Tag Archives: Festival

Local Fairs & Maryland Renaissance Festival

What is a Fair?

According to Wikipedia:
A fair (sometimes fayre) is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely.

Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, carnival, fete or fête, county fair, exhibition or state fair, festival, market and show. Flea markets and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

MD fairMaryland State Fair
August 25-September 11, 2020. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road Timonium, Maryland. (410)252-0200. The Maryland State Fair was named one of the top 50 fairs in North America. This year’s 11-day festival will feature swifty swine racing pigs, live thoroughbred horse racing, bull riding and barrell racing, concerts, agricultural fair tours, games, rides and more.

Prince George’s County Fair
September 8-11, 2020. The Showplace Arena, Water St., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. (301) 404-5566. Carnival rides, live animals displays, family circus, fireworks, live entertainment, food.

Anne Arundel County Fair
September 14-18, 2020. Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Generals Highway, Crownsville, Maryland. (410) 923-3400. Monster truck rides, carnival rides and games, farm animals and exhibits, pig races, antique saw mill, pie eating contest, talent show and much more.

The Montgomery County Fair took place earlier this month.

Renn FestMaryland Renaissance Festival 
August 27-October 23, 2022.
1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401. Set in a fictional 16th-century English village named Revel Grove, the festival is spread over 25 acres (100,000 m2). The second largest renaissance fair in the United States. Features costumed staff,  food, performances, glass-blowing demonstrations, jousting, crafts and much more.

Local Fairs & MD Renaissance Festival

What is a Fair?

According to Wikipedia:
A fair (sometimes fayre) is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely.

Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, carnival, fete or fête, county fair, exhibition or state fair, festival, market and show. Flea markets and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

MD fairMaryland State Fair
August 23-September 3, 2018. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road Timonium, Maryland. (410)252-0200. The Maryland State Fair was named one of the top 50 fairs in North America. This year’s 11-day festival will feature swifty swine racing pigs, live thoroughbred horse racing, bull riding and barrell racing, concerts, agricultural fair tours, games, rides and more.

Prince George’s County Fair
September 6-9, 2018. The Showplace Arena, Water St., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. (301) 404-5566. Carnival rides, live animals displays, family circus, fireworks, live entertainment, food.

Anne Arundel County Fair
September 12–16, 2018. Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Generals Highway, Crownsville, Maryland. (410) 923-3400. Monster truck rides, carnival rides and games, farm animals and exhibits, pig races, antique saw mill, pie eating contest, talent show and much more.

Renn FestMaryland Renaissance Festival 
August 25-October 21, 2018.
1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401. Set in a fictional 16th-century English village named Revel Grove, the festival is spread over 25 acres (100,000 m2). The second largest renaissance fair in the United States. Features costumed staff,  food, performances, glass-blowing demonstrations, jousting, crafts and much more.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival will take place June 29-July 4 and July 6-9. 

The Annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an international exhibition of living cultural heritage. This year will be the 50th anniversary of this popular event. Attracting more than one million visitors yearly, the two-week long celebration is the largest annual cultural event in the United States.

The Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 7th and 12th Streets and inside the Arts & Industries Building. There is no admission charge. Visitors should dress for hot and humid weather. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so visitors are advised to use public transportation. Smithsonian is the closest Metro station to the Festival site. L’Enfant Plaza, National Archives, and Federal Center stations are within a half-mile. For general Smithsonian visitor information, http://www.si.edu/Visit or call 202.633.1000 (voice).

Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special events taking place most evenings beginning at 5:30 or 7 p.m. View the schedule here.

I highly recommend that you visit their website to plan your visit http://www.festival.si.edu/

Local Fairs & MD Renaissance Festival

What is a Fair?

According to Wikipedia:
A fair (sometimes fayre) is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. Activities at fairs vary widely.

Fairs are also known by many different names around the world, such as agricultural show, carnival, fete or fête, county fair, exhibition or state fair, festival, market and show. Flea markets and auto shows are sometimes incorporated into a fair.

MD fairMaryland State Fair
August 25-September 5, 2016. Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Road Timonium, Maryland. (410)252-0200. The Maryland State Fair was named one of the top 50 fairs in North America. This year’s 11-day festival will feature swifty swine racing pigs, live thoroughbred horse racing, bull riding and barrell racing, concerts, agricultural fair tours, games, rides and more.

Prince George’s County Fair
September 8-11, 2016. The Showplace Arena, Water St., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. (301) 404-5566. Carnival rides, live animals displays, family circus, fireworks, live entertainment, food.

Anne Arundel County Fair
September 14–18, 2016. Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Generals Highway, Crownsville, Maryland. (410) 923-3400. Monster truck rides, carnival rides and games, farm animals and exhibits, pig races, antique saw mill, pie eating contest, talent show and much more.

Renn FestMaryland Renaissance Festival 
August 27-October 23, 2016.
We will be going there for a cluster meeting in September.
1821 Crownsville Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401. Set in a fictional 16th-century English village named Revel Grove, the festival is spread over 25 acres (100,000 m2). The second largest renaissance fair in the United States. Features costumed staff,  food, performances, glass-blowing demonstrations, jousting, crafts and much more.

National Cherry Blossom Festival

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual event that celebrates springtime in Washington, DC as well as the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees and the enduring friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. This year’s festival will be MARCH 20-APRIL 14!

The predicted peak blooming period of the cherry blossoms for this year is  – MARCH 26–30.

cherry blossom

They have Free Apps for iPhone & Droid to help you keep track of the festival events and share your festival experiences via social media.

