Things to Do

Things to Do in DC This Week (November 20-26): Drinking Beer, Shopping Holiday Markets, and Watching a Tree Lighting

Help raise money for So Others Might Eat (SOME) at its annual Trot For Hunger on Thanksgiving morning. Photograph by Derek Parks / Skewed Patella Photography.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20

LECTURE The Profs & Pints series brings college professors into off-campus venues to share their knowledge. The latest installment of this series, at the Bier Baron, features Allan J. Lichtman, distinguished professor of history at American University. Lichtman’s discussion, “The Case for Impeachment,” will cite the transgressions President Trump has committed that would justify an impeachment investigation by the House Judiciary Committee. $10, 6 PM.

DANCE In honor of its production of Crazy For You, the Signature Theatre is hosting a free community tap class. Cast member Jennifer Cordiner (who plays Betsy in Crazy For You) will teach tap basics and a combination from the show. No previous experience or tap shoes are required. Free, 7 PM.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21

BOOKS If you’re still struggling to get a reservation at the elusive Rasika, now you can (attempt to) recreate the restaurant’s delicious fare at home. Ashok Bajaja (Rasika’s owner) and Vikram Sunderam (its James Beard Award-winning chef) present 120 recipes, including their signature fried spinach dish palak chaat, in their new cookbook Rasika: Flavors of India. The two will be in conversation with co-author David Hagedorn, dining columnist for Arlington and Bethesda magazines, at Politics & Prose at the Wharf. Free, 7 PM.

FILM Bread & Roses is a monthly labor series featuring discussions about workers and organized labor. This month’s session, at the Busboys & Poets in Takoma, features four short films: The Shelter, Léo, Do Not Come to Europe, and Limbo. Free (RSVP required), 6 PM.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

BEER Goose Island revolutionized beer by aging a stout in bourbon barrels in the 1990s; that innovation is often cited as the reason the brewery was purchased by AB InBev in 2011. Goose Island continues to brew its Bourbon County Brand Stout annually; DC’s first chance to taste 2017’s BCBS is on Wednesday night at the Bier Baron. The Bier Baron will also have variants and previous years’ vintages on draft. Free to attend, 4 PM.

DANCE The Kansas City Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker runs this week at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House. The performance—which features local children both on stage and singing during the snow scene—includes a few innovative twists, such as a grandfather with hip hop moves. $59 to $175. Through November 26. 

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23

RUN So Others Might Eat (SOME) is hosting its 16th annual Trot For Hunger on Thanksgiving morning. SOME aims to help the poor and homeless in DC with food, clothing, and health care; every year, SOME provides services to more than 10,000 people in our area. Its Trot for Hunger—the only “turkey trot” in DC—is a major source of support for SOME’s work. The event starts at Freedom Plaza and features several events: a Little Turkey Fun Run of one mile (8:30 AM), a 5K timed race (9 AM), and a 5K untimed race (9:15 AM). $45 (adults) or $15 (age 10 and under).

MUSIC Most touring bands avoid being on the road during Thanksgiving. But Dutch black metal band Carach Angren is not only touring this week but actually playing a show on Thanksgiving night itself, at the Pinch. Expect to hear songs from the group’s new album, Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten. $21, 7 PM.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24

SHOPPING Avoid the malls on Black Friday in favor of the 13th annual Downtown Holiday Market at 8th & F Streets, NW. The market features a rotating lineup of local and regional craftspeople, showcasing their handmade clothing, jewelry, home goods, and other crafts. Through December 23, noon to 8 PM daily.

MUSIC Local singer-songwriter Justin Trawick started the 9 Songwriters Series in 2008; the event features nine local singer-songwriters performing their songs in rotation, often collaborating with one another as the evening progresses. Trawick has lined up eight other songwriters (his own performance is the 9th) to perform at the Black Cat, including Cecily, Caroline Weinroth of Cinema Hearts, and Uptown Boys Choir. $12, 8 PM.

ZOO LIGHTS The Smithsonian National Zoo lights up during the holidays with its annual ZooLights event, featuring more than 500,000 environmentally-friendly LED lights. There are special holiday beverages (hot chocolate, eggnog, and mulled cider) plus live musical performances every night. Several of the animal exhibit buildings will be open in the evenings, and visitors can take a trackless train around the Great Cats exhibit or plunge down one of the 150-foot-long, snow-less tubing tracks. Through January 1 (except December 24, 25, and 31). Free to attend, 5 PM to 9 PM.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25

SHOPPING The Saturday after Thanksgiving is known as Small Business Saturday, and for the fifth year in in a row, DC Brau is hosting its Made In DC Holiday Marketplace in conjunction with Think Local First DC. Browse local DC crafts such as pottery, prints, and jewelry, while enjoying some locally-made DC Brau brews. Free to attend, 1 PM to 6 PM.

TREE CityCenterDC’s holiday tree lighting will include performances by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, and Baltimore’s Cardinal Shehan School Choir. In addition to an impressive 75-foot holiday tree, the event will feature balloon artists, face painters, and other holiday activities. Free to attend, 6 PM.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26

MUSIC Blues/jazz musicians The Eric Byrd Trio celebrates the holidays with a performance of songs from A Charlie Brown Christmas, bringing their own fresh arrangements to these familiar Christmas tunes for two shows at The Hamilton. $14.75 to $34.75, 3 PM and 6:30 PM.

MUSIC Platinum-selling R&B quartet Xscape is known for its 1990s hits—“Just Kickin’ It,” “Understanding,” and “Who Can I Run To”—but has been on-and-off hiatus since its final album, 1998’s Traces Of My Lipstick. The group will perform at CapitalOne Arena with a solid lineup of other R&B artists: Monica, Tamar Braxton, Zonnique, and June’s Diary. $48, 7 PM.