Glen Echo – Page 2

Tricks and Treats around Washington, DC this Halloween

October 9, 2017

Post has been updated and can be found here for 2018

I can’t count the number of times our son wore his “Max” costume from Where the Wild Things Are. Between parades, school, special celebrations and on Halloween he got lots of practicing saying, “Let the wild rumpus start”! Here’s a guide that will help your child get mileage out of their costume(s) this year. Of course, check out our guide to Festivals and Orchards, as many of them have a special Halloween celebration as well as their day-to-day happenings. DC Library also will have a variety of Halloween celebrations, including Creepy Crafts & Pumpkin Decorating! Check out Facebook and Instagram for updated events.

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Weekend Picks: September 29-October 1, 2017

September 29, 2017

Saturday and Sunday from 12:00pm-6:00pm stop by the annual Russian Bazaar at The Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Located at 4001 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20011. Experience the best of Russian culture! Enjoy homemade food, live folk music and dance, unique imported handicrafts, tours of the magnificent 17th century style church and more!

Saturday 10:00am-7:00pm and Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm Fall for Fairfax KidsFest is taking place on the grounds of the Fairfax County Government Center. There will be 2 stages of FREE entertainment including the Innovation Health Kids Stage, and the Cox Community Stage. FREE to attend! Discount ride tickets for the KidWay MidWay are available by clicking here. Activities include scarecrow making*, pumpkin painting*, public safety and recycling-themed exhibits, pony rides*, petting zoo, model trains, instrument petting zoo, and the KidWay MidWay* (with more than a dozen rides and attractions).Plus more than 75 exhibits, activities and great festival food!*Indicates program fee applies.

Fall Festivals have commenced!!! Let the apple and pumpkin picking start.

Maryland Renaissance Festival will be jousting and serving up lots of turkey legs for opening weekend! Take a time machine back to medieval times. With plenty of entertainment, including music, jousting, mazes, puppetry, pony rides, a huge pirate playground and so much more. Your children will see people dressed up in 16th century outfits. Dress like a knight and come participate or just watch! The Festival ends October 22 and is open weekends only.

How I Became a Pirate at Adventure Theatre has showtimes on Saturday and Sunday. Argh matey! It’s pirate’s life for me on the high seas! One day as Jeremy builds a sand castle on the beach, a pirate ship rows ashore in search of a place to bury the pirate’s treasure. Taken aboard as an honorary pirate, Jeremy learns the ropes of what it really means to be a swashbuckling (but smelly) pirate, and the pirates just might learn how to play soccer too. Recommended all ages.

****Follow our Instagram page to learn about more events, not included on the Weekend Picks!!!

Friday-

7:00pm-10:00pm: Drive-in at Union Market: Clue
(1309 5th St NE Washington, DC 20002)
Lot opens 5:30, Lot closes promptly at 7:45, Film begins 8:15, Film ends at 9:50. $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. ***Final drive-in for the season is Friday, November 3: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Saturday-

8:30am-9:30am: Capoeira for Kids Ages 3.5-7 at Bloombars
(3222 11th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001)
Capoeira provides physical fitness for children, ages 4 and up. It is intended to be a no- to low-contact martial art that helps children with gross motor planning and gross motor skills. Children will also learn maculele (a dance done hitting sticks against your partner’s sticks), samba, capoeira instruments, and Portuguese through this fun, interactive class. Classes are $15 each or $120 for a series of ten classes.

9:00am: The Children’s House of Washington Open House
(3133 Dumbarton Street NW., Washington, DC 20007)
Is your child ready for Montessori? Find out today by visiting CHOW and learning more.

9:30am AND 10:30am: Harambe with Baba Ras D at Bloombars
(3222 11th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001)
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.With more than 10 years of experience in youth development, education and conflict resolution, program instructor Baba Ras D’s “Harambe” is a morning jolt of inspiration for parents, caregivers and children. Recommended for ages 0 to 7 years. $7 per child $3 per adult suggested donation.

10:00am-11:30am: Kids Club Coloring Workshop at Steadfast Supply
(300 Tingey St SE #140 Washington, DC 20003)
In Steadfast Supply’s Kids Club coloring workshop, you and your favorite kiddo will work together to explore crayons and watercolors. Each group will use a palette of handmade soy and beeswax crayons from a Childhood Store, plus a wide array of watercolors.Your little one will leave with a one of a kind creation and handmade crayons and watercolors. Ages 5+. Buy tickets here.

11:00am-4:00pm: Leesburg Airshow
(Leesburg Executive Airport)
8th Annual Leesburg Airshow will take to the skies once again with thrilling aerobatic demonstrations, sky divers and more! The main show begins at 1:00pm. For this event there is a suggested donation of $3 per person and $5 per family. The donation can be made at the Airshow entrance gates. There are NO parking or shuttle fees. There are also no tickets needed for this event. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to relax on during the aerobatic portion of the event. No glass bottles or coolers will be permitted. Pets are discouraged- this can be a very loud environment and the ramp can be extremely hot on little paws.

