The best things to do in the D.C. area the week of July 7-13

Paris on the Potomac on the Ven Embassy Row lodge: Some would possibly dismiss comparisons between D.C. and Paris — it’s unlikely that D.C. will ever present up close to the highest of these “most romantic cities on this planet” surveys — however there are similarities between the 2 world capitals. The Alliance Française, which spreads French tradition in D.C., ran a “Paris on the Potomac” photograph competitors looking for an image that “completely represents the connection between Washington and Paris.” The group unveils 20 finalists, and the winner, throughout a champagne celebration on the Ven Embassy Row lodge. Admire the entries, begin dreaming about your subsequent journey to the Metropolis of Gentle, then head as much as the rooftop for a free screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s basic “Breathless,” in French with subtitles. 7 p.m. Free; registration required.

Baila Thursdays Salsa Social at La Cosecha: Union Market’s La Cosecha is a vacation spot for tacos, cocktails or espresso. Beginning this week, it’s a spot for dancing, too. The brand new Baila Thursdays provide drop-in, no-partner-necessary newbie salsa classes for the primary hour, earlier than turning the ground over to dancers, who can apply or socialize for the remainder of the night time whereas having fun with drinks from Serenata. Going ahead, the occasion is held on the primary and third Thursdays of the month. 7 to 11 p.m. $15 for lesson and dancing; $7 for dancing from 8 to 11.

Messthetics at Franklin Park: You’ll have heard the Messthetics’ jagged, propulsive post-punk at Fort Reno or Black Cat. This week, you possibly can hear the trio in your lunch break. Guitarist Anthony Pirog, bassist Joe Lally and drummer Brendan Canty — sure, that’s the rhythm part from Fugazi — carry out through the Dwell! at Franklin Park live performance collection. Carry your lunch to the freshly renovated park, or choose one thing up at one of many carryouts across the sq., such because the well-reviewed Immigrant Meals Plus, or the aptly named Greatest Sandwich Place. 12:30 p.m. Free.

The place to search out free outside live shows within the D.C. space

Summer time Competition on the Nationwide Museum of Asian Artwork: The second in a collection of after-hours events on the Nationwide Museum of Asian Artwork brings prolonged hours within the galleries, a curator dialogue of “Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain,” stay music from Indonesia’s Tim Muhibah Angklung Youth Orchestra and tunes by Les the DJ, and an out of doors screening of Bruce Lee’s “The Means of the Dragon.” Native companies, together with Rice Tradition, Ruby Scoops and Please Carry Chips, promote meals and cocktails. 5 to 9 p.m. Free. Registration advised, however not required.

Blerdcon at Hyatt Regency Crystal Metropolis: Blerdcon — a Comedian-Con-style pageant that celebrates Black nerd tradition — fills the Hyatt Regency Crystal Metropolis’s occasion area with tabletop video games, panel discussions, cosplay meetups, anime screenings, comedy reveals and extra geeky enjoyable. The weekend-long occasion expects to attract as much as 4,000 followers, and “Drumline” star Orlando Jones is the superstar visitor (which inserts with this yr’s “Homecomin’ ” theme). Friday by means of Sunday. $65 weekend passes, $200 VIP. Ages 12 and youthful free.

‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ on the Union Market Drive-In: Earlier than Ferris Bueller begins his memorable time out in Chicago, he laments his lack of wheels greater than as soon as. “I requested for a automobile, I obtained a pc,” he says. “How’s that for being born below a foul signal?” However at Union Market’s drive-in screening of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” carless individuals are the winners. All tickets for vehicles are bought out, and no extra autos — even 1961 Ferrari GTs — can match within the parking zone. However anybody who arrives on foot can watch the film from Neal Place, the pedestrianized road in entrance of Union Market, with no tickets required. Seize meals from contained in the market and a frozen cocktail from the Suburbia beer backyard earlier than the movie begins at 9 p.m. Arrive early to stake out the very best spots. 8 p.m. Free.

