All weekend

Celebrating Culture and Lights: Diwali at the Kennedy Center

Beauty and the Beast at Olney Theatre

Pumpkin Chunkin’ at Great Country Farms

Maryland Emancipation Day Celebrations

Friday

4:00pm-7:00pm: First Friday’s Brookland Art Walk
The studios will be open so you can stroll the walk and check out the studios of all the artists, makers, and artisans who make up our community. Grab a beer on the corner at @brooklandpint and go celebrate First Friday.

Saturday

9:00am-11:00am: Ava Twist Scientist at Wonder Arlington
Join for a STEM workshop based on the Netflix hit series Ada Twist, Scientist only at The Wonder. Each week they will recreate an experiment from the show. The 30-minute STEM workshop begins at 9:30am. Registration includes Open Play access for one kid ages 0-5 and one adult/caregiver. $10 supplement for additional adult. Babies under 1 are free with a sibling.

9:30am-6:00pm: Czech Christmas Market
Tis the season to be jolly! The Embassy of the Czech Republic invites you to its annual Czech Christmas Market. Browse stands filled with beautiful handcrafted ornaments, Bohemian crystal, exquisite bead and glass jewelry, fine art, Moravian wines and traditional liquors. Enjoy the taste and smell of mulled wine as well as an assortment of delicious Czech pastries and gingerbread, and savory cuisine. Adore the array of live animals from the Nativity scene for selfies. Listen to children of American Sokol Washington DC and Slavic American Sokol performing Czech Christmas carols and live music by the folk band Orchester Praževica.

10:00am-12:30pm: Inspired Painter Girl Scout Workshop at Dumbarton House
Armed with artistic inspiration from the various 18th-19th century art forms at Dumbarton House, Brownies expand their art vocabulary and create their own artwork!

11:00am-1:00pm: Ava Twist Scientist at Wonder Chevy Chase
Join for a STEM workshop based on the Netflix hit series Ada Twist, Scientist only at The Wonder. Each week they will recreate an experiment from the show. The 30-minute STEM workshop begins at 11:15am. Registration includes Open Play access for one kid ages 0-4 and one adult/caregiver. $10 supplement for additional adult. Babies under 1 are free with a sibling.

3:00pm to 5:00 pm: Free the trees
Join the Little Falls Watershed Alliance to save our native plants from non-native invasive plants.  Using hand tools, we will remove strangling vines and smothering bushes to give native plants a chance to breathe and grow. Meet at the Neil Potter Plaza on the Capital Crescent Trail where the trail goes over River Road.  Bring gloves or clippers or use ours. Dress to protect from angry vines and thorns.  Closed toes shoes are a must. Bring water too. This event is hosted in partnership with the Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail – the first of hopefully many community work days to restore the habitat along the trail. Pre-approved for MCPS SSL hours. Kids under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult supervisor.

4:00pm-12:00am: THE REDEYE Night Market
Head to this free, family-friendly, open-air night market paying homage to the foods and cultures of the Asian diaspora. Featuring DC’s hottest chefs, artists and more, THE REDEYE’s unifying goal is to support small businesses, create a cultural tentpole event for our city and give people a night of celebration, community and discovery.

Sunday

7:30pm: Mystery Science 3000 at Warner Theatre
The “Time Bubble Tour,” supervised by series creator Joel Hodgson, launched in October of 2021 and features the beloved returning cast of the 2019 “Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour,” Emily Marsh, Conor McGiffin, Nate Begle, and Yvonne Freese, along with the world’s only movie-riffing robots, Tom Servo, Crow, and GPC. The show features the film Making Contact and will include all the tour signatures: hilarious riffing, wisecracking robots, and silly sketches. The show will be directed by Tim Ryder, an alumni of the Second City Mainstage cast and writer and performer from the MST3K TV series.

Holiday prep {updated lists to come}:
Stocking stuffers under $10
Gift Guide for Kids
Memberships & Experiences
Subscription Boxes

Plan ahead:
Master Chef Junior Live at Warner Theatre: November 13, 2021
Elf on the Shelf Musical at the Lyric: November 13, 2021
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at The National Theatre: November 23 – December 5, 2021
Enchant at Nationals Park: November 26th to January 2nd
The Washington Ballet Nutcracker at Warner Theatre: November 27 – December 26, 2021
The Hip Hop Nutcracker at Strathmore: December 20-22
Dinosaur World Live at Strathmore: January 9
Wild Kratts Live 2.0 at Warner Theatre: May 21

Recent posts:
Winter classes
Fall foliage
Winter camps

The biggest and best Halloween guide is here! From here until Halloween there are many fun events happening, especially this weekend and next! We’ve bee updating it almost daily as events roll in.

