Washington, D.C
The Weekend Scene: Shakespeare's birthday, roller derby and more to do around DC
Hello to everyone, but especially the mama mallard who built a nest outside the Planet Word Museum. The Duck Cam might be our favorite thing on the internet this week.
If you’re trying to stay on top of any kids on spring break, here are some great ways to keep kids busy for free and cheap.
Happy Passover and Easter to all who are celebrating. You’ll find egg hunts at Water Park, the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Fan Fest and Tudor Place.
For Earth Day, catch “The Wild Robot” in The Yards Park, unplug at the Anacostia Community Museum or celebrate with Nature Forward’s Lake Buddies program for kids.
Heads up! Head to the bottom of this article to find a quick list of all this week’s events in chronological order.
- Weekend weather: How does 80 degrees sound? Make outdoor plans because Friday through Sunday look warm and dry. Here’s the forecast.
Weekend highlights
Free pick
The Occoquan PEEPS Show
Through Sat., historic Occoquan
🔗 Details
As if you needed a reason to stroll the dynamic small businesses along the water in Occoquan, the annual Easter tradition brings a friendly competition of creativity. Shop, stroll and vote for your favorite scene centered around PEEPS candy.
The PEEPS Show returns to Occoquan
Free pick
Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration
Sat., 11 a.m., Folger Shakespeare Library
🔗 Details
What’s in a birthday? If you’re Shakespeare, it’s free cupcakes, a puppet show version of “Twelfth Night,” dancing and a sword-fighting demonstration.
The Folger Shakespeare Library is going big for The Bard with this free party for all ages. Doors open at 11 a.m. so your group can explore the exhibition halls, theatre and Reading Room, plus see printing press demos. At 1 p.m., head outside for lawn games and other “ruff-making” until it’s time to sing “Happy Birthday” at 2:45 p.m. (that’s when the cupcakes come out).
Folger suggests a $15 donation to keep the celebration going.
Grown Shakespeare fans may also be interested in a lecture that evening from the library’s director.
The NOVA Roller Derby league holds its spring exhibition Saturday. News4’s Tommy McFly spoke to the league president and breaks down what to expect and how to enjoy the whole event.
NOVA Roller Derby Spring Fling
Sat., The Michael & Son Sportsplex in Sterling, $0-$15
🔗 Details
Get ready to rock, roll and maybe crash at an exhibition for the roller derby curious and those who want to watch this unique sport.
The “tiny-but-terrifying Rookie Showcase” begins at 12:30 p.m. before an exhibition game at 1 p.m. You’re guaranteed high-speed action either way. Tickets are free for kids 11 and under, $5 for teens and $15 for adults.
“We actually have the perfect thing planned if this is your first-ever time going to roller derby because we’re going to a full three-jam demo, explaining how points are scored, how the game is played and what kind of penalties you’re likely to see,” she said. “Get there as early as you can!”
Free pick
DPR Spring Break
Though Sat., various locations
🔗 Details
The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation has a packed schedule of free events for spring break week, ranging from a karaoke night to an all-day skate party to Easter egg hunts.
People kayak on the Potomac River near the Georgetown neighborhood and Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, DC, September 3, 2018, during the Labor Day holiday, the traditional end of the summer vacation season. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Float your boat
Fletcher’s Boathouse in Upper Northwest plus the Key Bridge Boathouse and Thompson Boat Center in Georgetown are open for the season, with double kayak rentals starting at $23-$32. The Wharf Boathouse is currently open on weekends.
NOVA Parks offers Northern Virginia residents kayak rentals starting at $18 for one hour. Find more information here.
Golf with Us: Golf under $5 for kids
🔗 Details
Kids can get out onto the green for $5 or less if they sign up for Bank of America’s Golf with Us program with Youth on Course. Find information on signing up here.
With a one-year, free membership, kids can visit thousands of courses across the country, including the Rock Creek Park Golf Course, Paint Branch Golf Complex and the Burke Lake Golf Center.
Sign-ups will close once there are 75,000 memberships or on May 24.
Concerts this weekend
MIKE, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Black Cat, $27 (advance)/$32 (day of)
Incredibly prolific rapper/producer with a straightforward, narrative style that’s unique for its subtlety. Details.
Everyone Asked About You, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, The Atlantis, $22
Quintessential Midwest emo. This band had a short run in the late ‘90s but has returned with its heartstringy indie rock in recent years. Favorite upcoming young indie rock trio of D.C. alt rock progeny Birthday Girl DC open. Details.
Night Train 357, 6 p.m. Friday, Byrdland, free with RSVP
In-store performance of positivity preaching D.C. emcee’s “Affirmations” album. The event features special guests and a discussion of the album. Details.
Yesness, 8 p.m. Saturday, Pie Shop, $20
A couple of post-rock originators — Damon Che of Don Caballero and Kristian Dunn of El Ten Eleven — teamed for an album of instrumental math rock with a groove that creeps under the skin. Details.
Same Heads, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Black Cat, $15 (advance)/$20 (day of)
D.C. band offers reverb loaded indie rock that often borders on hardcore or the ear-bleeding end of the shoegaze spectrum. Local shoegazers Pinky Lemon open. Details.
Things to do in D.C.
Adams Morgan Art Walk: Through April 27, free
NEXT 2025 Festival student performances: Opens Thurs., George Washington University, free
Spring Sake Festival: Thurs., The Morrow Hotel, $95+
Comedy – We Listen and We Don’t Judge: Thurs., 7:30 p.m., Prima DC, $10
Eat. Drink. Shaw. food festival: Thurs., 7-9:30 p.m., The Howard Theatre, $100
Concert – Lucy Dacus: Fri. and Sat., The Anthem, officially sold out but available for $32+ on third-party sites like StubHub
Earth Day Movie Night: “The Wild Robot”: Fri., 8-10 p.m., The Yards Park, free
Eggstravaganza!: Fri. and Sat., Tudor Place in Northwest, $10-$20
Bloom Ride & Spring Picnic: Sat., begins and ends at Franklin Park, $15-$75
Common Good City Farm’s Spring Kickoff seedling sale and seed + plant swap: Sat., noon to 3 p.m., 300 V St NW, free entry
First Studio: Art, Story, and Workshop for kids 3-5: Sat., The Kreeger Museum, $10
Earth Day Celebration: A Day Unplugged: Sat., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Anacostia Community Museum, free
Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration: Sat., 11 a.m., Folger Shakespeare Library, free ($15 donation suggested)
Uncorked wine festival: Sat., 4-8 p.m., Nationals Park, $75+
Concert – Oh He Dead: Sat., doors at 6 p.m., 9:30 Club, $25
Trap Poetry DMV: Sat., 6:30 p.m., 1360 Okie St NE, $30+
Sucka for Love: R&B Experience: Sat., 8 p.m. to late, ART DC – Arlo Rooftop Bar, free admission before 9:30 p.m. with RSVP or $25
Black A** Comedy: Sat., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Busboys and Poet 14th Street, $25
Bachata Class: Sat., Ruben’s Dupont Circle, $10
DC Improv Stand-Up Showcase: Sat., 6 p.m., Dupont, $22
Coffee Club from Daybeaker morning party: Sun., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Flash DC, $39-$44
Crochet 101 Workshop: Sun., 2-4 p.m., 301 Tingey St SE #120, $35
National Cannabis Festival Movie Night: “Pineapple Express”: Sun., 6 p.m., Alamo Drafthouse Cinema DC Bryant Street, $20
Things to do in Maryland
Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard: Thurs. to Sat., plus April 21 and 26-27, Germantown, $12-$15 (online)/$15-$18 (at the gate)
Zydeco Dance with Ruben Moreno and the Zydeco Re-Evolution: Fri., Glen Echo Park, $20
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Fan Fest and egg hunt: Sat., gates open at 10 a.m., Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, free
Earth Day activities with Nature Forward: Sat., 10 a.m. to noon, Chevy Chase Lake, free
Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Planting: Sat., 8:30 a.m. to noon, University Hills Park in Hyattsville, free
Things to do in Virginia
The Occoquan PEEPS Show: Tues. to Sat., historic Occoquan, free
Theater – “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”: Through June 22, Signature Theater, $47+ (including fees)
“Nailed It”-Style Cake Decorating Competition & Class for tweens and teens: Thurs., 1-3:30 p.m., Fran’s Cake & Candy Supplies in Fairfax, $120
Line Dancing with W.I.L.D: Thurs., 7-9 p.m., Honor Brewing Company in Sterling, $15
Candlelit Sound Bath: Fri., 7-8 p.m., MIYU Beauty & Wellbeing – Falls Church, $37
Y2K After Dark @ Punch Bowl Social: Fri., 9 p.m. until late, Arlington, free admission
Water Park Easter Egg Hunt: Sat., 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., National Landing Water Park in Arlington, free
Nova Roller Derby Home Round Robin: Sat., The Michael & Son Sportsplex in Sterling, $0-$15
Easter at The Perch: Sat., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Capital One Center in Tysons, $20-$40
Easter Bunny Hosts Kids and Family Festival: Sun, Shipgarten in Mclean, $0-$10
Concert – Junkyard Band: Sun., 4-9 p.m., BABYLON in Falls Church, $25
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 (7News) — The weather forecast for Christmas Eve promises mostly to partly sunny skies with breezy conditions.
Temperatures are expected to reach highs between 53 and 59 degrees, with winds from the west-northwest at 5 to 10 mph and gusts up to 25 mph.
As the day progresses, sunshine will return with passing clouds, and temperatures will settle in the upper 40s to low 50s. Midday winds are anticipated to ease.
SEE ALSO | NORAD’s 2025 Santa tracker is live: Where he’s at right now
As night falls, clouds will increase, and showers are likely by dawn on Christmas morning. Overnight lows will range from 34 to 40 degrees, with light winds.
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On Christmas Day, scattered morning showers are possible, and skies will remain mostly cloudy.