11:00am: DPR Rec Day at Randall Recreation Center
(South Capitol Street SW & I Street SW, Washington, DC)
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is excited to celebrate the 3rd Annual DPR Rec Day. Join us for an extravaganza featuring fun activities, and fun entertainment.Check out the website, there are SO MANY FREE activities.

11:30am-3:00pm: Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day at National Portrait Gallery
(Eighth and F streets N.W., Washington, D.C.)
Bring your families to the Portrait Gallery for a bilingual celebration of the Latino cultures, traditions, and stories that help shape our country. Live music, art activities, and curator talks will make this a day for everyone! This program is sponsored in part by the Reinsch Family Education Endowment.

5:00pm: Petworth Jazz Project
(the lawn of the Petworth Rec Center- 801 Taylor St. NW)
Baba Ras D starts the show off at 5pm. Food Truck is Bibi Ja Korean. Sponsors for Saturday’s Jazz Project are Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon T. Todd and the Executive Office of the Mayor and Muriel Bowser. These events are free and open to the public, bring a neighbor and a tell a friend! Reminder – bring your own blankets, carry your recyclables home and no pets, alas (DPR rules).

Sunday-

10:00am-5:00pm: Takoma Park Street Festival
(Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park, MD to Carroll Street, NW in Takoma, DC)
The festival will once again host a talented mix of local artists offering paintings, photographs, pottery, silk-screening, bath and body care, stained glass, jewelry, woodworking, textiles, ceramics, kids’ items and much more. Non-profits, local companies and a variety of food vendors will also participate. Takoma’s indie businesses will be open and welcoming visitors. Kids love the festival with crafts, face painting, inflatables and FUN! Grab a mug for The Crawl for discounted pours at Takoma restaurants, bars and cafes. Mugs will be available for purchase at the festival info both in front of 7000 Carroll Ave. Three stages with 18 bands will play all day. Don’t miss the fun!

11:00am-4:00pm: Then & Wow! at Glen Echo Park
(7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, MD 20812)
Then & Wow! is the Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual family festival celebrating the Park’s revitalization as an arts center and recalling its history, when the site was an amusement park. The event features kiddie rides and arcade games, as well as videos and an exhibition on the Park’s history. Admission to the park is free. Rides and some activities require tickets.

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Ave Bethesda, MD 20814)
Bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item we used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books. Featured story: Disney’s Aladdin

12:00pm-4:00pm: PIKEtoberfest at Pike & Rose
(11580 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD 20852)
Craft brews, food from the neighborhood restaurants, hay maze, Clark Construction Truck Touch, Calleva Rock Climbing Wall and more. There is something for everyone at our biggest festival of the year. The AMP by Strathmore LIVE music stage features The Local Boyz at 12noon and Cathy Ponton King at 2pm.

Indoor fun in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia

June 23, 2016

There’s an update to this post and it can be found here.

We figured we’d pull together some great indoor options for you and your kids in the Washington, DC metro area– plus some options up the road in Baltimore. So whether it’s raining, snowing — or just too cold or hot outside, here are some fantastic places to check out. They’ll keep your little ones engaged and might even tire them out enough to keep you happy. We’ll try to keep this list updated, so do add your suggestions to the comments below and we’ll keep building! Scroll all the way to the bottom as there are on-going lists of theatres, gyms and other great indoor spaces.

Washington, DC:

Skill Zone- (709 8th Street SE Washington, DC 20003)

SkillZone is a fun, fresh place to play and learn in Washington, DC., open for drop-in play time, classes, and private parties! A place in the city for children 6 & under. Registration is required.

Smithsonian Museum– (Various Locations)

Most are free of charge! Specific child-friendly areas in museums listed below.

U.S. Botanic Garden– (100 Maryland Ave SW)

Massive indoor exhibits, you can spend all day here. Check website as they occasionally have events such as cooking demonstrations, concerts, baby snuggler days and more.
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Weekend Picks

February 19, 2016

An exciting program we’ve been to a few times that occurs each Saturday is at Glen Echo: Saturday Art Explorers. This Saturday it will be from 11:15am-1:00pm (slightly different time than usual). Drop in for an art activity and play in the Candy Corner Studio for $10, no need to pre-register. Play on the playground afterwards, look around the Glen Echo Park Aquarium or catch a show at Adventure Theatre or the Puppet Co.

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Saturday-

10:00am-3:00pm: African American Pioneers in Aviation and Space at National Air & Space Museum
(Independence Ave at 6th St)
Each February, the Museum celebrates the significant contributions African Americans have made to flight and space exploration despite the overwhelming obstacles they had to overcome. Visitors enjoy presentations, hands-on activities, and stories, and may have the opportunity to meet astronauts, fighter pilots, and others who will share stories of their challenges and accomplishments. They also learn about inspiring historic figures like Bessie Coleman through reenactments or story times.
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Weekend Picks

December 11, 2015

Washington Nationals will host Winterfest this weekend at The Convention Center. Test your skills at a variety of baseball attractions and game. Transform yourself into a human snowball in the Steal Home Challenge. Jump into a giant stocking and slide down the “The Slider”. Strike a pose at the life-size snow globe photo station. Take a photo with Santa. Donate a toy to a child in need*. And much, much more! Tickets are; Adults: $30 per ticket, Kids, ages 4-12: $20 per ticket, Kids, ages 3 & under: Free. Open to public 11:30am-4:00pm, other times for season ticket holders.

