces. 

4:00pm-8:00pm: Haunted Garage and Day of the Dead Festival at Oyster Adams Bilingual School
Join for a walk through the haunted garage and for traditional Day of the Dead activities such as decorating sugar skulls. Wear your costumes. There will be an inflatable obstacle course, pumpkin painting, spooky cake contest and a fortune teller.

4:00pm-8:30pm: Pumpkins in the Park + Free Screening of Hocus Pocus
Pumpkins in the Park is back for its sixth year with a cauldron full of spooky new surprises! The Capitol Riverfront BID has brewed up an evening of wicked good times that are sure to have mischief-makers of all ages howlin’ at the moon. Bring your little monsters out to decorate their own pumpkins, play in the moon bounce, and get their faces painted (all for free)! For the kids-at-heart: come make insta-worthy leaf wreaths, enjoy beer, wine, and cider (for purchase), and get your cards read by a real life fortune teller! At the witching hour (6:00 pm), hop on your brooms and head across the street to catch a free screening of Hocus Pocus in the North Block. And for an extra treat, some bites will be available for purchase courtesy of Smorgasburg DC!

4:00pm-9:00pm: Parents Night Out at Badlands
Tired of babysitters canceling last minute? Let the kids spend their evening at Badlands instead while you enjoy a much needed date night (or uninterrupted grocery run)!

5:00pm-8:00pm: Musical All Night at Bloombars
Parents, go have a night out on the town and leave your kids at Musical All Night with Ms. Niki!! Musical all Night is a three-hour musical theater class, ‪one Saturday a month, for kids ages 5-12. (Register on EventBright).

5:00pm-8:00pm: Trunk or Treat at Dynamite Gym & Agility Center
Join for open gym at all three North Bethesda campus gyms, plus a costume parade and contest, prizes, and trick or treating in decorated car trunks in the parking lot! Parents needed to “donate” their car trunks for the trick or treating event! Come park your car in the lot, bring decorations to make your trunk special (they’ll provide the candy) and they’ll waive the cost of admission to this fun event! Send them an e-mail to let them know you’ll be bringing a clean, decorated car trunk. Please note that no masks, capes, or face paint will be allowed in the gym during the open gym part of the event.

6:00pm-10:00pm: Soul Strolls in Congressional Cemetery
Trespass into the past and discover the secrets of some of Congressional Cemetery’s “residents.” Soul Strolls, the Cemetery’s annual twilight tours, explore the stories of individuals buried here through guided tours and costumed interpreters. Experience the history of this hallowed ground exactly the way it should be experienced in October – in twilight and darkness, happening upon vignettes and individuals under the guidance of one of our “Dozen Decent Docents.

6:30pm-7:30pm & 7:30pm-8:30pm: BOO-stravaganzaat Frying Pan Park
Celebrate the Halloween season with this variety event at Frying Pan Farm Park. This year, the event is outside at the Kidwell Farm. Attendees enjoy a variety of themed games, go trick-or-treating to animals, and enjoy a wagon ride. Finish the evening with a small treat bag for the road.

Sunday

10:00am-11:30am: Ele-fun! Preschool Class
Come join the herd with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s gentle giants!! Try out your own trunk as you learn about elephants! Friends of the National Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 2-3 to discover a whole new view of the National Zoo. “Adult-and-me” format classes use interactive learning stations, hands-on activities and crafts, Nature Play, and exciting Zoo Walks to engage your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity about wildlife and the natural world.

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage: Spookley the Square Pumpkin
We invite you and your child to bring your favorite stories, Dragons Love Tacos, to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item which was used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books.

11:00am-3:00pm: Witches & Wizards at B&O Railroad
Young witches and wizards can head to the B&O because wizarding school is now in session! Learn simple science in potions class and explore the history of railroading in our “magical objects” display! Grow your own plant buddy in herbology class plus run through our magical maze to enter a raffle to win a railroading storybook and a free cone card from The Charmery! All of this and more awaits you at Witches & Wizards weekend!

1:00pm-4:00pm: Harbor Halloween
Bring kids 12 and under to this free event with Trick-or-treating, National Harbor chefs pumpkin carving contest, movie Hocus Pocus, and more!

1:30pm-3:30pm: Creek Critters
Celebrate Halloween by discovering the creepy, crawly bugs living in the
creek! Join Little Falls Watershed Alliance for a fun family activity
identifying critters in the creek.  There will be all the tools you need
to capture and ID the bugs that live under water. Bring your smartphone
(if you have one) as we will be using an award-winning app created by
the Audubon Naturalist Society for this activity.

