DC Thrifty Mom’s
FREE & Cheap Things To Do
in the Washington DC Metro Area:
August 23 & 24, 2014
Always call or check the event website before heading out;
Event information is subject to change.
***Washington D.C.***
Canstruction®
National Building Museum
Daily, August 23–September 6 ∙ FREE, Drop-in program
This design/build competition features amazing structures made entirely of canned goods by local architecture and construction teams, benefitting the Capital Area Food Bank. This year, teams build off of the theme “play with your food.” See entries on display in the Great Hall from August 23–September 5 and watch De-Canstruction on September 6 as the teams disassemble their entries to donate the canned food used in their projects. Visit go.nbm.org/canstruction for more information.
Capital Dragon Boat Regatta
Southwest Waterfront
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm ∙ FREE, no ticket required
The regatta, formerly the National Harbor Dragon Boat Regatta, aims to provide an excellent dragon boating experience to both athletes and spectators alike. This one day event will feature premier racing in multiple race distances and is an excellent way to enjoy a summer day in Washington DC. Stop by and check out all the action! Better yet… get 20 friends together, form a team, and join the experience.
10th Annual Beautification Day
DC Public Schools
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 9:00 am – 1:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Join over 4,000 volunteers as we spruce up our schools and classrooms for students to return back to school!
This annual DCPS event was established in 2005 as a citywide “spruce up” of all DC public school buildings in preparation for the first day of school. Beautification efforts included landscaping, trash pick-up, light painting, planting flowers, and other external beautification efforts. Volunteers and supplies supported over 100 schools. Email: DCPS.beautificationday@dc.gov ∙ Phone: (202) 719-6601
Saturday Morning at the National - Synetic Theatre: Miraculous Magic Balloon
The National Theatre
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 9:30 am & 11:00 am ∙ FREE!
This wonderful story of a traveling actor and his magical trunk of tricks and toys, opens kid’s imagination. Families will discover the art of acting without words through a series of hilarious pantomime sketches that incorporate music, ballet, clowning, and lots of audience participation!
Family Garden Day
National Arboretum
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 10:00 am – 12:30 pm ∙ $5+/child & $10+/adult
Family Garden Days is an interactive family gardening, nutrition education, and cooking program. It is designed to bring families together at the Washington Youth Garden to share in a communal experience of learning how to grow and prepare fruits and vegetables, maintain an organic garden, and prepare healthy meals. Tailored to beginning gardeners and those looking to enhance their food and wellness practices, the program is an exciting opportunity for families to grow awareness, appreciation and connections to their food sources and engage in healthy life affirming outdoor activities! Participating families harvest fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden for cooking demos as well as to prepare and enjoy at home.
A Matter of Worth
Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Inspired by the current Ubuhle exhibition, artist Marcia Cole performs a one-woman “vo-collage” she titles “A Matter of Worth.” The work is a series of dialogues, poetry, quotations, and proverbs unified by themes of exploration and self-evaluation. Cole says of the performance, “It’s for the anonymous ancestors—gone but not forgotten.”
Bao Bao’s First Birthday Celebration!
National Zoo
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm ∙ FREE, no ticket required
Come and celebrate Bao Bao’s first birthday with special activities, entertainment, and giveaways for all to enjoy. Be sure to wish Bao Bao a happy birthday by decorating a birthday card, take home a commemorative coloring sheet, and enjoy delicious treats!
Visitors will receive fun treats and samples throughout the day from our birthday celebration partners. Cool off in the Bearitos Bear Habitat and sample Bearitos snacks, and stop by the FedEx tent to create a birthday card for Bao Bao! FedEx will deliver the cards to the National Zoo’s panda keepers. As part of the “Share a Coke” campaign, The Coca-Cola Company will offer free, limited-edition mini-cans personalized with guests’ names. Kids can also take home a commemorative giant panda coloring sheet, courtesy of the Ford Motor Company.
Please note that all giveaways are limited and will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
Free Summer Saturdays
Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design
Saturday, August 23 ∙ FREE!
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
NOTE: As of Friday, August 22, 2014, admission to the gallery is ALWAYS FREE!