Here are some of the highlights:

Family Day – Saturday & Sunday, March 23-24, 2013
National Building Museum
401 F Street, NW
Metro Judiciary Square, Red Line
Sat – 10 am-4 pm & Sun- 11 am-4 pm

Smithsonian Kite Festival – Saturday, March 30, 2013
Washington Monument Grounds
10 am-4:30 pm

Fireworks Festival – Saturday, April 6, 2013
Waterfront Park – 600-900 Water Street, SW
1-9 pm
Fireworks at 8-9 pm

Cherry Blossom Parade – Saturday, April 13, 2013
Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW
10 am- 12 pm

There are many more great events, visit the festival website for more information.

Helpful links:

Cherry Blossom Festival Website
National Park Service Bloom Watch
Metro Website (use the trip planner feature on this website to find the metro options, taking metro is much better than driving for the festival events)

Free & $1 Summer Movies!

When the kids are out of school for the summer, one place to cool off is at the movie theater. Below are three theaters in different parts of our cluster area that are offering $1 or free kid’s movies each week of the summer.

popcorn

Tips to maximize your free movie enjoyment:

  • Movie admission is $1, but bring additional money for popcorn and/or drinks, if desired.
  • I suggest you arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a good place to sit.  Some of the movies can be very popular and fill up.
  • Have all the kids make a bathroom stop before going into the movie.
  • Do your homework and google the movie that’s playing in advance to make sure it will be a good one for your child/ren.
  • As with any outing, ask your host parents before taking the child/ren to the movies.
  • If you take the kids to the movie in Silver Spring, check out the fountain in Silver Plaza afterwards. Bring a towel and a dry change of clothes for the kids.  It’s hard to resist splashing in the fountain.

    • After the movie, do activities related to the movie:

  • Ask the children what were their favorite parts of the movie.
  • Find crafts related to the movie to complete with them.
  • Let the children act out parts of the movies.  Use household items as props and dress up in costumes to make it more fun.

    • BOWIE STADIUM 14

    15200 Major Lansdale Blvd, Bowie, MD, 301-262-9133

    Doors open at 9:30 am, Movie starts at 10 am

    6/12-6/13 – JOURNEY 2 & KIT KITTREDGE: AMERICAN GIRL
    6/19-6/20 – DOLPHIN TALE & HAPPY FEET TWO
    6/26-6/27 – LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS & YOGI BEAR
    7/3-7/4 – CATS & DOGS: REVENGE & HUGO
    7/10-7/11 – ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN & PUSS IN BOOTS
    7/17-7/18 – KUNG FU PANDA 2 & RANGO
    7/24-7/25 – RIO & SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME
    7/31-8/1 – CHIMPANZEE & HOODWINKED TOO
    8/7-8/8 – ARTHUR CHRISTMAS & SMURFS

    MAJESTIC STADIUM 20 & IMAX

    900 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring MD, 301-565-8884

    Doors open at 9:30 am, Movie starts at 10 am

    6/19-6/20 – JOURNEY 2 & KIT KITTREDGE: AMERICAN GIRL
    6/26-6/27 – DOLPHIN TALE & HAPPY FEET TWO
    7/3-7/4  – LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS & YOGI BEAR
    7/10-7/11  – CATS & DOGS: REVENGE & HUGO
    7/17-7/18 – ADVENTURES OF TIN TIN & PUSS IN BOOTS
    7/24-7/25  – KUNG FU PANDA 2 & RANGO
    7/31-8/1  – RIO & SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME
    8/7-8/8  – CHIMPANZEE & HOODWINKED TOO
    8/14-8/15  – ARTHUR CHRISTMAS & SMURFS

    Annapolis Harbour 9 (FREE)

    2474 Solomons Island Rd, Annapolis, MD, 410-224-1145

    Doors open at 9 am, Movie starts at 10 am

    6/19-6/20 – CATS & DOGS: REVENGE
    6/26-6/27 – LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS
    7/3-7/4  –  YOGI BEAR
    7/10-7/11  – HAPPY FEET TWO
    7/17-7/18 – JOURNEY 2
    7/24-7/25  – DOLPHIN TALE
    7/31-8/1  – SHORTS
    8/7-8/8  – INKHEART
    8/14-8/15  – HAPPY FEET

    Au Pair in America Central Maryland Cultural Fair

    Click here to view full information about this spectacular event.

    What:     Au Pair in America Central Maryland Cultural Fair
    When:    Saturday, February 25, 1-3 pm
    Where:   Bowie Library (Large Meeting Room)
    15210 Annapolis Road (Rt. 450), Bowie, MD 20715

    Local au pairs from countries around the globe, will share their cultures through visual displays, food samples, games and performances.  Children will receive passports and have them stamped as they visit each country.  Admission is free.  If you have any questions, email me at cconnallyaupair @ gmail.com (without the spaces.)

    We are collecting Wish List Items for Children’s National Medical Center, see details HERE.

    Here is a video from a previous year’s Cultural Fair

    City of Bowie International Festival is this Saturday

    For the past several years my cluster has participated in the City of Bowie International Festival.  It is a wonderful event that brings people from all over the area who want to sample a variety of cultures from around the globe.  We provide free children’s activities.  Last year my au pairs had over 700 children visit our booth!!!

    We are hoping for a sunny day on Saturday, so we will have lots of excited children stopping by for the activities we have planned.

    Depending on when you stop by, you might join us to do one of the following:

    • writing your name in Thai or Chinese
    • coloring plastic butterflies
    • learning the colors in various languages
    • map games
    • flag games
    • making beaded bracelets
    • making tissue paper flowers
    • getting your hand painted with the flag of Germany or South Africa

    Here are a couple of photos from last year’s event

    International Festival 2008

    International Festival 2008

    International Festival 2008

    International Festival 2008

    The City of Bowie International Festival will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2009, 11 am-5pm at Allen Pond Park, Northview Drive, Bowie, MD 20716.