2:00pm-4:00pm: Puppies and Costumes and Games, Oh My!
The Yards, DC’s most exciting waterfront neighborhood for living, dining, shopping and relaxing, is celebrating the spooky season with a puppy costume party at The Yards Park! Families and their furry friends are invited to enjoy Halloween festivities including Halloween crafts, costume face painting, puppy trick-or-treating, festive music and, of course, a puppy fashion show. Puppy parents can enter their pets into the competition for a chance to win gift cards to your favorite shops and restaurants at The Yards and other prizes. 

2:00pm: 23rd Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade
Don your best Halloween costume and march in the 23rd Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade, which historically has attracted thousands of participants. Awards will be given for best pet costume, best decorated business, best decorated home, and best decorated stroller. Awards will be presented in a brief ceremony after the parade, along with refreshments and goodie bags for the children. Adults, children and dogs are all welcome to join and for free. Goodie bags for children are handed out. There is live musical entertainment provided by Mars Rodeo. There will be Goblin Games and activities for the children.

3:00pm-5:00pm: Not So Spooky Halloween Party at Busy Bees Fairfax
Dress up in your awesome costume & join us for our  “Not So Spooky Halloween Bash!” There will be unparalleled fun in the playscape, followed by a lil’ parade leading us to a party room, where each child will try their hand at becoming the next great baker: Cake Time! will be teaching how to decorate your very own SPOOKTACULAR cupcakes! One FREE birthday party to the BEST FAMILY COSTUME!

Weekend Theatre:
Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a play” at Adventure Theatre– Final weekend
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show at Imagination Stage– Final weekend
Paw Patrol Live: Saturday & Sunday
Dragons Love Tacos at Olney TheatreCenter: Saturday & Sunday

Follow us on social media- Facebook & Instagram. We always add even more events on both outlets; don’t miss them!

Refinery29 is taking its annual immersive festival of style, culture and creativity, 29Rooms, on a five-city tour including its first international showing. The 29Rooms: Expand Your Reality experience will bring the iconic immersive event to new audiences with tickets now on sale for the event’s first time in Washington D.C. from October 18 – 27.

Boo at the Zoo; where kids can go trick-or-treating at the wildest spot in town. Celebrate Halloween early with more than 40 treat stations, a dance party and kids’ karaoke. This frightfully fun evening is a magical time for the whole family. Taking place October 18-20, get tickets in advance.

Join Eliana’s Light on Saturday at Race for Every Child.

This weekend you can celebrate the autumn season at Fall Harvest Family Days at Mount Vernon. The entire family will enjoy autumn activities including wagon rides, wheat treading in the 16-sided barn, 18th-century dancing demonstrations, a straw bale maze, farrier (blacksmithing) demonstrations, corn husk dolls demonstrations and early-American games and music.

There are plenty of ways for you to have a date night while your Bambinos have a great time out as well, with these Parents Night Out events!

For more than forty-two seasons the Maryland Renaissance Festival has provided a unique outdoor entertainment experience to patrons from all over the world. This is the final weekend of this year’s festival!

Saturday

9:00am-12:00pm: Clean the Creek (4 locations)
Every Fall the Little Falls Watershed Alliance joins forces with the
Westmoreland Garden Club to clean the entire Little Falls watershed. No need to stay the whole time.  Come for an hour or two, come on time,
come late, leave early or stay the entire time – whatever suits your
schedule is perfect. There will be bags and gloves to share.  Come prepared to get muddy! Bring grabbers if you have some to reach trash in trees and other hard to get spots. Pre-approved for SSL hours for MCPS.  Perfect for all ages!  Under 14 must be accompanied by a supervising adult.

10:00am-4:00pm: Archaeology Family Day at National Museum of Natural History
Join a family-friendly event celebrating International Archaeology Day! Talk to archaeologists. Learn about fascinating finds, career paths, challenges in the field, and the joy of discovery. Do archaeology. Practice the skills archaeologists use to piece together the past. Participate in mock excavations, illustration, decoding ancient writing systems, experimentation and artifact analysis. Explore collections. Examine museum artifacts in the Q?rius Collections Zone. Get resources. Find out about opportunities to get involved in archaeology in your community. Archaeology Family Day is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. 

10:00am-12:00pm: Halloween Workshop at Red Panda Art Studio
Join a workshop to draw yourself dressed up for Halloween! Artists will use a variety of materials to create a mixed media portrait– perfect for remembering this year’s costume for years to come! Workshop will include plenty of other halloween-themed activities and sensory play. Drop-off ok for ages 3.5+, caregivers always welcome to stay!

