THURSDAY, JULY 27
MUSEUMS The Newseum is celebrating the 1980s with its Newseum Nights: Rock On event on Thursday evening. In addition to an open bar and hors d’oeuvres (think: pigs-in-a-blanket and pop rock cupcakes), the event will feature 80s cover band The Reflex, caricatures from Capital Artworks, board games, and gallery talks with Newseum curators in the Louder Than Words exhibit. 21+ only. $60, 7:30 PM.
BEER Rustico in Alexandria is highlighting 10 different beers from California brewery Firestone Walker on Thursday night. Notable beers include a 2016 keg of Parabajava (FW’s barrel-aged imperial stout Parabola infused with coffee) plus bottles pours of Lil’ Opal (a 14-month aged saison) and Bravo (a bourbon barrel-aged imperial brown ale). Free to attend, 5 PM.
FRIDAY, JULY 28
BOOKS Author Jason Zinoman explores the cultural impact of David Letterman’s thirty-three years hosting Late Night with David Letterman in his new book Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night. Through interviews with Jay Leno, Martin Short, Late Night co-creator Merrill Markoe, and Letterman himself, Zinoman profiles Letterman and provides cultural context and criticism. Zinoman will discuss the book at Politics & Prose on Friday night. Free, 7 PM.
CONVENTION The inaugural NOVA Comic & Gaming Convention runs from Friday through Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton in Tyson’s Corner Galleria. The Con will feature guests such as Kelly Hu from Arrow, John Wesley Shipp from The Flash, and three cast members from Stranger Things. $25-30 for single-day passes or $55 for a 3-day pass; Friday 4 to 10 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 7 PM, Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM.
SATURDAY, JULY 29
ACTIVITIES DC’s first-ever Retro Field Day will be held at the Festival Grounds at RFK (Lot 6) on Saturday. Form a team of 6-10 people and jump into some old-school throwback games– golf ball on a spoon, a watermelon-eating contest, and musical chairs, among others– plus enjoy bottomless drinks and a DJ spinning old-school jams. Individuals looking to join a team can browse the discussion on Facebook or find a team by walking up day-of. $350 per team (or $30 for a spectator-only pass which includes drinks), 10 AM. $10 off per person with the code WASHINGTONIAN.
SPORTS The Citi Open Tennis Tournament starts on Saturday and runs through August 6 at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. The Citi Open is a combined ATP World Tour 500-level event (ATP, or Association of Tennis Professionals, is the men’s tennis international governing body) and a WTA International level event (WTA, or Women’s Tennis Association, is the women’s international governing body). The tournament will feature men’s and women’s singles as well as men’s and women’s doubles; some proceeds will benefit the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF). $10-$85 for single day tickets; $150-$665 for weeklong passes/boxes.
SUNDAY, JULY 30
SHOPPING The first-ever Silver Spring Record Fair will take place on Sunday afternoon at Denizen’s Brewing Co. The fair will bring together over 20 vendors from across the area, and local DJs will provide music all afternoon long. Free to attend, 1-6 PM.
MUSIC Jiffy Lube Live is hosting a classic rock bonanza on Sunday night with the bands Boston and Joan Jett & the Blackhawks. Both bands most recently released albums in 2013, but these sets are likely to emphasize the groups’ older material– songs such as “More Than a Feeling” (Boston) and “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” (Joan Jett)– rather than their newer tunes. $32 – $115.50, 7:30 PM.
