Skip to main content

Weekend Events: Punkin Chunkin, FotoWeek and fallFRINGE

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – With Halloween behind us, it’s time to take the spider webs and ghost decorations down and smash the pumpkins.

That’s right — it’s perfectly OK to smash your pumpkin this weekend at the annual Punkin Chunkin. That, plus a calendar full of arts, crafts, cooking and performance events are all happening this weekend, Nov. 1-3.

How far can you launch a pumpkin? Well, it’s too late to register, but you can watch others put their chucking machines to the test at the annual Punkin Chunkin festival and competition.

In addition to pumpkins flying through the air, Punkin Chunkin will also have a chili cookoff, a pageant and fireworks. Everything takes place Nov. 1-3 at Royal Farms in Bridgeville, Del.

The D.C.-area’s photography festival, FotoWeek DC, kicks off Nov. 1 with a launch party at the National Geographic Museum. Events, discussions, workshops, exhibitions and contests will continue through Nov. 10 at venues throughout the area, including the National Portrait Gallery. Many of the FotoWeek DC activities are free.

It may feel like the FRINGE festival just came to a close, but if you’re craving more alternative live performances, you’re in luck: FRINGE is back for the fall. From Nov. 1- Nov. 17, fallFRINGE will showcase more than 13 shows and 80 individual performances at three venues in D.C. Plus, the Fort will be open for socializing and beverages.

On Nov. 2, Heyser Farms and Great Shoals Winery are teaming up to celebrate cider at the Pumpkin Gully Apple Cider Festival in Silver Spring, Md. The day-long festival at Heyser Farms will have sweet draft hard pumpkin cider and draft hard apple cider, plus barbecue, face painting, pumpkins and apples.

If you prefer to work out your mind this weekend, the Arlington Puzzle Festival may be the event for you. Games involving logic, words, numbers and thinking will be held at the Central Library from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 2. The festival will also include speakers and a sudoku tournament.

Get a head start on holiday shopping this weekend at the annual Washington Craft Show Nov. 1-3 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Expect ceramics, jewelry, mixed media, leather, wood and furniture, among other categories of art and home goods.

Not ready to say goodbye to Halloween and Day of the Dead? The Smithsonian’s American Art Museum will host a Day of the Dead family-friendly festival on Nov. 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors will be able to explore the museum’s new exhibit, “Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art,” and will be invited to watch a performance and participate in craft activities.

If you feel like getting out of town and heading east, OysterFest will take over St. Michaels, Md., on Nov. 2 at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Of course oysters will be the main focus, but attendees can also expect children’s activities, boat rides, cooking demos and live music. OysterFest runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show comes to D.C. this weekend, bringing celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations, tastings and more. The show will be in town Nov. 2-3 and will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

Follow @WTOP and @WTOPliving on Twitter.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related Stories

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote