Kid-friendly Events this weekend in DC, Maryland & Virginia (6/21 - 6/23)
Plenty of fun things to do this weekend including some local library gems. The Discover Summer series hosted by DC Public Library has been one of my favorites thus far. This past Saturday, they hosted a story time & art workshop based on the work of Alma Thomas at The Phillips Collection in NW DC, which was really cool to experience. It was our first time visiting The Collection; so many beautiful works of art to see including a few from Jacob Lawrence and Pablo Picasso. I will say the staff eyed us like a hawk! If you go with a 5 & under crew, make sure they maintain a good distance away from the artwork! More on The Phillips Collection coming to Instagram soon. Now on to these events...
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Friday, June 21, 2024
Washington, DC
- Songs in the Garden at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library
- Black Music Month Collage Craft at Woodridge Library
- Dig Deep: Archaeological Discoveries Family Fun Day at The Museum of the Bible ($)
- Foam Fusion at Kennedy Recreation Center
- Summer Celebration at Common Good City Farm
- International Day of Yoga at The Yards
- Extraordinary Cinema ~ Elemental at The Kennedy Center
- Late Night Hype at Bald Eagle Recreation Center
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- Tail Waggin’ Tutors at Beltsville Library (waitlist)
- Summer Jam: Juneteenth Celebration at Hyatt Park in Hyattsville
- Movies in the Park ~ Barbie at Watkins Park
- Teen Game Tournament: 16-Bit Flashback at Bowie Library
- An old school friendly competition on Super Nintendo, with Street Fighter II Turbo or Killer Instinct
- Film Screening ~ Five on the Back Hand Side at Oxon Hill Library (Best for teens & adults)
Montgomery County
- Miss Nelson is Missing! ~ Performance at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 4+)
- Historic Perspectives with Khaleshia Thorpe-Price at Connie Morella Library in Bethesda, MD (Best for ages 9+)
- This performance will include three original historical monologues or perspectives.
- STEM Adventures with the Science Guys at Long Branch Library
- 1-2-3 Andres: Musical Duo at McGee Library in Silver Spring, MD
- Parks Playhouse Junior: Marsha and the Positrons at Falls Road Local Park in Potomac, MD
- Movie Night ~ Wonka at The Collection at Chevy Chase
- Write to Right Writing Workshop at McGee Library in Silver Spring, MD (Best for tweens & teens)
- Teen Flix ~ Movie: Gran Turismo at Gaithersburg Library
More Maryland Events
- Picture Book Parade at Savage Branch Library in Laurel, MD (Best for ages 2-5)
- Arts & Crafts: Paint with String at Savage Branch Library in Laurel, MD (Best for ages 8-11)
- Hyper Kidz! Crofton Glow Party ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- The Sound of Music at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
- Animal Sketching at Long Branch Nature Center ($) (Best for ages 10-12)
- Rosslyn Cinema ~ Barbie at Gateway Park
- Start of Summer Silent Disco: a MoCA on the Move at Met Park Special Event
- Lubber Run Summer Concert Series – QuinTango
- Summer Solstice Campfire at Long Branch Nature Center ($)
City of Alexandria
- Rhythmaya: Bollywood Dance at Charles Bentley Central Library
- West African Drum and Dance with Kuumba Dance Ensemble at Burke Branch Library (Best for age 6+)
- ALX Jazz Fest at Portside
More Virginia Events
- Summer Solstice Campfire at Hidden Oaks Nature Center ($)
Virtual
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Washington, DC
- Fenómeno Latino: Latin Music’s Global Rise: Family Festival at the National Museum of American History
- Folger Shakespeare Library Grand Reopening
- Play jumbo lawn games, chow down with local food trucks, and enjoy special performances by Nick tha 1da, Crush Funk Brass Band, Patria y Saloma, The Flamenco Workshop, and Be’la Dona.
- Baseball Family Festival at the National Postal Museum
- Books from Birth Graduation at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library
- Disney in Concert: The Sound of Music at The Kennedy Center ($)
- Family Fun Story Time with Tara Hoot at Shakers ($)
- 2024 Chinatown Park Festival
- Includes lively cultural performances from diverse AANHPI cultures, martial art demonstrations, family-friendly activities such as face painting, henna, calligraphy, clothing swap & more!
