DC Thrifty Mom’s
Things To Do (mostly indoors!) in the
Washington DC Metro Area:
August 2 & 3, 2014
Always call or check the event website before heading out;
Event information is subject to change.
Marvel Day
Barnes & Noble
Saturday ∙ FREE!
Honor Marvel’s 75th anniversary with in-store activities and giveaways – including a chance to win special Marvel prizes and more. While supplies last.
Build a Mini-Crate Pencil Holder Workshop
Home Depot
Saturday ∙ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Come learn how to build bug house and discover the outdoors. It’s a FREE hands-on workshops; designed for children ages 5 – 12.
***Washington D.C.***
Saturday Morning at the National - Brian Curry: It’s Magic!
The National Theatre
Saturday ∙ 9:30 am & 11:00 am ∙ FREE!
Water vanishes in mid-air moments before drenching a hapless volunteer, bottles appear out of nowhere, and the world’s most difficult card trick happens in a flash! Magician Brian Curry keeps even the most skeptical of audiences laughing with befuddlement in a morning filled with mystery.
Harambe!
BloomBars
Saturday ∙ 9:30 & 10:30 am
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.
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. Recommended for ages 6 months to 6 years. Participation is a $7-10 donation per session or $100 for 12 sessions.
Shake Up Your Saturdays: We Are Shakespeare
Folger Shakespeare Library – Haskell Center
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 10:00 am - 11:00 am ∙ FREE!
Explore Shakespeare’s language; own it and find yourself in his words. Recommended ages: 6-12 Reserve your spot.
Stories in Art (4-7): Roman Holiday: Giovanni Paolo Panini
National Gallery of Art – West Building Rotunda
Signup Begins: Saturday 10:00am & Sunday 11:00 am [continues until all spaces are filled] ∙ FREE!
Explore an ancient architectural site in Rome through the painting of Giovanni Paolo Panini.
Stories in Art introduces children ages 4 to 7 to artists through careful looking, storytelling, and hands-on experimentation. Led by museum educators, each program includes reading a children’s book, exploring one work of art in the galleries, and completing a simple hands-on activity. Each program is approximately 60 minutes.
Artful Conversations (Ages 8-11) - See–Wonder–Sound
National Gallery of Art – West Building Rotunda
Signup Begins: Saturday 10:00am & Sunday 11:00 am [continues until all spaces are filled] ∙ FREE!
Artful Conversations uses observation and discussion to explore works of art in the collection. Led by museum educators, each conversation focuses on one work of art in the galleries. Designed for children ages 8 to 11 and adults to participate in together, this program provides a model for families to explore works of art together. Each conversation is approximately 70 minutes. As a courtesy to the group, we will only accept sign-in for children in the age ranges listed.
Kaypi Peru Festival
American Indian Museum
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 10:30 am - 5:30 pm ∙ FREE!
Kaypi Peru means “This is Peru” in the Quechua language. This festival spotlights a week of Peruvian legacy with many artisans and artist sharing the beautiful identity of Peru, the Land of the Incas. Festival highlights include exhibition and sale of handmade crafts by indigenous artisans from Peru, as well as traditional dances and live music, photo exhibitions, films, lectures, Peruvian food and drinks, and hands-on activities for kids and families. View the full schedule.
Free Summer Saturdays – Family Workshop: Animal Maquettes
Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design
Saturday ∙ FREE!
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., North Atrium
Inspired by Albert Paley’s maquettes, families work together to create their own animal displays.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art and Design’s Free Summer Saturdays series of programming includes gallery tours, workshops, demonstrations, and performances. Admission to the museum and to these special programs and workshops is free every Saturday between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.
11 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m.: Guided Tours
Community Leaders Are Readers: The South African Spoken Word Tradition
Presented by Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
Anacostia Neighborhood Library
Saturday ∙ 11:00 am ∙ FREE!
In conjunction with the exhibition Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence, this special edition of “Community Leaders are Readers” focuses on South African languages. Local artist Akua Allrich talks about the tonal rhythms found in African speech patterns and their relationship to poetry and music. A participatory art workshop follows.
