Weekend Picks: Kids Euro Festival and Halloween Scream

This may be Beltway Bambinos longest (and most fun) Weekend Picks, but we didn’t want you to miss any Halloween fun! In addition to the celebrations there is a special Festival that began on Oct. 24 (today) and will last through Nov. 9– Kids Euro Festival 2014! Kids Euro Festival is a two-week long festival of European arts and culture presenting more than 80 free activities to D.C. metro area children and their families. There are performances, concerts, workshops, movies, storytelling, and more… and it’s all brought to you by the 28 European Union Member States! The Festival is designed for kids aged 2-12 and offers over 100 free events.

Saturday-

10:00am-12:00pm- Truck Touch at Suburban Nursery School
(7210 Hidden Creek Rd., Bethesda, MD)
Halloween meets trucks! Enjoy spooktacular treats, pumpkin decorating, bounce house and many, many trucks.

10:00am- Pueblo a Pueblo Benefit Concert with The Great Zucchini at Jammin Java
(227 Maple Ave E, Vienna, VA 22180)
The Great Zucchini is holding a special concert that benefits Pueblo a Pueblo. The first 50 people to buy tickets will be entered into a raffle to win prizes from Flight Trampoline Park, JW Tumbles, Playseum and more. Tickets are $10 and all money goes to the charity– one ticket helps feed 40 kids in Guatemala.

10:30am- Eric Herman at FNDTN
(3762 Howard Ave., Kensington, MD)
What can you expect from a self-professed board game geek and computer games devotee in a children’s music show?A fun and critically acclaimed performance! Eric Herman’s “Cool Tunes for Kids” are at once ingeniously witty, indelibly memorable and incredibly fun, and his videos, led by the viral hit, “The Elephant Song,” have become hugely popular online, with nearly 50 million views on YouTube.

10:30am- DC Family Fiesta at El Tamarindo
(1785 Florida Ave NW Washington, DC 20009)
The Fiesta is back! Tickets are $4 person/ $10 three people.

10:30am- Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814)
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist (playing a ukulele!) 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. Featured story today is Room on the Broom. Best for ages 1 month-3 years. Tickets can be purchased here.

11:00am-1:00pm- Pumpkins in the Park in Canal Park
(2nd Street and I Street SE)
Celebrate fall with some fresh air, creativity, and FREE family-friendly entertainment! The fun includes small pumpkins and decorating tools, face painting, and a performance by Mr. Skip at 12:00pm! All kids and kids-at-heart are welcome to join.

11:00am-6:00pm- Trick or Treat with the Boo-tiques!
Start trick-or-treating early and stop by the dozens of shops of the Old Town Boutique District dishing out treats to goblins and ghouls of all ages!

11:00am- FALLoween at Market Commons
The event begins at 10:00 a.m. with a performance by Rocknoceros, along with a petting zoo, glitter tattoos, DJ music, sidewalk chalking, a variety of live entertainment, a mini-pumpkin patch, fitness activities, photo opportunities (1 free photo per family), plus trick-or-treating at participating retailers until 1:00 p.m. People and pets in costume are invited to join in the FALLoween Parade at 11:00am, led by The Jokesters. FALLoween is on rain or shine, and all the activities are free.

1:00pm-3:00pm- Halloween with Chevy Chase Library and the Second District Metropolitan Police Department
(5625 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015)
Bring the kids to the Library  and make some delightfully spooky jack-o-lanterns. Each kid will also receive a special goody bag courtesy of the MPD Second District. For more info call 202-715-7300.

1:00pm-4:00pm- 4th Annual Little Goblins Parade
Assemble at Stead Park at 12:45pm. The parade will begin at 1:00pm and make treat stops at local businesses. At 2:00pm the parade will arrive at Logan Circle Park for games, festivities and entertainment from BaBa Ras D, Uno Dos Tres Con Andres, the Blue Styles Marching Band, a juggler, a stilt-walker, family photo booth and more!