Fall is here, which means there’s plenty of fruit to pick, perfect pumpkins to be found and fall festivals happening every weekend!

We are so thrilled that we were able to update the theatre and musical productions blog post with in-person shows!

Thanks for all of the love on our first reel! Hopefully it got you excited for the fun holiday events at Gaylord National.

Maryland STEM Festival lasts through November 14 with several family friendly events including a parade, fair and more.

Artechouse: Life of a Nueron through November 28

Van Gosh: The Immersive Experience through January

Family-friendly drive in movies from DC Party Box; Spooktober themed!

Maryland Renaissance Fair– final weekend to get your turkey leg!

Luchadora at Adventure Theatre through October 31

LuminoCity at Roer’s Zoofari immersive light festival through January 2

Friday
Howl-O-Ween at Gateway’s Interim Dog Park!: 3:00pm-7:00pm
The Rosslyn BID and the Rosslyn Dog Owners Group (R-DOGS) are teaming up for a Halloween themed evening of dog-friendly activities, treats and fun in celebration of Rosslyn’s new Interim Dog Park at Gateway Park West. Rosslyn’s pet community is invited to enjoy local pet-themed vendors, speakers, a social media dog costume contest and giveaways! Plus, raffle tickets will be sold to help raise funds for the addition of agility features to our dog park!

Halloween Festival at Confetti: 5:00pm-8:00pm
It’s spooky season and the party is brewing at Confetti! Get your child’s costume ready – they’re launching a series of community holiday parties with a fun filled Halloween Extravaganza! Kids will enjoy an evening full of creating memories with friends, sugar cookie decorating, pizza and spooky snacks (enjoyed outside), age-appropriate Halloween games, a costume contest, and a glow-in-the dark dance party.  Costumes are strongly encouraged! This drop-off event has two sessions, one for ages 6+ and one for ages 10+.

Halloween Family Movie Night: 5:00pm-7:00pm
DPR is hosting family movie night; Hocus Pocus at Joseph Cole Recreation Center.Click here for all of DPR’s Halloween events throughout DC.

Saturday
Mount Vernon Harvest Days: 9:00am-5:00pm
Celebrate the crisp autumn season with 18th-century activities and demonstrations at the Farm at Mount Vernon. Join for a fall celebration featuring 18th-century farming demonstrations. During this event, you can: Explore the Farm, Meet General Washington, View demonstrations of 18th-century cooking, candle making, surveying, and coopering (making and repairing buckets and barrels), Visit with the Farrier to learn how horseshoeing was performed in the 18th century, Watch 18th-century spinning demonstrations & Learn about textile production.

Halloween in the Garden: 10:00am-4:00pm
Join for a family-friendly Halloween festival at the beautiful 30 acre park.  With timed-entry tickets and activities spread out across the park, there will be lots of room for everyone.  More than 50 local businesses and organizations will be there handing out treats for the kids, plus there will be fun and games, a DJ dance party, food trucks, and more!   Dress up the whole family and come enjoy a spooktakular day at Annmarie! THIS IS A MASK-ON EVENT; masks are required for all guests over the age of 2.  Click here for detailed event and safety information and register in advance.

Barracks Row OctROWberfest: 11:00am-9:00pm
Come out to support our local businesses this October to celebrate Munich-style. Join for live music from a traditional Oompah band and more fun.

Chevy Chase Art Walk: 12:00pm-5:00pm
Guests are invited to visit the work of 43 local artists in 22 different home and studio settings around Chevy Chase DC and Maryland.  Artists whose work is both two and three dimensional will be exhibiting during an expanded event over two consecutive days. This talented group will offer work in a wide range of media including abstract and representational painting, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, ceramic art, photography, fabric art, mixed media and video. Don’t forget to pick up your Prize Passport which will be offered at each of the Studios – collect stamps from 9 studios with chances to win one of three cash prizes!  The walk will be held rain or shine while observing Covid protocols, specifically wearing masks indoors.  The Art Walk is free and open to the public. 

Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Hightail it to Hillwood Estate, Museum & Garden with your four-legged friend for some Halloween fun! Inspired by Marjorie Post’s affection for dogs and the memorial dog cemetery she created at Hillwood, we welcome you and your four-legged friend to join us for Halloween fun! Explore the gardens and participate in the annual costume competition. Strut your mutt and size up the other canine contestants. 

