Event Bites
We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
Aug. 2, 5-8 p.m.
If you have a shark-loving kid, Shark Bites & Brews at The Wharf in D.C. is right up their alley! This shark-themed festival encourages everyone to dress up as the infamous predator and test their skills on the mechanical shark ride or try and take on a plate of shark-themed donuts at the iconic donut-eating contest.
Deal or No Deal?
Aug. 6, 3-7 p.m.
The vendors selling goods at this farmers market may not be who you expect! Kids rule at the Children’s Entrepreneur Market at the district’s Rose Park Farmers Market, where all the booths are handled by children in business. Parents of aspiring business owners can even sign up for a table!
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Aug. 9, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Baseball is considered America’s national pastime, and the Library of Congress in D.C. is a great place to learn why that is. August Family Day: Celebrating Baseball participants can make their own baseball cards, see interesting artifacts related to the sport and even meet representatives from the Washington Nationals.
Be a STAR
Aug. 16, 10 a.m.
STAR Fest 2025 at D.C.’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library celebrates oral communication — singing, talking and reading — and is a great way to prepare for the new school year. There are plenty of interactive stations where kids can watch performances and story times, play and draw, as well as educational resources from partner organizations for parents.
More Events
Art Walk in the Park
Aug. 1, 6-8 p.m. | Glen Echo Park
7300 Macarthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812
Art Walk returns after an absence in July! The park’s studios and galleries will be open for visitors, who can attend workshops or watch demonstrations from working artists. Art offerings are different every month.
Free | glenechopark.org
Friendship Firehouse Festival
Aug. 2, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Friendship Firehouse Museum
107 S. Alfred St., Alexandria, VA 22314
Friendship Fire Company is celebrating 251 years of operation! This community festival honors the organization’s history, and visitors are even allowed to touch and handle some of the artifacts on display. Beat the heat with water play and explore the inner workings of a fire engine, or try food from local vendors.
Free | alexandriava.gov/museums/location/visit-friendship-firehouse-museum
Musical Petting Zoo with Bach 2 Rock
Aug. 5, 3-4:30 p.m. | Kings Park Library
9000 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015
Kids can get hands-on with all kinds of instruments at this “musical petting zoo” event, which gives them the opportunity to play around with instruments like the guitar, keyboard, drums and more!
Free | fairfaxcounty.gov/library
Summer Family Day at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
Aug. 9, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park
16501 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Admission to the Woodlawn Museum is free on this special family day, where visitors can try their hand at 19th-century chores and games!
Free | montgomeryparks.org
Big Bloom Festival
Aug. 9, 3-6 p.m. | Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center
14715 Good Hope Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905
Join the Strathmore and the Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center for the second annual Big Bloom Festival, which will feature live jazz and soul music, a bounce house, children’s activities, food from local food trucks and resources for county residents.
Free | strathmore.org
2025 Hey Cousin Culture Fest
Aug. 10, 1-8 p.m. | Veterans Plaza
1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
This annual festival celebrates Black culture, highlighting local Black musicians as well as Black-owned businesses and restaurants. It’s a great place to buy gifts, jam out to live music and find your new favorite food truck.
Free | facebook.com/theheycousinfest
