Beltway Bambinos

(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children

DC Scavenger: The National Mall

When many think of the nation’s capital city, the National Mall is undoubtedly one of the first areas that comes to mind. The landscaped strip spanning from the US Capitol to the iconic Lincoln Memorial is a national treasure trove chock-full of monuments, memorials, museums, and art installations that help make up the fabric of the capital city and country. It’s been estimated that more than 24 million people visit the National Mall each year: that’s more visitors than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon national parks combined.

In this second guest blog post of her DC Scavenger series, local author JoAnn Hill takes us on an active pursuit throughout this national treasure. Below are 4 of 23 clues featured in the National Mall chapter of DC Scavenger. This time no photos are included. Take your Bambinos on a hunt and let us know in the comments if you had luck finding the 4 clues below! Check out JoAnn’s book DC Scavenger to solve and discover more clues and sites around the National Mall and throughout the entire city.

JoAnn Hill is the author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure and DC Scavenger, which goes beyond the typical guidebook; it’s an interactive treasure map spanning seventeen distinct neighborhoods throughout the District. If you think you know everything there is to know about DC―even the most weird, wonderful, and obscure parts of it―get ready to embark on an adventurous discovery of DC’s most cherished gems.

National Mall Clue #1
The House that Roy built may trip you out,
Looks to be moving, may cause you to doubt,
Black edges and colors of yellow and red,
This optical illusion may mess with your head.

National Mall Clue #2
Garden named for a gal, a nice reprieve,
Ripley, believe it, you won’t want to leave.
Amble on through, this fountain’s at its core,
Revel in the flowers and plants galore.

National Mall Clue #3
A more recent addition to the Mall,
Tribute to Black life, history, and all.
Learn of stories, culture, present and past,
Museum so huge, walk slowly, not fast.

National Mall Clue #4
A rare tribute here to the women’s role,
Risking their lives when the war took a toll,
We honor these women who gave their all,
Find this touching statue near the famed wall.

6 immersive exhibits for families in and around Washington, DC

The Dr. Seuss Experience

The Dr. Seuss Experience is a sensory spectacle that takes each guest on an awe-inspiring journey through nine different Dr. Seuss books, allowing each visitor a chance to step into the pages of each of the books and interact with its iconic characters!
Where: 7852U Tysons Corner Center, Tysons, VA 22102
When: Open Wednesday through Sunday, sessions available every half hour
Duration: Around 60 minutes
Admission: General Admission Adult (13+) $34.00, General Admission Child (1-12) for $29.00, additional add-on options available. Free entry for infants under the age of 12 months.

Van Gogh Exhibition: The Immersive Experience: Have you ever dreamt of stepping into a painting? Take an educational and awe-inspiring journey into the incomparable universe of Van Gogh. Explore his life and work as never before through cutting-edge 360-degree digital projections, a one-of-a-kind VR experience, and a uniquely atmospheric light and sound show. Make your own paintings and have them projected on the walls in an experience loved by grown ups and kids alike!
Where: 524 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
When: Open every day apart from Tuesday, with time slots available every half hour
Duration: The visit will take around 60 to 75 minutes
Admission: Adult ticket $44.90, Child ticket $26.90, Family Bundle (4+ tickets, max. 2 adults) $28.90, additional VIP experiences available. Free entry for children under 4 years old.

Dinos Alive: The Immersive Experience: Prepare to be transported back in time for an adventure of a lifetime where you’ll meet over 80 animated life sized recreations of some of the largest land animals to have ever set foot on our planet. Check out the “Budding Experts” experience, where you can tap into your inner paleontologists, color dinosaur species and watch their creations come to life on screen! 
Where: 524 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002
When: Open Wednesday through Sunday, sessions available every half hour
Duration: The visit will take approx. 45–75 minutes
Admission: General Admission $25.40, VIP Admission (VR Experience included) $35.90, Family Bundle (4+ tickets, max. 2 adults) $21.60, additional add-on Kid Dinos Costumes available. Kids 3 and younger enter for free.