Mud Dance
Presented by Washington Project for the Arts (WPA)
990 4th St. SW
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 12:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Members of the community are invited to a picnic and art-making event to eat, dance, listen to music, meet neighbors, and stomp with us to create a mixture of mud, straw, and recycled materials (called “cob”) that will be used for making outdoor seating designed by artist Michael Koliner for Lance Fung’s Nonuments Park.
Part of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ citywide 5×5 public art project, Nonuments will create a temporary park in the empty lot at 4th and I Streets SW during the months of September and October. Nonuments seeks to challenge our community’s understanding of the word “monument” and the cob benches will help to create a park space where the SW community can reflect on ideas, people, and personal struggles that are not the subjects of the traditional monuments that occupy our city.
Be Creative (Studio 21 Gallery Workshop)
Presented by Dance Place
Arts Plaza at Monroe Street Market
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 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.
Celebrate the Arrival of LOGAN!
Barstons Child’s Play – 5536 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC 20015
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 2:00 pm ∙ FREE
Your little engineers are invited to help celebrate the arrival of LOGAN - the exclusive new limited-release engine joining the Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway collection. Be the first one to play with all new Thomas Wooden Railway track sets, participate in fun family activities and enter to win exciting Thomas & Friends prizes!
Metro Mambo Summer Edition: The Revolution was Televised
Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Host Jim Byers interviews Harold Harriston, the bandleader for television show Capital Caravan, as he talks about his life during the 1950s and 1960s in the emerging Latino community of Washington, DC. Later dance to the music of Verny Varela, bandleader and Howard University instructor.
Streetcar Stroll and Roll
Union Station
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm ∙ FREE
H Street NE to Celebrate DC Streetcar Line With Upcoming Stroll and Roll Events
Pedicabs to give the public free rides along future streetcar route; participants encouraged to visit H Street Corridor businesses, restaurants and bars
Youth Outreach Initiative: Free Backpack and School Supplies Giveaway
401 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm ∙ FREE!
This is another “Deeds of Kindness” Community Outreach Event. There will be free food and fun for community youth! All are welcome. First come. First seved–while supplies last.
For more information, to donate supplies or monetary gifts or to volunteer for this event, please email deedsofkindness@yahoo.com
Chocolate City Rocks!
Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 6:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The alt-rock outfit led by singer/writer Terence Nicholson and bassist Ezra Greer joins the heavy-hitting go-go group formed by hip-hop icon Head-Roc and the MVP Band to present Chocolate City Rocks!
FREE MOVIES IN THE PARK!
Rose Park
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 8:00 pm ∙ FREE
An outdoor screening of “ET” on the grass at 26th and O Streets Northwest
Movie Night – MACBETH
Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park
Saturday, August 23 ∙ Dusk – approx. 8:15 pm [Gates open at 7:00 pm] ∙ FREE, no tickets required
An outdoor screening of Folger Theatre’s 2008 production of MACBETH (not rated – does contain violence)
by William Shakespeare – filmed live at the Folger Theatre
co-directed by Teller and Aaron Posner
magic by Teller
NO Tickets required, First Come-First Served
Exploring the Sky
Rock Creek Park - Intersection of Military and Glover Roads NW, near the Nature Center
Saturday ∙ 8:30 pm ∙ FREE!
An informal program that for over sixty years has offered monthly opportunities for anyone in the Washington area to see the stars and planets through telescopes. Tonight: Andromeda rising; Perseid meteor shower. Exploring the Sky is a presentation of the National Park Service and National Capital Astronomers.
Half-Price Summer Sundays: August 2014
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 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.
Dolley Day at Dumbarton House: War of 1812 Commemoration
Dumbarton House
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 1:00 pm ∙ $10
Join us for an extra-special Dolley Day! Celebrate this special day at Dumbarton House with an afternoon of fun and festivities! Make your own ice cream, sample “Dolley” cake and learn period games with Dolley herself!
On August 24, 1814, as the British marched toward Washington, Dolley was preparing for a party. As the British came closer, Charles Carroll, owner of Dumbarton House and close friend of the President and Dolley Madison, sent his carriage to the White House to bring Dolley to safety. During her flight, Dolley stopped at Dumbarton House on her way to Virginia.
Celebrate Sunday with the Nationals ∙ WASHINGTON NATIONALS vs. San Francisco Giants
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
REMINDER – Children Two and under are admitted FREE! GO NATS!!!
***Maryland***
Maryland State Fair
Timonium Fairgrounds
Saturday, August 23 & Sunday, August 24 ∙ $3 (Child: 6-11), $6 (Senior: 62+), $8 (Adult:
Children Ages 5 and under are admitted FREE. Rides are not included in Fair Admission. A ticket is required for all persons Aged 3 and over for concerts held in the Racetrack Infield. Tickets may be purchased online or at MD State Fair Admission Gates on day of event. Fair continues through Monday, September 1.
Maryland Renaissance Festival
Anne Arundel County in Crownsville, just outside of Annapolis, MD
Saturday, August 23 & Sunday, August 24 ∙ 10:00 am – 7:00 pm ∙ Children’s FREE Weekend
All Children 11 and under are admitted FREE!
Tiny Tots: Clowning Around
The Puppet Co. Playhouse
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 10:00 am ∙ $5
Burlington the Bear, Bingo the Dog, and a clown named Gus are just a few of the delightful characters under the Big Top!
Battle of Bladensburg Commemoration
Bladensburg Waterfront Park
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 11:00 am – 9:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Join forces with those commemorating the War of 1812 in Prince George’s County!
Start with a dedication of the new monument, followed by a Grand Procession into Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Then conclude the day with a thrilling battle re-enactment!
Throughout the day enjoy the festival activities from trade demonstrations to boat rides and live entertainment; even the kids will have fun!
This is just a teaser; the day will be filled with even more exciting explorations!
Pinkalicious – The Musical
Adventure Theatre MTC
Saturday, Aug 23 & Sunday, Aug 24 ∙ 11 am – 2 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, August 23 & Sunday, August 24 ∙ 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.
Storytime with The Honorable Baba C
National Children’s Museum
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 12:00 pm & 2:00 pm ∙ Included with Admission
Join master griot and storyteller The Honorable Baba C for a fun and memorable cultural experience the whole family will enjoy.
FREE Family Sundays
Bladensburg Waterfront Park
Sunday ∙ 8:30 am – 4 pm ∙ FREE!
Enjoy our Free Family Sundays with a one-hour canoe, kayak, or paddle boat rental! Please note: Children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Tiny Tots: Bunny Business
The Puppet Co. Playhouse
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 10:00 am ∙ $5
Bunnies, birds, and flowers (along with a frog and turtle) celebrate spring!
Family Sundays
Baltimore Museum of Art
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 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 24: Make a Bold Self-Portrait
Movies on the Potomac – 007: Dr. No
National Harbor
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 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***
Civil War Weekend
Historic Downtown Manassas
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm & Sunday, August 24 ∙ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Step back in time in Historic Downtown Manassas and experience Civil War events that transformed a sleepy railroad junction into a thriving camp and then a devastated landscape. Learn about the lives of soldiers and civilians as they faced hardship beyond measure. Civil War at the Junction, a living history commemoration for serious Civil War buffs and families alike, will feature military and medical demonstrations, African-American interpretation, music, food, a bourbon tasting, and a re-enactment remembering General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s 1862 raid on the railroad junction. View schedule.
Wags ‘n Whiskers
The Village at Shirlington
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ∙ FREE Admission!
Wags ‘n Whiskers is a community-oriented event for animal loving shoppers of all ages to spend an afternoon at The Village at Shirlington with their pet. The event will feature demonstrations, exhibitions, pet portrait photos, children’s activities, live music, and more along with Village at Shirlington merchant specials and free giveaways.
Art Material Market
Torpedo Factory Art Center
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 10:00 am ∙ FREE!
Artists from the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association and the greater metropolitan area will offer their gently used art supplies, tools, materials and ephemera for sale or trade during the 2nd Annual Artist Materials Market. The market will also feature on-site offering demonstrations and workshops, a book-swap table, and a special Art League exhibition featuring legacy artwork. More than 20 vendors, along with many artists in the Torpedo Factory’s 82 studios will be selling or trading a variety of art supplies for use across all visual media. There will be more common items like easels, fabric, brushes and paints, but there will also be more unique finds, too.
Arts in the Park
Fairfax County – various locations
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 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:
The GoodLife Theater * Burke Lake Park Amphitheater
The Great Zucchini * E.C. Lawrence Park Amphitheater
The YOJO Show * Lake Fairfax Park Amphitheater
Rocknoceros * Mason District Park Amphitheater
Stories at the Museum: Trains
Arlington Historical Museum at the Hume School
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm ∙ FREE!
This program for families and children will feature a reading of a selected history themed book, and families will have the opportunity to do a make-and-take craft activity related to the story. Participants are welcome to tour the museum to see objects featured in the stories. The programs are free and open to all. Stories will be read at 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and crafts will take place throughout the afternoon.
Mount Vernon Nights: ”Singing Sergeants”
Workhouse Arts Center
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 7:00 pm ∙ FREE!
The Singing Sergeants, the official chorus of the United States Air Force, is one of the world’s most versatile and traveled choral organizations. It is also one of a select few singing groups internationally recognized for its commitment to excellence in vocal performance.
Starlight Cinema
Trinity Centre Parking
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 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: “FROZEN” Rating PG; 108 minutes; 2013
Movies On The Green
Tysons Corner
Saturday, August 23 ∙ 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: Man of Steel (PG13)
Family Day - Science behind the Ice Well
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm ∙ $5 for adults and $3 for children (ages 5 -12)
All families are invited to tour the historic tavern as Junior Docents, volunteers from grades 4 through 7, share their enthusiasm for history. Let your kids be inspired by their peers as they tour the tavern where George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others made history. Tour features the tavern’s ice well and making a period dessert – ice cream. Tour times are 1:00 – 4:00 pm. No reservations necessary.
Pakistan Festival USA
Bull Run Regional Park
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Pakistan Festival has become a family tradition. Thousands of families of different ethnic origin and local Americans join from all over the United States. It is a showcase of Pakistani culture, music, food, crafts and much more. For more information please contact Zahid Hameedi at 202.431.3099.
Jammin’ at the Hylton
Hylton Performing Arts Center
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 3:00 pm ∙ FREE!
This event includes an public open jam as well as performances by local bands. It is a family day (including an instrument “petting zoo”!) to be enjoyed by all even if they are not pickers. The general public is invited to come out and enjoy listening to Bluegrass and Old Timey music produced by spontaneous jamming circles. View schedule of Special Appearances in the Gregory Family Theater.
Summer Chamber Series
The Lyceum, Alexandria’s History Museum
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 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: Bassoonist Aaron Goler and pianist Stephen Bertino; Music by Henri Dutilliux, Thomas Dunhill and Fracois Devienne
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM NIGHT - THE LEGO MOVIE IN SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Mosaic District [Open Air Movie Screen]
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 5:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Language Stars, the national leader in early childhood foreign language education with locations throughout the Chicago and Washington DC metropolitan areas, will host the first annual Language Stars Family Foreign Language Film Festival this summer at the Mosaic District in Fairfax, Virginia to expose children and their families to movies in other languages.
Concert on the Green
Great Falls
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Come out with your picnic baskets and chairs for an entertaining evening of live, free music! August 24: Pop Rock by SRO & Emma Bailey - Soothing Emma Bailey country with the Standing Room Only Rock Band
Summer Movies at Stonebridge
Potomac Town Center
Sunday, August 24 ∙ 7:00 pm ∙ FREE!
Summer Movie Nights at Stonebridge every Sunday at 7 pm through August on the Jumbo Tron! Tonight’s Feature: Frozen Sing A Long Version
***Visit our Calendar for more FREE & Cheap happenings.***
STAPLES MAKES MORE HAPPEN FOR LESS!
$25 BACK-TO-SCHOOL GIVEAWAY
DC Thrifty Mom appreciates the opportunity to provide my Thrifty Friends with opportunities for savings. I am excited to share Staples Back-to-School products, offer product reviews, and sponsor this giveaway for one lucky DC Thrifty Mom follower to win a $25.00 Staples gift card.
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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