News & Politics

Where & When: What to Do This Weekend

A pooch happy hour, the Folklife Festival, barbecue everywhere you look, an Italian street festival, free music and movies, and more.

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Thursday, June 25: Check out the wonderful William Eggleston exhibit at the Corcoran—and sip delicious wine to boot. You can do that tonight at the 1869 Society Cultural Cocktails event at the Corcoran. $20 for nonmembers of the 1869 Society. 6 to 9 PM. Call 202-639-1753 to register.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Valerie Harper plays washed-up star Tallulah Bankhead in Arena Stage’s Looped, at the Lincoln Theatre through Sunday. Read our theater critic’s review of the show here (hint, Harper’s performance is described as “divine”), and get tickets for tonight’s performance. 8 PM.

Who says you need a special reason to drink Champagne? You don’t! Try Napoleon’s Champagne tasting tonight in Adams Morgan. You’ll get you three food-and-Champagne pairings for $20. 7 PM. Call 202-299-9630 to reserve a spot.

As part of this weekend’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Welsh National Opera performs for free on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. 6 PM; free.
Friday, June 26: Eastern Market’s original historic building is back and better than ever. (See our sneak peak of the renovations here.) The DC institution, which burned down in April 2007, has finally finished renovations and officially reopens for business today. Cut out of work early and spend the afternoon perusing the food stalls with the newly added comforts of central air and in-house restrooms.

Does trying to figure out what to do with your doggy pal during happy hour make you cock your head sideways? Take your furry best friend with you this afternoon to the patio of Art and Soul, where there’s a Pooch Power Hour from 3 to 5 PM in celebration of Take Your Dog to Work Day. There’ll be a special menu and discounted drinks as well as a pooch-friendly selection of treats. $40 per person, $10 per dog. Register here.  Want more dog-friendly happy hours? Check out our guide.

Rosslyn’s free summer movie series is under way. The ’80s-themed lineup kicked off May 1 with our childhood favorite, Goonies. And tonight, it’s another solid entry: Footloose. Quick, see the original before Hollywood does a soulless remake starring pretty robot-boy Chace Crawford. The movie starts at dusk in Gateway Park. Find out about more free movies here.

If this beautiful weather holds up, you should make sure to check out the National Gallery of Art’s Jazz in the Garden. Tonight, it’s the band Junkyard Saints, who plays contemporary zydeco.
Saturday, June 27: What do African-American oral expression, Latino music, and Welsh culture have in common? They’re all available for exploration at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Spend the day wandering from tent to tent on the Mall, and stay through the evening for concerts and storytelling sessions. General hours for the festival, which began Wednesday, are 11 to 5:30. Click here for the complete schedule and visitor information.

With the humidity, Washington can feel like the Caribbean during the summertime, despite our lack of palm trees and pristine beaches. That doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Caribbean culture at the Caribbean Carnival, taking place Saturday and Sunday at Georgia and Mississippi avenues, Northwest. Admission is $10.

Don’t forget: Every Saturday through August, entry to the Corcoran is free.

You’ll probably be able to skip lunch—and maybe dinner—if you check out the National Capital Barbecue Battle, held along Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest, between 9th and 14th streets. Sample ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, and more as barbecue teams duke it out for $40,000 in cash and prizes. There’ll also be cooking demonstrations, children’s activities, music on three stages, and celebrity appearances. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6 to 12, under age 6 free.

Sunday, June 28: Getting sick of hot dogs and burgers? At the final DC Grill Masters Series event, held in the parking lot outside Wagshal’s Market (4845 Massachusetts Ave., NW), watch Sushi-Ko chef Piter Tjan grill up Japanese Wagyu beef. A $10 minimum donation to Maryland’s Lions Camp Merrick—a camp for diabetic children—is required to attend, and samples and recipes are included in the price. The demonstration begins at 11:30.

Festa Italiana takes place today at Third and F streets, Northwest, from 11:30 to 5:30. The celebration of Italian culture focuses this year on the Puglia region, with plenty of food, activities, raffles, and live music. Free.

You had us at “50 of America’s best breweries.” That’s what you’ll get at this weekend’s Northern Virginia Brewfest (taking place Saturday as well) at Leesburg’s Morven Park. Day-of tickets cost $25, but you can get them for $20 here.  Saturday 11 to 9, Sunday 11 to 7.

Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.