Blog

Jun 16, 2023

The 29 best things to do in D.C. this weekend and next week

From special pizzas to Hawaiian-style loco moco plates to tiki cocktails, this week brings ways to raise money for charities helping those affected by the wildfires in Maui. Other highlights include

From special pizzas to Hawaiian-style loco moco plates to tiki cocktails, this week brings ways to raise money for charities helping those affected by the wildfires in Maui. Other highlights include events honoring D.C. legends Chuck Brown and Cool “Disco” Dan, a seafood festival on Annapolis’s waterfront, viewing parties for the women’s World Cup final, and a wacky tradition involving people rowing full-size boats made of cardboard on a Virginia lake.

Andy’s Pizza and Albi fundraiser for World Central Kitchen

Michelin-starred chef Michael Rafidi of Albi and award-winning pizza maker Andy Brown of Andy’s Pizza are teaming up at the local slice shop’s Shaw location on Thursday night to raise money for World Central Kitchen’s relief efforts in Hawaii. The Habibi Meatlovers pizza incorporates ingredients from Albi, including its kefta and soujek, while Albi wine director William Simons has picked a chilled Lebanese red wine to accompany the pies and will be pouring samples. 5 to 10 p.m. Prices vary.

Fundraiser for Hawaii at Metrobar

Local food truck Kam and 46, owned by natives of Hawaii and California, serves a fusion of Hawaiian and Filipino cuisine — think loco moco plates, chicken adobo over macaroni salad, and kalua pork nachos. Kam and 46 is popping up at Metrobar the next three Thursdays, with a portion of its food sales, as well as Metrobar’s draft beer sales, donated to the Hawaii Community Foundation. Food served beginning at 4 p.m.; bar open until midnight. Free admission; donations accepted.

Maui United Way fundraisers

Through Friday, Surfside is donating all proceeds from its Maui taco, which includes blackened fish, a corn and black bean salsa, and guacamole, to the Maui United Way. Its three locations in Dupont, Tenleytown and the Wharf are participating. An option for cocktail fans: Through Sept. 12, McClellan’s Retreat is featuring classic and original tiki drinks as part of its annual Tiki Adventure. Purchase a $15 “pirate scroll” — a passport of drinks to sample while earning an invitation to a future luau — at the cozy Dupont cocktail bar and $10 goes to the Maui United Way.

‘Office Space’ TPS Report Managers Meeting at Arlington Drafthouse

If you’re smart, you’ll slip out of work a little early on Thursday, before your boss can stop by your cubicle and ask you to stay late and work on a report — maybe use the side door so they don’t see you leaving. After all, you don’t want to miss Arlington Drafthouse’s tribute to “Office Space.” There are competitions for the best Bill Lumbergh impression and the most impressive “O face,” a trivia competition, and a costume contest before the screening of the film that inspired it all. Arrive early to grab a themed cocktail and some comedy from Rahmein Mostafavi. 6 p.m. (doors open). $15.

D.C. Sports Trivia at Atlas Brew Works

Who holds the Washington Capitals record for most points in a season? How many Washington Senators are in baseball’s Hall of Fame? If those questions seem too easy, round up a group of friends and head to Atlas Brew Works in Ivy City for a trivia night focused on local sports teams. Questions begin at 7 p.m., but Atlas offers $5 pints from 4 to 9 p.m., and you do need to claim a table, so early arrival is suggested. (For what it’s worth, the answers are Dennis Maruk and six.) 7 to 9 p.m. Free.

Pizzeria Paradiso Homebrew Tasting

Back in May, Pizzeria Paradiso and Denizens Brewing teamed up on their second competition for area home brewers. The rules were simple: Create a German-style beer. The winner will be brewed at Denizens and put on tap at Paradiso. The time has come to try them all. The tasting party, held in the game room at Paradiso’s Georgetown location, includes sampling of the entries and a lineup of six German-style draft beers from Denizens and DC Brau as a control. Try the home-brewed beers free (while they last) and the pro drafts for a discount. Because you shouldn’t sample beers on an empty stomach, Paradiso serves up large pizzas for the price of a small one. 6 to 8 p.m. Free entry.

