Heurich House Museum

Weekend Shows-

Ballonacy at Imagination Stage debuted last weekend and is showing through April 8 for ages 1-5. The story of a lonely man who is revived by a visit from a red balloon is reminiscent of the silent films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. The playwright has imagined the man as an older version of the boy in the movie The Red Balloon, now grown up and grown old, having forgotten his youthful adventure. The red balloon returns to rescue its boy!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at Adventure Theatre

The Princess & The Pauper: A Bollywood Tale at Imagination Stage

Circulo/Circle at Encore Stage and Theatre

Big Apple Circus at National Harbor

Saturday-

9:30am AND 11:00am: Saturday Morning at National Theatre: Shakespeare For The Young: The Tiniest Tempest
Shakespeare For The Young’s The Tiniest Tempest is an interactive puppet show for families. Four puppeteers bring the characters of Miranda and Prospero, Antonio and Alonso, as well as Caliban and Ariel to life with their story of hurt, love, revenge, and forgiveness. Large-bodied puppets, shadow puppets, and actors bring this story to life. FREE

10:00am-11:00am: First Studio at The Kreeger Museum
Children are invited to use their imaginations as they explore the paintings, sculpture, and architecture of The Kreeger Museum. Each First Studio includes a gallery tour, a story, and a hands-on art-making experience. An adult companion is required and art-making attire is recommended. Read about our wonderful experience here.

10:00 – 11:30 am: Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center: Family Workshop Two’s Travelers
The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center opens its doors on the weekends to local families. Their unique programs combine playful classroom activities with visits to nearby museums. Each program is developed especially for the age group and with a unique theme. Spaces Available, Two’s Travelers: Riding in My Car. Buckle your seatbelts, it’s time to go for a ride! Through experimentation, our engineers will discover why wheels are circle shapes, and how they makes cars go. We’ll end the class looking at some classic cars at the National Museum of American History.

11:00am-2:00pm: Kids in the Castle at Heurich House
A suit of of armor, woodcarvings of animals & magical beasts, towering ceilings. For children, the Heurich mansion is a magical castle to explore. Held every few months, Kids in the Castle is a free event that encourages kids and their families to wander through the house at their own pace, complete photo scavenger hunts to win prizes, and take a more detailed self-guided tour if they desire. During the warmer months, families can also relax and play games in the Castle Garden. (A limited number of walk-ins will be accepted. Guests may arrive at the museum anytime between 11am and 2pm. Touring through the house will take between 30 minutes and 1 hour.)

12:00pm AND 4:00pm: Alice in Wonderland presented by Metropolitan Ballet Theatre shown at Robert Parilla Performing Arts Center
You’ll watch curious young Alice’s adventures through Wonderland with mischievous and comical characters such as the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and the Queen of Hearts. A family-friendly event for all ages!

3:00pm: GALita: Volcanoes- Cuentos de El Salvador at GALA Hispanic Theatre
Treat your children to this joyful bilingual play with music, songs, dance, and poetry. Written and directed by Cornelia Cody, VolcanO – Tales of El Salvador is a fun journey that navigates the immigrant experience through the legend of the cadejos, the magic dogs of the volcanoes that protect Salvadorans from danger at home and abroad. $10 children/$12 adults

4:00pm-6:00pm: Community Festival at THEARC
Levine Music is proud to present Community Festival at THEARC – a series of 3 events with free music, food, and fun for the entire family! Come enjoy a festival to celebrate the community around our DC Campus: THEARC! Each event is free and will feature an incredible music performance by local DC artists. The Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra began in April 2010 at the historic Bohemian Caverns. Each week until the club’s closing in March 2016, the 17-piece big band held its Monday night residency featuring some of the finest talent in Washington DC. Classic music from the likes of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Gil Evans was augmented by collaborations with Miho Hazama, Oliver Lake, Elliott Hughes, Nathan Parker Smith, and a large book of arrangements by band members Leigh Pilzer and Dan Roberts.

(Photo: Levine Music)

Sunday-

10:30am-11:30am: Meet the Illustrator at Solid State Books
Join illustrator Isabel Roxas, The Littlest Viking for a creative story time, live drawing demo, and signing of her newest book. This event is FREE. RSVP on Facebook.

11:00am-4:00pm: Maker Faire NoVa at George Mason Univeristy
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, projects. They call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. Glimpse the future and get inspired!

1:30pm: St. Patrick’s Day Parade (+ Fun Dog Show) in Alexandria
Visitors and residents are invited to don their green and line King Street in Old Town Alexandria. Participants will include Irish dancers, bands, community groups and more. Parade-goers come early for the Fun Dog Show on Market Square. This year’s fun dog show benefits the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and features costumed dogs competing in a range of categories, including Best Human/Canine Look-Alike, Most Talented and Most St. Paddy’s Spirit. Each of the winners will receive a 2018 “Pet” Troy Award Trophy, in honor of this year’s Grand Marshalls, Pat and Bernadette Troy. The dogs will then kick off the parade.

3:30pm-4:30pm: Toddler & Me Yoga at Yoga District (Columbia Heights Location)
Designed for crawlers to walkers up to around 24 months; come move, sing, and play with your tot to boost social and physical development, meet others families, and get out of the house between nap time and dinnertime. Grown-ups can expect lots of participation, some gentle adult yoga movement, an opportunity to bond, and a chance to learn from your natural little yogis; all loving adults are welcome (parents, grandparents, other caregivers). NOTE: SPACE IS LIMITED – PREREGISTRATION STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. MATS PROVIDED.

Saturday-

9:30am AND 11:00am: Christylez Bacon – Human Beatbox at National Theatre
(1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW)
Human Beatbox – Christylez Bacon, GRAMMY nominated Progressive Hip-Hop artist combines rhyming, storytelling and interactive call and response choruses with diverse instrumentation to deliver a message of cultural acceptance & unification blending traditional elements of musical styles from jazz to hip-hop. Tickets are free.

10:00am-2:00pm: Concord-St.Andrew’s Cooperative Nursery School Spring Fair
(5910 Goldsboro Rd. Bethesda, MD 20817)
Join the Concord-St. Andrew’s Cooperative Nursery School Community (CSA) for the first annual CSA Spring Fair! This family-focused event will feature fun activities for all ages. Rolling Brick pizza will be baking personalized pies on site and sweet treats can be purchased from the CSA Bakery. In addition, vendors from our favorite local sports, camps, and arts program will be on to showcase their offerings. Cost: $5/person and free for children under 2 -Performances by The Great Zucchini (11am) and Groovy Nate (1pm), Two bounce houses, Construction Zone” and “Bang and Clang” play areas, Face painting, Games and more.

10:00am: You & Me Song Circle with Imagination Stage at Avalon Theatre
(5612 Connecticut Ave NW)
You and your child are invited to shake, whistle, giggle, and wiggle in this fun, interactive musical experience with Imagination Stage! In this workshop, an Early Childhood Teaching Artist accompanied by a live percussionist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song, movement, and instrument play. Best for ages 1-5, but all are welcome! Tickets: $8 / $6.50 members.

11:00am-2:00pm: Kids in the Castle at the Heurich House Museum
(1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036)
This family-friendly event allows visitors to explore the gilded details of the Heurich family home at their own pace. The first floor, second floor, and basement will be open for guests. The museum garden will also be open to play and relax in, after going through the house. Children and their parents are invited to wander through the house and complete a scavenger hunt to win prizes. No reservations are required for this event. Since opening its doors, the Heurich House Museum has had restricted access for children. This event, the first in a series of Kids in the Castle events throughout the year, allows children to experience the Heurich House Museum in a way they have not been able to before. Let their imaginations wander as they experience this unique piece of local history.

11:00am-12:00pm: Tom Teasley: A Journey Around the World Through Music at Glenallan Elementary School
(12520 Heurich Road, Wheaton, MD 20902)
Celebrate Music in Our Schools Month with Tom Teasley, award-winning percussionist, world musician and composer. Tom returns to Wheaton after dazzling Season One audiences with an inspiring cross-cultural musical journey around the world, weaving ancient musical traditions with modern technology. A unique performance not to be missed! Great for all ages and free.

3:00pm-5:00pm: Dr. Seuss on the Loose Dance Party at Kensington Town Hall
(3710 Mitchell St., Kensington MD 20895)
Dance, wiggle and giggle with Aaron Anderson of A-Squad Entertainment. Create crafty masterpieces and enjoy the Dr. Seuss Read-a-Thon Room. Don’t miss the Seuss-themed raffle. $5 per person, $20 max per family. All ages welcome (recommended for ages 18 months – 6 years). Please bring a book for our book drive for Crossway Community in Kensington. RSVP here.

Sunday-

9:30am-11:00am AND 2:30pm-4:00pm: Model Airplane Workshop at National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Workshop details: Are you an aspiring aviator or a pilot with potential? Want to learn what keeps a plane in the air? Construct your own rubber-band-propelled model airplane and learn about aeronautics with the D.C. Maxecuters, then try a test flight in the National Building Museum’s Great Hall. Cost per plane/child: $15 Member | $20 Non-member. Ages 8 and up, adult assistance required. Adults do not need to purchase a separate ticket, unless they would like to make their own plane.

11:00am-4:00pm: Flying in the Great Hall at National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Witness death-defying feats of aeronautics – well, model aeronautics, anyway – when the D.C. Maxecuters return to fly their model airplanes in the Museum’s Great Hall. The D.C. Maxecuters have been sharing their love of model aviation with the District of Columbia for over sixty years. Once again, the Maxecuters take-off in the Museum’s Great Hall, sending both rubber band- and electric-powered model planes soaring overhead. FREE, drop-in program. All ages.

PJ Library’s Sensory-Friendly Purim Celebrations

This event is being held in three locations on March 12–pick the one that is most convenient for you:
DC: Washington Hebrew Congregation (10:30 am)
MD: Congregation B’nai Tzedek Potomac (1:30 pm)
VA: Congregation Olam Tikvah (1:30 pm)

Does your child cover their ears in a crowd? Do they avoid loud noises? Do you dread the chaos of a large Purim story reading? Then this may be the perfect, authentic Purim experience for your family. Join PJ Library on for crafts, an interactive reading of the Purim story (megillah), with quiet areas to take a break, a mitzvah (good deed) project and treats to take home. Costumes encouraged but not required. Best for grades K-4. Fun for the whole family! $5 per family, plus bring a canned good to donate.

A few shows to catch this weekend include Nutt & Bolt and A Night at the Wax Museum and many more!

Keep in mind these upcoming events you may need to reserve a spot to attend.

Weekend Picks in and around Washington, DC

Weekend Picks March 10-12