Thursday, April 10
GOLF: It’s looking like another nice day to hit the links—head out to the East Potomac Park Golf Course for its driving range social. You don’t have to have any idea what you’re doing with golf clubs to have fun, because half the other people won’t, either. And there’s beer! Free admission; buckets of golf balls start at $4. 6 PM.
ART: The Embassy of Peru and the National Geographic Museum have partnered to present “Peruvian Gold,” an exhibit that could probably not be any more literally titled. Cecilia Bakula Budge, of the Museum of Peru’s Banco Central de la Reserva, and Fredrik Hiebert, the curator of the exhibit, will tell you about the pre-Colombian (and pre-Incan) roots of all this gold and what the whole deal is with El Dorado. Beforehand, there will be a party with pisco, food, wine, and other drinks. No word on if you’ll get any ancient gold in a goody bag, but I would not rule that out. Tickets ($50) are available online. 6 PM.
ART: The Art League is launching a new exhibit called “Pop Art,” but you won’t find any Andy Warhol paintings here—local artists were told to paint something in the style of one of the 1960s masters, so you’ve got art that looks like it could have been made 50 years ago but still has a distinctly modern twist. There’s an opening party tonight featuring talks from the artists and curator and food and drinks. Free. 6:30 PM.
Friday, April 11
DISASTERS: Back at the Nat Geo Museum, filmmaker Carsten Peter takes a look at something a little more modern and pressing than Peruvian gold: extreme weather. Peter has chased tornados, climbed inside volcanoes, and lived to tell the tale. He’ll discuss this recent spate of natural disasters we’ve had, tell you what it’s like to be in one (and how to photograph it), and show off his photos and films. Tickets ($24) are available online. 7:30 PM.
BURLESQUE: You haven’t seen burlesque until you’ve seen burlesque paired with something mainstream culture co-opted from the nerds. You can fix that terrible personal flaw this weekend at Black Cat’s Doctor Who-themed burlesque show. If you want an idea of what that might entail, show up for the free Doctor Who happy hour, which starts at 7. Tickets ($12) are available online. 8:45 and 11 PM.
MUSIC: Besides go-go and some jazz, DC’s big contribution to the music world has been hardcore punk. In recent years, many of the city’s smaller independent venues have closed or been pushed out by high rents. Through all of this, one place has remained— St. Stephen’s Church, which once hosted Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Black Flag shows. Pretend it’s the mid-’80s with the Damaged City Fest, which brings 31 hardcore bands from around the country (and a few international ones) back to the church where Ian MacKaye made all those kids go wild. There are shows all weekend, but things get started Friday with a show at St. Stephen’s and an after-party/show at the Pinch.
St. Stephen’s show: $25, 7 PM
The Pinch after-party: $5, 11 PM
DRAW: It’s probably been a while since you’ve doodled while daydreaming in class, so your sketching skills probably leave a bit to be desired. Regain them at the American Art Museum’s Drawing at Dusk, where you’ll get a quick lesson, supplies, and the chance to sketch two belly dancers. Free. 5:30 PM.
Saturday, April 11
BAR CRAWL: Most of the Dupont Circle bar crawls have no beneficiaries other than the random passers-by who get to watch drunk people puke in an alley. Pink and Drink is different—proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Beyond that, it’s the same deal: eight hours of drinking at all the usual Dupont spots, $2 beers, and other food specials. Wear pink. Tickets ($15) are available online. 1 PM.
FLASH MOB: Improv Everywhere has been conducting its MP3 Experiment for a few years now, so it’s weird it’s still called an experiment, because it clearly works. In any case, head to the Mall (between Sixth and Seventh streets) with a pair of headphones for something that’s kinda like a flash mob but with an audio guide. Free. 3 PM.
DANCE: Deejay Will Eastman and some of his friends will turn U Street Music Hall into a seedy Parisian nightclub for the evening, as they spin Daft Punk, indie dance classics, and French house. Wear stripes and one of those silly hats and bring a baguette, and you’ll fit in perfectly. Tickets ($10) are available online. 10 PM.
BOOKS: Fans of the National Book Festival will also want to check out the Bethesda Literary Festival, which is a world-class event in its own right. There are events and signings all day, with authors such as Brian Kilmeade, William Martin, Stephen Jimenez, and David Willman. There are also events Friday and Sunday. Free. All day.
Sunday, April 12
WALKING: Learn about the history of Georgetown and its favorite baked good, the cupcake, with a walking tour that starts at Dumbarton House. The tour hits Baked & Wired, Sprinkles, and Georgetown Cupcake, as well as a lot of the historic houses and spots in the neighborhood. Tickets ($20) are available online and include three cupcakes. 11 AM.
GARDENING: If you think a hardware store doesn’t seem like a great place to have a party, you’d be wrong. Ace Hardware in Takoma Park hosts its annual garden party, where you can get 20 percent off everything in the store, learn about gardening, grill some stuff, and win raffle prizes. Free. Noon.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com, or find him on Twitter.
