Beltway Bambinos

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  • Home
  • Indoor Fun
    • Theater & musical productions
    • Guide to Indoor Fun for Kids
  • Fall
    • Halloween guide
    • Fall festivals, farms, orchards
    • Fall Foliage Spots and Drives
    • Fall events
    • Fall classes
    • Fall bucket list
    • Survive Daylight Savings
  • Winter
    • Holiday gift guide
    • Holiday shows, ballets and concerts
    • Hanukkah Celebrations
    • Holiday Tea
    • Christmas Trees, Lights & Markets
    • Ski and snowboard
    • Cut-your-own tree
    • Ice rinks and roller rinks
  • Spring
    • Cherry blossoms
    • Easter egg hunts
    • Easter basket & spring gift ideas
    • Spring bucket list
    • Mother’s Day
    • Memorial Day weekend
    • Tax day steals and deals
  • Summer
    • Summer Camps
    • July 4th
    • Ice cream
    • Sunflower Fields
    • Summer bucket list
    • Live outdoor music
    • Outdoor movies
    • Outdoor swimming pools
    • Splash parks
    • Trains!
  • Camps and Classes
    • Fall classes
    • Spring classes
    • Summer camps
    • Mid-winter break camps
    • Winter camps and classes
    • November 2, 4, 5, 11
    • DCPS spring break camps
    • Schools out, camps are in
    • Year-round classes
    • Gymnastics and dance classes
  • Neighborhood Guides
    • Annapolis, MD
    • AU Park, DC
    • Baltimore, MD
    • Bethany Beach, DE
    • Breweries in the DC area
    • Brookland, DC
    • Chevy Chase, DC
    • Georgetown, DC
    • Philadelphia, PA
    • Lancaster County, PA
    • Madison, VA
    • Frederick, MD
    • St. Louis, MO
  • Outdoor Play
    • 15 family friendly hikes
    • Pick your own fruit and vegetables
    • Beaches and state parks
    • Outdoor fun
    • Trails, marshes and gardens
    • 20 classic outdoor games
    • Trains and carousels
  • Beltway Bambinos Concierge
    • Customized itineraries
    • Introducing Beltway Bambinos Concierge
  • About
  • Beltway Travel
    • Introducing Beltway Travel
    • Family Summer Getaways
    • Traveling with Little Ones?
    • Why Now is the Time to Plan
    • Travel Advisors Save You More Than Money
    • Why You Should Work with Me
    • How Do You Make Sure the Trip Has Something for Everyone?
    • DC Hotels with Indoor Pools
  • Itineraries
    • 5 Days in Costa Rica
    • {Winter} Staycation

Weekend Picks: August 4-6, 2017

August 4, 2017

Howard County Fair begins today and runs through August 12 and is open from 8:00am-11:00pm. Admission is $5 for ages 10 and up, $2 for seniors and is FREE for kids under 10. Rides and games are extra. See the schedule for fun events throughout the week. Your family will have the opportunity to enjoy rides, watch a Demolition Derby or Rodeo, taste fair food and win prizes. Don’t miss the magic show and talent show,  pony rides or the kids and critters barn. The fair address is 2210 Fairground Road, West Friendship, MD.

Smithsonian American Art Museum Arcade is an annual event hosted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its partners. The event, which is free and open to the public, is August 5 and 6, 2017 at the museum’s main building in Washington, D.C. from 11:30am-7:00pm. This year, the museum will be filled to the brim with video games. One hundred fifty independent developers have submitted their games to be shown at SAAM Arcade while additional arcade cabinets and consoles will be provided by MagFest, Death by Audio Arcade, Arcades4Home, and CrabTowne USA. Game building workshops will be presented in the MacMillan Education Center by Boolean Girl and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, while the Triforce Quartet and Bit Brigade perform in McEvoy Auditorium. In addition, Events DC presents the Boys and Girls Club Youth eSports League Championship on the 3rd floor.

BrickFair LEGO is Saturday and Sunday at the Dulles Expo Center from 10:00am-5:00pm. Lego enthusiasts this is for you!

Peach Daze Fuzztival is Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am-6:00pm. Celebrate Peak Peach Picking season!  Enjoy the fruit in great food and drink at this full collaboration between Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Great Country Farms, all located in Bluemont, VA.

