Happy Weekend! Easy links to inspo for local fun: * The Great Indoors * Swim Spots * Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums * Best Outdoors in the DC Area * Local Hikes with Kids * Baltimore with Kids * Bike Rides * Paddling Options * Stunning Spaces * Peaceful Places Smithsonian Folklife Festival Where: National Mall, DC When: Through July 1 Admission: Free The annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival just began, this year celebrating Indigenous Voices of the Americas and the National Museum of the American Indian. See and experience all kinds exhibits, demonstrations, live performances, talks, food, markets, and more — all free!  Check the schedule of events to help plan your visit. Rock on the Riverfront Where: Yards Park | Capitol Riverfront, DC When: Friday, 7pm Admission: Free Kick off the weekend with  live music in the fresh air — the Friday Night Concert series at Yards Park begins on Friday evening! Perfekt Blend is playing this first installment of the summer staple. Enjoy the music along with food and drinks for purchase (or BYO picnic), let the kids play in the water features and grassy spaces, and dance on the boardwalk — all with the backdrop of scenic river views. Extraordinary Cinema: Ratatouille Where: The REACH | Kennedy Center, DC When: Friday at dusk Admission: Free Start the weekend with a free film screenings outdoors on the REACH Video Wall. In this charming, animated family fare, Remy is a rat who dreams of becoming a gourmet chef despite his family’s wishes. He teams up with Linguini, an inexperienced kitchen worker at a top Parisian restaurant. Heritage Days Where: Various locales | Montgomery County, MD When: Saturday & Sunday, 12-4pm Admission: Free Celebrate the history, culture, and natural beauty of Montgomery County, MD, as more than 30 even at historic sites welcome visitors for guided tours, re-creations of historic events, children’s activities, and more — all free of charge. Learn about the history of dairy farming, railroads, and trolleys; African American communities, astronomy, local arts & culture, and outdoor recreation. Check the online brochure for participating locations and activities. Super Nova Comic Con Where: Dulles Town Center | Chantilly, VA When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 6pm Admission: Free Super Nova Comic Con is the place to be for fans, enthusiasts, and anyone looking to experience the magic of comics and anime. Dive into a treasure trove of comic and anime products, become immersed in riveting celebrity panels, and witness fantastic costume contests. Visitors, in or out of costume, can also participate in giveaways and surprises. Free of charge and open to all; no pre-registration is required. Show Time Where: Around the DC area When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Varies by show There’s all kinds of entertainment on local stages this weekend. Here’s what you can see and where you can catch it (and you can find show details and any discount links here): * Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale at Adventure Theatre * Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods at Wolf Trap * Miss Nelson is Missing at Imagination Stage * The Kite Runner at the Kennedy Center * Funny Girl at the Kennedy Center Chinatown Park Festival Where: Chinatown Park | Downtown DC When: Saturday, 11am – 2pm Admission: Free Join the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs for the Chinatown Park Festival. The event includes lively cultural performances, martial art demonstrations, family-friendly activities like face painting, henna, calligraphy, a clothing swap, raffles, Asian arts and crafts, and more! Chinatown Park is located at the corner of 5th & Mass Ave. NW Metro Fest Where: Springfield-Franconia Metro | Springfield, VA When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm Admission: Free Metro is inviting transit lovers across the region to come together for a family-friendly celebration. The event will include arts and crafts, games, entertainment, snacks, water, and Metro-branded giveaways. Art Cart: Suspend a Sculpture Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm Admission: Free Who says a sculpture needs to be grounded? Explore the possibilities of suspense by creating a suspended sculpture using found materials inspired by artist Alexander Calder and his works in Revolutions: Art from the Hirshhorn Collection, 1860-1960. Find the Art Cart on the Lower Level and pick up your suspension materials. Weekend Workshops Where: National Portrait Gallery | Penn Quarter, DC When: Saturday & Sunday, 11:30am – 3pm Admission: Free Drop in at the National Portrait Gallery to do some art making! All ages are welcome to get creative at Weekend Workshops. Learn about artists and changemakers, then create art inspired by their stories. Of course, explore the whole museum while you’re there. See more about the National Portrait Gallery here. (PS: The museum is also hosting Portrait Gallery Kid for families on Monday, July 1.) The Spirit of Soccer Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC When: Saturday, 7:30pm Admission:Tickets start at $15 The Washington Spirit are hosting North Carolina Courage at Audi Field on Saturday evening. Enjoy some amazing soccer play — and a fun, action-packed chance to support women in sports. The night will also include celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community as part of the annual Pride Night! Purchase tickets here. Bethesda Big Train Baseball Where: Shirley Povitch Field | Bethesda, MD When:  Saturday, 7pm & Sunday, 10am Admission: $15 Take kids out to a ball game with special features just for them!  Bethesda Big Train, a local summer collegiate team, brings baseball on a smaller scale.  And this Sunday, there’s an early start time and extra fun it’s Homer’s Birthday Party with Louie of the Baysox!  Giveaways include a Homer cake pops for first 100 kids 10 & under  and a box of color chalk for first 200 fans 12 & under. Kona Ice will be there for Ice Cream Sunday. And kids can run the bases after the game. Pride in the Plaza Where: Veteran’s Plaza | Silver Spring, MD When: Sunday, 12-8pm Admission: Free As Pride month winds down, keep the celebrating up at this event that welcomes all ages. Fun festivities include live performances, a voguing competition and the 2024 Drag Duels championship, activities for kids, a resource and vendors fair, and more! Take Your Pick Where: Around the DMV When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Varies by locale Blackberries, raspberries, peaches, and more fruits and veggies are ripe and ready for harvest, and many area farms welcome guests to come PYO. It’s always a good idea to check websites or call ahead to confirm availability the day you plan to go. Sunscreen and hat also recommended. Summer in the City Where: Throughout the DMV When: All weekend Admission: Varies by locale Enjoy activities that make this time of year so much fun. Start the weekend off on Friday with a free outdoor concert or an evening of fishing, then continue the fun on Saturday and Sunday with water play at a pool or sprayground. Cool off indoors at an exhibit. Feast on crabs or hit the beach to fulfill a seasonal must-do. Round it out it with a family movie under the stars. Get details about all of these summer diversions and even more in the 2024 Summer Guide. Open Swim Where: Around the area When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Varies by locale This round-up of places to swim around the area will come in handy on the hot days. Find beaches on the Bay (and even Atlantic), lakes and rivers, and swimming holes and creeks — all that welcome the public to take a dip! ***MORE GOOD STUFF*** * Enjoy an evening at the National Arboretum on Friday — hours are extended until 8pm on the 4th Friday of the month during summer. * July 7 is a Free Community Day at the National Museum of Women in the Arts — reserve tickets now! * An easy weekend beach getaway or even day trip. * Did you know Groupon has deals on all kinds of  local activities and services? * Tips for planning for 4th of July travel. * What do you think should be the song of the summer? * A dress to go with that summer song…I was intrigued by this one on social media, then saw someone wearing it IRL and loved it, so ordered for myself! * REI has an awesome 4th of July sale going on. Some picks: A good deal on a Cannondale, this duffle with backpack straps (Owen has it, so we can vouch its’ great), kids footwear, these women’s water shoes, this hammock. * And picks from a good home sale: This pretty cakestand, this unique wine rack, this fun pitcher, this mod sofa * In honor of the big debate… how to boat