On Sunday, we had nice, sunny weather for our first ever Kayaking and Picnic Cluster Meeting at Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Many au pairs went kayaking and canoeing on the scenic Anacostia River. Some stayed back to enjoy the views and conversations with other au pairs.
Bladensburg Waterfront Park offers some of the most reasonably priced kayak and canoe rentals in the DC area. I would definitely recommend it, if you want to try kayaking or canoeing.
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.
Maryland State Fair
August 22-September 8, 2024. 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.
Anne Arundel County Fair
September 11-15, 2024. 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 & Howard County Fairs took place earlier this month. Unfortunately, Prince George’s County is not having a fair this year.
Au Pairs enjoying the Renn Fest’s iconic turkey legs.
Maryland Renaissance Festival
August 24-October 20, 2024.
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.
Tickets must be purchased online before you go and they often sell out, so plan ahead. Bring cash to pay for food, drinks and attractions because some only accept cash. They have ATMs there, but the fees are very high.
Tip: If you go on a rainy day, wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy. The Festival grounds are not paved.
Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? Drive-in movies are outdoor theaters where the movie is projected on a large screen and you watch from your car. There were once over 4,000 drive-in theaters in the U.S., and now only a few hundred remain. For our June outdoor movie cluster meeting, there is an option to pay for a parking space to watch the movie from your car making it a drive-in movie. But, if you want the full-on experience of a drive-in movie theatre that has been operating for 68 years, check out Bengies Drive-In Theatre!
One of those still operating is right here in Maryland, in the Baltimore area. Bengies Drive-In has been in business since 1956. It is about an hour’s drive from most parts of our cluster, but since they are the only one left in the entire state of Maryland, that doesn’t sound so far.
I have been taking my kids to drive-in movies at Bengie’s for years and we love it.
The drive-in is only open Spring-Fall.
Drive-In Movie Tips for First Timers:
As with all activities, please discuss this with your host parents first to make sure they are okay with you taking the car this far.
We had a cluster birthday party for our March meeting. We played birthday party games, sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed cupcakes. We also completed a service project. Everyone brought supplies to create birthday bags to donate to the local food pantry. Each bag contained a cake mix, frosting, candles, and other birthday party supplies.
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.
Maryland State Fair
August 24-September 10, 2023. 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 7-10, 2023. 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 13-17, 2023. 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.
Au Pairs enjoying the Renn Fest’s iconic turkey legs.
Maryland Renaissance Festival
August 26-October 22, 2023.
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.
Tickets must be purchased online before you go and they often sell out, so plan ahead. Bring cash to pay for food, drinks and attractions.
Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? Drive-in movies are outdoor theaters where the movie is projected on a large screen and you watch from your car. There were once over 4,000 drive-in theaters in the U.S., and now only a few hundred remain. For our June outdoor movie cluster meeting, there is an option to pay for a parking space to watch the movie from your car making it a drive-in movie. But, if you want the full-on experience of a drive-in movie theatre that has been operating for 67 years, check out Bengies Drive-In Theatre!
One of those still operating is right here in Maryland, in the Baltimore area. Bengies Drive-In has been in business since 1956. It is about an hour’s drive from most parts of our cluster, but since they are the only one left in the entire state of Maryland, that doesn’t sound so far.
Click the photo to visit their website
I have been taking my kids to drive-in movies at Bengie’s for years and we love it.
The drive-in is only open Spring-Fall.
Drive-In Movie Tips for First Timers:
As with all activities, please discuss this with your host parents first to make sure they are okay with you taking the car this far.
What is Galentine’s Day? This “girlfriend holiday” dates back to 2010 when it was created by a fictional character named Leslie on a show called Parks and Recreation. During an episode (called “Galentine’s Day”), Leslie gathers a group of her closest gal pals for a brunch full of waffles and love and proclaimed “Every February 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come and kick it, breakfast style.” Thus, this holiday of “ladies celebrating ladies” was born.
For our February cluster meeting, we had our own Galentine’s Day celebration with sweet treats, an art project, bingo with prizes, and of course an opportunity to make friends.
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.
Maryland 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.
Maryland 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.
We’re in that time of year where Maryland temperatures start dipping a little lower. It can be 70°F (21°C) one day and 40°F (4°C) the next. This is a time when many people begin to opt for indoor activities instead of outdoor ones. As the pandemic continues, we may be rethinking that this year. CDC guidelines state that outdoor gatherings and activities are generally safer than indoor ones.
There is a Scandinavian saying about this…
If you come from a warmer climate this may sound impossible to you. Over the years I have noticed that the temperature difference is much easier on those who have a gradual adjustment. It allows your body time to adjust to the lower temperatures. So, that’s the good news for all of you who are already here. Your body is already getting adjusted, give your mind a chance to stay open to enjoying the outdoors.
The next thing to do is get yourself the proper clothing and accessories. Start shopping for cold weather clothing: sweater, coat, gloves, hat, scarf, long underwear & boots. Ask your host family if they have some you can use and then start looking out for sales and checking thrift shops for the rest. Take a look at what you already have and think of ways to layer it. A long sleeve t-shirt under a sweatshirt may be as warm as a jacket. A pair of leggings or tights under a pair of jeans adds a lot of warmth.
It may also help to remind yourself that people in other parts of the U.S. and other countries experience much colder temperatures than we do and are still able to enjoy the outdoors.
Pick your activities carefully. If you are sitting next to a fire pit or doing physical activity you will feel warmer. When you take the kids to the playground or out in the snow, don’t sit on the bench and watch. You will feel warmer and have more fun if you are actively involved and having fun with them.
If you have tips on enjoying the cold weather, please share them!
CONTEST: The first au pair in our cluster to message Christine or Lisa with their favorite cold weather activity will win a prize!
Image: Canva.com
These are the lovely au pairs who participated. This was our first in-person meeting since March 2020! For most of these au pairs it was there first in-person cluster meeting they ever attended. It was so great to finally meet people we have been communicating with online for all this time.
Here are the ladies on the winning team!
They were the first ones back and completed every item on the hunt!
A scavenger hunt is a game where you are given a list of questions, things to look for and photographs to take. You will work together as a team to complete as many as you can in an hour.