- Cupcake Decorating Class at Made with Love DC ($)
- DIY Heart Pride Keychains at MLK Memorial Library
- Eastern Market Anniversary Weekend
- 2nd Annual Caribbean Cultural Concert
- DC United v. Houston Dynamo at Audi Field ($)
- Bike to the BBQ Battle with The Washington Area Bicyclist Association
- Youth Football Clinic at Rosedale Recreation Center
- Summer Solstice on the National Mall:
- Family Fun at the National Museum of Asian Art
- Asia After Dark at the National Museum of Asian Art
- Sally’s Night Celebration at the Air & Space Museum
- Cosmic Arcade Party at Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building
- Sound Scene 2024: Solstice at Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
- District Treasures: A Conversation with Mad Skillz at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (Best for teens & adults)
- District Treasures: Celebrating Black Music Month at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (Best for teens & adults)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- Bibliobop Dance Party at Bowie Library
- Pride Ready 2 Read Storytime at Surratts-Clinton Branch Library (Best for ages 3-5)
- Rainbow Festival at Hyattsville Branch Library
- Juneteenth: Ms. Story’s Living History at New Carrolton Branch Library
- Concert in the Park: Juneteenth at Edmonston Recreation Center Park
- Afternoon Aviators: Tails of Flight at College Park Aviation Museum ($) (Best for ages 8-12)
- Batteries: Getting a Charge Out of Chemistry at Laurel Branch Library (Best for ages 7+)
- Hands-on experiments that explore how chemistry relates to batteries & the fascinating world of energy storage
- Teenfest at Allentown Splash, Tennis, and Fitness Park (Best for ages 13-17)
Montgomery County
- Miss Nelson is Missing! ~ Performance at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 4+)
- Pride Family Day at Glen Echo Park
- Improv 4 Kids:
- McGee Library in Silver Spring, MD
- Davis Library in Bethesda, MD
- Gaithersburg Library
- Parks Playhouse Junior: PREPOSTEROUS with Happenstance Theater at Cabin John Regional Park
- Allan Stevens’s Pinocchio Performance by The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4+)
- Superb Saturday STEM at Noyes Library for Young Children
- Make a home-made volcano
- STEAM at the Library: Electronic Art at Twinbrook Library
- Magician Presto at Aspen Hill Library
- Echoes of Nature presents Safari Walk at Olney Library
- My Place in the World – Kids Geography Project at Rockville Memorial Library
- 2024 Summer Reading Challenge Kick-off at Damascus Library
- Meet Author Ann Fraistat at the Summer Reading Challenge Kick-off for Teens at Damascus Library (Best for teens)
- “Our Earth” Book Discussion Club at Morella Library in Bethesda, MD (best for teens)
- Welcome to Parenthood – the BIG Registry Party at buybuy Baby in Rockville, MD
More Maryland Events
- Kindness Rocks – Pride Edition at Savage Branch Library in Laurel, MD
- Good Kid-izen: Be Kind to a Fellow Kid-izen at Color Burst Park
- Pollinator Power at East Columbia Branch Library (Best for ages 7-12)
- It Takes a Village Collage Workshop at The Village Center in Columbia, MD
- Family Scavenger Hunt at Nanjemoy Community Center
- Gadgets on the Go at Lakeshore Learning in Towson
- Build a STEAM car, a windmill, robots & more!
- Play it Safe at Port Discovery in Baltimore, MD ($)
- Meet experts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Pediatric Injury Prevention Program, B’More Healthy Babies, and many more
Virginia
Arlington County
- Amazon’s HQ2 Community Day at Metropolitan Park
- The Sound of Music at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
- Blooms & Ballads Pre-Show Experience (add-on) ~ Make Your Own Bouquet experience, inspired by the timeless lyrics of “A Few of My Favorite Things”
- Crafty Kids Take-and-Make (Woven Rainbow Bracelets) at Columbia Pike Library
- Felt Freedom Quilt Blocks at Glencarlyn Library (Best for grades K-5)
- “What is Your Guidepost” by Molly McCracken at the Arlington Mill Community Center Plaza
- Make a collage postcard illustrating a guidepost made of a stack of hand cut “paper rocks” thinking about what landmarks capture your attention in your neighborhood
- Early Bird Movie Tickets at the Regal Ballston Quarter 12
- $7 tickets to movies showing before noon
- Bug Helpers in the Summer Garden at Fort CF Smith Park ($) (Best for ages 6-9)
- There’s also a later time for older kids ages 10-12!
- Nature Scavenger Hunt at Gulf Branch Nature Center ($)
- Spellbinders Story Fest at Long Branch Nature Center (Best for ages 4+)
- Annual NOVA Fathers Matter Cookout at Burke Lake Park – Shelter A
- Arlington’s Philharmonic’s Summer Pops in the Park at Water Park in National Landing
City of Alexandria
- Juneteenth at Houston Recreation Center
- Ukelele Jon and Melissa at Charles Beatley Central Library
- Rainbow Rock! at Duncan Branch Library
- Gadgets on the Go at Lakeshore Learning
- Build a STEAM car, a windmill, robots & more!
- Summer Solstice Meditation at Duncan Branch Library (Best for teens & adults)
More Virginia Events
- Mosaic Live Summer Concert Series in Fairfax, VA
- Featuring Tea with Mrs. B & 1-2-3 Andres
- Marsha and the Positrons at Burke Lake Park Amphitheater in Fairfax Station, VA
- Rocknoceros at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly, VA
- The Uncle Devin Show at Mason District Park Amphitheater in Annandale, VA
- Ladybugs – Fierce or Friendly at Hidden Oaks Nature Center ($)
- Family Campout at Burke Lake Park ($)
- Fireflies in the Meadow at Ellanor Lawrence Park in Chantilly, VA ($)
- Rocknoceros at Reston Town Square Park
- Reston Concerts on the Town featuring Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats (Rockabilly)
- Juneteenth Celebration at Manassas Mall
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Washington, DC
- Morning at the Library at Cleveland Park Library
- Programming for children with disabilities and their families to explore the library before it opens to the public.
- Eastern Market Anniversary Weekend
- Folger Shakespeare Library Grand Reopening
- Performance by Energico Jazz
- Disney in Concert: The Sound of Music at The Kennedy Center ($)
- Sound Scene 2024: Solstice at Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- Princess Brunch with Ariel at Le Fantome ($)
- Pride Day at the Greenbelt Museum
- Movies on the Potomac ~ The Little Mermaid (2023) at National Harbor
- Shakespeare in the Parks: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Fairwood Park
Montgomery County
- Storytime with Climate Action Coffee Pollinator Group! at People’s Book Takoma
- Miss Nelson is Missing! ~ Performance at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 4+)
- Sunday Open Explore at KID Museum in Bethesda, MD ($) (Best for ages 4 – 14)
- 2024 Summer Reading Challenge Kickoff at Connie Morella Library in Bethesda, MD
- Magical Mayhem Circus with Gregory May on the South Lawn at Connie Morella Library in Bethesda, MD
- Allan Stevens’s Pinocchio Performance by The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4+)
- Harpists at the Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds, MD
More Maryland Events
- Summer Pops Concert with Columbia Orchestra at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods
Virginia
Arlington County
- The Sound of Music at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
- MoCA on the Move at Met Park: Summer Fun Family Series
- Early Bird Movie Tickets at the Regal Ballston Quarter 12
- $7 tickets to movies showing before noon
- “What is Your Guidepost” by Molly McCracken at Westover Farmers Market
- Make a collage postcard illustrating a guidepost made of a stack of hand cut “paper rocks” thinking about what landmarks capture your attention in your neighborhood
- Summer Solstice Celebration Hike at Fort CF Smith Park
- Lubber Run Summer Concert Series – Arlington Philharmonic
More Virginia Events
- Pirates host Kids and Family Festival at Shipgarten in McLean, VA
- Kalanidhi Performance at Mason District Park Amphitheater
- An Indian classical dance style that originated in Andhra Pradesh, India
- Sunday Art in the Park with Shenandoah Conservatory at Reston Town Square Park
- Musical Concert