Washington, D.C

39 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend

Published

2 years ago

April 15, 2024

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39 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend

The 2021 National Cannabis Festival. Photograph by Doug Van Sant.

Happy Monday, DC!

This week is jam-packed with live music shows, cultural festivals, and art exhibit openings. You can choose from partying at National Cannabis Festival, binging movies at Filmfest DC, or getting a first look at a new women’s exhibit at National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend

April 15-April 21

National Cannabis Festival. The two-day concert-style National Cannabis Festival returns to DC with a massive lineup of performances. Hip-hop legends Wu-Tang Clan and Redman headline the event alongside bassist Thundercat. If you’re looking for local musicians, go-go acts Backyard Band and Black Alley, and Noochie Live From The Front Porch will be there to represent DC (Fri-Sat, $55+, RFK Festival Grounds).
Filmfest DC. This binge-worthy festival returns to DC with a lineup of more than 60 films from 36 countries. Moviegoers can watch international productions such as Italian thriller Diabolik or French comedy A Difficult Year, plus two films about DC’s go-go and jazz scene: Bring the Beat and The Humbler (Thurs to April 28, $14+, various DC locations).
NMWA Nights and “New Worlds” exhibit. “New Worlds: Women to Watch 2024” presents 28 artists’ works as the latest installment of the National Museum of Women in the Arts’ triennial exhibition series. You can experience the new exhibition at the museum’s Earth Day-inspired after-hours party featuring music by artist Neffy and libations (Wed, $25 for adults, $22 for DC residents, sold out but limited walk-up tickets available, Downtown).
“Hair” musical. You are in for an electric ’60s-era show at Signature Theatre’s Hair musical. Set during the Vietnam War, this rock musical tells the psychedelic story of hippies on a coming-of-age journey in the face of pacifism and freedom (Tues to July 7, $40+, Arlington).
Corcoran’s NEXT Festival. This school-year-end celebration is back at George Washington University to showcase a vast display of projects from graduating Corcoran students. The month-long NEXT Festival lineup includes dance recitals, theater productions, music performances, and research panels (Wed to May 16, prices vary, Northwest DC).
Red Bull Showrun DC. Red Bull Showrun is making a grand DC debut this weekend along Pennsylvania Avenue. Driver David Coulthard and the Oracle Red Bull Racing team are inviting F1 fans to get a behind-the-scenes look at motorsport fun. Prior to the car showing, there will be a fan fest at Union Market on Friday where guests can participate in racing simulators, a Q&A with the Red Bull racing team, and interactive race car activations (Fri-Sat, free, Union Market and Downtown).
Georgetown House Tour. This neighborhood jewel has been running for more than 90 years. Home and history enthusiasts can take a self-guided tour of some fabulous Georgetown homes to help raise funds for St. John’s Episcopal Church’s outreach and ministry. In addition to the adventurous stroll, you can sip hot tea, and snack on sandwiches and sweets at the historic St. John’s Church (Sat, $60+, Georgetown).
ChocolateCon. The producers of Porchfest DC are bringing a new cultural convention to town this weekend. Chocolate Con celebrates the heritage and creativity of DC through live go-go and DJ performances, a small business vendor fair, community conversations, spoken word performances, art, games, and much more (Sun, free+, Southeast DC).

Want More Things to Do?

Arts and culture:

See a screening of the documentary Signing Black in America at Planet Word (Mon, free, Downtown).
There’s hot chocolate, popcorn, and more Selena-themed snacks at Rhizome’s screening of the biopic movie (Mon, free, but registration encouraged, Takoma).
Sip wine with author Rosa Jackson as she discusses her cookbook Niçoise at Bold Fork Books (Mon, free, Mount Pleasant).
Test your Swiftie knowledge at As You Are’s competitive Taylor Swift Trivia (Wed, free, Southeast DC).
International author David Diop visits the Alliance Française (Wed, $5+, Kalorama).
Paint-your-own pottery with a Shop Made in DC instructor (Tues, $80, Georgetown).
Two paintings by French Post-Impressionist Paul Cezanne will be unveiled at the Phillips Collection (Thurs to July 14, $20, Dupont).
Also, stop by the Phillips Collection for their after-hours art event where you can explore “Bonnard’s Worlds,” “Jennifer Bartlett: In and Out of the Garden,” and more (Thurs, free, Dupont).
All ages can contribute to a community mural, color in chalk, and attend talks with design professionals at the National Building Museum (Sat, free, Penn Quarter).

Community and heritage:

Theater and shows:

It’s the last call to experience dance-theater show Message In A Bottle (closes Sun, $35+, Kennedy Center).
Comedian Winston Hodges tells jokes at Le Mont Royal (Wed, $10, Adams Morgan).
TV producer and foodie Phil Rosenthal arrives at Warner Theatre (Wed, $40+, Downtown).
See Scena Theatre drama The Last Drop at DC Arts Center (Thurs to May 12, $45, Adams Morgan).
Prepare to burst into laughter at Dan Soder’s DC Improv comedy set (Fri-Sun, $35+, Downtown).
The Color Purple is the second in-house-produced musical by BlackRock Center for the Arts (Fri-Sun, $42+, Germantown).
Tickets to see actress and comedian Wanda Sykes are sold out, but there are seats available via third-party sellers. Don’t miss the chance to laugh out loud with her at the Warner Theatre (Sat, $55+, Downtown).
Ammigone readapts Athenian tragedy Antigone into a story about queerness, faith, and family at Woolly Mammoth Theatre (Sat to May 12, $25+, Penn Quarter).

