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).

More fun things to do with kids >>

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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Easter Egg Hunts in Washington DC Metro

It is late and I am a little dizzy from making a list of egg hunts in the area since there are so many of them. Lucky us who live in the DC metro! Check out these fun (and some are free!) Easter egg hunts and other eggstravaganza events in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

If you know of other family-friendly Easter events in the DC metro area, please leave a comment below or contact me directly!

WASHINGTON, DC
FREE: Easter Eggstravaganza at Capitol Hill – Washington, DC
Saturday, April 23: 1 pm – 3 pm

Take pictures with a life-size Easter Bunny, go on Easter egg hunt, get your face painted, play games and enjoy cotton candy. Sponsored by National Community Church. Free admissions.

Lincoln Park is located on East Capitol Street between 11th and 13th Streets, Washington, DC (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 >>

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).

More fun things to do with kids >>