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| 📷 HVFD: Santa Claus is coming to town! |
🎅 Welcome to your fantabulous guide for 2017 Kid-Friendly Holiday Fun Along Route One! Below you’ll find fabulously local (and mostly free!) listings for Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa fun to help you and your wee ones get into the holiday spirit! Scroll down for categories including Santa, Holiday Events, Holiday Music & Performances and Holiday Lights! Know of other, great local events happening in our area? Drop your knowledge in the comments section below!
🎄 I’ll be updating this list throughout the holiday season, so be sure to return to learn of new events. Subscribe to Route One Fun and you’ll automatically receive an email when a new post has been published. Share Route One Fun’s Kids’ 2017 Holiday Fun Guide with a few of your friends so they can join you in the fun!
Children’s Holiday Party
Join Santa for Build-A-Bear and other holiday crafts! Don’t forget your camera or phone for pictures with Santa!
When: Saturday, December 9th, 10am-Noon
Where: Riverdale Park Town Hall, 5008 Queensbury Rd, Riverdale Park
Cost: Free!
Santa has fit time into his busy holiday schedule! All children receive a FREE picture with Santa!
When: Saturday, December 9th, 10am-2pm
Where: Greenbelt Youth Center, 99 Centerway, Greenbelt
Cost: Free!
Breakfast with Santa at Beltsville Community Center
Join us for arts and craft activities, refreshments and a chance to take a photo with Santa! Crafts will include ornaments, stocking decoration, and more. Refreshments available while they last. Call the center to register for this event no later than December 13.
When: Saturday, December 16th, 9:30am-12pm
Where: Beltsville Community Center, 3900 Sellman Rd, Beltsville
Cost: Free!
Come meet Santa at the firehouse and get a great pic with your kids & family with Santa, Marshall (or both) with the fire trucks! Please RSVP here or the form at https://www.hvfd.com/santa-run/ to RSVP. Please arrive before 2PM. We will update any changes on our Facebook page.
Nutcracker Tea Party
The season would not be complete without enjoying an afternoon of elegant tea and goodies while dressed in your fanciest, as this classic holiday ballet comes to you on screen. Delight in family-friendly sugarplum music, photo ops, Nutcracker crafts, and more.
When: Saturday, December 9th, 1-4pm
Where: Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Rd, Laurel
Cost: $25
Pre-registration is required. Spend the afternoon with Santa’s Elves creating holiday crafts and cookies. Call for registration information. Children ages 6-12.
When: Saturday, December 9th, 1:30-3:30pm
Where: Greenbelt Youth Center, 99 Centerway, Greenbelt
Cost: Free!
Join in fun arts projects facilitated by arts specialist Aaron Springer. Bring the family, take a seat, order brunch and get started on your project. You’ll leave MilkBoy ArtHouse will a full stomach – and an artistic memento from your experience!
When: Sunday, December 10th, 11am-1pm
Where: MilkBoy ArtHouse, 7416 Baltimore Ave, College Park
Cost: Free!
National Menorah Lighting
Head to DC to enjoy the Lighting Ceremony of the National Chanukah Menorah! Featuring Dreidelman & the Macabees, free dreidel and menorah kits, hot latkes and donuts and more!
When: Tuesday, December 12th, 4pm
Where: Ellipse at the White House
Cost: Free – tickets required.
Holiday Trains and Planes
Get ready for the holiday festivities as miniature trains, villages, tunnels, and depots spark the imagination and bring history to life. The National Capital Trackers will bring a fascinating, locomotive display of model railroads to the Museum.
When: Saturday, December 16th – December 23rd, 10am-5pm
Where: College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Dr., College Park
Admission: Free with museum admission ($5/adult; $2/child)
Arts Drop-In: Holiday Cards and Decorations
A fun time for kids and parents to get creative with a variety of craft materials and an imaginative facilitator!
When: Saturday, Dec. 16th, 10am-12pm
Where: College Park Community Center, 5101 Pierce Ave, College Park
Cost: Free!
Gingerbread House Holiday Hullabaloo
Drop-in anytime between Noon and 3pm for our annual Gingerbread House Holiday Hullabaloo. Our gingerbread house workshop is a FREE community event. Adults, children, and families are all welcome. You may even see Santa Claus! We will also be accepting toy donations (unwrapped please) for families at Thomas Stone Elementary!
When: Saturday, December 16th, 12pm-3pm
Where: Art Works Now, 4800 Rhode Island Ave, Hyattsville
Admission: Free!
Holiday Ornament Workshop
This family-friendly workshop provides the opportunity to create paper ornaments for the Holiday season. Materials provided. If you have special paper you would like to use, feel free to bring it the day of the event. No registration required. We look forward to sharing the Holidays with you.
When: Saturday, December 16th, 2 pm
Where: Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood
Cost: Free!
Mishkan Torah’s Chanukah celebration will be extra special this year. Besides commemorating the holiday with all of its fun and joy, we will be celebrating the installation of Saul Oresky as our spiritual leader and welcoming his wife Phyllis Oresky as our rebbetzin. The event will include delicious latkes (potato pancakes) and other foods, entertaining performances from the “Not-Ready-For-Purim” Players and from our Karp Family School students, tributes from esteemed visitors–all wrapped up with fun, laughter, and a community singalong. The fifth night of Chanukah promises to be one to remember. RSVP here by 12/8: http://www.mishkantorah.org/chanukat-ha-rav
Cost: $15 per adult; $10 per 12 and under child. Children of any age are welcome. (It’s a Chanukah party, so the more children, the better). We will start the festivities with candle lighting and there will be a menorah and candles on every table.
ACM 50th Anniversary Kwanzaa Celebration with Nana Malaya Rucker, “The Dancing Diplomat & Nubian”
This exciting family program combines the masterful skills of dance, music, storytelling and more by Nana Malaya Rucker, “The Dancing Diplomat” with plenty of audience participation and African percussive instruments. The program includes introducing the audience to the history of Kwanzaa, its seven guiding principles and associated symbols, songs, dances and customs. Since the age of 16, Rucker has brought African-centered folklore to life through spoken word and dance. Her craft for telling stories in this manner has taken her around the world. Register: 202.633.4844
When: Tuesday, December 26th, 11am-1pm
Where: Fort Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie Street SE, Washington, DC
Kwanzaa Celebration with Melvin Deal African Heritage Dancers and Drummers
Celebrate Kwanzaa with a lively performance by Mevlin Deal African Heritage Drummers and Dancers (pictured). Melvin Deal is the Founding Executive Artistic Director of the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers and has worked tirelessly in addressing issues of violence, delinquency and dysfunctional lifestyles and abuse in African-American communities. A graduate of Howard University, Deal is an accomplished dancer, musician, choreographer, researcher, and arts educator.
Celebrate Kwanzaa with all-day arts and crafts at the museum. Register online or call 202.633.4844.
When: Thursday, December 28th, 10:30am-2:30pm
Where: Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Pl, SE, Washington DC
Cost: Free!
Prince George’s County Youth Jazz Ensemble
Where: Mall at Prince George’s, 3500 East West Highway, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!
Holiday Lights Concert
Enjoy the Greenbelt Concert Band’s Annual Holiday Lights Concert Hear all your holiday favorites, played live by the members of your community band, under the direction of Joan Rackey.When: Sunday, December 10th, 3-4:30pm
Where:Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Rd
Cost: Free!
Largo High School Holiday Performance
Check out this fun holiday performance by students of Largo High School – who coincidentally are performing at the Kennedy Center on December 17th! 🙂
When: Saturday, December 16th, 12-2pm
Where: Mall at Prince George’s, 3500 East West Highway, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!
A Greenbelt Nutcracker
The Greenbelt Dance Studio, a program of the Greenbelt Department of Recreation, presents an original production inspired by holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. Set in Greenbelt past and present, The New Deal Nut: A Greenbelt Nutcracker features a range of dance styles including ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary, performed by a talented cast of dancers from elementary through high school.
When: Saturday, December 16th & Sunday, December 17th, 3-4pm
Where: Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Rd, Greenbelt
Cost: Free (but tickers are required. To order tickets, call or visit the Community Center business office (301-397-2208), Monday-Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm. Tickets will be available starting November 27.
Watkins Festival of Lights
This spectacular holiday drive-through event features over one million twinkling lights, wonderful themed displays, & one of the tallest tree displays in the state! Don’t forget to bring canned goods/non-perishable items for donation to local food banks.
When: Now through – January 1, 2017, 5-9:30 pm
Where: Watkins Regional Park, 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro
Cost: $10/car (Free on 12/25)
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