East Carolina’s football team is spending Christmas week in the nation’s capital as the Pirates prepare for their upcoming Military Bowl matchup against Pittsburgh.
The team departed Greenville around 11 a.m. Tuesday, loading onto five buses for the road trip to Washington, D.C. Head coach Blake Harrell rode on the lead bus as the Pirates left campus to continue bowl preparations.
While in the area, ECU is mixing business with some downtime. The team has scheduled practices but is also taking in professional hockey and football games during the trip.
The Pirates’ Christmas Eve schedule includes a practice in Springfield, Virginia, followed by community service and a team bowling event in Bethesda, Maryland.
ECU faces Pittsburgh in the Military Bowl on Saturday.
Panthers prepare for final home game
The Carolina Panthers, currently in first place, are preparing for their final home game of the regular season. Carolina will host the Seattle Seahawks, led by former Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales spent 13 years with the Seahawks organization under longtime coach Pete Carroll and the team’s front office.
Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn was named to the Pro Bowl and is expected to face a challenge against Darnold and Seattle’s offense.
Christmas Day NFL matchups
NFL fans will have three games to watch on Christmas Day, including a matchup featuring former Wallace-Rose Hill standout Javonte Williams and the Dallas Cowboys visiting the Washington Commanders.
UNC routs ECU in college basketball
In college basketball, North Carolina had little trouble defeating East Carolina at the Dean Dome, winning 99-51.
UNC’s Caleb Wilson scored 21 points and added 12 rebounds, while Henri Veesaar chipped in 13 points.
ECU’s Giovanni Emejuru led the Pirates with 21 points, but the team struggled offensively, shooting 1 of 20 from 3-point range and committing 17 turnovers.
Both teams will break for the week before returning to conference play. UNCW is scheduled to be the first regional team back in action.
Washington, D.C
The Trump administration is suing the District of Columbia over its gun laws – WTOP News
The Trump administration is suing the local government of Washington, D.C., over its gun laws, alleging that restrictions on certain semiautomatic weapons run afoul of Second Amendment rights
The Trump administration is suing the local government of Washington, D.C., over its gun laws, alleging that restrictions on certain semiautomatic weapons run afoul of Second Amendment rights.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed its lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, naming Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department and outgoing Chief of Police Pamela Smith as defendants and setting up another potentially seismic clash on how broadly the courts interpret individual gun possession rights.
“The United States of America brings this lawsuit to protect the rights that have been guaranteed for 234 years and which the Supreme Court has explicitly reaffirmed several times over the last two decades,” the Justice Department states.
It’s the second such lawsuit the administration has filed this month: The Justice Department also is suing the U.S. Virgin Islands, alleging the U.S. territory is obstructing and systematically denying American citizens the right to possess and carry guns.
It’s also the latest clash between the District of Columbia and the federal government, which launched an ongoing law enforcement intervention into the nation’s capital over the summer, which was meant to fight crime. The district’s attorney general is challenging the deployment of the National Guard to the city as part of the intervention in court.
In Washington, Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Sean Hickman said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
The Justice Department asserts that the District is imposing unconstitutional bans on AR-15s and other semiautomatic weapons the administration says are legal to posses under the Supreme Court’s 2008 Heller precedent, which also originated from a dispute over weapons restrictions in the nation’s capital.
In that seminal case, the court ruled that private citizens have an individual right to own and operate weapons “in common use today,” regardless of whether they are part of what Second Amendment text refers to as a “well regulated militia.”
“There seems to us no doubt, on the basis of both text and history, that the Second Amendment conferred an individual right to keep and bear arms,” the majority reasoned. The justices added a caveat: “Of course, the right was not unlimited, just as the First Amendment’s right of free speech was not.”
The Justice Department argues that the District has gone too far in trying to limit weapons possession under that caveat. Administration lawyers emphasize the Heller reference to weapons “in common use today,” saying it applies to firearms that District of Columbia residents cannot now register. Those restrictions in turn subject residents to criminal penalties for unregistered firearms, the administration asserts.
“Specifically, the District denies law-abiding citizens the ability to register a wide variety of commonly used semi-automatic firearms, such as the Colt AR-15 series rifles, which is among the most popular of firearms in America, and a variety of other semi-automatic rifles and pistols that are in common use,” Justice Department lawyers write.
“D.C’s current semi-automatic firearms prohibition that bans many commonly used pistols, rifles or shotguns is based on little more than cosmetics, appearance, or the ability to attach accessories,” the suit continues, “and fails to take into account whether the prohibited weapon is ‘in common use today’ or that law-abiding citizens may use these weapons for lawful purposes protected by the Second Amendment.”
The Justice Department does not include any individual plaintiffs from Washington, D.C., alleging any violations of their constitutional rights. That’s different from the Heller case, which is named for Dick Heller, a Washingtonian who filed a civil lawsuit challenging the city’s handgun ban in 2003.
The administration argues in the suit that it has jurisdiction to challenge current District laws under the sweeping federal crime law of 1994.
Copyright
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