Welcome to this week’s fantastic lineup! Awesome library “PopUp!” at Mt. Rainier’s The Waterhole, College Park’s Haunted Hangar, Hyattsville’s Vigilante’s Halloween Bash, Mask printing drop-in at Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, University Park’s Chili Cookoff, Mt. Rainier’s 5K and costume parade, Greenbelt’s parade and Scared Shrekless, and Riverdale’s Howl-a-Ween party for our four-legged friends! So much to do all here along Route 1!
PGCMLS’s Storytime PopUp! at The Waterhole
Join us for stories, songs, fingerplays and more at this innovation collaboration between PGCMLS & Mt. Rainier’s fabulous organic juice & smoothie joint, The Waterhole. Best for 0-5 years old. Curious? Click here for fun video of a past collabo!
When: 10 am
Where: The Waterhole, 4004 34th St., Mt. Rainier
Admission: Free (Heads-up: Waterhole’s menu is delish, highly recommend indulging!)
** Here’s my Waterhole Review
Family Fun: Creepy Critters
Bats, owls and spiders are everywhere at Halloween, but are they really creepy? Learn about these fun and fascinating animals through hands-on activities and crafts. No registration required.
When: 10 am – 1 pm
Where: Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Lp, Laurel
Admission: Free!
Greenbelt’s Costume Parade
Trick-or-Treaters of all ages will parade through the Center and receive treats from the generous Roosevelt Center Merchant Association members.
When: 4:30 – 6 pm
Where: Roosevelt Center, Crescent Road & Southway Drive
Admission: Free!
Old Greenbelt Theatre Family Series
Watch Scared Shrekless after the Halloween parade!
When: After the Halloween Parade (~ 6 pm)
Where: 129 Centerway, Greenbelt
Admission: Free!
Haunted Hangar
Wear your costume and join in the Halloween fun at the annual Haunted Hangar event. Arts & Crafts, face painting, hayrides, and spooky fun are waiting for kids and families.
When: 7 – 9 pm
Where: College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive, College Park
Admission: $5 pp, all ages
SATURDAY!
See the Mount Rainier & Gateway Arts District area as never before!
9:30AM – Annual Mount Rainier / Gateway 5K Race! Register here.
11:00AM – Family Halloween Parade and Kids’ Costume Contest! Featuring Stilt Walker Mandy the Clown marching in the parade with us & entertaining the kids with her amazing act!
Admission: Small registration fee for 5K race. Parade and Costume Contest are both FREE events.
Kids Try a Free Spanish Class
Try a Spanish class for free at Link Education in Hyattsville.
When: 9:30-10:30 am: Pre-K to 2nd grade; 10:45-11:45 am: 3rd-5th grade
Where: 5109 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville
Halloween Thing!
Something Spooky is coming to College Park….It’s our Annual Halloween Thing! Featuring for all ages: Haunted Hallways, Moon Bounce, Arts & Crafts, Games, Face Painting, Costume Parade, Raffle, and so much more!
When: 10am-12pm
Where: CP’s Youth and Family Services, 4912 Nantucket Road, College Park
Admission: Free!
Spooky Fest Halloween Party
Fun pumpkin crafts, monster mash dance party, costume contest (up to age 12), photo booth.
When: 1 – 3 pm
Where: University Town Center, Hyattsville (Across from Regal Royale 14 Cinema)
Ages: Best for children up to 12 y/o
Admission: Free! (Up to 2 hours free parking available in nearby public garages)
3rd Annual Pumpkin Olympics
Finish out the Greenbelt Pumpkin Festival with the Pumpkin Olympics! There will be relays and games for children and the adults will participate in the 3rd Annual Capture The Pumpkin.
When: 10 am – 2 pm
Where: Greenbelt Aquatic & Fitness Center, 101 Centerway
Admission: $2 per participant
UPCA’s Chili Cookoff
Who has the best chili recipe in town? Find out (or show us) at our Annual Chili Cook-off! The competition includes Mild, Vegetarian, and 5-Alarm chilis, so start going through your recipe books and come ready to compete with a pot that’ll feed 15-20 people. Don’t have a chili recipe ready for this year? Come along to judge, and bring some food and drinks for the potluck, or just enjoy the live music band!
When: 4-7 pm
Where: UPES Gazebo
Admission: Free (While there, consider joining the UPCA for $25 per family)!
*Vigilante Halloween Bash
Join Vigilante as we celebrate Halloween in style with music, food, and a new collaboration beer with Calvert Brewing Company; The Co-Lab #2: Necromancer. We’ve invited One Eight Distilling to mix up some great seasonal cocktails, local food trucks, and a rad DJ to spin the best hits. There will also be a costume contest so come dressed to impress & win great prizes!
