Charles County Fair Through Sept. 15 8440 Fairground Road, La Plata, Maryland
Get down with some old-fashioned fun in Charles County this weekend, including rides, farm animals, demonstrations and food. Tickets are $10 for those 11 and older and free for kids under 11.
The Great Frederick Fair 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Sept. 21 The Great Frederick Fair (797 E Patrick St, Frederick, Maryland)
The Temptations, engines revving, joyful screaming and oinks: This is what the Great Frederick Fair will sound like. Through Sept. 21, you can go for tractor pulls, demolition derbies, carnival rides, concerts and more. Here's a schedule of events.
Now's the time to sip all your favorite local beers. Local breweries will be flowing special lagers, sours and more through their taps at several parties across the city. Here's a list of tap takeovers.
If drinking beer isn't enough, there are educational tours at the former brewery Heurich House Museum, a DC Brau sunset cruise, a record fair and a fun run.
Sample fiends can get their fill at Brewers on the Block at Union Market from 2-6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $55 and come with endless samples of 40 beers.
Catch dozens of critically accalimed and award-winning films from Latin America (plus Portugal and Spain). General admission tickets are $15 and movie buggs can get a pase especial for $225 (Discounts available for AFI members).
Pick up your passport to several Old Town boutiques, which will offer special displays, activities and refreshments representative of countries around the globe. You can also go VIP for $25, which means you'll get into a kick off party on Thursday and other perks.
The Kennedy Center's new REACH expansion does a lot of things: It is a much-needed pedestrian bridge to the National Mall, features an outdoor stage and has what will become D.C.'s largest green roof.
To celebrate the grand opening, the Kennedy Center has a lineup of over 500 events. Things kick off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with a parade around the grounds. Participants can stick around for workshops on music and storytelling, a virtual reality lounge, film screenings and a comedy stand-up showcase.
The celebration continues Sunday and beyond with seemingly endless cultural performances. Here's our full guide.
The Kennedy Center's new interactive public space, The REACH, is named for its purpose: to reach and educate audiences. An opening festival with nearly 500 free events will take place Sept. 7-22.
The Apple Gala & Fresh Cider Festival kicks off this weekend. The fest obviously features plenty of fresh apple cider and doughnuts, plus a demo on an 1865 cider press, a corn maze, live music and more. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for kids.
Weekends through Oct. 20, plus Labor Day 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Maryland
Go back in time at the Maryland Renaissance Festival to see jousting events, shop arts and crafts and drink a cup of mead.
Saturday
#FITDC Summer Series Sept. 14, 8:30 a.m. to noon The Pavilion at St, Elizabeths (2700 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC)
Go for wellness demonstrations, yoga, cooking tips and more.
Smorgasburg DC Saturdays, Sept. 7-Oct. 26 Tingey Plaza, at the corner of New Jersey Ave. and Tingey Street
After taking a "summer break" reportedly due to D.C.'s sweltering hot and slow Augusts, Smorgasburg is back for the fall. This buzzy outdoor food market brings some favorite and up-and-coming restaurants to the masses. Beer and wine are also available. It's free to enter the grounds.
Free Pick Falls Church Festival Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. City Hall grounds (223 Little Falls St. Falls Church, Va.)
Pony rides, beer gardens, and live entertainment are all available during the Falls Church Festival. Bring cash if you plan to have a cupcake from Bakeshop or seafood from Hot n’ Juicy Crawfish. It's free to go; food tickets cost $3. Tickets to carnival rides also cost extra.
Free Pick Ward 5 Day Sept. 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Langdon Park-East (by the pools and baseball fields)
Whether you’re flying in the bounce house or competing in the spades tournament, Ward 5 Day has events for all ages. Expect food, performances, inflatables and over 25 organizations and local business to keep you entertained during the event presented by Ward 5’s Council member Kenyan R. Mcduffie.
Bring any school supplies, board games, puzzles and cleaning supplies to donate at the event.
Free Pick World Heritage Festival Sept. 14, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Manassas Museum in Manassas, Va.
Have a global experience right in Manassas. The World Heritage Festival will showcase food vendors, activities and performances from more than nine countries. Enjoy art, jewelry and crafts from over 60 artists and vendors. Come ready to eat and dance, rain or shine.
Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 14, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Leesylvania State Park (2001 Daniel K Ludwig Drive, Woodbridge, Va. 22191)
Need to unplug? Enjoy a bilingual getaway and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Leesylvania State Park. The getaway entails camping, canoeing on Powells Creek, hiking, stargazing, and campfire activities. Check out the website and make sure to register for the event 24 hours in advance. Tickets cost $5.
Free Pick Art All Night DC Sept. 14, 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Eight neighborhoods across D.C.
Foray into D.C.'s art scene until the wee hours of the morning. There are celebrations and events happening across all eight wards, in the neighborhoods Congress Heights, Deanwood Heights, Dupont Circle, H Street, Minnesota Ave, North Capitol, Shaw and Tenleytown.
Overall, expect a mix of indoor and outdoor music, dance, fashion, film and art displays. A few highlights include a free music festival in Congress Heights, Homecoming; galleries and embassies staying open late in Dupont; silent discos in Tenleyrown and North Capitol and a 60s and 70s night in Deanwood.
Immerse yourself in the soothing art of one of public television's most-loved painters, Bob Ross. It's the first public display of Ross' paintings on the East Coast — which explains why it's totally sold out. Tickets to the opening reception are still available, and you can see it before catching any one of the center's evening performances.