Postal Family Day
Postal Museum
Saturday ∙ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm ∙ FREE!
When you hear “Postal Employee,” what kind of work do you imagine?
You’ll be surprised to learn that everything from delivering a piece of mail to analyzing fingerprints are all Postal Service jobs. Did you know there was even a pooch named Owney who worked with postal clerks in the 1890s?
Come to Postal Family Day to learn more about the diverse and fascinating work of Postal Employees through exciting games and activities.
Humanities, Arts & Technology Festival [#HATFestDC]
Gateway DC
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm ∙ FREE Admission!
The Humanities, Arts & Technology Festival at Gateway DC is a free festival showcasing the history, culture, arts and technology of Ward 8 and the creative commerce of Washington, DC as a whole. The events feature an exciting scope of activities, live performances, art exhibits, technology demonstrations, readings and workshops that will be fun for the entire family!
Magic & Ocean Life Activities with Jason Goldberg
Natural History Museum
Saturday ∙ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Jason Goldberg uses magic to connect children and families with the conservation of the ocean and ocean life.
6th Annual Washington International Piano Festival
Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage
Saturday ∙ 6:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Washington International Piano Festival (WIPF) is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the performance and teaching of classical music at the highest standard. The goal of the festival is to provide the best learning experience for young aspiring concert pianists, teachers, amateurs, and piano lovers of all ages by combining an intensive educational program with an outstanding concert series. All participants have the opportunity to work with prominent piano pedagogues in daily one-on-one private lessons and to participate in recitals, educational workshops, lectures, and master classes that focus on both piano solo and piano ensemble repertoire. The festival presents its Young Pianist Showcase featuring award-winning local talent.
5th Annual DC Africa Festival
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center – Woodrow Wilson Plaza
Sunday ∙ 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm ∙ FREE but RSVP Required!
Each year, the Mayor’s Annual Africa Festival celebrates diverse communities of the District’s African diaspora through art, culture, food, history, and music. Since its inception in 2010, the Festival has fast become one of the District’s most anticipated cultural events drawing thousands of attendees. The event stands as a unique testament to the unprecedented growth and presence of the District’s African residents. It further echoes the goals of OAA’s Multicultural Awareness and Community Building Program –celebrating the varied identities of African people; promoting the different cultures within the District’s African community; and encouraging all District residents to learn about African heritage, customs, and history. RSVP here!
Free Community Day: August 2014
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Sunday ∙ 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The first Sunday of the month is Community Day at NMWA! Visit us on Community Day for FREE admission to the museum—take this opportunity to explore our current exhibitions as well as our permanent collection. EXHIBITIONS ON VIEW Total Art: Contemporary Video Meret Oppenheim: Tender Friendships
The Way We Dance
Freer Gallery
Sunday ∙ 2:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Get a taste of Hong Kong’s thriving street-dancing scene with this high-energy, low-budget gem that took local box offices by storm. Watch the trailer. Cherry Ngam was nominated for a Golden Horse Award for her performance as Fleur, a young woman whose pop-locking daydreams propel her from her family’s humble tofu shop to college. There she joins a hip-hop dance crew and enlivens their routines with an injection of tai chi. “A cracking spectacle that showcases some of Hong Kong’s best street dancers” (The Hollywood Reporter). (Dir.: Adam Wong, Hong Kong, 2013, 110 min., D-Cinema, Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles) Part of the series 19th Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival
Sunday Concerts: CityDance Ensemble
National Building Museum
Sunday ∙ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ∙ FREE – Drop in program!
Join CityDance Ensemble as they explore dances from around the world in their presentation of “Dancing In One Language.” Presented in collaboration with Washington Performing Arts.
Celebrate Sunday with the Nationals ∙ WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. Phillies
Nationals Park
Sunday ∙ Game begins at 1:35 pm
Celebrate Sunday with the Nationals and enjoy the Family Fun Promos: SIGNATURE SUNDAYS PRESENTED BY NEW ERA [fans must obtain a free voucher to participate in autograph sessions], KIDS RUN THE BASES [ages 4 - 12] & JR. NATIONALS KIDS CLUB. DISCOUNT CODE: THRIFTY14 AND Washington Nationals to Host 2014 Harris Teeter Food Drive on August 3. It’s An OPPORTUNITY FOR FREE TICKETS & $5 NATS BUCKS (while supplies last).
REMINDER – Children Two and under are admitted FREE! GO NATS!!!
Soular Sundays
Marvin Gaye Park
Sunday ∙ FREE Event!
Experience the beauty of our community: Food, Music, Dancing, Yoga, Art, Shopping, Friends & Family. Thank you Thrifty Friend, Octavia, for volunteering to be a guest thrifty correspondent and sharing this event!
DC PUBLIC LIBRARY Activities - Find FREE things to do for kids in every library in D.C.:
Library-Con: Anime, Comics, Manga, and Beyond ∙ Petworth Library ∙ Saturday, 12 pm - Library-Con is a multigenerational programming event that will provide information and expose the world of anime/manga, comics, Star Wars, and TV production to library customers of all ages! Come out and connect with the community through culturally based activities, forums, and crafts held throughout the library.
Reptiles Alive! ∙ Chevy Chase Library ∙ Saturday, 1 pm – Get an exciting introduction to the world of reptiles. Learn snake secrets and laugh at lizard stories and turtle tales. Featured animals may include a boa constrictor, tortoise, exotic lizards and other amazing animals.
Uno, Dos, Tres con Andrés! ∙ Mt. Pleasant Library – Saturday at 2 pm & William O. Lockridge/Bellevue Library – Sunday at 2 pm ∙ Sing, shake and sound out rhythms while trying regional Latin dances and practicing Spanish words. Dance to La Bamba, discover the colors in Spanish and meet friends of all kinds, including an iguana named Juana! For ages birth — 5.
Zumba Kids ∙ Capitol View Library ∙ Sunday, 3:30pm – All we need is a beat!! Zumba Kids is the perfect combination of fun and fitness. Join us as we dance to great music with easy to follow kid-friendly moves. Ages 4-13.
***Maryland***
Elmo’s Birthday Bash!
National Children’s Museum
Saturday ∙ 10:00 am ∙ Included in Museum Admission
Celebrate Elmo’s birthday with cake and special activities.
Dance party on the world map at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. with Elmo and friends!
Train Day!
Gaithersburg Community Museum
Saturday ∙ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Visitors are invited to view BANTRAK N-Gauge model train displays, explore a caboose, visit the 1918 steam locomotive on display in the adjacent History Park, and shop for train-related items in the Museum gift shop. With any luck visitors can also enjoy the sights and sounds of the actual CSX, Amtrak and MARC trains that rumble past the Museum on a regular basis.
Greenberg’s Train & Toy Show
Maryland State Fairgrounds
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ∙ $8 – Kids Under 12 FREE!
The Largest Train and Toy Show in the Northeast! Free Workshops and Demonstrations. Hourly Door Prize Giveaways.
Pinkalicious – The Musical
Adventure Theatre MTC
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm ∙ $10.50-$19
Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe – a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament.
Based on the book “Pinkalicious” by Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann ∙ Book by Elizabeth Kann & Victoria Kann ∙ Music by John Gregor ∙ Lyrics by John Gregor, Elizabeth Kann & Victoria Kann ∙ Directed by Carl Menninger ∙ Starring Felicia Curry ∙ All Ages. The show continues through Sunday, August 31. Check TicketPlace.org for discount ticket availability.
Little Red Riding Hood and the 3 Little Pigs
The Puppet Co. Playhouse
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 11:30 am & 1:00 pm ∙ $10
What’s so bad about the Big Bad Wolf? At last B.B. (Big Bad) Wolfe tells his side of the story, in rap, no less. Has the notorious pork poacher and grandma impersonator gotten a bum rap, or is he truly deserving of his moniker? You be the judge! This tongue-in-cheek version of two children’s favorites uses humor and music to explore our fear of things we don’t understand. This is one of our funniest productions and includes lots of audience participation. The show continues through Sunday, August 31.
