Washington, D.C
61 Things to Do in the DC Area This September
Happy (almost) September, DC!
Kick off a festive fall with a family day at a local fair, see comedian Kevin Hart live, or party with fellow rock fans at the resurrected HFStival. There are a ton of community festivals around town, too: the H Street Festival, Adams Morgan Day, and Festival Boliviano, to name a few.
Things to do in September
Arts and culture:
- Explore the origins of Impressionism at one of the season’s most anticipated exhibits: “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment” (September 8 through January 19, 2025, free, but expect long lines or virtual queues, National Gallery of Art).
- A Night in Paris kicks off National Gallery Nights (September 12, free, but registration is required via a ticket lottery, National Gallery of Art).
- Browse jury-selected creations including sculptures, paintings, jewelry, pottery, textiles, and more at Alexandria Old Town Art Festival (September 14-15, free, Alexandria).
- Music and art come together at Jazz at SAAM with Stephen Arnold and Sea Change (September 19, free, but registration encouraged, Smithsonian American Art Museum).
- House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, actor/writer Anna Deavere Smith, Nancy Pelosi, and other high-profile speakers and panelists gather at The Atlantic Festival (September 19-20, $225+ for in-person, free for virtual, the Wharf).
- Check out fiber art at “Sublime Light: Tapestry Art of DY Begay” (opens September 20, free, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian).
- DC’s first solo exhibition of artist Suchitra Mattai opens at National Museum of Women in the Arts (September 20 through January 12, 2025, $16 for adults, free for ages 21 and under, Downtown).
- Festival-goers can buy autumn produce and snacks from Freshfarm market vendors and shop for handmade items and vintage products from URBNmarket at Mosaic Fall Festival (September 24-25, free, Fairfax).
- Experience art nearly round-the-clock—painting, photography, fashion, music, and more—during the District’s overnight Art All Night (September 27-28, free, multiple DC locations).
- Shop jewelry, purses, scarves, clothing, and more finds at Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show (September 27-29, $20+, Penn Quarter).
- There are snacks and art pieces for sale at Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival (September 29, free, Wheaton).
- “OSGEMEOS: Endless Story” is the largest US exhibition of work from twin artists Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo (opens September 29, free, Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden).
- Learn about some of the most celebrated Haitian artists of the 20th century at “Spirit & Strength: Modern Art from Haiti” (opens September 29, free, National Gallery of Art).
- An immersive White House experience is coming to DC (opens September 30, free, but donations welcome, Downtown).
Community and heritage:
- Traditional food, music, dance, and crafts will flood Prince William Fairgrounds for Festival Boliviano (September 1, $25, Manassas).
- For more than 45 years, Adams Morgan Day has filled the DC neighborhood—on and around 18th Street and Columbia Road—with live music, family entertainment, and art (September 8, free, Adams Morgan).
- Experience the colorful choreography of a Ukrainian dance troupe, traditional crafts, a beer garden, and concerts at Ukrainian Festival (September 13-15, free on Fri for ages 20 and under, $15+ for Sat-Sun, Silver Spring).
- Browse arts and crafts, and graze on snacks at the Falls Church Festival (September 14, free, Falls Church).
- Celebrate 25 years of Walking Town tours throughout the city (September 14-22, free, various locations).
- Race go-karts and jam to local bands at Race the District (September 19-22, free, Union Market).
- Kick off fall at Lovettsville Oktoberfest (September 20-22, free, Lovettsville).
- Celebrate the life of salsa queen Celia Cruz (September 20, free, but registration encouraged, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Smithsonian American History Museum).
- H Street Festival—spanning 11 blocks—showcases local eateries, vendors, and fashions, and offers kids’ activities and contests (September 21, free, H Street Corridor).
- Fiesta DC includes a show of ancestral fashions, Latin music, folk dance, and a lively parade on Constitution Avenue (September 28-29, free, Downtown).
Theater:
- Oh My Heart, Oh My Home opens at Studio Theatre this month (September 6-22 , $50, Logan Circle).
- Broadway hit Jaja’s African Hair Braiding arrives at Arena Stage (September 6 through October 13, $45+, Southwest DC).
