Families celebrate government reopening at Hill Center

Little kids in tutus and dinosaur hats and their parents celebrated the end of the federal government shutdown Friday night at Hill Center with dancing and singing to the music of King Bullfrog (whose children were also in attendance).

More than 100 furloughed workers and their children took advantage of the free tickets Hill Center offered for the event and then unexpectedly had something to celebrate – the end of the government shutdown was announced shortly before the doors to the concert opened.

Another 80 or so paying concert-goers joined in the celebration. First beer or glass of wine are free, and parents are encouraged to bring dinner items for their children.

The evening was the first in a series of casual happy hours for parents and tots. The Bright Siders will take the stage on March 17 at 3 p.m. to present music that helps kids and families have meaningful conversations about emotions (buy tickets here). The Bright Siders was created by songwriter Kristin Andreassen and Brooklyn child psychiatrist, Dr. Kari Groff.

Steve Leroy and Jeremiah (as in “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog”) Goulka play and sing what they call “family music” throughout D.C. “There’s a split between family music and children’s music,” says Goulka (aka Mr. Steve). “We want to appeal to the adults as well as the children.”