Ice! Featuring Santa Claus is Coming to Town is still going on at The Gaylord National Harbor. Guests can walk-through holiday attraction, kept at a chilly 9 degrees, marvel at two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculpture, have fun on five ice slides, walk and see the 7 individual rooms depicting the story of Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and see The Frostbite Factory – a live carving zone. [Read more…]

Weekend Picks: jazz, movies and Nationals players

July 17, 2015

Summer is flying by and we have some of the fun DC has to offer right here. This weekend is sure to keep you busy.

Saturday–

10:00am-11:00am: Washington Nationals players at DC Public Libraries
Players will read to children participating in the DC Public Library Summer Reading Program. Participants in the program who meet their Summer reading goals will be rewarded with two free tickets to a Nationals game! And finally, at the close of the Summer, on September 19th, the Washington Nationals will recognize the DC Public Library in a pre-game, on-field ceremony with kids representing each of the 26 branches.

Drew Storen
Tenley Library- 4450 Wisconsin Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016

Stephen Strasburg
Anacostia Library- 1800 Good Hope Rd., SE Washington, DC 20020

Aaron Barrett
Mount Pleasant Library- 3160 16th St., NW Washington, DC 20010

10:00am-1:00pm: Kidical Mass Family Biking: Swim Center!
(355 Martins Ln, Rockville, MD)
Join us for our second Kidical Mass Rockville ride starting at the Rockville Swim Center! The Kidical Mass rides are designed for families with young children or anyone who supports family biking. We welcome parents with children on their own bikes or coming along for the ride via trailers, bike seats, tag-alongs or any other family biking set-up you have. This is a 1.4 mile ride that is a full circle, starting and ending at the Rockville Swim and Fitness Center. We will be meeting at the indoor entrance and using multi-use trails and quiet residential streets. At the end of the ride, we’ll have popsicles to break the heat a little!

MammothFollies_640 10:30am: Hudson Vagabond Puppets at Wolf Trap Children’s Theatre-in-the Woods
(1645 Trap Rd. Vienna, VA. 22182)
Go on a pre-historic adventure with this award-winning theatre troupe as they presentMammoth Follies. Learn about marvelous creatures from the Jurassic era in an old-fashioned revue of original songs, witty jokes, and earth-smashing dances performed by life-size puppets. $10 tickets

10:30-11:30am: Ice Cream Social with Katie Kraft at Stead Park
(1625 P St NW, Washington, DC 20036)
Katie is the owner of Accelerando Music and a certified childhood music educator. Accelerando Music is home to ʻTots with Tempo,ʼ the 2013 winner of Red Tricycleʼs ʻMost Awesome Music Class for Kidsʼ award, as well as the 2015 winner of Washington Familyʼs ʻBest for Families.ʼ With action-oriented songs and interactive movement, she is sure to have the little ones dancing & singing.

7:00pm: Cinema Del Ray showing of Penguins of Madagascar
(Mount Vernon Rec Center: 2017 Belle View Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22307)
Free open air movie showings sponsored by Jen Walker. Snacks are even available for purchase, bring blankets and cozy up. (No 4 legged friends)

Sunday–

3:00pm-7:00: Family Jazz Day at Glen Echo
(7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, MD 20812)
Blues Alley and the Glen Echo Park Partnership are proud to host an afternoon. Family Jazz Day concert featuring the U.S. Army Blues Band, the Blues Alley Youth Ensemble and other youth jazz bands.

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor showing of Jumanji
(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. The 2015 season will run on Sundays from May 10 through September 27. So 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 p.m. and will be shown once, so end times may vary with each movie. A schedule of movies to be shown can be viewed below.

Weekend Picks: Then and Wow, Figment DC and Festivals

September 25, 2014

Pumpkin patches and apple orchards are among the must-do Fall activities. Here is your guide to a few!

FIGMENT DC, is this Saturday and Sunday in Anacostia Park. Megan Fowler gives great insight into the event– FIGMENT is a free, inclusive, participatory arts event held in multiple cities. FIGMENT’s mission is to offer free, family-friendly and participatory art to entire communities. The event blurs the lines between those who create and those who enjoy art — turning an urban park into a magical playground. Ever wanted to insert yourself into a live foosball table? Make a wish and watch it grow into a flower? Join your child in making matching tutus? All of these opportunities plus music, workshops, art, crafts, etc. will be at FIGMENT DC. It is also a unique opportunity to dress up, play, and bring your own imagination to life. Bring your costumes, tutus, hoops, kites, games, and readiness to be silly. And don’t forget your roller skates! The skating pavilion is a great place to show off your skills. Be sure to bring a picnic lunch & water. There will be very limited concessions sold at the event.

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.

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