Arts and Craft Events for Kids in DC, Maryland & Virginia
Dia de los Muertos at The Wharf
Free family celebration on the waterfront: face painting, sugar skulls, live music and a light procession at dusk.
ICE! at Gaylord National
Walk through a Grinch-themed ice sculpture display kept around 9 degrees at Gaylord National. Tickets from $41.
Planet Word Sensory Friendly Morning: Halloween Edition
A quiet pre-opening Halloween visit with adapted lighting and sound, optional costumes and mini trick-or-treating. Registration required.
Hill-O-Ween at Eastern Market
Capitol Hill's free Halloween festival, 20 years running. Moon bounce park, face painters and a DJ dance party. Metro drops you two minutes away.
Bluey's House at CAMP Tysons
A life-sized walkthrough of the Heeler house, with the games from the show and a Bluey and Bingo meet-up.
Storytime at Planet Word
DC librarians lead songs and read-alouds Sunday mornings at the word museum. Free, and you stay to play after.
American Icon: The US Flag in Art
A Smithsonian exhibition exploring how American artists have used the flag in their work. Great for older kids interested in art and history.
Planet Word Museum
A free interactive language museum where kids explore words through immersive exhibits, voice-activated art, and playful storytelling.
Past events
These already happened. We keep them here so you can see what this category looks like across the year, and so you know what to watch for next season.
Family Day at the House of Sweden
A puppet show at 11 and 1, crafts, story time and Swedish fika on the Georgetown waterfront. Free, reserve a spot.
Clifton Day Festival
A two-street town, 150+ antique dealers, a petting zoo and pony rides. VRE runs a train for it, free on the way in.
McLean Artfest
A free juried art show in McLean Central Park with a Children's Art Walk and art tents just for kids. Food trucks and live music too.
Takoma Park Street Festival
Free street fair on Carroll Avenue: 185+ vendor booths, 18 bands on three stages, food trucks. Leashed dogs welcome. Red Line is three blocks away.
Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival
A 10th-anniversary parade at 10am, then 40+ booths and a Kids' Zone with face painting and hands-on art. Anyone can sign up to march.
Mount Vernon Colonial Market & Fair 2026
Costumed artisans demo blacksmithing, weaving, and pottery at George Washington's estate. Admission covers the mansion grounds, gardens, and farm animals.
HalloWEIRD Art Market
Forty-five local artists selling spooky handmade things in Alexandria, months before the shops catch up. Free.
Bethesda Row Arts Festival
Around 180 juried artists take over the Bethesda Row blocks. Go before lunch, when the aisles are still wide enough for a stroller.
Homecoming at President Lincoln's Cottage
Pony rides, a petting zoo, crafts and free cottage tours on the lawn in Petworth. One of the easiest free Saturdays in the city.
Art All Night DC 2026
Two nights of free art, music and performance in every DC ward. The 6 to 9pm window is the family stretch, before the crowd shifts older.
Back to School Bonanza
Free outdoor kickoff for the school year: vendor fair, kids activities, and live performances by local youth groups.
Library of Congress National Book Festival
The family hall runs 9am to 6pm with story times, hands-on STEM, and a 50-state stamp hunt. Free tickets required in 2026.
Ended
World Children's Festival
Three days of free art, music, and STEAM workshops for kids on the National Mall. It only happens once every four years, and 2026 is the year.
Capital Jewish Museum: Free Family Day
Scavenger hunt with prizes, vintage Legos and Lincoln Logs, photobooth, craft room, and book nook. All ages and backgrounds welcome.
Chalk the Block at the National Portrait Gallery
Free sidewalk chalk art, ice cream, a DJ spinning tunes, and a jazz concert at 5 PM. Part of the Smithsonian's America 250th celebration on F Street.
Under the Baobab Tree
Interactive African storytelling and craft workshops at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art. Kids make their own art inspired by the stories they hear.
National Gallery Block Party
The National Gallery of Art opens its doors for a family-friendly block party with hands-on art activities, live music, and open galleries. Right on the National Mall.
Asian Festival on Main
Taiko drums, lion dances, martial arts demos, Asian food vendors, and kids craft activities. A full day of culture on Main Street in Old Town Fairfax.
EU Open House, 27 European Embassies
Twenty-seven European embassies open their doors for one Saturday. Kids try costumes, taste food, and stamp a passport booklet. France and Germany do a joint open house, Italy has luxury cars, and Luxembourg gives out chocolate.
Star Wars Day at MLK Library
May the 4th at the library with lightsaber crafts, LEGO building, a costume parade, and a full movie screening.
Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
120 artists, live music, and street performances in downtown Bethesda. Stroller-friendly and perfect for a family outing.
Storytime Studio at the Hirshhorn
Join us for interactive storytelling and creative art activities inspired by the museum's collection. Perfect for little listeners and makers.
Story Time at Postal Museum
Delightful stories and postal-themed activities for the youngest book lovers. A fun way to explore the history of mail.
Living Earth Festival
Two-day Smithsonian celebration of clay, art, and the earth. Indigenous artist demonstrations, hands-on clay activities for kids, storytelling, and live performances at the National Museum of the American Indian.
Tephra ICA Arts Festival
The 35th annual fine arts festival with 200+ artists, live music, food, and hands-on kids activities at Reston Town Center.
National Building Museum
Hands-on architecture and design workshops at one of DC's most beautiful buildings. Kids get to design, build, and create.
Fiesta Asia Street Fair
The biggest free Asian festival in DC. 1,000+ performers, food vendors from 20+ cultures, Dragon Lair kids area, and a cosplay contest right on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ho'olaule'a: Hawaiian Culture
Traditional Hawaiian hula, drums, and bamboo flute performances at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. Three shows throughout the day.
Columbia Heights Day
Neighborhood block party with live music, local vendors, face painting, tie-dye, karaoke, and a dog costume contest. The whole community shows up.
Washington Ballet Dance For All
Free open-air ballet performances and dance workshops for families. A great first ballet experience for little ones.
Capital Rare Book Fair
Rare books, maps, and prints from dozens of dealers. Older kids who love reading will get a kick out of seeing first editions up close.
Swedish Midsummer Celebration DC
Traditional Swedish Midsummer with maypole dancing, flower crown making, folk music, and Swedish treats in Georgetown. A colorful cultural experience for kids.
Library of Congress Family Day: 250 Years of Fashion
Hands-on fashion and design activities for families at the Library of Congress. Kids can try design challenges and explore 250 years of American fashion history.
Asian American Book Fair
Free Asian American Book Fair at the National Museum of Asian Art in DC.
Gaithersburg Book Festival
Gaithersburg Book Festival May 16, 2026 at Bohrer Park. 100+ authors, kids activities, writing workshops, and live music.
Hill Center Family Day
Hill Center's annual Family Day on Capitol Hill with live music, magic show, face painting, and alpacas and bunnies to meet.
Juneteenth Community Day at NMAAHC
Free Juneteenth Community Day at the National Museum of African American History and Culture on June 19, 2026.
Passport DC, Around the World Embassy Tour
Visit 40+ embassies for free during Passport DC's Around the World Embassy Tour.