Thursday, July 22
Remember when Chevy Chase was funny? The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue reminds us of those times with a screening of Caddyshack and a pool party at Capitol Skyline Hotel. Dress up as your favorite character or in preppy golf gear for a chance to enter a costume contest. Movie-themed concessions will be available for purchase. Click here for tickets ($10) 7 PM.
In need of a checkup? The Crystal City Business Improvement District holds a free Fit Fair and Blood Drive today on Crystal Drive between 18th and 20th streets. Professionals from Inova Health Systems and Sport & Health are offering assessments for blood pressure, body composition, body-mass index, stress, and more. Representatives from Sport & Health and Body Rays will also provide chair messages and fitness demonstrations. Register online here. 10:30 to 2:30.
The horse-racing flick Seabiscuit screens tonight at the Capitol Riverfront’s Canal Park (M and Second sts., NE) as part of the Underdog Film Festival. The 2003 film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and tells the true story a champion racehorse overlooked because of his small size. Free. 8:45.
The Reston Community Center hosts Big Hillbilly Bluegrass tonight as part of its Take-a-Break concert series at the Lake Anne Village Center. Don’t confuse this band for your average local band: Big Hillbilly Bluegrass made an appearance in the Chris Rock film Head of State and is currently featured in the documentary Bluegrass Journey. Free. 7 to 9.
Friday, July 23
The District of Columbia Arts Center is holding an opening reception tonight in honor of its annual open exhibition, “1460 Wall Mountables.” The exhibit, which opened July 21 and runs through August 29, features two-foot-square spaces rented out by local artists. The event has taken place every summer since 1990. Free. 7 to 9.
Busboys and Poets at Fifth and K streets, Northwest and Split This Rock get into the beat spirit with Howl in the City, an evening of music and poetry in honor of the National Gallery of Art’s current exhibition, “Beat Memories: The Photographs of Allen Ginsberg.” Enjoy performances by poet Anne Waldman and musician Kyp Malone of the rock band TV on the Radio, both accompanied by a quartet led by the classically trained indie-violinist Matthew Hemerlein. Tickets ($10) are available here.
The Pink Line Project opens the pop-up boutique Temporium, which features the modern creations of local designers. In place through August 15, the transformed lounge highlights local entertainment, has refreshments, and includes free wifi internet. Tonight, take in tunes provided by DJ Obeyah from 6 to 10. The site is located at the former R.L. Christian Library at 1300 H Street, Northeast. Free.
The Textile Museum hosts the first of two evenings in performance for “Interwoven,” a look at textile-focused film screenings and performance art. Sponsored in part by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, tonight features a performance by the fashion collective ThreesAsFour, which spotlights its delicate and sculptural approach to textiles. Afterward, KnitKnit magazine founder Sabrina Gschwandtner moderates a discussion with the artists. Tickets ($20) are available here.
Saturday, July 24
Ah, the never-ending beer-versus-wine battle. Can one truly be declared the victor? Grab a friend with a countering opinion and head to the Columbia Firehouse for the Beer Vs. Wine Throwdown, where flights of each alcohol are paired with small plates such as watermelon-feta salad and tuna-tartare tacos. 3 to 5; $45. Call 703-683-1776 to RSVP (required).
Road trip! Busboys and Poets sponsors a busride to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for a day at the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Tickets ($87; available here) get you roundtrip transportation, tickets to two plays, and access to post-performance discussions with the directors. On the docket for today: White People, a darkly funny look at race and language in America today, and Lidless, a Guantanamo Bay prisoner’s perspective on the terrorist-interrogation process. Noon to 10:30 PM. Call 202-332-6432 for more information.
Baby Shakespeare in the making: Bethesda’s Imagination Stage hosts a free open house for young families today from 1 to 5. Parents with children ages 1 to 5 are invited to sample classes, see a 15-minute live preview of the upcoming play Egg and Spoon, and bounce around in the dance studio. Click here for more information.
Jeopardy junkies, take note: The Smithsonian Resident Association is hosting the show’s ultimate winner, Ken Jennings, as well as Random House’s puzzle-and-games director Stanley Newman for “Mastering Trivia Games: A Day of Challenge, Camaraderie, and Fun.” Bar-trivia nuts looking to up their game can meet fellow trivia enthusiasts, learn how to become a better guesser, and hear what it takes to get on and conquer the legendary TV quiz show. 10 to 4:30. Click here for tickets ($120).
Sunday, July 25
Didn’t get enough techno in Saturday night? Try faux-clubbing at Dance Place’s “Electro Shutdown & The Pea,” a participatory dance show where audience members mix with performers through a wild night of after-hours revelry. Performed by the Next Reflex Dance Collective, the show is recommended for audience members 18 and up. 7 PM. Click here for tickets ($17 to $35).
Madeleine Albright takes over the Smithsonian Castle commons from 2 to 4 to sign copies of Read My Pins, her most recent book on, well, pin collecting. Call 202-633-0030 to preorder your copy, and do it quick—positions in the signing line are determined by the number on your cash-re
gister receipt.
Alfred Stewart is on hand at the Anacostia Community Museum for a jewelry-casting demonstration inspired by African metalwork. 1 to 3. Free. Call 202-633-4844 for more information.
The Capital Fringe Festival wraps up with an awards ceremony—and one last night of boozing—at the Baldacchino Gypsy Tent Bar. Find out this year’s Fringe Fanatic, Audience Picks, and Director’s Award—chosen by Fringe Festival Directors Scot McKenzie and Julianne Brienza—starting at 8.
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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.