Masters of the Mic: Hip Hop 50 Tour at Wolf Trap

Hip-hop’s humble beginnings date back to Aug. 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc provided the music for a Bronx back-to-school dance by extending the beat using two turntables and a mixer. To mark the 50th anniversary of that fateful occasion, several legendary figures that helped elevate what would become hip-hop into the cultural phenomenon it is today are joining forces. Headliners Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Rakim and Slick Rick form a veritable rap Rushmore, while beatbox innovator Doug E. Fresh was one of rap’s first stars and Roxanne Shante was one of the MCs who paved the way for today’s female MC-led moment. 8 p.m. $48-$53.

Alexandria Restaurant Week

Washington’s Restaurant Week is later than usual this summer, giving Alexandria’s showcase the spotlight on its own. More than 70 restaurants throughout the city are offering prix fixe dinner specials for $25, $35 or $45 through Aug. 27. First-time participants include Josephine, the newly opened French bistro in the old Columbia Firehouse space, and Thompson Italian, the Falls Church staple that brought its fresh pasta dishes to King Street early this year, joining existing favorites such as Hank’s Oyster Bar, Vermilion and Kismet Modern Indian. Reservations are strongly suggested. Full menus for all restaurants are posted on the Alexandria Restaurant Week website, allowing diners to browse for vegetarian options, or see whether drink pairings are offered. Through Aug. 27. $25-$45.

D.C. Black Film Festival at Miracle Theatre

In its seventh year, the hybrid film festival starts with two days of in-person screenings at Capitol Hill’s neighborhood Miracle Theatre. Friday’s showings include an interactive film called “Lab Rat,” which prompts participants to scan QR codes to choose their own plot outcomes. The themed block “Making Black Lives Matter Through Film” tells the story of women who created an underground network to help others cope with HIV diagnoses (“Unexpected”) and a documentary on the school to prison pipeline (“Preschool to Prison”). Saturday has a block on “Loves and Laughs,” plus a feature film on Black farmland ownership (“Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land”). After the in-person events, all films will be available to stream through Aug. 30. Beginning at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday. $10-$150.

Arlington County Fair

Wednesday was opening day for the Arlington County Fair, but the fun really picks up over the weekend, with a pizza-eating contest (Friday) and pie-eating contest (Saturday), bingo (Friday), and kid-centric foam parties (Saturday and Sunday). No matter when you visit, don’t miss the midway with carnival rides and games, and live performances including magicians, clog dancers, and musicians for both children and adults. Arlington’s New District Brewing Company is setting up a beer garden to go along with fair food and a food truck alley. Word to the carless: Arlington is running a free shuttle bus from the Court House Metro station and offering free bike valet parking at the fair. Through Aug. 20. Free.

Kandace Springs at the Birchmere

Kandace Springs’s voice is undeniable. It’s one of those generational voices; from the first note, you know it’s special. And she doesn’t confine her velvety, soulful vocals to one musical genre. Instead, Springs boldly leaps from one to another as her voice stretches seamlessly wherever it ends up and shines. After her debut self-titled EP featured a more mainstream R&B sound, on her 2016 album “Soul Eyes,” Springs made a left turn into jazz. She makes another unexpected turn with her 2018 project “Indigo,” this time gliding into a more poppy, dance-based soundscape. Her latest project, “The Women Who Raised Me” (2020), is a cover album of some of the biggest jazz songs ever. She masterfully recasts songs famously sung by titans permanently etched in history: Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack. What will she do next? 7:30 p.m. $39.50.

Chuck Brown Day at Fort Dupont Park

The ninth annual celebration honoring the “Godfather of Go-Go” trades Chuck Brown Memorial Park in Langdon for the more spacious amphitheater at Fort Dupont Park. The Chuck Brown Band headlines the tribute to the legendary singer and guitarist, with a day of go-go performances featuring the Backyard Band, the District Kings and DJ Kool. Picnics and lawn chairs are welcome, but grilling is prohibited. 2 to 7 p.m. Free.

Cool ‘Disco’ Dan Day at the 14th Street Graffiti Museum

Chuck Brown isn’t the only D.C. legend being honored this weekend: Since 2017, Aug. 19 has been celebrated as Cool “Disco” Dan Day in honor of graffiti artist Danny Hogg, whose ubiquitous tag made him a folk hero in D.C. in the late 1980s and early ’90s. (Hogg died in July 2017 at the age of 47.) Head to the 14th Street Graffiti Museum, an outdoor venue located in 16th Street Heights, for mural painting, DJs, a screening of the D.C. hip-hop documentary “Fresh Convos” and a candlelight ceremony at dusk. 4 to 10 p.m. Free.

