The 35 best things to do in D.C. this weekend and next week (2024)

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Filmfest DC

Downtown’s beloved Landmark E Street Cinema is the site of most of the screenings for Filmfest DC, the Washington film festival now in its 38th year. This year’s 10-day festival spans 65 films from 32 countries, including selections from the Arabian Sights Film Festival, which merged with Filmfest DC in 2020. At Landmark, watch movies like “Bye Bye Tiberias,” a documentary about actress Hiam Abbass’s return to her Palestinian village after a long absence; French screwball comedy “A Difficult Year,” about a pair of grifters turned unlikely climate activists; South Korean road rage thriller “A Normal Family”; and MetroShorts, a collection of short works by D.C.-based filmmakers. Filmfest DC is also taking selections outside of the theater, with an alfresco movie night at the Wharf and a free showing of go-go documentary “Bring the Beat” at the Kennedy Center. Through April 28 at various times and locations. Free to $14 for individual films; “director’s pass” for 10 films $100.

Tortured Poets Department Album Release Party at Royal Sands Social Club

A fundraiser for the American Heart Association, the Miss America Scholarship Foundation and the Miss District of Columbia Scholarship Organization, the party at the Royal Sands includes a screening of the “Eras Tour” film, friendship-bracelet-making stations, Swift-themed co*cktail specials and a photo scavenger hunt, leading up to the midnight listening party. Look for $9 drinks and discounted food, including sushi and ahi tuna tacos. Admission includes a door prize ticket for prizes including merchandise or gift cards from D.C. businesses, and unlimited friendship bracelets. 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. $35-$40.

Third Thursdays: Documenting Music in D.C. at Alley Cat

This edition of the Friendship Heights Alliance’s Third Thursday events explores the history of the District’s ever-changing music scene, from 1920s jazz to 1970s go-go and 1980s punk. Hear from Charvis Campbell, executive director of Home Rule Music and Film, and Cynthia Connolly, photographer, curator and publisher of “Banned in D.C.: Photos and Anecdotes from the D.C. Punk Underground ’76-’86.” 6 to 8 p.m. Free.

Passover Movie Night at Sixth and I: ‘The Prince of Egypt’

DreamWorks’ 1998 animated film “The Prince of Egypt” is the center point of Sixth and I’s Passover celebrations. Along with the movie, which tells the story of the Book of Exodus, expect snacks, drinks and a singalong to the Oscar-winning ballad “When You Believe.” Despite the movie technically being geared toward kids, the event is open only for those 21 and over. The movie kicks off at 8 p.m., and the happy begins half an hour earlier. 7:30 p.m. $18.

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National Cannabis Festival at the Festival Grounds at RFK

Organizers hope the National Cannabis Festival eventually grows into “South by Southwest for cannabis lovers,” with advocacy events and the National Cannabis Championship among the festivities surrounding the festival, held the weekend of 4/20 (obviously) at the RFK Festival Grounds. But the two-day concert remains the major draw, and this year’s edition might be the biggest ever, headlined by Wu-Tang Clan and Redman on Saturday. (Let’s say the odds are high you will hear “How High.”) Thundercat tops the bill Friday night, but the lineup is loaded with D.C. talent, including go-go troupe Backyard Band, techno trio Black Rave Culture and rapper Noochie, whose “Live From the Front Porch” series has turned his yard into one of the city’s most exciting venues. Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. $55-$900.

Bad Reputation Fest at the Runaway

The rumors of the Runaway’s demise have been greatly exaggerated, with the Brookland venue slated to close before being saved by a well-timed rent decrease. To celebrate, the club is hosting Bad Reputation Fest, promising three days of beers, burgers and nearly 20 bands. On the audio agenda: punk and rock, mostly from the DMV, including monster-themed surf act Daikaiju, “happy punks” Buko Buko, indie rockers Broken Hills and many more. Through Sunday. $35.

Formula One fan fest at Union Market

Formula One racing has grown in popularity in D.C., with die-hard fans waking up early or staying up late so they don’t miss broadcasts from Japan, the Netherlands and other far-flung racetrack locations. This weekend, Red Bull Racing — the team that boasts F1’s top two drivers, Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez — visits D.C. for a two-day promo trip. The event starts Friday afternoon with a fan fest outside Union Market, featuring an RB19 car on display, racing simulators, Q&As, a hands-on pit stop challenge, a merch shop and a performance by Joony. 2 to 7 p.m. Free.

Taylor Swift Rave at Public Bar Live

This aptly named event at the multilevel Public Bar is more dance party than listening party, and every available inch around the dance floor fills up when the DJ starts. Expect all the hits, themed drinks and photo stations. Organized by Drinks in the District, the rave features Hot 99.5, which is raffling tickets for the Eras Tour show in New Orleans. 10 p.m. $24.99.

Taylor Swift Album Drop Party at Bark Social

The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project at the Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center’s inaugural Hip-Hop &… Festival staged several shows in March, but its closing event brings together hip-hop icons Rakim and DJ Jazzy Jeff with saxophonist and bandleader Ravi Coltrane, the son of John and Alice Coltrane, for a performance with a full band. 8 p.m. $59-$169.

‘Sustainable Fashion, Waste and Black Consumerism’ at Eaton House

This three-day event at the Eaton hotel dedicates the weekend before Earth Day to discussions about sustainability in fashion culture, including clothing waste management, and Black consumerism. Panels include topics like the “psychology, marketing and influence of the Black dollar in fashion”; there’s a demonstration on upcycling old jewelry; and guest speakers including Bridgett Artise share tales from the growing sustainability movement in the industry. There are also pop-up (sustainable!) shops throughout the event. Friday from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday from noon to 7:30 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. $25-$55.

House of Rendered Reflections Fashion Show at Artomatic

In honor of Earth Day, the sprawling Artomatic arts festival presents a sustainable runway show of local and environmentally conscious fashion. 6 p.m. Free.

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Earth Day activities

Earth Day isn’t enough for the crunchy city of Takoma Park, which celebrates a whole Earth Month, including a party in Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park. Join for a guided tree walk, face painting, snow cones and art activities. (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.) At the annual Earth Day Fairfax at the Sully Historic Site, kids can learn about the science of weather forecasting, do experiments, meet farm animals or visit a touch-a-truck exhibit, while adults enjoy live music, yoga and ax throwing, or visit the local craft beer garden. (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free; $10 parking.) The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery team up for the Earth Day Family Festival, with live music, scavenger hunts, curator talks and, of course, hands-on art activities. (11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.) The Anacostia Community Museum’s Honor Earth festival features walking tours, chalk art, a clothing swap, exhibitors talking about plant care and D.C.’s tree canopy, and youth cooking and tasting demos. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.)

Red Bull Showrun and Formula One viewing party

Continuing with the F1 action (see Friday), Red Bull shuts down Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and Seventh streets NW for the Showrun, with 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard driving an RB7 Formula One car along a closed course between 4 and 6 p.m. Gates open at 1:30 p.m., with food and drinks and interactive activities. Red Bull’s FAQ for the event says, “If possible, please bring and wear ear protection.” That evening, the D.C. Motorsport Community hosts a viewing party for the Chinese Grand Prix at Duke’s Grocery in Navy Yard. Since the race doesn’t begin until 3 a.m. Eastern time, there’s a pre-party starting at 10:30 p.m. with DJs Alex Love and Farrah Flosscett, drink specials, and a late-night food menu. Duke’s is open until 6 a.m., with the race and F1 TV data screens on all TVs.

Rooftop Beer Fest at Hi-Lawn

The spacious Hi-Lawn bar atop Union Market is planning an epic picnic on its faux-green grass: The inaugural Rooftop Beer Fest brings in 16 brewers to pour unlimited samples. D.C. favorites like Anxo, Atlas Brew Works, DC Brau and Right Proper Brewing are joined by out-of-town producers, including Two Roads Brewing, Allagash and Sierra Nevada. (Nonalcoholic beer will be available, too.) Hi-Lawn is grilling brats all day, or you can snag tacos from Little Miner Taco and Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches from pop-up Little Hot Chicken. Lawn games and live music round out the afternoon fun. Two three-hour sessions begin at noon and 4 p.m. Noon to 7 p.m. $40-$50.

‘The Big Lebowski’ parties

While shooting “The Big Lebowski,” Jeff Bridges, who played Jeffrey “the Dude” Lebowski, would ask the Coen brothers, “Did the Dude burn one before this scene?” That should tell you why viewing the 26-year-old classic has become a tradition on 4/20. The Alamo Drafthouse theaters in D.C. and Crystal City are hosting their trademark interactive “movie parties” that involve props, such as glow sticks and mini bowling balls for audience members, as well as themed drinks. (7 p.m. $16.) Meanwhile, the annual Big Lebowski Experience at Pearl Street Warehouse is a fittingly weird immersive experience, with costumed characters portraying roles from the film onstage while a band performs the movie’s soundtrack. You’ll just have to trust us on this one. Costumes encouraged. (7 p.m. doors. $16.50-$30.)

