Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (10/25 - 10/27)
It's the weekend before Halloween so of course there's 100+ Spooky themed events going on around the DMV! We kicked off our spooky season at the Biggest Playdate Ever hosted by Annapolis Moms Media. They did a fantastic job of bringing out the best of the best in kid-friendly Annapolis including one of my favorite balloon companies, Tangled Balloons, who created the beautiful display shown above! A few other kid-friendly companies to check out in Annapolis include the Ballet Theatre of Maryland, which has its own rendition of The Nutcracker coming to the stage in November and December; Dodge Arrows Annapolis, which hosts games of archery; and a farm called Wild Kid Acres in Edgewater, MD. Makes me want to get out and explore Annapolis a bit more. Anywho, on to this week's weekend happenings...
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Events
Friday, October 25, 2024
Washington, DC
- 4:00 pm | Discover, Create, Connect! at Rosedale Neighborhood Library (Best for teens)
- Enjoy an exciting afternoon filled with engaging books, creative crafts, fun games, and delightful culinary adventures.
- 4:30 pm | Ukulele Sing-Along at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library (Best for ages 0-7)
- [Just Added] 5:00 pm | Hill-o-Ween at Eastern Market
- 5:30 pm | Chat N Chew (Young Men Future Leaders & Supreme Teen Event) at Fort Stanton Recreation Center
- 6:00 pm | Family Program: Trick or Fruit at the U.S. Botanic Garden
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 11:00 am | Ready 2 Read STEM: Work it Out at Your Library with Wombats at Laurel Library (Best for ages 3-5)
- 4:00 pm | Friday Food Truck Frenzy & Movie Night at Allen Pond Park in Bowie
- includes The Mighty Ducks (PG) screening at the Bowie Ice Arena
- 4:30 pm | The Wild Rumpus ~ A Halloween Celebration for Children & Kids at Heart at Roosevelt Center in Greenbelt
- 5:00 pm | Trunk-o-Treat at Beltway Plaza in Greenbelt
- [Sold Out] 6:00 pm | Trek or Treat at Watkins Regional Park
- 8:00 pm | Sister Act at Bowie Playhouse ($)
- 9:30 pm | Halloween Skate at Herbert W. Wells Ice Rink in College Park ($)
Montgomery County
- 10:30 am | Halloween Family Storytime at Maggie Nightingale Library in Poolesville
- 10:30 am | The Puppet Co. presents Jennie the Cat: A Halloween Adventure at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4-8)
- 1:30 pm | Junior Gardeners at Brookside Gardens ($) (Best for ages 3-5)
- 4:30 pm | Not so Spooky Skate at Cabin John Ice Rink in Rockville ($) (Best for ages 3-12)
- 6:00 pm | Rockville City Police Dept’s Boo-vie Night II at Thomas Farm Community Center
- 6:00 pm | Spooktacular Party: An American Sign Language Event at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville ($)
- 7:30 pm | Long Branch Haunted House in Silver Spring
More Maryland Events
- 4:00 pm | Sensory Inclusive Trick or Treat at the B&O Railroad Museum ($)
- 6:00 pm | Spook-tacular at Color Burst Park in Columbia
- 6:30 pm | Take-Away Treat Spooktacular at Robert J. DiPietro Community Center in Laurel
- 7:00 pm | The Haunted Experience at Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge ($) (Best for ages 7+)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:15 am | Halloween Family Storytime at Central Library (Best for ages 0-5)
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | Spectacular Spectres and Cool Ghouls ~ Take and Make Craft at Beatley Central Library
- 10:00 am | Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt at Burke Branch Library
- 6:30 pm | Boo-Fest at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- 6:30 pm | Family Masquerade Ball at Mt. Vernon Recreation Center ($)
- 6:30 pm | Family October Fest at Patrick Henry Recreation Center ($)
More Virginia Events
- 6:00 pm & 7:00 pm | Halloween on the Farm at Frying Pan Park in Herndon
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Washington, DC
- 8:30 am | Sensory-Friendly Morning at the Garden: New “Fierce Flora” exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden
- 9:00 am | Trick-or-Treat in the DAR Museum Period Rooms ($)
- 9:00 am | Volunteer event at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
- 10:00 am | The Kreeger Museum’s Open House
- Free admission; family-friendly celebration of art, music, and architecture
- 10:00 am | The World & Me: Bat Week Extravaganza – Celebrating Stupendous and Significant Species with special guests…Arachnids! at the Natural History Museum
- 10:00 am | Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at the National Museum of the American Indian
- This event can be streamed through YouTube as well.