FutureVet® with Banfield® Pet Hospital
National Children’s Museum
Sunday ∙ 1:00 pm ∙ Included in Museum Admission
A licensed veterinarian will teach children all about the exciting world of veterinary medicine!
Your children will learn about what it means to be a responsible pet owner and what doctors look for when they examine your pets.
Children will receive a program diploma, stethoscope and goodie bag during “graduation.”
Space and supplies limited. Activities included with Museum admission.
Family Sundays
Baltimore Museum of Art
Sunday ∙ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The BMA is the place to be for free family fun! Every Sunday, enjoy different activities—sketching tours, hands-on workshops, gallery tours, and more—designed just for families. AUGUST Theme: Contemporary Explorations - Aug 3: Fold a Flip Book
***Virginia***
Shopping Alert: August 1-3, 2014. During the Virginia Sales Tax Holiday shoppers will save 5 percent on purchases of school supplies costing $20 or less per item, orclothing and footwear priced at $100 or less. The sales tax exemption applies to each eligible item, regardless of how many items you purchase at the same time.
Friendship Firehouse Festival
Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday ∙ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm ∙ Free Admission!
The Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association holds its annual Firehouse Festival each year on the first Saturday in August. The popular family event features antique fire apparatus, craft booths, displays by Alexandria merchants, and live music.
We Share STEM! Connecting Across Cultures: Heritage Family Day & Helicopter Display
Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center
Saturday ∙ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm ∙ Free , parking $15
This heritage series family day will highlight the contributions of scientists and engineers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) professions across cultures, from Juan de la Cierva, the inventor of the Gyroplane, to Dr. George Carruthers, the inventor of the first Moon-based observatory. Outside, see a display of helicopters and meet the pilots who fly these amazing rotorcraft. Indoors, talk to an astronaut, participate in an array of hands-on activities with Museum staff; radio control rocketry and airplane groups; professional engineering organizations; Washington Metropolitan Area LEGO Users Group; and local astronomers. There will also be Flights of Fancy Story Time with arts and craft activities for our youngest visitors. Guest presenters in the STEM professions will be on hand, including Latino professionals participating in the ¡Descubra! Meet the Science Expert Series, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Latino Center.
BrickFair VA 2014
Dulles Expo Center
Saturday & Sunday ∙ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm ∙ Tickets: $12 (3 & under FREE)
LEGO models, displays and winding trains sprawled out over 100,000 square feet.
BrickFair brings together adult fans of LEGO from across the USA (and Canada, and a few other countries) to show off their projects, great and small, and to share their passion for LEGO – the most awesome toy - ever.
LEGO fan festivals like BrickFair are great fun for the whole family!
Join in a game or two – maybe win a LEGO set. Vendors will be offering all things LEGO, including shirts, hats, minifigures, custom-molded weapons, unique models, keychains and… really… everything you never imagined.
Signature’s Open House
Signature Theatre
Saturday ∙ 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Join Signature Theatre for an Open House including special ticket offers, free performances every fifteen minutes, kids’ activities and more!
Mestey Films Productions presents: ”The Ice Queen”
Workhouse Arts Center
Saturday ∙ 1:00 pm ∙ $9-$12
Being the Ice Queen is not easy! Our story unfolds as the sister of the mysterious Ice Queen and Charles (a Wise Man) is determined to find her true love. But, it won’t be an easy task, as who can really understand the Ice Queen? When Jack Frost enters the picture, new twists and turns evolve! Will the Ice Queen and Jack Frost make the perfect pair and live happily ever after? “Chill Out” this Summer with this new original fairytale by Vianlix Mestey! This show continues every Saturday at 1:00 pm through Aug 9.
DISNEY JR.’S CHOO CHOO SOUL
B&O RAILROAD MUSEUM
GIVEAWAY ENDS MONDAY!
Visit our Calendar for more FREE & Cheap happenings.
Enjoy your weekend!
*****
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