Nickelodeon to its viewers: Get ready, and bring an umbrella

The No. 1 children's television station is hosting a $10 million party on D.C.'s Ellipse Saturday afternoon.

"We lobbied for resolutions in the Congress and Senate to declare Saturday a Worldwide Day of Play," Marva Smalls, executive vice president of Global Inclusion Strategy for MTV Networks, told The Washington Scene at a lunchtime roundtable discussion. "Many [members] who will be home in their districts Saturday are going to be involved in their hometowns in some capacity."

In an effort to get kids off their couches, Nickelodeon will "go dark" from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday on their television stations and Internet. Smalls and Cyma Zarghami, president of Nickelodeon, call the move a "huge investment."

Expect Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob Squarepants and others to be on hand. There will also be an NFL 60 booth with wide receiver Terrell Owens promoting a healthy lifestyle for children. (Owens is still looking to play this season, but hasn't been signed by a team yet.)

The event will be co-sponsored by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.