Washington, D.C
List: What to do in the DC area this week and weekend, Jan. 13-19
We share the best things to do every weekend in The Weekend Scene newsletter – it’s completely free to subscribe!
Call it D.C.’s biggest hits: Pandas, the Commanders, MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk & Parade are all on tap this week – and that’s before we even get to Inauguration Day!
Of course, if you want to see a panda this week, you must be a National Zoo member. But anyone can grab their free pass to visit the National Zoo once the pandas make their public debut on Jan. 24. The only thing you’ll need to see the pandas is your zoo pass… plus, patience and warm clothes. Expect a line to get into the panda habitat!
But everyone can watch the Commanders face the Lions at 8 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, sixth-seeded Washington upset the No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Can they clinch against the division leader? Every sports bar will be screening this highly anticipated showdown.
Here’s what else to do this week in the Washington, D.C. area.
What to do in Washington, D.C.
Hands-on Landscape Painting with Paloma Vianey: Weds., 6-8 p.m., Phillips@THEARC, 1801 Mississippi Ave, SE, free but registration required
NMWA Nights: Weds., 5:30 to 8 p.m., National Museum of Women in the Arts, $25
DC Improv Date Night: Weds., 7:30 p.m., DC Improv, $99 for food and drink package or $15 for general admission
Rock the Rink at The Wharf: Thurs., 6-10 p.m., The Wharf Ice Rink, anyone in Capitals gear gets $5 off admission
National Symphony Orchestra on the Millennium Stage: Fri., 6 p.m., The Kennedy Center, free but arrive early to get tickets
MLK Shabbat: Visions of Freedom and Justice: Fri., 7 p.m., Sixth & I, free
Concert: Mo Lowda & The Humble and Illiterate Light: Fri., 8 p.m., 9:30 Club, $25
20th Annual MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk & Parade: Sat., 11 a.m., Entertainment & Sports Arena, free
MLK Day of Service: Pope Branch Park cleanup with Anacostia Riverkeeper: Sat., 2900 M Place Southeast, free
Nerd Nite irreverent lecture series: Sat., doors 6 p.m., DC9, $10 (in advance) or $15 (day of)
Black A** Comedy: Sat., 7 p.m., Busboys and Poets 14th Street, $25
Charli x Sabrina x Chappell Dance Party: Sat., Black Cat, $10
Defying Gravity: A Wicked Party: Sat., Union Stage, $15+
Ye Olde Feast of Saint Vincent of Zaragossa!: Sun., 2 p.m., St. Vincent Wine at 3212 Georgia Ave NW, $72
Let Freedom Ring Celebration featuring Christopher Jackson and esperanza spalding, hosted by Taye Diggs: Sun., 7:30 p.m. The Kennedy Center, free (note: ticket giveaway begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Hall of Nations, limited to two tickets per person)
Union Stage Presents: Rare Essence , EU feat. Sugar Bear, DCVybe: Sun., 8:30 p.m., Howard Theatre, $55
Last chance – “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment”: Through Sun., the National Gallery of Art, free
What to do in Maryland
Theater: “What the Constitution Means to Me”: Jan. 15 to Feb. 16, Round House Theatre, $50+
SA-ROC (+ DJ OSO Fresh After Party): Fri., BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, $35
Yoga at Brookside Gardens: Sat., 9:30 a.m., Wheaton, $14
Say It Loud: A Celebration of the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Sat., BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown
Be’la Dona Brunch: Sun., 2 p.m., Bethesda Theater, $41.45 (including fees)
“Paper Dreams” at Imagination Stage: Through Feb. 16, Bethesda, $19.50
What to do in Virginia
Sean Gavin and Josh Dukes in Concert: Thurs., 7-9 p.m., Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, $25 ($10 under 18)
Comedy – Justin Martindale: Fri. and Sat., Arlington Cinema Drafthouse, $20
Silly Suds: Humorous Soapmaking Workshop: Sat., 9 a.m. to noon, Del Ray Artisans Gallery in Alexandria, $45-$55, plus $10 supply fee (must register by Weds.)
NOVA Wine Expo: Sat., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dulles Expo Center, $40+
Presidential Transitions Lecture & Historic Document Viewing: Sat., noon to 3 p.m., George Washington Presidential Library, $10
La Vang Lunar New Year Festival: Sat. and Sun., Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, $10 ($5 with student ID or for kids 2 to 11)
Comedy Night in Leesburg Presented By The DC Improv: Sat., Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, $20-$32
Ice & Lights-The Winter Village at Cameron Run: Through Feb. 23, Cameron Run Regional Park in Alexandria, $8.55+
Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.
Washington, D.C
San Francisco Ballet cancels upcoming performances at Kennedy Center
Sunday, March 1, 2026 6:36AM
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The San Francisco Ballet board has voted to cancel its upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center.
The company is scheduled for a four-day run in Washington D.C. in May.
Petition urges SF Ballet to cancel Kennedy Center tour stop as company opens 2026 season
Last year, Pres. Donald Trump overhauled the Kennedy Center’s board, including naming himself the chairman.
That led several artists to cancel scheduled performances.
A statement from SF Ballet says the group “looks forward to performing for Washington, D.C. audiences in the future.”
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Washington, D.C
97-year-old World War II veteran honored virtually at home
At 97, Veteran Harley Wero wasn’t up for a trip to the nation’s capital, so volunteers from the Western North Dakota honor flight brought the trip to him. Wero, his wife Muriel and their daughter Jennifer got to experience Washington, DC, without ever leaving their home.
Web Editor : Sydney Ross
Posted
Washington, D.C
DC Public Health to begin daily testing of Potomac, Anacostia rivers for E. coli
WASHINGTON – Beginning on Monday, the D.C. Department of Health will be conducting daily tests for E. coli in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
It comes more than five weeks after the Potomac interceptor collapse sent millions of gallons of sewage into the river.
The testing will also coincide with an important safety advisory being lifted.
Why it matters:
Director of the D.C. Department of Health, Dr. Ayanna Bennett, says they will begin daily testing for E. coli in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers on Monday, along with help from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Currently, D.C. is only testing weekly.
“We feel really secure that the initial sewage is not a threat to people, it’s passed through some time ago, but we do want to get more information about what the long term condition of the river is gonna be and how we should look at it going forward.”
Big picture view:
Monday is also an important day because it’s when the District is expected to lift its advisory that recommends against recreational activities on the Potomac — we’re talking boating, fishing, walking pets by the water.
It’s important to note, however, that D.C.’s advisory pertains to its portion of the Potomac, and it has no bearing on advisories issued by officials in Maryland or Virginia.
Still, this is being treated by many as a hopeful sign.
What they’re saying:
But significant concerns absolutely remain for residents.
“I’ve had tons of messages from people saying they’re not going to let their kids row crew, they’re not going to go to sailing schools. We catch three million tons of blue cats out of the Potomac River. That season starts next week, and they’re not gonna be able to bring those blue cats to market,” said Dean Naujoks with the Potomac Riverkeepers.
“You knew years ago that parts of this Potomac Interceptor were corroded and vulnerable, especially where it broke, in Cabin John, our neighborhood,” one resident said, speaking at a public meeting in Bethesda on Thursday.
“I know there are small business owners here. Who’s accounting for all of our losses that we’re getting due to your sewer blowing up?” another resident asked.
Officials with D.C. Water, which is a public utility, have been running daily tests and will continue to do so as well.
-
World3 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts4 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Denver, CO4 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana6 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT