Take a trip to neighboring Montgomery or Howard Counties for their county fairs this weekend. The Prince George’s County Fair is also right around the corner; it starts September 8.
After a summer hiatus, the Route 1 Kids Weekend Guide is back! It’s looking like a gorgeous weekend around Hyattsville with temperatures dropping to a more reasonable level, so it’s a perfect time to take in some live music, visit a nearby county fair, or make some art with the kids around Route 1.
FRIDAY
Hyattsville Library Ready 2 Read Storytime (ages 3-5)
Bring your preschooler and enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, and more at the new Hyattsville Library.
When: 10:30-11 am
Where: Hyattsville Library
Cost: FREE!
National Aquarium Rainforest Exploration (ages 5-12)
Investigate plant and animal interactions and adaptations for survival in the South American rainforest. Discover the importance of this unique habitat, threats to its survival, and how to influence its future. Kids will love this hands-on session with animal artifacts.
When: 11:30 am to 12:15 pm
Where: Hyattsville Library
Cost: FREE!
Howard County Fair (all ages)
On Friday and Saturday, you can catch the tail end of this classic county fair. Rides and games are open Friday from 2 pm to 11 pm and Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm. There are several barns where kids can check out the animals, plus equine exhibitions, pig races, pony rides, and all the county fair junk food you remember from your youth.
When: Throughout the day on Friday and Saturday
Where: 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship
Cost: $10 for ages 13+, children 12 and under are FREE, additional cost for rides and games
Montgomery County Fair (all ages)
Another option is to head over to Montgomery County for their county fair all weekend. There will be live music and performances, carnival rides and games, barns with all kinds of animals, and a kids zone with mad science demonstrations and an agricultural showcase.
When: Friday 3 pm to midnight; Saturday 10 am to midnight; Sunday 10 am to 11 pm
Where: 501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg
Cost: $12/adults, children ages 11 and under are FREE, additional cost for rides and games
Bear Square Summer Concert Series (all ages)
The splash pad at Bear Square is ready for splashing, and Friday is the perfect time to cool off while listening to some live music.
When: 5 pm
Where: Bear Square, Riverdale Park
Cost: FREE!
Friday Night Live in College Park (all ages)
Stop by the plaza at the new City Hall building for live music, food, beer, and entertainment. Kids can enjoy children’s performers, activities and arts and crafts. Parking will be free at the Downtown College Park parking garage at the corner of Yale and Knox. Local food and beer will be available for purchase. This week’s theme is Sing Me the Blues. And, mark your calendar for the final Friday Night Live event of the year on September 9.
When: 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Where: 7401 Baltimore Avenue, College Park
Cost: FREE!
Xtreme Teens: Dig for Fossils (ages 10-17)
Teens will watch video on proper fossil digging and tools used in archaeology to help preserve fossils and learn about local fossil finds. Teens will then follow instruction provided and dig up bones in an archeological experiment for old dinosaur bones.
When: 7 pm
Where: Rollingcrest-Chillum Community Center
Cost: Free with M-NCPPC Youth ID
Xtreme Teens: Youth Jeopardy Game Night (ages 10-17)
Teens are invited for a quiz competition in which contestants are presented with general knowledge clues in the form of answers and must phrase their responses in the form of questions like the popular TV game show.
When: 7 pm
Where: Langley Park Community Center
Cost: Free with M-NCPPC Youth ID
SATURDAY
Watkins Youth Birding Club (ages 10-17)
Calling all young wildlife enthusiasts who enjoy hiking and the outdoors to join the Watkins Youth Birding Club. The group is led by a naturalist and will help kids learn skills like using binoculars and scope, learn how to recognize and identify birds and start a ”Life List.” Bring binoculars if you have them. This program will meet in front of the Nature Center and take place outdoors. Please dress appropriately for the weather.