- Don’t miss The Comeuppance—a new production set in Prince George’s County—at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (September 8 through October 6, $35+, Penn Quarter).
- Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors is revived at Shakespeare Theatre Company (September 10 through October 6, $39+, Downtown).
- Attend the DC premiere of Primary Trust at Signature Theatre (September 10 through October 20, $40+, Arlington).
- Sojourners at Round House Theatre explores the Nigerian-American experience (September 11 through October 6, $50+, Bethesda).
- Ford’s Theatre presents one-man show Mister Lincoln (September 20 through October 13, $31+, Penn Quarter).
Shows and performances:
- Spend an elegant evening with the Washington Ballet at Wolf Trap (September 5, $34+, Vienna).
- DC Originality pays homage to homegrown music heroes (September 10-11, $33+, Kennedy Center).
- Watch an insect love story at Cirque du Soleil OVO (September 11-15, $49+, Capital One Arena).
- Comedian Kevin Hart does stand-up at DAR Constitution Hall (September 13-15, $141+, Downtown).
- Figure out whodunnit in Clue (September 17 through October 6, $29+ Kennedy Center).
- Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival is headlined by the hilarious Leslie Jones (September 27-29, $39+, Wharf).
Music:
- Attend the National Symphony Orchestra’s annual Labor Day Concert on the West Lawn (September 1, free, US Capitol).
- Rock out with Stone Temple Pilots at Jiffy Lube Live (September 4, $32+, Bristow).
- Bluegrass, country, folk, and Americana bands play at the Watermelon Pickers’ Fest (September 6-7, $60+, Berryville).
- Rosslyn Jazz Fest will be filled with the smooth sounds of contemporary jazz, including performances by locals such as DC vocalist Cecily (September 7, free, Arlington).
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performs at Nationals Park (September 7, $149+, Nationals Park).
- Neighbors can watch live music performances across six stages, by local talents like the Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra and folk guitarist Cody Summit, at Takoma Park Folk Festival (September 8, free, Takoma Park).
- Lemonheads play songs from their best records at 9:30 Club (September 8, $40, Shaw).
- Don’t miss indie rock act Built to Spill’s 30th anniversary tour (September 9, $40, Shaw).
- Spend an evening with pop/rock/punk vocalist PJ Harvey at the Anthem (September 11, $55+, Wharf).
- Dance DJ Kygo spins electronic tunes at Merriweather Post Pavilion (September 12, $31+, Columbia).
- Listen to singer/songwriter James Taylor at Wolf Trap (September 12, 14-15, $65+, Vienna).
- The first Weezer show at the Anthem is sold out, but there’s still time to snag a ticket to the group’s second show (September 15, $125+, Wharf).
- Enjoy a night of DJ sets and electronic beats in celebration of Hast du Feuer’s second anniversary (September 20, $30+, Chinatown).
- Country star Shaboozey sold out both of his shows at the 9:30 Club. Fans can find tickets at third-party sellers (September 21, $114+, Shaw).
- After more than a 10-year hiatus, the alt-rock-driven HFStival returns to DC (September 21, $99+, Nationals Park).
- The original members of Soul Coughing are playing a sold out show at 9:30 Club (September 28, $140, Shaw).
- Gospel artist Kirk Franklin brings the Reunion Tour to DC (September 29, $37+, Capital One Arena).
Exercise and wellness:
- Meditate surrounded by nature at Fort Slocum Park with Rock Creek Conservancy and forest therapy guide Sarah DeWitt (September 6, free, Rock Creek Park).
- Cruise by landmarks and monuments on a DC Bike Ride (September 7, $85+, Downtown).
Things to do with kids:
- Art, agriculture, and family fun is what you can look forward to at the DC State Fair (September 7, free, Downtown).
- The 100th Charles County Fair features live music and carnival rides (September 12-15, $10 for adults, free for ages 10 and under, La Plata).
- Kiddos can play on rope swings, visit farm animals, venture through a tractor museum, and ride an enormous slide at Cox Farms Festival (September 14 through November 5, $10+, Centreville).
