Washington, D.C

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

Published

5 months ago

August 12, 2024

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

Photograph courtesy of Arlington Strategy.

Happy Monday, DC!

It’s Summer Restaurant Week. Satisfy your taste buds with local bites and good deals at hundreds of area restaurants. Or, dance along to Michael Jackson’s greatest hits at the local opening of MJ the Musical.

Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend

August 12–August 18

1. Summer Restaurant Week. Catch brunch, lunch, and dinner deals during DC Summer Restaurant Week at more than 300 participating eateries. You can visit new dining rooms such as Mallard, Pastis, Cucina Morini, and Namak for discount bites. Or, stop by longtime favorites like Central or Rasika for more delicious options (Mon-Sun, $25+, various participating locations).
2. Future and Metro Boomin concert. Atlanta rapper Future and producer Metro Boomin bring their brooding beats and rhymes to Capital One Arena to promote two recent collaborative albums, We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You (Sat, $134+, Capital One Arena).
3. “MJ the Musical.” The highly-anticipated MJ the Musical arrives at National Theatre after a Tony award-winning stint on Broadway. The touring show created by Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage will run in DC for a few weeks, bringing Michael Jackson’s electrifying hits back to the stage (Tues-September 8, $45+, Downtown).
4. Arlington County Fair. Arlington County Fair is back this summer at Thomas Jefferson Community Center with a ton of festive fun for all ages. Kids can exercise and venture through obstacle courses on the Kids Court, families can groove to local bands in the entertainment tent, and there’s hotdogs, seafood, and ice cream at Food Truck Alley (Wed-Sun, free, Arlington).
5. “West Wing” cast at Sixth & I. To mark the 25th anniversary of The West Wing, cast members Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack will discuss the show’s impact at Sixth & I (Sat, $40 for ticket and signed book, $12+ for virtual, Downtown).
6. Alexandria Restaurant Week. More than 90 eateries and lounges are serving multi-course dinner menus for Alexandria Restaurant Week. Foodies can dine at neighborhood places such as Beeliner Diner, Cheesetique, and Don Taco, for prices starting at $27.50—a nod to Alexandria’s 275th birthday (Fri through August 25, $27+, Alexandria).

Want More Things to Do?

Arts and culture:

Check out paintings, prints, and other artworks from “Golden: Fifty Years of New Classics” at MOCA Arlington (through September 8, free, Arlington).
Author Briana Pegado inspires readers to Make Good Trouble. Learn self-care tips from her at Solid State Books (Mon, free, $21 for the book, H Street Corridor).
Discover DC’s unique places and hidden gems with author JoAnn Hill at the library (Tues, free, Northeast DC).
YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen visits Sixth & I with his debut book, Shameless: Republicans’ Deliberate Dysfunction and the Battle to Preserve Democracy (Wed, $20+ for in-person, $12+ for virtual, Downtown).
Create-your-own leaf rubbing print at Shop Made in DC (Wed, $30, Georgetown).
Evan Friss surveys the country’s book industry in his new book, The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore (Wed, free, Northwest DC).
View short documentaries and narrative films from local producers and creatives at the DC Black Film Festival at Miracle Theatre (Thurs- August 25, $15+, Eastern Market).
Artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen makes a DC debut with the multimedia installation “The Island” (Fri-May 4, 2025, free, Smithsonian American Art Museum).
Make a new friend, or lover, at WHINO’s Single’s Mixer. There’s bingo, speed dating, and a live DJ (Sat, $12+, Arlington).
Sneaker Con returns to Walter E. Washington Convention Center for a two-day showcase of the trendiest kicks (Sat-Sun, $30+, Mount Vernon Square).
Attend a collaging workshop with artist Helina Metaferia at the Phillips Collection (Sun, $20, Dupont).

Community and heritage:

Learn about historic sewn objects from DAR Museum experts (Tues, free, but registration is encouraged, virtual, Downtown).
Learn about the Civil War and its connection to Western medicine from author Carole Adrienne (Tues, $10, virtual).

Theater and shows:

Explore the themes of music, family, and Greece in this revival of Mamma Mia! (Tues through September 1, $49+, Kennedy Center).
Centerstage Academy for the Arts performs In the Heights (Thurs-Fri, $60, Bowie).
This lively event invites concertgoers to sing-along to a movie screening of The Sound of Music (Fri, $29+, Vienna).
Comedian and actor Ben Schwartz performs with friends at the Anthem (Fri, $49+, Wharf).

Music and concerts:

Pianist Five for Fighting plays soft rock music at Lincoln Theatre (Tues, $35, U Street Corridor).
Supreme Commander, Cryptid Summer, and Drivel rock the library with a rooftop punk concert (Wed, free, MLK Library).
Go-go groovers The Experience Band & Show perform at Rock the Dock (Wed, free, Wharf).
Rock out to AFI’s hardcore-punk rhythms at Merriweather Post Pavilion (Thurs, $25+, Columbia).
’90s and ’00s beats keep the party vibes going at You Know the Vibes Social Pop Up (Sat, free+, Dupont).