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song and musical instruments, and you will receive a list of all the songs to practice at home.

11:00am-3:00pm: Fall Family Day at AU
All activities are free and inspired by the current exhibitions. Create hands-on art projects, explore art with a scavenger hunt, take a tour with a guide, listen and participate in storytelling and music-making, and more. Free, please register in advance and check-in at the door.

11:00am-2:00pm: Community Fun Fest at the Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home
Bring your friends and family! Enjoy a day filled with food, fun, laughter and games! Held on the grounds of the Lisner Louise Dickson-Hurt Home; this community event is truly fun for all ages. Intergenerational Art Activities. Paint a miniature canvas or make a dazzling sand art piece to take home. Help paint a life size animal statue in the garden. Visit the Resident Art Gallery to view contemporary artwork created by the talented artists of the Home. Baby Farm Animals & Pony Rides. Meet cuddly ducks & chicks, squeaky pigs, fuzzy sheep & funny goats and take a ride on a pony! Moon Bounce, Juggler and Face Painting. No admission fee but a small cost for rides, activities, & food.

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
You and your child are invited to bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item we used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books.

12:00pm-5:00pm: 24th Annual Art Safari at Torpedo Factory
An Alexandria tradition for almost a quarter-century, Art Safari returns for a day of hands-on activities for kids and families. Dozens of artists lead budding art enthusiasts in exciting and creative projects throughout the building. Dress to get a little messy. Great for kids ages 5+. Younger children may need some extra help, but will still have a lot of fun!

2:00pm-3:00pm: The Lakota Music Project with the South Dakota Symphony Chamber Ensemble
The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra’s Lakota Music Project makes its national debut. Enjoy this musical collaboration by members of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Lakota singer Emmanuel Black Bear (Oglala Sioux Tribe), and cedar flutist Bryan Akipa (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate), performing together for the first time outside South Dakota. The concert will include commissioned works by Akipa and Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate (Chickasaw Nation), participants in the SDSO’s Music Composition Academies.

3:00pm: GALA Hispanic Theatre: Que las hay… las hay. Believe It or Not!
A tale with a fairy, a sorceress, magic, and puppets for the entire family, especially for children up to 12 years old! This bilingual play finds Lilí, the moody sorceress of dark clouds and
thunder, and Lulú, the cheery fairy of sunshine and chirping birds, feuding.
Both try to help their new neighbor Juan Juan build a house, but things
become chaotic when the sorceresses use their magic wands to cast opposing spells on the project. Children will delight in the fun-filled action as
they discover that friendship, diversity and tolerance are key to building
community.Playing from October 19 – November 2, 2019. $10 children, $12 adults.

Sunday

9:30am-11:00am: Families Serving Together: “Soupkot” Edition
Join the EDCJCC and PJ Library to celebrate the end of the harvest holiday of Sukkot and make instant soup kits for people experiencing food insecurity in our city. The morning will include learning about the holiday of Sukkot and doing the service project. Children of all ages are welcome! They request a $20 per family tax-deductible program fee to help us cover the costs of supplies.  Register above; walk-ins welcome if space available.

10:00am-5:00pm: The Future of Transportation at KID Museum
What will transportation look like in the future? We can imagine electric vehicles, self-driving cars, and high-speed rail, but what about all the new technologies we have yet to discover? As global population rises and urban congestion increases, we will need to find new ways to move people efficiently, sustainably, and safely. Come to Future of Transportation Day at KID and learn to think like an engineer, scientist, or designer who tackles these kinds of challenges!

10:00am-11:30am: Lion Lessons! Preschool Class
Looking for the PURR-fect activity this weekend? Come learn about what it takes to be part of the pride. Learn what it’s like to be a lion and test your skills with us and our wild role models.Friends of the National Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 2-3 to discover a whole new view of the National Zoo. “Adult-and-me” format classes use interactive learning stations, hands-on activities and crafts, Nature Play, and exciting Zoo Walks to engage your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity about wildlife and the natural world.

2:00pm & 4:00pm: NSO Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular at Kennedy Center
Enjoy spooky fun for the whole family at this annual tradition! The Concert Hall transforms into a ghostly sight when our ghoulishly attired musicians perform new and old classics to celebrate Halloween. Nicholas Hersh leads this exciting concert experience, which features music from Harry Potter and more. Arrive early for trick-or-treating and a special Haunted Hall Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo.” Ages 5+

2:00pm-4:00pm: Become an Entomologist at US Botanic Garden *Middle & High School Students
Join for an afternoon with an entomologist and learn about the exciting world of plants and insects. Students will explore our gardens looking for the good bugs and the bad bugs, learn about our IPM (integrated pest management) program, and capture and mount their own insects.

2:15pm: Preschool Pioneers: Batty Batty Bat
SEEC’s workshops offer a variety of hands-on experiences that introduce young children to concepts in engaging ways. Each class begins with playful classroom activities that are intentionally chosen to support your child’s development. The learning continues when the class moves into a museum where children and parents are encouraged to learn and explore together as a family. You might be seeing lots of bats around now that Halloween is getting closer, but what do we actually know about these animals? Through hands-on activities, we will learn about these flying mammals’ characteristics, habitats and more. Best for ages 3 – 5 years.

3:00pm: Darci Lynne at DAR Constitution Hall
Winning NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” at just 12-years old by the most votes for a final performance in the history of the show, singer/ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer impresses audiences across the country with her sweetheart disposition and undeniable, show-stopping talent beyond her years. Accompanied by her musical friends including a divaesque rabbit: Petunia, a shy and soulful mouse: Oscar and a sarcastic old woman: Edna. Singing through her friends helped the young entertainer find a voice inside she didn’t know she had, and helped her overcome a lifelong struggle with shyness. An Oklahoma native, Darci began participating in talent-based pageants at a young age, and picked up ventriloquism shortly after.

5:30pm: Gustafer Yellowgold at AMP Strathmore
Gustafer Yellowgold is a funny and touching multimedia performance filled with music, animation, and storytelling. These music and “moving art” shows are performed by Grammy-nominated artist Morgan Taylor. The New York Times proclaimed Gustafer Yellowgold as, “Dr. Seuss meets Yellow Submarine,” and its unique crossover appeal has earned opening act slots for indie stalwarts Wilco and The Polyphonic Spree. The songs are whimsical, super catchy narratives detailing the life of a friendly alien from the sun who now resides in a wildly imaginative version of the woods in Minnesota. Recommended for ages 3 through 8.

Theatre:
Disney’s Frozen, Jr at Encore Stage & Studio: Through October 20, 2019
Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a play” at Adventure Theatre: Through October 27, 2019
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show at Imagination Stage: Through October 27, 2019
Squeakers & Mr. Gumdrop at Arts on the Horizon: Through October 20, 2019

Date Nights:
October 18, 19, 25 & 26 (various times): Soul Strolls in Congressional Cemetery
Trespass into the past and discover the secrets of some of Congressional Cemetery’s “residents.” Soul Strolls, the Cemetery’s annual twilight tours, explore the stories of individuals buried here through guided tours and costumed interpreters. Experience the history of this hallowed ground exactly the way it should be experienced in October – in twilight and darkness, happening upon vignettes and individuals under the guidance of one of our “Dozen Decent Docents.

October 21- 6:00pm-9:00pm: Boos & Brews at National Building Museum
Join the National Building Museum for an evening to eat, drink, and be scary! Boos & Brews will feature scary ghost tours around the famous landmark, a costume contest, a monster mash-up of songs by DJ EPX, games, devilishly delicious food, and wicked good beer from various breweries including Port City and Right Proper.

Plan ahead for all of the amazing Halloween events that are to come next week!

There are so many great things going on this weekend. Sometimes I feel like a broken record as I say that a lot; we really do live in a great place! Be sure and read, save, and put some of these great Halloween & Fall events on your calendar.

The theatre options right now are fantastic as well. You won’t want to miss these. Disney’s Frozen, Jr at Encore Stage & Studio starts today and is “Theatre by Kids, for Kids!”.

There are plenty of ways for you to have a date night while your Bambinos have a great time out as well, with these Parents Night Out events!

Shop America’s Handmade Market and support artist entrepreneurs this fall at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival! Sugarloaf returns to the Maryland State Fairgrounds just north of Baltimore for a weekend of artistic appreciation and entertainment for collectors and enthusiasts of all ages. They have an interactive children’s theater that puts on multiple performances each day. They also have amazingly talented artisans demonstrating their creation process live all weekend. Children under 12 are free.

Friday

6:00pm-10:00pm: Dark Nights & Frightful Heights at Summit Ropes
From October 11 until Halloween night every Friday & Saturday night Summit Ropes turns into a haunted ropes course.  There will be scavenger hunts and candy. Scary Fun for the whole family.  Limited availability.  BOOK NOW to ensure your spot is reserved. 

Saturday

9:30am AND 11:00am: Blue Sky Puppet Theatre, Inc: The Three Not So Little Pigs at the National Theatre
The beloved fairy tale gets an engaging twist as Little Yellow Pig (musician), Little Blue Pig (mechanic), and Little Rd Pig (architect) learn that cooperation is the key to success and happiness. Tickets may be reserved beginning the Friday, one week prior to the performance. There will be a limited amount of walk-up tickets will be available on-site on the day of the show. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the performance time to take place in the “Stand-by line.” Program is best suited for children ages 4 to 10 years.

10:00am-4:00pm: Heritage Day at Pierce Mill
Join for some traditional fun for all ages. Learn about West-African kente cloth weaving and watch a demonstration by Chapuchi Bobbo Ahiagble. Craft a drop spindle, use our miniature loom, or weave a yarn basket. Take our recently recommissioned rope-making machine for a spin. See 200-year-old grist mill grind corn into cornmeal. Marvel at 19th-century medicine as Dr. Stonestreet treats common milling accidents. Tap your toes to some live folk music. At 2:30 enjoy a demonstration by the DC Square Dance Collective. Seasonal food and beverages will be available for purchase.

10:00am AND 11:30am: Culture Queen’s Dance Party at Atlas Performing Arts Center
Join the Culture Queen as she does “The Locomotion” on a journey throughout the swinging 60’s. This energetic show introduces young audiences to the music of Dance Hall kings & queens. Your children will learn the hottest dances of the era. Best for ages 2-10.

10:00am-5:00pm: The Big Build at National Building Museum
Build, discover, play, make, climb, and design alongside architects, hobbyists, artisans, and craftspeople. Explore the construction vehicle “petting zoo.” Experience cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality in the Tech Lab – new this year! BUILD a brick wall, DISCOVER the inner workings of elevators, ILLUMINATE lights and learn about electricity, EXPLORE home remodeling, JOIN story and activity time with author Joshua David Stein, featuring his book Brick: Who Found Herself in Architecture, VISIT all Museum exhibitions for free.

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song and musical instruments, and you will receive a list of all the songs to practice at home. Toot, Toot, Beep, Beep is the story for the day.

2:00pm- 3:00pm: Halloween Printmaking with Nina Muys 
Children ages 5+ will take place in a printmaking workshop. Children will express themselves by using Styrofoam plates and stamps and create Halloween themed prints. Free but $5 material fee is appreciated. Limited space. Please email to register.

Sunday

10:00-11:30am Lion Lessons! Preschool Class
Looking for the PURR-fect activity this weekend? Come learn about the Smithsonian’s National Zoo fabulous felines and how to be part of the pride! Learn what it’s like to be a lion and test your skills with us and our wild role models. Friends of the National Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 2-3 to discover a whole new view of the National Zoo. “Adult-and-me” format classes use interactive learning stations, hands-on activities and crafts, Nature Play, and exciting Zoo Walks to engage your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity about wildlife and the natural world.

11:00am-12:00pm: Iggy Peck, Architect at Hirshhorn
Explore architecture through a read-aloud of Iggy Peck, Architect, then investigate the Hirshhorn building with close looking and hands-on building activities. STORYTIME explores contemporary art through stories and movement. Each week features a fresh and fun theme. Bring your littlest art lover for an introduction to an artist on view, interactive read aloud, and a hands-on activity.

11:00am-2:00pm: 2nd Annual Harvest Festival at Capitol Cider House
Start Sunday off right with all of this goodness: live apple pressing, apple cider donuts (YUM!), apple tasting, mulled cider, face painting, balloon animals, random prizes and more! Please RSVP so they have enough of everything, ESPECIALLY DONUTS!!!

Sukkot Celebrations
Join for one or more of these awesome family-friendly Sukkot celebrations! on Sunday, October 13
Sukkot Around the World with Growing Jewish Families Pozez JCC (Fairfax), 10:00am
Sukkah Village at Bender JCC (Rockville), 10:00am
Sukkah Decorating Party at Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim (Silver Spring), 10:30am
Jump Into Sukkot at Gesher Jewish Day School (Fairfax), 3:00pm
Sillies in Our Sukkah at Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation (Bethesda), 4:00pm

*Don’t forget to register to be a part of Race for Every Child with team Eliana’s Light. Walk, run, or roll on Oct. 19th.