CityFest at Culture House

Visual artists, musicians and creators are the focus at this new community festival, held at Culture House in Southwest Washington. At least 20 up-and-coming performers are scheduled to take to the stage, while muralists create works on the spot. Vendors sell art, clothing, crafts and accessories, and visitors browse food from restaurants including Stop Smack’n and Spice Kitchen West African Grill. Noon to 8 p.m. $10-$50.

Maryland Seafood Festival at Annapolis City Dock

The Maryland Seafood Festival usually involves feasting on crabs, watching cooking demonstrations and listening to bands on Sandy Point’s beach at the foot of the Bay Bridge. But this year, the 30-year-old festival is switching locations and heading to the Annapolis City Dock for the first time. In addition to the famous crab soup cook-off, try out the new Naptown Seafood Sampler featuring eight samples from Maryland restaurants, plus a drink, for $25. Musical performances and nautical experiences, including deck tours of the vintage Mildred Belle Chesapeake Bay buyboat, round out the day. Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. $15-$20. Free for kids 12 and younger.

Reston Cardboard Boat Regatta at Lake Anne Village Center

A wacky and wonderful local tradition, the Reston Cardboard Boat Regatta requires competitors to build a viable boat using nothing but cardboard, tape, and optional water sealer or paint, which is rowed from the dock at Lake Anne Village Center to a buoy and back. There are often plenty of spills and thrills during the race heats. Cheer on your favorites while listening to the Crush Funk Brass Band and enjoy food and drink from waterfront restaurants and bars, including the Lake Anne Brew House and the Nordic Knot pretzel shop. Noon to 4 p.m.; races begin at 2 p.m. Free.

Kid-friendly animal workshops at Colorburst Park

The final event in the Columbia park’s kid-focused summer series brings (adoptable!) pets from a local animal rescue center to star in educational workshops about the relationship between animals and the Earth. A reading from the Howard County Library focuses on animals, and a DJ offers the soundtrack to arts and crafts. 10 a.m. to noon. Free; RSVP required.

Nerd Nite at DC9

Those torn between a night in watching documentaries and a night out at a bar can compromise with this month’s Nerd Nite, where presenters share unusual research on not-so-academic topics. Listen to marine biologist David Shiffman explain the cultural impact of “Sharknado” 10 years after its release, or Washington Post humor columnist Alexandra Petri discuss the animal companions of historical figures, including Teddy Roosevelt’s White House pets and Nikola Tesla’s odd experience of falling in love with a bird. 6 to 9:30 p.m. $10.

Third Hill Brewing grand opening party

Third Hill Brewing welcomed its first customers to the former Astro Lab space in June, but the Silver Spring brewpub has settled in enough to host an official grand opening. In addition to fresh beer — we’ve been pretty happy with unfiltered IPAs and the roasty stout — expect live music from Jon Watkins, giveaways and a line to play the new Foo Fighters pinball machine. 1 to 10 p.m. Free.

Women’s World Cup Final viewing parties

After a month of competition in Australia and New Zealand, and sleepless nights for D.C. soccer fans, the women’s World Cup will crown a champion on Sunday morning. Kickoff for England and Spain is an early (but manageable) 6 a.m. As a reminder: It’s illegal to serve alcohol between 4 and 6 a.m., so plan on drinking coffee if you show up early to stake out a seat. Bars that have been open and featuring early morning matches throughout the tournament, including Toro Bar, As You Are and Franklin Hall, will once again be destinations. Other options for the final include Last Call, which is serving up free bagels and spreads from sister establishment Buffalo and Bergen at 7 a.m., plus drink specials including $5 mimosas and $15 buckets of five PBRs; the Foggy Bottom branch of Duke’s Grocery, which is hosting the British Embassy’s viewing party; and Atlas Brew Works in Navy Yard, which is opening at 6 a.m. with pizza and gose-mosas. The party at Midlands Beer Garden benefits nonprofit soccer organization DC Scores: A $30 ticket includes coffee, a breakfast item and one beer.

Electric Cool-Aid Frozen Test at Electric Cool-Aid

The annual frozen drink contest at the Shaw cocktail garden features bartenders from Service Bar, Allegory, Le Mont Royal and other hot spots competing to make the tastiest, most refreshing cocktail of the summer. Entry is free; purchasing a tasting flight with a sample of each of the six drinks allows you to vote for the people’s choice award. (Full disclosure: Fritz is one of the judges this year but went as a paying customer last year and enjoyed all the frozen drinks.) 2 p.m. Free admission.

