THURSDAY JULY 7
THEATER: The eccentric, experimental Capital Fringe Festival returns for its 11th year with more than a hundred genre-bending shows that you can catch through July 31. The slate includes Shakespearean burlesque, a ballet inspired by climate change, a Hitchcockian rock opera, and Little Women set to rap. Shows are performed in bars, libraries, galleries, and other unusual venues around town. Tickets $17 per play with the one-time purchase of a $7 pass, various times
BOOKS: If you feel like your life is lacking in good conversations with strong, smart women, look no further than Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Acclaimed author and journalist Jane Mayer sits down with Hanna Rosin, national correspondent for The Atlantic and new co-host of NPR’s Invisibilia podcast. The two will discuss Mayer’s book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right. Free, 6:30 PM
MUSIC: After a brief period of uncertainty, the future of DC’s nearly half-century-old outdoor music event, Fort Reno, is clear–for another year, at least. The family-friendly concert series kicks off its 2016 season with performances by Title Tracks, Bad Moves and Strange Avenger. Free, 7 PM
THEATER: Hand to God begins its run at Studio Theatre. Following a Broadway run and five Tony nominations last year, this blasphemous comedy about a possessed puppet in a Texas church comes to Washington for its first regional-theater production. You won’t simply spectate—before each show, audience members will be invited to build their own puppets. We hope Satan won’t hijack their souls. The play will be running until Aug. 7. $20-$45, 8 PM
FOOD & DRINK: Some of the creations in Malaka Gharib’s The Little Filipino Food Coloring Book are coming to life through a collaboration with Chef Yana Gilbuena at Mess Hall with a pop-up series called Color It Then Eat It. Not only will guests enjoy expertly-prepared Filipino cuisine, they’ll also color in the pages in Gharib’s book coinciding with what they’re about to eat. The event runs from July 7 through July 9. $45, various times
FRIDAY JULY 8
PARTY: DC Bike Party has been making biking in the city a festive experience for four years now, and they’re celebrating with a birthday party. The night starts in Dupont Circle and ends in Milk Cult’s warehouse for an after-party featuring the ice cream extraordinaires’ sweet treats, along with music from DJ Trevor Richards. Bikers are encouraged to dress themselves and their bikes as celebratory as possible. Free, 7:30 PM
SATURDAY JULY 9
SPORTS: Cheer on the United States’ olympic-bound eventing team before they head off to Rio at the the Land Rover Great Meadow International. Eventing, also known as horse trials, features each rider and horse competing in three different areas: dressage (basically ballet for horses), cross-country (horses jumping over very high things at very high speeds), and show jumping. $30-$50, 8 AM
FOOD & DRINK: Port City Brewing Company’s Old Town Pub Crawl bucks the tradition of an ordered pub crawls. Participants will pick up a Pub Crawl Pass from any participating venue (including Pizzeria Paradiso, Union Street Public House, and Fish Market), and have four hours to hit all of the stops in any order they choose by 6 PM. Those who successfully get their passes punched by all the bars and restaurants receive a limited-edition pint glass. 2 PM
FESTIVAL: As the only-in- America presidential campaign heats up, head to the Smithsonian’s Kogod Courtyard for an only-in- DC celebration: “America Now: Creativity in a Citizen Democracy,” the final event in a quintet of Smithsonian programs devoted to civic engagement. This one, focusing on the role of art in democracy, features a 20-foot community mural to paint your thoughts about our country, an “edit-a- thon” of US artists’ Wikipedia pages, and performances by local hip-hop artist Tarica June and bluegrass bands the Steep Canyon Rangers and the Seldom Scene. Plus, if you haven’t yet done so, you can register to vote via Rock the Vote. 4 PM, Free
FILM: Wolf Trap presents Raiders of the Lost Ark with the National Symphony Orchestra. Thirty-five years after its release, Indiana Jones’s first big-screen outing is still the standard for any swashbuckling adventure. With the confirmation that a fifth movie is scheduled for 2019—when Harrison Ford is 77—this screening, accompanied by a live performance of John Williams’s score, might make you forget about yet another unnecessary franchise retread. $30 to $58, 8:30 PM
SUNDAY JULY 10
MUSIC: The minds behind the All Good Music Festival are bringing the Merryland Music Fest to Merriweather Post Pavilion July 9 and 10. In the same jammy, folky vein as All Good, the show’s lineup includes jam band icons like the String Cheese Incident, but also has guitar hero/rock goddess Grace Potter, Langhorne Slim and Shakey Graves on the bill. $75-$200, 12 PM
BOAT PARTY: Soundwaves Boat Party is a fun way to get your sea legs. Take a ride along the Potomac River, gliding past historic monuments at the same time as you’re busting out moves on the dancefloor of a dual-level “party boat yacht.” This month’s musical guests are electro/house DJs Canson and Raffi. $25, 5:30 PM
