Weekend picks for families in and around Washington, DC

Earlier this week we posted about how to have a family-friendly Labor Day with ideas that aren’s posted below, so be sure to view this post!

Apple Gala & Fresh Cider Festival at Great Country Farms begins Aug. 31 and lasts through Sept. 29 and is open 9am-6pm daily. Pick apples, listen to live music, and learn how cider was made back in the day on an antique cider press with an antique 1865 cider pressing demos at 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Sample freshly pressed cider and see how it used to be produced! Head up to Dirt Farm Brewery afterwards for a breathtaking view & some hops.

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. Admission is at a reduced cost through Sept. 8.

The Academy students of Adventure Theatre Are performing Suessical the Musical all weekend long. This family-friendly production, directed by Broadway Star, Monique Midgette, reminds us that “a person’s a person no matter now small”. Tickets are $19.50.

This Labor Day weekend, the B&O Railroad Museum honors the hard workers of the railroads and all industries across America.  Watch a track-laying demonstration showcasing the historic tools workers used to lay tracks on Saturday at 12 noon.  Then on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., learn how the invention of turntables enabled railroad workers to move huge passenger cars and engines by watching a single person rotate a railcar or locomotive!  On Labor Day, in honor of all workers, the museum is offering $1 admission so that all can experience the B&O.  As a one-time salute, the B&O is allowing guests to pack picnic lunches to enjoy with their families and friends. The B&O Railroad Museum will be open 10:00am – 4:00pm on Saturday, 11:00am – 4:00pm on Sunday, and 10:00am – 4:00pm on Labor Day Monday.  The Museum is located at 901 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21223 and offers free, secure onsite parking. 

Avalon Theatre will be showing Toy Story 4 for 4 days only!

Friday

6:00pm-9:00pm: Friday Night Live Concert Series at Rockville Town Square
Kick off your weekend with live entertainment, great company, and fantastic food, wine and beer from the restaurants at Rockville Town Square from 6:00pm-9:00pm on The Square in Rockville Town Square. Music ranges from 80’s and 90’s cover bands, funk and soul, roots rock blues and southern rock.

7:00pm-9:00pm: The Yards Park Friday Night Concert Series
The free Capitol Riverfront Friday Night Concert Series is wrapping up it’s 9th season. 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– See our family friendly Labor Day post for more ideas

8:30am-7:30pm: The 19th annual Library of Congress National Book Festival
at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The event is free and open to the public. Family friendly activities can be found here. A great line up of authors including a very popular children’s author, Raina Telgemeier, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and José Andrés are a few. A complete schedule can be found here.

Sunday– See our family friendly Labor Day post for more ideas

11:00am-3:00pm: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Activation at The Wharf
Nickelodeon is giving kids and families the ultimate Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle experience with this summer’s ‘Sewer Studio Tour’ and the tour will make its stop at The Wharf! Fans can meet their favorite turtles from  Rise of the Teenage Mutant Turtles. The ‘Sewer Studio Tour’ will allow kids to create their own dynamic stop-motion videos with Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures. The best videos will have the opportunity to be featured on Nickelodeon platforms! This event is FREE and kid-friendly. 

12:00pm-5:00pm: National Museum of Women in the Arts
The first Sunday of the month is Community Day at NMWA! Visit on Community Day for FREE admission to the museum—take this opportunity to explore the current exhibitions, permanent collection, and events. There is a 1:00pm—Fierce Women program which is a fun, free tour highlighting women who thumbed their noses at the limited roles society accorded them, and blazed a trail as artists, activists, and innovators.

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor
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.Lego Movie 2

Monday— Family-friendly Labor Day

Date night idea: Support The Line Hotel’s rooftop special summer adult series: CAMP which is held in support of a lineup of their favorite community and cultural organizations, with $5 per guest going towards their work and mission. On Monday, Sept. 2, St. Mary’s is being supported by this event.