Get in the Fall spirit {despite the weather} and head to an orchard to pick some apples or a farm to grab that porch worthy pumpkin!

While the beautiful Glen Echo Park Carousel building is being restored and renovated, the Glen Echo Park Partnership (along with Talk of the Town) is sponsoring some great activities. Click here for all of the details. Free activities run from 11:30am-3:30pm.

For more than forty-two seasons the Maryland Renaissance Festival has provided a unique outdoor entertainment experience to patrons from all over the world. Weekends through October 20 you can join the joust, enjoy a turkey leg, listen to live music, kids can play on a huge pirate playground or ride a pony, watch puppetry and theatrical shows, dress up in costume if you please; you won’t be alone.

Friday

6:00pm-9:00pm: Parents Night Out at My Gym Bethesda
Drop your kids off for three hours of nonstop action at My Gym including fitness games, active play, pizza and fun! Potty independent, ages 3yrs – 10yrs welcome. Cost is $40 Members, $45 Non-members, sibling discount.

Saturday

9:00am: Rock Creek Park Day
Happy Birthday, Rock Creek Park! Celebrate Rock Creek Park’s birthday & National Public Lands Day with speakers, volunteer activities (invasive plant management, plantings, trash cleanup, etc), information booths, ranger-led talks about recreational opportunities (hiking, biking, camping tips), fun facts about history in Rock Creek Park, and more!

9:00am-3:00pm: 6th Annual DC Parent and Family Engagement Summit
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is pleased to announce that the summit will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. During the summit, parents from across the District will learn best practices and strategies to engage, inform, and empower them to support learning at home and school. This year’s summit was planned by DC parents and has something for every family, whether they are getting ready to enroll their child in pre-K or preparing for the college and career transition. Register here.

9:30am AND 11:00am: Saturday at the National Theatre: Christylez Bacon
D.C.’s own Human Beatbox, Grammy®-nominated Progressive Hip Hop Artist Christylez Bacon, combines rhyming, storytelling, and interactive call and response choruses to deliver a message of cultural acceptance and unification, all within a mosaic of musical styles ranging from jazz to hip hop. Tickets may be reserved beginning the Friday, one week prior to the performance. There will be a limited amount of walk-up tickets will be available on-site on the day of the show. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the performance time to take place in the “Stand-by line.” Program is best suited for children ages 4 to 10 years.

10:00am-2:00pm: Thinking of You at Capitol Hill Day
The National Postal Museum is participating in Capitol Hill Day celebrating  Thinking of You Week with the support of the Greeting Card Association.  Participate in activities that will invite you to exercise your creative side while reaching out to the people important to you. Story time for the youngest visitors at 10:30 and 11:30 am. Customize a wide selection of free greeting cards provided by GCA. Address envelopes in a new way during an artist-led activity that encourages creative design. Want to make a child smile? Send a postcard to a child staying at the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health.

10:00am-12:00pm: Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District  in Milian Park 
The always popular petting zoo will be there alongside the FRESHFARM MVT Market. Enjoy getting to know the adorable bunnies, llamas, goats, donkeys and sheep from Leesburg Animal Park. The event is free and open to the public. In addition, DC Public Library will also be joining for a library takeout! They will have books to checkout, crafts for kids and other fun activities.

10:00am-11:00am: First Studio at Kreeger Museum
Children ages 3-5 are invited to use their imaginations as they explore paintings, sculpture, and architecture. Each First Studio includes a gallery tour, a story, and a hands-on art-making experience.

10:15am-11:45am: Toddler Trailblazers at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center: Bicycles
The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center opens its doors on the weekends to local families. Their unique programs combine playful classroom activities with visits to nearby museums. Each program is developed especially for the age group and with a unique theme. Let’s go ride a bike! This class will help prepare your toddler for future bike rides as the class learns about the parts of the bicycle before heading to the National Museum of American History to sit on some high-wheeler bicycles. 

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist explores a popular children’s book, Giraffes Can’t Dance, with your family through song and musical instruments, and you will receive a list of all the songs to practice at home.

11:00am-5:00pm: Barracks Row Fall Festival 
At each Fall Festival our activities and booths blend urban diversity with the curiosities of small town fairs. Kids will be entertained throughout with magicians, The Great Zucchini, a donkey procession and more. Food vendors, beer garden, tours and more for adults. There’s no fair like this fair anywhere!