Rock the Park: 4:00pm-10:00pm
The new and improved Franklin Park will host its inaugural concert series, Rock the Park DC. Presented by the DowntownDC BID, the free, family-friendly outdoor music series features a diverse line-up of live music and DJ sets from local favorites to international headliners. Curated by Abby O’Neill and Adrian Loving, this series will cover a wide spectrum of genres including jazz, soul, R&B, reggae, hip-hop, electronic and soulful house music. These concerts will be held rain or shine! Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. See you there!

Halloween Festival at Confetti: 5:00pm-8:00pm
It’s spooky season and the party is brewing at Confetti! Get your child’s costume ready – they’re launching a series of community holiday parties with a fun filled Halloween Extravaganza! Kids will enjoy an evening full of creating memories with friends, sugar cookie decorating, pizza and spooky snacks (enjoyed outside), age-appropriate Halloween games, a costume contest, and a glow-in-the dark dance party.  Costumes are strongly encouraged! This drop-off event has two sessions, one for ages 6+ and one for ages 10+.

Sunday
Mount Vernon Harvest Days: 9:00am-5:00pm
Celebrate the crisp autumn season with 18th-century activities and demonstrations at the Farm at Mount Vernon. Join for a fall celebration featuring 18th-century farming demonstrations. During this event, you can: Explore the Farm, Meet General Washington, View demonstrations of 18th-century cooking, candle making, surveying, and coopering (making and repairing buckets and barrels), Visit with the Farrier to learn how horseshoeing was performed in the 18th century, Watch 18th-century spinning demonstrations & Learn about textile production.

Chevy Chase Art Walk: 12:00pm-5:00pm
Guests are invited to visit the work of 43 local artists in 22 different home and studio settings around Chevy Chase DC and Maryland.  Artists whose work is both two and three dimensional will be exhibiting during an expanded event over two consecutive days. This talented group will offer work in a wide range of media including abstract and representational painting, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, ceramic art, photography, fabric art, mixed media and video. Don’t forget to pick up your Prize Passport which will be offered at each of the Studios – collect stamps from 9 studios with chances to win one of three cash prizes!  The walk will be held rain or shine while observing Covid protocols, specifically wearing masks indoors.  The Art Walk is free and open to the public. 

Free the Trees at the Palisades Rec Center: 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Join the Little Falls Watershed Alliance to save our native plants from non-native invasive plants.  Using hand tools, to remove strangling vines and smothering bushes to give native plants a chance to breathe and grow. Meet at the parking lot and bring gloves or clippers or use ours. Dress to protect from angry vines and thorns.  Pre-approved for MCPS SSL hours.  Kids ages 13 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult supervisor.

Día de los Muertos at the Wharf: 2:00pm-5:00pm
Celebrate the Day of the Dead at The Wharf with live music, street food, a beer garden, face painting, sugar skull decorating, and more to District Pier in partnership with Modelo and Fiesta DC. Plus, they will be giving out prizes for most authentic outfit!

25th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade: 2:00pm
The 25th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade will take place on Mount Vernon Avenue beginning at E. Bellefonte Avenue. Contests for Best Decorated House, Best Decorated Business, Best Group Costume and Best Pet Costume will take place online click here  to enter. Other favorite traditions — including the Halloween Scavenger Hunt on the Avenue, and the Halloween costume drive for children in need, will take place throughout the month of October. To limit crowding, they are encouraging FREE advance registration at multiple entrance points.

Mask making at The Loft Collective: 3:00pm or 4:00pm
They’ll supply the basic mask, fur and feathers, paint and pastels, glitter and glue. You bring your ideas! Ages 4-10, parent attendance encouraged with younger children. COVID safety policies in effect: please pre-register so we can manage numbers, and masks are required indoors at all times. 

Date nights:
Grief & Ghost Tours at Lee-Fendall House: Saturday & Sunday from 7:00pm-9:00pm
Celebrate Halloween with a look at Victorian mourning traditions coupled with stories of tragic deaths and mysterious occurrences at the Lee-Fendall House. Customs such as draping the mirrors after a death, funeral practices, hair mementos, mourning clothing, and séances will be explored. These tours offer a rare opportunity to see the house after dark! Tickets are $15 per person. Tours groups will be limited to 10 participants and tickets must be purchased in advance.