69th Annual Fairfax County 4-H Fair and Carnival at Frying Pan Farm Park is also going on through August 6. Carnival rides, wagon and carousel rides, food trucks, live entertainment and more. 

 

Friday-

5:00pm-8:30pm: Jazz in the Garden
(Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive entrances  at 9th Street, NW Washington, DC)
Jazz In The Garden at Pavilion Café in the National Gallery of Art features an eclectic mix of jazz is performed by top Washington-area artists. During jazz concerts, the Pavilion Café offers a special menu of creative American cuisine and refreshments, including a beer and wine menu.

Lot opens 6:00pm & closes at 8:00pm, Film begins 8:30pm:  Union Market Drive-In: Chef (Rated R)
(1309 5th Street NE  Washington, District of Columbia 20002)
$10 parking fee per car. Advance purchase is highly recommended.Free for walk-ups. Excited for the drive-in but don’t have a car? Rent one on Getaround for the night and get $25 off your first rental. For more information and tickets click here.

6:30pm-8:30pm: Capitol Riverfront Friday Night Concert at Yards Park
(355 Water St SE)
The free Capitol Riverfront Friday Night Concert Series is back for its 7th Season, this year back on the Yards Park boardwalk! Every Friday night this summer, come to Yards Park to relax and enjoy the river view, fantastic bands, food and beverage, and a large variety of great restaurants within a few minutes walk from the park. Family-friendly lyrics and grassy open space make this an enjoyable event for adults and kids alike.

Saturday-

10:30am & 1:00pm: Ice cream making at Peirce Mill
(2539 Tilden St NW Washington, D.C. 20008)
The dog days of summer are upon us, and what better way to escape than a demonstration of homemade ice cream. Come learn about making this hand cranked frozen treat brought over from France by Dolly Madison, watch the ingredients being poured into the dasher, and learn about the brine that froze the cream.  A historic recipe by Thomas Jefferson with modern adaptation will be available to take away. This event is free.

11:00am-1:00pm: Explore! Summer Family Festival by Children’s Museum of Washington DC
(Mission Mobile Launch Pad: 5234 4th Street NE Washington, DC 20011)
The final festival of the Summer is here! Come learn about Explore! Children’s Museum, create something new with Imagination Stage and play with members of your DC community and local teaching artists – all at the site of the future Children’s Museum! They will be providing free books again from local author Tom Noll and coloring books from Color with Luna! Learn to play different instruments at the Percussion Playground from The Uncle Devin Show! There will be a Mad Science show from 11:30 – 12:15 p.m. – Don’t Miss it! Light snacks and water will be available.

Sunday-

12:30pm-2:30pm: The Great Zucchini at Maggiano’s
(5333 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20015)
Proceeds from each ticket purchased will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Price includes Maggiano’s Lunch Buffet, Magic Show & Cookie Decorating.

5:00pm: Big Bang Boom Concert
(McLean Central Park Gazebo, 1468 Dolley Madison Blvd., McLean, Va. 22101)
Big Bang Boom’s live show is high-energy, and both parents and children find it hard to stay in their seats (video)! From calling the kids on stage for the “Spongebob Chorus” to the “Parents vs. Kids Hokey-Pokey Challenge,” Big Bang Boom has made certain that there is no sitting down at their fun and energetic show.

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor: Space Jam
(165 Waterfront St National Harbor, MD 20745)
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!

 

Theatre for this weekend:
Alice’s Rock and Roll Adventure at Imagination Stage has shows on Saturday and Sunday. 
Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook at Adventure Theatre has shows on Saturday and Sunday.
Circus! at Puppet Co. has shows on Saturday and Sunday with a Tiny Tots: Sing Along show on Saturday morning

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: arcade, carnival, concert, entertainer, fair, family festival, ice cream, jazz, LEGO, magic, movie

Weekend Picks September 16-18

September 16, 2016

This weekend the 14th Annual Alexandria King Street Art Festival. Festival booths line King Street between Washington and Union streets, featuring over six blocks of artwork by more than 200 artists from the US and abroad.

The Great Frederick Fair is also happening through September 24.

Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am-7:00pm Maryland Renaissance Festival will be joisting and serving up lots of turkey legs weekends through October 23.  The festival is free to children 11 and under. 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 participate!

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                                                                                                               (Photo: Elevation DC Media of a Kidical Mass Event)

Saturday-

9:30am AND 10:30am: Harambee at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW)
Five years and more than 700 shows later, Harambee @BloomBars has become a Washington DC institution and a cultural/moral compass for thousands of parents and youth. In Swahili, Harambe means “All pull together.” At BloomBars, Harambe is the practice of hope, possibility and compassion – basically, all the things that happen when we all come together.
[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: bike ride, fair, hispanic heritage, honey, Maryland Renaissance Festival, music, yoga

Weekend Picks August 5-7

August 5, 2016

peach

BrickFair LEGO is Saturday and Sunday at the Dulles Expo Center from 11:00am-4:00pm. Lego enthusiasts this is for you!

Peach Daze Fuzztival is Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am-6:00pm. Celebrate Peak Peach Picking season!  Enjoy the fruit in great food and drink at this full collaboration between Bluemont Vineyard, Dirt Farm Brewing and Great Country Farms, all located in Bluemont, VA.

Howard County Fair begins today and runs through August 13 and is open from 8:00am-11:00pm. Admission is $5 for ages 10 and up, $2 for seniors and is free for kids under 10. Rides and games are extra. See the schedule for fun events throughout the week. Your family will have the opportunity to enjoy rides, watch a Demolition Derby or Rodeo, taste fair food and win prizes. Don’t miss the magic show and talent show,  pony rides or the kids and critters barn. The fair address is 2210 Fairground Road, West Friendship, MD.

68th Annual Fairfax County 4-H Fair and Carnival at Frying Pan Farm Park is also going on through August 7. Carnival rides, wagon and carousel rides, food trucks, live entertainment and more. 
[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: carnival, Drive-in, eat out, fair, food, indoor play, James and the Giant Peach, movie, music, peach, story, theatre, yoga

Weekend Picks: Roller skate, fly around at a fair and watch an outdoor movie

August 13, 2015

Didn’t get enough carnival rides and fried twinkles on the boardwalk this summer? Head over to the Montgomery County Fair. It is happening through Saturday, August 22. Fair and carnival hours vary as do animal exhibits in Old MacDonald’s Barn. Children 11 and under are FREE while adults cost $10. Check the schedule for daily events. Address is 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

Prince William County Fair is also happening through Saturday, August 22. Adults $10, Children over 5 $5 (with specials on various days).

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11:00am-6:45pm Weekends: Roller Skate at NPS Park before it closes for the season
(1500 Anacostia Drive SE, Washington, D.C)
Have you checked out the National Park Pavilion turned roller rink? Free roller skate rentals with a valid ID.

Potomac Nationals are in town and have some fun promotions and events happening, including a Ryan Zimmerman Bobblehead giveaway on Sunday.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: art, baseball, biking, concert, fair, movies, nps, roller skate, video games

Weekday Adventures: Peter Pan Club, Samba Baby and Fanciful Heroes

September 7, 2014

DC Library Kid Events  for the week can be found here. There’s a lot to take advantage of, from storytime, yoga and crafts to movies and readers theaters.

Have a Bambino you need to enroll in a Fall class for interaction with other kids? Check out a few of our favorites here.

Carnival rides, monster trucks, live music, animals and more. Sept. 10-16 you can visit Anne Arundel County Fair.

County-Fair1

Monday-

9:30am: 9:30am: Harambe at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Think of it as your little one’s first opportunity to express his or her voice (into a microphone), dance, play a drum or percussion instrument, shout, or sing-along to songs that build character, confidence and community.

