Weekend Picks in and around Washington, DC

The Georgetown French Market, one of the District’s most anticipated shopping weekends, marks the triumphant return of the spring season, this weekend beginning on Friday. Georgetown’s Book Hill neighborhood will transform into an inviting open-air market as the over 40 locally-owned merchants, restaurants, salons and galleries display discounted items and unique finds.

South Mountain Creamery Spring Festival is taking place all weekend long. All year round you welcome us them your home. This weekend, they’re welcoming you to theirs. There will be vendors, music, farmers market, food, games, activities, animals, hay rides and you’ll want to check out the milking parlor and take the production tour!

A few Parent’s Night Out events happening!

Saturday

10:00am-4:00pm: Ring in Spring with KinderCare
Union Stage is being transformed into a blooming spring pasture of overgrown flowers, exaggerated ladybugs and a sunny sky darted with clouds! Bring the entire family to spend a day with us and enjoy complimentary family portraits by Red Tricycle DC’s favorite family photographer, Stacey Vaeth, spring-themed activities for kids (6 weeks to 6 years), story time with Amy Mascott, of the famed teach mama blog, plus live musical entertainment! Before you leave, don’t forget to take home one of our favorite spring themed books, seeds for planting, and even schedule a tour at one of our KinderCare centers. Register above for a time slot.

10:00am-7:00pm: DC Chocolate Festival
The DC Chocolate Festival is a celebration of artisan and fine chocolate from the Mid-Atlantic and beyond! This event brings together over 30 chocolate vendors and thousands of chocolate lovers for a day of tasting, talking and learning. The morning block is perfect for families and kids of all ages.

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. Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp is the featured story.

11:00: Ready, Set, Think at Chevy Chase Library
Walk before you run; think before you code. Calling all 5-to-7-year-olds and their families: Come play some games and learn about computational thinking skills. Computational thinking is not thinking like a computer, but understanding how to organize and interpret information in a way that computers can process. These skills are the foundation for coding and problem solving. Each participant will take home activity sets to keep the fun going. Limited to the first 16 families. Recommended for ages 5-7 with adult.

11:00am-4:00pm: Carousel Day at Glen Echo
The historic Dentzel Carousel will open for its 98th season in Glen Echo Park on Carousel Day!  The event also offers a full day (11:00am-4:00pm) of FREE activities for throughout Glen Echo Park, including live music & other performances, face painting, a roving magician, and carousel themed crafts. The carousel operates from 11:00am-5:00pm, $1.25 per ride. See Judy Moody and the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt at Adventure Theatre while you are there!

Sunday

9:30am: Power Mama Yoga at Little Bit Yogi
Adult yoga class with little ones roaming.

10:00am-5:00pm: KID Museum Spark Behind the Science Day
What sparks someone’s passion for science and technology? Is it a trip to a museum, an inspiring teacher, or simply collecting shells at the beach? At Spark Behind the Science Day, meet STEM experts and find out what drove them to pursue their careers. Then, participate in a variety of hands-on activities to find your own spark! Drop in anytime.

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
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. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books. Dragons Love Tacos is the featured story.

11:00am-2:00pm: The Rumpus Room: A Family Dance Party
Welcome to the Rumpus Room, a daytime dance party for families, with sounds provided by DC’s top club DJs (who all happen to be parents themselves). Created by DJs who wanted to share the nightclub experience with their kids, the Rumpus Room adapts the club environment (think disco ball, lights, and of course music) into safe family-friendly fun. Get ready for a dance floor filled with little ones, parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. The soundtrack will be a family-friendly mix of dance hits and classics, all at a kid-friendly volume. We provide the shakers, hula-hoops, beach balls and other props. You come to dance.

2:00pm AND 4:00pm: NSO Family Concert at the Kennedy Center
In the spirit of a series of Young People’s Concerts made popular by Leonard Bernstein at Carnegie Hall, Emil de Cou conducts this delightful performance that explores the concepts of melody and rhythm. NSO Principal Second violinist Marissa Regni hosts and Emil de Cou conducts, with guest appearances by Christylez Bacon and Ben Folds. Come early for a Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” in the Opera House Lobby. Starting one hour before each concert (1 p.m. & 3 p.m.), hands-on activities let children get up close with the instruments they’ll see played on the stage. The 2 p.m. performance is sensory friendly. Most enjoyed by ages 5 & up. Please note: everyone, regardless of age, must have a ticket.  Performance Timing: 1 hour, with no intermission.

Plan Ahead for Mother’s Day with some fun events: 

Little Loft will have a spring photo shoot that will include be moms and kids. Kids draw portraits of mom at Little Loft, and Red Turtle Photography takes a professional portrait of mom with littles. Book your 15-min shoot for $95, $10 for second child, $5 for third+ for Saturday, May 12, 10:00am-2:00pm. Edited prints and digital files available for purchase — great Mother’s Day gift!