Kick start the Lunar New Year at REACH this weekend with a free winter lantern exhibit, performances on the Millennium Stage (also free) and special guests and giveaways. The festivities start early for Groundhog Day, too, with crafting, story time and family-friendly activities. Looking for oversized fun? Monster Jam is at the Capital One Arena and Dino & Dragon Stroll is roaring in to the Dulles Expo Center. Feeling iffy indoor events? We’ve got over 100 ideas to up your at-home game! Read on for weekend fun below.
100+ Indoor Activities
Feeling iffy about indoor events? We’ve got you covered with a ton of indoor activities for kids that go beyond your normal play routine. From crafting your own robots to writing stories, here are more than 100 activities and inside games for kids that’ll keep everyone busy this weekend. Activity details.
Winter Lanterns
In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the REACH glows again with the return of the stunning Winter Lanterns! Visitors can stroll through approximately 100 lanterns made up of 10,000 colored LED lights, all crafted by Chinese artisans. Explore luminescent fields of playful pandas, butterflies and flowers, frogs and flamingos, sea creatures, and more. It’s a special commemoration of the Year of the Tiger that is guaranteed fun for all ages. Sat.-Sun. Event details.
Monster Jam
The big wheel, vehicle enthusiast in your family is about to have their wildest dreams come true. Get excited for some high-flying, action-packed fun on four-wheels that the whole family can enjoy. Monster Jam is at the Capital one Arena this weekend. Each show is approximately 2.5 hours long with an intermission included. Sat.-Sun. Event details.
Build It, Make It
Working with your hands has long been a way of life for many people. Using modern tools, explore your creativity while building or making items from history. Learn about the tools to use and how to use them properly, such as how to measure so you only cut once. Sewing, painting, cutting and assembling are some of the processes that may be required in creating your historic product. Fri. Event details.
Dino & Dragon Stroll
Nowhere else can you encounter colossal sized dinosaurs ranging from babies to the huge Brachiosaurus standing 20 ft. tall! Immerse yourself in the interactive photo experience, climb inside a dinosaur egg or stand next to a mammoth-sized replica . This expo is roaring with Insta-worthy backdrops. Sat.-Sun. Event details.
Groundhog Day Celebration
Get ready to celebrate Groundhog Day with groundhog stories, activities, and crafts. Punxsutawney Phil won’t make an appearance until Feb. 2, butyou can get a jump start on learning about the history of this season-predicting event at Maydale Conservation Park. Sun. Event details.
National Ballet of China
If you missed seeing The Nutcracker this December now is your chance to revisit this classic. With its dazzling hybrid of western ballet and Chinese culture, National Ballet of China has won a distinguished reputation for performing cherished works and original creations. The renowned company returns to thrill audiences with its luminous fusion of traditions—this time with its adaptation of The Nutcracker, performed for the cornerstone of the Kennedy Center’s 2022 Lunar New Year festivities. Fri.-Sun. Event details.
Prelude to Lunar New Year Concert
The Asian American Music Society (AAMS) will be presenting a showcase entitled Prelude to Lunar New Year Young Musicians Concert. The performances will feature the 2021 Asian American Music Society competition winners along with George Mason University student performers. They will be performing traditional classical repertoires of West to East featuring instrumentalists (Jasmine Flower String Quartet, Woodwind Ensemble & more), as well as AAMS’s Chamber Singers. Sat. Event details.
—Meghan Yudes Meyers