Music and concerts:

Jazz pianist Ellington Carthan performs Duke Ellington’s little-known concert pieces (Tues, $45+, Kennedy Center).
Rap duo Atmosphere make a tour stop at The Fillmore (Tues, $41+, Silver Spring).
Multi-instrumentalist Elliot Moss sings sonic tunes at DC9 Nightclub (Wed, $22+, Shaw).
Southern Rapper Bby Mutha performs at Union Stage with Virginia’s Fly Anakin (Wed, $22, Wharf).
Rock and roll hall-of-famer John Mellencamp brings his tour to DAR Constitution Hall (Thurs, $77+, Downtown).
Simone Young conducts the National Symphony Orchestra in Mozart’s elegant Piano Concerto No. 9 (Thurs, Sat, $15+, Kennedy Center).
Legendary musicians Rakim, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Ravi Coltrane are teaming up for a concert as part of the Kennedy Center’s inaugural Hip Hop &… Festival (Fri, $59+, Kennedy Center).
Local musicians come together to perform “The Big Lebowski Experience“—an in-costume concert featuring songs from the movie soundtrack (Sat, $16+, Wharf).

Things to do with kids:

DC students on spring break can have a Day of Play at RFK Campus to participate in football, bean bag tosses, tug of war, and frisbee games (Tues, free, RFK Campus).
Springfest in Old Ellicott City features music on two outdoor stages, food trucks, crafts, and a scavenger hunt for kids (Sat, free, Ellicott City).
Learn about Earth Day Heroes with interactive exhibits and family-friendly activities at National Academy of Sciences (Sat, free, but registration encouraged, Downtown).
Musical performances, craft workshops, and more are a part of Smithsonian’s Earth Day Family Festival (Sat, free, National Portrait Gallery).

If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.

Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.

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Washington, D.C

D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report

Published

23 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report

TNND — A new report from the House Oversight Committee alleges former D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to manipulate crime data. The committee released the report on Sunday, less than a week after Smith announced she was stepping down.

You’re lulling people into this false sense of security. They might go places they wouldn’t ordinarily go. They might do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” said Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association.

Included in the report were transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts and the former commander currently on suspended leave. One was asked, “Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?” Their response, “Yes, I mean extremethere’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration.”

Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement.

“They are going to have to regain the public trust. Again, this is a huge integrity issue,” Brantner Smith said.

Among the reports findings, Smith’s alleged pressured campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data. Smith punished or removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers. Smith fostered a toxic culture and President Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in D.C. is working.

While Smith has not yet publicly responded to the report, she’s previously denied allegations of manipulating crime data, saying the investigation did not play a factor into her decision to step down at the end of the year.

My decision was not factored into anything with respect to, other than the fact that it’s time. I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement. I’ve had some time to think with my family,” Smith said earlier this month.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also released a statement Monday, writing in part that “the interim report betrays its bias from the outset, admitting that it was rushed to release.”

According to crime stats from the Metropolitan Police Department, since the federal law enforcement surge started in August, total violent crime is down 26%. Homicides are down 12% and carjackings 37%.

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National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims

The first candle lit on the National Menorah near the White House in Washington, D.C., marked the first night of Hanukkah — and solemnly honored victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.

The National Menorah Lighting was held Sunday night, hours after gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, and over three dozen others were being treated at hospitals.

Authorities in Australia said it was a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.

Organizers behind the National Menorah Lighting said the news from Australia, along with the bitter cold, forced them to consider whether or not to hold the annual event.

After consulting with local law enforcement, National Menorah Lighting organizers decided to hold the event and honor the victims.

Several D.C.-area police departments issued statements confirming there are no known threats to local communities, but are monitoring just in case.

Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich condemned the attack and said community safety is a priority.

“Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation,” Elrich said. “I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County’s Jewish community who are shaken and concerned, and I want them to know that their safety is a priority.”

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Washington, D.C

READ: Report accuses DC Police Chief Pamela Smith of ‘fear, intimidation, threats’

Published

2 days ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

READ: Report accuses DC Police Chief Pamela Smith of ‘fear, intimidation, threats’

WASHINGTON (7News) — Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith is facing yet another scathing report accusing her of manipulating crime data in the city.

The 22-page document from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform comes less than a week after a separate draft report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and days after Chief Smith turned in her resignation.

The main difference between the Congressional report and the DOJ report is that this new one, released on December 14, contains transcribed interviews directly with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts.

RELATED | DC Police settles with former employee over claims that crime numbers were manipulated

The testimony reveals how Chief Smith chastised and, in some cases, publicly humiliated staff in crime briefings.

“The Committee’s investigation heard consistent testimony about frustration and exhaustion among MPD commanders and the manifestation of a culture of fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation by Chief Smith. Often, these manifestations were triggered whenever the Chief was presented with what she considers ‘bad news,’ particularly when that news pertained to any rise in public crime statistics. Chief Smith, according to testimonies, regularly took action against her subordinates who failed to aid in the preservation of her public image,” the report states on page two.

RELATED | Trump announces probe into DC police for inflating crime stats amid safety claims

The committee launched the investigation in August when whistleblowers came forward with concerns about data manipulation.

One line of questioning in the report states:

Question: Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?

Answer: Yes, I mean extreme… there’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration or regime, and you know, that has manifested publicly.

7News reached out to Mayor Bowser’s Office for a comment in response to the report. A spokesperson provided the following statement:

The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department run towards danger every day to reduce homicides, carjackings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and more. The precipitous decline in crime in our city is attributable to their hard work and dedication and Chief Smith’s leadership.

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I thank Chief Smith for her commitment to the safety of D.C. residents and for holding the Metropolitan Police Department to an exacting standard, and I expect no less from our next Chief of Police.

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