- 10:00 am | STEM Budding Builders at Palisades Neighborhood Library
- 10:00 am | Halloween Paint & Sip ~ Kid-friendly at Made with Love DC ($)
- 10:15 am | Crafty Tales: Elijah Pierce at Merry Pin in NW
- 11:00 am | DC Zinefest at MLK Memorial Library
- 11:00 am | Bulb Sale & Garlic Planting Party at the Washington Youth Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum
- Includes family-friendly art activities! Wear your costume, too.
- 11:00 am | 11th Annual Pumpkins in the Park at Canal Park in SE
- 11:00 am & 1:30 pm | Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! at The Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- Equal parts interactive science, comedy, and personal empowerment messages, Doktor Kaboom returns to explore real-life mental and emotional pressures in a hilarious and educational new show.
- 11:30 am | Día de los Muertos Family Day at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- 11:30 am | Babysitting 101 at Rosedale Neighborhood Library (Best for ages 13-17)
- 12:00 pm | October Late Skate at Anacostia Park
- 1:00 pm | Southwest Library presents: Spooktacular Movies featuring The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- 1:00 pm | Taproom Trick or Treat Party! at City-State Brewing Co.
- 2:00 pm | Food Science: Not So Hot Chocolate at Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library
- 4:00 pm | Costume Swap at Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library
- 7:00 pm | Sounds of Africa Concert Series featuring Dior Ashley Brown at the National Museum of African Art
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 8:30 am | Free Photo & Document Scanning to preserve your History at College Park Aviation Museum
- 10:00 am | Family Zumba at College Park Community Center – Youth Sports Complex
- 10:30 am | Halloweekend at College Park Aviation Museum ($)
- At 5:30 pm, check out Family Flights and Frights: Trick-or-Treat included with museum admission.
- [Waitlist] 10:30 am | Space for Me: Sensory-Friendly Hour at NASA Goddard Visitor Center in Greenbelt
- 11:00 am | Waterfront Arts Festival at Bladensburg Waterfront Park
- 11:00 am | Picture Perfect Chemistry: Exploring Photography and Imaging at South Bowie Library (Best for ages 7+)
- 11:00 am | Cosplay 101 at Bowie Library
- [Limited Spots Left] 11:00 am | Animal Encounters at Mount Rainier Nature Center ($)
- 12:00 pm | Fall Block Party at The Station at Riverdale Park
- 12:00 pm | Trolley-ween! at the National Capital Trolley Museum ($)
- 12:00 pm | Boo-wie Fest! Fall Family Fun & Trunk-or-Treat at Belair Stable and the Belair Bath & Tennis Club in Bowie
- Includes a Disney’s Coco screening at 7:00 pm
- 12:00 pm | MAC Watch Party: “Kiki’s Delivery Service” ~ Manga and Anime Club at Upper Marlboro Library (Best for teens)
- 1:00 pm | Teens Create: Storyboards at Laurel Library
- Enjoy a presentation by storyboard artist David Cobb, Jr., followed by a hands-on art activity.
- 2:00 pm | Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- 3:00 pm | Improv for All at Upper Marlboro Library (Best for teens)
- Discover the joy and spirit of improv in this introductory workshop! Unleash your creativity and embrace spontaneity in a high-energy, low-stress session.