- Young children can see Winnie the Pooh live at Imagination Stage (September 18 through October 27, $12+, Bethesda).
- Meet farm animals and ride amusement attractions at State Fair of Virginia (September 27 through October 6, $12+, Doswell).
Washington, D.C
The Work Behind the Welcome: NPS Tradespeople Restore Dupont Circle, Making D.C. Safer and More Beautiful (U.S. National Park Service)
NPS / Kelsey Graczyk
The hands behind the place
This work took more than plans. It took craftsmen and craftswomen.
NPS carpenters, masons, maintenance workers, preservation specialists, engineers and landscape architects worked together to renew the circle from the ground up. Crews installed about 10,000 feet of wood slats, cut and placed dowels, sanded rough surfaces, repaired worn concrete legs and painted benches to withstand weather and daily use.
Contractors also repaired fountain pipes and restored stone and marble features, returning moving water to the heart of the circle.
“I used to write project plans for this kind of work,” retired NPS Asset Manager Fred Francis said. “Now I’m out here helping do it. I’m working with a great group of people who are experts in their fields.”
Homelessness in the D.C. region ticked up slightly from 2025 to 2026, according to a new report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
Homelessness in the D.C. region ticked up slightly from 2025 to 2026, according to a new report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
Christine Hong, chair of the council’s Homeless Services Committee and chief of services to End and Prevent Homelessness with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, presented the findings at the council’s Wednesday meeting.
The report centers on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s mandated point-in-time count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.
“This year, the count was conducted on Feb. 4. We had to postpone it one week due to the extreme cold and winter weather event that we experienced the week prior,” Hong said. “Although it’s an imperfect measure, it provides an important regional snapshot of homelessness on a single night.”
The D.C. region reported 9,790 total people experiencing homelessness, an increase of 131 people or about 1% from 2025. The year-over-year regional change was modest. This count is closer in line to the 2019 number, before the pandemic.
“The regional story is that homelessness fell during the pandemic era, a period when expanded federal resources and emergency protections were in place, and then increased after those temporary supports ended,” Hong said. “The main takeaway is that regional homelessness is no longer increasing at the pace seen in 2023 and 2024, and is in line with the years immediately preceding the pandemic.”
Results varied by jurisdiction.
D.C. had the largest numerical increase, with 225 additional people counted. Prince George’s County, Maryland, had 175 additional people counted, a 29% increase. Montgomery County saw the largest decrease, down by 390 people or 26%. Hong pointed to the county’s investment in short-term housing.
“Montgomery County also spent a great deal to expand emergency shelter for families, because we are committed to ensuring no family with children would sleep outside even one night,” she said.
The count also included detailed information on race, veterans and household types.
“The broader evidence is clear, and is referenced in the report, that housing costs and the cost of living are major drivers of homelessness risk, especially for families with low income,” Hong said. “In practical terms, this means family homelessness is closely tied to whether low-income families can find and maintain housing.”
Read the full report here.
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WASHINGTON – The D.C. police lieutenant arrested in a Chris Hansen sting operation is due in court Wednesday.
Lt. Matthew Mahl is accused of soliciting sex with a minor. FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick reports that Mahl was charged with felony solicitation of a minor. A status hearing Wednesday morning suggests the case could be paused, not prosecuted or dismissed, though the reason remains unclear.
DC police lieutenant arrested in child exploitation investigation tied to Chris Hansen sting
Mahl was one of several people arrested in April as part of an online sting for Hansen’s show “Takedown,” which he describes as a predator investigative series. Hansen’s team, working with members of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, set up a “sting house” where targets were lured to an address believing they were meeting a juvenile for sex.
Mahl did not enter the sting house. Instead, he was taken out of his vehicle on the street and arrested. He did not answer questions during the post‑arrest interview.
Hansen’s earlier program, “To Catch a Predator,” drew controversy over its tactics, which critics said ruined lives and careers before cases reached court. Others praised the shows for removing alleged child predators from the streets.
Mahl is on administrative leave and has had his police powers revoked. The D.C. police department is conducting its own internal investigation.
The Source: This article was written using information from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and and previous FOX 5 reporting.
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