Beneath the waterfall at The Yards
We’re right about at mid-summer break, a great reminder to make the most of the season — and all of these events and activities will help you do just that! The Everyday Play page, a list of ongoing things to do around the area, is always worth a browse, too. Happy Weekend!
18th Century Summer Market Fair
Where: Claude Moore Colonial Farm
When: Saturday & Sunday, 11am – 4:30pm
Admission: $8/adult, $3/ages 3-12, free for 2 and under
Enjoy the Claude Moore’s annual 18th Century Summer Market Fair on tree shaded grounds. Play games, listen to music, and enjoy a children’s puppet theater. Watch the Blacksmith, and Cabinetmaker in action. Try hands-on crafts like spinning and making a corn husk doll. Meet the Farm family and neighbors in costume and character. See heritage breed animals, including turkeys, chickens, and pigs. Browse herbs and plants and shop for the latest fashions in clothing, jewelry, soaps and lotions. Lunch available for purchase includes spit roasted chicken, fresh vegetables, sausages, bread, cheeses, roasted olives and fruit pies. Cask ales, beers, wine, and authentic ginger ale will be available at the Colonial Tavern. A fun and educational time for all ages!
Do You Dig Archaeology?
Where: Dumbarton House
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Be part of a celebration of archaeology, at the annual Day of Archaeology Festival. Talk to archaeologists in person and learn about the science and art of archaeology. Kids can enjoy engaging activities, including mock‐excavations, hands‐on artifact displays, crafts, and demonstrations. The archaeology of local prehistoric and historic inhabitants will also be featured. It’s a great way to learn about local history! Live music, face painting, and visits from some of DC’s best food trucks will also be part of the day’s festivities.
May the Force Be with Nationals
Where: Nationals Park
When: Sunday, 1:35pm (Non-galactic games Friday & Saturday, too!)
Admission: Ticket prices vary
The Nats are going galactic on Sunday as they host their first-ever Star Wars Day! You might run into Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, or Princess Leia before you even enter the ballpark, and more of their peops await inside. Along with roving characters, there will be photo stations, Star Wars themed face painting, and food and drinks with Yoda approval. FYI: Fans are encouraged to dress in their Star Wars best! Get there early — the first 25,000 fans to enter Nationals Park will receive an R2-D2 can cooler, courtesy of ThinkGeek. And if you can’t make it to Star Wars Sunday, you can catch the Nats Friday (7:05pm) or Saturday (4:05pm).
On the Fringe
Where: Various venues
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by performance
The Capital Fringe Festival is still entertaining the District, and the lineup of shows includes a bunch that kids can enjoy. Watch three brave veggies journey across the kitchen to save their friend from the scary fruit bowl in War and Peas. See Alice, a vibrant, steampunk reworking of a much-loved classic that puts us in the main character’s head as she enters Wonderland. Watch puppets in The Giant Turnip, a whimsical and light-hearted tale that celebrates caring for the earth and community. Enjoy a new version of a Shakespeare classic with Twelfth Night: A Musical Remix. Those are just a few with the all-ages tag; more show details and ticket sales are on the Capital Fringe Festival website.
Summer Staples
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Celebrate summer with a host of activities exclusive to this time of year — outdoor swimming, sprayground play, concerts under the stars, movies al fresco. Go here for the full scoop on these joys of summer, and keep in mind that some regular events might not be happening due to the holiday.
Show Time
Where: Local Theatres
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by venue
* Cat-ch Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude at Adventure Theatre
* The BFG open at National Theatre tonight!
* Fly away to Neverland at a performance of Peter Pan in the ThreeSixty Theatre at Tysons. We caught a show last week, and it was spectacular!
* Enjoy Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap as Hudson’s Vagabond Puppets take the outdoor stage
* Experience Double Trouble on the Imagination Stage
* And little ones will live Aquarium, just opening at the Bethesda theater
* Bright Star: Aesop’s Fables is this week’s free Saturday Morning at the National performance
* This weekend is your final chance to take the fam to Shakespeare in the park as Chesapeake Shakespeare Company presents The Comedy of Errors at Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park
* See a show on strings at The Puppet Co. where Snow White and the 7 Dwarves is the current main stage production
* And Penguin’s Playground and World on a String are the featured Tiny Tots shows at the puppet theatre
* Two of a Kind is playing the Saturday morning show at Jammin’ Java
Comcast Film Fest
Where: Waterfront Park in Alexandria
When: Friday & Saturday, 8:30pm
Admission: Free
You’ve got some bonus outdoor movies to enjoy along with the rest of summer film series. Tonight, take the fam to see How to Train Your 2. Tomorrow, catch a screening of X Men: Days of Future Past. Both for free!
Bubble Days
Where: Maryland Science Center
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: $20.95/adult, $16.95/child
See the sudsiest spectacle of the summer at the Maryland Science Center’s 9th annual Bubble Days. The fun will be bubbling up all over the building—and outside too! Craft your own bubble solution and wand, create bubble art to take home, experiment with homemade bubble wands, and compete in a bubble blowing contest. World-renowned bubble artist Casey Carle will be there to perform his fantastic BubbleMania show — you will be amazed at what Casey can do with seemingly ordinary soap bubbles! Performances will be on our Atrium Stage at 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm.
The DC Scoop
Where: Union Market
When: Saturday, 1-4pm
Admission: Free
DC’s sweetest event returns! This is a day for for ice cream lovers and makers alike — there will be a wide array of ice cream products to sample and for sale. Local food trucks will also be there serving savory snacks. The event will be held at Union Market’s Dock 5 and the alley behind it.
Family Day
Where: THEARC
When: Saturday, 10am – 3pm
Admission: Free
Enjoy a day of free activities presented by the March on Washington Film Festival. Festivities kick off with a film screening of Ruby Bridges, the 6-year old girl whose courage integrated a New Orleans public school. Snacks will be served. There will also be a performance by artist/activist Ayanna Gregory and opportunities to tour the Choice Bus outside of THEARC, a unique learning environment designed to demonstrate the power of education.
First Studio: Art Exploration
Where: Kreeger Museum
When: Saturday, 10-11am
Admission: $7
Children and an accompanying are invited to use their imaginations as they explore the paintings, sculpture, and architecture of The Kreeger Museum. Each program includes a gallery tour, analysis of works of art, a story, and a hands-on art-making experience. Advance registration recommended.
Storytime Yoga
Where: lil omm
When: Saturday 6-7pm
Admission: $25/family
Join lil omm for a fun, interactive yoga class that will add a little magic to your story time routine! Listen to a story, and use your bodies and breath to bring it to life through yoga and dance. Active imaginations, creative spirits, story lovers, and kiddos who say “read it AGAIN,” this class is for you! Register in advance to ensure your spot.
Open Studio Saturday
Where: Freer | Sackler Gallery
When: Saturday, 12pm & 2pm
Admission: Free
Discover Peacock Room REMIX with a gallery guide or on a family-friendly tour. With inspiration from the exhibit, return to the ImaginAsia classroom to experiment with art materials, solve creative challenges, and collaborate with friends and family.
History in the Works (of Baltimore)
Where: Baltimore Museum of Industry
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $12
Take a little time trip through Charm City’s early business days. The Baltimore Museum of Industry highlights the trades and people that helped build the port city through exhibits that showcase relics from the past and recreate various industry environments. Several permanent exhibits are set up just as the real businesses would have been when they existed, giving visitors a fascinating glimpse at life during that time period.