Pumpkins, Movie Monsters and a Glow Party: Fort Totten Has Your Family Friday Planned

There is a particular kind of Friday-night victory in finding a plan that lets the kids get creative, gives the grown-ups a chance to catch up and ends with everyone dancing. Add a movie full of monsters and a lawn full of neighbors, and you have a pretty convincing reason to take the evening outside.

On Friday, October 23, Art Place hosts Fort Totten Fall Fest & Movie Night, a free gathering that moves from pumpkin decorating to an outdoor screening of Hotel Transylvania to a glow party. The action unfolds on the lawn at 4th Street NE and Galloway Street NE, by The Modern at Art Place, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Consider it permission to give the couch the night off. Bring the family, text another household and let a patch of neighborhood grass become your Friday-night hangout.

Start with a little creative chaos

Check-in and fall activities begin at 6 p.m., with mini pumpkins ready for decorating. Face painting, arts and crafts, music and photo moments round out the lineup. For kids, that means something to make and something to show off. For their grown-ups, it is an opening to join in: help with a pumpkin, compare designs and enjoy a plan where making a small mess is part of the appeal.

Costumes are encouraged, especially favorite movie and cartoon characters. If a superhero wants to hang out with a princess while decorating a pumpkin, this is their moment. Adults can get in on it, too.

Make the lawn your living room

At 7 p.m., Hotel Transylvania takes over the big screen. Pack a blanket, favorite snacks and collapsible lawn chairs so your crew can settle in for picnic-style viewing. A warm layer is a smart addition for an October evening outdoors.

Popcorn, candy, drinks and local food options are part of the event lineup, alongside seasonal giveaways including decorative tote bags. Admission is free; plan separately for any food or vendor purchases.

The best part of an outdoor movie is everything around the movie: picking your spot, sharing snacks and finding familiar faces in the crowd. It turns watching something together into an occasion.

Save a little energy for the glow-up

At 8:30 p.m., the evening shifts into a glow party, with glow giveaways and a DJ dance set before the event wraps at 9. The youngest dancers do not need choreography, and neither do you. Showing up and moving a little is plenty.

That is a good recipe for neighborhood fun: room to create, time to get comfortable and one last reason to stay outside together.

Make your plan: Fort Totten Fall Fest & Movie Night takes place Friday, October 23, 2026, from 6–9 p.m. on the lawn at 4th Street NE and Galloway Street NE, near 400 Galloway Street NE, Washington, DC 20011. RSVP for free on Eventbrite and check that page for the latest updates. See our featured calendar listing for the evening schedule.