Adobo 2000s Day Party at the Bullpen

The popular Adobo dance party returns to the Bullpen for eight hours of dancing to hits from 2000 to 2009. Hip-hop, dancehall, bachata, reggaeton, go-go — nothing’s off-limits for DJs Von Kiss, Machado, Pedro Night and Chito. Your flyest Y2K fashions are encouraged. 2 to 10 p.m. $30.

Giant panda birthday celebrations at the National Zoo

Summer is birthday season at the National Zoo’s giant panda habitat, since all three panda family members were born in July and August. Mom Mei Xiang celebrated her birthday in July, but August brings two opportunities to see pandas dig into special treats, including colorful fruitsicles: Panda cub Xiao Qi Ji turns 3 on Aug. 21, while dad Tian Tian turns 26 on Aug. 27. The festivities happen in the morning at the zoo, and this year is particularly bittersweet, since the pandas are slated to head back to China by the end of the year as part of a previous agreement with Chinese officials. 9 to 10 a.m. Free; daily entry passes required.

‘The Furious Fists of Bruce Lee’ at AFI Silver

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s death, the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre hosts a mini festival featuring five of the groundbreaking martial artist’s films, including such landmarks as “Enter the Dragon.” The series begins Monday with Lee’s 1971 big-screen breakthrough, “The Big Boss,” and wraps up Sept. 16 and 18 with the posthumously released “Game of Death,” shown as part of the “AFI Silver After Dark” series. Through Sept. 18. $8-$13.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour at the Pug

When the Pug’s large and fervent Taylor Swift Appreciation Society gathers at the H Street dive bar, it’s usually for a special occasion — say, a front-to-back listening party release of “Midnights” or the vinyl version of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” Not this time. The latest Swiftie Night is D.C.’s own version of the Eras tour, playing songs from all eras of Taylor’s career, including “surprise song requests.” Basically, it will sound like what should have happened if the Eras Tour deigned to hit D.C. Two things to know: This is a party in a dive bar, not a dance party, so be prepared to scream-sing “Better Than Revenge” and “Anti-Hero,” but not have room to show off your choreography. Also, the last few nights have been very, very popular, so show up well before start time for a seat, let alone room to put down your tote bag. 8 p.m. Free.

’90s party for Chaplin’s anniversary

It seems only right that Shaw’s first ramen house, located on Ninth Street NW, is celebrating its ninth anniversary with a ’90s-themed party, costumes encouraged. The restaurant/cocktail bar hybrid offers free appetizers, an oyster table and a roast. Patrón Tequila offers complimentary tastings, and the first 50 guests get a free bottle of Toki Whisky. Everyone, however, has access to the ice luge. 4 p.m. Free.

D.C. for Maui at Sticky Fingers Diner

H Street’s plant-based Sticky Fingers Diner has organized this fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Maui Rapid Response and the Maui Humane Society. Order food and drink specials, and bid in a charity auction featuring donations from more than a dozen businesses, including She Loves Me, the Little Grand, Brookland’s Finest, and Kraken ax throwing and roller skating. Tara Hoot, who hosts drag brunch at Crazy Aunt Helen’s, and DJ Phil Reese provide the entertainment. 7 to 9 p.m. Free.

Rock the Docks at the Wharf

Warning: There are only two weeks left in the Wharf’s outdoor summer concert series, so if you haven’t caught a band waterside, don’t miss your chance. Up next are Jimi Smooth and HitTime, purveyors of Motown hits, classic R&B and jumping blues. Make a picnic with food from neighborhood restaurants; an outdoor bar with beers and margaritas overlooks the floating stage. 7 to 9 p.m. Free.

Molly Parden at Songbyrd

Most of the time, indie folk singer-songwriter Molly Parden sounds like she’s floating above what she’s singing about. But she doesn’t feel detached from reality — instead, her bird’s-eye view allows her to bravely name harsh truths succinctly. On Parden’s 2020 EP “Rosemary,” many of the songs paint scenes of heartbreak and loss with blistering lyrics and tender vocals. On “Kitchen Table,” Parden sings about the mundane settings one’s broken heart spills onto: the bathroom floor, the driver’s seat, the titular kitchen table. “But suddenly today I was not able to keep it all together / I know I’ll soon be better without you,” her vulnerable voice sings. Subtle strumming tiptoes behind her, then drums and a more forceful guitar enter before she even finishes saying “you.” Her post-breakup wound still gaping, she acknowledges it’s for the best. 8 p.m. $15-$18.