Dinos Alive: The Immersive Experience:

Jurassic Encounter: Join for an outdoor Dinosaur Walk-Thru Adventure! It’s a perfect outing for ALL Dino Enthusiasts – Young and Old! with over 45+ life-size animatronics and static dinosaurs. Meet our large and in charge T-Rex, our mighty Triceratops and her young, plus dozens of other species!
Where: 7700 Bull Run Dr, Centreville, VA 20121
When: May 4-14
Duration: The Pace of the JURASSIC ENCOUNTER Experience is up to you! Guests can spend an hour to all day! The suggested time is an hour to and hour and a half.
Admission: Weekday single admission ticket $15 and 4 admission ticket bundle $49.99.

Candytopia: Virginia’s most delicious museum, made up of your favorite treats! If you’ve ever dreamed of nibbling your way through Candyland or scoring a Golden Ticket, you’ve come to the right place. Explore the sprawling sanctuary of confectionary bliss, with over a dozen carefully curated and crafted rooms and enviornments.
Where: 7871 Tysons Corner Center, Tysons, VA 22101
When: Through the end of May
Duration: About 60 minutes
Admission: Adult $30, Kids 4-12 $23 and kids under age 3 free.

PIXELBLOOM: Timeless Butterflies at ARTECHOUSE: You are invited to step into a virtual world of cherry blossoms, discovering the ephemeral beauty of butterflies and thrilling exuberance of nature. A kaleidoscope of butterflies are awoken from their winter slumber and pixels burst into full bloom all in celebration of the coming of spring. Leveraging custom technologies, ARTECHOUSE Studio reimagines the potential of nature, both digital and organic in design, expanding on the world of PIXELBLOOM to create a one-of-a-kind family-friendly journey.
Where: 1238 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024
When: Through June 11
Duration: The experience is up to you! Guests can spend an hour to all day.
Admission: General admission $25, children ages 4-15 $17, Children under 4 Free, Students & Seniors (65+) $20, Military & First Responders $20 and Weekday Family Pack $75 for 2 adults, 2 children.

DC Family Weekend Fun Guide

Happy holidays to those who celebrate; it’s a busy weekend with Passover & Easter! Easter egg hunts and festivals can be found here for those looking for more hunts.

We’ve got a great list of 16+ ways to spend Spring Break. If you are staying local and need some ideas check out this post.

Friday
6:30pm-11:30pm: Drive in at Union Market: Wall-E
Let’s roll down the windows, feel that warm breeze and turn up the radio because the 11th Annual Drive-In at Union Market is back. A DC “must-do,” the series of eight movies launches April 7, and will continue on the first and third Friday of every month through July 21st.

Saturday
10:30am-12:30pm: Bunny Hop Parade
Put on your spring bonnet or bunny ears and join us to gather eggs, make crafts, play games, do yoga with Kaydee Dahlin, take selfies with the Bunny, and enjoy treats at Stead Park, 1625 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036.

12:00pm-8:00pm: DC Beer Fest
DC’s largest beer festival, featuring over 80 breweries, food trucks, bands, dueling pianos, and much more, throughout Nats Park.

1:00 to 3:00pm: Free the Trees in Westmoreland Park
Join Little Falls Watershed Alliance this Saturday to help save trees!  You will be removing non-native invasives vines, shrubs and ground covers that are crowding out the native plants that our native birds and butterflies need to survive.  This is a great activity for kids ages 8 and up as well as for adults. Kids under 14 must be accompanied by a supervising adult.

1:00pm-9:00pm: Petalpalooza at Capitol Riverfront at The Yards
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is taking over 400,000 square feet of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood with a full day of live music and engaging activities! This day-long, all-ages celebration brings art, music, and play to multiple outdoor stages, interactive art installations, a cashless beverage garden, family-friendly hands-on activities, roaming entertainers, and more, all along the banks of the Anacostia River. The evening is capped by the dazzling choreographed Official National Cherry Blossom Festival Fireworks Show set to music from 8:30 – 8:45 PM. The fireworks display may be viewed from all locations throughout the event as well as from Anacostia Park across the River.

1:00pm & 4:00pm: Hula-Hoopin Queen at Imagination Stage
Kameeka is confident that today she will finally beat her rival, Jamara, and become the Hula-Hoopin’ Queen of 139th Street in Harlem. But she has to prepare for Miz Adeline’s birthday party, and almost ruins the day. Until Miz Adeline confesses that she’s also got the itch–the hula-hoopin’ itch! Her fingers start snappin’. Her hips start swingin’. Soon everyone’s hips are swinging as the party spills out onto the street.

Sunday
River Island and RiverRun are two exhibits and festivals happening at The Kennedy Center. River Island is an immersive environment created by award-winning author and illustrator Edwin Fontánez, visitors can enter the lush landscapes of Puerto Rico, an island with more than 220 rivers. River Island features a bilingual play space for children and a fanciful recreation of a traditional dwelling perfect for a photo op.RiverRun will carve an artistic path through the stages, grand halls, and terraces of the Kennedy Center as well as the studios and green spaces of the REACH—which links the Center to its own river, the Potomac.

Easter egg hunts in and around Washington, DC

March 25- April 8 from 10:00am-5:00pm: Great Country Farms Egg Hunt & Marshmallow Harvest
(18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, VA 20135)
After a long cold winter, nothing chases away the chill like a visit to the farm!   The Easter Bunny has hidden some eggs  filled with treats to enchant the children, and we need your to help us find them! Be sure to get advance tickets as our Egg Hunts Sell out every year! Come see our spring chicks and baby animals, take a wagon ride, and rejoice that it is spring! Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is a $7.50 add-on per child with your paid farm admission.

April 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 15 & 16 from 9:00am-6:00pm: Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard
(22200 Davis Mill Road Germantown MD 20876)
Enjoy a hayride down the Bunny Trail, race the Rubber Duck Derby, hunt for colorful eggs, exchange eggs for a goodie basket to take home, visit with the farm’s very own Country Bunny, ride pedal tractors, play in Hayromp and Playground, hop in inflatables, ride the giant slides, see bunnies, lambs and chicks, get your face painted and ride a pony.

March 25-26, Apr 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 & 9 : Easter Egg Hunt at Green Meadows Petting Farm
(10102 Fingerboard Rd. Ijamsville, MD 21754)
There will be two weekends of Easter egg hunts! No pre-registration is available. Purchase your admission to the farm/hunts when you arrive.  Hunts will be happening all day, between 10:30am and 3:30pm. Egg hunt areas are sectioned off according to ages 1-3 & 4-12.

April 1 & 8 (Various times): The Lee-Fendall House 20th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
(614 Oronoco Street Alexandria, VA)
Find Easter eggs hidden in the Lee-Fendall garden. Sessions also include crafts, games, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

April 1-9 (Various times): Egg Hunt at Clark’s Elioak Farm
(10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042)
They will host small, frequent egg hunts for children in different age groups (ages 1-3 and 4-6) throughout the days. The petting farm, rides and play areas are open for you to enjoy. When you are ready to participate in the egg hunt, come to the egg hunt area and your child will line up with other children and pick up eggs.  The eggs will then be turned in for a goodie bag. The first egg hunt each time will be for the 1-3 year olds.  

April 1 from 12:00pm-3:00pm: Eggstravaganza
For more than 20 years, National Community Church has hosted the Easter Eggstravaganza with no other reason than to be a blessing to families in the neighborhood and to put a smile on the faces of kids. 

Easter basket gift ideas!

Check out these EventBrite events for more hunts in and near Washington, DC

Weekend picks in and around Washington, DC

Our annual summer camp guide was published this week and although it is February camps are filling up!

Before long, the ice rinks will close, so head to the rink this weekend.

We will post a separate President’s Day/DCPS mid-February break post tomorrow!

There are several events to celebrate Mardi Gras in DC, if you aren’t in New Orleans!

The Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival is a performing arts festival that presents work that impacts our society, culture, and world by informing, inspiring, educating, and entertaining which lasts from February 18-March 26. INTERSECTIONS is about presenting excellent art that inspires a connected community, engages artists and audiences alike, and creates a vibrant neighborhood, city, and world. We are interested in unique perspectives and art that connect us to the many facets of our humanity. The Atlas Intersections Festival presents artists that look to explore the ideas and issues of our time through their work.

Mardi Gras Weekend on Barracks Row 8th Street has a Sidewalk Parade, Friday, Feb 17th at 6:00 pm and Saturday, Feb 18th at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm. Enjoy spirited sidewalk parades featuring live music, beads and fun.

Weekend of Love Pop-Up takes place on Saturday, February 18, 12 pm to 8 pm and Sunday, February 19, 12 pm to 6 pm at The Shops at Wisconsin Place. 15+ artisans and makers will converge at The Shops at Wisconsin Place for a weekend in February. Bring your friends, your date, your “galentine,” your daughter, or your lover, and pop in for a fun-filled afternoon of browsing, mingling, eating, and drinking. Complimentary wine; food for purchase. The event is free, and all are welcome. 

The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen hits the stage this weekend at Imagination Stage. Kameeka is confident that today she will finally beat her rival, Jamara, and become the Hula-Hoopin’ Queen of 139th Street in Harlem. But she has to prepare for Miz Adeline’s birthday party, and almost ruins the day. Until Miz Adeline confesses that she’s also got the itch–the hula-hoopin’ itch! Her fingers start snappin’. Her hips start swingin’. Soon everyone’s hips are swinging as the party spills out onto the street.

Saturday

10:00am: Back to the Future at the Avalon
Enjoy a weekend family matinee!

10:00am-1:00pm: Black History Family Day at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
Bring the whole family for a self-guided exploration of Montgomery County’s Black history at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park. Drop by the Visitor Center to pick up take-home activities (for ages 5-12) and trail maps to explore the Underground Railroad Experience Trail on their own. Free and family friendly; check in at the Visitor Center. Take-home activities available while supplies last. No advanced registration required.

12:00pm-5:00pm: Family Day at the DAR Museum
Join us for a Presidents Day weekend activities at the DAR Museum. There will be coloring and other activities suitable for kids of all ages!

2:00pm-4:00pm: WOW Wheelz at The Lane
The ultimate kids driving experience. Featuring Go-Karts, Trucks, and Bumper Cars.

3:00pm-7:00pm: Mardi Gras at The Wharf
The Wharf celebrates Mardi Gras with a free community-wide extravaganza featuring a lively parade down Wharf Street, a dance party with live music on District Pier, and a special fireworks finale.

Sunday

11:00am AND 3:00pm: Laurie Berkner Band
The “Queen of Kids’ Music” returns to the Gordon stage for an unforgettable experience that will inspire a lifelong love of music and create lasting memories with the whole FAMILY! Laurie’s instinctive understanding of children’s natural rhythms and energy keeps kids enraptured and brings parents and caregivers happily along for the ride.

Date Night
New Jack City at National Theatre

Weekend picks in and around Washington, DC

This is a big weekend; Super Bowl and then Valentine’s Day! You may see some people running around in their undies for a good cause on Saturday.

Visit the National Children’s Museum’s newest exhibit: XOXO An Exhibit about Love & Forgiveness. Explore the complex emotions of love and forgiveness through words, movement, artmaking, performance, and play! Complete hands-on activities together to develop an understanding and appreciation of the power of love, kindness, and forgiveness.

Moonshot Studio is open again at the Kennedy Centers REACH. The Moonshot Studio at the REACH celebrates creativity and the artist in everyone through hands-on art-making for all ages. Drop-In anytime from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays & Sundays to explore our projects.

It’s the final weekend of the Winter Lantern Festival. They have transformed Lerner Town Square into a dazzling world of light with over 1000 Chinese lanterns; all handmade by artisans with decades of experience. The lanterns and bright displays will light the night and bring warmth this holiday season!

