Weekend picks for families in and around Washington, DC

There are so many great things going on this weekend. Sometimes I feel like a broken record as I say that a lot; we really do live in a great place! Be sure and read, save, and put some of these great Halloween & Fall events on your calendar.

The theatre options right now are fantastic as well. You won’t want to miss these. Disney’s Frozen, Jr at Encore Stage & Studio starts today and is “Theatre by Kids, for Kids!”.

There are plenty of ways for you to have a date night while your Bambinos have a great time out as well, with these Parents Night Out events!

Shop America’s Handmade Market and support artist entrepreneurs this fall at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival! Sugarloaf returns to the Maryland State Fairgrounds just north of Baltimore for a weekend of artistic appreciation and entertainment for collectors and enthusiasts of all ages. They have an interactive children’s theater that puts on multiple performances each day. They also have amazingly talented artisans demonstrating their creation process live all weekend. Children under 12 are free.

Friday

6:00pm-10:00pm: Dark Nights & Frightful Heights at Summit Ropes
From October 11 until Halloween night every Friday & Saturday night Summit Ropes turns into a haunted ropes course.  There will be scavenger hunts and candy. Scary Fun for the whole family.  Limited availability.  BOOK NOW to ensure your spot is reserved. 

Saturday

9:30am AND 11:00am: Blue Sky Puppet Theatre, Inc: The Three Not So Little Pigs at the National Theatre
The beloved fairy tale gets an engaging twist as Little Yellow Pig (musician), Little Blue Pig (mechanic), and Little Rd Pig (architect) learn that cooperation is the key to success and happiness. Tickets may be reserved beginning the Friday, one week prior to the performance. There will be a limited amount of walk-up tickets will be available on-site on the day of the show. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the performance time to take place in the “Stand-by line.” Program is best suited for children ages 4 to 10 years.

10:00am-4:00pm: Heritage Day at Pierce Mill
Join for some traditional fun for all ages. Learn about West-African kente cloth weaving and watch a demonstration by Chapuchi Bobbo Ahiagble. Craft a drop spindle, use our miniature loom, or weave a yarn basket. Take our recently recommissioned rope-making machine for a spin. See 200-year-old grist mill grind corn into cornmeal. Marvel at 19th-century medicine as Dr. Stonestreet treats common milling accidents. Tap your toes to some live folk music. At 2:30 enjoy a demonstration by the DC Square Dance Collective. Seasonal food and beverages will be available for purchase.

10:00am AND 11:30am: Culture Queen’s Dance Party at Atlas Performing Arts Center
Join the Culture Queen as she does “The Locomotion” on a journey throughout the swinging 60’s. This energetic show introduces young audiences to the music of Dance Hall kings & queens. Your children will learn the hottest dances of the era. Best for ages 2-10.

10:00am-5:00pm: The Big Build at National Building Museum
Build, discover, play, make, climb, and design alongside architects, hobbyists, artisans, and craftspeople. Explore the construction vehicle “petting zoo.” Experience cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality in the Tech Lab – new this year! BUILD a brick wall, DISCOVER the inner workings of elevators, ILLUMINATE lights and learn about electricity, EXPLORE home remodeling, JOIN story and activity time with author Joshua David Stein, featuring his book Brick: Who Found Herself in Architecture, VISIT all Museum exhibitions for free.

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
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. Toot, Toot, Beep, Beep is the story for the day.

2:00pm- 3:00pm: Halloween Printmaking with Nina Muys 
Children ages 5+ will take place in a printmaking workshop. Children will express themselves by using Styrofoam plates and stamps and create Halloween themed prints. Free but $5 material fee is appreciated. Limited space. Please email to register.

Sunday

10:00-11:30am Lion Lessons! Preschool Class
Looking for the PURR-fect activity this weekend? Come learn about the Smithsonian’s National Zoo fabulous felines and how to be part of the pride! Learn what it’s like to be a lion and test your skills with us and our wild role models. Friends of the National Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 2-3 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.

11:00am-12:00pm: Iggy Peck, Architect at Hirshhorn
Explore architecture through a read-aloud of Iggy Peck, Architect, then investigate the Hirshhorn building with close looking and hands-on building activities. STORYTIME explores contemporary art through stories and movement. Each week features a fresh and fun theme. Bring your littlest art lover for an introduction to an artist on view, interactive read aloud, and a hands-on activity.

11:00am-2:00pm: 2nd Annual Harvest Festival at Capitol Cider House
Start Sunday off right with all of this goodness: live apple pressing, apple cider donuts (YUM!), apple tasting, mulled cider, face painting, balloon animals, random prizes and more! Please RSVP so they have enough of everything, ESPECIALLY DONUTS!!!

Sukkot Celebrations
Join for one or more of these awesome family-friendly Sukkot celebrations! on Sunday, October 13
Sukkot Around the World with Growing Jewish Families Pozez JCC (Fairfax), 10:00am
Sukkah Village at Bender JCC (Rockville), 10:00am
Sukkah Decorating Party at Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim (Silver Spring), 10:30am
Jump Into Sukkot at Gesher Jewish Day School (Fairfax), 3:00pm
Sillies in Our Sukkah at Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation (Bethesda), 4:00pm

*Don’t forget to register to be a part of Race for Every Child with team Eliana’s Light. Walk, run, or roll on Oct. 19th.