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By Katie Bianco, Holly Gambrell and Stefanie Gans
There’s no crying in baseball
When my daughter walks past the TV and there’s golf on, or soccer, or basketball, she always asks: Is this girls? Usually not, but we’re working on it. With France hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup starting in June (meet the U.S. team) and the WNBA season kicking off this weekend (with an expanded multi-channel television deal on ESPN/ABC and CBS Sports), there are plenty more opportunities to watch women play sports. This weekend, Eastern Women’s Baseball Conference hosts Diamond Classic, a baseball tournament in Purcellville starring top players in the U.S. and Canada and local high school stars. -SG // Diamond Classic Women’s Baseball Tournament at Fireman’s Field Center: 250 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville and Franklin Fields: Blueridge View Lane, Round Hill; May 25-27; free
Splashing into summer
Does anyone else ever forget that summer vacation is a thing? Once you enter adulthood, it’s like a continuous loop of work, with none of the breaks synonymous with the American education system. But that’s OK; we’ve all got to grow up at some point … or do we? I’ll be pretending I’m on summer break and reliving my childhood this weekend by heading to SplashDown Waterpark with my brother, sister-in-law and their three kids for its opening day of the 2019 season on Saturday, May 25. (This was also chosen as one of our top nine things to do this month in NoVA.) Grab the sunscreen and join me for a day of nostalgia, and help your children create summer break memories of their own. -HG // SplashDown Waterpark: 7500 Ben Lomond Park Road, Manassas; $12.25-$16
Rolling into the sunset
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kick off to summer, and most people across the country celebrate with backyard barbecues, first swims in the pool and just generally soaking in the sunshine. But one thing I’ve always loved about the DC region is, while we definitely have our share of grilling over the weekend, we also don’t forget the real reason for Memorial Day. It’s a solemn day to remember those brave men and women who have given their lives in service to this country. There are a number of patriotic tributes throughout the weekend, but my favorite is Rolling Thunder. It’s a spectacle to be sure, but, at its core, it remains a rally to call attention to our remaining prisoners of war. This is actually the last year for the iconic event in DC (the organization will be focusing on smaller, more impactful events throughout the nation). If you’ve never been, this is a local event not to miss! -KB // Rolling Thunder: Departs Pentagon parking lot at noon; Best viewing is along Constitution Ave.; free