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Weekend Picks: June 2-4, 2017

June 2, 2017

Join us for the 37th annual Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park, (pictured above) Saturday and Sunday, June 3 & 4, 2017 from 12pm – 7pm. One of the most popular events of the year at Glen Echo Park, the Festival attracts close to 10,000 visitors. Free to the public and held rain or shine, the Festival features over 450 musicians, storytellers, dancers, and crafters from the greater Washington area. Produced by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington in collaboration with the Glen Echo Park Partnership, the Washington Folk Festival is a celebration of this region’s rich cultural diversity. International performers share the music, dance, and cultural traditions they brought from their original homes while American performers showcase a variety of musical traditions that developed in this country.

At Jazz ‘n Families Fun Days in partnership with The Phillips Collection, DC JazzFest celebrates the synergy between jazz and the visual arts with performances by more than a dozen regional artists and rising star ensembles. This free, family-friendly weekend event will feature storytelling, unique meet-the-artist opportunities, an instrument petting zoo, art workshops, and more! Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 12pm-7pm.

Friday-

5:00pm-8:30pm: Jazz in the Garden in the Sculpture Garden
(7th St SW & Independence Ave SW)
It’s back and I couldn’t be more excited! Pack a picnic and head to the garden for an eclectic mix of jazz is performed by top Washington-area artists. Alcohol can be purchased at the garden but you can not bring it in yourself.

Gates open at 5:30pm, Movie starts at 9:00pm: Movie Nights in the Heights
(Harriet Tubman Elementary School- Irving Street near 11th St)
The movie will start when it gets dark. Set up a blanket and enjoy a picnic! In case of rain, wind, or a wet field, the movie will be moved to the Salvation Army at 3335 Sherman Ave. Movie: Space Jam

Lot opens 6:00, Lot closes promptly at 8:15, Film begins 8:45, Film ends at 10:20: Union Market Drive-In
(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. Movie: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

Saturday-

9:30am-10:30am: Imagination at Noyes Storybook Parade

(10237 Carroll Place, Kensington, MD)
Children and adults are encouraged to dress as their favorite storybook character and bring musical instruments (including drums, triangles and cymbals) to march in the parade. Classic characters, such as The Cat in the Hat, Winnie the Pooh, and Dorothy and Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz, will also be participating. The free event begins with the parade at 9:30 a.m. Lemonade and cookies will follow the parade, and the event ends at 10:30 a.m. The rain date is June 4. The parade will follow a short route that starts at Noyes Children’s Library.

10:00am-5:00pm: Strawberry Festival at Sandy Spring Museum
(17901 Bentley Rd Sandy Spring, MD 20860)
Sandy Spring Museum is gearing up for the 36^th Annual Strawberry Festival! This event has grown to over 6,000 attendees and is something you won’t want to miss! Taking place throughout the museum’s 7 acres along Route 108, the event features live music and entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden, and activities for children of all ages. Over the years the Strawberry Festival has featured a rock climbing wall, pony rides, a petting zoo, and much more! Purchase a wristband for unlimited kids activities. $10 ahead of time (place your order before 5 pm June 3) or $15 on the day of the event Click here to save money

10:00am-3:00pm: Imagination Bethesda
(Woodmont Avenue and Elm Street in downtown Bethesda)
Celebrate children, art, and all things fun at the 23nd annual Imagination Bethesda. Activity tents line the streets, face painters bring butterflies and pirates to life, a stage of live entertainment will have the whole street dancing, and more! Enjoy this FREE family fun day!

11:00am-3:30pm: Kalorama Park Community Day

(1875 Columbia Rd. NW)
Join us for the 2nd Annual Kalorama Park Community Day celebration! We are aiming to build on the success of last year’s event, this year with even more fun activities, entertainers, and local businesses and organizations. Meet your neighbors, try a new form of exercise, discover a local band, spend time with your family, and more. See you at the park!

Sunday-

12:00pm-7:00pm: Jazz ‘n Families Fun Days

(See above)

12:00pm-7:00pm: Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park

(See above)

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor
(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! Movie: Moana

Weekend Picks: April 7-9

April 6, 2017

Easter egg hunts have commenced!!! Hop in on this free community Easter egg hunt, Eggstravaganza, where kids can collect as many candy-filled eggs as they can find. Enjoy getting to know neighbors, grab some free popcorn, take part in games and outdoor fun, and even meet the Easter Bunny! Register online.

Saturday-

10:00am-1:00pm: Eggstravaganza at South Run Recreation Center
(7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield, VA 22153)

11:00am-2:00pm: Eggstravaganza at Four Mile Run Park
(4109 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305)

11:00am-1:00pm: Eggstravaganza at Garrison Elementary
(1200 S St NW, Washington, DC 20009)

12:00pm-4:00pm: 2nd Annual PEEPS Day at National Harbor
(165 Waterfront St National Harbor, MD 20745)
Celebrate everyone’s favorite treat with kids’ activities, a DJ, the PEEPS mascot, a movie, and the National Harbor World PEEPS Eating Championship, hosted by Major League Eating! There will also be a moon bounce maze, a climbing wall, cornhole, facepainting, and more! The Capital Wheel celebrates PEEPS Day with one free tickets for kids (12 and under) with one paid adult ticket. See ticket kiosk for details.

Saturday & Sunday- Febergé Egg Family Festival at Hillwood Estate & Garden
(4155 Linnean Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008)
Admire the exquisite imperial eggs and other fanciful Fabergé creations collected by Marjorie Post. Experience festive folk music performed by Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble and spirited dancing by Kalinka Dance Ensemble. Enjoy stories of Russian Easter traditions in a fun family play, produced by Happenstance Theater. Take part in a traditional Russian egg-rolling game. Step into Fabergé’s Workshop to decorate your own Fabergé-inspired egg.

Saturday & Sunday (as well as other weekends in April): 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 (we provide the basket!), 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. $9 per child and $7 per adult. Open 10:00am-4:00pm.

Saturday-

9:00am-10:00am: Weekend Walk in the Woods at Woodend Nature Sanctuary
(8940 Jones Mill Road Chevy Chase, MD 20815)
FREE family programs are here! We invite you to take an hour out of your schedule to enjoy spending time with your family outdoors. Join our Master Naturalists on the first Saturday of each month from 9-10 am for a nature hike around Woodend Sanctuary. Each hike will have a unique and exciting natural history theme. Programs are appropriate for family members of all ages. Please come prepared to hike in sneakers and don’t forget your water bottle. We hope you will join us for our exciting new programs each month! Meet at the gazebo by the main house.

9:30am-5:00pm: STEM in Spring at Port Discovery
(35 Market Place Baltimore, MD 21202)
School may be out for spring break, but your kids can still learn while they have FUN at Port Discovery! Immerse yourself into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) activities that challenge your visual perception during Light City Baltimore! Lasting from Saturday-April 17.

10:00am-12:00pm: National Cherry Blossom Parade
(Constitution Avenue – From 7th to 17th streets, NW)
One of DC’s largest spectator events, the energy-filled National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® presented by Events DC runs for 10 blocks along iconic Constitution Avenue. Giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers burst down the Parade route in a grand spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the Festival. From the National Archives to the Washington Monument, spectators are wow-ed by the pageantry and excitement that is the nation’s premier springtime parade.

10:30am-6:00pm: 57th Annual Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival
(M St and New Jersey Ave SE)
The Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival is the largest one-day celebration of Japanese culture in the United States and is proud to be the grand finale of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Performers and vendors travel from all over the country and the world to Washington, DC to share their love of Japanese culture and traditions with the Festival attendees.Sakura Matsuri tickets can be bought in advance online and at the gate on the day-of for $10 with children 12 and under always free. Ticket sales on the day of the festival are cash only.

1:00pm-3:00pm: Emancipation Day Parade and Truck Touch
(1000-1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)
Events include the parade at 1:00pm, the concert at Freedom Plaza at 3:00pm and fireworks at 9:00pm.

2:00pm-3:00pm: Acton Children’s Business Fair Launch Party at the Kennedy-Warren
(3133 Connecticut Ave NW)
Learn about the business coming to Cleveland Park on May 13 and how your child (ages 6-14) can participate. Hear the experiences of young entrepreneurs from the 2016 Business Fair.

Sunday-

11:00am-2:00pm: Design with Nature at the National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Explore the intersection of design, building, and the natural environment. In celebration of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, attendees of all ages can discover ways in which environment inspires design. Learn how nature can be intentionally integrated into and around built spaces. Fold origami flowers and join other families to design a large-scale paper garden to help bring spring into the Great Hall. Construct and decorate your own nature-inspired miniature Japanese bӯobu screens. Picnic inside the Museum and listen to a springtime story.

1:00pm-5:00pm: Anacostia River Festival
(Anacostia Park: Anacostia Drive & Good Hope Road SE)
The National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park present the third annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the 2017 National Cherry Blossom Festival. For a taste of local D.C., come celebrate the Anacostia River and take a canoe out to explore the River, ride in our bike parade, play lawn games with your family and experience Southeast D.C.’s local arts scene at this special FREE event. This year we are celebrating biking in the District with trail rides, safety classes, quick bike tune ups and special bike activities for all ages.

President’s Day Weekend Picks 2017

February 17, 2017

Celebrate George Washington’s birthday this weekend with special activities at Mount Vernon! Honor President George Washington on Presidents Day by attending Mount Vernon’s events for FREE on February 20 and 22 (his actual birthday) or pay admission any other day, children under 5 are free! Story time, character performances, card making, birthday cake and more. See schedule online.

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Disney on Ice: Dream Big is at Verizon Center from February 15-20, 2017

Saturday-

9:30am AND 10:30am: Mr. Gabe will be performing at Little Loft
(7007 Carroll Ave Takoma Park, MD)
Saturday Morning Family Jam $6/ticket (since this is a show for ages 0-5, ALL attendees must have a ticket)
9:30 am: Purchase tickets here 10:30 am: Purchase tickets here

10:00am: Avalon Theatre plays Babe
(5612 Connecticut Ave NW)
A young pig fights convention to become a sheep dog — or, rather, sheep pig — in this charming Australian family film that became an unexpected international success in 1995. Confused and sad after being separated from his family and sent to a strange farm, the piglet Babe is adopted by a friendly dog and slowly adjusts to his new home. Discovering that the fate of most pigs is the dinner table, Babe devotes himself to becoming a useful member of the farm by trying to learn how to herd sheep.

10:00am-4:30pm: Discover Engineering Family Day at The National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Kick off National Engineers Week with a fun-filled day at the Museum. Drop in to meet real engineers and to test out your ideas with over 20 hands-on engineering activities. You can launch rockets, meet an astronaut, make slime, pop popcorn, and more. Register online. This event is free.

10:00am: First Studio at The Kreeger Museum
(2401 Foxhall Road, NW Washington D.C. 20007)
Children are invited to use their imagination as they explore the paintings, sculpture, and architecture of The Kreeger Museum. Each program includes a gallery tour, a story and a hands-on art-making experience. Adult companion required and art-making attire recommended. $10 register online. To get a glimpse into the program see my review here.

10:00am: Jason Didner & The Jungle Gym at Jammin Java
(227 Maple Ave E Vienna, VA 22180)
Jason and Amy’s performance for kids and their grown-ups is more interactive than ever! Act out the parts of a fire engine, shake an egg shaker, twirl a colorful dance ribbon, and catch the rock-n-roll spirit. This is a musical experience for the whole family to cherish together. Tickets are $8

10:30am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814)
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist 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. Featured story: Five Little Monkeys

11:00am: The Saturday Family Jazz Sessions at Strathmore’s Mansion
Junior jazz aficionados spend Saturday mornings singing, playing, and preparing for a lifetime of music appreciation. Strathmore’s fun, creative, kid-friendly series features world music percussionist Tom Teasley, renowned jazz singer Rochelle Rice, and multi-instrumentalist Seth Kibel. Recommended for ages 3–8. All sessions take place Saturdays at 11am in the Mansion. All attendees, regardless of age, must have a ticket. Children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adults must also have a ticket. $10 for each session in advance, $12 at the door.

2:30pm: ComedySportz at DC Improv
(1140 Connecticut Ave NW)
A Saturday afternoon improv comedy show for kids as young as first grade. ComedySportz is a comedy troupe that specializes in short-form improv games. This show features child-sized versions of those games, hosted by a Kids Coach. Younger kids enjoy being able to shout out during a show, and older kids (even teenagers) enjoy being given the chance to go crazy onstage. Doors open at 2:00, the show starts at 2:30, and it lasts around 60 minutes. Admission is $10 per person.

Sunday-

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Fun-Day at Imagination Stage
(4908 Auburn Avenue Bethesda, Maryland 20814)
We invite you and your child to bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, movement, music, 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. Activities in Sunday Fun-Day are most appropriate to 3-5 year-olds but 1-2 year-old siblings and friends are also welcome! Featured story: This is Not My Hat

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Monday-

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 + Rhyme at Busboys & Poets
(5331 Baltimore Avenue Hyattsville, MD 20781) AND (235 Carroll St NW Washington, DC 20012)
A Busboys and Poets in-house series! Rise + Rhyme is a weekly morning storytelling and performance series for children ages 5 and under, stay-at-home parents, and early rising families of all kinds.

10:00am-12:00pm: Open Studio at Little Loft
(7007 Carroll Ave Takoma Park, MD)
Join us for some pop art presidents, as well as our usual assortment of tactile play stations – rice table, sand table, play dough. For kids ages 2-8 for this school day off. Adult caregiver must be present. No pre-registration necessary, just drop in! $12/child at the door (half price per additional child)

10:30am: Rocknoceros at Jammin Java
(227 Maple Ave E Vienna, VA 22180)
As every family with youngsters in the Washington, DC area knows, Rocknoceros is three guys: Coach, Williebob, and Boogie Bennie. They have been making award-winning music together since 2005 and are celebrating their 10th year together with a brand new album. Tickets $5.

1:00pm-3:00pm: George Washington Birthday Parade in Alexandria
It winds through a one-mile route along the historic streets of Old Town on President’s Day. It is the oldest and largest, thanks to thousands of participants.

4:30pm: Rainbow Rock Band at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub
(2300 Mt Vernon Ave Alexandria, VA 22301)
Our family loves this coffee pub and it’s sweet treats of course but an added bonus to hear live music.

Weekend Picks January 27-29

January 27, 2017

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(Photo: The Maestro at The National Theatre)

Friday-

6:00pm-9:00pm: Spy Fest: A Kidspy Family Festival! at The Spy Museum
(800 F St NW)
Families are invited to find out how they measure up at the Museum’s Annual Spy Fest. Mini-missions, tradecraft demonstrations by the experts, and the chance to try spy skill challenges will give KidSpy agents and their handlers an insider’s peek into the shadow world of spying—and who knows, there just may be a spy or two in your midst… Ages: 5 and up* (one adult required for every five KidSpy agents) Tickets are $14/pp. Ticket includes exclusive after-hours admission, SPY snacks, scavenger hunt, prize competitions, and more!
***This event may be sold out, we posted it on the RSVP post so you can plan ahead for other events that sell out quickly.

Saturday-

Blue is playing this weekend at Imagination Stage and is super cute for ages 0-5.

9:30am-4:30pm: The Library of Congress Young Readers
(Jefferson Building Room G29)
Join us to celebrate new ways of engaging with the Young Readers Center. Come for the ribbon cutting with Dr. Carla Hayden and our Teen Board representatives, story time with award-winning authors Meg Medina and Erica S. Perl, stay for crafts, book accessibility demonstrations, and a very special guest parade. Wear your best book character costume and come have fun! Doors open 9 a.m., special programs 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Space is limited, please arrive early!

9:30am AND 11:00am: The Maestro at The National Theatre
(1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20004)
In the tradition of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, an eccentric mute conductor (Mark Jaster) makes musical mayhem with the kids serving as his unwitting orchestra. Young and old will laugh with delight with high art and slapstick comedy intertwined in a musical morning filled with chaos and confusion.

11:00am-2:00pm: Paint, Build, Create! at Fairlington Community Center & Park
(3308 S Stafford St. Arlington, VA. 22206)
A free day of art and creativity: STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and the Arts) programming, including go-bots, Indoor snowball fight, Letter/postcard making, Pendulum art, Art exhibits, Cooking project, Special teen lounge with activities for ages 12 & up. See schedule online for times of certain workshops and classes. Local food truck The Farm Effect will be serving up farm-fresh sandwiches and salads.

