Weekend Picks in and around Washington, DC

With rain in the forecast be sure you see Judy Moody & the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt as it’s the final weekend of shows at Adventure Theatre!

Jazz ‘n Family Fun Days at The Phillips Collection celebrates jazz and the visual arts with performances by more than a dozen regional artists and rising star ensembles, June 2 and 3, 2018.

The 31st annual Dance Africa DC Festival celebrating the dance, music and spirit of the African Diaspora! A week long celebration carrying on the tradition begun by our beloved Baba Chuck Davis (1937-2017). Featuring Mama Sylvia Soumah as Griot, outstanding African dance companies, a master class series, free outdoor activities and our signature African Marketplace, DanceAfrica, DC is guaranteed to inspire, invigorate, educate and entertain. See schedule online of the many performances. 

The Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo will take place Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm-7:00pm. One of the most popular events of the year at Glen Echo Park, the Festival attracts close to 10,000 visitors. Free to the public and held rain or shine, the Festival features over 450 musicians, storytellers, dancers, and crafters from the greater Washington area. Presented by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington and the Glen Echo Park Partnership, the Washington Folk Festival is a celebration of this region’s rich cultural diversity. International performers share the music, dance, and cultural traditions they brought from their original homes while American performers showcase a variety of musical traditions that developed in this country. 

The Smile Project Carnival & Concert started Thursday and goes through Sunday at RFK. Featuring huge thrill rides, the best carnival food and games, incredible music performances, cash bars, and live art installations by the area’s most talk about artists. 

Friday

Saturday

8:30am: Kids Obstacle Challenge
Kids Obstacle Challenge is the ultimate family adventure and the only obstacle course designed for kids ages 5-16, where both kids and parents get to run together! If you are looking for a family-friendly kids event in the D.C. area – look no further! With a competitive wave in the morning and family fun waves throughout the day, our adventure course is 1.5-2 miles long with mud, water, and 13-15 fun and challenging obstacles. Register your child and you – parents/legal guardians – participate for FREE! It’s like getting 3 for the price of 1!

10:00am-3:00pm: Imagination Bethesda
Celebrate children, art, and all things fun at the 24th annual Imagination Bethesda. The festival takes place on Woodmont Avenue and Elm Street in downtown Bethesda. Activity tents line the streets, face painters bring butterflies and pirates to life, a stage of live entertainment will have the whole street dancing, and more! Enjoy this FREE family fun day!

11:00am-6:00pm: One Journey Festival
Connect cultures through food, fashion, music and dance as we celebrate refugee talents and stories, begin to change the negative narrative about refugees, and empower participants to take actions to stand in solidarity with our global displaced brothers and sisters. Among the day’s highlights, Chef Jose Andres and a refugee chef will collaborate on a food show. Actor, model, and UN spokesperson Ger Duany will recount his story as one of the “lost boys” of Sudan. The celebrated Pihcintu Multicultural Children’s Chorus will debut a song written especially for the Festival. Refugee and immigrant music and dance groups will perform. Kid’s Corner features henna, make-a-kite, calligraphy lessons taught by refugee families and more. The “global marketplace” offers wares and creations from the original home countries of refugees. The festival also features virtual reality films and participants can live chat with refugees living in Iraq, Rwanda and Mexico via Shared Studios immersive video technology. FREE tickets can be found here.

6:00pm: Secret Agent 23 Skidoo at Millennium Stage
Grammy®–winning rapper Secret Agent 23 Skidoo combines the excitement of Hip Hop with the magical world of childhood. Sharing songs from his latest album Infinity Plus One, 23 Skidoo takes kids into outer space with “Glimmer” about a moth who flies to the moon, and “Tastes Like Space,” an exploration of the intergalactic destiny of Carl Sagan’s famous Gold Record.

Sunday

12:00pm-4:00pm: Federation’s Israel @ 70: A Musical Celebration
Party with the Jewish community of Greater Washington to celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday! Enjoy live music from Israeli artists and a whole Family Zone filled with hands-on activities. Live Music, Arts & Crafts, Outdoor Games, Israeli Dancing, Photo Booths, Henna Tattoos.

2:00pm – 4:00pm: Beans, Basil, and Bees: A Family Gardening Workshop at DCJCC
Want to learn about starting your very own container garden, dig in the dirt and learn about composting, and meet some urban beekeepers who are helping our city retain its native bee populations? Join us for this family-focused event with workshops run by Love and Carrots, Compost Cab and Capitol Bee Care. Enjoy garden-themed snacks and take home your own container garden starter kit!

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor: Matilda
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 our delicious dining establishments, and meet us 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, so end times may vary with each movie. A schedule of movies to be shown can be viewed below. They also feature Date Night Movies on Thursdays at 7:00pm.