Weekend Picks

It’s a big weekend! Sadly, you may need to keep those umbrellas and raincoats handy. Two great festivals that are sure to satisfy your stomach with the great food these two cultures bring-  St. Luke Serbian Festival and Saint Sophia Greek Festival.

Saturday-

10:00am-4:00pm: Family & Youth Casting Call at Fletcher’s Cove
(4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC 20007)
The Family & Youth Casting Call is a FREE family fishing and environmental education event at Fletcher’s Cove. Anglers will learn basic fishing skills while fishing in a stocked section of the C & O canal and practice catch and release fishing. Partnering community organizations will share information on their programs and provide environmental education activities for the kids. All equipment and bait provided by DOEE. Youth must be accompanied by parents. This is a free event and all equipment and bait provided by DOEE.

 10:00am-12:00pm: Children’s Walking Tour of Penn Quarter
(District Architecture Center 421 7th Street NW Washington, DC 20004)
Discover buildings! This walking tour for children will take a hands on approach to learning about architecture in the vibrant Penn Quarter neighborhood during a walking tour led by architect Mary Kay Lanzillotta, FAIA. As we walk along the streets, participants will learn new terms like keystone, cornice, pilaster, pediment, portico, and many more architectural features that make up buildings. This event will start and end at District Architecture Center where the children can incorporate the architectural details that they learned into their own cardboard buildings after the tour. Parents are invited to join the tour and participate in the building process. Participants can take their creations home after the event. $5/child.

10:00am-2:00pm: Renwick in Bloom Family Day
(2nd floor, Grand Salon)
Spring is in bloom at the Renwick Gallery! Make your own bookmark with pressed flowers, create a bug with paper plates, or transform a paper bag into a tree. The RockCandy cloggers bring spring to life with their lively dancing, and Smithsonian Gardens brings the blooms indoors with live plants and gardening ideas.

10:00am-4:00pm: Shortcut to Europe: European Union Embassies’ Open House
The European Union Embassies and the EU Delegation to the United States will open their doors to the public for the annual EU Embassies’ Open House: a day of family fun, food, culture and more. The event offers visitors a rare look inside the embassies and provides a unique opportunity for experiencing the cultural heritage and national traditions of the 28 member countries. Be sure to check out a fun scavenger hunt opportunity.

10:00am-3:00pm: Spring Farm Day at Frying Pan Park
(2709 West Ox Road Herndon, Virginia 20171)
Milk a Cow or Goat, Meet & Greet the Baby Animals, See Antique Farm Equipment Demos, Take a Carousel or Wagon Ride*, Watch a Sheep Shearing, Enjoy Crafts,Games and a Fair Food. Register Early & Save, $7/Person in advance, $8/Person at the Door, Kids Under 2 Free.

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814)
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. Featured story: Rain, Rain, Go Away

12:00pm-5:00pm: Spring Fest at Cathedral Commons
(3401 Idaho Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016)
Celebrate the blooming season with a Spring Festival at Cathedral Commons curated by Art Soiree! 30+ vendors, 5 hours of live entertainment, 4 live music bands, outdoor workout class, $3,000+ in raffle giveaways, flower art installations, & more.

1:00pm-4:00pm: 10th Birthday Party at Inova Loudoun Hospital
(Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44035 Riverside Parkway in Leesburg, VA)
Guests can enjoy a variety of activities including a teddy bear clinic, petting zoo, glitter tattoo artists, moon bounce, and educational stations. In addition, Loudoun County Fire & Rescue will be bringing emergency vehicles and tours will be offered of the Children’s ER.  There will be yummy birthday treats, snow cones and giveaways while supplies last! Complete RSVP to enter the drawing for four great seats at a Nats game this summer!

5:30pm-7:00pm: City Jews Pop-up: Havdalah at Stead Park
(1625 P Street NW Washington, DC 20036) RAIN PLAN (if needed): Edlavitch JCC, 1529 16th Street NW
Havdalah is a fun experience for the senses and for families. Bring a picnic dinner and a blanket and join us for play time, a Shabbat-friendly craft, story time, desserts and the Havdalah ceremony. The traditional Havdalah ceremony marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and ushers in the new week. The ritual involves lighting a special Havdalah candle with several wicks, blessing a cup of wine or grape juice and smelling sweet spices.  RSVP requested by May 13.

Sunday-

10:00am-10:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814)
We invite you and your child to bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, movement, music, and visual art. Each session you leave with a completed craft, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books. Story is What Makes a Rainbow.

12:00pm-6:00pm: Taste of Arlington
(Wilson Boulevard from Glebe Road to N Pollard Street)
Over 50 restaurants participate in this spectacular community event, which draws an average of 40,000 people each year who live in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Enjoy a rock-climbing wall, face-painting, carnival games and the Washington Wizards and Capitals inflatable games.  Visit the Washington Nationals mobile entertainment truck and DC United for give-aways and ticket information.  KidZone game tickets are available online through the Taste of Arlington website, or on BallstonConnect, the Ballston BID’s mobile app.