11:00am-3:00pm: Cocoa and Coloring
(135 West Washington St. Hagerstown, MD 21740)
Join us at the Miller House Museum for a cozy afternoon of family-friendly fun! We’ll provide everything you need to get started: crayons, colored pencils, historical coloring pages for both kids and adults—and a bottomless hot chocolate bar! Top off your cup with treats like whipped cream, graham cracker crumbs, marshmallows and sprinkles and keep coming back for more! Full-size coloring books, locally made mugs and other presents will be available for purchase, and the museum will be open for tours. All ages welcome, but parents must accompany children under the age of 12. This is a free event, but space can be limited at certain times of the day. You’re welcome to pre-register by calling (301)-797-8782.

11:30am-3:00pm: Chinese New Year Festival at American Art Museum Renwick Gallery
(800 G St)
Join SAAM as we open our doors to the Chinatown and DC community for the 2017 Lunar New Year and celebrate the Year of the Rooster! Help us “awaken the lion” and ring in the New Year. Enjoy a variety of activities and demonstrations throughout the day including: traditional paper cutting; bristle dolls; dough sculpting; a display of painting the inside of snuff bottles by Beijing Folk Artists; calligraphy demonstrations with the Confucius Institute at George Washington University; mask coloring and New Year card making with the Confucius Institute at George Mason University; an art scavenger hunt; plus red paper lantern making, coloring sheets, and rooster crafts.

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Sunday-

2:00pm: DC Chinese New Year’s Parade
(6th & I St)
Come help usher in 4716, the Year of the Rooster. Take METRO to Gallery Place Chinatown. Come early and grab lunch at one of the many dining spots. This year’s spectacle will be the biggest and best yet. With over 50 parade entries don’t miss this one. It’s all free…so bring the whole crew!

Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 2017 around Washington, DC

January 14, 2017

Do your children know why they are off school on Monday? Here are some events and opportunities you can share with your child to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” There are plenty of places open and needing assistance on Monday to serve those less fortunate and other places open to remember King.

In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Make an impact on your community.

Washington, DC:

Martin Luther King Jr., Parade- Monday, January 16, 2017, 10:00am
(2500 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE)
Nick Cannon will once again lead the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Peace Walk held annually on the federal MLK holiday. The Peace Walk is coordinated by the Coalition for Peace, a group of individuals and non-profits dedicated to peace and positivity for the DMV’s youth.

“It Takes a Village” Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Project Monday, January 16, 2017- This year there are opportunities for participants to either serve off-campus in direct service projects or engage on-campus through workshops and mobile service projects.

Let Freedom Ring! – Monday, January 16, 2017 at 6:00pm– The Kennedy Center and Georgetown University celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with the free, ticketed musical tribute Let Freedom Ring!The annual program, part of the free daily performance series on the Millennium Stage, features Grammy Award winner Gladys Knight and the Let Freedom Ring Choir led by Music Director Rev. Nolan Williams Jr.

Visit the Martin Luther King Memorial– This weekend is a great time to visit the Memorial. National Park Service Rangers discuss King’s role in the Civil Rights movement daily. The National Park Service will host a wreathlaying service on January 19, 2015, 8:00am-9:00am. in observance of the birthday-anniversary for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Join Rock Creek Conservancy on Saturday, January 14th and Monday, January 16th in honor of the 2017 MLK Day of Service. There are volunteer events in your neighborhood as well as other locations throughout Washington, DC, and Montgomery County, MD.

Maryland:

Monday, January 16 at 3:30pm Dr. MLK Jr Tribute & Celebration at Strathmore
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Tribute & Celebration is a multi-cultural program that engages diverse, talented performers and award honorees who serve their communities unselfishly. Approximately 2,000 young people, including county officials and local press, participate in this commemoration in the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Limit four tickets per household.

I Have A Dream Weekend Celebration at Port Discovery Children’s Museum taking place from 10:00am-4:00pm Saturday, Sunday & Monday. Community comes to life over the three-day “I Have a Dream” weekend! Join the Museum to celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Montgomery County MLK Day of Service 2017 is a great family friendly event and one in which MCPS students can earn SSL hours. This annual event, organized by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and our many partner agencies, will feature a wide variety of coordinated family-friendly service projects at locations across the county, providing residents of all ages with ways to help our community. Projects will include everything from packaging food for the hungry and making dog toys for animal shelter to creating blankets for hospice and crafting appreciation cards for military troops.

