Weekend Picks: The Big Build, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site and Mt. Vernon’s Colonial Market and Fair

Mount Vernon Colonial Market and Fair is Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am-5:00pm. The annual market features dozens of America’s finest craftspeople and plenty of family fun; including puppets, military drills, sword swallowing and music.

Saturday and Sunday DC Shorts are featuring more Family Films: DC Shorts Film Festival at Angelika Film Center. Family appropriate films are for children 8 and older. For the full schedule click here.

Maryland Renaissance Festival  is still in town. Take a time machine back to medieval times. With plenty of entertainment, including music, joisting, puppetry, pony rides and so much more. Your children will see people dressed up in 16th century outfits. Dress like a knight and come any weekend through October 17.

Saturday:

10:00am-4:00pm: The Big Build at The National Building Museum (401 F St NW, Washington,DC 20001)
The FREE construction truck “petting zoo” expands onto F Street; Earn prizes by completing a hard hat scavenger hunt; and help build the World’s Tallest Toy from Superstructs in the Great Hall! CLIMB aboard tractors, cranes, and a fire truck, CONSTRUCT a log cabin , IMAGINE and build a playground, CARVE stone with master carvers, BUILD an electrical circuit with licensed electricians, COMPETE in a nail-driving contest, CREATE a hardware wind chime to take home

10:00am-3:00pm: Monarch Fiesta Day (Black Hill Regional Park 20926 Lake Ridge Drive Boyds, MD 20841)
Come celebrate the Monarch butterfly’s inspiring metamorphosis and incredible journey. We’ll have exhibits, face painting, story times, crafts, movies, monarch tagging and more! All programs are free and first-come, first-served. No registration required.

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. Best for ages 1 month-3 years. $6 per person. Featured book: Rain, Rain Go Away. Register here. 

12:00pm-7:00pm: DC State Fair at Old City Farm & Guild (925 Rhode Island Ave NW)
Every year, District residents gather to celebrate the culinary, artistic, and agricultural talents of the District. Enjoy a full day of competitions and other fun and educational activities for all ages. There re a bunch of great contests – including Best Pie, Best Ice Cream, Longest Vegetable, and many others.

2:00pm-4:00pm: Bach 2 Rock Concert at Hard Rock Cafe (999 E St NW,Washington, DC 20004)
Bach to Rock bands are back at the Hard Rock Cafe in DC for a free concert. This event will feature performers from both the Lansdowne and Bethesda schools.

3:00pm and 4:30pm: 6th Mount Pleasant Children’s Puppet Hour at Saint Stephen’s Church (1525 Newton St NW)
We’ve been a long time away, but now the Puppet Hour is back with 4 terrific shows from 3 terrific puppet groups! The Motion Picture will be traveling down from Lancaster, PA, to perform two of their fabulous puppet shows: “Die Kleinenpfeifer (The Whistling Gnome)” and “Tap Your Feet (And Go Bo-De-Do-De-Doo)!”. Mount Pleasant’s own Dave Greenfieldboyce will present:”A Bunny Shouldn’t Ever have a Fox for a Pet”! Featuring Tim Hampton as The Bunny! Evelyn Lopez will perform an as-yet-untitled puppet piece! And all of this will be interspersed with the wonderful musical stylings of Liz the Singing Lizard! The Puppet Hour is intended for kids roughly 3 – 9 years old. Suggested donation $5.

Sunday: