From an email:
“The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID), the place management organization that oversees 140 blocks of the downtown area, today announced the return of Kids World, a free two-day event designed for young children, teens, and families. On July 27 and July 28, Franklin Park and “I Street” will be completely transformed, hosting 30 immersive activations that promote literacy, performing arts, health and fitness, creativity, science, nature, entrepreneurship and more.
Kids World is the only immersive experience in Washington, D.C., solely designed for kids and features unique installations and programming including a giant storybook screen, ‘superheroes’ in costume, an oversized teddy bear parade and a mini-mogul marketplace.
“We are thrilled to launch the second annual Kids World event, the first and only event that is focused on DC’s youngest residents. Kids World is more than just a day of fun; it’s a celebration of our vibrant community and a testament to our commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive public realm. We’re thankful for the support of the city and our local community partners for helping us draw people back to our streets, support local businesses, and rebuild the dynamic energy that makes downtown D.C. so unique,” said Gerren Price, President and CEO of DowntownDC BID.
The second annual Kids World is part of DowntownDC BID’s broader strategy to activate Franklin Park and invest in the district’s downtown public realm, paving the way for the district as the go-to place for families across the region to live, work and play. Kids World programming includes:
Family Resource Row: New this year, the family resource row will feature different educational resources regarding essential services for families including parenting advice, tutoring, family counseling, and library resources.
Concerts: The Kids World main stage will host opening and closing programming, MC’d by a local brother and sister pair, and showcase a variety of performances by local kid artists.
Superhero Workout: Designed to get kids up and moving while having fun, this action-packed, high-energy activation will be led by superheroes Black Panther, Wonder Woman, Spiderman and Super Girl. There will also be performances by local double dutch rope jumpers, followed by lessons for participants.
Mini Mogul Marketplace: Taking place on a completely closed “I Street”, the Mini Mogul Marketplace will feature a marketplace of 15 young entrepreneurs with their unique wares for purchase.
Storyland: The Cat in the Hat, Corduroy Bear, Curious George, and the Lorax will join the Storyland readers to lead storytelling sessions, a pop-up bookstore, and host meet-and-greets.
Bubble Gardens: A whimsical oversized garden will be filled with larger-than-life floral structures, giant hummingbirds and colorful mushrooms surrounded by thousands of real bubbles. Young attendees are encouraged to walk through the secret garden maze and partake in a host of other nature-inspiring activities including chatting with a Beekeeper and his live bees
Game Central: Game Central will feature oversized Connect Four, Giant Jenga, and other fun games. Nearby, there will be access to a colorful three-car train with drop-off and pick-up points around Kids World to help families explore it all.
Teddy Bear Social: Young guests will have the opportunity to mingle with the Berenstain Bears, Paddington Bear and other life-size bear companions, as well as make their own stuffed bear.
Candy Island: The Candy Island activation features a giant gingerbread house, a whimsical giant sweets sculpture, an inflatable ice cream kiosk and tons of complimentary sweet treats.
Hero’s Hangout: Kids will have the opportunity to climb into and explore a real police cruiser, fire engine and ambulance.
Mini Motor Raceway: Young drivers will have the opportunity to traverse a mini raceway with electric mopeds, jeeps and bumpers.
In 2023, the first-ever Kids World event garnered over 7,000 attendees over three days. The second annual Kids World in Franklin Park is part of the DowntownDC BID’s broader strategy to activate and invest in downtown’s public realm, which started with a recently completed renovation of Franklin Park, downtown DC’s largest green space. The Downtown Action Plan released in Summer 2024 continues this work, identifying a set of targeted investments and a detailed roadmap for the re-imagination of downtown including funding to support downtown retailers, new downtown programs, expansion of existing public safety efforts, and the creation of new housing.
The two-day event will also feature a large variety of local food vendors throughout the park and neighboring streets, including Ribeye Philadelphia Steak, Twin Rolled Ice Cream, Spizzy and California Taco. Dunkin Donuts will also be on-site handing out free donuts to attendees along with Chick-fil-A, who will hand out free lemonade and iced tea. There will be complimentary ice cream treats while supplies last.
Kids World 2024 is sponsored by Events DC.
All Kids World spaces and activities are free and open to the public. Select events have limited capacity and require pre-registration —to view the full schedule of events and to reserve your free pass, visit the website here.”