THURSDAY, AUGUST 3
BOOKS Serial fans, take note: suspense author Kathleen Barber’s debut novel, Are You Sleeping, tells the story of a hit podcast that reopens a murder case, unraveling the life of the victim’s daughter. Barber will be at Kramerbooks. Free, 6:30 PM.
THEATRE Ford’s Theatre is hosting its Under 35: Museum Night after-hours event for young professionals aged 21 to 35. Visitors can see historic artifacts related to Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and assassination and explore the theatre the Lincolns attended performances. $18, 6 PM.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4
BOOKS Four romance writers are joining together for a panel discussion about the breadth of romance novels at Politics & Prose. The discussion will feature Mary Burton (The Hangman), Tracey Livesay (Love on My Mind), Sarah MacLean (Day of the Duchess), and Alisha Rai (Hate to Want You) and will be moderated by longtime writer Diane Gaston. Free, 7 PM.
MUSIC Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia would’ve turned 75 on August 1, and August 9 is the anniversary of his death. The first nine days of August are often celebrated by Deadheads, and several venues around town are hopping on that bus with tribute shows. Catch On the Bus and David Gans at Jammin Java or head into the city for Better Off Dead at Gypsy Sally’s. Jammin Java: $15-$25, 8 PM; Gypsy Sally’s: $15, 9 PM.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 5
MUSEUMS The Smithsonian American Art Museum is turning into an arcade for the weekend. The SAAM Arcade will feature game-building workshops, musicians playing pieces inspired by digital works, and over 100 video games, ranging from classics (including Pac-Man, Tron, Donkey Kong) to 40 independent games created by both student and professional developers as part of the 2017 Independent Developer Showcase. Free, 11:30 AM-7 PM.
FOOD The Studio Theatre’s Taste of Studio event is an annual open house featuring food and beverage tastings from 30+ local restaurants and bars, visual art installations, and an outdoor beer garden with live music. In addition, there will be community panel discussions, mini-Acting Conservatory workshops, and sneak peaks of Studio’s current production Wig Out!. $3 per tasting ticket or $100 for an all-access pass, noon.
THEATER The DC premiere of Big Fish opens at the Keegan Theatre. Big Fish is based on Daniel Wallace‘s novel and Tim Burton‘s film; the musical tells of a traveling salesman whose son wants to get to the bottom of his larger-than-life tales. $45-$55, through September 2.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 6
THEATER Signature Theatre’s Open House will feature free performances every fifteen minutes as well as games, crafts, and ticket discounts all day. The events will extend to neighborhood establishments like New District Brewing Company and Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub, while the performances at Signature will include sneak peeks of the Theatre’s 2017-2018 season including performances from A Little Night Music, Crazy for You, and Scottsboro Boys. Free, noon.
FILM The French production company Gaumont has been producing films for 120 years, and the National Gallery of Art is paying homage by screening a series of its films. The museum will show the 1963 film Les tontons flingueurs (Monsieur Gangster), a gangster comedy that tells the story of an ex-gangster taking over his dying friend’s “businesses” and the care of his daughter. Free, 4 PM.