Breezy Supreme at Songbyrd: Is pop-punk again, or did it by no means actually go away? Regardless of the case, the oft-maligned soundtrack of youths in revolt is having fun with one other second within the solar, largely pushed by artists and audiences which are extra numerous than the final largely White, largely male go-round. Breezy Supreme is a Black various artist from the D.C.-Maryland space who has dabbled in noisy, nihilistic trap-rap however appears extra snug with the scream-till-you-cry sounds of emo, punk and post-hardcore. His newest album, “Unhealthy Selections” (which options manufacturing by Good Charlotte’s Billy Martin), is a half-hour of raucous rockers good for — as he sings on “Palm Pilot” — “sitting within the background, chilling within the again seat.” And be careful stay, the place he’s been recognized so as to add metalcore and go-go to the pop-punk combine. 7 p.m. $18-$22.

Lotus and Water Lily Competition at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens could be a vacation spot year-round, however the one nationwide park devoted to aquatic vegetation has its highlight second in July. That is peak season for brightly coloured lotuses and water lilies, that are celebrated on the multiweek Lotus and Water Lily Competition all through the park. Guests wander dust paths to have a look at attractive flowers in additional than 40 human-made ponds, in addition to turtles, dragonflies and butterflies. (Professional tip: Lotus petals open within the morning and shut within the afternoon, so cease by earlier than work or rise up early on a weekend to benefit from the blossoms of their full glory.) By way of the top of the month, the gardens keep open till 8 p.m. on Saturdays, as an alternative of the standard 4 p.m. closing, and Wednesdays are additionally devoted to youngsters’s applications. Actions embody stay music and dance performances, excursions led by park rangers, yoga, smartphone images lessons, and humanities and crafts. A full calendar of occasions is obtainable on the park’s web site. Saturdays and Sundays by means of July 31. Free.

Metropolis of Alexandria Birthday Celebration at Oronoco Bay Park: On Monday, america celebrated its 246th birthday with music and fireworks. On Saturday, Alexandria celebrates its 273rd birthday with music, fireworks and free cupcakes. (Checkmate, U.S.A.) The return of Alexandria’s “large birthday expertise” at Oronoco Bay Park consists of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra performing “movie scores and patriotic favorites,” a studying by Alexandria poet laureate Zeina Azzam, and Metropolis Council members handing out cupcakes earlier than the explosive finale over the Potomac River at 9:30 p.m. Meals vans might be parked on-site, and picnics are inspired. To ease crowding, the town’s web site notes that the show will be seen from a number of places, together with Waterfront Park and the George Washington Masonic Nationwide Memorial. 6 p.m. Free.

Port Metropolis Pub Crawl in Outdated City Alexandria: Earlier than Alexandria begins capturing off fireworks, the town’s oldest brewery encourages followers to discover bars in Outdated City. Port Metropolis’s annual Pub Crawl, now in its ninth yr, is “reverting to the unique method,” per the brewery. Individuals carry a passport to eight bars, together with Union Road Public Home, Fish Market and Blackwall Hitch, gathering stamps at every location. (A purchase order isn’t required at every bar — simply discover a Port Metropolis staffer to get a stamp.) Go to each bar earlier than 6 p.m., probably pausing to get pleasure from an Optimum Wit or Important Pale Ale alongside the best way, and accumulate a restricted version Pub Crawl pint glass. 1:30 to six p.m. Free.

Capital Fringe Competition Preview at Sandlot Georgetown: The Capital Fringe Competition is D.C.’s showcase for cutting-edge and underground theater. Typically that’s one-person reveals, cabaret, interactive drama or site-specific performances — or not one of the above. This yr’s pageant takes place in Georgetown, with 31 productions over two weekends. Get a preview of the pageant on the Sandlot Georgetown beer backyard with “rapid-fire teasers” of a majority of Fringe reveals. If one of many snippets catches your eye, tickets to the total model of each manufacturing are $15. 7 p.m. Free.