11:00am-4:00pm: Leesburg Airshow
This event provides a wonderful opportunity to see a snapshot of the general aviation world. The static display area, located on the airport’s aircraft parking ramp, will feature many unique, experimental and antique aircraft. The airshow exhibitors will showcase the many facets of general aviation, such as flight training, corporate transportation and emergency rescue operations. In addition, there will be inflatables for the kids, and a variety of food vendors. The skies above Leesburg will come alive with skydiving and aerobatic performances.

11:00am-10:00am: Fredrick’s Oktoberfest
Kids Zone will be welcoming kids from 11:00am-6:00pm. With performances by Mr. Jon at 2:00pm & 4:30pm. There will also be arts and crafts and a bounce house all day.

1:00pm-5:00pm: Tenleytown Block Party 
Join the annual fun, family-friendly and completely free Tenleytown Block Party!  Free grilled burgers/hot dogs/drinks/desserts and more. Food trucks, free ice cream by local area favorite food truck cotton candy, shaved ice & popcorn, children’s ferris wheel and a 24 ft rock climbing wall face painting, balloon artists & airbrush tattoo artists. The fan zone features an eating area with live viewing of NFL games, shaded seating, rides and amusements for all ages. Live dJ/music, tour a police car and more! 

Sunday

9:00am-5:00pm: Fall Fun Fest at the Armed Forces Retirement Home
(see image above for details)

10:00am-11:30am: Rocknoceros at Capitol Cider House
Get ready to twist, shake, rattle, and role as Rocknoceros gets the family on their feet dancing to upbeat tunes. Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie have been making award-winning music for the whole family since 2005. They are one of DC’s most well-loved bands. Tickets required for all ages. All adult ticket holders will be able to enjoy our normal weekday happy hour. Doors open at 10am. Full food and drink menus will be available. This is a family-friendly event.

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
We invite you and your child to bring your favorite stories, Dragons Love Tacos, to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item which was used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books.

2:00pm-6:00pm: Hill Center’s Annual Family Day + Concert
There will be a team of coppersmiths and blacksmiths, horse-drawn wagon rides, interactive games and crafts, Turley the Magician, face-painting, and balloon animals from Balloons by Brenda. At Hill Center, they like to celebrate our history while looking towards the future & will have Winks Photo Booth on site for photos and on the spot prints. Turley the Magician, one of the DC’s most renowned family performers, will entertain and dazzle people of ages with his incredible show at 2:30pm. At 4:00pm, King Bullfrog will hit the stage with high-energy original, folk and blues songs carefully tailored to get children dancing and delight grownups.

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor: Dumbo
Nothing says summer like an evening under the stars—and there’s no better way to enjoy the season than Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor. Pack your picnic blankets, grab food to go from one of the delicious dining establishments, and meet at the Plaza’s big screen for a FREE evening of fun for all ages! 

-Have you entered to win tickets to Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville at National Theatre?

-Follow us on social media- Facebook & Instagram. We always add even more events on both outlets; don’t miss them!

Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo is from 12:00pm-7:00pm Saturday & Sunday. One of the most popular events of the year at Glen Echo Park, the Washington Folk Festival often attracts close to 10,000 visitors. Free to the public and held rain or shine, the Festival features over 400 musicians, storytellers, dancers, and crafters from the greater Washington area. Presented by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington and the Glen Echo Park Partnership, the Washington Folk Festival is a celebration of this region’s rich cultural diversity. International performers share the music, dance, and cultural traditions they brought from their original homes while American performers showcase a variety of musical traditions that developed in this country. Carousel rides will take place11:00pm – 5:00pm, Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2. Tickets are $1.25 per ride.

Herndon Festival takes place Thursday-Sunday. Enjoy four days of fun-filled activities, vendors, and entertainment. Kids concerts, crafts, carnival and more! Plus admission and entertainment are always free! 

Jazz ‘N Families Fun Days at the Phillips Collection is part of the DC Jazz Festival® and will take place Saturday at 10am and Sunday at 12pm. You are invited to explore the exceptional array of renowned masters and emerging artists from across the jazz spectrum and beyond. You can listen to your favorite artist at the various performances located throughout the District — including The Wharf and in your own neighborhood through Jazz in the ’Hoods. 

Bourbon & Bluegrass is Saturday & Sunday! Lounge on Lincoln’s lawn, sip bourbon and enjoy live bluegrass music on for the fifth annual Bourbon and Bluegrass event! All proceeds from the event go towards preservation efforts at President Lincoln’s Cottage. Help us keep this historic gem open and available to share Lincoln’s untold stories. Kids under 6 are free.

Friday

5:00pm-7:00pm: King Bullfrog Kids Concert + Happy Hour at Hill Center
Join us for a casual happy hour for parents and tots! Your favorite band, King Bullfrog, will hit the stage with high-energy original, folk and blues songs carefully tailored to get children dancing and delight grownups. Your first beer or glass of wine is on us! This is a great opportunity to meet new friends and gather with old. We will have complimentary pizza and a water dispenser. Please consider donating to the Pizza Fund, either online or in person.

5:30pm-8:30pm: Jazz in the Sculpture Garden
The Jazz in the Garden Series begins its 19th season in May. The free concert series features jazz artists performing a wide variety of styles—Brazilian Folk Jazz, Alternative Modern, Blues, Reggae, World Steam Punk, Afro Funk, African Fusion Jazz, Cuban Charanga, Django Guitar, New Orleans Jazz, and more—every Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:30 in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. You can purchase food and adult beverages or bring your own picnic (but no adult bevs are allowed in, purchase them there).

6:00pm-9:00pm: Parents Night Out- Busy Bees Falls Church
So you want to have some uninterrupted conversations over dinner, or go to the movies, or just bee, but don’t have a sitter? Now you have our A-Team! We are not a sit down and watch a video kinda place! Rest assured: Your little one will be Active and walk away feeling Funtastic after moving, spinning, running and jumping with our A-Team!  Pssst… a solid night sleep? Yes please! Reservations are required and spots are limited!
$35 first child & $30 siblings. Pizza meals will be provided for the kids. Consider bringing them in their PJs, and they’ll be ready for bed when you come and get them!

Saturday

8:00am-12:00pm: 5th Annual Urban Kids Fishing Derby
Gather up the children and enjoy a day of fun at the Urban Kid’s Fishing Derby. You do not have to know how to fish, the event is free, and there will be plenty of family fun, fishing and volunteers to help. The fishing experience and celebration will be held at the Constitution Gardens located at 1850 Constitution Ave. NW, 20002 within the National Mall. Registration and derby begins at 8:00 am and derby ends at Noon. This is a catch & release derby and it is free which will officially kick off Free Fish weekend.

10:00am-3:00pm: Imagination Bethesda: A Children’s Street Festival
Celebrate children, art, and all things fun at Imagination Bethesda. The festival takes place along Woodmont Avenue and Elm Street in downtown Bethesda. Activity tents line the streets, face painters bring butterflies and pirates to life, a stage of live entertainment will have the whole street dancing, and more! Enjoy this FREE family fun day!

10:30am-11:15am: Children’s Program at the US Botanic Garden: Jam and Jump with King Bullfrog
Join us for a morning with King Bullfrog, a high-energy acoustic duo. Mr. Jeremiah and Mr. Steve, both Capitol Hill-based dads and music teachers, will sing about plants and the environment with a set of folk, blues, world, and original music for children and their grown-ups.

11:00am-5:00pm: Powell Bilingual School Carnival
The Powell Padres 5th annual Spring Carnival is here & will be filled with fun activities for kids and adults. Come out for music, food, and fun! All proceeds go toward supporting Powell Bilingual Elementary student activities.

11:00am-5:00pm: Glover Park Day
Glover Park Day is GPCA’s annual outdoor festival that celebrates the Glover Park neighborhood in Washington, DC. It is co-sponsored with the Friends of Guy Mason and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. Glover Park Day is usually held on the first Saturday in June. Glover Park Day was started 30 years ago and it has grown over the years to offer the neighborhood a chance to enjoy the outdoors together, spend time with family and friends, listen to good music and enjoy our local businesses and restaurants.

1:00pm-5:00pm: Rose All Day at The Yards (DAY DATE OPTION!)
Back for its second year, the highly popular Rosé All Day will kick off June with a day filled with all things pink! With fun live music, multiple rosé bars activated by neighborhood hot spots, wine glass monogramming, perfectly pink instagrammable moments, fierce fashion sketches, and a rose garden lounge with flower crowns will create a fun, vibrant, must-attend event. Get your tickets here.

Sunday

11:00am-5:00pm: Maker Faire NoVa
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, projects. Called the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. Glimpse the future and get inspired!

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor: Cars 3
Nothing says summer like an evening under the stars—and there’s no better way to enjoy the season than Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor. Pack your picnic blankets, grab food to go from one of the delicious dining establishments, and meet at the Plaza’s big screen for a FREE evening of fun for all ages! They also feature Date Night Movies on Thursdays at 7:00pm.

We will post other options on social media, make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram.