DC Thrifty Mom’s
FREE & Cheap Things To Do
in the Washington DC Metro Area:
August 16 & 17, 2014
Always call or check the event website before heading out;
Event information is subject to change.
***Washington D.C.***
2014 Pokémon TCG World Championships
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Through Sunday, August 17
The 2014 Pokémon TCG World Championships are the ultimate test of a player’s Pokémon TCG skills, strategy, and creativity. Each year, Champions are awarded the most prestigious title in the Play! Pokémon Championship Series: Pokémon TCG World Champion!
Saturday Morning at the National - Christiana Drapkin: Bop Goes the Weasel!
The National Theatre
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 9:30 am & 11:00 am ∙ FREE!
Clap your hands, snap your fingers, and swing in a musical morning filled with variations on popular children’s tunes. Everyone is part of the action whether singing about Goldilocks and The Three Bears, Old MacDonald’s band, or Swinging on a Star! See a sampling of this interactive jazz program here.
Chikasha Poya-We Are Chickasaw Festival
American Indian Museum
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 10:30 am – 5:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma celebrates its tribal heritage and history with two days of food, hands-on activities, and performances, including dancing, singing, storytelling, and other cultural arts such as beading, woodwork, pottery, weaving, and more. Come join this celebration and get to know the Chickasaw people! View schedule.
2nd Annual Back to School Health and Wellness Festival
Greater Washington Urban League
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) in partnership with AmeriHealth D.C. will host its second annual Back to School Health and Wellness Festival on Saturday, August 16, from 11 AM to 5 PM at League headquarters at 2901 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. (corner of 14th and Harvard Streets). The GWUL is conveniently located near the Columbia Heights Metro Stop on the Green Line.
The event, free and open to the public, will provide fun for the entire family! The League will host a variety of activities for children, including a Moon Bounce and face painting. Opportunities for free prizes will last throughout the day, specifically with free backpacks and school supplies to help students get ready to go back to school. Parents and community members will be able to receive free health screenings and participate in various workshops, including First Time Homebuyers and Financial Literacy Training.
Additionally, the festival will feature healthy cooking demonstrations as well as fitness dances. Throughout the festival, members of the community can enjoy the music of D.C.’s own Bel’a Dona as well as local Latin pop band Ocho de Bastos. Join GWUL in celebrating health and wellness with members of the community – and get ready to go back to school!
Free Summer Saturdays: Kid Pan Alley Performance
Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 11:00 am∙ FREE!
This week, see a special performance from budding songwriters and artists enrolled in the Corcoran’s Kid Pan Alley Camp Creativity session as they perform their original songs inspired by art in the Corcoran’s galleries.
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.
Guided Tours are available from 11am-3pm.
Children’s Film: Getting to Know Degas and Cassatt
National Gallery of Art
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 11:00 am & Sunday, August 17 ∙ 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
(Ages 4 and up) Join us for two animated films about Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt based on Mike Venezias Getting to Know the Worlds Greatest Artists books. Learn about the life and work of these two artists who were friends and collaborators in later 19th-century Paris. (Mary Cassatt, Mike Venezia, U.S., 2008, 24 mins.; Edgar Degas, Mike Venezia, 24 mins.) A free Family Guide to the exhibitionDegas/Cassatt will be available at each screening. West Building Lecture Hall.
2nd Annual Smile Project Back-To-School Street Carnival
Gateway DC Pavilion
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm ∙ FREE Admission!
Join Broccoli City, in association with the District of Columbia Department of Environment (DDOE) and the District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) for the 2nd Annual Smile Project Back-to-School Carnival will be held on Saturday, August 16th at the Gateway DC Pavilion (1100 Alabama Ave., SE near Congress Height Metro on the Green Line).
The Smile Project encourages a positive mental attitude towards education through having fun and smiling in an effort to excite young students about the upcoming 2014/2015 school year. Students will receive backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pens, books, water bottles, lunch boxes, calculators, and other useful tools and information for learning while supplies last.
