Home Outdoor Fun Best of the Fests: D.C.’s Can’t Miss Summer Festivals by rtjamybondJune 4, 2015 Search more like this national parksarts and craftsclimbing wallfree shuttlehands onlive musicmusicperforming artspetting zooshort walkfestivalcreativitycost freesummer Advertisement Trending Now Viral & Trending School’s Cell Phone Policy Goes Viral after Mom Refuses to Comply: ‘Nope’ News California Becomes 1st State to Provide Free Meals to Public School Kids News CDC’s New COVID Guidelines: Kids Can Stay in Class If Exposed News Nanny Job Listing Goes Viral Because It’s Bonkers News The ‘Sweet Magnolias’ Cast Is Posting Sneak Peeks of Season 3 on Instagram Advertisement Your Coachella days may be behind you, but that doesn’t mean the festival scene is completely off limits when you become a mama or papa. Enjoy all that D.C. has to offer by participating in one of the city’s many family- and budget-friendly festivals and celebrating an eclectic mix of performing arts, multiculturalism, imagination and creativity.Photo: Celebrate Fairfax via Facebook Celebrate FairfaxNorthern Virginia’s largest annual community-wide celebration features a variety of live music, carnival rides, children’s activities, a community marketplace featuring more than 400 exhibitors, and fireworks (at 9:15 pm). Little ones can visit a petting zoo, use a climbing wall, put a show on at the children’s stage, enjoy a model-train exhibit, and more.Festival fact: If you arrive early, try parking behind the Penino and Herrity buildings on Post Forest and Government Center Parkway. You can also park at Fair Lakes Circle and Fair Oaks Mall and catch a free shuttle bus to the festival.When: June 5-7 Cost: $15/adults; $5/kids; Free/kids under 2 Fairfax County Government Center 12000 Government Center Pkwy. (Fairfax, Va) 703-324-3247 Online: celebratefairfax.comImagination BethesdaThis children’s street festival features musical performances, dance troupes, roving entertainment and hands-on arts and crafts all geared for the 12 and under crowd. The kids can have their faces painted, and interact with costume characters, balloonists, jugglers and more.Festival fact: Bethesda has 16 public parking garages and surface lots, marked with a blue P that put you within a short walk of downtown. After parking, you can hop onto the Bethesda Circulator shuttle bus for free.When: June 6, 10 am–3 pm Cost: Free Elm St. and Woodmont Ave. (Bethesda, Md) Online: bethesda.org Children’s Theater in the WoodsTucked into the woods at Wolf Trap National Park, the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods is a D.C. area summer tradition for hundreds of families. Choose from a variety of performance that range from music to dance to puppetry and storytelling–all interactive, educational and fun. All shows are about an hour long and perfect for little ones ages 4 and up.Festival fact: This summer’s line up includes the hilarious musical duo The Pop Ups, the wildly talented National Symphony Orchestra, and the highly-rated kindie band, Recess Monkey.When: Tue.-Sat.,10:30am Cost: $8-$10 Wolf Trap National Park Online: wolftrap.orgWorlds Children’s FestivalThe world’s largest celebration of children’s creativity and imagination brings together hundreds of young artists and performers from around the world. The event is a culmination of the Arts Olympiad, a free global program of the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) in which millions of children worldwide compete to win the honor to represent their home state or country. Workshops and activities designed to nurture a child’s creativity and develop her empathy will be held by experts ranging from professional artists to scientists and technologists.Festival fact: Everyday has a different theme with related activities. Themes include Health and Environment; Creativity and Imagination, Peace and Leadership.When: June 30–July 4 Cost: Free The Ellipse in front of the White House Online: worldchildrensfestival.org Smithsonian Folklife FestivalDuring the last week of June and the first week of July, the National Mall transforms itself into a multicultural explosion of diverse, authentic, living traditions both old and new. You and your kids can learn about different cultures and traditions and begin to understand the importance of differences and similarities in the world today. This year’s festival focuses on Peru, one of the world’s most biodiverse nations.Festival fact: Parking in downtown D.C. is extremely limited and we encourage you to use public transportation. Metro stations closet to the festival site are Federal Center, L’Enfant Plaza and National Archives.When: June 24–28 and July 1–5, 11 am–5:30 pm with special events at 7 pm Cost: FreeNational Museum of the American India Between Third and Fourth St., NW Online: festival.si.eduDid we miss one of your favorite family festivals? Let us know in the comments below. —Jamy Bond Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Copy (Opens in new window) Search more like this national parksarts and craftsclimbing wallfree shuttlehands onlive musicmusicperforming artspetting zooshort walkfestivalcreativitycost freesummer Welcome to our Tinybeans family! Be sure to check your email for new activities, recipes and parenting hacks – and to see if you’ve won! Do you have a dog or cat? 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