When: 8 to 10 am
Where: Watkins Nature Center, Upper Marlboro
Cost: FREE! (register in advance)
Yoga in the Parks at Lake Artemesia (ages 13+)
Yoga in the Parks is a free yoga program where classes take place in the beautiful outdoors. Classes are scheduled for one hour and are designed for all fitness levels. Learn basic moves to strengthen your body and increase your flexibility.
When: 9:15-10:15 am
Where: Lake Artemesia, Berwyn Heights
Cost: FREE!
Howard County Fair (all ages)
On Friday and Saturday, you can catch the tail end of this classic county fair. Rides and games are open Friday from 2 pm to 11 pm and Saturday from 12 pm to 11 pm. There are several barns where kids can check out the animals, plus equine exhibitions, pig races, and pony rides.
When: Throughout the day on Friday and Saturday
Where: 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship
Cost: $10 for ages 13+, children 12 and under are FREE, additional cost for rides and games
Montgomery County Fair (all ages)
Another option is to head over to Montgomery County for their county fair all weekend. There will be live music and performances, carnival rides and games, barns with all kinds of animals, and a kids zone with mad science demonstrations and an agricultural showcase.
When: Friday 3 pm to midnight; Saturday 10 am to midnight; Sunday 10 am to 11 pm
Where: 501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg
Cost: $12/adults, children ages 11 and under are FREE, additional cost for rides and games
Story & Craft – Goats (ages 2-11)
Join us for a farm-related story, followed by a craft and an animal meet and greet.
When: 10-11 am
Where: Old Maryland Farm, Upper Marlboro
Cost: $3, register in advance
Family Art Workshop: Polymer Clay (all ages)
Make-and-take a complete polymer clay creation from start to finish. Participants can choose from a sculptural campfire or a marbled luminaria.
When: 10 am to 12 pm
Where: Greenbelt Community Center
Cost: $10 for non-Greenbelt residents (register in advance)
Archaeological Lab Processing: From Excavation to Exhibit (ages 16+)
How do artifacts go from the ground to a museum? Join archaeologists to learn all stages of lab processing. In this program, you will learn how to properly wash, sort, label, and catalog artifacts for permanent storage.
When: 11 am to 2 pm
Where: Mount Calvert Historical and Archaeological Park
Cost: $10, register in advance
Spirit of Summer Series: The JoGo Project (all ages)
The JoGo Project is a band from Washington, DC that fuses many styles of music, but with Jazz harmonies and a driving Go-Go beat at its core. JoGo was founded by DC Native and Jazz Saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed during a residency at Strathmore in 2014. Eight years later, The JoGo Project has become a mainstay in the DC music community and is dedicated as ever to keeping DC’s Go-Go music alive while also exploring new sounds and repertoire.
When: 7 pm
Where: Joe’s Movement Emporium, Mt. Rainier
Cost: Pay what you wish starting at $10
SUNDAY
Montgomery County Fair (all ages)
Head over to Montgomery County for their county fair all weekend. There will be live music and performances, carnival rides and games, barns with all kinds of animals, and a kids zone with mad science demonstrations and an agricultural showcase.
When: Friday 3 pm to midnight; Saturday 10 am to midnight; Sunday 10 am to 11 pm
Where: 501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg
Cost: $12/adults, children ages 11 and under are FREE, additional cost for rides and games
Family Paint Party (ages 6+)
Grab the kids and unleash your inner artist at the Original Paint Nite. You’ll go from a blank canvas to a masterpiece of your own, with plenty of laughs along the way.
When: 1 pm
Where: Studio 444, 5002 Berwyn Road, College Park
Cost: $32/person
Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor (all ages)
Pack your chairs, grab food to go from one of the delicious restaurants at National Harbor, and meet at The Plaza’s big screen for a free screening of Nanny McPhee. National Harbor will be featuring family movies every Sunday for the rest of the summer, plus date night movies for grown-ups on Thursdays.
When: 6 pm
Where: The Plaza at National Harbor
Cost: FREE!
Leave a Reply