Record Store Day at Love People Records

Record Store Day returns with some sought-after vinyl — a single with Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan covering each other’s songs; a new Pearl Jam album; a 1996 De La Soul concert recording — that will bring lines to local record stores. Byrdland near Union Market has a waiting list for Saturday morning appointments; at Annapolis’s Ka-Chunk, people have been known to get in line as early as midnight. If you’re making the day a vibe instead of just hunting for limited-release records, though, head to Kensington. Love People Records — one of our favorite recent arrivals — is shutting down Fawcett Street for the day, with DJs, live music from Oddisee and Rack-Lo, live painting, and food and drinks. Noon to 6 p.m. Free.

Taylor Swift Karaoke at Quincy Hall

Ballston’s Quincy Hall marked the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” with a Halloween karaoke contest — a gambit so popular that the venue is resurrecting it for an album of new material. Get there early to sign up for classic hits or new material, sip on themed co*cktails, and sing along with whoever’s on the mic. Specials include $3 pizza slices and $3 jello shots from 9 p.m. until close. 9:30 p.m. Free.

National Park Week

National Park “Week” is actually bigger than the name suggests: The celebration of America’s national parks stretches to nine days, each constructed around a different theme, such as conservation on Earth Day (Monday) or Junior Ranger Day (April 27). The fun starts Saturday with “Discovery,” when entrance fees are waived at parks across the country. In the D.C. region, this includes Great Falls Park and Great Falls Tavern, Fort McHenry, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and Prince William Forest Park. This is a busy day for parks, so early arrival is recommended. Through April 28. Free on Saturday; prices vary other days.

Brookside Gardens Plant Sale

We’re fully into plant sale season, which is a boon for anyone who needs a nudge to start beautifying their patio or backyard. Enjoy a day out at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, exploring the Japanese-style garden or the colorful azaleas, before browsing small plants, shrubs and trees for sale and getting advice on care and feeding from the gardens’ horticulturists. Proceeds benefit the public garden. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.

Georgetown House Tour

The reliably charming Georgetown House Tour provides a rare chance to peep inside historic homes in one of the city’s best-known neighborhoods, and the properties on this year’s tour feature intriguing backstories. For example, Archie Roosevelt Jr. — a grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt — and his wife, Selwa, restored a house on N Street NW from near ruin to splendor in the 1950s, while a brick rowhouse on P Street NW was once home to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and his wife, Nancy. Some are just drop-dead gorgeous: One house on S Street NW features a small pool and a backyard pond right in the middle of bustling Georgetown. Stick around after your walking tour for a refined snack during the Parish Tea at St. John’s Episcopal Church from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., stocked with desserts from partners like Georgetown Cupcake and Olivia Macaron. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $60 in advance, $65 on the day of the tour.

Zwanze Day at the Sovereign

Every year, cult Brussels brewery Cantillon releases a brand-new beer that’s exclusively available at parties taking place simultaneously (or mostly simultaneously) around the world, from Shanghai to Thessaloniki, and Sydney to Stockholm. D.C.’s participant is, of course, the Belgian beer bar the Sovereign. Head to Georgetown for a day of celebration, with seven Cantillon lambic beers on draft, and seven others, including rare vintages, in bottles. This year’s Zwanze Day beer is a typically unusual offering: a two-year-old lambic blended with sea lettuce and fermented underwater in abalone cages in France. How does it taste? You’ll have to wait until the mass toast at 3 p.m. Eastern time. There are no tickets, so arrive early. 10 a.m. Free admission.

Chacho’s Spicy Margarita Launch Party

When Chacho, the D.C.-based distillers of a spicy, jalapeño-infused aguardiente, announced the release of a canned co*cktail earlier this month, the press release from the founder sounded as surprised as anyone else. “Are we a few years late to the party? Yes. Are there already hundreds of established big-name brands to compete with? Also yes.” Chacho does have a secret weapon, though: Its spicy spirit, which is found on bars across the city, is the backbone of an award-winning margarita served in the distillery tasting room. To mark the arrival of the canned Spicy Margarita in stores, Chacho is hosting a launch party with food trucks and tastings at the distillery. 1 to 5 p.m. Free.

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Earth Day Market at Waredaca Brewing

Laytonsville’s Waredaca — a craft brewery on a working, environmentally conscious horse farm — marks Earth Day with a pop-up market offering flowers, plants, vintage home goods and other vendors, plus a taco truck and live music. Noon to 4 p.m. Free.

Women’s Market at Caboose Commons

Soaps, candles, yarn, children’s accessories, jewelry and prints are among the handmade objects that 20 vendors are showcasing and selling during the Women’s Market at Fairfax’s Caboose Commons. Grab a beer (or co*cktail or soda) while browsing vintage goods and listening to live music by singer-songwriter Lauren Farrar. 3 to 7 p.m. Free.

Rich Medina at Extended Play

Rich Medina is a man of many talents: a globe-trotting DJ; the founder of the Afrobeat dance party Jump N Funk; a producer who worked with Jill Scott; a spoken word artist; a college lecturer. But above all that, he is most gifted at getting crowds to move as one. Medina visits Northeast Washington this weekend to headline Extended Play, the monthly dance party that takes over the loading dock outside restaurant incubator Mess Hall. There’s Hawaiian and Filipino food from Kam and 46, as well as a full bar. 5 to 10 p.m. $20-$30.

Freigeist Kolsch Fest at the Roost

The experience of drinking in Cologne is not just about sipping kolsch, the easy-drinking golden beer served in a slim, cylindrical 6.8-ounce glass, known as a stange. It’s about the culture surrounding the service: How the blue-aproned waiters, known as kobes, circle the room, carrying trays of full beers, and plop one down automatically in front of anyone who’s emptied their glass, and draw another tick on a beer mat to track the table’s consumption. Why is this relevant? Because the Roost is hosting what it’s calling “traditional German kolsch service” this weekend, with German brewery Freigeist Bierkultur’s Ottekolong kolsch flowing until customer says “when” (or the three hours are up). Sebastian Sauer, the founder of Freigeist, is the host, and some of its other beers will be sold a la carte. Noon to 3 p.m. $39.

MoCA on the Move: Celebrating Spring at Metropolitan Park

The weekly series by the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington returns with live music, food trucks and family-friendly crafting. This week’s guests are abstract expressionist painter Zhenya Parish, who will lead a session in “the art of letting go,” and guitarist Sean Tracy. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.

Kids’ cooking class at Maggiano’s

Stop singing “On Top of Spaghetti” and take your little one to learn how to actually make a meatball. Grab a bite from the breakfast buffet and learn, from a chef at the Chevy Chase restaurant, how to make meatballs, step by step in a hands-on demonstration. The class is recommended for kids age 4 to 12, who will receive their own chef hat and apron to take home. 9 to 11 a.m. $30 for kids, $15 for adults.

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Earth Day activities

Start Earth Day with a free yoga class at Yards Park, though there’s also an evening class if you’re not a morning person. (7 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. Free.) The U.S. Department of Agriculture hosts an Earth Day festival on the National Mall with garden tours, scavenger hunts, and exhibits on such topics as food waste, crop production, the role of bees and conservation on farms. Look out for appearances by Woodsy Owl, Smokey Bear and friends, as well as food vendors. (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.)

Taylor Swift Party at the Pug

The Pug seems an unlikely place for a Taylor Swift party — the soundtrack at the divey H Street bar is primarily punk and go-go — and yet it’s been hosting release parties for Swifties since “Midnights” dropped in October 2022, thanks to owner Tony Tomelden and his intrepid regulars. These very crowded, very fun events turn the crowd into a communal choir, singing at the top of their lungs. Don’t expect fancy themed co*cktails, though. It’s a beer-and-a-shot place at heart, no matter what’s playing on the turntable. 8 p.m. Free.

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Profs and Pints lecture: Good, Evil and ‘Dune’ at Penn Social

When you walked out of the theater after the recent blockbuster “Dune: Part Two,” did you think protagonist Paul Atreides was a hero? If so, Peter Herman, former Marymount University lecturer and scholar of religious and social themes in fiction, disagrees. At this Profs and Pints lecture, he argues author Frank Herbert’s intentions to showcase Atreides as not a revolutionary leader, but another in a long line of tyrants. 6 to 8:30 p.m. $13.50 in advance; $17 at doors.

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Lena Seikaly at Blues Alley

Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday is celebrated across his hometown this month, but one of our favorite events is also one of the coziest: At Blues Alley, D.C. jazz fixture Lena Seikaly honors the classic album “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book” with two sets of her favorite songs from those two greats. 7 and 9 p.m. $35.

1921 Biergarten Birthday Party at the Heurich House Museum

Can you believe the 1921 Biergarten behind Dupont Circle’s Heurich House is five years old? That’s only 125 years younger than the house itself. Spend the afternoon crafting — make a birthday card, decorate a cupcake — in the airy garden while enjoying local craft beer and cider, and check out the Home/Brewed exhibit, which honors former resident Christian Heurich, who owned D.C.’s largest 20th-century brewery as well as the historic mansion. 4 to 8 p.m. Free; RSVP requested.

Zeppelin fifth anniversary party

Inspired by dirigibles, decorated with an exterior mural of Godzilla, and known for serving up Japanese cuisine and vibrant karaoke in equal measure, Zeppelin has become a landmark in Shaw. The restaurant marks its fifth anniversary with a party featuring free sushi, free kushiyaki (skewered and grilled) snacks, and $5 co*cktails. Appropriately for a place where the dining room pays homage to Led Zeppelin, 1960s and ’70s rock star attire is requested. 5 to 9 p.m. Free.