Your D.C. Weekend: Summer fairs and festivals
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Virginia carnival rides. Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
It's the first weekend in August — time for a bunch of summer fairs and food festivals!
Why it matters: Whether you want to crack crabs or play carnival games, there's fun for all ages.
🎡 State of play: The Fairfax County 4-H Fair and Carnival lights up Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon (Thurs-Sun).
The vibe: A good ol' county fair. Think carnival rides, festival food, tractor demos, live music and farm animals galore.
- Admission is free, but now until Friday at 1pm, you can get a deal on unlimited ride passes ($26.25). Rides start at $1.25, and parking is $10.
More festivals!
🦀 Annapolis Crab Feast (Fri): All-you-can-eat crabs, barbecue, beer and more go down at the Naval Academy's stadium (5-8pm). Tickets start at $105 for adults, $40 for kids.
🎭 SPILL Fest (Sat): The Afro-Caribbean music and food festival takes over Metrobar near Brentwood at 5pm. Tickets start at $24.
🌽 Old-Fashioned Corn Roast (Sun): Historic Union Mills Homestead in Maryland puts on an old-time corn roast (11am-5pm), plus fried chicken, tomatoes and more. Tickets: $20 adults, $10 kids.
What's next: The massive Montgomery County Fair (Aug. 8-16) starts next Friday.
More weekend fun!
🎨 Glen Echo Art Walk (Fri): Stroll through artist studios at Glen Echo Park (6-8pm) with live music, food and drinks. Free
🏰 Dupont Art Walk (Fri): Heurich House castle and bier garden is one of many fun stops on the self-guided tour (6-8pm), with free access to galleries, embassies and cultural centers.
🫖 Afternoon Tea at Merry Pin (Sat): Craft and sip at the Petworth studio, which combines English-style service with tea-themed coloring sheets and a craft buffet. Reservations $65
🦈 Shark Bites & Brews (Sat): The Wharf hosts a Shark Week-inspired bash (5–8pm) where you can ride a mechanical shark and rock out to live music.
🍺 21+ for drinks, but fun for all ages. Free
🌽 National Farmers Market Week (starts Sun): Look for pop-ups and events at local markets all week, including giveaways of adorable Tater Tat temporary tattoos in the FreshFarm network.