1:00pm-4:00pm- Glen Echo Fall Frolic
Fall Frolic is the Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual Halloween-themed family event. It’s open to the public, and visitors of all ages are invited to the Park to explore the arts through hands-on crafts, Halloween activities, trick-or-treating and visiting open studios. It’s a safe and fun Halloween event with something for everyone! For the kids, there will be pumpkin decorating and face painting ($1 fee for pumpkin; $1 and $2 for face painting). All other craft activities and trick-or-treating are free! Adults will enjoy strolling through the Park’s open studios and galleries, including Glen Echo Pottery, the Art Glass Center, Photoworks, Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery, and more. The celebration will conclude at 3:30 with a costume parade through the park.

2:00pm-7:00pm- Air and Scare at National Air and Space Museum (Virginia Location)
See the spooky side of air and space at our annual Halloween event! Arrive in costume for safe indoor trick-or-treating, creepy crafts, spooky science experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities. The tiniest visitors can check out the Tot Zone to play dress-up and hear a story. Pose for a photo with your favorite Star Wars or Ghostbusters character. Air & Scare is fun for the whole family!

4:00pm-6:00pm- Rollingwood Neighborhood Halloween Party at The French School
Fun for the whole family! Moon bounce, face painting, crafts, food and much more. Cost is $20 for non-Rollingwood neighbors (no pre-registration for this).

7:00pm-9:00pm- Haunted Hangar at College Park Aviation Museum
Wear your costume and join in the Halloween fun at the annual Haunted Hangar event. Arts, crafts, hayrides, and spooky fun are waiting for kids and families. $4/per person.

Sunday-

10:00am-5:00pm- KID Museum at Davis Library
(6400 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817)
Bring your family and friends and enjoy a variety of unique, hands-on activities, including digital light painting, creative computing and video game design, kite-making and kite flying, animation, electronic music production, cardboard construction, and Tinkertoy and Lego building.  You’ll be able to play with kid-friendly drones, observe our cool 3D printer, make circuit boards, experiment with a wind table, check out a soldering demonstration, and see our inaugural kite exhibit, Kites, Flying Machines, and Life in the Air.  All for FREE!

10:00am- Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814)
We invite you and your child to bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, movement, music, and visual art. Each session you leave with a completed craft, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books. Featured story today is The Very Busy Spider. Best for ages 1-3. Tickets can be purchased here.

10:00am-12:00pm- Forest Hills Playground Halloween Party
As the playground anticipates re-opening very soon after being renovated, Halloween plans are in the works as usual. Witchie Witch Comedy Circus Show will perform this year. Games and crafts will be organized, food is for sale and a parade will be held.

11:00am-2:00pm- Halloween at National Harbor
(165 Waterfront St., National Harbor)
Trick-or-treating at select stores and restaurants – Kids (12 and under) dressed in costume will qualify for a free child’s ride on The Capital Wheel (with adult purchase). A Pumpkin Patch at the Miller Farms Farmer’s Market! A showing of Hocus Pocus on the Plaza Big Screen (movie will begin at 11:15 AM).

2:00pm and 4:00pm- National Symphony Orchestra Family Concert: Halloween Whodunit at The Kennedy Center
There’s a mystery in the Concert Hall on All Hallows’ Eve! For this frightfully fun concert, don your freaky-deakiest costumes and join all the ghoulishly attired musicians for a wickedly wacky, music-filled whodunit. Age 5+. Come early for Trick-or-Treating and our special Haunted Hall Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo” in the Atrium. Purchase tickets here.

2:00pm-3:30pm- Del Rey Halloween Parade
Special dignitaries and elected officials, children and pets parade in their Halloween costumes in this annual event. The parade begins at Mt. Vernon Avenue, south of E. Bellefonte and continues to Commonwealth Avenue. Awards are given for the Best Pet Costume, Best Decorated Business, Best Decorated Home, and Best Decorated Stroller. Judges include local city and community officials. Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, Virginia.

3:00pm-5:00pm- Rosedale Pumpkin Carving Party 
Bring your blankets and pumpkins. Rosedale will provide all the child-safe carving tools, plastic gloves, and tons of designs to make your Halloween pumpkin super special!