With spring break in full swing for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), Events DC hosted the fourth annual Day of Play at RFK on Wednesday, April 16, where families from across D.C. gathered for a day dedicated to fitness and fun.
“I’m super excited. This is our opportunity to bring everyone together,” Angie Gates, president and CEO of Events DC, told The Informer. “These are family-friendly events, so this is our chance to promote healthy living with our youth and adults and create memories that will last a lifetime.”
The event was sponsored by Giant Food and included food vendors, field games, music and physical activities like basketball, hockey, soccer, and baseball, while younger participants enjoyed moonbounces, a foam machine and face paintings.
D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large), emphasized Day of Play serves as a healthy outlet for students to remain active and motivated, even while on spring break.
“Getting [young people] out, getting them into the community, on the fields and exercising… it really is a wonderful investment by Events DC,” McDuffie, chair of the Council Committee on Business and Economic Development, told The Informer. “It’s an investment in our kids and I don’t think there’s any greater investment than in the education and health and well-being of our youth across the District of Columbia.”
Local sports teams including the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, Washington Spirit and the Washington Capitals showed their support by offering various engaging stations for participants to enjoy.
Lester Davis, from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, a partner for Day of Play at RFK, highlighted the multi-generational appeal of the event.
“Think about things where you can have your grandparents, teenagers, young people and everyone in between,” he said. “There are [very] few things where you can do that.”
As he watched his son participate in a field game, local dad Kevin Scott emphasized the importance of such programming for not only young people, but in building community and unifying people across all eight wards.
“[We] just wanted to be a part of an event that’s going on in the community,” Scott told The Informer. “It’s a good thing they have these types of events where families from all over the city can come together and just interact with one another.”
