If you’re not into Halloween or Fall Festivals, check out these non-Halloween events this weekend in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. However, I can’t promise you that you won’t see pumpkins or kids running around in their Halloween costumes at these events since it’s so close to Halloween!

USA Science and Engineering Festival, Washington, DC. Photo from USAScienceFestival.org.

FREE: USA Science and Engineering Festival – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 23: 10 am – 5:30 pm; star gazing from 7 pm to 10 pm
Sunday, October 24: 10 am – 5:30 pm

Get ready for a hands-on and entertaining science festival in Washington, DC this weekend! Check out more than 150 exhibits, from surgical robots to making virus structures with marshmallows and toothpicks. Enjoy entertainment on four major stages, where you can sing along to Monty Harper’s science songs and get up close and personal with cold-blooded amphibians. Stay late on Saturday night for a star gazing party with leading astronomers. Free admissions.

The Science and Engineering Festival will be held at the following locations: National Mall between 1st and 7th Streets including the Capitol Reflecting Pool Lawn; 4th Street between Madison and Jefferson; Freedom Plaza; Pennsylvania Ave between 12th and 14th Streets; Wilson Plaza; Mellon Auditorium and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Baird Auditorium. Download map of the festival.

Kids' Zone at Green Festival in Washington, DC. Photo from GreenFestivals.org.

Kids’ Zone at Green Festival – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 23: 12 am – 6 pm
Sunday, October 24: 1 pm – 5 pm

Visit Annie’s Kids’ Zone at the Green Festival to partake in family-friendly activities organized by the National Children’s Museum. Make stylish jewelry from recycled water bottlers, go bowling using recycled materials, learn how to make a jump rope using plastic bags and build a city. Admission fees: $15 per day. Get your tickets online.

The Green Festival will be held at Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: Washingtonian Center Waterfront Festival – Gaithersburg, MD
Saturday, October 23: 1 pm – 5 pm

Petting zoo, moonbounce, interactive magic show, live music and more. Free admissions. Grab lunch before the festival or dinner after the festival; they have plenty of family-friendly restaurants at the Washingtonian Center. Take a stroll around the lake, feed some geese and hang out in the playground by the lake!

Washingtonian Center is located at 1 Grand Corner Ave, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

Geckos Exhibit at National Geographic Museum, Washington, DC. Photo from NationalGeographic.com.

Geckos Exhibit at National Geographic Museum – Washington, DC
Daily until January 5, 2011: 9 am – 5 pm

Say hello to more than 70 live geckos at National Geographic Museum. Experience gecko night vision, listen to gecko sounds, build a custom gecko for various environments and more. Every Saturday and Sunday at 11 am, listen to a Balinese or Hawaiian folk tale featuring various gecko species. Admission fees: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (62+), $6 for members, $6 for military personnel, $6 for students, $4 for kids ages 2 to 12 and free for kids under 2. Get your tickets online.

National Geographic Museum is located at 1145 17th Street NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Family Fun Night at JW Tumbles – Herndon, VA
Saturday, October 23: 6 pm – 8 pm

Moon bounces, bubbles, bingo and pizza! Recommended for kids ages 1 to 9. Admission fees for 1 child and a parent: $14 for members and $16 for non-members. $25 admission fees for 2+ siblings and parents. Fees include pizza. Pre-register today by calling 703-481-2990.

JW Tumbles is located at 12950 Highland Crossing Dr, Herndon, Virginia (map it).