Scythian at Arrowbrook Park: Arrowbrook Park hosted simply two live shows throughout its first summer time collection in 2012. A decade later, the collection has grown to host 90-minute units by artists corresponding to native Celtic/Americana mash-up Scythian — bands which are extra more likely to headline 9:30 Membership or a significant pageant than carry out at a free present in a Fairfax County park. Garden chairs are welcome. The Vineyard at Bull Run and Paradise Springs Vineyard provide wine tastings and gross sales throughout occasions. 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free.

‘The Princess Bride’ with the NSO on the Anthem: For those who watched “The Princess Bride” on repeat as a child (or are doing so with your personal children now), this screening of the basic ’80s movie on the Anthem must be in your radar. The Nationwide Symphony Orchestra performs Mark Knopfler’s rating because the fairy story performs on the massive display. Presumably, die-hard followers on the Anthem will shout together with the movie’s most well-known traces. (“Hiya. My identify is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Put together to die.”) 8 p.m. $40-$70.

Evening of 1,000 Kylies at 9:30 Membership: If there’s one night time of assured bangers this weekend, it’s the Evening of 1,000 Kylies from DJs Ed Bailey and Lemz. (Admit it: You’ve obtained “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” working by means of your mind already.) Pussy Noir, Bumper and Scout are additionally set to carry out at this occasion, offered by Commerce and Bent. 10 p.m. $20.

MIA: Drake vs Unhealthy Bunny at Songbyrd: We’ve featured DJ nights devoted to Taylor vs. Olivia and Miley vs. Gaga vs. Madonna, however Drake vs. Unhealthy Bunny is a brand new one. It’s an attention-grabbing idea utilizing two superstars who appear to get alongside — in spite of everything, they collaborated on “Mia” in 2018. Then once more, Unhealthy Bunny did break Drake’s file for many Spotify streams in a single day, due to his most up-to-date album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” so possibly Drizzy is a little bit salty about that? In any case, DJs Mathias and Whitney AbstraKt play back-to-back hits to maintain the dance flooring shifting all night time. 10 p.m. $19.20.

Let’s Skate D.C. on the Wharf: Ice skating is a go-to exercise in winter on the Wharf, however now it’s time to lace up your curler skates. Throughout choose weekends this summer time, take a look at the brand new Wharf Curler Rink on the Transit Pier for alfresco skating with river views. Admission is free; simply present up with skates and benefit from the soundtrack, with performances from professional skaters too. Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and seven to 10 p.m., Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. Free. Adults should deliver their very own skates; $10 skate leases accessible for youngsters.

The Chicks at Jiffy Lube Dwell: The Chicks have all the time spoken their reality on their phrases, whether or not singing a domestic-violence revenge fantasy (“Goodbye Earl”), kissing off small-minded small cities (“Lubbock or Go away It”) or — maybe most famously — calling out George W. Bush and the invasion of Iraq, a transfer that derailed the trio’s careers. So it ought to have come as no shock when the band dropped “Dixie” from their moniker, as protests towards racist violence erupted in the summertime of 2020, and returned quickly after for his or her first album of latest music in 14 years. “Gaslighter” is knowledgeable by the betrayal, heartbreak and eventual freedom of singer Natalie Maines’s divorce, and the poppy, decidedly modern nation album finds the band unraveled and extra traveled however nonetheless prepared for a battle. That’s very true on “March March,” a slow-boiling protest music that feels notably potent throughout this second in American historical past. 7:30 p.m. $35-$211.

Prince George’s Shakespeare within the Parks at Fairwood Neighborhood Park Amphitheater: The Prince George’s Shakespeare within the Parks collection returns this summer time with outside, in-person performances of “Macbeth.” The rollicking, 90-minute adaptation riffs on Martin Scorsese’s movie “Gangs of New York,” with stage fight scenes to maintain little ones intrigued. Watch Lord and Girl Macbeth out of your picnic blanket because the Scottish play bounces round parks in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties all through July. The primary efficiency is Sunday at 3 p.m. in Bowie; the second is Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton. Numerous instances and places by means of July 24. Free.