This fun-filled afternoon will also feature rides, games, moon bounce obstacle courses, giant slides, water activities, rock climbing, live music, healthy eating demonstrations, food trucks, vendors, and much more!
Be Creative (Studio 21 Gallery Workshop)
Presented by Dance Place
Arts Plaza at Monroe Street Market
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 12:30 pm ∙ FREE!
This event takes place at Studio 21 located on the Arts Walk at Monroe St. Market.
Enjoy arts and crafts workshops at Studio 21 from 12:30pm – 2:00pm, led by Carla Perlo, Andrea Petty-Brown and guest artists.
OCASE Foundation’s Annual Backpack School Giveaway
Rita’s Water Ice – Rhode Island Avenue NE
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ∙ FREE!
“If a child has to start school without the basic supplies needed, or has to start school late while waiting for the money to purchase the supplies, it puts them at a major disadvantage. Therefore, the Back-to-School Giveaway is an investment in the future for us all.”
Get school supplies and enjoy live entertainment! Parents must accompany students.
14th Annual DC Poetry Festival
Carter Barron Amphitheatre
Saturday, August 16 ∙ Gates open at 7:00 pm – Showtime 7:30 pm ∙ FREE!
Featuring The Last Poets ∙ Honoring Gil Scott-Heron ∙ First Come-First Served
Half-Price Summer Sundays: August 2014
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 12:00 pm ∙ $4-$5
Enjoy half-price admission to the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) every Sunday in August! Take this opportunity to visit NMWA’s collection and current exhibitions. Explore Total Art: Contemporary Video, which highlights the inventive processes that sustain women artists’ position at the forefront of video. Also, examine Meret Oppenheim: Tender Friendships, featuring sculptures, books and drawings created by artist Meret Oppenheim.
SynchroSwim!
Presented by Washington Project for the Arts (WPA)
Capitol Skyline Hotel
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 5:00 pm ∙ FREE!
DC’s performance art explosion is taking to the pool with SynchroSwim 2014, the fourth presentation of WPA’s synchronized swimming performance art competition! A celebration of creativity and enthusiasm. During the one-hour event, 4 artist teams will perform short, unique routines set to musical compositions. Performers this year include DC Synchromasters, The Docents, The Elementals, and Fluid Movement.
Celebrate Sunday with the Nationals ∙ WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Nationals Park
Sunday, August 17 ∙ Game begins at 5:05 pm
Celebrate Sunday with the Nationals. DISCOUNT CODE: THRIFTY14
Promotion: Racing President Bill Bobblehead
REMINDER – Children Two and under are admitted FREE! GO NATS!!!
DC PUBLIC LIBRARY Activities - Find FREE things to do for kids in every library in D.C.:
Kids Smiles ∙ Mt. Pleasant Library ∙ Saturday, 2 pm - Meet the Kids Smiles team and learn about taking care of your teeth! Children of all ages and their parents and caregivers are welcome to attend this engaging and educational program.
Summer Reading Superheroes Party ∙ Northeast Library ∙ Sunday, 2:00 pm - It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a… party of epic proportions! Join us for crafts, movies, and snacks to celebrate your awesome Summer Reading achievements! Come dressed as your favorite real or imaginary superhero. Be Ironman, your Mom, Harry Potter girl… whoever! All ages are welcome.
Recycled Puppets Workshop with Wit’s End Puppets ∙ Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library ∙ Sunday, 2:00 pm – Come by the library and make your own puppets out of recycled materials such as fabric, buttons, plastic bottles and cardboard tubes as a part of our weekly STEAM Team. This workshop teaches conservation and creativity by encouraging students to use their imaginations to turn trash into treasures. Wit’s End Puppets will be leading this workshop in Children’s Room at 2 p.m. Ages 6-12.
