It’s opening weekend for the Adventure Park at Sandy Spring   Happy Weekend! Find loads of ideas for mainstay fun in these KFDC posts: * Best Outdoors in the DC Area * Local Hikes with Kids * The Great Indoors * Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums * Kid-Friendly Dining * Indoor Action * Baltimore with Kids * Peaceful Places * Stunning Spaces Day-Off Fun Where: Around the DC Area When: Friday Admission: Varies by activity It’s a day off from school for a lot of DC students, so if you’re looking for a special outing to take advantage, here are some suggestions: * Enjoy the nice weather on a hike — I recommend the Riverbend to Great Falls stretch, but you can find more hikes here. * Visit the National Zoo (and see the pandas)! * Watch some A-10 Tourney b-ball action (see below). * Go bowling at Pinstripes in Georgetown — get an hour free with purchase of kids meal! (Read more here, but note the promo has changed.) * Check the KFDC posts above for tons more ideas! Atlantic 10 Hoops Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC When: Friday, Saturday, & Sunday Admission: Ticket prices vary (find them here) The Atlantic 10 tournament has been in DC this week, and the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship games are this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  You can check out match-ups here, though most are still TBD — but they are all sure to be exciting! Super Pet Expo Where: Dulles Expo Center | Chantilly, VA When: Friday – Sunday Admission: $15/adult, $10/child, free/3 & under People of all ages who adore animals will love this event featuring all kinds of fun and cute pet-related activities. See dogs perform tricks; watch a cat show; check out parrots, snakes, and more reptiles.  Bring your dog along to play in a giant ball pit.  And enjoy much, much more animal fun! Adventure in the Trees Where: Adventure Park at Sandy Spring | Sandy Spring, MD When: Saturday & Sunday, 9am – 5pm Admission: Varies by age The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring reopens for the season on Saturday and tickets are still available for many time slots! Kids as young as 5 years old can experience thrills on the ropes courses and ziplines in the park’s aerial adventure forest, the largest in North America. Children ages 5-6 and an accompanying adult have access to two of the easier courses. Older kids can do much more. It may seem like a pricey venture, but it’s so worth it. See more about the park in this KFDC post.  And see what other area ropes courses are around the area here. The Big Draw Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC When: Saturday, 10am – 4pm Admission: Free Join a day of creative exploration, featuring award winning author and illustrator David Macaulay! Discover the power of drawing as a tool for communication and design through live demos, drawing and design workshops, hands-on activities, story time sessions, and more! The World & Me: Save a Spider! Where: Natural History Museum | National Mall When: Saturday, 10am – 12:30pm Admission: Free Drop in to join a celebration of “Save a Spider Day” at this session the museum’s series.  See spider specimens and other arachnids up close, make observations at live tarantula feedings, and learn about the amazing diversity found within the different spider and arachnid species. Scientists from the museum will also share about what they do to learn more about spiders and will help us debunk common spider myths. Mini Doughnut Decorating Where: Astro Beer Hall | Shirlington, VA When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm Admission: $15 Trade Lucky Charms for doughnuts this St. Patrick’s Day! Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken is hosting a festive mini doughnut decorating event in celebration of the Irish holiday. Admission includes festive icing, toppings, and doughnuts. Food and drink are available for purchase throughout the event. Reserve tickets in advance. A Gem of an Event Where: Montgomery County Fairgrounds | Gaithersburg, MD When: Saturday, 10am – 6pm & Sunday, 11am – 5pm Admission: $7/age 12+, free/11 & under Kids (and adults!) who like fossils, rocks, and/or gems are in for a treat. The 56th Annual Show of the Gem, Lapidary, and Mineral Society of Montgomery County, MD, will have all that and then some. There will be dealers selling collectibles, demonstrations, exhibits, door prizes, free workshops, free specimens for kids, mini mines, and more. Brain Awareness Day Where: National Museum of Health & Medicine | Silver Spring,MD When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm Admission: Free Explore the exciting world of neuroscience! Join brain scientists, researchers, clinicians, and museum educators to enjoy interactive demonstrations and exhibits about the brain. Learn about prevention and treatment of traumatic brain injury, and discover how your brain works!  (Note: This is museum is incredibly fascinating, but maybe not for young children or the faint of heart. Read more about why here.) Pop Up Print Shop Where: REI | NoMa, DC When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm Admission: Free REI is creating original, custom screen prints for members! Get your free item, screen printed on the spot during our member celebration. Drop into a participating REI store and visit the pop-up Member Print Shop, no registration necessary. One item per member while supplies last, and proof of membership is required. Do some shopping while you’re there — they have deals going on all month. Family Day: Women’s History Month Where: Library of Congress | Capitol Hill, DC When: Saturday, 10:30am – 3:30pm Admission: Free with tickets Celebrate Women’s History Month at the Library of Congress! Their monthly family program is recognizing the achievements of women in aviation, from hot air balloons to the space age. Learn about trailblazing women represented in the African and Middle Eastern collections at the Library through hands-on activities,  opportunities to talk to staff experts, and more. Read more about the Library of Congress in this KFDC post. The Bedwetter – A Musical Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC When: Fri, 8pm | Sat, 2pm & 8pm | Sun, 2pm Tickets: $69-109 (find discount) It’s the final weekend to see this wonderful show…  Teens and even mature tweens will find the production based on Sarah Silverman’s bestselling memoir just as hilarious and moving as adults.  