Summer Fun: A walking canvas, Eve shows how it’s done
Somehow I ended up advising parents on Mix 107.3 with Tommy McFly to go to daytime live music shows with their kids and make out, and also to take their very young children on the Sea Dog, a G-force-heavy boat ride that allows kids age three and up but is possibly terrifying for the preschool set.Well, a fun DC-area weekend filled with art will have to do!
FRIDAY
Bethesda Art Walk Friday 6-9pm downtown Bethesda
The Bethesda Art Walk, held the second Friday of every month, is a free, self-guided gallery walk of 13 art galleries and studios featuring painting, sculpture, photography, pottery, jewelry and mixed media. Many galleries change exhibits monthly and hold receptions on Fridays showcasing their featured artists. Here’s info on the tour route and all the participating galleries and studios. For more information, please call (301) 215-6660 or visit www.bethesda.org.
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
The Bea & The Bug Extravaganza - Kid Performance at the Capital Fringe Festival
The Mountain at Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave., NW, The District. A seven-piece band accompanies this kid-friendly musical theater amidst the performance art and Goethe-reader-goes-to-Burning Man experience in our strait-laced capital. The Bea & The Bug is an imaginative and educational experience for families as the show time travels to meet Benjamin Banneker, Nellie Bly and Thomas Jefferson. Showtimes are: Saturday July 11 at 3 pm, Sunday July 12 at 4pm and July 15-25 showtimes are listed in the APISS calendar. Tickets here, group discounts here, adults age 13 and up will also need a $5 Fringe Festival button available here.
You can also search for more age-appropriate performances at the 2009 Fringe Festival site.
SATURDAY
Bethesda Artist Market, Saturday 10am-5pm, downtown Bethesda
Listen to live music, browse original fine art, and shop for crafts by 25 local and regional artists at the Bethesda Artist Market. There will be painting, jewelry, photography, fiber, turned wood, pottery, blown glass and more! Held at Bethesda Place Plaza, corner of Old Georgetown Road and Woodmont Avenue. Free parking is available in the Woodmont Avenue garage located across the street from the Bethesda Place Plaza. Music by Dave Cosby (jazz), Ellen Cherry (“spunky downer pop”) and ilyAIMY (folk acoustic.)
SUNDAY
July 13, 14 at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm
August 9 at 11:3am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm
August 10, 11 at 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm
This series of programs introduces kids age 4-7 to works of classic art through storytelling. Led by museum educators, each program includes reading a children’s book, looking at one work of art in the galleries, and completing a simple hands-on activity. Kids receive a passport to the summer story series and a stamp for each program attended – three or more stamps at the end of the summer earns each child a prize.
The summer’s activities focus on the American landscape, urban and frontier art in the newly-reopened American galleries of the permanent collection. Each session is one hour in length and parental participation is required. Individual families only, no groups. Space is limited to 70 children per session. There is no advance registration; participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-in for all summer programs will take place in the West Building Rotunda. Sign-in begins at 10am on weekdays and Saturdays, and at 11:00am on Sundays, and will continue until all spaces are filled. For more information, call (202) 789-3030.
More of the Smithsonian and other local museums’ – kids programs are listed in the APISS Calendar for your perusal.
I’ll leave you with a little bizarre performance art from Charlie:
