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4 best things to do with kids in the D.C. area this weekend

In the D.C. area and looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend? Here are our top picks.

By Fritz Hahn | 2024-03-14

In the D.C. area and looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend? Here are our top picks.

Student-athletes and budding inventors alike are sure to be fascinated by this family-friendly exhibit coming to the National Museum of American History. Devoted to innovation in sports, "Change Your Game" shows off artifacts such as the U.S. Open's automated Hawk-Eye camera that makes line calls for tennis players, the Jogbra sports bra from the 1970s and Gatorade. Interactive elements include a chance to design a high-performance swimsuit, then have an animated character swim against a competitor while wearing it. Other activities include "The Drawing Board," where you can spin to reveal a challenge and design your own game accordingly, and a quiz called "Fair or Foul," in which visitors can weigh in on hot-button sports issues. (Sample question: "Should we allow sports surgery if there is no injury?") Ongoing from Friday. Free.

The Kennedy Center's season-long celebration of Duke Ellington's 125th birthday features two Friday night performances by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The 101-year-old group is joined by Rolling Stones backup singer Lisa Fischer. The first performance is sold out, so make sure to grab your tickets soon. (9 p.m. $35-$45.) The birthday party also includes two National Symphony Orchestra performances of "Symphony Swing: An Evening of Duke Ellington," featuring the D.C.-born bandleader's greatest hits, including "Take the A Train," on Friday and Saturday. (8 p.m. $29-$49.) On Sunday is a family program designed especially for music lovers age 5 and up. Arrive early to check out the NSO's Musical Playspace, where kids can try out musical instruments, then stick around post-performance for a Q&A with the show's artists and creative team. (2 p.m. $18-$20.)

The annual Ireland at the Wharf celebration features Irish music and dancing on multiple stages and a Guinness-sponsored beer garden. (Wharf)

An afternoon of outdoor entertainment on the Wharf's Transit and District piers starts with a viewing of the Ireland-Scotland rugby match on a giant screen, and Gaelic football and hurling lessons courtesy of local squad the D.C. Gaels. Students from Irish dance schools perform at noon and 2 p.m., and bands performing Celtic rock and Irish-inspired Americana take stages throughout the day. The Guinness beer garden opens at noon, and children and pets are welcome. Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Free.

Annapolis's St. Patrick's Day party is so big that it stretches across three days. (Sadly, the Hooley kickoff concert on Friday is already sold out.) Shamrock the Dock, which begins Saturday at noon, features two tented stages on the City Dock on Saturday and Sunday. The main stage is the place to hear a variety of bands, including fiddle-forward Celtic American band Scythian, Scottish trad-folk-rock band Skerryvore and indie-folk group Carbon Leaf, while the smaller UA stage hosts traditional pipe bands, Irish dancers and other performers. The parade begins Sunday at 1 p.m., winding down West and Main streets to the City Dock, and features marching bands, Irish ensembles, floats and civic groups. Bands at Shamrock the Dock begin at noon Sunday. Get an early start at Irish pubs downtown, such as Castlebay on Main Street, which opens at 8 a.m., or Galway Bay, celebrating its 25th St. Patrick's Day on Maryland Avenue. Shamrock the Dock times vary; $30 per day, $60 for weekend pass. Parade at 1 p.m. Sunday; viewing free.


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