Weekend Fun! January 27th-29th

Raptors Reign in Laurel, Rainbow Crow in Adelphi, Chinese New Year Storytime & Tea in Hyattsville, Polar Bear Plunge at National Harbor, an album release party in Brentwood and a Family Fun Bowling Bash in College Park are just some of the fun things we’ve got lined up for you this weekend!  Read on for more! 

And above, sharing a pic of one of many colorful murals that line a wall on the Jefferson Street side of Hyattsville Elementary School.  Recently learned that these murals were the product of a great collaboration between Art Works Now, students at Hyattsville Elementary and artist Peter Krsko which was funded through grants from the Anacostia Watershed Society and the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council.  I’ve walked by them many times and think they’re such a lovely addition to the neighborhood – just didn’t know their story.  Now I do – and maybe now you do, too!  

FRIDAY 

Toddler Time Fridays!
Open studio time for toddlers and their accompanying adults. Join us as we learn to make moonsand.  This DIY sand is a fun, sensory-centered project that little ones just love!
When: 10am-12pm
Where: Art Works Now, 3711 Rhode Island Ave, Mt. Rainier
Cost: $9

Storytime PopUp!  @ 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 0-4 years old. Click here for fun video of a past collabo! (While there, highly recommend getting the Berry Nice smoothie – delish and kid-approved!)
When: 10-10:30am
Where: The Waterhole, 4004 34th St., Mt. Rainier
Cost: Free
** Here’s our review of The Waterhole in Mount Rainier

Family Fun: Winter Worlds  
At the North and South Poles it seems like winter all year long! Learn how polar bears, penguins and other animals are adapted to their cold climates. Program includes hands-on activities, games and crafts for all ages.
When: 10am-1pm 
Where: Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel
Cost: Free! (Donations to The Friends of Patuxent are greatly appreciated.)

Rollingcrest’s Indoor Splash Playground!

Credit: PG Parks & Recreation

This is the perfect place to play indoors on a cold day and exhaust the kids! 😉 Basically, an indoor water park right here in PG.  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: Noon-8:45pm
Where: Rollingcrest Chillum Splash Pool, 6122 Sargent Road, Chillum 
Admission:  2 & under are free! Ages 3-17: $5. Adults: $6

Chinese New Year Storytime & Tea
Celebrate the new year with stories and tea.  Ages 0-5.
When: 3-4pm
Where: Hyattsville Public Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!

SATURDAY

Arts Drop In 
Arts Specialist Aaron Springer leads fun, free arts workshops for children ages 3-8 w/ their parents. Join & make colorful dragons for the Chinese Lunar New Year.
When: 10am
Where: College Park Community Center, 5051 Pierce Ave, College Park
Cost: Free!

Family Fun: Winter Worlds  
At the North and South Poles it seems like winter all year long! Learn how polar bears, penguins and other animals are adapted to their cold climates. Program includes hands-on activities, games and crafts for all ages.
When: 10am-1pm 
Where: Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel
Cost: Free!

Spanish-English Storytime! 
Stories, fingerplay and songs will be presented in Spanish and English. Insider nugget: After storytime, depending on library capacity, the kiddos are usually able to hang around and get more of their wiggles out before you head back home for nap time!  Ages 0-5.
When: 11-11:30am
Where: Hyattsville Public Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!

Chess/Checkers Club
Learn to play or improve your game!  Bring your own set or play with one of ours.  Best for ages 5+.
When: 1-2:30pm
Where: Hyattsville Public Library, 6530 Adelphi Rd, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!

Raptors Reign
Join special guest and licensed falconer, Rodney Stotts, as he shares the power of nature through discussions and up close encounters with birds of prey. 
When: 1-3pm 
Where: Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel
Cost: Free!
  
Read to Rover (Ages 5-12)
Build your child’s confidence in reading. Bring a favorite book or choose one from the library and Read to Rover. Specially trained therapy dog and cat will be glad to listen. And if you haven’t checked out the newly renovated Laurel library – let today be the day!  It’s fantastic!
When: 1:30-2:30pm
Where: Laurel Public Library
Cost: Free!

Rainbow Crow Brings Daylight 
This performance by Beech Tree Puppets adapts two Native American folk and creation tale from the Lenape and Inuit tribes. Follow Crow on his journey to the Sky Spirit, as he brings fire to earth and saves the other animals. Light snacks and beverages will be served following the performance.  For Ages 4-104.
When: 2pm 
Where: Paint Branch Universalist Unitarian Church, 3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi
Cost: Free (suggested donation of $5 welcome)

SUNDAY

Bedtime for Bats! 
Where do bats go in the winter? Join us for this interactive program to learn about bats and how they survive the cold winter months. Discover ways you can help bats survive even when you don’t see them around!   Ages 5-7
When: 10:30-11:30am 
Where: Patuxent Research Refuge, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel
Cost: Free!

