Washington, D.C
The Weekend Round-Up: January 26-28
Glide the night away at Canal Park’s Community Skate
Happy Weekend!
Loads of ideas for ongoing activities in these go-to posts:
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Active Pursuits Inside
* Kid-Friendly Eats
* Ice Skating
* Baltimore with Kids
* Peaceful Places
Community Ice Skate Night
Where: Canal Park Ice Rink | Capitol Riverfront, DC
When: Friday, 6:30-10pm
Admission: Free – $12/child, $15/adult, $6/rental
In honor of National Ice Skating Month, join a Community Ice Skate Night at the Canal Park Ice Rink featuring DJ CiCi. Plus, FIRST 100 attendees to arrive will get the free entry and skate rental. Note that in order to get free entry, you must check in at the Canal Park Ice Rink skate shop window on the evening of the event (do not pre-purchase tickets online prior to the event). They’ll begin granting admission for Community Skate Night at 6:30 pm, so make sure to arrive early to be one of the first 100 skaters!
Explore a New (To You) Museum
Where: Museums around MD & VA
When: Ongoing
Admission: Varies by museum
In case you missed it, there’s a brand new round-up of museums in Maryland and Virginia. While DC is well known for its many great museums, both on the National Mall and in other areas around the city, there are even more beyond the District lines that are great to explore with kids. Find one to check out with the fam this weekend!
Auto Focus
Where: Washington Convention Center | Mt. Vernon Square, DC
When: Through Sunday
Admission: $20/adults, $8/ages 6-12, free/5 & under
The 2024 Washington Auto Show is in its second and final weekend. If there’s any “grown-up” event that is equally fun for all ages, this is it. More than 600 cars and trucks are on display for guests to check out, plus there are more activities like Ride ‘n Drives with Jeep, an Art of Motion exhibit, exotic car display, and Subaru Love Pets area with dogs from local animal shelters will give guests even more to do and see. Get a glimpse and an idea of what to expect in KFDC posts about it here and here.
Monster Jam
Where: Capitol One Arena | Downtown DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Tickets: $20+
The world’s largest and most famous monster truck tour featuring the biggest names in monster trucks will thunder its way into DC. Gravedigger, El Toro Loco, Megolodon, Dragon, Wild Side, and more will be tearing up the indoor terrain. Before you go, be sure to read this post with tips for making the most of the experience.
Hill Family Biking: Ride to Canal Park Ice Skating
Where: Maury Elementary to Canal Park | Capitol Hill/Navy Yard, DC
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Join Hill Family Biking for short ride from Maury Elementary down to Canal Park for ice skating. (Anyone that wants to skate should pre-register to guarantee a spot in the 12pm session.) They’ll have volunteers marshaling to ensure the group stays together. MPD bike team will also be participating in the ride to connect officers with the community. If your family’s bikes need some TLC, get there 15 minutes early to get some assistance– bike maintenance tools will be available, as well as some experienced amateur bike mechanics on hand to assist.
Art & Me Preservation Family Workshop: Screen Time
Where: Museum of Asian Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 11am – 12:30pm & 1:30-3pm
Admission: Free
Art & Me is back in person! Visit the special exhibition Palace Life Unfolds: Conserving a Chinese Lacquer Screen and explore how art and science collide when conservators preserve precious works of art. Then return to the ImaginAsia studio to learn more about the process of repairing a work of art with Smithsonian conservators and educators, and make your own creation to take home. This program is designed for children ages 3–8 with adult participation. Sign up for the 11am-12:30pm time slot or 1:30-3:30pm.
Hot Wheels Champion Experience
Where: Tysons Corner Center | Tysons, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission:
This exciting immersive experience for kids combines exhilarating digital and hands-on play in a 16,000-square foot interactive environment for all ages. Conquer all kinds of digital challenges, create a car and see in in 3D on a bog screen, immerse in AR fun, and more. Get more details and a glimpse of it all in this post.
Disney Encanto x CAMP
Where: Tysons Corner | Tysons, VA
When: Through March
Admission: Starts at $32
Another immersive experience, this one inspired by the beloved Encanto movie is also running at Tysons — and delivers on the magic for kids! Tickets are limited for this weekend, but there were still some available last I checked. If it’s sold out, snag them for another time. And read this post for more about the experience.
Weekend Family Matinee: Trolls Band Together
Where: Avalon Theatre | Chevy Chase, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10:30am
Admission: $10.38
The Avalon Theatre in Chevy Chase, the oldest operating movie house in the area and a non-profit, is hosting a Weekend Family Matinees on Saturday. Trolls Band Together will be screened both Saturday and Sunday.