***Maryland***
Shopping Alert: Through Saturday, August 16, 2014 – The Maryland Sales Tax Holiday gives shoppers a 6 percent savings on qualifying clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less. Qualifying apparel included belts, coats, jackets, pants, shoes, socks and sweaters. The sales tax exemption applied to each eligible item, regardless of how many items you purchase at the same time.
Pinkalicious – The Musical
Adventure Theatre MTC
Saturday, Aug 16 & Sunday, Aug 17 ∙ various show times ∙ $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.
National Model Aviation Day
College Park Aviation Museum
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm ∙ $8 workshop fee
Learn all about model airplanes! The Sky Lancers of Washington will be flying their control line model airplanes and offering training flights. A workshop to make your own static model airplane will be also be available. Please call the museum in advance to register for the workshop. Ages: 10+
Fall Open House
Metropolitan Ballet Theatre & Academy
Saturday, August 16 [11:00 am - 4:00 pm] & Sunday, August 17 [ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm] ∙ FREE !
Fall Registration is now open to current and new families! If you know which class(es) you prefer, we urge you to register now! Some classes are filling up and we want you to get your preferred class times! If you have questions about registration or which class you should choose, please call the office to schedule a placement class or to talk with MBT staff.
Little Red Riding Hood and the 3 Little Pigs
The Puppet Co. Playhouse
Saturday, August 16 & Sunday, August 17 ∙ 11:30 am & 1:00 pm ∙ $10 [check for Discount Tickets]
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.
Back to School Kids Fair featuring Radio Disney
The Mall at Prince George’s
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Free entertainment including face painting, balloon clowns, DJ and more! Lots of great prizes and fun activities!
Exhibitors include -
Prince George’s County Public Schools – meet representatives from local schools and the Board of Education
Prince George’s County Police Department – child car seat safety demonstrations
Don’t miss Macy’s Trends Show in Center Court at 1pm! Check out the latest fashions for Homecoming and Back to School!
Kidgits Back to School Event
St. Charles Towne Center
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Excited for Back to School? We are too!! Summer might be ending soon but the fun is just beginning. Our Back to School event will be located on the Lower Level at Center Court behind Guest Services. Come join us for fun, family friendly crafts and activities, cookie decorating, giveaways and more.
Montgomery County Fair
ENDS TODAY – Saturday, August 16 ∙ 12:00 pm – 12:00 am ∙ $10 (ages 12+)/11 and under FREE
Parking: $10 onsite – FREE at Lakeforest Mall
NCM READS SUMMER SERIES: LUCKY’S TAP DANCING SHOES by Quynn Johnson
National Children’s Museum
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 1:00 pm ∙ Included with Admission
Author and dancer Quynn Johnson joins us in the NCM Theatre to share her story about a horse who dreams of tap dancing. Following the reading, children will have a chance to try on their own tap dancing shoes!
18th Annual Comcast Outdoor Festival
MCPS Board of Education lot
Saturday, August 16 [Gravity] & Sunday, August 17 [ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire]
Gates open at 5:00 pm. Music, Food, & Family Fun begins at 5:30 pm ∙ FREE Admission!
Pile in the family and enjoy a weekend of FREE movies, Drive-In Style! There will be gourmet food trucks, a moon bounce, and chances to win prizes from their awesome carnival games. The proceeds from the Comcast Outdoor Film Festival supports the NIH Children’s Charities: The Children’s Inn at NIH, Friends of the Clinical Center, and Camp Fantastic/Special Love. Enjoy yourselves for a great cause.
Beltsville CC Summer Concerts: Project Natale
Beltsville Community Center
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 7:00 pm ∙ FREE!
A premiere, traditional jazz group.
M-NCPPC & the Beltsville Recreation Council invite you to bring your family and friends to enjoy FREE musical performances. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chairs and/or blankets to sit comfortably!
Back to School Movie Night
Goodwin Park
Saturday, August 16 ∙ FREE!
Head to Goodwin Park for a school supplies giveaway at 7:30 p.m.
Followed by a free screening of “Rio 2″ at 8:30 p.m.
Popcorn will be served
Family Nature Time
Black Hill Visitors Center
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Mom and Dad, grab the kids and come out to play! We’ll have nature-y activities that families can do together. Drop in any time during program hours on the first and third Sundays of the month. Free! No registration required.
Family Sundays
Baltimore Museum of Art
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 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’s Theme: Contemporary Explorations - Aug 17: Create a Colorful Collage
Movies on the Potomac – 007: From Russia with Love
National Harbor
Sunday, August 17 ∙ movies start at 6:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Meet us at the Plaza’s big screen for a FREE evening of ocean breezes and all-ages fun! Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the show!
***Virginia***
The 42nd Annual Lucketts Fair
Loudoun County
Saturday, August 16 & Sunday, August 17 ∙ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm ∙ $5 – FREE under 6.
You will be pleased to see your kids put away the cell phones to pet the pot bellied pig and scratch the chin of a sweet little goat. The roaming stilt walker will amaze the kids as he glides by high above the ground. There are pony rides, a-day-on-the-farm activities, craft demonstrations and so much more!
Arts in the Park
Fairfax County – various locations
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 10:00 – 11:00 am ∙ FREE!
Arts in the Parks is a FREE family fun alternative to Saturday & Wednesday morning cartoons & video games. It serves to entertain children, teach them the importance of protecting our natural resources, introduce them to live entertainment in an informal kid friendly atmosphere, and forge a connection between kids and parks.
For most children, Arts in the Parks is their first exposure to live entertainment, and for practically all of the young watchers, it’s their first chance to join professionals on stage. So they remember and forever associate the delightful experiences with parks.
Today’s Arts in the Park schedule includes:
Pointless Theatre * Burke Lake Park Amphitheater
The YOJO Show * E.C. Lawrence Park Amphitheater
Rocknoceros * Lake Fairfax Park Amphitheater
Blue Sky Puppet Theater * Mason District Park Amphitheater
Meet Washington Outfielder Denard Span!
Tysons Corner
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 11:30 am – 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The new outdoor Plaza is not only the place for free concerts, movies and fitness classes, but is THE venue in Tysons Corner to meet and greet your favorite celebrities and athletes!
Come to The Plaza from 11:30am to 12pm on Saturday August 16th and get your picture taken with Washington outfielder Denard Span and get an autograph as well!
*A photographer will be on-site taking complimentary photos. Photos will be available via Tysons Corner Center’s Facebook page by Wednesday, August 20th. No personal photos are permitted. 1 picture per person.
**Autographs will be permitted however may be limited to items provided by Tysons Corner Center.
***Denard Span will leave promptly at 12pm and depending on volume, the line may close shortly after it is open.
65th Annual Prince William County Virginia Fair
Prince William County Fairgrounds
ENDS Saturday, August 16 ∙ 12:00 pm ∙ Admission $5+ [Active Duty Military FREE Everyday]
The Prince William County Fair is the largest County Fair in the state of Virginia. The annual event in Manassas includes livestock exhibits, home arts exhibits, tractor pulls, a rodeo, demolition derbies, baby contests, live music and a variety of midway shows. Games and carnival rides are provided by America’s #1 Carnival Company, Deggeller Attractions Inc. Prince William County 4-H Clubs participate in numerous activities and demonstrations. Upwards of 90,000 to 100,000 spectators are expected to pass through the turnstiles this year.
Cinema Del Ray: The Lego Movie
Mount Vernon Rec Center
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 7:00 pm [fun starts at 7 pm and the movie at dusk] ∙ FREE!
FREE open air showing of The Lego Movie.
Mount Vernon Nights: IONA (Celtic)
Workhouse Arts Center
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 7:00 pm ∙ FREE!
