One Last Weekend Before School Bells Ring
Summer is about over with most kids in the DMV heading back to school on Monday, although some in Maryland and Virginia hit the books this past week. That means it is time for the Maryland Renaissance Festival with jousting and giant turkey legs in Crownsville. It also means Bao Bao, our baby panda, is turning 1 year old and Maryland’s newest casino, Horseshoe Casino, opens in downtown Baltimore not far from Inner Harbor next week. D.C. Beer Week is wrapping up so you only have a few more days to imbibe, then you’ll have to wait another year for the week-long celebration of hops.
On Metrorail, Silver, Blue, Yellow and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. Red and Orange line trains will operate every 20 minutes with Red Line trains running every 10 minutes between Grosvenor and NoMa-Gallaudet between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Maryland Renaissance Festival
The Maryland Renaissance Festival is back for its annual end-of-summer appearance. Enter the gates of Revel Grove of the 16th Century ruled by King Henry VIII and leave the hectic pace of the 21st Century behind. Stroll the wooded paths. Quaff an ale and relax in one of the pubs. Shop for unique, handcrafted gifts made by real artisans. And there’s food galore including fish ‘n chips, giant turkey legs, hot apple dumplings and more modern fare such as fried cheese, crab cake sandwiches, soft pretzels and croissant sundaes. Performers entertain on the many stages while the streets and woods are filled with characters to amuse and delight. Watch authentic jousting in full armor, listen to music and choral groups, thrill at jugglers, magicians, and comely wenches.
Aug. 23-Oct. 19 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day at 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis. Tickets, available online or at the gate beginning at 9:30 a.m. are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors 62 or older and $8 for children 7-15 between Aug. 23 and Sept. 14. From Sept. 15 and Oct. 19, adults are $22, seniors are $19 and children are $10.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Meet and greet Sex and the City’s Sarah Jessica Parker after she shows off her Nordstrom exclusive Fall 2014 SJP Collection at Tysons Corner Center. Items from the line – including shoes and handbags – will be available for purchase.
Aug. 22 from 5-6 p.m. at Nordstroms Tysons Corner Center store, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean. Admission is FREE!
Smithsonian Sleepover
A smash hit of summer on the kids’ agenda, Smithsonian Sleepovers, is coming to an end. Youngsters can cap off summer with the ultimate sleepover at the National Museum of Natural History. Activities include the IMAX film, Island Of Lemurs: Madagascar 3D, exploring exhibits as part of a game, exhibit-based craft projects and other games and challenges. The budding archaeologist’s sleepover is open to kids ages 8-12 (and their chaperones, one for every three children).
Aug. 22 from 7 p.m.-9 a.m. at the National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue Nw. Cost is $135 per person or $120 for members.Tickets are available from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. by calling 202-633-3030 or visiting the ticket window at in the Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW.
Bao Bao’s birthday
Celebrate Bao Bao, the nation’s favorite baby panda, by attending her first birthday bash. While the 42-pound panda cub and mom, Mei Xiang, eat a birthday fruitsicle at 11:30 a.m., visitors will be offered a limited supply of Szechuan-style noodles called dandan, sample Bearitos snacks and there will be free, limited-edition Coca-Cola mini-cans personalized with guests’ names. Visitors can also stop by the FedEx tent and make a card for Bao Bao which will be delivered to panda keepers. Kids be able to take home a commemorative giant panda coloring sheet. The event includes talks with panda keepers at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 23 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW at the Clint Fields Plaza and around the panda yards. Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) may enter between 9-11 a.m. and will receive a piece of birthday cake. Admission is FREE!
Trillectro
Now in its third year, Trillectro brings together numerous musical genres and forms of art for a rousing end-of-the-summer blast. Its success the past two years ensures this year’s edition will be the wildest yet. Catch DJs blaring crowd favorites, food trucks serving up their finest eats, area vendors showing off their latest fashions and lots of good vibes. Headlining acts include Big Sean and Baauer, with dozens of others set to drop their beats.
Aug. 23 starting at 1 p.m. at RFK Statium’s festival grounds in Lot 8, 2400 E. Capitol St. SE. Tickets cost $39-$140. Use promo code “DCCOOL” and save 20 percent on general admission or VIP tickets.
Tysons Table Tennis Camp
Children ages 10 years and older can join Kwame Mubarak by the table tennis tables outside Shake Shack for Tysons Table Tennis Camp as he conducts a lively table tennis lesson for those interested in joining Tysons Corner Center’s table tennis team. Starting off with active stretches, registered players will be scheduled in groups.
Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. at The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center outside Shack Shack, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean. Admission is free by you must preregister by emailing becca.willcox@macerich.com.
Brewers on the Block at Suburbia
Don’t fret that D.C. Beer Week is ending. Give it a grand send-off at Brewers on the Block, where several local breweries will be supplying the suds that make your taste buds tingle. The lineup reads like an all-star team of D.C. beer purveyors: D.C. Brau, 3 Stars, Chocolate City, Lost Rhino and the list goes on. To create quite a Capital combo, Suburbia will provide slushees and Red Apron Butcher will cook up some hot dogs.
Aug. 24 from 2-8 p.m. at Union Market, 1309 5th St. NE. Tickets are $35 and include all you can drink beer and slushees.
Horseshoe Casino opens
The new Horseshoe Casino from Caesar’s opens in downtown Baltimore on Tuesday. Maryland’s fifth and newest casino features 2,500 slot machines, including more than 150 video poker machines. There also 122 game tables offering blackjack craps, baccarat, roulette, fortune pai gow poker, four-card poker, let-it ride bonus poker, Mississippi stud poker, three card poker and ultimate Texas hold ‘em. There’s also plenty of places to eat including Johnny Sanchez, a casual Mexican/southwestern restaurant from Aaron Sanchez and Johnny Besh, Guy Fieri’s Baltimore Kitchen & Bar with casual American food, Jack Binion’s Steak upscale steakhouse, Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi and Baltimore Marketplace, a food court with five local eateries from Heavy Seas Burgers, Tark’s at the ‘Shoe, Lenny’s Deli, The Mallow Bar and Pie-Zetta from Mamma Ilardo’s. There’s also the 14Forty bar open 24 hours a day, seven days a week (1,440 minutes), a three-floor bar in the middle of the casino.
Aug. 26 at 9 p.m at Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, 1525 Russell St., Baltimore. Admission and parking are FREE. 21 and over.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.