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Best Things to Do in DC May 2025 with Kids

Which pup will win the Running of the Chihuahuas? Event photo courtesy of The Wharf DC
Which pup will win the Running of the Chihuahuas? Event photo courtesy of The Wharf DC
4/27/25 - By Stephanie Shipman

With May comes the unofficial start of summer in DC, and lots of family fun for Mother's Day and Memorial Day.

April showers bring all the May flowers to Flower Mart at the National Cathedral, which is always beautiful (and a great time). More fun for kids includes the Running of the Chihauhuas for Cinco de Mayo at the Wharf and DinoWalk at Luck Stone Quarry. The quarry is home to actual dinosaur fossils, and it's open to the public only once a year!

There are also two opportunities to visit many of the embassies in DC and learn about different cultures—the Around the World Embassy Tour and the EU Open House.

Lastly, you may want to get in to see Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience in DC, which is set to close June 8.

There's so much more to share, so read on for details on spring festivals, Memorial Day celebrations, and more.

We have so many more great events listed below for your family this May, but don't forget to check our family activity calendar every day as we're always adding more events.

More Things To Do in DC This May With Kids:

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Dopamine Land may leave in June, so get there while you can! Photo by Jennifer Swope
Dopamine Land may leave in June, so get there while you can! Photo by Jennifer Swope

Top Things To Do in DC with Kids this May

Flower Mart at Washington National Cathedral

Washington, DC - Friday & Saturday, May 2 & 3
Free
Flower Mart brings families to the Washington National Cathedral grounds for food, vendors, carnival games, an antique carousel, and more fun activities. READ MORE

DinoWalk 2025 at Luck Stone Quarry

Culpeper, VA - Friday & Saturday, May 2 & 3
The Museum of Culpeper History and Luck Stone Quarry annually provide a public access day to view Culpeper’s famous dinosaur footprints! More than 215 million years ago, giant beasts roamed the region we call home today. Then, in 1989, evidence of their existence was discovered at the bottom of the quarry.  READ MORE

Around the World Embassy Tour

Washington, DC - Saturday, May 3
Free
More than 50 embassies open their doors to visitors to share the food, art, dance, fashion, music, innovations, and goods from their countries. Past activities have included karate demonstrations, sari-wrapping lessons, alpaca petting, and more. READ MORE

Running of the Chihuahuas at the Wharf

Washington, DC - Saturday, May 3
Free
This family-friendly event features iconic Chihuahua races on District Pier. Spectators can view all the action on two giant video screens on both District and Transit Pier. There's also a DJ, an adoptable pet parade, an all-breed dog costume contest, a beer garden, and more.  READ MORE

Free Comic Book Day 2025

Various Locations - Saturday, May 3
Free
Pow! Crash! Boom! Getting comic books for free is...super! Free Comic Book Day is again held on the first Saturday in May. Free Comic Book Day is a nationwide event, and kids (small and grown) can stop by any participating comic store to receive their free comics. READ MORE

Carousel Day at Glen Echo Park

Glen Echo, MD - Saturday, May 3
Free
Head to this festival event in celebration of Glen Echo Park's 104-year-old Dentzel Carousel as it opens for the season. In addition to riding the carousel, families can enjoy many other FREE activities throughout the park including live music and dance performances, a spring parade and maypole celebration, short film screenings, kids' arts and crafts, open artist studios and galleries, food trucks, and lots more.  READ MORE

Duke Ellington School of the Arts Instrumental Music Dept. Honors Recital at Millennium Stage

Washington, DC - Saturdays, May 3 & 24
Free
The Kennedy Center is a managing partner of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Go see The Duke Ellington Instrumental Music Department Honors Senior Recitals! These dynamic musicians perform works from Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Bach, and Debussy. READ MORE

Spring Farm Day at Frying Pan Farm

Herndon, VA - Saturday, May 3
Kids can watch sheep-shearing, cow- and goat-milking, and farm-equipment demonstrations, plus enjoy games, crafts, wagon rides, and other hands-on activities at this annual event celebrating the arrival of baby animals.  READ MORE

Big Bounce America (at the Rosecroft Raceway)

Fort Washington, MD - Saturday, May 10 - Sunday, May 25
The Big Bounce America—the world's largest touring inflatable event—returns to the DC area, featuring the world's largest bounce house (Guinness-certified!), a bouncy sports area, an inflatable obstacle course, slides, ball pits, and a 60-foot-tall maze. READ MORE

Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience (at Friendship Center)

Washington, DC - Thursdays - Sundays, through May 11
Dopamine Land is a multisensory experience combining media, technology, and play in one place. Visitors travel through an interactive museum boasting multiple rooms and activities that provide something new and exciting at every corner. READ MORE

EU Open House

Washington, DC - Saturday, May 10
Free
Families can go on a trip across the European Union without leaving DC! At the popular EU Open House, embassies from EU countries open their doors to visitors with food, music, games, cultural exhibitions, and more. READ MORE

McLean Day at Lewinsville Park

McLean, VA - Friday & Saturday, May 16 & 17
Free
McLean's biggest annual festival is back with carnival rides, a petting zoo, music, games, food, and more. READ MORE

Anacostia River Festival

Washington, DC - Saturday, May 17
Free
This premier DC event marks the official close of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Families can celebrate with outdoor activities, local performances, food trucks, and more.  READ MORE

Gaithersburg Book Festival (at Bohrer Park)

Gaithersburg, MD - Saturday, May 17
Free
Gaithersburg 's annual book festival features a variety of family-friendly activities. Attendees can meet their favorite authors, participate in workshops, purchase books, and celebrate literacy. READ MORE

Strawberry Jubilee Fest at Great Country Farms

Bluemont, VA - Saturdays & Sundays, May 17 - June 1
Great Country Farms celebrates the royal strawberry with a Jubilee packed with live music, farm contests, wagon rides, great food, and fun games for the whole family. READ MORE

Fiesta Asia Street Fair

Washington, DC - Saturday, May 17
Free
Asian heritage comes to life at the area's largest fair featuring outdoor craft exhibits, live performances, food, vendors, interactive displays, martial arts demonstrations, a talent show, and cooking demos. READ MORE

Lincoln Strawberry Festival at Wegmeyer Farms

Hamilton, VA - Saturday & Sunday, May 17 & 18
The Lincoln Strawberry Festival invites strawberry lovers of all ages to enjoy a weekend of farm-fresh fun, delicious treats, and community spirit at one of Loudoun County’s most beloved farms. Start the day with a pancake breakfast, then enjoy strawberry picking, live music and entertainment, face painting, hayrides, barrel train rides, interactive farm experiences for kids, photo ops, and shopping from local vendors and artisans.  READ MORE

Asian Festival on Main

Fairfax, VA - Sunday, May 18
Free
Celebrate the diversity of Asian cultures with food, arts and crafts, live performances, and more. Families can also learn how to fold origami, improve their yo-yo skills, and do tricks on a skateboard. READ MORE

Old Town Festival of Speed and Style

Alexandria, VA - Sunday, May 18
Free
This annual festival in Old Town Alexandria combines exotic cars and high fashion for a unique festival experience. Over 100 exotic supercars, antique racing cars, and motorcycles are on display for kids to look at close up. READ MORE

Baltimore Birth Festival

Baltimore, MD - Sunday, May 18
Free
Join vendors, care providers, local businesses, birth workers, and more for a day of family fun and information on pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting supports available in the Baltimore area. Admission is free! This event includes face painting, food trucks, Kona Ice, a kid-friendly DJ, and over $4,000 in giveaways.  READ MORE

Hometown Holidays Music Fest (at RedGate Park)

Rockville, MD - Saturday & Sunday, May 24 & 25
Free
The city of Rockville presents a fun festival celebrating Memorial Day with two stages of entertainment by local acts, a Taste of Rockville, and activities for kids. READ MORE

ViVa Vienna!

Vienna, VA - Saturday - Monday, May 24-26
Free
ViVa Vienna! is a three-day, fun-filled event celebrating community and honoring Memorial Day. Families can enjoy food, rides, music, children's activities, and more.  READ MORE

Charlotte's Web at Adventure Theatre

Rockville, MD - Friday - Sunday, through May 25
Charlotte’s mission to save Wilbur unfolds with the unveiling of her miraculous web, adorned with the proclamation “Some pig.” Thus begins a triumphant crusade, culminating in Wilbur’s salvation and a poignant gesture honoring Charlotte’s legacy. This timeless tale celebrates the power of friendship and the enduring impact of kindness, promising both actors and audience an enchanting afternoon filled with warmth and wonder. READ MORE

Sensory-Friendly Family Evening at Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, VA - Tuesday, May 27
Mount Vernon invites neurodivergent individuals and their families to join us for a sensory-friendly evening with discounted admission. Watch our Revolutionary War Film with closed captions, lowered volume, and no 4D elements. Plus, explore the museum, see original objects owned by the Washingtons, and enjoy hands-on activities.   READ MORE

PlayPalooza DMV in Woodbridge

Woodbridge, VA - Saturday, May 31
Free
This FREE pop-up party includes bounce houses, face painting, a touch-a-truck zone, an inflatable obstacle course, a rock-climbing wall, a toddler zone, character appearances, and more. READ MORE

Watson Adventures’ Wizard School Scavenger Hunt (at the National Gallery of Art)

Washington, DC - Saturday, May 31
Follow in the footsteps of young wizards on a field trip to the National Gallery in search of art that echoes characters, places, and enchanted objects in the famed Harry Potter books and movies. The hunt is not an addition to or variation on Harry’s adventures, but instead references to the books provide a surprising bridge to many strange and wonderful works of art.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Multiple Locations
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Multiple Locations
Historic Old Town Fairfax City
Old Town Alexandria