THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
FOOD & DRINK Come party at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo while doing your part to promote conservation efforts. Grapes with the Apes offers wine tastings, live music, food trucks, and the chance to check out the Great Ape House after-hours. Bonus: proceeds from your ticket go to Friends of the National Zoo, so it’s guilt-free drinking on a Thursday night. $30-$150, 6 PM
MUSEUMS Art After Dark: Caribbean in Motion by the Art Museum of Americas is celebrating art and music in the garden of the Organization of American States building. There will be stunning, large-scale video art projections from the exhibit “Caribbean in Motion” on the side of the building and plenty of tunes to dance to, including Luis Garay Percussion World and DJ Shea Van Horn, and an appearance by performance artist Carolina Mayorga. $55-$125, 7 PM
MUSIC There are still tickets left to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform the seminal 1980 album The River at Nationals Park. If it’s anything like his four-hour MetLife Stadium show last month, The Boss will definitely make sure you get your money’s worth. $56-$100, 7:30 PM
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
MUSIC The Lincoln Theatre’s free (courtesy of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities) Labor Day Weekend Music Festival kicks off Friday, with a bevy of diverse diverse talent from across the city gracing the stage all weekend. Margot MacDonald, The Sweater Set and Sara Curtin Five, Run Come See, Bumper Jacksons and Pan American Symphony Orchestra perform on the first night. Free, 6 PM
COMEDY Roy Wood Jr. has been a consistent bright spot on the Jon Stewart-less Daily Show, with segments such as his turn as “senior Alabama correspondent” (to outline that state’s many recent scandals) or his surprisingly enlightening piece on special-interest conflicts within the Army Corps of Engineers. So grieve Stewart if you must, but Wood’s DC Improv appearances (September 2-4 ) promise political humor that’s actually funny. $22, 7:30 PM
FILM Start the weekend off at Rydell High courtesy of Union Market’s Drive-In Series screening of Grease. Having the chance to watch the film in your car like Danny and Sandy will already give the night a retro vibe, but on top of that the DC Rollergirls will be using their skills to serve ‘50s-inspired food and drinks from the era on their skates. $10 per car or free for walk- ups, 8 PM
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
COMEDY Cocoa Brown, a SAG Award-nominated comedian and actress most recently in The People v. O.J. Simpson brings her brazen, no holds barred brand of comedy to the Howard Theatre. Brown, who in her early years was working for Ringling Bros, has been on television comedy shows including BET’s Comic View and Showtime at the Apollo. $20 to $40, 8 PM
FILM Come to Penrose Square for the Columbia Pike outdoor movie night. Saturday’s film is Spotlight, the Best Picture-winner that recounts the Boston Globe’s intrepid investigation into child sex abuse within the Catholic church. Free, 8:15 PM
DANCE “Washington’s foremost Princeologist” DJ Dredd brings his famed Prince dance party to the Black Cat for a funky time that the Purple One would most certainly approve of. $10 to $12, 9:30 PM
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
YOGA Enjoy the last breaths of summer by breathing deeply at an hour-long vinyasa Serenity Yoga session in the Dumbarton House’s beautiful, tree-lined garden. Bring your own mat and a desire for mindfulness. $5 suggested donation, 10 AM
MUSIC If you’re off work on Monday, you’ll want to spend Sunday night with Alesso at Echostage. The Swedish EDM DJ is no stranger to partying hard, having toured with Madonna and worked with acts like Calvin Harris and Tove Lo. $40, 9 PM
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
FOOD & DRINK Enjoy all the trappings of a Labor Day barbecue without all the grunt work. City Tap House’s Labor Day Crab Feast offers a sweet deal on those delectable, steamed crustaceans–$24 for a half-dozen and $45 for a dozen–plus all the staples like hush puppies, corn on the cob, and Old Bay fries. And, of course, drink specials. 11 AM to 5 PM
FESTIVAL Maybe you weren’t able to book a Caribbean vacation this Labor Day weekend, but you can get pretty close without leaving the District at Carifesta. The Caribbean-American music and arts festival features a fun day of live bands, performers, craft vendors, an international food court, and a beer garden, all at the Woodrow Wilson Plaza inside the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center. Free, noon.
COMEDY One of the greatest–and funniest–battles in the galaxy is happening at Laugh Index Theatre’s Improv Wars. Two area improv groups duke it out onstage, each vying to make you laugh harder than the last one. $10 to $15, 8 PM