When: 7 pm (pre-game at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center at 5 pm for a mask printing drop-in activity)
Where: 4327 Gallatin St. Hyattsville
Admission: Tickets are free, but space is limited so RSVP now!
SUNDAY!
Harambee at the Waterhole
Join us for a Harambee, a children’s drum circle with music and song for kids. At Harambee (Swahili for “all come together”), children celebrate learning through movement and song. Sneak peek here!
When: 11 am
Where: The Waterhole
Admission: $5 per child
Waggertail Dog Park’s “Howl-O-Ween” Party
We will have light refreshments for humans and dogs jsut outside the dog park gate. Please feel free to bring a food item or drink to share. There will also be a costume contest, bring your dog dressed to impress and you just might win a prize!
When: 1-3 pm
Where: 51st Avenue, Riverdale Park
Admission: Free!
Trunk or Treat
Trunk or Treat is a fall carnival for the family featuring bouncy houses, pony rides, costumes, candy, and fun. Kids will go car to car, getting treats and playing games. Hot dogs and snacks will be provided.
When: 3-5pm
Where: University Christian Church, 6800 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville
Admission: Free!
MONDAY – HALLOWEEN &/or SCHOOL’S OUT!
Rise & Rhyme
Every Monday morning from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m, this fun, weekly program promises to get the kiddos (usually best for those 5 years old and younger though any age welcomed) moving and entertained with interactive storytelling and musical performances. Check our my review for more!
When: Mondays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m-ish
Where: Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Rear parking lot.
Admission: $5 suggested donation at the door. Well worth it.
Watkins Regional Park Playground
This. Place. Is Awesome. Truly awesome Wizard of Oz-themed playground where you literally follow the yellow brick road under a rainbow arch as the Scarecrow shows you the way to your choice of six fun areas: Dorothy’s Farm House, Munchkin Land, the Emerald Forest, the Emerald City of Oz, the Balloon Escape, the Ruby Red Shoes. Playground, nature center and farm are free to explore and enjoy!
When: 9 am – 6 pm
Where: 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro
Admission: Free!
Smaland at College Park’s Ikea
This is not a Halloween activity but for those looking to fill the time b/w wake-up and trick-or-treating, this could be a fun option:
Free, 1 hour, supervised, enclosed, safe & clean play area near the entrance. Enjoy some shopping or just relax/eat/peoplewatch at the restaurant upstairs while your young one(s) has a blast at Smaland. Children must be potty trained and be 37” to 54” tall (so children typically b/w ages of 3-6). At check-in, kids receive a name tag marked with the same number as what parent/guardian receives. Also get a beeper which sounds when it’s time to pick up or if Ikea needs to reach you. Tips: (1) Best to arrive earlier on in the day as day progresses, so do the entrances lines; & (2) Join Ikea Family while you’re there and the kids get an extra 30 minutes to play at Smaland (depending on capacity) while you get free coffee!
When: 10:30am – 7pm
Where: 10100 Baltimore Avenue, College Park
Admission: Free!
Rollingcrest’s Indoor Splash Playground!
This place is amazing! Basically, an indoor water park right here in PG. Specifically, includes a specialized water play area for pre-schoolers with slides and spray features, family pool with water slides and spray features, a vending area and shower/changing facilities with lockers (lockers are available but require you to bring your own lock). While parts of the facility are dated, the kids always have a blast.
When: 6:30am-8:30pm weekdays
Where: Rollingcrest Chillum Splash Pool, 6122 Sargent Road, Chillum
Admission: 2 & under are free! Ages 3-17: $5. Adults: $6
Trick or Trail
A fun activity for you and your bike-adept children! Celebrate and inaugurate the newly completed segment of the Anacostia River Trail with this invitation to #TrickorTrail, a fun bike ride to the ribbon cutting at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Costumes are encouraged! Groups of rider will be leaving from Bladensburg Waterfront Park at 8:30 am and cycle to the ribbon cutting at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens at 9:15 a.m. (Ceremony itself at 10 am). There’ll be a pop-up pitstop with coffee and treats at Bladensburg.
When: 7:30-11 am
Where: Meet at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road
Admission: Free!
Halloween at PG Mall, Featuring Magician!
The Original High Energy Magic of Speed will perform his annual Halloween magic show, filled with high-energy magic, exciting and original stage illusions, audience participation and interaction followed by mall-wide trick-or-treating from 7-8 p.m.
When: 6 pm
Where: PG Mall, Center Court
Admission: Free!
*While not technically a kids event, methinks combining the 5 p.m. pre-game mask event at Pyramid with an hour or so at Vigilante & Calvert Brewing Co’s event may make for some happy kids and even happier parent(s)! (Mamma <3 Vigilante & Calvert Brewing Company!)
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