IONA’s trademark is a high-energy, pan-Celtic weave of the traditional music of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall (England), Brittany (France), the Isle of Man and Galicia (Spain), featuring fiddle, vocals, flute, guitar and percussion.
Starlight Cinema
Trinity Centre Parking
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 7:30 pm ∙ FREE Admission
Your evening will begin with an outdoor pre-movie program – music, food and children’s activities. Then, at dark, the movies will start. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. A FREE series of drive-in movies held Saturday nights in August at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Centre Parking in Centreville. For those who remember taking a date or the whole family, kids and all, to a drive-in movie, here is a chance to relive the good old days; for those who came along to late for the drive-in era, it’s an opportunity to sample this old fashioned fun. The Spotlight on Cinema movies can be watched on the big screen from the comfort of your car or from beneath a canopy of stars in a designated seating area. Tonight: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” Rating PG; 95 minutes; 2013
Movies On The Green
Tysons Corner
Saturday, August 16 ∙ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm ∙ FREE Admission
Join Tysons Corner Center on Saturday evenings at dark for our complimentary Movies on the Green series. Enjoy evenings outside with friends and family while watching your favorite films on our spectacular new outdoor plaza. Tonight: JAWS (1975) (PG)
Summer Chamber Series
The Lyceum, Alexandria’s History Museum
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm ∙ FREE Parking & Admission [Donations Accepted]
Each summer, Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association sponsors a Summer Chamber Music Series, held between mid-June and September at The Lyceum in historic Old Town Alexandria. These weekly performances are free and open to the public. The performances feature small ensembles and soloists, primarily from Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic and the local arts community. Today: Clarinetist Kristen Sheridan with piano accompaniment: Music by Bernstein, Gershwin, Kovacs and Copland
Concert on the Green
Great Falls
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Come out with your picnic baskets and chairs for an entertaining evening of live, free music! August 17: High Five Worldwide - Fusing high energy modern pop with yesterday’s hits, High Five Worldwide combines four of the region’s finest talents into one dynamic package.
Summer Movies at Stonebridge
Potomac Town Center
Sunday, August 17 ∙ 7:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Summer Movie Nights at Stonebridge every Sunday at 7 pm through August on the Jumbo Tron! Tonight’s Feature: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2”
***Visit our Calendar for more FREE & Cheap happenings.***
CELEBRATE SUNDAY: NATIONALS vs. Giants
*****GIVEAWAY ENDS TONIGHT – SATURDAY, August 16 at 11:59 PM*****
Family 4-Pack Sunday, August 24, 2014 Nationals Park at 1:35 pm Everyone knows that my favorite day to catch a Washington Nationals game is on a SUNDAY! My daughters love eating all the food, the 7th inning stretch, the hopes of catching a fly ball, and of course, when Kids Run the Bases. There are only a few Sunday games left and three more opportunities during this season to Run the Bases. Not to mention, who doesn’t want to support our Washington Nationals, currently #1 in the National League East! DC Thrifty Mom is proud to partner with the WASHINGTON NATIONALS again and offer a 2014 Regular Season Ticket Discount. Remember to enter coupon code: THRIFTY14 & click apply. Children Two and under are admitted FREE. GO NATS!!!
MARVEL UNIVERSE LIVE!
Family 4-Pack Thursday, September 4, 2014 Verizon Center at 7:30 pm After much anticipation, Marvel Universe LIVE!, featuring the most Marvel characters ever assembled in one production, will be flying into the nation’s capital with performances at the Verizon Center starting September 4 and at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia starting September 12 through September 21. Marvel Universe LIVE! is a new live entertainment experience for the entire family. Children and adults alike will enjoy watching their favorite Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Wolverine and many more during a comic extravaganza that brings both heroes and villains to life. The audience will enjoy the special effects, stunts and never before seen story in this family-friendly live action adventure. Join Marvel fans of all ages for this once-in-a-lifetime, monumental performance. The fate of the universe depends on it! DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE HERE!
Enjoy your weekend!
*****
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