Get involved:

Participate in a vegetation cleanup of Rosslyn Trail (Tues, free, Arlington).
Eat sausages, dance to live bands, and go to a foam party for a good cause. Sausagefest at Wunder Garten is helping to raise funds for the new DC LGBTQ+ Community Center (Sat-Sun, free, NoMa).

Bites and beverages:

The Yards’ first-ever Bark Crawl invites humans and their four-legged companions to bar-hop at area restaurants such as Trouble, La Famosa, and Emmy Squared (Wed, free, Navy Yard).
Celebrate all things tomato at Common Good City Farm’s Tomato Party (Thurs, free, but donations welcome, Shaw).
Bourbon connoisseurs and beer aficionados can sample drinks at Virginia Bourbon and Beer Festival (Sat, $40+, Fredericksburg).

Budget-friendly:

Stroll through the scenic US Botanic Gardens after hours for ice cream and mocktails (Thurs, free, Southwest DC).
Shop candles, clothes, and other goods from small businesses at the Unique Markets summer pop-up (Sat, free+, Union Market).
There’s good energy, music, and food trucks at Sandlot Georgetown’s day party (Sat, free+, Georgetown).

Plan ahead:

Jerry Seinfield arrives at Wolf Trap to perform two shows (August 19-20, $55+, Vienna).

Things to do with kids:

It’s the final week to attend the 75th Montgomery County Fair (closes Sat, $12+ for adults, free for ages 11 and under, Gaithersburg).
Take your kids to a horse show at Prince William County Fair before it closes (closes Sat, $25 for adults, $15 for children, Manassas).
There are rides and attractions for kiddos at the Clarke County Fair (closes Sun, $10 for adults, free+ for children, Berryville).
Students can pick up school supplies and play games at this community field day (Sun, donations welcome, Anacostia).

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

Jimmy Carter's funeral services begin in Washington, D.C., today

Published

5 hours ago

January 7, 2025

Press Room

Jimmy Carter's funeral services begin in Washington, D.C., today

Members of law enforcement walk toward the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center entrance during Monday’s snowstorm.

Jon Cherry/Getty Images

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Jon Cherry/Getty Images

ATLANTA — The remains of former President Jimmy Carter are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., where he will be honored with a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol before lying in state through Thursday morning.

The casket carrying the 39th president will leave the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, where thousands of mourners paid their respects over the weekend, and will travel to Dobbins Air Reserve Base before boarding Special Air Mission 39 to Joint Base Andrews.

Carter died Dec. 29 at age 100.

A military body bearer team carries the casket of former President Jimmy Carter into the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to lie in repose in Atlanta.

While Carter’s four-plus decades out of office were marked by humanitarian efforts around election monitoring and tackling global public health issues, his time in Washington was marked by a tumultuous economy and international conflict, and this left him unpopular with an American public distrustful of the federal government.

Carter’s casket will leave Joint Base Andrews and travel to the U.S. Navy Memorial, paying tribute to his time in the service as a lieutenant who worked on nuclear submarines, before a horse-drawn caisson leads a procession to the Capitol.

A service in the Capitol rotunda with members of Congress is slated to begin at 3 p.m., and members of the public are invited to pay their respects until 7 a.m. Thursday, when Carter’s remains will travel to Washington National Cathedral for his National Funeral Service.

Watch the funeral events at the feed below on Tuesday, and tune in at 2:30 p.m. ET for NPR’s live special coverage:

Thursday afternoon, Carter’s remains will return to Georgia for a private service at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where Carter taught Sunday School well into his 90s, before he’s buried at the family home next to his wife, Rosalynn Carter.

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Washington, D.C

Washington, D.C. Hotel Deals Honor Pandas’ Return To National Zoo

Published

13 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Washington, D.C. Hotel Deals Honor Pandas’ Return To National Zoo

Enjoy some panda-themed treats during a stay at The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Courtesy of The Watergate Hotel

It was a sad, sad day for Washingtonians everywhere when the National Zoo’s three beloved pandas—Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji—returned home to China in November 2023. Thankfully, two new pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, were brought back in October 2024 and are set to make their official debut in a newly renovated habitat later this month. National Zoo members can get a sneak peak from January 10–19, 2025, while the Asia Trail exhibit will open to the public on January 24, 2025. To celebrate their return, several popular hotels are offering specially themed packages, with little extras to mark this momentous occasion. Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of these Washington, D.C. hotel deals.

The Watergate Hotel

Located near The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Watergate Hotel’s Welcome Home, Pandas package includes perks like complimentary round-trip transportation to and from the National Zoo (arranged by the concierge), a children’s pair of panda pajamas by Bellabubear, a commemorative panda stuffed animal and other specially themed goodies. Book your stay online with promo code PANDA at least seven days ahead and plan to arrive by March 16, 2025. History buffs will love The Watergate Hotel’s display, located just off the lobby, with photos and news clippings highlighting the infamous 1972 scandal.

