If you’re looking for Cinco de Mayo fun this weekend, make sure to check out our Cinco de Mayo party guide.
Thursday, May 1: Celebrate the first day of May, French style! The Phillips Collection and the Alliance Française are hosting a Parisian happy hour at the Phillips (1600 21st St., NW; 202-387-2151). For $10 in advance or $12 at the door, attendees can enjoy a tour of the museum’s French paintings while a mix of electronica music plays in the background. A contest for best musical selection will also be held, so bring your iPod along. There will be some light food and a cash bar. Get more details here.
Friday, May 2: The Kills are at the Black Cat tonight. The band’s track “Sour Cherry,” featured on Gossip Girl, is nothing short of sleazy, sexy, and bitchin’—just like Blair Waldorf herself. Plus, the male half of the bluesy, rockin’ duo dates Kate Moss. For tawdry gossip and great tunes, you won’t do any better. 9 PM; $15. Get your tickets here.
Saturday, May 3: Throw on your bonnet and break out the mint juleps for the Kentucky Derby this weekend. The best place in town to head is the Bonnets and Bow-Ties Kentucky Derby Party at the Willard InterContinental hotel’s Round Robin Bar. Tickets are a bit on the high side ($49), but for the admission you’ll get two of the Round Robin’s mint juleps (we think they’re the best in the city; here’s the recipe if you want to try at home) and a full buffet. 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 4 to 7 PM. Call 202-628-9100 for more information.
Passport DC, the annual event that lets you in behind the doors of various DC embassies, kicks off today. From 10 AM until 3 PM, 26 embassies will open their doors to show off their culture, food, and more. For a full list of participating embassies and the events they’ll be hosting, click here.
Want more? Check out our nightlife blog or our handy Calendar of Events.
Each year, the Flower Mart draws thousands to the grounds of Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., NW). This year’s event coincides with the cathedral’s centennial—so organizers are expecting more than 20,000 visitors during the two-day festival (which starts Friday). Held on the west lawn, festivities include music, puppet shows, games, and rides for the kids; more than a dozen food vendors and 50 booths with items for sale; used and rare books; and, of course, plants galore. Be sure to pop inside the cathedral’s nave to see floral arrangements by embassies from around the world. The best part: Admission to the festival is free. 10 AM to 5 PM.
The scenester Web site Brightest Young Things is hosting a relaunch party tonight at 1200 First Street, Northeast (the site of the next Artomatic) and promising plenty of music, drinks, art, fun, and, well, pretty young things. To get on the list, you must send your name to rsvp@brightestyoungthings.com. $10 suggested donation; 6 PM till late.
Sunday, May 4: It’s been a year since the venerable and popular Eastern Market suffered a devastating fire. Come celebrate its rebuilding at the 45th annual Eastern Market Day festival today. Games, crafts, and of course food will be at the center of the party, plus live music. Things kick off with Rick Franklin and the Delta Blues Boys at 10:30 AM.
Need a haircut? Head to Bang for the Cure and get a stylish trim as well as donate to a worthy cause. The stylists at the U Street salon Bang (1612 U St., NW) are holding a marathon haircutting session starting at 9 AM, with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. Call 202-299-0925 for more information and appointments.
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