We love three day weekends in our family – and, I’m sure many of you are the same way! Here is a list of free, family-oriented activities going on this weekend in the DC Metro area! What are your plans for the weekend? I’d love to hear what you’re hoping to accomplish this weekend!
“Sands of Iwo Jima” at the National Museum of the Marine Corps
Old Town Alexandria, VA
Tonight, February 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM, the National Museum of the Marine Corps will be showing the “Sands of Iwo Jima” movie on Friday, February 17, 2012 at 6:30pm. Please complete the form on their website to RSVP. Admission is FREE, but is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Refreshments will be available for purchase.
Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum
Washington, DC
This Saturday, February 18, 2012, from 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM, the National Building Museum and the National Engineers Week Foundation invite you to debunk the myths of engineering and discover how professional engineers turn an idea into reality. This is a free, hands-on, and fun-filled festival! Be sure to stop by the Family Magazine booth – they will be delighted to meet you!
At Discover Engineering Family Day visitors can:
- FLY Become a rocket scientist and explore aerodynamics
- BUILD Learn to build a suspension bridge using only basic items
- EXPLORE Discover the concepts of mechanics and motion using a wind tube
- MAKE slime and learn the properties of a “semisolid”
- DESIGN and construct a structure to help protect from a tsunami
- INVENT a pop-fly lever and see how high it launches a ping pong ball
- WATCH PBS Design Squad Nation hosts demonstrate a life sized dance pad! See how it gets assembled and learn the technology behind this sound and light show.
2012 Loudoun Grown Expo at Fireman’s Field
Purcellville, VA
The Loudoun Grown Expo will be held on Saturday, February 18 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the historic Bush Tabernacle at Fireman’s Field in Purcellville, Virginia. This is a FREE event to attend. It will be a showcase of Western Loudoun’s best farms and producers. You’ll get to ask questions about local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs and compare pricing/value. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what a CSA is, here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
Participating farms include: Great Country Farms, Potomac Vegetable Farm, Wegmeyer Farms (they will be selling raspberry and strawberry jam and giving away free strawberry picking baskets, while supplies last), Lovettsville Cooperative Market, and much more.
Walking with Washington Tour
Old Town Alexandria, VA
Did you know that there are over 140 places in Alexandria today that are associated with George Washington? This tour is designed to show you some of them and improve your knowledge of Washington and Alexandria, his home town.
This FREE tour is held every Sunday in February (5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th) and begins at 1:00 PM (the tour lasts about 90 minutes). Meet at the Ramsay House Visitors Center (near the intersection of King & Fairfax Streets). This tour is free, and advance reservations are not required.
Free Admission to Mount Vernon on February 20, 2012
Mount Vernon, VA
Celebrate the national observance of George Washington’s birthday by visiting his home and burial site FREE of charge on this day. The traditional wreath laying ceremony takes place at Washington’s Tomb followed by patriotic music and military performances on the Bowling Green. Join characters from the 18th century as they help visitors surprise General Washington with rousing birthday cheers! At “George Washington’s Surprise Birthday Party”, the first president will be presented with gifts which he will describe and react to during a speech to his birthday visitors. The birthday festivities begin one hour earlier this year – the Estate will open to visitors at 8 a.m.! “General Washington” will be on the grounds to greet visitors and receive birthday wishes all day.
Chef Walter Staib of Philadelphia’s City Tavern and Emmy award-winning host of PBS’ “A Taste of History” will sign books and DVDs in The Shops at Mount Vernon throughout the weekend and Monday holiday. Visitors to the new Hoecakes & Hospitality: Cooking with Martha Washington exhibition can watch an eight-minute video in which the award-winning chef prepares a sturgeon in Mount Vernon’s kitchen. Please visit www.atasteofhistory.org for more information about Chef Walter Staib.
George Washington’s Birthday Parade
Old Town Alexandria, VA
The parade starts at 1:00 PM on Monday, February 20, 2012 at the intersection of Gibbon and S. Fairfax streets. The reviewing stand is located near City Hall’s Market Square, at the intersection of King and Royal streets, and ends at Wilkes and S. Royal streets. For maps and additional information, click here. The nation’s largest George Washington birthday parade marches a one-mile route through the streets of Old Town Alexandria. With nearly 3,500 participants including historical groups, equestrian units, bands, performance groups, youth from scouting groups and animals; this is still a local, community parade in honor of one of the City’s favorite sons.
On Parade Day, parking is FREE at the parking lots adjacent to the Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station; from here, a Free DASH shuttle bus will take you downtown and back from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free Old town trolley service will also be in operation all day until 11 p.m. from King Street Metro Station going east and west along King Street.
Free Admission to These Select Museums on February 20, 2012
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
134 N. Royal St.; Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: (703) 838-4242
Friendship Firehouse Museum
107 S. Alfred St., Alexandria. Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: (703) 838-3891
The Lyceum
201 S. Washington St.; Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: (703) 838-4994
Carlyle House
121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria. Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: (703) 549-2997
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
105-107 S. Fairfax St.; Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: (703) 746-3852
Christ Church
118 N. Washington St.: Time: 9 a.m. to 4
Phone: (703) 549-1450
{Side Note: If you share a birthday with any of America’s Presidents, you will receive free admission to Madame Tussauds at any time during this President’s Day Weekend. Here is a list of all the Presidents’ Birthdays.}
