CALENDAR
TOP 10
Family Events for January
Escape the winter blues with these
fun family events in the DMV
BY HEATHER M. ROSS
1 DMV WINTER LANTERN FESTIVAL
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, TIMED
ENTRY BETWEEN 5-9 P.M; RUNTIME
UNTIL 10 P.M.

Lerner Town Square at Tysons II, 8025 Galleria Dr., Tysons, VA, 22102
See Lerner Town Square at Tysons II transformed into a dazzling
holiday light display with more than 1,000 Chinese lanterns, each
handmade by artisans with decades of experience. Families can
enjoy interactive light swings, seesaws and tunnels. Don’t miss the
unique and artistic lantern displays featuring mammoths, polar bears,
penguins and more.

$29.99, $17.99 youth ticket | winterlanternfestival.com
ME AND MY LITTLE ARTIST - ART PROGRAM
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, 6 P.M.

We Art Fun, 19847 Century Blvd., Ste. G, Germantown, MD. 29874
Teach your little one to have fun and create with other parents
at the We Art Fun main studio every Friday! Enjoy an engaging
morning of colors and crafts intended for parents or guardians
and children ages 3 to 8 months. Registration is required.

Prices vary, $21-50 | we-art-fun.com/classes
SQUEAKERS AND MR. GUMDROP
JAN. 1, 11 A.M. – NOON
1st Stage, 1524 Spring Hill Rd., Tysons, VA, 22102
8 WashingtonFAMILY
JANUARY 2023
Enjoy a captivating nonverbal production of
Squeakers and Mr. Gumdrop, a play that follows
the wintry story of Mr. Gumdrop’s annual holiday
party, and Squeakers, the curious mouse. See how
these two very different characters work together
despite their differences to get all the holiday
preparations done in time for the party! Reserve
tickets online.

Free | 1ststage.org
3 2



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“SEASON’S GREENINGS” HOLIDAY EXHIBIT
JAN. 1-2, 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.

U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Don’t miss your last chance to catch the USBG’s 2022 "Season’s
Greenings" garden featuring poinsettias, holiday décor and famous D.C.

landmarks grown from plants! Families can enjoy a beautiful walk with
inspiring and dazzling displays and an outdoor train display.

Free |usbg.gov/holiday
5 7
BABY LAP TIME AT THE LIBRARY
JAN. 12, 1 - 1:30 P.M.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – Central Library,
901 G St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
6 Introduce your pre-walking baby to the joy of reading and enjoy a positive
social environment with other parents and caregivers at one of D.C. Public
Library's local branches. This Story Time experience includes stories, songs
and rhymes for your little one (ages birth to 5 years) to enjoy their early steps
in learning.

Free |dclibrary.libnet.info
ST. JAMES ELITE HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL SHOWCASE
JAN. 13-16, SCHEDULE TBA
The St. James Sports, Wellness and
Entertainment Complex, 6805 Industrial
Road Springfield, VA 22151
Catch one of the nation’s premier high school basketball
showcases, the St. James MLK Classic. You and your family can
get psyched for more than 20 of the best girls’ and boys’ teams
in a faceoff with days of action-packed moments, brought to your
court by the future stars of the sport.

$20-30 |thestjames.com/mlk-classic
8 9
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
PAINT NIGHT
JAN. 18, 6 – 8 P.M.

Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Ln., Rockville, MD. 20855
Learn about the basics of acrylic painting as a family and as a community. Local
artist Ellen Mansfield will provide instruction and support for this activity. Every
participant will receive a pre-sketched canvas to take home at the end of the class.

Participants can bring their own peanut-free snacks and drinks. Register online.

$40 | montgomeryparks.org
SING BOOKS WITH EMILY
JAN. 21, 11 A.M.

Mary Riley Styles Public Library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., Falls Church, VA 22046
Children of all ages are invited to join Emily in exploring the world of illustrated
song with this free sing-along event. The accompanying sing-along tracks
include fun and unusual instruments like the ukulele, glockenspiel and kazoo.

Get ready to embark on a musical adventure as a family.

Free |singbookswithemily.wordpress.com
LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE
JAN. 22, 2 - 5 P.M.

Sixth & I, 600 1 St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Join Mayor Muriel for this year’s Lunar New Year
parade! The whole family can enjoy a colorful and
diverse ceremony with traditional performances and
a firecracker finale. The assembly time is at 1 p.m. The
parade will step off at 2 p.m. and the ceremony will
begin at the end of the parade route at about 3 p.m.

Reserve a spot online.

Free | Reserve: eventbrite.com/e/moapia-presents-lunar-
new-year-parade-tickets-465864010797 10
IN-PERSON LUNAR NEW YEAR
FAMILY CELEBRATION
JAN. 28, 11:30 A.M. – 3 P.M.

Smithsonian American Art Museum, G St. NW
& 8th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20560
Join other families at the Smithsonian American Art Museum as they
celebrate the annual Chinese and Korean celebration of the Lunar New Year.

The celebration is free to attend and will include performances, crafts, food
and more family fun! Kids can learn about the importance of the Lunar New
Year across cultures and explore the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s
collections with a scavenger hunt. Registration is encouraged.

Free | americanart.si.edu
Sledding: Kontrec / E+ / Getty Images Plus; Chinese Lantern (modified): Olga Kurbatova / iStock / Getty Images Plus; Handprints (modified): RTimages
/ iStock / Getty Images Plus; Child: Alexandrum79 / iStock / Getty Images Plus; Poinsettias: leekris / iStock / Getty Images Plus; Young Reader: Fly View
Productions / E+ / Getty Images Plus; Paintbrushes: Alexthq / iStock / Getty Images Plus; Lunar New Year: exxorian / DigitalVision Vectors
WashingtonFAMILY.com 9