Halloween Hayride & Haunted Bonfire: Saturday from 7:30pm-11:30pm
Enjoy a tractor driven hayride in the darkness with demons and devils. You will then gather around a HAUNTED bonfire where you can enjoy roasting hotdogs, marshmallows and making s’mores (all will be provided and included in the ticket)!  Sing songs, play games, tell frightening stories or just socialize and enjoy the stars and the open night air. Other dates and times available.

Plan ahead:
Jeff Kinney Big Shot Drive Thru: Tuesday, October 26
Natural History at Home: Paleo Portraits: Saturday, November 13

Friday

5:00pm-8:00pm: Friday Night Fishing at Diamond Teague Park
It’s the final event of summer. The free event is first come, first onto the dock. All supplies are provided. There is the chance that when you arrive, you will be placed on the waitlist if the dock is at capacity. There will be a 1-hour fishing limit if there is a waitlist. Click link above for more information and sign the waiver.

7:00pm: Story Pirates Virtual Back to School Celebration
Whether your kids are gearing up to return to school in-person or virtually, or have already started, Story Pirates want to turn their ideas and school experiences into a hilarious comedy show for the whole family. Just RSVP here to attend!

8:00pm: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert at Wolf Trap
Presented by the National Symphony Orchestra, watch a screening with a live soundtrack! Set 30 years after Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: A New Hope, the fourth episode of the saga, returns to the desert planet of Tatooine. A young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) begins to discover his destiny when, searching for a lost droid, he is saved by reclusive Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). A civil war rages in the galaxy, and Rebel forces struggle against the evil Galactic Empire, Luke and Obi-Wan enlist the aid of hotshot pilot, Han Solo (Harrison Ford). Joined by the quirky droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO, the unlikely team sets out to rescue Rebel leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and make use of the stolen plans to destroy the Empire’s ultimate weapon.

Saturday

9:00am-3:00pm: Maryland Youth Ballet Open House
Join this OPEN HOUSE and try a class, watch a performance, meet the teachers, tour the facility, and more! The event is FREE and open to the public. Pre-registration is required for timed entry to MYB.

10:00am-2:00pm: Growing Gardeners at Dumbarton House
During the “Growing Gardeners” program, children will learn about seasonality and the labor of planting seeds, coming to a new appreciation of where their food comes from and recognizing the importance of gardens in the past and the present. Registration includes a tour of the house, a garden activity booklet to help you explore our historic grounds, a coloring book about the history of Dumbarton House, and a seed experiment to take home! 

10:00am-7:00pm: Maryland Renaissance Fair
Take a time machine back to medieval times. With plenty of entertainment, including music, joisting, puppetry, pony rides and so much more. Dates are: August 28, 29, September 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26; October 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24

12:00pm: Olney Outdoors presents Stoopkid Stories
Stoopkid Stories is a compilation of fun, and exciting stories. You follow 7 young Black characters every episode, as they face a new adventure and will have to overcome different obstacles dealing with their friends, family, school and community. Each story has a lesson and will hopefully spark conversations in households, schools and playgrounds all over the world.

7:00pm: Opera in the Outfield
Celebrate the twelfth season of free opera broadcasts by joining Washington National Opera at Nationals Park for Rossini’s Cinderella. Gates open at 5 p.m. for pre-opera activities.

Sunday

10:00am-1:00pm: The Loft Collective (formerly Little Loft) Open House
After an 18-month closure, the studio is reopening as The Loft Collective, offering many of the same programs you may remember, as well as some new classes that focus on making as a conduit for making meaning and making connections. With an eye on public art and a diverse group of artists, they are introducing a series for young teens that explores the power of art to amplify voices, shift mindsets, and impact change.

10:00am-7:00pm: Maryland Renaissance Fair
Take a time machine back to medieval times. With plenty of entertainment, including music, joisting, puppetry, pony rides and so much more. Dates are: August 28, 29, September 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26; October 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24

More:
As summer comes to an end, we have certainly done our share of checking off places to go on our bucket list!

Sunflower fields to visit near Washington, DC

The summer tab on our site has everything you need to make the hot days fun. Splash parks, pools, our bucket list, movies and music are a few to check out. Head there before summer is over!

Think ahead:
It’s time to celebrate Christmas in July! Single tickets are now on sale for DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL at D.C.’s National Theatre, located on Pennsylvania Avenue just steps from the White House. The production will open the 2021/2022 Broadway at The National season as the first live performance in the venue since March of 2020. THE GRINCH will play for two weeks only, from November 23 through December 5, 2021, with multiple performances available on Black Friday.