- 3:30 pm | All Ages Halloween Bash at Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar at National Harbor ($)
- 4:00 pm | Treat O Rama! at Driskell Park in Hyattsville
- 5:00 pm | Halloween Parade & Trunk or Treat at Thomas S. Stone Elementary School in Mount Rainier
- 6:00 pm | Trunk or Treat at Baden Community Center in Brandywine
- 6:00 pm | Trunk or Treat 2024 in Upper Marlboro
- 6:00 pm | Halloween in Hyattsville: Trunk-or-Treat! at Northwestern High School
- 6:30 pm | Twilight Night Hike at Clearwater Nature Center ($)
- 7:00 pm | Don’t Scream for your Life at Tucker Road Community Center in Fort Washington ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- 8:00 pm | Sister Act at Bowie Playhouse ($)
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | MonsterFlash Community Event and Halloween Bus Experience at Twinbrook Library in Rockville
- 10:00 am & 1:00 pm | Winnie the Pooh at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 3+)
- 10:30 am | Halloween Family Storytime at Kensington Park Library
- 10:30 am | Movie Screening: Monster’s Inc. at Wheaton Library
- 11:00 am | Ross Boddy Fall Harvest Festival and Health & Wellness Fair in Sandy Spring
- Family fun and games, including pumpkin carving, arts and crafts, health and wellness activities, and more!
- 11:00 am | Diwali Storytelling followed by Diya Craft at Germantown Library (Best for ages 3+)
- 11:00 am | Superb Saturday STEAM at Noyes Library for Young Children in Kensington
- 11:00 am | Egg Drop Challenge! at Potomac Library (Best for grades 1-6)
- 11:30 am | Trick-or-Treat at the Gaithersburg Library
- 11:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm | The Puppet Co. presents Jennie the Cat: A Halloween Adventure at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4-8)
- 12:00 pm | Rockville Town Square Fall Fest
- 1:00 pm | Celebrate Diwali! at Connie Morella Library in Bethesda
- Includes crafts and stories, as well as cultural performances and snacks!
- 1:00 pm | Monster Bash at Takoma Park Middle School
- 1:00 pm | Glen Echo Park Fall Frolic
- 2:00 pm | Science Saturday – Egg Drop Engineering at Davis Library in Bethesda (Best for ages 6+)
- 2:00 pm | Rhythmaya Dance ~ Indian Classical and Bollywood Dance at White Oak Library
- 2:00 pm | STEM Adventures: Furbearers of Maryland at Quince Orchard Library in Gaithersburg (Best for ages 4+)
- Hands-on program will provide children with the opportunity to use their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to achieve a result.
- 4:00 pm | STEM at the Library: Glow in the Dark Slime! at Marilyn J. Praisner Library in Burtonsville
- 5:00 pm | Witchy Paddle at Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds
- 6:30 pm | Movie Nights Halloweentown at The Collection Chevy Chase
More Maryland Events
- 9:00 am | Halloween Tricks, Treats and Trees at Robinson Nature Center ($)
- 10:00 am | Maryland International School STEM Festival in Elkridge
- 11:00 am & 2:00 pm | Halloween Costume Parade at Clark’s Elioak Farm ($)
- 11:00 am | All about Literacy Series: Dork Diaries Meet & Greet Tour at Port Discovery ($)
- Book series best for ages 9-14!
- [Limited Slots Left] 1:00 pm | Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s October 2024 Environmental Archaeology Dig Day in Edgewater (Best for ages 14+)
- 1:30 pm | Pirate Treasure Island Exploration at Elkridge Branch (Best for ages 2-6)
- 2:00 pm | STEM Mystery Bag Challenge at Central Branch Library in Columbia (Best for ages 9-11)
- 2:30 pm | STEAM Makers: Creepy Crawlies at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 8-11)
- 3:00 pm | Minecraft x Roblox at Elkridge Branch Library (Best for teens)
- 6:30 pm | Public Star Party at Alpha Ridge Park in Marriottsville
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:30 am | Halloween Family Storytime at Courthouse Library (Best for ages 0-5)
- 10:30 am | Halloween Storytime at Cherrydale Library
- 10:30 am | Stop in for (Spooky!) Stories at Aurora Hills Library
- 11:00 am | Sensory Storytime at Central Library
- 11:00 am | Mommy/Daddy & Me Halloween! at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 3-7)
- 12:00 pm | Spooktacular Costume Swap at Courthouse Library
- 1:00 pm | Kids Halloween Treats at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- 1:00 pm | Reptiles as Pets Workshop at Gulf Branch Nature Center (Best for ages 12-17)
- Learn how to care for reptile pets – turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards! Design your own enclosure and learn about the supplies you’ll need to keep your pet healthy.