Family Fun Bowling Bash 

City of College Park Recreation Board presents this family-fun bowling bash!  $5 pp for the first 100 residents.  Includes unlimited bowling, shoe rental, soda and pizza! $10 a person after.  No reservations required and a limited number of lanes also have gutter guards! 
When: 1-4pm
Where: AMF College Park Lanes, 9021 Baltimore Ave, College Park, MD
Cost: See above.
 

SATURDAY

Hyattsville Aging in Place: Ask the Doctor
Hyattsville Aging in Place offers this free program featuring Doctor Stephanie Trifoglio, an internist and geriatric specialist – who also has a sense of humor!  Dr. Trifoglio has spoken to HAP several times and has been described as informed as well as caring by your Route 1 neighbors.  This HAP program starts with coffee and conversation (9am -9:30am) – til 11:30am. As always, it’s free and open to all.
When: 9am-11:30am
Where: Hyattsville Municipal Bldg, 4310 Gallatin St., Hyattsville
Cost: Free!  

Workshop – Installing Tile Backsplash
Join this workship and learn the skills you need to properly install a tile backsplash.  The lesson will cover selecting tiles, prepping the work area and wall space, cutting tile to size and mounting tiles using mat adhesive or grout.
When: 10am
Where: Home Depot
Cost: Free!

“Keep Winter Cold” Polar Bear Plunge 
Join Chesapeake Climate Action Network for the 12th annual Polar Bear Plunge as they raise funds to move our region off of fossil fuels and to clean energy solutions!  Join the plunge yourself (register & create personal fundraising page here) or go cheer on local biz, Community Forklift, as they show their commitment to fight climate change by jumping in the icy Potomac River!
When: Check in opens at 10am
Where: 165 Waterfront Street, National Plaza, National Harbor, MD
Cost: No cost to cheer! Go one further and donate to Community Forklift’s efforts!

Collage Sessions with The Beat of Blossoms 
With a small group of individuals, learn mixed media collage techniques, color theory, and collage + design principles. Create art, and riff together on collective pieces with other individuals. Make at least two mixed media collages and leave with ideas for creating more art at home.
When: 1-4pm
Where: ReCreative Spaces, 3501 Perry Street, Mt. Rainier
Cost: $32-37

Second Season: The Weeping Philosophers
An evening of new work by Mark Costello & Kelly Colburn.  Costello’s multimedia project uses a live video loop that explores time as an architectural object. Colburn’s homage to his twenties in NYC is a wild and nostalgic investigation of what it means to give up the thing you love most.
When: 2pm
Where: UMD Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (Dance Theatre), 8270 Alumni Drive
Cost: Free!  Must register for tickets here.

Yarnia Fundraiser 
Do you knit? Do you want to knit? Do you just want to think about knitting and hang around with some who do? Join fun crafty people in a glass of rum punch (provided). In addition, we will have yarn on sale at a ridiculously cheap price that belonged to a beloved friend (and knitter) of our community and whose proceeds will go directly to a cause of her choosing: ‘send a kid to camp’ in PG county. Join us!
When: 5-8pm
Where: Tanglewood Works, 5132 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!  (Donations to cause & purchasing of yarn welcome!)
** Read our Tanglewood Works review

Substantial Album Release Party
Take advantage of this great opp to check out hip hop recording artist, Substantial, who hails from Prince George’s County – Cheverly, to be precise!   This album release party and is also a fundraiser for the museum. The $20 admission covers a $10 donation to the museum and a copy of the new album, The Past Is Always Present In The Future.  
When: 6-9pm
Where: Prince George’s African American Museum, 4519 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood
Cost: $20 ($10 donation to museum +$10 for Substantial’s Album)

SUNDAY 

Vision Board Brunch! 
Lets make sure we make 2017 everything we want it to be. If you have not VB’d before you are in for a treat. We’ll work together with images, magazine photos, baubles, and words to visually create what we want our year and our life to become.  Hurry – class maxes out at 8 people!
When: 10am-2pm
Where: Tanglewood Works, 5132 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville
Cost: $25

Black History Month Exhibit & Opening Reception – “How We Got Over: A History of Black Sacred Music Traditions”
For the black community, sacred music has been a source and reflection of faith, strength, hope, and love during both times of joy and tribulation. This body of music is the subject of the 2017 Black History Month exhibit, which examines a variety of African American sacred music traditions (spirituals, hymns, gospel music) from their West African roots through the 21st century. The exhibit also highlights the important contributions made by Prince Georgians in the realm of black sacred music as vocalists, instrumentalists, composers, and more. All ages.
When: 2-4pm
Where:Montpelier Arts Center, 9652 Muirkirk Road, Laurel
Cost: Free!