Weekend picks for families in and around Washington, DC

The Montgomery County 30th Annual Farm Tour has arrived! Head “up county”, breath in that country air and experience 19 farms free of charge, tour some farms, with some farms offering hay rides, pony rides, farm animal petting and fresh-from-the-field produce!

Date night idea has fallen into your lap– Bethesda Outdoor Movies lasts just four nights in downtown Bethesda. Show times begin at 9:00pm at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues. A limited number of chairs will be provided and attendees are invited to bring their own lawn chairs. Admission is free! 
The final two nights are- Friday: Crazy Rich Asians & Saturday: As Good As It Gets. If seeing an outdoor movie isn’t on your agenda this weekend, check out some live summer music.

The Citi Open is back in DC serving shots through August 4. There is a Kids Day on Sunday from 9:30am-11:30am and admission is free for all kids age 10 and under. Don’t miss a morning of fun-filled activities on Stadium Court.

Washington Nationals are taking on the Dodgers. Sunday is always ‘kids run the bases’ day but the best part is the Nats just launched a kids eat free program.

Kaypi Peru Festival is Friday-Sunday at the National Museum of the American Indian. This event highlights the South American nation’s rich and diverse cultural heritage and traditional arts. Kaypi Perú,which means “This is Peru” in the indigenous language of Quechua, includes an art market, music and dance performances, hands-on activities for kids, a film screening, traditional plants, and Peruvian cuisine. The festival is presented in collaboration with the Embassy of Peru.

Friday

4:00pm-5:00pm: Open Studio: Family Mindfulness
Beat the heat with your little ones during our summer meditation series! Take a moment to pause and reflect in front of artworks in the Freer’s permanent collection. Then, admire nature’s beauty in the courtyard with a series of facilitated activities to help deepen self-awareness. Finally, we’ll slow things down and experience guided breathing, storytelling, and other beginner-friendly mindfulness techniques led by instructors. Come ready to move in comfortable clothes. For ages four and above with adult companions. No registration required. First-come, first-served.

5:00pm-8:00pm: Chinatown Block Party
Jumpstart your weekend with fun and free activities in Chinatown Park (5th and Mass). The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) presents the Chinatown Block Party with Words Beats & Life every Friday through August 16. Every Friday evening this summer it’s time to unwind after a long week and enjoy the many arts that our city has to offer. Time to relax and take in the vibrant downtown community! Words Beats and Life brings you hip-hop arts and more for your enjoyment and participation. You can: scratch records, create a tag or a piece of art! Join us in our new Game Zone to rule the Mega Chess Board, Giant Jenga, Giant Checkers, Connect 4, and Cornhole, Jump and Dance into Double Dutch, or badminton. Get Colorful with Silk Screening and Tie-Dye (bring your own T-shirt/fabric if you like!) Get your face painted. There will be a performance element featuring a poet, rap artists and DJ’s every week.

5:00pm-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).

7:00pm-9:00pm: Friday Night Concert Series
The free Capitol Riverfront Friday Night Concert Series is back for its 9th Season. Every Friday night this summer, head to Yards Park to relax and enjoy the river view, fantastic bands, food and beverage, and a large variety of great restaurants within a few minutes walk from the park. Family-friendly lyrics and grassy open space make this an enjoyable event for adults and kids alike.

Saturday

9:00am-10:30am: Panda-monium Preschool Class at the National Zoo
This Friends of the National Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 3-6 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. Pre-registration is required. Please note that classes do not include any behind-the-scenes access or animal contact. $28/child for FONZ members. $35/child for non-members. Registration fee covers one child with adult. 

9:30am AND 11:00am: Saturday Morning at The National featuring Bright Star Theatre: Little Red and the Big Bad Bully
You and your children are invited to join us at The National on Saturday mornings for a series of free programs that engage and inspire the young mind. Play, laugh, learn, and discover through interactive performances, puppets, dance, and music that are designed to light up the imagination and celebrate a world of wonder.