123 Andres at the Kennedy Center

Saturday
10:00am-11:00am: Collage My Heart at The Kreeger Museum
Join a pre-Valentines day for a fun and joyful activity centered around connecting to the things we love, enjoy and are inspired by! Teaching artist Jeneen Piccuirro will guide a collage process that is interactive and engaging as we focus on our “hearts desire” as represented visually. Young artists will cut, glue and paste images from magazines and tell am multi-dimensional visual story about themselves in the process. The final product can be used as Valentine’s “gift” or treasured for yourself! No experience necessary. This workshop is recommended for ages 6 and up.

10:00am-1:00pm: Maker Morning at Hirshhorn
Color your February with love. Try out Valentine’s Day activities including writing a love letter inspired by artist Barbara Kruger, or layering lines of love inspired by Mark Bradford.

11:00am-12:30pm: Cupcake Decorating Class
Join celebrity chef Mr. Bake for a special family-friendly Valentine’s Day cupcake decorating class in partnership with Le Fantome! Each apprentice baker will walk away with four decorated cupcakes, a certificate of completion, and specialized baking tips and knowledge from Mr. Bake himself. Parents are invited to join the fun and accompany their baker, as well as enjoy food and drinks (including a special kid’s menu) for breakfast or lunch following their session. Kids ages 5-11can join the first hour-long session at from 11am-12:30pm, while bakers 12-16 are invited to Mr. Bake’s second hour-long session from 1pm-2:30pm. Parents must accompany children ages 5-11 to the first session. Tickets start at $40, so get yours before they’re gone!

11:00am & 1:30pm: 123 Andres at the Kennedy Center
The Latin Grammy®-winning music duo is back by popular demand! Join Andrés and Christina on an exciting cultural exploration of Latin America through an introduction of language, music, and dance.

11:30am-1:30pm OR 2:30pm-4:30pm: The Phillips Plays With Color, Shape, And Sound
Join to investigate materials, methods, and ideas in art. During this two-hour workshop, we will look, wonder, and learn with a museum educator in the exhibition Linling Lu: Soundwaves. Part of the Phillips’s Intersections contemporary art series, Soundwaves responds to the compositions of Philip Glass; Lu translates music to color and shape, considering each painting to be an instrument, “a source of sound that materializes the poetic quality of music.” Following the gallery experience, a teaching artist will guide participants to create original artwork in the studio. Families will work together to make percussion instruments, embellishing them with colors and patterns sparked by Lu’s work.

2:00pm-6:00pm: Rock the Rink at the Wharf
Join fellow hockey fans at The Wharf to show your Caps pride. From 2pm-6pm, skate at The Wharf Ice Rink with a DJ, Caps gear giveaways, and more. At 3:30pm, we’ll also broadcast the Capitals’ away game against the Boston Bruins on a jumbotron located on the Transit Pier floating stage. Throughout the day, fans wearing Capitals gear receive $5 off admission to The Wharf Ice Rink.

2:00pm: Native Cinema Showcase Screening: Encanto
Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in a magical house in a vibrant town in the mountains of Colombia. The magic of this wondrous, charmed Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift, from super strength to the power to heal—every child that is except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.

2:00pm-4:00pm: WOW Wheelz at The Lane
The ultimate kids driving experience. Featuring Go-Karts, Trucks, and Bumper Cars.

Sunday
3:00pm-5:00pm: Sunday Movie Matinee: Little Giants
Join for the weekly Sunday matinee movie series in our warm and enclosed spaces! They’ll have adult beverages for the parents and kid-friendly offerings for kids.

Monday
National Landing BID’s upcoming Galentine’s Day celebration on Monday, February 13 with Lily’s Flower Truck.  With the help of Lily, an adorable Labrador Retriever, guests can arrange DIY flower bouquets at National Landing’s Gateway Green. PLUS, the first 50 guests to show proof of purchase from an eligible National Landing coffee shop, including Commonwealth Joe, Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique, Crush Coffee, Mah-Ze-Dahr, and The Freshman will receive a free bouquet (while supplies last). The festivities will benefit the animal community, with part of the proceeds going toward local shelters.

