Cajun/Zydeco Music
And one more great idea from a friend:
If you happen to be a fan of Cajun/Zydeco music, this website
is a great local resource to learn where you can go to listen or dance. From it I found a couple events coming up that look like they would be appropriate for kids, too:
September 30 Saturday
Squeeze Bayou (Local Cajun)
@ Mason District Park: 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003
10:00 – 11:00 AM – Free
Outdoor Festival
FFIC: 703 324-7469 : http://www.fairfax.va.us/parks/performances/
October 1 Sunday
The Alligator Zydeco Band (PA Zydeco)
@ The Baltimore Museum Of Art: 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore MD 21218
FREE
Other Bands 10:00AM – 3:00PM
Zydeco from 3:00PM – 5:00PM
FFIC: 443-573-1834 : http://artbma.org/visitorinfo/index.html
And there’s lots more there for those who can stay up past 8pm!
There’s a newsletter you can sign up for, too, if you want to get up-to-date info each week.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Pay What You Can Night at Olney Theater
This was sent in on the Stone Soup DC Yahoo Group board by Jennifer. Thanks!
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Thought folks might be interested in Pay What You Can night next Tuesday evening at the Olney theatre. I typically pay 5-10$ and the shows are great.
Arrive early! Pay-What-You-Can Night!
Tuesday, September 26 at 7:30 pm
by Larry Shue
directed by Stewart F. Lane
on the New Mainstage
Tickets will go on sale at 6:30 pm Tuesday evening (seating is general admission).
“I sometimes wonder-how does one obtain a personality?” So questions Charlie, a painfully shy Englishman on holiday in the U.S.A. with gregarious Froggy, a freelance demolition expert. They’re staying at a lodge in the backwoods of Georgia, where Charlie attempts to avoid social interaction with the colorful locals by passing himself off as a foreigner who doesn’t speak a word of English. This ploy backfires entirely as Charlie becomes the center of attention, confidant to all, and witness to secrets and scandals. The laughs are continuous throughout this engaging comedy directed by Tony Award-winner Stewart F. Lane.
Regularly scheduled performances September 27-October 22. Tickets $34-$44
Ukrainian Festival Sept. 16-17
Another interesting event this weekend is the Ukrainian Festival at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Silver Spring, MD. It will feature traditional music and dance, activities for children, a marketplace of crafts, books, and other items, Ukrainian food, and a beer garden featuring Ukrainian beers and liqueurs.
Festival admission is $5 for those over 16. Parking is free. More information is available here.
Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival
This sounds like a fun way to spend Saturday:
To celebrate the Kennedy Center’s 35th birthday, join us for more than 30 free performances and activities all around the building. With “Arts Along the Gulf Coast Highway,” you’ll enjoy sights and sounds from East Texas and Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle – including Grammy winners Nanci Griffith, BeauSoleil, The Blind Boys of Alabama, and more. We’re also casting the spotlight on the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center’s very own The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and many great local and regional talents. Bring the entire family and make the most of all that’s in store!
OPEN HOUSE ARTS FESTIVAL
featuring Arts Along the Gulf Coast Highway
A FREE DAY OF FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY
Sat., Sep. 16 from 12 – 7pm
Throughout the Kennedy Center – Two Parades at 12 & 3pm
Check out the Kennedy Center web site from more information and a schedule of events.
Stargazing Activities
A friend sent me this info about some local astronomy activites that sound like fun:
Rock Creek Park Planetarium, located in the Rock Creek Nature Center near the intersection of Military and Glover Roads in Rock creek park in DC. Shows are free, get ticket at Nature center. Seats about 75 but they prefer to only have about 50 or so. When my husband went last week (early session on Saturday) there were only about 25 people there. Show lasts about 45 minutes and has some audience participation. Free tickets can be picked up at the information desk in the Nature Center.
Afterschool Planetarium show: “Young Planetarium” Wednesday 4:00 PM
Shows Saturday and Sunday 1:00 PM for kids age 4-7 (need adult with them).
Advanced Planetarium Show: Saturday and Sunday 4:00 PM for kids age 7 and over.
Also, Evening stargazing sessions (held at Military Field, off of Military Road), are run in conjunction with the National Capital Astronomers and are held monthly, April through November, once a month on Saturday night. Next few sessions:
9/30 8:00 PM Autumn equinox; Rock Creek Park Day
10/21 7:30 PM Orionoid meteor shower peak11/4 7:00 PM Moon (in Aries) near full;Pleiades
Takoma Park Folk Festival
If you have any energy left after the Silver Spring Jazz Festival on Saturday, the 29th annual Takoma Park Folk Festival will be held on Sunday, Sept. 10 from 11am-6:30pm at the Takoma Park Middle School (7611 Piney Branch Road). Seven stages will feature music and dance from around the world. There will also be a juried craft show, a variety of ethnic food vendors, and children’s activities will be held throughout the day including storytellers and musical acts such as “Banjo Man”. For a complete schedule, check out www.tpff.org.
3rd Annual Silver Spring Jazz Festival
This Saturday, September 9, 2006 is the third annual Silver Spring Jazz Festival. It kicks off with a Jazz Parade at 2pm and runs until 10:30pm. Performances will be held in Veteran’s Field (“the green thing”) in dowtown Silver Spring.
