- Updated: 9/10/2026
- Culture, Free, Upcoming, Washington, DC
DC Art All Night returns September 11 – 12, 2026, with free art activations, musical performances, and hands-on activities happening across the city. With so many activations happening in different neighborhoods, figuring out where to take kids can feel a bit overwhelming, so I’ve sorted the kid-friendly entertainment by neighborhood for both Friday & Saturday to help your family plan a fun (& manageable) Art All Night experience.
Whew! It took a lot of research and patience to pull this listing together. There’s a DC Art All Night App you can download for Apple and Android products; however, I’ve noticed a few issues with it. I ran across a few activities that were mislabeled as kid-friendly and others that weren’t labeled at all. There were also additional activities on main websites for different neighborhoods that weren’t listed in the app.
Be mindful to check links prior to heading out as most events are subject to change.
Bookmark this page! I’ll update it each year with DC Art All Night kid-friendly recommendations.
In this blog...
Details for DC Art All Night
- Dates: Friday, September 11 & Saturday, September 12, 2026
- Admission: Art All Night is free to attend, although food, drinks and other purchases from participating businesses are usually not included.
- Festival hours: Hours range from 7 pm to 1:00 am, but individual neighborhood activations and performances may begin earlier or end sooner.
- Locations: Activations take place across all eight wards, inside and outside local businesses, restaurants, libraries and public spaces.
- Activities: Families can experience visual art, live music, dance, theater, fashion, film, poetry, crafts and other hands-on activities.
- Different schedules: Each neighborhood has its own date, hours and entertainment lineup. Some participate Friday, some Saturday and others both nights, so check the details carefully before heading out.
- Kid-friendly listings: This guide highlights activities described as kid-friendly or appropriate for families. Parents should still review individual event details and use their discretion, especially for events that start later in the evening.
- Check for updates: Schedules and locations are subject to change. Confirm details through the official app, individual neighborhood or event link before leaving home.
Kid-friendly Activations by Quadrant
Friday, September 11, 2026
Northeast DC
- Friday (9/11) from 4:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Upper Bladensburg Road Main Street (2700 Bladensburg Rd. NE) (see app for details)
- Includes a panda block party filled with Asian arts, food, music, dance & culture + a beat your feet dance performance & tutorial.
- 4:00 pm | The Spice Suite (2201 Channing St. NE): Zen + Tonic Wellness Party featuring sunset yoga, meditation, live art & a DJ!
- There’s also an art workshop where you can create themed collages and pull-paint abstract paintings.
- Friday (9/11) from 4:00 pm – 12:00 am | Rhode Island Avenue Main Street (2318 Rhode Island Ave. NE) (see app for details) ♥
- Includes the Imagination Stage for family yoga, family arts & crafts, & Science of Sound Experience (live music while sound-reactive visuals turn frequencies and vibrations into art in real time).
- 5:00 pm | Dudley Beauty College (2031 Rhode Island Ave. NE): The Beauty Lab ~ Explore the science behind the style—from the chemistry of hair color and products to the science of texture, heat, pH, and formulation.
- There’s also a fashion show at 2105 Rhode Island Ave. between 5pm & 8pm!
- 6:00 pm | Kraken (514 Rhode Island Ave. NE): Artcade ~ Play theory: art, games, technology and play
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Deanwood Neighborhood (5200 Foote St. NE)
- Marvin Gaye Park (5200 Foote St. NE): Carnival-style entertainment, vendor market, live music, fun for families & more! Shuttle service available.
- There’s an East of the River Youth Steel Pan Orchestra show at 6:30 pm & other go-go performances!
- Marvin Gaye Park (5200 Foote St. NE): Carnival-style entertainment, vendor market, live music, fun for families & more! Shuttle service available.
- Friday (9/11) from 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Woodridge Library (1801 Hamlin St. NE) ♥
- Includes food trucks, dance & live performances, Chuck Taylor sneaker design workshop, terrarium building workshop, friendship bracelet making, youth arts and interactive stations!
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 12:00 am | Minnesota Avenue Main Street (3935 Minnesota Ave. NE) ♥
- The Chocolate City Experience (3935 Minnesota Ave. NE): The experience brings the community together through roller skating, skateboarding, bicycling, classic automobiles, Double Dutch, music, and visual arts. Enjoy live performances by EU, TOB, URB featuring Ms. Yendy, DJ REMII and the legendary DJ KOOL, along with games, movies, arts and crafts, and more.