DC Day: Honoring the End of Street Car Service
Where: National Capital Trolley Museum | Colesville, MD
When: Saturday, 12-5pm
Admission: $8
Celebrate street car history in the DC area! For 100 years, street cars represented the most widely used public transit, moving millions of people and connecting communities. In honor of that, there will be special street car rides, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to explore objects from the archive.
Lunar New Year Celebration
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom DC
When: Saturday, 6pm (tickets available at 4:30pm)
Admission: Free
At this Millennium Stage session, prepare to welcome the Year of the Dragon with lion dancing and drumming performances. Advance tickets are sold out, but free tickets will also be available at the Hall of States Box Office on Saturday, beginning at 4:30pm.
Annie
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Through Sunday
Tickets: $44-139 (look for discounts)
Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production – just as you remember it and just when
Mindplay
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Through March 3
Tickets: $41-95
Mind tricks, anyone? Mentalist Vinny DePonto delivers a performance full of them in this one-man (+ a few audience members) show. It’s a fascinating, delightful, and poignant trip down memory lane as he explores the mind’s inner workings and what we hold onto in our heads. Highly recommend for a fun evening out — for teens and older!
Hansel & Gretel
Where: The Puppet Co. | Glen Echo Park, MD
When: Through February 18
Tickets: $15
Join the Puppet Co. for this classic German fairy tale about two kids who get lost in the woods and encounter a witch. Written by Len, Patricia, and Chrisopher Piper, this version of Hansel and Gretel is over 50 years old. Our musical tale, performed using marionettes, is sure to charm you and your little ones. Directed by Danny Pushkin. Recommended for ages 4+.
Finding Nemo Jr. The Musical
Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: Through Sunday
Tickets: $12-15
Encore Stage & Studio presents its signature theatre by kids for kids… This beloved story follows Marlin, an anxious and over-protective clownfish, who lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his child Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. But when Nemo is captured, Marlin decides to face his fears and sets off on an epic adventure across the ocean. With the help of lovable characters such as the optimistic Dory, laid-back sea turtle Crush, and the Tank Gang, Marlin and Nemo both overcome challenges on their journey to find each other and themselves. Recommended for all ages.
tick, tick…BOOM
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Opens Friday through February 4
Tickets: $59-349 (look for discounts)
Before there was RENT… there was tick, tick… BOOM!, Jonathan Larson’s explosive musical about life, death, and the necessity of art. The semi-autobiographical story follows Jon, a composer struggling to break into New York City’s theater scene. Recommended for teens and older. Shows are mostly sold out, but you can look for resale tickets here.
Mozart & Mark Rothko
Where: National Galley of Art | National Mall, DC
When: Sunday, 1pm & 3pm
Admission: Free
The University of Maryland Opera Studio will perform a selection of Mozart’s works, honoring the favorite composer of Mark Rothko, whose works are on display in a special exhibition right now. The artist famously said of Mozart, “I became a painter because I wanted to raise painting to the level of poignancy of music and poetry.” The performances will take place in the West Garden Court; the Rothko exhibit is in the East Building.
NCAA Basketball Around DC
Where: Colleges around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by game
We’re in the thick of college basketball season. And with so many universities in the area, there’s always some good hoops action going on around town. Here are some games to catch this weekend:
* Maryland men vs Nebraska on Saturday at 12pm (Go, Terps!)
* Catholic men vs Moravian on Saturday at 2pm
* Catholic women vs Moravian on Saturday at 4pm
* George Mason men vs Rhode Island on Saturday at 4pm
* American men vs Colgate on Saturday at 4pm
* George Mason women vs VCU on SUnday at 4pm
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* The International Spy Museum’s annual Spy Fest takes place next Friday evening, February 2! I can tell you from experience, it’s a very intriguing event. And the website might say it’s sold out, but I may have some intel that more tickets could be released…
* Washingtonian just released its list of the 100 Very Best Restaurants for 2024.
* You can still get (pricey) tickets for the Ravens game on Sunday!
* Latest movie rec (not for kids).
* Ever shop at Everlane? They always have great basics as well as pieces with a little extra something, like this sweater I just ordered.
* How great is this?
Related
Washington, D.C
Senators Seek to Change Bill That Allows Military to Operate Just Like Before the DC Plane Crash
Senators from both parties pushed Thursday for changes to a massive defense bill after crash investigators and victims’ families warned the legislation would undo key safety reforms stemming from a collision between an airliner and Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.
The head of the National Transportation Safety Board investigating the crash, a group of the victims’ family members and senators on the Commerce Committee all said the bill the House advanced Wednesday would make America’s skies less safe. It would allow the military to operate essentially the same way as it did before the January crash, which was the deadliest in more than two decades, they said.
Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell and Republican Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz filed two amendments Thursday to strip out the worrisome helicopter safety provisions and replace them with a bill they introduced last summer to strengthen requirements, but it’s not clear if Republican leadership will allow the National Defense Authorization Act to be changed at this stage because that would delay its passage.
“We owe it to the families to put into law actual safety improvements, not give the Department of Defense bigger loopholes to exploit,” the senators said.
Right now, the bill includes exceptions that would allow military helicopters to fly through the crowded airspace around the nation’s capital without using a key system called ADS-B to broadcast their locations just like they did before the January collision. The Federal Aviation Administration began requiring that in March. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy called the bill a “significant safety setback” that is inviting a repeat of that disaster.
“It represents an unacceptable risk to the flying public, to commercial and military aircraft, crews and to the residents in the region,” Homendy said. “It’s also an unthinkable dismissal of our investigation and of 67 families … who lost loved ones in a tragedy that was entirely preventable. This is shameful.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is looking into the concerns but thinks they can be addressed by quickly passing the aviation safety bill that Cruz and Cantwell proposed last summer.
“I think that would resolve the concerns that people have about that provision, and hoping — we’ll see if we can find a pathway forward to get that bill done,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican.
The military used national security waivers before the crash to skirt FAA safety requirements on the grounds that they worried about the security risks of disclosing their helicopters’ locations. Tim and Sheri Lilley, whose son Sam was the first officer on the American Airlines jet, said this bill only adds “a window dressing fix that would continue to allow for the setting aside of requirements with nothing more than a cursory risk assessment.”
Homendy said it would be ridiculous to entrust the military with assessing the safety risks when they aren’t the experts, and neither the Army nor the FAA noticed 85 close calls around Ronald Reagan National Airport in the years before the crash. She said the military doesn’t know how to do that kind of risk assessment, adding that no one writing the bill bothered to consult the experts at the NTSB who do know.
The White House and military didn’t immediately respond Thursday to questions about these safety concerns. But earlier this week Trump made it clear that he wants to sign the National Defense Authorization Act because it advances a number of his priorities and provides a 3.8% pay raise for many military members.
The Senate is expected to take up the bill next week, and it appears unlikely that any final changes will be made. But Congress is leaving for a holiday break at the end of the week, and the defense bill is considered something that must pass by the end of the year.
Story Continues
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Washington, D.C
Bill would rename former Black Lives Matter Plaza for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk – WTOP News
A South Carolina Republican Congresswoman wants to rename a well-known stretch of 16th Street NW in D.C. after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
A South Carolina Republican Congresswoman wants to rename a well-known stretch of 16th Street NW in D.C. after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Rep. Nancy Mace introduced legislation Wednesday to designate the area once known as “Black Lives Matter Plaza” as the “Charlie Kirk Freedom of Speech Plaza.” The proposal comes three months after Kirk was killed while speaking at a free-speech event at a Utah college.
Mace said the change would honor Kirk’s commitment to the First Amendment, calling him “a champion of free speech and a voice for millions of young Americans.” Her bill would require official signs to be placed in the plaza and updates made to federal maps and records.
In a statement, Mace contrasted the unrest that followed George Floyd’s killing in 2020, when the plaza was created, with the response to Kirk’s death, saying the earlier period was marked by “chaos and destruction,” while Kirk’s killing brought “prayer, peace and unity.”
She argued that after Floyd’s death, “America watched criminals burn cities while police officers were ordered to stand down,” adding that officers were “vilified and abandoned by leaders who should have supported them.”
But D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton pushed back, saying Congress should not override local control.
“D.C. deserves to decide what its own streets are named since over 700,000 people live in the city,” Norton wrote on X. “D.C. is not a blank slate for Congress to fill in as it pleases.”
The stretch of 16th Street was originally dedicated as Black Lives Matter Plaza in 2020 following nationwide protests over Floyd’s death. Earlier this year, the city removed the mural.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office declined to comment on the bill, as did several members of the D.C. Council.
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Washington, D.C
Chicago woman testifies about being dragged out of car, detained by federal agents in viral video
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 2:09AM
Chicago woman Dayanne Figueroa testified in Washington, DC about being dragged out of a car by federal agents in a viral YouTube video.
CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago woman, who is a U.S. citizen, testified in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday about her experience being dragged out of her car and taken into custody by federal agents.
Dayanne Figueroa told a group of senators that on Oct. 10, she had just dropped off her son at school when an SUV rammed into hers.
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Once she was stopped, she says masked men dragged her out of her car.
A video posted on YouTube that has been seen more than 42,000 times shows what happened.
Figueroa was one of five U.S. citizens who testified.
Figueroa said she suffered severe bruising, nerve damage and aggravated injuries to her leg.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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