Times are tough—we all know that. But there are plenty of ways to have fun without dishing out cash. Welcome to our new feature, Ten Under $10, where we’ll round up 10 fun weekend activities that cost less than $10—and are often free!
Related:
Free Outdoor Films
Memorial Day Grilling Fun
Our Favorite Brunches
Happy Hour Finder
Friday: Rosslyn’s free summer movie series is underway. The ’80s-themed lineup kicked off May 1 with our childhood favorite, Goonies, and tonight, there’s a free screening of the classic teen-angst-filled Sixteen Candles, which starts around dusk at Gateway Park.
Tonight at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and continuing every Friday through August, is the popular free series Jazz in the Garden. The concerts take place in front of the Pavilion Café, next to the grand fountain and reflecting pool. Tonight, Lady A, a jazz and R&B singer, will be performing. 5 to 8 PM.
Enjoy a free performance by the French funk brass ensemble Tarace Boulba. Head to the gardens of the Maison Française with a blanket to catch the show. 6:30 PM. RSVPs required—send an e-mail to philippe.berthier@diplomatie.gouv.fr with your name and the number of people attending.
Saturday: The Adams Morgan bar Bedrock Billiards has $10 buckets of Bud and Bud Light on Saturdays from 1 to 7. Enjoy the special with friends while playing pool, darts, or board games.
If you’re an early bird and a fan of, uh, federal punishment, you might want to jump in line at the National Museum of Crime & Punishment in DC’s Gallery Place. In honor of its one-year anniversary, the museum is giving free admission to the first 75 guests. The doors open at 9 AM.
With its faux-stone walls, Gothic chandeliers, and crimson drapes on the ceiling, Asylum in DC’s Adams Morgan evokes a medieval vampire’s lair. The small, dark bar frequently hosts local bands. It also offers one of the best drink deals around: During the Natural Light Countdown on Saturdays, drafts of Natty Light are 50 cents starting at 5 and go up 50 cents every hour until 11. Get more great happy hours here.
Sunday: Head to the west lawn of the Capitol Building for the annual National Memorial Day Concert. The show honors the service and sacrifice of the country’s men and women in uniform. Actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna co-host the event. 8 PM. Free.
Head off into summer with a free concert at Wolf Trap by the US Marine Band. Bonus. Afterward, there’ll be fireworks! Wolf Trap’s gates open at 6:45. Capacity is limited, so get there early.
It’s a sunny, lazy Sunday. What else could be better than enjoying $2 beers on Nellie’s rooftop from 3 to 8 PM? The U Street bar’s Sunday “Beer Blast” happy hour takes place every week, so mark it in your happy-hour calendar.
Monday: Take a picnic lunch to Fort Ward Park in Alexandria for the annual jazz festival featuring big-band, swing, and contemporary jazz music. It’ll be hard to get bored—a new band takes the stage every hour from 1 to 7. Free.
More>> After Hours Blog | Arts & Events | Happy Hour Finder | Calendar of Events