The musical comedy follows 10-year-old Sarah as she navigates a new school, her parents’ divorce, and a secret (that the title gives away).  From curtains up to the final bow, her story is engaging, nostalgic, and performed perfectly by a charmingly talented cast. Read my longer review of it here. More Show Time Where: Around the DC area When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Varies by show There’s much more entertainment on local stages this weekend. Here’s where you can catch it (and you can find show details and any discount links here): * Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band at the Kennedy Center * Peter and the Wolf at The Puppet Co. * Mother Goose at Imagination Stage * Riverdance 30 – The New Generation at the Kennedy Center * Eureka Day at the Kennedy Center * In the Heights at Signature Theatre * Waitress at Olney Theatre Ireland at the Wharf Where: The Wharf | Southwest DC When: Saturday, 12-6pm Admission: Free The Wharf and Kirwan’s Irish Pub are bringing the luck of the Irish to the waterfront with a free festival! Enjoy all the fun of a true Irish festival with Irish dancing, rugby on the big screen, bands and bagpipers, Guinness beer, Irish coffee, and whiskey (last three for the adults, obv.). All ages welcome. Slainte! Model Trains & Thomas Where: Historic Vienna Depot | Vienna, VA When: Saturday, 1-5pm Admission: Free Visit the historical Vienna Stain station to watch model train and trolley activities that realistically depict an actual railroad that existed in North Carolina in the 1950′s, the Western North Carolina (WNC). Locomotive, rail car, and towns industry in this layout is modeled after those places and things as they looked in that era. Thomas the Tank Engine (and a few of his friends) are chugging around among the bigger steam and diesel locomotives. The Vienna Depot is located at 231 Dominion Road NE in Vienna, Virginia just down the street from the red caboose. United vs Montreal Where: Audi Field | Southwest DC When: Saturday, 2pm Admission: Tickets prices vary (Find them here) DC United is playing at home on Saturday evening, hosting Montreal. As always, I recommend taking public transportation or parking in the Navy Yard neighborhood and walking to Audi Field from there. Plan for a pre-match bite — here are a bunch of recs for family-friendly spots to eat there. Nowruz Family Festival National Museum of Asian Art | National Mall, DC When: Sunday, 11am – 4pm Admission: Free Honor the Persian New Year at the annual Nowruz Family Day. Welcome spring with free attractions for all ages, including storytelling, hands-on activities, gallery tours, Persion food and treats for purchase, and more! Critters Up Close: Turtle Time Where: Winkler Botanical Preserve | Alexandria, VA When: Sunday, 2-3pm Admission: $5 Head to the “hidden” oasis to meet some of NOVA Parks’ turtle ambassador animals. Learn about the heroes in a half shell, and get the chance to touch and even feed them. REcommended for ages 5+. See more about Winkler Botanical Preserve in this KFDC post. Fun at Fairfax Parks Where: Parks throughout Fairfax County, VA When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Varies by activity The Fairfax County Park Authority hosts all kinds of events on weekends for guests of all ages. Learn about birds of prey at Hidden Meadows Nature Center. Join a St. Patrick’s Day skate night at Franconia Rec Center. Do some dino art at Lake Fairfax. And there are even more interesting adventures! Details and registration for activities this weekend and beyond are available here. Park it in MoCo Where: MoCo Parks | Montgomery County, MD When: Throughout the weekend Admission: Varies by activity Montgomery Parks also presents loads of special activities for visitors of all ages. Go on a St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Hunt.  Enjoy storytime at Brookside Gardens.  Listen to a raptor caretaker chat at Meadowside Nature Center.   Find details on these activities and more! ***MORE GOOD STUFF*** * There will be a lunar eclipse in the wee hours of Friday, starting at 1am — here’s how to watch. * Where to get discounted or free pizza and pie for Pi Day. * Arena Stage is hosting a Spring Break Camp April 14-18 for kids in grades 3-5. * IMP just announced a bunch of concerts coming to the area — and taking kids to them can be a really fun time! * Interesting read: What we’ve learned about school closures for the next pandemic. * Just started listening to this podcast and really enjoying it, especially this episode. * Some of these mini kitchenware items are actually the perfect size… personal air fryer, anyone? * Love a good shirtdress — which is why I updated this round-up of them. * If you like swimsuits that are sporty but still cute, there are some good ones here.  I have several from the brand and can attest they are well made and very comfortable, too. * From the NY Times:  The Movies We’ve Loved Since 2000. * Rick Astley does Pink Pony Club.  And so does this grandad. ...read more read less