2017 Health & Wellness Events at a Glance

Now that the new calendars are on the wall, take a look at some of the events you won’t want to miss in 2017!

This event list comes from our new eBook, which is free to our email subscribers. I sent an email to subscribers on December 20 announcing it and we emailed it to those who requested a copy. If you weren’t on the email list then, sign up here and email jessica (at) mindfulhealthylife (dot) com to request the eBook.

The eBook is continuing to be updated and will be widely available soon in early January with a survey link for feedback and a planned revision release in April around the site’s third anniversary.

Mindful Healthy Life also has a free calendar. Practitioners and businesses that serve families are encouraged to list their events there! When we see them come through the site, we often share them on Facebook and can add them to the next version of this list.

Here’s a glance at some of what 2017 has to offer!

Winter

2017 Scheduled Events

January 2: Last day for Season’s Greenings at the U.S. Botanic Garden – https://www.usbg.gov/plan-your-holiday-visit
January 4: School Age Green Educator (SAGE) Meetup: http://www.novaoutside.org/ Held in a different location the first Wednesday of most every month
January 9: Clear Mind | Present Mama online challenge begins – http://www.calmjoyfulmom.com/ditchoverwhelmchallenge/
January 9: Women Dream 7-Day video series begins – http://daringtorest.com/women-dream-2017
January 10: Holistic Moms Gainesveille Chapter Kickoff – https://www.facebook.com/events/246538869101114/
January 10: Holistic Moms Northern Virginia Chapter meeting on Ayurvedic Health – https://www.facebook.com/events/395114017493104/
January 14: Growing Up WILD & Early Childhood Workshop – http://www.explorenature.org/center-event/growing-wild-early-childhood-workshop/
January 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day – National Parks Free Day
January 17: Holistic Moms Montgomery County meeting on Positive Discipline – https://www.facebook.com/events/726858837462894/
January 26: Holistic Moms Arlington/Alexandria meeting on How to Talk to Your Kids About Race – https://www.facebook.com/events/1357896130911815/
January 28: Conscious Healthy Mama Retreat – https://www.facebook.com/events/330879417271645/
January 29: Dressing for Outdoor Play Early Childhood Educator Training – http://www.novaoutside.org/
February: DIY Natural Play & Learning Spaces begins – http://www.novaoutside.org/
February 1: Holistic Moms Burke/Springfield meeting on Organic Gardening – https://www.facebook.com/events/779487145535726/
February 2: Intention is Everything – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intention-is-everything-tickets-30726192870
February 7: Holistic Moms Northern Virginia Chapter meeting on Financial Wellness – https://www.facebook.com/events/166937473787454/
February 8: Holistic Moms Loudoun meeting on Supporting a Healthy Pregnancy and Birth – https://www.facebook.com/events/758370630979062/
February 10: Earth Explorers Exhibit opens at National Geographic Museum – http://nationalgeographic.org/dc/exhibitions/national-geographic-presents-earth-explorers/
February 10-12: Interfusion Festival – http://interfusionfestival.com/
February 18: Rooting DC Gardening Expo – http://rootingdc.org/
February 18-19 and 25-26: Maple Sugar Weekends at Oregon Ridge Nature Center – http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org/maplsugr.html
February 20: Presidents Day – National Parks Free Day
February & March: Maple Magic on select Saturdays and Sundays at Irvine Nature Center – http://www.explorenature.org/
March 8: Holistic Moms Loudoun Meeting on Detoxification – https://www.facebook.com/events/571583299704936/
March 11: Real Food for Kids Culinary Challenge and Wellness Expo – http://www.realfoodforkids.org/
March 14-26: DC Environmental Film Festival — http://dceff.org/
March 24-25: VaHomeschoolers Conference & Resource Fair – http://conference.vahomeschoolers.org/
March 24-25: ALF Educational Institute Health & Wellness Conference – http://www.alfeducationalinstitute.com/health-and-wellness-march
March 25: NoVA Outside Early Childhood Outside Conference – http://www.novaoutside.org/

Events to watch for

Maple Sugaring Days every Saturday and Sunday in February at Brookside Gardens – http://www.montgomeryparks.org/events/maple-sugaring-days-59/

March Retreat with Workout Around My Day – https://workoutaroundmyday.com/

Winter Activities

See a maple-tree tapping demo
Sign up for a CSA shares
Hike into T.R. Island for strategic snowball fights
Go ice-skating or skiing
Get crafty at Upcycle in Del Ray, Alexandria

