Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Image from Ringling.com.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Barnum 200 – Fairfax, VA
Friday, April 15: 10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 16: 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 17: 1 pm and 5 pm

See elephants, tigers, clowns, flying trapeze troupe, acrobatics and more at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus performance at the Patriot Center in Fairfax this weekend. Tickets range from $12.60 to $125.95 per person, depending on seating area. Get your tickets online.

The Patriot Center is located at 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, Virginia (map it).

Bunny the Chimp’s 21st Birthday at the Maryland Zoo – Baltimore, MD
Friday, April 14: 11 am – 1 pm

Celebrate Bunny the Chimp’s 21st birthday at the Chimp Forest in the Maryland Zoo. Bunny and her pals will indulge in special primate-friendly treats! Sign her birthday banner and learn more about chimps. Admission fees: $14 for adults, $10 for kids, $12 for seniors and free for kids under 2.

The Maryland Zoo is located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

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Happy April Fool’s Day! You’d better watch out today, you know your little ones will be planning pranks all day long! Enjoy the rest of the weekend; check out these fun and free things to do in Washington, DC, Baltimore and Northern Virginia this weekend.

Doktor Kaboom! Image from Kennedy-Center.org.

Doktor Kaboom! at the Kennedy Center – Washington, DC
Friday, April 1: 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 2: 11 am, 1:30 pm and 5 pm

Have fun with Doktor Kaboom as he demonstrates spectacular science experiments. Recommended for kids ages 7 and up. Tickets are $18 per person. Get your tickets online.

The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: First Friday at Washingtonian Center – Gaithersburg, MD
Friday, April 1: 6 pm – 8 pm

Enjoy free live entertainment by a local student band at the Lakefront Plaza, check out sales and specials from merchants and check out a music showcase at Bach to Rock this Friday night. Free event.

The Washingtonian Center is located at 209 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

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What marks Spring in Washington, DC? National Cherry Blossom Festival, of course! Check out the many free activities that you and your family can do at the festival this weekend in Washington, DC, as well as other fun family events in the DC metro area and Baltimore, Maryland.

Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day. Image from NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org.

FREE: National Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day – Washington, DC
Saturday, March 26: 10 am – 3:30 pm

Your kids can participate in hands-on activities and enjoy various performances at Family Day at National Building Museum this Saturday. Decorate a mini kite to prepare for the Kite Festival, assemble kirigami flowers, watch local architecture students build a 3-D creation using food cans and more. Performances by Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troupe, the Washington Ballet, Fillmore Arts Center and more. Free admission.

National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: Celebrating National Nutrition Month – National Harbor, MD
Saturday, March 26: 11 am – 4 pm

Learn about nutrition while having fun! The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone will have nutrition and obesity prevention activities that include hands-on science experiments and other fun activities. Free admission.

The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone is located at 112 Waterfront St, National Harbor, Maryland (map it).

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It’s time to spring forward this Sunday, so don’t forget to change your clocks after you tuck your kids into bed on Saturday night. Other than doubling your caffeine dose on Sunday, check out many free activities going on in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland this weekend. Happy almost Spring, everyone!

St. Patrick's Day Parade in Gaithersburg, MD. Image from GaithersburgMD.gov.

FREE: St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Plaza Party – Gaithersburg, MD
Saturday, March 12: 10 am – 1 pm

Watch the 11th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade from 10 am to 12 pm this Saturday at Washingtonian Center. See Celtic dancers, bagpipe bands, clowns, fire trucks and more in the parade. Enjoy live music and family activities in the plaza area after the parade.

Washingtonian Center is located at 209 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

Raptors Upclose – Washington, DC
Friday, March 11: 10:15 am and 11:30 am

Get ready to get up close and personal with birds of prey. Learn about the raptors, including the different species, falconry as a sport and raptors’ relationship to humans. Call 202-633-3030 to get your tickets.

S. Dillon Ripley Center at Discovery Theater, 3rd Sublevel, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC (map it).

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Wow, what a weekend! There are so many fun and free things to do this weekend in Washington, DC, metro, I’m still not sure which ones we’ll be going to. There are more free events this weekend for your family, so don’t forget to check our calendar of events, too. Or keep it simple and pick from one of the top ten fun things to do with kids below.

Chocolate Lovers Festival. Image from FairfaxVA.gov.

Chocolate Lovers Festival – Old Town Fairfax, VA
Saturday, March 5: 8 am – 4 pm (breakfast starts at 8 am, activities start at 10 am)
Sunday, March 6: 11 am – 4 pm

Start with chocolate chip pancake breakfast in the morning, get your kids fingerprinted by the Fairfax County’s Sheriff Office, watch a mock trial “Little Miss Muffett” at Fairfax Court House, listen to chocolate-covered fairy tale stories, enjoy live music and participate in arts and crafts. Many of the kids’ activities at the festival are free. Pancake breakfast costs $6 for adults, $4 for kids ages 4-10 and free for kids 3 and under.

Chocolate Lovers Festival will be held in Old Town Fairfax, Virginia (download map of the festival).

FREE: Family Festival Day 2011: DC Color Splash – Washington, DC
Saturday, March 5: 10 am – 4 pm

Enjoy a fun and free family day at Corcoran Gallery of Art this Saturday! Enjoy performances by local musicians, tap dancers and performers; participate in art workshops led by local artists; and explore the exhibition of Washington Color and Light. Free admissions.

Corcoran Gallery of Art is located at 500 17th Street NW, Washington DC (map it).

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