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Father's Day Weekend Things To Do in DC: Plus, Honoring Juneteenth and More

Get down and dirty with Dad at MudFest. Photo by Marilyn Sklar for Montgomery Parks, via Flickr
Get down and dirty with Dad at MudFest. Photo by Marilyn Sklar for Montgomery Parks, via Flickr
6/12/24 - By Jennifer Swope

Looking for the best things to do in DC this Father's Day weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this weekend.

Fathers are special people, even when they are telling the corniest dad jokes. To celebrate all of the dads and father figures in our lives, we've rounded up the best dad- and kid-approved events near DC this Father's Day weekend, including the Sully Antique Car Show and MudFest.

And don't forget that Wednesday, June 19 is Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in America. Celebrate this special day at events at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Watkins Regional Park, and in Kensington, Maryland. More weekend events are listed on our calendar.

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There are several places to celebrate Juneteenth this weekend. Photo by Danielle Angela Smith
There are several places to celebrate Juneteenth this weekend. Photo by Danielle Angela Smith

Things to Do Near DC on Father's Day Weekend

Capital Book Fest: Children's Book & Learning Festival (at Wilson Plaza)

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
Children and their families can enjoy a variety of activities including author readings, art activities, and more. This event includes over a dozen children’s authors and illustrators, including many from the Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC.  READ MORE

The Capital Car Show at CityCenter DC

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
Curators of the world-class automotive exhibitions, CarCoterie, host some of the world’s most exciting rare and classic cars. A carefully curated display of 25 automobiles ranging from vintage to hyper will be showcased throughout CityCenterDC, where attendees can view these unique automobiles and interact with fellow car enthusiasts. READ MORE

Family & Friends Day at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is celebrating 16 years with a free day of fun, wellness classes, outdoor activities for all ages, music, and more. Visitors are invited to bring snacks or a picnic to enjoy, as food will not be provided. READ MORE

Jukebox, a Motown Cabaret at Capital Turnaround

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
It’s time to grab some bobby socks and leather jackets, and get ready to shake, rattle, and roll with the Congressional Chorus at its 18th Annual Cabaret, JUKEBOX! Audiences can enjoy the greatest hits of yesteryears with a toe-tappin', heart-throbbin’ tribute to the legends of Motown, rock and roll, doo-wop, and pop. It's a celebration of the hits that made jukeboxes jive. READ MORE

Juneteenth Community Day at NMAAHC

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
The NMAAHC hosts a Juneteenth Community Day themed "Freedom, Movement, and Migration". This special day is designed to engage people of all ages in a meaningful celebration of freedom and cultural evolution, commemorating Juneteenth's significance in the journey toward equality and recognition in American history.  READ MORE

Library of Congress Treasures Family Festival

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
As part of an all-day festival, visiting families are invited to join the Library of Congress for participatory activities complementing the Library’s new Treasures Gallery. Activities will be held on the second floor of the Jefferson Building. There will also be “Treasures of American Communities” performances and demonstrations all day in the Great Hall. READ MORE

The World and Me Family Program: Pollinator Celebration at National Museum of Natural History

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
The National Museum of Natural History with the US Forest Service and USDA invite families to celebrate pollinators and learn about how humans connect to pollinators and plants with interactive activities. READ MORE

Uptown Pride (at Colorado Ave NW & Longfellow St NW)

Washington, DC - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
Celebrate Pride in Uptown DC. Activities include storytime with Tara Hoot, family yoga with Lighthouse Yoga Center, a Makers Market and Vendor Fair, DJs, and kid-friendly activities and games in a designated kids' space. READ MORE

Pride Day & Parade in Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier, MD - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
The Mount Rainier community comes together to celebrate love, equality, and bodily autonomy at this event. The Pride Parade kicks off at Thomas Stone Elementary School and ends at the City Hall Annex. Attendees get free ice cream. READ MORE

Juneteenth at Watkins Regional Park

Upper Marlboro, MD - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
This festival commemorates Juneteenth, the day African American slavery ended in the United States. Join this cultural program as it entertains and educates through performances, family activities, vendors, and a genealogy workshop. READ MORE

Kensington Juneteenth Celebration (at St. Paul Park)

Kensington, MD - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
Kensington’s Juneteenth Celebration, a family-friendly event with activities for all ages, brings together a multiracial coalition of organizers, historians, re-enactors, civic and faith leaders, local and Black-owned businesses, musicians, and supporters to proudly mark Juneteenth. The event features live music, poetry, historical presentations, kids' activities, food trucks, and more. READ MORE

MudFest at Woodstock Equestrian Special Park

Beallsville, MD - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Kids of all ages have a chance to get dirty in the mud with a giant mud slide, a mud volcano, mud arts, mud pies (the non-edible kind), mud games, and more mud. READ MORE

Puerto Rican Festival (at Harris Pavilion)

Manassas, VA - Saturday, June 15, 2024
Free
Puerto Rico Cafe's 2024 Puerto Rican Festival marks its 2nd annual event celebrating the vibrant culture of Puerto Rico in Manassas, which includes musical and dance performances, plus food and vendors reflecting this beautiful Caribbean island. READ MORE

Donuts & Dads at Port Discovery

Baltimore, MD - Sunday, June 16, 2024
All dads, father figures, super cool uncles, and grandfathers are invited to a fun-filled morning geared towards fathers, father figures and the kids they love. Enjoy breakfast from Blondie’s Doughnuts and special activities from the Port Discovery Education Team. Afterwards, spend the day exploring Port Discovery’s three floors of fun. READ MORE

Father's Day Special at Green Meadows Farm

Ijamsville, MD - Sunday, June 16, 2024
For Father's Day, Green Meadows Farm has a special just for dads. Dads get FREE admission to the petting farm with a paid general admission. Families can enjoy a hay ride, select a favorite pig for the pig race, and get free animal feed along with lots of hands-on time with the friendly farm animals.  READ MORE

NOI+F Family Concert: Peter and the Wolf

College Park, MD - Sunday, June 16, 2024
Free
Prokofiev's beloved symphonic fairy tale returns to NOI+F! The young Peter goes out into the forest–against his grandfather's advice. Join Peter as he makes friends with whimsical forest creatures and faces a ferocious gray wolf. READ MORE

Flying Circus Father's Day Air Show

Bealeton, VA - Sunday, June 16, 2024
The Flying Circus Air Show on Father's Day celebrates dads with daring feats of flight.  READ MORE

Sully Antique Car Show

Chantilly, VA - Sunday, June 16, 2024
This annual car show includes over 200 antique cars on display, music, food, a children's tent, a flea market, and more. Visitors can also learn about Juneteenth and little-known African American inventors and patent holders in the transportation industry. READ MORE

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