Things to Do

Where & When: What to Do This Weekend

A food truck festival favorite comes back for thirds, Old Town hosts a sidewalk sale, and Churchkey gets a head start on DC Beer Week

Get your food truck fix at Friday’s mouth-watering Truckeroo Festival. Photographs courtesy of the event’s Web site

Thursday, August 11
SHOPPING:
Round up the ladies for a night of shopping, dining, and live music at the Pentagon Row’s Girl’s Night Out. A slew of local stores and restaurants are offering discounts and free goodies. Plus, attendees can enter for a chance to win an iPad 2. Participating venues include Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and Salon, Jouvence Aveda, and Lebanese Taverna, to name a few. Free; 6 PM.

COMEDY: It’s about time another comedy club took root in Washington—Riot Act (801 E St. NW, Washington) is celebrating its grand opening with the help of their favorite comedian, Charles Fleischer. You may recognize him as the voice Roger Rabbit or from his recent cameos in Rango and Zodiac. Tickets for the show ($17) can be purchased at the event Web site. 8:30 PM.

SIGNING: Dating and relationship coach Amy Schoen will be signing copies of her book Get it Right This Time at the Chevy Chase Bloomingdale’s. Best of all, 10 percent of Bloomindale’s sales and 25 percent of book sales will benefit Dress for Success DC, a nonprofit that provides professional attire to disadvantaged women entering the workforce. To buy tickets ($20 donation), go to the event Web site. 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

MUSIC: Country singer Brantley Gilbert is swinging by the 9:30 Club tonight. The up-and-coming artist’s sophomore album, Halfway to Heaven, peaked at number two on the iTunes Country Album Chart. Click here to sample some of his tracks. Tickets ($15) can be purchased at the 9:30 Club’s Web site. Doors open at 7 PM.

Friday, August 12
FOOD TRUCKS:
Where can you find lobster rolls, tacos, and cupcakes all in one place? At this month’s mouth-watering Truckeroo Festival! More than 20 food trucks will line the parking lot at Navy Yard from 11 AM to 11 PM, so you won’t leave hungry. Our food truck guru, Melissa Romero, recommends TaKorean, DC Empanadas, Fojol Brothers, and Red Hook Lobster Pound. You can keep a lookout for participating venues here.

SHOPPING: Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but you can still make a statement with the eclectic pieces from tonight’s Trifecta Trunk Show. Stop by the local Lawrence Miller & Company gallery (121 S. Royal St., Alexandria) to peruse the designs of Tara Locklear, Lisette Fee, and Sarah West. 6 to 8 PM.

MUSIC: Olivia Mancini and The Mates are dropping by the Black Cat tonight. The DC-native’s upbeat songs fall somewhere between Feist and Regina Spektor. Check out the quirky music video for her song “Graphology” here. For tickets ($10), go to the event Web site.

Saturday, August 13
SHOPPING:
One of the best things about August is the seemingly endless supply of sidewalk sales. Old Town Alexandria is the latest to join the fun, and some of our favorite boutiques will be offering enticing sales—including Hysteria, Fibre Space, Pretty People, The Shoe Hive, and Bloomers. Click here for the entire list of participating venues. The sale is from 10 AM to 6 PM, though individual store hours may vary.

SPORTS: In the mood for some friendly competition? Then you won’t want to miss The City Vault’s Adult Play Date at Yards Park. Teams of six will compete in wacky relay races, rousing games of dodge ball, and obstacle courses. Free drinks and snacks will be provided throughout the day. Best of all, 45 percent of each team’s fee ($100) will benefit the National Physical Activity Plan, a campaign dedicated to fighting obesity. Click here to register your team of champions. 1 to 6 PM; Check-in begins at noon.

MUSIC: Everyone’s favorite band to bro out to, O.A.R., are dropping by the Merriweather Pavilion. The Rockville natives have sold 1.8 million albums and nearly 2 million concert tickets to date. You can sample some of their songs here. Tickets ($35 to $45) can be purchased at the event Web site. Doors open at 5:30 PM.

NERD NITE: We’ve all been there—giving snide looks to the passenger sending covert text messages while the plane’s about to take off. But is he actually putting passengers in harm’s way? Greg Bowles, a director at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, will be at another one of DC9’s Nerd Nite to help aviation-impaired folks understand the world of flight. Plus, Dr. Stephen Lilly, a composer and theorist, will present a brief history of noise experiments, and Bob Gilbert will explore the oldest form of fortune telling. Click here to buy tickets ($10). Doors open at 6 PM; Show 6:30 PM.

Sunday, August 14
BEER:
Kick off DC Beer Week with any one of the brew-infused events happening around the city. We recommend starting off at Churchkey’s Great Lakes Cask Debut. For the first time ever, five of the brewery’s firkins will be on cask. Entrance is free; all casks will be individually priced. Be sure to check out DC Beer Week’s calendar for a complete list of events.

ART: It’s your last chance to catch the “E•CO” exhibit at American University’s Katzen Arts Center. The collection features photographs from 20 Latin American and European groups, culminating in a powerful visual story about the environme
nt. You can see some of the photographs here. Free; Open 11 AM to 4 PM.

KID-FRIENDLY: Looking for a refreshing way to cool off? Stop by Josie’s Summer Bash (10625 Braddock Rd., Fairfax) for free frozen yogurt from 11 AM to 5 PM, face painting from 1 to 4, and a DJ from 6 to 10. And be sure to enter the scavenger hunt at 2 for a chance to win free frozen yogurt for a year!

BARBECUE: Calling all pork lovers—Bourbon Steak is hosting its second annual Pig Out Patio Party, complete with a 300-pound roasted pig from Eco-Friendly Foods. The spread will include bratwursts, sausages, ribs, cornbread, baked beans, DC Brau beer, and more. Plus, pastry Chef Brenton Balika will be churning homemade ice cream and pies. To purchase tickets ($35 for food or $50 all-inclusive), call 202-944-2026. Noon to 3 PM.

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