WASHINGTON — There's a whole line-up of activities, festivals, parties and more to keep you celebrating a little free time this weekend. Have a blast checking out some of the most unique, festive happenings in and around the DMV!
Every week, WUSA9 is giving you the details on at least nine local activities to check out in your off time. We'll give you three ideas (and, sometimes, a bonus item or two) every week each in D.C., Maryland and Virginia and it's up to you to decide what you'll head out to!
Have any more events you think your neighbors should know about? Email the time, place and description to bashford1@wusa9.com.
D.C.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced this exciting summer lineup, set up to give young people of all ages a cool activity to look forward to as temperatures rise.
The department is hosting both "Late Night Hype" block parties and "Late Night Drip" pool parties - where one of DPR’s 23 outdoor pools stays open under the stars for all to enjoy until 11 p.m. The two different events will rotate every Friday night through August! The kickoff event will be a pool party on Ridge Road. Bring the whole family to take a dip, groove to the music and soak up summer vibes.
- Pride Parade: Saturday, June 11, 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Logan & Dupont Circle Neighborhoods, Washington, DC
- Admission: Free
- Pride Festival: Sunday, June 12, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., exhibitions end at 7 p.m.
- America’s Mainstreet, Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
- Admission: Free
The famed Capital Pride Parade and its festival return this weekend to the heart of D.C. "Enjoy a full day of entertainment on three stages, food, drink, and advocacy with over 300 exhibitors," organizers said of the festival.
The festival is the largest annual event in the national capital region! Feel free to stop by and say hi to the WUSA9 team - we'll be at both events, hanging out all day. At the parade, you'll see our float!
- Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Dock 5 at Union Market: 309 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002
- Admission: $8 online presale / $10 at the door (Kids 14 and under are free)
At this special event, you'll get your shopping fix and support a wide range of local, small businesses. All are welcome to head to Dock 5 at Union Market, where 60 emerging designers, entrepeneurs and up-and-coming artists will have booths you can stop by. Items from jewelry to housewares, gourmet snacks, art, clothing and more will be available for purchase.
RELATED: Check out these outdoor movies all summer long in the DMV | Drive-in movies come to Union Market
- Wharf St SW Washington, DC 20024
- Saturday, June 11, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Admission: Free
The third annual Pride on the Pier will kick off on Saturday right on the Wharf! The fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. while the hours before will be filled with sounds from local DJs, performances, dancing and activities.
Virginia
- Friday, June 10 through Sunday, June 12; 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mt Vernon, VA 22121
- Admission: $40 Members, $48 General Public
Celebrate the season with a little bit of brew at Mount Vernon! The historical estate - George Washington's former plantation - is hosting Summerfest this weekend. More than 30 craft beers from Virginia breweries will be on tap to sample, while every ticket includes a commemorative tasting cup and eight tasting tokens. Additional tastings, organizers shared, are available to purchase on-site.
"See an 18th-century ice cream-making demonstration, discuss gardening with an 18th-century herbalist, and enjoy foods made using traditional ingredients and methods from the Half Crown Bakehouse," organizers said.
- Saturday, June 11 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- B Chord Brewing; 34266 Williams Gap Road, Round Hill, Virginia
- Admission: Free
Enjoy a celebration of the great outdoors and the marvelous Appalachian Trail on Saturday with a day of family-friendly music, food and live entertainment. Families can expect a host of activities for the kids, from pony rides to nature-inspired crafts.
- Reopens Friday, June 10
- Regular hours are Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays and Mondays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- 1315 Duke St, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Admission: Free for City of Alexandria residents; $5 per adult non-resident, $3 per child non-resident, ages 5–12
The Freedom House is welcoming the public back inside while spotlighting three new exhibitions.
"The National Historic Landmark is what remains of a large complex dedicated to trafficking thousands of Black men, women and children between 1828 and 1861," organizers detail. "The museum honors the lives and experiences of the enslaved and free Black people who lived in–and were trafficked through–Alexandria. This museum seeks to reframe white supremacist history and provide visitors opportunities to learn, reflect and advocate for change."
The three new exhibitions are as follows:
1315 Duke Street highlights the stories of those who were brought from the Chesapeake Bay area, moved through 1315 Duke Street, and forced into slave markets in the deep South.
Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality, a traveling exhibition from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, traces four centuries of Black history in Virginia through stories of extraordinary individuals who struggled for equality and, in the process, profoundly shaped the nature of American society and the meaning of our collective ideals.
Before the Spirits Are Swept Away is a series of paintings of African American sites by the late Sherry Z. Sanabria.
- Saturday, June 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Westmore School site, 11000 Berry Street, Fairfax, VA 22030
- Admission: Free
This Fairfax festival welcomes the whole family - especially the furriest, four-legged members! All are invited to enjoy a wide array of vendors, doggy activities, demonstrations, the K9 splash zone and more.
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Plus... check out the Princess Diana Immersive Documentary exhibit at Tysons Corner Mall! It's the opening weekend. WUSA9 got an inside look just in time for the first day.
Maryland
- Friday, June 10 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Reoccurs through June 24
- Banneker Pop-up Park - lawn by parking garage - Montgomery County Conference Center, North Bethesda, MD, 20852
- Admission: Free
Grab a cute date or some of your most footloose friends and head out to North Bethesda to dance the night away and learn a new move or two.
Friday Night Salsa, a free salsa dance party series by Víctor at All Out Danza, is coming to the Pike District. It's taking place in a pop-up park at Grand Park Avenue and Banneker Street, by the Montgomery County Conference Center garage.
Food and drinks will be flowing thanks to a number of vendors on site. Attendees 21 and older can indulge in a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.
Plus, even if you're a little too shy to dance, all are welcome to bring their own chairs and blankets to set up in the park or relax in the Adirondack chairs and dine at the picnic tables while working up the courage to get out there!
Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sandy Spring Museum; 17901 Bentley Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Admission: $5
"The largest event of the year and a party for the entire community, 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of Sandy Spring Museum’s Strawberry Festival!" Organizers have announced. They shared that nothing says summer quite like the Strawberry Festival.
"Join your neighbors from near and far in celebrating community at this annual event. Plan to spend the whole day, enjoying live performances, pony rides, and as much strawberry shortcake as your heart desires!"
Sunday, June 12 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Veterans Plaza, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Admission: Free
Join in the fun at this colorful Silver Spring event that shares and celebrates Caribbean culture. Attendees can expect live performances while they snack at the international food court, or check out the craft village for unique buys.