- 5:00 pm | Nature Spooktacular at Long Branch Nature Center
- 6:00 pm | Family Skate Night at Thomas Jefferson Community Center ($)
- 7:00 pm | Teen Takeover: Halloteens at Arlington Mill Community City
City of Alexandria
- 9:30 am | Spooky Town Books at Old Town Books Junior
- 10:00 am | Spectacular Spectres and Cool Ghouls ~ Take and Make Craft at Beatley Central Library
- 10:00 am | Charles Houston Kiddie Cabaret ($) (Best for ages 1-5)
- 10:00 am | Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt at Burke Branch Library
- 10:00 am & 11:30 am | Halloween Howl! at the Tall Ship Providence ($) (Best for ages 1-13)
- Arrive in costume for some Halloween fun aboard Tall Ship Providence! Little ghosts and goblins will be taking over the floating maritime center for some Halloween fun as they rotate through stations of story time, crafts and activities…and step aboard Providence with the Legendary John Paul Jones.
- 11:00 am | Old Town Alexandria’s Trick or Treat
- 1:00 pm | Skatepark Pop-Up Event at Schuyler Hamilton Jones Skatepark
- 1:00 pm | Family Fun Pumpkin Painting at Green Spring Gardens Park ($)
- 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm & 5:00 pm | Floating Pumpkin Patch at Chinquapin Recreation Center ($)
More Virginia Events
- 10:00 am | Haunted Happenings in Downtown Manassas
- 11:00 am | Ghost Town at Burke Lake Park ($)
- 12:00 pm | Potomac Music’s 3rd Annual Fall Fest at Lorton Station Town Center
- 1:00 pm | Pumpkin Patch at Hidden Oaks Nature Center ($) (Best for ages 3-5)
- 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm | Halloween Carnival at Cherry Hill Park in Falls Church ($)
- 3:30 pm | Monster Mash 5K Dash at South Run Recreation Center in Springfield ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- 3:35 pm | Halloween Fun Run at South Run Recreation Center in Springfield ($) (Best for ages 5+)
- 4:00 pm | Spooktacular Tiny Tot Trot at South Run Recreation Center in Springfield ($) (Best for ages 2-4)
- 6:00 pm | Halloween Costume Skate and Dance Night at Franconia Recreation Center ($)
- 7:00 pm | Sunset Cinemas: Monster’s University at Cherry Hill park in Falls Church
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Washington, DC
- 10:00 am | Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at the National Museum of the American Indian
- This event can be streamed through YouTube as well.
- 10:30 am | The Little Chefs Singing & Read Aloud with Author Rosemary Wells at Politics & Prose (Best for ages 4-8)
- 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! at The Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- Equal parts interactive science, comedy, and personal empowerment messages, Doktor Kaboom returns to explore real-life mental and emotional pressures in a hilarious and educational new show.
- 2:00 pm | Kiddough (Doughnut) Decorating Party at Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe in SW ($)
- 2:00 pm & 4:00 pm | NSO Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular! at The Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 5+)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 10:30 am | Halloweekend at College Park Aviation Museum ($)
- 12:00 pm | Harbor Halloween 2024 at National Harbor
- Hocus Pocus 2 screening at 1:00 pm!
