Have a love/hate relationship with New Years?! While partying after having kids is probably a bit more tame, it doesn’t mean you have to be boring! Washington, D.C. is chock full of family-friendly ways to celebrate, both indoors and out. Grab a party hat and streamers and find some inspiration for your crew! Happy New Year 2019!
Noon Yards Eve
Yards Park turns into a family-friendly wonderland with interactive activities for the kids and adults, including train rides, moon bounces, crafting, face painting, magicians, and more. The celebration features a countdown and balloon drop at noon.
Yards Park
301 Water St., SE
Time: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Cost: Free
Online: theyardsdc.com
First Night Alexandria
First Night Alexandria is the largest family-friendly and alcohol-free New Year’s Eve event in the area. See hundreds of performances on indoor stages throughout Old Town Alexandria. Entertainers include blue grass musicians, honky-tonk bands, clowns, magicians and classical musicians. Everything is within easy walking distances. And you ring in the new year, at midnight, with a spectacular fireworks display on the Potomac River at the foot of King Street sponsored by First Night Alexandria and MGM National Harbor!
Old Town (Alexandria, VA)
Online: firstnightalexandria.org
12th Annual Rocknoceros New Years Eve Party
For the 12th year in a row, the hyper popular kids band will once again get the little ones rockin’ at this special New Year’s Eve gig at Jammin Java. Rocknoceros will do a full-fledged countdown and an apple juice toast for all!
227 Maple Ave. E (Vienna, VA)
Online: jamminjava.com
Noon Year’s Eve
Start the celebrating on Dec. 30 at Tudor Place! Ring in the New Year with your little one at this special holiday Tudor Tots. Enjoy a festive counting-themed story time, then count down together to noon. Celebrate the noon-year with noisemakers, confetti, a sparkling craft, and toast 2019 with juice. Cheers!
644 31st St., NW (Georgetown)
Online: tudorplace.org
Annapolis New Year’s Eve Celebration
Based on the “First Night” concept of celebrating the past year of a community, the City of Annapolis, Maryland, brings the entire city together for a New Year’s Eve celebration. Festivities start at 3 p.m. with a family-friendly day of activities hosted by the City of Annapolis, including face painting, an obstacle course, moon bounces, and an on-site fireworks display to end the event. Families can then go to nearby restaurants for New Year’s dinner and return to Susan Campbell Park at City Dock for dancing and live music starting at 8 p.m. At midnight, a huge firework spectacular will take place over Annapolis Harbor to ring in the new year, and end the celebration. Great way to celebrate with kids during the day and get a sitter for the evening.
Susan Campbell Park
(Annapolis, MD)
Online: visitannapolis.org
Noon Time New Year’s Celebration
Don’t wear just anything to this New Year’s Eve celebration. Kids are encouraged to dress in their favorite costumes and join in an energetic countdown to the new year. There will be live performances, dancing, and snacks.
Port Discovery Children’s Museum
35 Market Pl. (Baltimore, MD)
410-727-8120
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: $15.95/ages 2 and up
Online: portdiscovery.org
Midnight Noon
The Maryland Science Center’s New Year’s Eve family extravaganza transforms the midnight tradition into something the whole family can enjoy. This annual tradition gives kids the opportunity to see the ball drop before bedtime. There will be fun New Year’s festivities throughout the day, including a live concert by popular kids band Milkshake. Their Grammy-nominated tunes will keep you dancing throughout the day.
600 Light St. (Baltimore, MD)
Online: mdsci.org
Photo: Pete via flickr
New Year’s Family Fun Night
Join area locals as they gather in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg for a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration. Enjoy food, live music, kid’s games, an interactive drum circle, bounce house, obstacle course, bubble wrap stomp, fire pits, and more. There will be an early countdown and ping pong ball drop at 9 p.m.
2400 Airport Ave. (Fredericksburg, Va)
When: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
Online: downtown31.com
Adventure Park USA Family New Year’s Eve Party
Although the outdoor rides at Adventure Park USA will be closed, you can still enjoy all the indoor attractions on the last day of the year followed by a Family New Year’s Eve Party from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. This family-friendly event includes finger foods and non-alcoholic drinks, kids’ games, live music and dancing, and access to all of the indoor attractions at Adventure Park USA.
11113 West Baldwin Rd. (Monrovia, MD)
Online: adventureparkusa.com
Falls Church Watch Night
Free and fun for the whole family…words to our ears! Watch Night in Falls Church is the biggest event of the year for this small community. The 21st annual Watch Night starts at 7 p.m. and ends just after midnight on Jan. 1. Taking place on four blocks of West Broad Street, Watch Night features live performances by various musicians, a scavenger hunt, historical reenactments by the Victorian Society of Falls Church, special menus at area restaurants, obstacle courses, fire pits, and free noisemakers for the countdown. The evening concludes with a New Year’s countdown and lowering of the historic star that first lit the Falls Church sky in 1948.
Broad St. @ S. Washington St. (Falls Church,VA)
Online: watchnightfallschurch.com
—Guiomar Ochoa and Jamy Bond