Get tickets for The Big Bounce, coming to Washington, DC next weekend. The Big Bounce America is back, bigger and better than ever for 2021! The World’s Biggest Bounce House is now supersized to over 13,000 square feet and is joined by three amazing attractions for you all to explore: The Giant, America’s Largest Inflatable Obstacle Course, airSPACE and our brand new sports themed inflatable, Sport Slam!

Recent posts:
Horseback riding & lessons
Educational toys & games

The summer tab on our site has everything you need to make the hot days fun. Splash parks, pools, our bucket list, movies and music are a few to check out.

All weekend the Nats are in town hosting the Padres. Fireworks will be on Saturday and kids masks are being given away on Sunday.

The annual lotus and water lily festival at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens is happening now and they are stunning!

Fairytales in the Sun at Adventure Theatre has a few outdoor shows on Saturday & Sunday. Available from now through September 6th, Fairy Tales in the Sun features two one-act plays: The Flood in the Future by Lyra Yang and From Cinders to Ella by Michelle Lynch, directed by Stan Kang.

Marsha and the Positrons have two FREE shows this weekend.Their shows feature fun songs about science and how the world works! Aimed at elementary-aged kids, these are all-ages shows with lots of movement and participation options for younger children, plus science facts, positive messages and lyrics that engage older kids and adults. Perfect for science lovers of all ages!
Saturday at 10:00am: Wakefield Park in Annandale, VA for the Fairfax County “Arts in the Parks” series
Sunday at 4:00pm: The Chrysalis Stage, Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, Columbia, MD
This is an amazing stage and a beautiful place to spend an afternoon with your family! Picnics welcomed. Pre-show outdoor play with cool giant blocks and such.From the venue: Gates open at 3:30pm for playtime with Imagination Playground. Performance starts at 4:00pm.

Head to Georgetown for a few things– my first stop is always Baked & Wired for cupcakes. After that spend time at the immersive new art installation, Inside the Wardrobe in a 20,000 sq ft space. Explore 20 different sensory moments and fun interactions. Before you head home, Georgetown Glow has a new installation! Summer GLOW features 4 alleys and 4 artists for the next 10 weeks!

As part of Montgomery Parks’ celebration of the annual Latino Conservation Week, the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation presents the book ¡Olinguito! by local author Lulu Delacre as the seventh Noyes StoryWalk®. Families are invited to read the book on posted signs as they stroll through Wheaton Local Park, (11729 Georgia Ave., Wheaton MD) a spacious area adjacent to the new Wheaton Community Recreation Center and Wheaton Library. The ¡Olinguito! Noyes StoryWalk® will run from Saturday, July 17 through Sunday, August 15. 

Sunday is National ice cream day! Head to our favorite local spots for a scoop, or two. Ice Cream Jubilee celebrates National Ice Cream Day on Sunday with free ice cream scoops at The Yards. From 1-3pm. Ice Cream Jubilee at the Yards will give a free scoop of ice cream to each person who pledges to get the Covid-19 vaccine and to urge their friends and family to get a vaccine as soon as possible. People must register their pledge to receive an emailed coupon code on July 17. People may also sign the pledge at the free scoop event while supplies last.

There is still time to sign up for the online puppet making classes at the Puppet Co!  Make your own Martian on July 17th or August 18th with Brad Shur.  Only $30 to make something out of this world! Learn about the history of puppet with a Puppetry Master Class for ages +13 and up! This two hour class will spark your curiosity about the ancient art of puppetry.  Click here! Master the art of paper bag puppet making with Penny Russell! One day classes are available July 31 or August 28th! 

Adults only:
Book a babysitter Friday-Sunday from 6pm to 9pm and head to Mt Vernon for the Summer Wine Festival & Sunset Tour. Taste unlimited samples of wines from Virginia’s finest wineries. Bring a blanket and relax on the east lawn overlooking the Potomac River. The first floor of the Mansion will be open during this event. 

On Saturday, July 17th Rock Creek Golf Course is turning into a hard seltzer paradise– Seltzerland. Enjoy this one-of-a-kind immersive experience as you spend the afternoon tasting 30+ unique hard seltzers. Indulge in mouthwatering munchies, tons of Seltzer swag, and you better plan on busting out the gram for an epic photoshoot. Tickets start at $39. Hurry! While supplies last. 

Recent posts:
Summer bucket list
Indoor/Outdoor summer toys
Water toys that are a summer must have!
Device free road trips and flights
Outdoor music
Imagination Stage’s free outdoor show