Cherry Blossom in Washington, DC. © Robert Dodge

What a busy weekend! Between National Cherry Blossom Festival and Easter events, you’ll have so many options to choose from! Check out fun and free things to do with kids this weekend in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

On a sad note, there’s a possibility that the government will shut down. If it does, then Smithsonian museums will be closed. National Cherry Blossom Festival events will most likely be postponed as well. Please check the official event websites to see if activities will still be held. I will make updates to the best of my knowledge.

FREE: Petal Fest & Performance Stage – Washington, DC
Friday, April 8: 12 pm – 8 pm
Saturday, April 9: 12 pm – 6 pm

See live performances on Woodrow Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center on Friday evening with performers from Washington, DC, community performance groups and local officials. On Saturday, enjoy performances with a jazz theme. Free admissions.

The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center is located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC (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).

More Fun Things to Do with Kids in Washington, DC >>

Washington, DC. © Cheng Chang/iStockPhoto.com.

Oh, how I love Washington, DC! I have lived in the DC metro area for 10+ years and one of the things that I love about living here is access to free family entertainment! From free museums and historic sites to parades and festivals, Washington, DC, is a great place to live and visit for families.

Check out 100 free things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland below.

Free Museums, Monuments and Historic Sites

1. Learn about dinosaurs at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

2. Explore space at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

3. Go to the top of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.

4. Feel the grandeur of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

5. Read the words of Thomas Jefferson at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.

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Laurie Berkner

Get ready to march with dinosaurs, buzz with bumblebees, eat spaghetti with Victor Vito and oh yeah … have a birthday party celebration with the Laurie Berkner Band next weekend in DC!

When?
The Laurie Berkner Band will have two shows on Sunday, March 6th, at 11 am and 3 pm. Tickets are still available for the 3 pm show at Tickemaster. Tickets are either $25 or $35 per person plus Ticketmaster fees; babies who sit on an adult’s lap are free.

Where?
Concerts will be held at Lisner Auditorium at the George Washington University, located at 730 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

I hope you can make it! Our family went to the Laurie Berkner Band concert in Baltimore last year and we had a blast! Enjoy their video: