Tanabata Celebration on the Lawn: The Japanese Star Festival
Wednesday, July 7, 2021, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Enjoy an outdoor festive celebration of Tanabata, the Japanese Star Festival, featuring a musical performance, art project, and more.
Break out your lederhosen and dirndls and head to The Boro to celebrate Oktoberfest featuring a Battle of the Polka Bands! This unique, family-friendly fete will feature a battle of the bands-style competition where traditional and modern polka bands will go head to head to be crowned the fan favorite!
On Saturday, October 2, The Boro will feature the sights and sounds of a true Oktoberfest with themed decorations, crafts, and fitting drinks from the Sandlot Tysons. Guests of all ages are invited to take part in the themed activities including photo booths, craft stations, and a variety of outdoor games located all around the park. And don’t miss out on the exciting free giveaways like Oktoberfest-themed beer mugs, inflatable pretzels, party buttons, and more!
The event is free to attend but registration is required. For more details about this event and to learn about other fun happenings at The Boro this season, head to The Boro’s website theborotysons.com/whats-on.
WHERE/WHEN:
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The Boro Park | 8350 Broad St, Tysons, VA 22102
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Saturday, October 2 | 1pm – 5pm
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Registration is available here
Back to school season is finally here, that’s why The Yards, DC’s most exciting waterfront neighborhood for living, dining, shopping, and relaxing, is bringing back their fan-favorite event, Back To The Yards! Join your friends, family, and community for a back-to-school retro neon dance party in Yards Park on Friday, October 8.
Jam out to a playlist of 80’s chart-toppers and take part in family-friendly activities like learning groovy dance moves with breakdancers, creating custom slap bracelets, a Rubik’s Cube competition, and more! Don’t miss out on the giant interactive LED piano and exciting giveaways!
Registration is required and can be made here. Admission is free and kids of all ages are welcome to attend. Be sure to don your best throwback attire and get ready to boogie!
For more information on Back To The Yards and other upcoming Yards events, head to theyardsdc.com.
WHEN/WHERE:
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Friday, October 8th | 5:30 – 8:30 PM
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Yards Sun Deck | 355 Water St SE, Washington, DC 20003
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Event registration available here
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Oct. 28, On demand
americanindian.si.edu/calendar
To celebrate Día de los Muertos, the museum will showcase two unique Day of the Dead traditions: figural sugar work and papier-mâché arts. The Mondragón family are skilled sugar workers known for their sugar animals and the most popular symbol of Día de los Muertos: the sugar skull. They come from the city of Toluca, the heart of sugar-figure making in Mexico, where they have been making hand-decorated sugar skulls for more than 150 years.
Miriam Castañeda and Martín Ramírez create compelling cartonería tradicional (papier-mâché) figures called calaveras (laughing skeletons), which are famous for humorously depicting everyday activities. Calaveras have become closely associated with Día de los Muertos but, originally, they were used to adorn religious spaces and to represent various historical figures in processions.
Federal support for this program is provided by the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.
Inspired by the bustling open-air night markets of East and Southeast Asia, Peter Chang of DC’s No Kings Collective creative agency and Events DC are teaming up to create the first annual REDEYE Night Market on November 6 in Washington, DC. REDEYE will occupy four blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 3rd through 7th Streets NW and bring together over 50 treasured local vendors to showcase an array of food and beverages like one might find at a night market abroad, including Filipino pastries, Taiwanese shaved ice, bao and Korean fried chicken. In addition to sampling signature dishes from celebrated local restaurants including Incheon, Tiger Fork, Maketto, China Chilcano, Thip Khao, Nihao, attendees will enjoy cultural and musical performances throughout the evening. Admission is free of charge with food and beverages available for purchase.
The REDEYE, set for 4 pm to 11 pm, is intended to serve as a celebration of Washington, DC’s rich AAPI community and to acknowledge the challenges and economic disenfranchisement that impacted small businesses across the nation in the past year.
“This past year was especially challenging for the AAPI community, as well as for the food industry. The REDEYE is a celebration of what we are overcoming together,” says Chang.
“The REDEYE Night Market is an incredible opportunity to celebrate our city’s diversity and showcase DC’s dynamic hospitality offerings,” said Greg O’Dell, president and CEO of Events DC. “We are thrilled to bring together residents, visitors and the AAPI community for an exceptional experience of authentic cuisine and culture from some of DC’s most well-known restaurateurs and performers.”
For details and a list of participants and performances, please visit: https://theredeye.
The REDEYE Night Market will be held in accordance with all health and safety protocols as outlined by the Executive Office of the Mayor and DC Department of Health.
Signature Holiday Events
Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony
Friday, November 19
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Plaza
Free
Tysons Corner Center will kick off the 2021 Holiday Season with its annual tree lighting ceremony. The ceremony will include a special appearance from Santa, community performances, live music complimentary s’mores, hot chocolate station, kids crafts, outdoor specialty pop-up market featuring mall retailers, holiday sips from Barrel + Bushel, giveaways, and more.
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Come one, come all, the sideshow circus Side Yards is back this November! The family-friendly event features like performances from magicians, contortionists, fortune tellers, and more!
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Date: Friday, November 12 | 5:30 – 8:30 PM
Fairmont Washington, D.C. Georgetown is pleased to announce its 18th annual tree lighting ceremony in the hotel’s Courtyard beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, Filled with tiny white lights and shimmering Christmas trees, the courtyard becomes a glittering crystal garden – the perfect venue for holiday celebrations.
Families will take the chill off next to heaters as they listen to the award-winning Georgetown Visitation Madrigals perform holiday classics under the direction of Director of Performing Arts, Neptune Pringle, III. Children will enjoy decorating holiday cards and all families will be entered to win prizes. Santa will make a special appearance with Georgie the hotel’s Canine Ambassador. This year, all families are welcome to take a photo with Santa after the ceremony in his very own Santa Suite.
Fairmont’s tree lighting ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will benefit Horton’s Kids*. There is no charge to attend Fairmont’s Tree Lighting. All families and guests are encouraged to bring a popular toy such as Legos, basketballs, footballs, dolls, books, games or arts and crafts. The donations will help spread holiday cheer to over 500 children, ages 5 – 18.
To secure reservations for Fairmont’s tree lighting ceremony, please visit Eventbrite: https://fairmontwashingtontreelighting.eventbrite.com
Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown will also be accepting toy donations for Horton’s before and after the tree lighting ceremony from November 18th until December 14th.
* Horton’s Kids empowers children growing up in one of Washington, DC’s most under-resourced communities so that they graduate from high school ready for success in college, career and life. https://www.hortonskids.org/+
Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 4
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Food Court, Level 3
Free
Families can enjoy some personal time with Santa by enjoying the center’s long-standing ‘Breakfast with Santa’ tradition. This must-attend event will feature a complimentary catered breakfast, kid entertainment, and a variety of family-friendly activities. Reservations are not required. Place settings are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Storytime with Santa
Saturday, December 11
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Fashion Court, Level 1
Free
Who else is better to read all our favorite Holiday stories? Join us for an intimate story session with Santa for an experience your child will never forget while he reads many of our prized classics. Reservations are not required.