***Treats for Valentine’s Day available in-store and online at Milk Bar!

  • Mini Black & White Cake: A love letter to your taste buds, straight from the Big Apple. We turned the iconic Black & White cookie into a shareable cake for two. We alternate layers of chocolate and vanilla cake are sandwiched between cookies and cream frosting, shortbread crumbs and is decorated with the iconic black & white cookie pattern.
    • Available online in the bundle: The Match Made in (Dessert) Heaven: This Valentine’s Day, dig into a dozen assorted Cake Truffles in a brand new giftable box alongside a limited-edition 4” Mini Black & White Cake.
  • Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake: Our Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake ups the ante on decadence with layers of double chocolate red velvet cake and frosting, cheesecake filling, and red velvet crumbs. 
  • Red Velvet Cheesecake Truffles: Each over-the-top bite of our Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake Truffles is filled with chocolate cake, chocolate chips, cream cheese, and coated in barely-there chocolate shell and rolled in red velvet crumbs.

Weekend picks in and around Washington, DC

The countdown is on for holiday fun! There are several festive events and activities you can still do, from holiday shows, ballets and concerts, tree lightings and holiday markets, and gift guides to purchase from (you still have time).

Be sure to click the above links as there are plenty of events happening this weekend that are included in those above posts.

Holiday events our family hopes to do still this season: Light Yards, Georgetown Glow, US Botanic Garden and the light exhibit at Brookside Gardens.

Winter Lantern Festival comes to the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area for its FIRST immersive DMV Winter Lantern Festival! From New York with 150,000 annual guests, 3 years in a row, this is an experience you don’t want to miss! Starting Dec. 16 to Feb. 12, Lerner Town Square at Tysons II will be transformed into a dazzling world of light with over 1000 Chinese lanterns; all handmade by artisans with decades of experience. Our lanterns and bright displays will light the night and bring warmth this holiday season!

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience! Walk into the depths of a dark forest and discover fantastic beasts and iconic wizarding world moments illuminated like never before. Follow a trail through a mysterious and magical forest full of interactive moments, mesmerizing lights, and theatrical illusions. Come face-to-face with magical creatures from the Harry Potter™ and the Fantastic Beasts™ films, such as Hippogriffs, Centaurs, Unicorns, Nifflers, and more.

Greenberg’s Great Train & Toy Show at the Dulles Expo Center is in town Saturday & Sunday from 10am-4:00pm. There will be 250+tables of trains for sale, 60+ exhibitors from across the country, huge operating model train displays, free workshops and demonstrations, free test track – test run your trains at the show, free door prize giveaways and more.

Saturday

11:00am-2:00pm: Rudolph’s Rockin’ Reindeer Games at Boro Park
Get your groove on with friends, families and neighbors at this holiday-themed dance party featuring a live DJ. Move and sing to your favorite seasonal tunes while sipping hot cocoa, doing arts and crafts and capturing memories (with Santa photo ops!) for your holiday card. Take part in a special scavenger hunt and compete in reindeer games like freeze dance, red light green light and limbo! Santa photo opportunity will be from 11:30am-1:30pm. Rudolph’s Rockin’ Reindeer Games is FREE and open to the public. Registration is encouraged, but not required through Eventbrite. 

1:00pm-4:00pm: JoAnn Hill at Steadfast Supply
We just had our first post by JoAnn and we are thrilled to welcome her back soon. You can meet her and purchase her amazing books on Saturday!! Perfect for gifts (hint, hint).

1:00pm AND 4:00pm: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed at Imagination Stage
A new, high-energy musical to rock the holiday season! When clothing suddenly falls from the sky, Wilbur J. Mole Rat stuns the colony with his decision to get dressed! In a community where baring is caring and skin is in, can Wilbur find the courage to rock to the rhythm of his own electric guitar? Based on Mo Willem’s beloved picture book, the show explores what can happen when we have the courage to be ourselves. Best for ages 4-10.

Sunday

1:00pm: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed at Imagination Stage– ASL Interpreted Show
A new, high-energy musical to rock the holiday season! When clothing suddenly falls from the sky, Wilbur J. Mole Rat stuns the colony with his decision to get dressed! In a community where baring is caring and skin is in, can Wilbur find the courage to rock to the rhythm of his own electric guitar? Based on Mo Willem’s beloved picture book, the show explores what can happen when we have the courage to be ourselves. Best for ages 4-10.

3:45pm-5:15pm: National Menorah Lighting
Musical performances, special guest and the lighting will occur on the Ellipse. Register to attend at link above.

4:00pm: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed at Imagination Stage
A new, high-energy musical to rock the holiday season! When clothing suddenly falls from the sky, Wilbur J. Mole Rat stuns the colony with his decision to get dressed! In a community where baring is caring and skin is in, can Wilbur find the courage to rock to the rhythm of his own electric guitar? Based on Mo Willem’s beloved picture book, the show explores what can happen when we have the courage to be ourselves. Best for ages 4-10.

5:30pm: Northern VA Night of Lights
Join a family-oriented, community-wide candle lighting event featuring holiday-themed activities, including latkes, dreidel playing, doughnuts, kids crafts, music, a photo booth and more!

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DC Scavenger: Georgetown Edition

DC Scavenger: Georgetown Edition

JoAnn Hill, local author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, recently released her second book, DC Scavenger, which goes beyond the typical guidebook; it’s an interactive treasure map spanning across 17 distinct neighborhoods throughout Washington, DC. Here you’ll explore nearly three hundred and fifty of DC’s most cherished wonders by deciphering clever clues and examining ambiguous photos across the city’s four quadrants. Throughout your pursuit you’ll encounter world-renowned monuments and their lesser-known counterparts, innovative artworks promoting activism and celebrating diversity, overlooked historical markers, convivial markets and eateries, and architectural oddities.

JoAnn’s first DC Scavenger blog post takes us to Georgetown. Situated along the Potomac River, the historically quaint neighborhood of Georgetown is one of the city’s most prestigious and cherished areas. Tree-lined, cobblestoned streets, grand homes, charming eateries, and a bevy of chic boutiques have been drawing individuals for centuries. Throughout the years, Georgetown has managed to preserve its historic authenticity, while simultaneously establishing itself as an entertainment and dining destination in and of itself. This neighborhood spree commences along the P Street Bridge and wraps up along the waterfront, one of Georgetown’s premier attractions.

We’ve got a scavenger hunt for you– perfect for the whole family that allows you to explore our city; the exact reason Beltway Bambinos was created. Below are 4 of 23 clues featured in the Georgetown chapter of DC Scavenger. Can you identify the 4 clues? Check out JoAnn’s book DC Scavenger to solve and discover more clues and sites around the Georgetown neighborhood and throughout the entire city.

Georgetown Clue #1
Lovely museum, library, and home,
Its immense grounds so enticing to roam.
Its walls have lots of stories to tell,
Gardens and parks cast a magical spell.

Georgetown Clue #2
Walk over to N, look at the blue wall,
Nosy neighbor and dog are watching us all,
They both look so real, a gal and her pup,
Art’s all around, you just need to look up.

Georgetown Clue #3
How high is the river? Learn by the tide,
A kayaker’s pictured; watch as he glides
Alongside the water at this lovely park,
Is just one of many informational marks.

Georgetown Clue #4
At the center, where people come to meet
Sails and taxis and boats you can greet,
This tower stands right here in the center,
Gathering spot welcomes all to enter!

JoAnn Hill, author of DC Scavenger and Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, has affectionately called Washington, DC home for over twenty years.  She has written extensively about DC living, its food, and her world travels on her blog dcglobejotters.org and other mediums and publications. Through her writing and research, she shares stories and tips that inspire the insatiably curious traveler. When she’s not writing and exploring, you will find her teaching yoga, barre, and group fitness classes, indulging in DC’s culinary and theater scenes, and spending as much time outside as possible being active. JoAnn is the co-founder of Capitol Teachers, a full-service tutoring company servicing the greater DC area. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband Thalamus and dog Jackson.

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