- 12:00 pm | Hocus Pocus Brunch with the Sanderson Sisters at Le Fantome in Riverdale Park
- 12:00 pm | Trolley-ween! at the National Capital Trolley Museum ($)
- 2:00 pm | Halloween on Ice Party at Bowie Ice Arena ($)
- 2:30 pm | Halloween Skate at Herbert W. Wells Ice Rink in College Park ($)
Montgomery County
- 9:30 am | Storytime: Syl Nobel for Presidential Elections and Other Cool Facts at People’s Book Takoma
- 10:00 am | Birdability Week Celebration in Chevy Chase
- People of all abilities and ages are invited to celebrate Birdability Week with a fun-filled afternoon of birding activities! Discover the diverse bird species that call Montgomery Parks home and learn about the services provided to make your birding experiences accessible.
- 10:00 am & 1:00 pm | Winnie the Pooh at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 3+)
- Imagination Stage is hosting a Teddy Bear Picnic on October 27 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm at Battery Lane Urban Park, less then two blocks from Imagination Stage. Families can come following the 10:00 performance or prior to the 1:00 performance of Winnie the Pooh. All are encouraged to dress in costume, bring their own picnic supplies as well as a stuffed animal, and be ready for fun! Outdoor picnic games will start at 11:30, ending with a ‘Pooh Parade’ led by the entire cast of Winnie the Pooh. This event is free and open to the public.
- 11:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm | The Puppet Co. presents Jennie the Cat: A Halloween Adventure at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4-8)
- 12:00 pm | HalloWheaton at Marian Fryer Town Plaza
- 1:00 pm | Pics in the Park Halloween Edition at Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds
- Unique photo op experience
- 3:00 pm | BOOtanica at Brookside Gardens ($)
- Botanical-themed fun for the whole family
- 3:00 pm | Trick or Treat at Rockville Town Square
- Join the Rockville Memorial Library there.
More Maryland Events
- 11:00 am & 2:00 pm | Halloween Costume Parade at Clark’s Elioak Farm ($)
- 1:00 pm | Fall Festival on the Towne in Laurel
- 2:00 pm | Halloween Themed Cookie Decorating Class & Milkshakes at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar in Ellicott City ($)
- 2:00 pm | Happy Haunted Hayride at Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge ($) (Best for ages 2-7)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | MoCA on the Move at Met Park: Fall Fun Family Series! at Metropolitan Park
- Bejewel a pumpkin! + live music
- 10:30 am | Stop in for Halloween Stories at Central Library
- 11:00 am | Spooky Halloween Family Brunch at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- 4:00 pm | Spider Expedition at Long Branch Nature Center ($)
- 5:30 pm | Going Batty at Long Branch Nature Center ($)
- Learn how bats surviving in darkness and learn about their real challenges to survival on this hike and exploration.
City of Alexandria
- 1:00 pm | Spectacular Spectres and Cool Ghouls ~ Take and Make Craft at Beatley Central Library
- 1:00 pm | Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt at Burke Branch Library
- 2:00 pm | 28th Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade
- Head to the Tales of Terror at Duncan Library at 2:30 pm.
- 2:00 pm | Happy Halloween! Family Friendly Workshop, Treat Totes, Mini Wood Projects & more at AR Workshop ($) (Best for ages 6+)
More Virginia Events
- 12:00 pm | Fall Community Open House at Sully Historic Site ($)
- 12:00 pm | Trick or Treating hosted by Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus at Shipgarten in McLean
- 12:00 pm | Trick or Treat on Market Street 2024 in Reston
- 2:00 pm | Pumpkin Party on the Hill at Historic Huntley in ($) (Best for ages 2-12)
- Bring a pumpkin to paint and decorate, make and taste some pumpkin ice cream and make and bring home your own pumpkin play-dough.
- 3:00 pm | Halloween Spooktacular at Village Centre Green in Great Falls
- [Just Added] [Opening Weekend] 7:00 pm | Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience at Morven Park in Leesburg
- Link above is an affiliate link. I earn a commission from tickets sold.
Halloween Happenings
Last weekend to check out Halloween festivities. Check out this list of 180+ Halloween Activities going on throughout the month of October! This list includes kid-friendly & adults events and activities.