Things to Do

Ten Under $10

Beat the lobster-truck lines, swing your hips to salsa, and enjoy Dupont Circle’s galleries—all on the cheap

Have a hard time catching the Red Hook Lobster Pound truck on your lunch break? Try Chinatown Coffee Company’s Lobster Roll and Beer Happy Hour, where the hottest lunch snack in town is paired with Lagunitas IPA and Dale’s Pale Ale. Thursday 6:30 to 8:30. No cover.

Get a lot of laughs for a little money when DC Improv hosts its monthly pay-what-you-can show. Thursday night, cough up some change to see Loni Love of VH1 and Chelsea Lately fame. Doors open at 6:30; the show begins at 8.

Recently named one of Rolling Stone’s 30 Bands to Watch, April Smith and the Great Picture Show are starting to make waves in the indie world with their debut album, Songs for a Sinking Ship. Catch them at DC9 Thursday at 8:30 with Icelandic singer/songwriter Lay Low. $10.

Enjoy the best of Dupont Circle’s art scene at First Friday, a monthly reception at many of the neighborhood’s galleries. This Friday, participating venues are open from 6 to 8 with free wine and finger food. Various locations.

Which is better—shampoo or conditioner? Ponder this and other eternal life questions at Friday’s screening of Billy Madison, the final installment in Rosslyn’s I Love the ’90s summer film series. The movie starts at 8, but get to Gateway Park early for a better view of Adam Sandler’s grade-school hijinks. Free.

Spice up your Friday night at Guarapo in Arlington, where Rudy Gonzalez y Su Locura is playing salsa, Latin jazz, and merengue. The dance floor opens at 10. No cover, and you can rehydrate with a signature cocktail for $8.

After a long night of dancing, what better way to give your feet a rest than to kick back at the 22nd Annual DC Blues Festival? From noon until 7:30 Saturday, acts such as Bryan Lee & the Blues Power Band will help you unwind at Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park. Free.

It’s your last chance to take advantage of the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s Free Summer Saturdays, and the museum is hosting an array of special events that make the free admission that much sweeter: tours, sketching in the atrium, and performances by the Washington Revels. Click here for program times and locations.

The Yellow Barn’s new exhibit, “Three Point Perspective,” features local artists Barbara Pace, Debra Naylor, and Jenny Brake. Be one of the first to see these exciting works at Saturday’s opening reception from 5 to 7 at Glen Echo Park. Free.

Help the Black Cat celebrate its 17th anniversary Saturday night. The party starts at 8 and features a slew of local bands including Wise Old Lions, the Guilt, and Above the Silence. $5.

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