Romanian Weekend on the Wharf: The Embassy of Romania and New York’s Romanian Cultural Institute staff up for a two-day celebration of Romanian arts, food and drinks on the Wharf, with a selected give attention to Maramures County, which borders Ukraine. The packed agenda options live shows by the rap group Tehno-Vrajitoarele (“Techno-Witches”) and extra conventional artists, people dances carried out by Romania’s Transylvania ensemble and the native Carpathia Folks Dance Ensemble, spoken phrase performances, free dance classes, pottery and craft demonstrations, Romanian wine tastings, meals stalls, and shows of conventional people costumes. Saturday from midday to 9 p.m., Sunday from 2 to eight p.m. Free.

Txakfest at Maxwell Park Navy Yard: Maxwell Park’s Basque-inspired get together options pours of the dry, semi-sparkling wine generally known as Txakolina; wines served within the glass pitchers referred to as gasoline; Spanish ciders; and pinchos, the bite-size ingesting snacks. Tickets embody food and drinks for 3 hours, in addition to reductions on wine to take residence. Professional tip: For those who’re going to drink out of the porron, put on a dark-colored shirt. This occasion is on the Navy Yard location solely; the Maxwell Park in Shaw has its personal Txakfest on July 24. Midday to three p.m. $60.

Nicole Atkins on the Hamilton Dwell: Unable to tour in help of 2020’s “Italian Ice,” Nicole Atkins did what many performers tried to stave off boredom and stagnation: live-streaming her performances on the web, first from her attic after which from the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, N.J. The reveals impressed her to strip down the album’s songs, which she reworked and recorded as “Memphis Ice.” Irrespective of the model, the New Jersey-bred, Nashville-based expertise’s songwriting evokes each the nice and cozy nostalgia of the Brill Constructing period and the youthful adventures on Jersey Shore boardwalks that proceed to encourage her. As she contemplated in regards to the new album’s creation, “Why can’t there be new songs that really feel just like the outdated requirements?” 7:30 p.m. $20-$40.

Struggle of the Rosés: By way of the top of July, 20 eating places and bars are turning pink summer time wines right into a drive for good. Throughout the Struggle of the Rosés, companies pledge to donate 5 % of their rosé gross sales to a selected charity and earmark one other 5 % to be donated to the designated charity of the restaurant that bought probably the most rosé all through the month. Some have enjoyable with the concept: Defending champion La Jambe crafted a particular rosé shot that features rum and strawberries as a part of its fundraiser for Mamatoto Village, whereas Etto pours a Negroni Rosato cocktail in help of SMYAL. All Objective Shaw gives a rosé on draft for the Nationwide Group for Girls. Take a look at the total checklist of members on the Struggle of the Rosés web site, choose a trigger or favourite restaurant to help, and get your pals collectively for a glass of sunshine, refreshing wine. It’s actually that easy. By way of July 31.

D.C. Punk Archive Library Rooftop Exhibits on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library: “What’s extra punk than the general public library?” is greater than a intelligent T-shirt slogan — it’s a lifestyle on the D.C. Public Library. The D.C. Punk Archive, established in 2014, is a public assortment of information, fliers, zines, set lists and artifacts relationship again to 1976 that inform the story of the town’s dynamic punk and indie music scene. However the library additionally works to verify punk isn’t relegated to the dusty shelf of historical past: This summer time, it’s internet hosting month-to-month live shows on the rooftop of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library downtown, with artists together with Cinema Hearts (July 13) and Prude (Aug. 10). Exhibits are free, all-ages and open to anybody who reveals up. What’s extra punk than that? 6:30 to eight p.m. Free.