Omni Shoreham Hotel

Just a 10-minute walk from the National Zoo’s Connecticut Avenue entrance, Omni Shoreham’s Zoocation package gives you deluxe overnight accommodations, a special zoo-themed welcome amenity to remember your trip by, valet parking for one vehicle and a $25 credit toward daily breakfast during your stay. Use promo code PKGZOO when booking online. Omni Shoreham’s location near the Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan Metro stop also makes it ideal for exploring the rest of the District of Columbia.

The Melrose Georgetown Hotel and The Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row

When you book a stay by March 2, 2025, at either The Melrose Georgetown Hotel or The Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row, use promo code Panda to receive themed perks like welcome cocktails for two, a reusable panda bag and two panda bucket hats to commemorate their return. For every stay booked with the promotional package, a $10 donation will be made to benefit the Smithsonian Giant Panda Conservation Program. Both hotels are located in lively parts of town that are known for their shopping, dining and nightlife scenes; The Churchill is a few blocks from Dupont Circle, while The Melrose sits within walking distance of Georgetown and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Other Ways to Save Money in Washington, D.C.

One of the best parts about visiting our nation’s capital is how affordable it can be if you stick to free (or nearly free) attractions. Washington, D.C. is home to 20 Smithsonian Institution sites, including museums, galleries, gardens and the National Zoo—21 if you count the Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center nearby in Chantilly, Virginia—and all are free to enter.

As for accommodations, there are a plethora of points hotels throughout the DMV (that’s D.C., Maryland and Virginia to the uninitiated). If you’re a member of Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, or World of Hyatt, among other loyalty programs—or carry certain travel rewards credit cards—that could mean cashing in your rewards points for a few free nights.

Otherwise, your best bet besides keeping an eye out for Washington, D.C. hotel deals is to opt for public transportation over pricier taxi or Uber/Lyft rides. The Metro system (WMATA), with its many rail and bus routes, is pretty intuitive and provides a safe and affordable way to get from point A to point B. If you’re staying downtown and the weather cooperates, don’t miss a chance to explore the city by foot. Strolling the National Mall or along Washington’s grand boulevards is a favorite pastime of visitors and locals alike, including this one.

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Washington, D.C

List: What to do in the Washington DC area this week and weekend, Jan. 6-12

Published

20 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

List: What to do in the Washington DC area this week and weekend, Jan. 6-12

We share the best things to do every weekend in The Weekend Scene newsletter – it’s completely free to subscribe!

Sledding, snowball fights, snowmen construction, cross-country skiing: Make sure you have some fun with all this snow while you can!

The good news for snow lovers is that this week will be cold, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the snow.

While the U.S. Capitol sledding hill isn’t expected to be open because of Congressional proceedings, you can still check out Shepherd Elementary Field, Meridian Hill Park and Battery Kemble Park.

Here’s what else to do this week in the Washington, D.C. area.

What to do in Washington, D.C.

Free Community Days at the National Museum of Women in the Arts: Weds., 1250 New York Avenue NW, free

Comedy – Craig Robinson: Thurs. to Sun., DC Improv, $55

James Baldwin at 100: Celebrating the Enduring Witness: Thurs., Busboys and Poets (450 K St. NW), suggested $10 donation

The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look: Fri. and Sat., 511 Tenth Street NW, free

DC Onesie Crawl: Sat., 2 to 10 p.m., Dupont Circle, $17-$20

Mindful Drinking Festival: Fri. to Sun., Union Market District, $75 for full event pass

Leaving soon – MOSAICO art exhibit: Through Jan. 26, Dupont Underground, free on Fridays, otherwise $10 ($8 with discount or free for children under 12)

What to do in Maryland

My Dog & Me Hike: Sat., 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Brookside Nature Center in Wheaton, free

Fairytales and Fables: A Family Program: Sat., 10 a.m., Marietta House Museum in Glenn Dale, $5

Raptor Caretaker Chats: Sat., noon, Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville, free

Yule Spy: Bond on Holiday: Sat., 6 p.m., Tucker Road Community Center in Fort Washington, $20-$26

The Suburban Maryland Spring Home Show: Sat. and Sun., Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, free with registration or $10 at the door

Book talk – “Historical Diseases from a Modern Perspective”: Sun., 2 p.m., National Museum of Health and Medicine in SIlver Spring, free

What to do in Virginia

Secrets, Spies, Sputnik and Huntley tour: Thurs., 1 p.m., Historic Huntley in Alexandria, $10

Oscar Watch at Arlington Cinema Drafthouse: “A Real Pain” (Jan. 10-12) and “Conclave” (Jan. 11-14)

Full Moon Nature Hike & Campfire: Fri., 6 p.m., Riverbend Park in Great Falls, $10

Wassail Party!: Fri., 6:30-8 p.m., Lost Boy Cider in Arlington, free

Wreaths Out volunteer clean-up: Sat., 8 a.m., Arlington National Cemetery, free

Winter Sing-Along Movie Marathon featuring “Frozen” and “Frozen 2”: Sat., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Courthouse Library in Arlington, free

Tyson’s New Year Pickleball Tournament: Sun., 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., The Pickleball Club of Tysons in Vienna, $35

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.

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