9:30am-11:00am: Rise and Rhyme at Busboys and Poets
(5531 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, Md. 20781)
Rise + Rhyme is a weekly Busboys and Poets series for local stay-at-home parents and early rising families of all kinds! Featuring performances and stories for children ages 5 and under. This week’s featured performer is Jessica Smith “Culture Queen”.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekday Adventures Tagged: fair, garden, Hike, library, music, outdoor

Weekend Picks: Chickasaw Festival, Brady Rymer and America’s Favorite Pastime

August 15, 2014

Montgomery County Fair wraps up this weekend.  Fair hours are 10am-12midnight and carnival hours are 12:00pm-12:00am and animal exhibits in Old MacDonald’s Barn are open each day beginning at 3 pm. Children 11 and under are FREE while adults cost $10. Check the schedule for daily events. Address is 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

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Saturday-

10:00am-6:00pm: Indian Palette for Families
(2716 Ordway St NW., Apt 2, Washington, D.C. 20008)
Experience and celebrate the vibrancy of India at a fun-filled event. An exhibition where you’re sure to leave with hand made clothing and gifts. You can preview the collection here. Bring your loved ones, friends and children. To contact Anu directly you may email her for more information.
[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: animals, art, baseball, DC, decor, fair, festival, Indian, lake, Lessburg, Montgomery County, shop, va, Washington

Weekend Picks: Firehouse Festival, County Fairs and a Postal Family Day

August 1, 2014

Weather calls for some showers this weekend, so check out our indoor guide for fun around DC. Our theatre guide has some wonderful shows to see as well. 

Also going on for the next week (August 2-9) Howard County Fair. You’ll get your fill of amusement rides, animals, games, food, animal rides and much more! Bonus: Children under 10 are free!

Saturday- 

9:00am-2:00pm: The Annual Friendship Firehouse Festival
(107 South Alfred St., Alexandria, VA)
The popular family event features antique fire apparatus, craft booths, displays by Alexandria merchants, and live music. Food and beverages are available. Children will receive free fire helmets and are treated to a supervised visit inside the City’s fire trucks. In addition to the day’s outdoor events, festival participants will enjoy visiting the Friendship Firehouse Museum, originally built as a firehouse in 1855.

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9:00am-7:00pm: 66th Annual Fairfax County 4-H Fair & Carnival
(2709 West Ox Road Herndon, Virginia 20171)
Carnival rides, carousel and wagon rides, animal shows and entertainment. Check website for schedule.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekday Adventures Tagged: animals, baseball, build, carnival, children, elmo, fair, firefighter, legos, museum, music, postal, sleepover

Weekend Picks: The big maze and under the big top

July 4, 2014

Happy Fourth of July! Hope everyone had a nice holiday and got a glimpse of some fireworks and/or held the obligatory sparkler.
There are a few ways to drag out the Fourth of July celebrating. See our previous post on where to spend the holiday.

Saturday: 11:00am-5:00pm: DC Meet Market
(15th and P St NW- parking lot of St. Lukes)
Summer Cookout Party- Proudly sponsored by Honest Tea, Relay Foods, Zipcar, and Think Local First DC, this month at the market we celebrate Independence Day with a fun market cookout party featuring BBQ from Kingston Seoul, locally made gelato from Dolcezza, and handcrafted root beer (including floats!) from Thunder Beast! Join us for a day of fun, family, friends and food! We’ll also have family-friendly live music from Lady Hatchet,  Merry Toddlers More, and dj set by DJ Natty Boom, presented by Rock-n-Romp!With a live art installation provided by No Kings Collective.

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Saturday & Sunday- 

The Big Maze at The Building Museum
(401 F St NW, Washington, DC 20001)
Inspired by ancient labyrinths, garden and hedge mazes of 17th and 18th-century Europe, and modern American corn mazes, this contemporary maze is located in the West Court of the Museum’s historic Great Hall. In addition to viewing the maze from the ground floor, visitors will also be able to get an unexpected aerial perspective from the Museum’s second- and third-floor balconies. Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm.

Washington Nationals host the Chicago Cubs
(Nationals Stdium- 1500 South Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Saturday- 4:05pm
Sunday- 1:35pm  Kids Run the Bases- Kids ages 4 – 12 are invited to run the bases on the field immediately following the game, field conditions permitting.

DC Capital Fair 
(RFK Stadium- 2400 East Capital St SE, Washington, D.C.)
In town through July 6. Find the schedule here. You’ll find a huge carnival, delicious food, games, and free live entertainment and shows including Circus Flores, Lance Gifford’s Magic & Illusion Show, Las Vegas Hypnotist Show, Wild Wolves Show and Tiger Show.

Some great new theatre productions just started, including Pinkalicious and BFG.

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: baseball, building museum, fair, holiday, maze

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