- Includes WOW Wheelz, a glow zone, paint n’ sip, henna art, youth expression wall & more!
Northwest DC
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Petworth Main Street (4150 9th St. NW) ♥
- Includes interactive arts & crafts for kids
- 5:00 pm | Loyalty Books (4203 9th St. NW): Karaoke on 9th for family and friends + zine making & junk journaling/crafting stations
- 6:00 pm | Lulabelle’s (847 Upshur St. NW): Block Party Bubbles Interactive experience
- 6:00 pm | Mama Tees Kitchen (828 Upshur St. NW): Mr. Peeks Balloon Animals
- 6:00 pm | Hackett Chapel (814 Upshur St. NW): Chalk and caricature artist portraits
- 6:30 pm | Mary’s Bar & Grill (4231 9th St. NW): Teatro de La Luna bilingual theater and music show for kids and families
- 7:30 pm | Cafe on 9th (4239 9th St. NW): live performance art, LED Hula Hoops, and juggling + latin American dance showcase featuring four countries
- Fia’s Fabulous Finds (849 Upshur St. NW): Live runway show featuring fashion, art, DJ & mocktails
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Uptown Main Street (4700 14th St. NW)
- Includes live music, art exhibits, clothes swap & more!
- 4:30 pm | La Coop Coffee (500 Kennedy St. NW): Mama Elena’s Bilingual kid and family show
- 5:30 pm | Dance Loft on 14th (4632 14th St. NW): Youth movement classes every 25 minutes through 7:30 pm + nutcracker preview at 9pm!
- 6:00 pm | Milkcrate (4722 14th St. NW): rock painting, underground hip-hop, hat painting, kids corner & more!
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Cleveland Park Main Street (3505 Connecticut Ave. NW)
- 5:00 pm | Cleveland Park Promenade (3300 – 3400 Block Connecticut Ave. NW): live painting demo, puppet show, face painting, letter collaging, painting workshop, improv & more!
- 5:00 pm | Laredo DC (3500 Connecticut Ave. NW): Create a Card for Children in Hospitals
- 5:00 pm | All Fired Up (3413 Connecticut Ave. NW): Bookmark making station
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 10:30 pm | Glover Park Main Street (2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW) ♥
- 5:00 pm | CommuniKids Preschool (2121 Wisconsin Ave. NW): Hispanic Heritage Month happy hour
- 6:00 pm | Live music at 2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW includes family-friendly hits from new and returning bands: Mr. Rob & Friends, Baggage Slappers, and Pebble to Pearl!
- Friday (9/11) from 6:00 pm – 12:00 am | Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood(along Mt. Pleasant St. between Park Rd. & Hobart St. NW)
- Includes live music, screen printing demo, nostalgic video games, live mural painting, vendor market & more!
- 7:00 pm | Ercilia’s Restaurant (3070 Mt Pleasant St.): Sidewalk astronomers
- 7:30 pm | Bancroft Field (1755 Newton St.): Movie: Muppet Treasure Island
Southeast DC
- [Just Added] Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Penn Ave. East (3250 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) ♥
- 5:00 pm | Soufside Crowned – bring your own skates for plenty of family fun! Includes Glow STEM stations by Lott’s of Luv.
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 12:00 am | Barracks Row Main Street & Eastern Market (701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) ♥
- Eastern Market Metro Park (701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE): Music of 90’s and Today
- Includes a 90’s dance class at 5:00 pm + Whitney Houston drum challenge at 7:30 pm!
- 5:00 pm | Free crafts with Relume in the North Hall of Eastern Market
- Eastern Market Metro Park (701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE): Music of 90’s and Today
- Friday (9/11) from 5:00 pm – 12:00 am | Anacostia BID x Art to Go-Go (Marion Barry & MLK Ave. SE)
- Includes immersive arts experiences like Good Trouble Quilts & A Taste of Good Trouble, live music, poetry, visual art, food, and interactive activities throughout the business district + skateboarding demonstrations & more!
- 6:00 pm | T-shirt making experience at 1234 Marion Barry Ave!
Southwest DC
- Friday (9/11) from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Submerge Project at Artechouse (1238 Maryland Ave. SW) ♥
- FREE sessions of SUBMERGE Project, the newest immersive digital art exhibition and the official return of programming to ARTECHOUSE DC.
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Northeast DC
- Saturday (9/12) from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm | The Parks Main Street ~ Riggs & Manor (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE)
- Includes live music, community mural, double dutch demo by DC Retro Jumpers, vendor marketplace, fire dancing & eating aerial acrobatics an interactive art walk, nail art display & more!
- 1:00 pm | Riggs-Park UniTees Screen-print & Embroidery (5776 2nd Street NE): free interactive DIY silk screen t-shirt workshop
- 4:30 pm | Riggs-Park UniTees Screen-print & Embroidery (5776 2nd Street NE): fashion show!
- Saturday (9/12) from 7:00 pm – 1:00 am | H Street Neighborhood (1207 H Street NE) ♥
- 7:00 pm | The Chocolate City Experience at the former AutoZone property (1207 H Street NE): Includes an immersive “Skate Through the Archive” experience, projected DC imagery and photography, a DC visual archive, live jazz, spoken word, DJs, youth musicians, hand dancing, classic cars, neighborhood games, artists and vendors. Duke Ellington teachers will produce arts education workshops for the community throughout the evening.
- 7:00 pm | DC Creative Institute (924 H St. NE): DC Jazz Lounge – The evening will feature emerging talent from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts alongside some of DC’s seasoned jazz musicians!
Northwest DC
- Saturday (9/12) from 10:00 am – 9:00 pm | Palisades Main Street (4828 Macarthur Blvd NW) ♥
- 10:00 am | Palisades Montessori (5104 MacArthur Blvd. NW): Asian Arts Discovery Village for Children (registration required) includes lantern painting, mooncake play dough creations, traditional fan decorating, tea painting, personalized Chinese calligraphy, craft stations & more!
- 10:30 am Palisades Hub (5200 Cathedral Ave. NW): Choose Your Own Adventure: The Mystery of Gideon Vorrow! Bring the whole family to play movement mini-games, fight monsters, and get treasure. Win fun prizes like dice and miniatures plus a chance to win a $300 gift card!
- 1:00 pm | Beyond Art Studio (5110 Macarthur Blvd. NW): Plein Air Painting with renowned American fine art painter Andrei Kushnir
- 5:00 pm | Potomac Video Center (4830 MacArthur Blvd. NW): Popcorn + Blast to the past and back to the future with an exhibit of vintage movie posters and other authentic items from the former movie center of the Palisades!
- 7:00 pm | Palisades Plaza 2nd floor (5185 Macarthur Blvd NW): complimentary, family-friendly 35-minute dance lesson + dance party at Fred Astaire Dance Studio.
- Saturday (9/12) from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street at the Parks at Walter Reed (7150 12th St. NW)
- An afternoon of movement and family-friendly fitness fun that includes yoga, music with Mr. Rob and live art.
- Saturday (9/12) from 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Van Ness Main Street (4340 Connecticut Ave. NW)
- Includes free pedicabs from Van Ness to Chevy Chase!
- 2:00 pm | Politics & Prose (5015 Connecticut Ave. NW): face paint, sidewalk chalk art & bubbles!
- 5:00 pm | Sfoglina (4445 Connecticut Ave. NW): Gelato giveaway
- Saturday (9/12) from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm | Chevy Chase Neighborhood (Info booth at 5532 Connecticut Ave.) ♥
- Includes free pedicabs from Chevy Chase to Van Ness!
- 4:00 pm | Core72 (5502 Connecticut Ave): Rock painting
- 4:00 pm | Jetties (5632 Connecticut Ave.): Face paint
- 4:00 pm | Chevy Chase DC Neighborhood Library (5518 Connecticut Ave.): activities include decorating your own tote, rock painting, friendship bracelet making, and black out poetry buttons.
- 4:30 pm | Child’s Play (5536 Connecticut Ave.): Beech Tree Puppets present “The Apple Tree”
- 5:00 pm | Starbucks (5500 Connecticut Ave.): Hula-hoop workshop
- 5:00 pm | Skips Upstairs (5540 Connecticut Ave.): Improv Festival
- Saturday (9/12) from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and G Streets, NW) ♥
- Stop by SAAM’s G Street entrance for a craft project inspired by the Nick Cave: Mammoth exhibition.
- Saturday (9/12) from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm | GW Textile Museum (701 21st St. NW) (see app for details)
- Win prizes and explore global art, culture, and history with two scavenger hunts at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum.
- Saturday (9/12) from 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm | Georgetown Main Street (3260 R St. NW) ♥
- Includes a British International School pop-up, “The WASH” Group performance from Duke Ellington School of the Arts, open dance on the waterfront, art galleries & more!
- 5:00 pm | Georgetown Neighborhood Library (3260 R St. NW): Let your creativity and imagination flow, while chatting and painting, sipping our favorite mocktails, painting your own sneakers, sounds of RandolphStrings, Violinist, kid crafts and other hands on activities. Classic car show in the parking lot + karaoke & more!
- 6:45 pm | Great Zucchini performance at 3260 R St. NW!
- Saturday (9/12) from 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm | Mansion on O: Museum and Secret Garden (2020 O St. NW)
- 8:00 pm & 10:00 pm | In this immersive experience, hidden objects appear with every tap, and history, creativity, music, and technology come alive around you. Virtual Portal Guides will help you along the way.
- Saturday (9/12) from 7:00 pm – 12:00 am | Tenleytown Main Street (4404 Wisconsin Ave. NW) ♥
- Includes henna tattoos, food trucks, dance performances, visual art & more!
- 7:00 pm | Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave. NW): musical performances, improv, hands-on art making with Red Panda & writing workshops and camps for kids and teens ages 8-18!
- 7:00 pm | JTR Jujutsu (4429 Wisconsin Ave.): Short jujutsu demos, interactive self-defense mini sessions, intro to basic martial arts & more!
- 7:30 pm | District Irish Dance (4435 Wisconsin Ave. NW): Dance performances!
- Saturday (9/12) from 7:00 pm – 12:00 am | Carnegie Library Lawn (K Street between 7th & 9th Streets NW) ♥
- Circus-inspired experience featuring performances, music, treats and interactive activities for all ages featuring a DJ, live music, arts & crafts, neon foam party & LED games
- Complimentary shuttle bus service for attendees between the entrance to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Allen Y. Lew Place, NW
- Saturday (9/12) at 7:00 pm | Shaw Main Street (see app for details)
- 7:00 pm | Lee’s Flower & Card Shop (1026 U St. NW): Free floral crown!
- 7:00 pm | Beau Thai Shaw (1550 7th St. NW): Create your own postcard from Beau Thai!
- Saturday (9/12) at 8:00 pm | North Shaw Park (625 T St. NW) (see app for details)
- C3W Capital Combat Championship Wrestling match!
Southeast DC
- Saturday (9/12) at 6:00 pm | Congress Heights Neighborhood (2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE) ♥
- Gateway Pavilion (2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE): Soufside Kids Zone includes a creative corner, face painting & literacy lounge + character meet & greet, frozen treats & more!
- 8:00 pm | Youth fashion show!
Tips for Attending with Kids
- Start early! Many kid-friendly activities happen during the earlier hours. Arriving near the beginning gives your family time to explore before the crowds grow and bedtime approaches.
- Plan a neighborhood route: Choose one neighborhood or a cluster of nearby locations instead of trying to travel across the city. Performance times may overlap plus parking and crowds could make it difficult to visit multiple locations.
- Check the schedule before leaving. Performance times and locations can change, so confirm your top picks through the linked event or neighborhood page. Keep one backup activity nearby, too.
- Prepare for crowds and sensory stimulation. Expect music, lights, busy sidewalks and large groups of people. Pack headphones or other comfort items if your child is sensitive to noise, and choose an easy meeting spot in case your group becomes separated. The app highlights accessibility features and strobing light alerts too.
- Dress for walking and the weather. Wear comfortable shoes and bring layers or rain gear as needed. Activities may take place both indoors and outside.
Sunday, September 13th: Run for the Arts
Scorpio Entertainment, in partnership with the Department of Small and Local Business Development and Navy Yard BID, presents the Run for the Arts 5k Run & Walk, during DC’s annual Art All Night weekend! Kick off your morning with a FREE energetic timed race along the Navy Yard waterfront, featuring live performances at the start and on-course entertainment.
Check out our weekly list of family-friendly activities happening across Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. You can also explore our Daily Activities guide for recurring things to do throughout the week, many of which are free or low-cost.
Related Blogs
More Kid-Friendly Things-to-do...
Check out this list of recurring kid-friendly things-to-do for each day of the week. Most activities are free or low cost! This list is reviewed & updated frequently so make sure to bookmark it for future reference.