10:00am-3:00pm: Tanabata: Japanese Star Festival at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Garden
Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival, celebrates the legend of Orihime, the weaver princess, and Hikoboshi, the herder, lovers separated by the Milky Way who are allowed to meet just once a year on one day during the summer months. Explore the enchanting Japanese-style garden. Hear Japan’s famous Tanabata legend brought to life through story, song, and visual arts by storyteller Tara McGowan. Listen to delightful music, performed by the Washington Toho Koto Society. Write poems and special wishes on colorful strips of paper, called tanzaku, to hang on bamboo, following the traditional Japanese custom to celebrate Tanabata. Decorate a paper lantern, make paper ornaments, try your hand at Japanese calligraphy, and more.

10:00am: Nats player  Sean Doolittle at Cleveland Park Library
Sean Doolittle will be reading, answering questions and signing autographs (children only) as part of the DC Public Library Summer Challenge reading program. The Washington Nationals are proud to be the lead sponsor of the DC Public Library Summer Challenge reading program. 

10:15am: Sound Health: Community Yoga at the Kennedy Center
Join us Saturday mornings for a FREE all-levels vinyasa yoga class in the Grand Foyer–part of the Kennedy Center’s Sound Health program connecting the performing arts to mind-body wellness. An instructor from a different local yoga studio will lead each session.

11:00am-12:00pm: National Dance Day at the National Postal Museum
Come celebrate National Dance Day and the new USPS Forever stamp celebrating Gregory Hines. Watch a Tap Dance performance Knock on Wood Tap Dance Studio and Capital Tap and District Tap companies featuring Baakari Wilder and learn a few moves. This is the perfect fun activity for the whole family. The performance will be followed by a workshop and audience participation. Tap shoes provided, but please wear socks. It will be toe tapping fun! All ages welcome. National Dance Day was launched in 2010 by Nigel Lythgoe, the co-creator of So You Think You Can Dance in partnership with American congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia. National Dance Day is an annual celebration dedicated to dance, that encourages Americans of all ages to incorporate dance into their lives.

2:00pm-5:00pm: Shark Bites & Brews
#welovesharks! Kick off Shark Week with all things shark on District Pier. Ride the great white mechanical shark, cool off with a trip down the monster shark water slide, or get your picture taken at the Winks Photo Booth. For the kids they’ll have a pin the fin on the shark game, coloring station and shark piggy bank decorating.

6:00pm:  Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center: Alix in Wonderland
celebration of personal discovery, The Theatre Lab presents selections from Alix in Wonderland, a wholly original take on social norms, self-perception, and what it really means to grow up in today’s world. A tumble down that world-famous rabbit hole brings teenage Alix face-to-face with the wild, wacky, and annoying denizens of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, but none of them are quite as anyone remembers them. FREE

8:30pm: Disney Pixar’s Coco at Wolf Trap
Disney Pixar’s Coco In Concert Live to Film is a family-friendly, live-to-picture concert event featuring Michael Giacchino’s beautiful musical score and the 2017 two-time Academy Award®-winning film for Best Original Song as well as Best Animated Feature Film. The film will be projected in HD onto big screens in-house and on the lawn. Next Friday: ET

Sunday

1:30pm AND 7:30pm: Disney’s Aladdin at the Kennedy Center
Discover a whole new world at Disney’s Aladdin, the hit Broadway musical! From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of Aladdin, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy, and breathtaking spectacle. 

3:30pm-4:15pm: Summer Sunday Fun-Day at Imagination Stage: Pirate vs. Pirate
We invite you and your child 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. Best for ages 1-5.

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor: A Wrinkle in Time
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! Please note that movies will begin at 6:00pm and will be shown once. They also feature Date Night Movies on Thursdays at 7:00pm.

Other happenings:
National Building Museum Summer Block Party
The Cat in the Hat at Adventure Theatre
The Ballad of Mu Lan at Imagination Stage
Universoul Circus at National Harbor— ENDS THIS SUNDAY!
Balloonacy at Imagination Stage
Global Children’s Film Series at Landmark Theatre West End

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