Spring

2017 Scheduled Events

April 2: Pathways Natural Living Expo – http://www.pathwaysmagazineonline.com/Pathways%20Online/expomainpage.html
April 18: Holistic Moms Montgomery County meeting on Principles of Homeopathy – https://www.facebook.com/events/164783627338438/
April 15-16 & April 22-23: National Park Week Weekends – National Parks Free Day
April 20-23: Mindful Life Conference – http://allthingsmindful.org/
April 22: Earth Day!
April 24: Students4Sustainability Conference – http://www.sssas.org/page/Our-Community/Environmental-Stewardship/Students-4-Sustainability
April 25: NoVA Outside School Environmental Action Showcase (SEAS) http://www.novaoutside.org/
April 28: Pause Yoga & Meditation Retreat with lil omm – http://lilomm.com/pause/
April 30: Most Popular @natgeo Instagram photos exhibit closes – http://nationalgeographic.org/dc/exhibitions/natgeo-most-popular-instagram-photos/
May 1-7: Screen-Free Week – http://www.screenfree.org/
May 12-14: Green Festival – http://www.greenfestivals.org/washington-d-c-2017-may-12-14.html
May 13: Heroes for Moms – http://www.heroesformoms.com/
May 13: Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten & Nursery Spring Fair – http://acornhill.org/
May 14: Mother’s Day and March for Moms – https://www.facebook.com/events/1794416604108468/
May 21: Peace Love Yoga Fest – http://www.peaceloveyogafest.com/
June 11: Love Your Body Yoga Festival – http://www.loveyourbodyyogafestival.com/
June 18: Father’s Day

Spring events to watch for

Mom & Daughter Retreat with lil omm – http://lilomm.com/mom-daughter/
Earth Day events around the area, including in Alexandria – https://www.alexandriava.gov/EarthDay
Mindful Healthy Life anniversary and eBook update release
Cesarean Awareness Month with ICAN of NOVA – http://www.icanofnova.org/
Fairies and Gnome Home Festival kicking off Fairies in the Garden outdoor exhibit through Labor Day at Annmarie Sculpture Garden – http://www.annmariegarden.org/
18th Century Colonial Market Fair at Claude Moore on the third full weekend of May – http://1771.org/marketfair/
DC Yoga Week & Yoga on the Mall – http://www.dccy.org/
Virginia Yoga Week – http://www.virginiayogaweek.org/
DC Gluten-Free Expo – http://www.dcglutenfreeexpo.com/

Spring Activities

See the cherry blossoms in full bloom (late March to mid-April depending on weather)
Check out May Revels at the National Cathedral – http://revelsdc.org/shows-events/may-revels/
Stock up on sunscreen, after-pool vitamin C spray, tick removers and essential oils to ward off bugs
Get on the water in a canoe or kayak
Celebrate May Day and the summer solstice
Honor yourself, parents & partner: Mother’s/Father’s Day
Plant spring crops like peas and lettuce, summer vegetables, and pumpkins and squash for fall

Summer

2017 Scheduled Events

June 29-July 4 and July 6-9: Smithsonian Folklife Festival – http://www.festival.si.edu/
August 25: National Park Service Birthday – National Parks Free Day

Summer events to watch for

18th Century Colonial Market Fair at Claude Moore on the third full weekend of July – http://1771.org/marketfair/
Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens – https://www.nps.gov/keaq/planyourvisit/lotus-and-water-lily-festival.htm
World Breastfeeding Week celebrations the first week in August, including at the Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington and the Big Latch On organized by local chapters of La Leche League and other organizations and groups
The Yoga Expo – http://theyogaexpo.org/

Summer Activities

Pick lavender and berries, then peaches later in the season
Stroll through acres of blooming lotus at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens (July)
Make pesto & tomato sauce
Freeze, ferment or preserve veggies
Attend outdoor concerts including Saturday mornings at Mason District Park and Friday evenings at some museums

Fall

2017 Scheduled Events

September 30: National Public Lands Day – National Parks Free Day
October 13-15: National Kids Yoga Conference – http://conference.yokid.org/
November 4-5: Take Back Your Health Conference – http://profcs.com/app/?af=1636700
November 11-12: Veterans Day Weekend – National Parks Free Day

Fall events to watch for

Potomac Crescent Waldorf School Fall Festival – http://potomacwaldorf.org/
Del Ray Aglow Lantern Walk, Alexandria – https://www.facebook.com/Del-Ray-Aglow-Annual-Neighborhood-Lantern-Walk-753168984827118/
Washington Waldorf School Fall Bazaar – http://www.washingtonwaldorf.org/
18th Century Colonial Market Fair at Claude Moore on the third full weekend of October – http://1771.org/marketfair/
DC VegFest – http://dcvegfest.com/
Pathways Natural Living Expo – http://www.pathwaysmagazineonline.com/
Oregon Ridge Nature Center Honey Harvest Festival – http://www.oregonridgenaturecenter.org/honeyhrvst.html
Achieving Optimal Health Conference – http://achievingoptimalhealthconference.com/
Mindful Leadership Summit – http://www.mindfulleader.org/
Holiday Open House at Local Wood – http://www.localwoodva.com/
Winter’s Eve at Accokeek Foundation – http://accokeekfoundation.org/

Fall Activities

Pick apples & pumpkins
Go on a hayride & visit the Ticonderoga Farm Fall Festival where pumpkins aren’t sprayed
Visit a nature center
Plant bulbs for spring
Hear Christmas Revels with the Washington Revels – http://revelsdc.org/
Choose a charity or service project
Order seed catalogs
Make an advent garden spiral
Celebrate the winter solstice
See the Season’s Greenings train exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden – https://www.usbg.gov/plan-your-holiday-visit

Details about National Parks Free Days:

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/11-14-2016-fee-free-days.htm

Be sure to also check out the monthly meetings of Holistic Moms Network, which has several chapters in the area. Listing of local chapters and their websites at http://bit.ly/HMN-MetroDC