Weekend Picks and Labor Day 2016 in and around Washington, DC

September 1, 2016

We survived the first two weeks of school. How’d everyone else do? Here’s a list of quick day and overnight trips, festivals, parades in addition to some Weekend Picks.

Labor Day is the official end to summer but that doesn’t mean the fun in the City stops. Refer to our Summer Guide for places to cool off at this weekend.

46th Annual Labor Day Art Show at Glen Echo is September 2-5.The 46th Annual Labor Day Art Show features more than 200 artists from the greater Washington, DC area and over 450 works of art including photography, painting, ceramics, jewelry, glass, textiles, and more. Free admission.

15th Annual Page-to-Stage New Play Festival at Kennedy Center is Saturday-Monday. The Kennedy Center hosts more than 50 D.C.-area theater companies in a series of free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals being developed by local, regional, and national playwrights, librettists, and composers.

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Here’s a short list of quick day or overnight trips for your holiday weekend-

Shenandoah National Park

North Shore Beach

Harpers Ferry

Luray Caverns

Baltimore
[Read more…]

Weekend Picks and Labor Day

September 4, 2015

Phew– I survived my first full week with my oldest being in full-time PreK….barely. How’d everyone else do?

Labor Day is the official end to summer but that doesn’t mean the fun in the City stops. Refer to our Summer Guide for places to cool off at this weekend.

The Kennedy Center kicks off a fun exhibit today; Skateboarding, Music and Media and runs through Sept. 13. The boys in my house will definitely want to check this out, maybe we will head there when they host an Open Skate Session! There will be art and movie screenings as well as opportunities to watch skaters and even participate.

The Nationals play all weekend in town! Friday and Saturday are evening games, do I hear a date night opportunity?! Sunday and Monday are afternoon games, perfect to take the family.

Saturday-

10:00am-7:00pm: Maryland Renaissance Festival will be the weekends of August 29-October 25. The festival kicked off last weekend! The festival is free to children 11 and under this weekend. 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!
[Read more…]

Weekend Picks: Blues, Jazz and Labor Day

August 28, 2014

Maryland Renaissance Festival kicked off last weekend! The festival is free to children 11 and under this weekend. 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.

Curtain call on some great theater performances this weekend. Check out the list and see a show.

Friday-

5:00pm-8:30pm: Jazz in the Sculpture Garden
(7th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW)
This is the final concert of the summer. The free concert series has featured jazz artists performing a wide variety of styles—salsa, blues fusion, xylophone, Afrofunk, and more. Bring a picnic dinner.

Saturday-

10:00am-10:00pm: Library of Congress National Book Festival
(Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl., NW, Washington, D.C)
This year’s festival will feature authors, poets and illustrators in several pavilions well into the evening. Festival-goers can meet and hear firsthand from their favorite poets and authors, get books signed, enjoy special entertainment, and stay up late for special new graphic novel, poetry and film programs.

12:00pm-7:30pm: 26th Annual Blues Fest at Carter Barron Amphitheater
(16th Street & Colorado Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008)
Throughout the day, visit the John Cephas Workshop Stage for workshops led by talented and well-known artists who will entertain children and adults. Check out The John Cephas Workshop Stage from 12:00 – 4:00 pm for the Children’s Instrument Play Area. Admission is free.

2:00pm-8:00pm: 8th Annual Jazz and Blues Festival at Lake Anne
(1609 Washington Plaza, Reston , VA)
This free, family friendly, all-day event will showcase a variety of talented regional and national jazz & blues performers.

2:00pm: The Fresh Beat Band at Wolf Trap
(1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, VA)
It’s a “Great Day” to sing and dance “Just Like a Rockstar” with Kiki, Marina, Twist, and Shout from Nick Jr.’s sensational TV band! All patrons, including children of any age, must have a ticket to performances. Tickets range from $25-125.

Sunday-

3:00pm-11:00pm: Capitol Concert
(1st St SE., Washington, DC 20515)
Gates open at 3:00pm, open rehearsal at 3:30pm and concert begins at 8:00pm. This year’s program explores American music from TV, movies, and beloved Broadway musicals, with a veritable “who’s who” of notable composers represented. Concert is 90 minutes in length.

Parade Guide-
Kensington, MD 46th Annual Parade and Festival

Old Towne Gaithersburg Parade

Greenbelt Parade and Festival

Herndon Labor Day Festival