DC Family Weekend Fun Guide

It’s a spooky and beautiful weekend! Our Halloween guide is full of family fun and you can find out where you can pick pumpkins and sip cider in the fall festivals, farms and orchard post.

All weekend:
Mystery Mansion
A ten-room haunted house packed with chills, thrills, and a smidge of Maryland history, Mystery Mansion has scares that are just right for younger children. This is a 100% “No Contact” haunted house!  Older students and adults will enjoy the stories, special effects, and devious characters. If you are 10 years or older (no exceptions) you can visit The Crypt, a slightly scarier experience for those who dare. Before and after Mystery Mansion, enjoy Bonfire Bash!  Bonfire Bash will take place each night with fire pits, Halloween movies, live entertainment, food, beer & wine, face painting, and s’mores! Mystery Mansion & Bonfire Bash take place at 7931 Connecticut Avenue, one mile inside the beltway. Free parking is available behind the club house.

Glow in the Park
Enjoy a magical experience climbing and ziplining through the trees lit up with neon colored lights, rockin’ music, and exciting themes! Reserve your tickets in advance for this fan-favorite event! Ages 5 and up are welcome.

Eye Spy Halloween Trains 
Montgomery Parks’ Halloween Eye Spy Train returns this year at the Cabin John Miniature Train. Are you ready to join us for a train ride around “Trainsylvania” while searching for all of the hidden characters along the tracks? All guests are encouraged to purchase tickets in advanced online here.

The Pumpkin Patch Express at B&O Railroad
Join for a ride to the First Mile Stable where you’ll deboard for photo taking, game playing, scarecrow making, and pumpkin decorating! Come as you are or in your best Halloween costume to match the décor onsite. There will even be an opportunity to meet the horses and enjoy autumn snacks before boarding the train back to the Museum.

You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown at Adventure Theatre
Everyone’s favorite characters come to life on the stage through October 29. With charm, wit, and heart, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown explores life’s big questions through the eyes of the Peanuts gang as they play baseball, fly kites, struggle with homework, swoon over crushes, and celebrate the joys of friendship. Growing up is serious business! 

The Wiz
This groundbreaking twist on The Wizard of Oz changed the face of Broadway—from its iconic score packed with soul, gospel, rock, and finger-snapping 70s funk to its stirring tale of Dorothy’s journey to find her place in a contemporary world. Audiences get to enjoy the epic grooves of such beloved, timeless hits as “Ease on Down the Road,” which became the show’s break-out single, and the bona fide classic “Home” in this spectacular revival.

Look Both Ways
This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But
no one saw it happen—they were all too busy. Washington, D.C.-area native, New York
Times best-selling author, and Kennedy Center Next 50 leader Jason Reynolds conjures 10 tales
(1 per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings. Ten unique perspectives are
brilliantly woven into one funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk
home, and in life. Most enjoyed by ages 7+.

Capitol City Circus School Halloween Show
Celebrate a spooktacular night out at Capitol City Circus School’s inaugural staff show! Immerse yourself in a haunting world as our talented staff members take center stage for an unforgettable evening. This family-friendly event promises thrills and excitement for all ages! In addition to the spine-tingling performance, a selection of small concessions will be available for purchase.

Witch Wartsmith’s Halloween Spooktacular
Witch Wartsmith (the sister of Witch Wartsmith from our Legacy and touring show Rapunzel,) hosts the annual Halloween Spooktacular and you get to vote on the winner! Part contemporary competition show, part vintage telethon, and part punpalooza, this spooky variety show will tickle your funny bone. Some of our contestants may change year to year, so come back to see old and new friends alike!

Friday:
5:00pm-6:45pm: My Gym Halloween Party
Looking for not too spooky family fun this Halloween?  Find it at My Gym’s Halloween Party!  Join for circle time, games, costume parade, and loads of fun!  Each child leaves with a My Gym Halloween treat. Book your spot today!  Must sign up ahead of time.

5:00pm-8:00pm: Hill-O-Ween
Capitol Hill celebrates Halloween as a community each year in front of Eastern Market on 7th St.

6:00pm-10:00pm: Super, Awesome & Amazing Halloween Spooktacular
Enjoy trick-or-treating, inflatables, photo booth, games, a family-friendly movie, costume contest, popcorn and more!

6:00pm: Movies on the Pitch- Audi Field
“Movies on the Pitch” will transform Audi Field into an outdoor cinema with showings of Hocus Pocus on the stadium’s jumbotron screen. The family-friendly experience will begin at 7:00 pm with gates opening at 6:00pm. Audi Field will offer concessions for purchase during each movie.Tickets are general admission both on the pitch and in the stands. Access to the pitch is limited on a first-come, first-served basis.

Saturday:
8:00am-1:00pm: Adam’s Morgan Apple Pie Contest & Farmer’s Market
The 10th Annual Adams Morgan Apple Pie Baking Contest and the 15th Annual Licking Creek Bend Farm Heirloom Apple Tasting returns to Adams Morgan! The highly-anticipated community event will take place in front of The Line Hotel and directly across the street from the farmer’s market in Unity Park at Euclid and Champlain Streets NW.

10:00am-10:50am: First Studio at Kreeger Museum
Young artists ages 3-5 and an adult companion are invited to use their imagination as they explore the paintings, sculpture, and architecture of The Kreeger Museum. Each program focuses on a theme supported by a story, works of art from the collection, and a hands-on art-making experience. ‘Portraits and People’ is the theme. Advance registration is required. 

10:00am-12:00pm: Trick or Treat at Tudor Place
Celebrate the fall season with games and crafts at Tudor Place. Wear your Halloween best to explore the garden’s meandering paths and find festive activities, fun and sugary treats. All ages are welcome; this program is best enjoyed by children ages three to eight. This outdoor event will take place rain or shine.

10:00am-3:00pm: Air & Scare at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Join for the annual Halloween event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to explore the spooky side of air and space. This event will take place both inside and outside the Udvar-Hazy Center. At Air & Scare, you’ll get some spooky discoveries and some science fun. All visitors are welcome to wear costumes to the Museum. Air & Scare will feature: Trick or treat stations with free candy and snacks. Creepy crafts, spooky experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities for family members of all ages. Special story times and puppet shows for the youngest Halloween revelers. Photo opportunities with your favorite Star Wars characters.

11:00am-2:00pm: Pumpkins in the Park
Join the 10th annual Pumpkins in the Park featuring seasonal festivities from pumpkin decorating (while supplies last), a giant moon bounce, and mobile photo booth to live music by popular local Zydeco band Little Red & the Renegades, a roaming magician, and seasonal beverages* for purchase. This event is FREE and all ages are invited to join. Registration is not required but recommended.** Pumpkins will be available on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the event, so arrive early to get yours!

11:30am-3:00pm: Dia de Lose Muertos at Smithsonian American Art Museum
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with the Smithsonian American Art Museum! Bring the whole family to see exciting live performances, including traditional Mexican folk dance by Ballet Folklorico Mi Herencia Mexicana, an exhilarating mariachi performance by Mariachi Aguila DC, and a showcase of different Latin American music genres and dances with Sol y Rumba. Attendees ages 12 and younger can enjoy face painting throughout the day, while visitors of all ages can try out our featured Día de los Muertos-themed crafts. Have fun with a Día de los Muertos scavenger hunt that will take you through the museum’s new Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea exhibit.

1:00pm-4:00pm: Fall Frolic at Glen Echo
Join for some Halloween fun at Glen Echo Park! Activities include decorating a Trick-or-Treat bag and other crafts, a festive fall photo-op (say that 10 times!), a costume contest, and Trick-or-Treating at our resident art studios and galleries. 

2:00pm-6:00pm: Trick or Treat at Mount Vernon
Collect candy around the historic grounds and celebrate Halloween with 18th-century entertainment and activities. Collect candy in your special Mount Vernon treat bag around the historic grounds. Snap a selfie at our Straw Bale Selfie Station in front of the Mansion on the Bowling Green. Watch your children in a Costume Parade on the historic grounds. Greet the General & Lady Washington in the historic area.

3:00pm-6:00pm: Halloween at The Boo-ro
Pull out all the stops and don your coolest costume for The Best In Show Costume Contest! Humans and dogs alike will strut the runway for a chance to win a gift card to a selected Boro retailer. Other activities will include a Monster Bash dance party, Halloween crafts for the kids, a spooky themed reading from Turning the Page, tarot card readers and Witch’s Brew cocktails from El Bebe. As the day turns to night, stick around for a spooky screening of the cult classic “Hocus Pocus.”  The movie night, sponsored by Tysons Community Alliance and Showplace Icon Tysons, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and include a popcorn bar offering movie snacks.

 Sunday:
10:00am-12:00pm: Pike & Rose Trick or Treating
Join at Pike & Rose for a spooktacular Halloween adventure! Come dressed up in your spookiest or most creative costume and enjoy a fun morning of lively entertainment, exciting treats, and lasting memories.

10:00am-12:00pm: Van Ness Spooktacular
Everyone’s favorite kid-friendly Halloween event is returning to Forest Hills Playground this year. Parents and kids of all ages are invited to dress in their favorite costumes and gather at Forest Hills Playground for spooky-inspired activities.

10:00am-5:00pm: Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos at the National Museum of the American Indian
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time for commemorating our ancestors. Rather than a period of mourning, it is an occasion for celebrating with family—both living and dead—and appreciating and honoring the cycle of life and death. Bring the whole family to participate in activities, including dance performances, papel picado artist demonstrations, the unique art of sawdust carpets, and paper marigold and mask making. Visitors are also invited to leave photos and mementos of their loved ones on the ofrenda (altar) or commemorate them by writing their name on a butterfly and attaching it to the memorial arch. 

11:00am-1:00pm: Rumpus Room Family Dance Party, Halloween Special
The Rumpus Room, DC’s only daytime dance party for families, returns for Halloween at Hi-Lawn on the rooftop of Union Market! You’ll be getting (slightly) spooky, outdoors under the sun, so put on your costumes and come dance! Costumes are highly encouraged, but not required. Get ready for a dance floor filled with little ghosts, goblins, witches, dragons, and pumpkins of all ages. Relive your night-life glory days with your little ones in tow. The soundtrack for the day will be a family-friendly mix of dance floor classics, current hits, guilty pleasures and Halloween tunes, all at a child-friendly volume. Hi-Lawn will be open for food and beverages at 11:00 am!

2:00pm: 27th Annual Del Rey Halloween Parade
The parade begins at Mt. Vernon Avenue south of E. Bellefonte, and continues down to the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center fields at Mt. Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues for live music and an awards presentation for the pet & stroller contests, plus best decorated house and business.  All are invited to march and show off their finest Halloween garb! **Registration for the Pet Costume Contest and Stroller Competition will be done prior to the parade start.