Weekend picks for families in and around Washington, DC

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.

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