Related:
Free Summer Concerts
Free Outdoor Films
Cool Off: Pools in Washington
Happy Food Hours in Washington
1. Eat your way through Reston this weekend at the 19th annual Taste of the Town. On Friday and Saturday, more than 30 local restaurants will be on hand with samples of their best dishes. The event also includes live music, entertainment, and kids’ activities. Admission and parking for the event are free, but tasting tickets are $1 each. Bites cost one to five tickets.
2. Broken Social Scene’s Andrew Whiteman takes the stage with his side-project band, Apostle of Hustle, at the Rock & Roll Hotel on Friday night. Whiteman was inspired to start the band after spending two months in Cuba with his godmother’s family—so expect strong Latin American influences in his set. Advance tickets—sold until 4 PM on Friday—are $10; at-the-door tickets are $12. Doors open at 8:30, and the show starts an hour later.
3. Meat lovers should head to Capitol Skyline Hotel for Spike Mendelsohn’s burger-themed pool party. Sundays throughout the summer, the Top Chef star is grilling up his Good Stuff Eatery creations from noon until 6. The $10 admission includes a burger.
4. Don’t forget about the National Gallery of Art’s Jazz in the Garden series on Friday nights. Bring a picnic blanket or a lawn chair to enjoy an evening of free jazz. This week, blues artist Deanna Bogart takes the stage from 5 to 8:30.
5. The Black Cat hosts two dance parties this weekend that won’t break the bank. Friday night’s Black Catatonia, the ’80s, hip-hop, soul, and electronica mash-up party, starts at 10 on the Backstage; tickets are $5. On Saturday, the club’s Britpop dance night, Mousetrap, starts at 9:30 on the Mainstage. To celebrate LGBT Pride Month, Homosonic will DJ. Tickets are $10.
6. Fresh Boutique in Georgetown is hosting a trunk show on Sunday from 2 to 4 to benefit the Capitol Women’s Polo Challenge for Breast Cancer campaign. It’s free to get in, and you can enjoy complimentary bagels, mimosas, and hors d’oeuvres. Plus, score buy-two/get-one deals on dresses, 20 percent off of any two items, and a free how-to consultation by a local stylist. A portion of the day’s sales goes to the charity.
7. Washington Improv Theater invites you to take the stage Thursday night for its Improv Jam program. The pay-what-you-can show is an opportunity for curious improv neophytes to try their hand at performing in front of an audience. The show starts at 9:30 at Flashpoint.
8. The Park at Fourteenth kicks off its new Signature Fridays Happy Hour this week. The no-cover event includes live music by hip-hop violinists Black Violin and Sounds of the Underground, a local drum ensemble. The specials du jour include $5 premium drinks from 5 to 8.
9. Nori Asian Bistro in DC’s Columbia Heights is hosting a sushi lover’s dream come true: Thursday from 5 to 8, you can get an $8 sushi roll for just 59 cents. Choose from the Boston, Philly, or Fire varieties. To get the deal, go to Yardsaway.com and get a coupon sent to your cell phone (it comes as a text message). Then, just show your phone at Nori to get your discounted sushi roll. One coupon is good for up to four people.
10. Pentagon Row’s summer concert series, which kicked off last week, hosts ’80s cover band the Reflex Thursday from 7 to 9. Expect to hear tunes by Duran Duran, Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, Madonna, Aha, Whitesnake, and other ’80s legends. For more free summer concerts around Washington, click here.
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