2:00 New Orleans Style Jazz Parade
(local high school bands perform a New Orleans style caravan)
3:00 Cutting Competition
(Borders/JazzTimes trophy awarded)
4:00 Michelle Walker
(modern jazz vocalist)
5:15 Felix Contreras & Afro Bop Alliance
(latin jazz featuring the conga drums)
6:30 The Marcus Johnson Project
(smooth jazz featuring the piano)
7:45 Terell Stafford Quintet
(straight ahead featuring the trumpet)
9:00 Spyro Gyra
(contemporary jazz legends)
Page-to-Stage New Play Festival
Looking for something interesting to do this rainy Labor Day Weekend? The Kennedy Center is hosting the Page-To-Stage Festival this Saturday, Sunday & Monday (Sept. 2-4). According to the Kennedy Center web site:
During this three-day event, the Kennedy Center welcomes more than 35 theaters from the D.C. metropolitan area with the goal of producing and supporting the success of new plays and musicals. Featuring free readings, special events, and panel discussions, the festival lets you catch a glimpse of upcoming Washington premieres in the 2006–2007 theater season. This year will include new works by Norman Allen, Joe Calarco, Richard Dresser, Thomas Keneally, Jon Klein, James Magruder, and more.
Performances are held throughout the Kennedy Center from 2pm to 10pm each day. The event is free and no tickets are required, although seating is limited. You can check out the schedule on-line.
Thanks to an anonymous Stone Soup DC reader for this tip!
Web sites for kids
For the past months, my parents have been sending an email to my son nearly every day, usually containing a short message and a link to a game or other web site to visit. I have put together a list of many of the ones they have collected. While I think most come from reputable sources, I would advise making sure you are current with your Windows security updates (or have a mac) before turning your children loose. Enjoy!
Boowa and Kwala – My son’s favorite site
http://www.uptoten.com/kids/uptoten-home.html
Scholastic Kids
http://www.scholastic.com/kids/
“Your Big Backyard” Magazine
http://www.nwf.org/kids/kzPage.cfm?siteId=2
Mary Engelbreit Activities
http://www.maryengelbreit.com/mekids/playwithme.shtml
PBS Kids
http://pbskids.org/
BBC Learning Resources for Home and School
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/index.shtml
Bernstein Bears
http://www.berenstainbears.com/
Garfield’s comic creator
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/starslp/missionz/comic.htm
Nick
http://www.nick.com/
Discovery Kids
http://kids.discovery.com/
Time for Kids
http://www.timeforkids.com
Sports Illustrated Kids
http://www.sikids.com/
Indian Child
http://www.indianchild.com/
“Nurture the Genius in your Preschooler”
http://www.ednoland.com/ednolandweb/ednoland_experien.cfm
Animal Sounds
http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/animals/animals.html
Paper Airplanes
http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/kids/airplanes.html
On-line Etch-a-Sketch
http://www.etch-a-sketch.com/html/onlineetch.htm
Hirshorn Create a Sculpture
http://hirshhorn.si.edu/education/interactive.html
US Mint learn about money
http://www.usmint.gov/kids/flashIndex.cfm
NSA’s Cryptokids
http://www.nsa.gov/kids/home.cfm
Number Games
http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/default.htm
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/
http://www.geocities.com/enchantedforest/tower/1217/math1.html
Music Games
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/childrens/
Songs, stories, coloring pages about teddy bears
http://www.beartime.com
General sites with games, crafts, activities, reviews & more
http://www.kidscomjr.com/home_flash.html
http://aolsvc.kol.aol.com/kol-jr_mn.adp
http://www.childrensmuseum.org/games/index.htm
http://www.crayola.com/kids/index.cfm?mt=Tab_kids
http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/index.html
http://www.gizdic.com/freegames/
http://www.inklesstales.com/games/
http://www.theplanetw.com/WGames.htm
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/
http://www.applejuice.org/fungames.html
http://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/
http://www.puzzlechoice.com/pc/Kids_Choicex.html
Snake Game
http://www.coolbuddy.com/games/CaraySnake/CaraySnake.htm
Play free trial versions of games
Jigsaw Puzzles
Dot to Dots
http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/kids/dot2dot/index.html#
Printable games, awards, & activities
http://www.preschoolprintables.com/
Magic
http://www.magicalkingdom.co.uk/magic.htm
http://kids.mysterynet.com/magic/
Illusions
http://www.patmedia.net/marklevinson/cool/cool_illusion.html
Illusions, puzzles & games
Crafts & Activites
http://www.flaxart.com/Fancy-Crown
http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/
http://www.creativekidsathome.com/
Color by number pictures
http://www.segmation.com/SegPlayChoose.asp?ord=difficult&cat=abs#images
On-line Stories
http://www.magickeys.com/books/
http://www.goodnightstories.com/
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/108b.html
http://wiredforbooks.org/kids.htm
http://www.geocities.com/mystorytime/index.htm
Reminder: WB50 Free Outdoor Film Festival Begins Tomorrow in Silver Spring
WB50 free outdoor family-friendly movies in Silver Spring at the corner of Ellsworth and Fenton – (August 24-26, 2006) Shows begin at 8:30pm
August 24-Hitch
August 25-Shark Tale
August 26-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
