THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
FILM The DC Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition will screen over 130 films from 30 countries. The schedule features screenings and events at the E Street Theatre and Miracle Theatre, grouped by showcase. There will also be several “special interest” showcases organizing the films by category, including LGBTQ, local filmmakers, women directors (with a record 40 directors), and by genre, such as documentary, horror, or musical. Through September 16. $15 for a single session, $125 for an all-festival pass, or $30 for online access (ends 9/16).
THEATRE The GALA Hispanic Theatre presents the US premiere play Como agua para chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate), based on the novel by Laura Esquivel. Performed in Spanish with English surtitles, the romance follows a woman who throws her passion into cooking when she is forbidden to marry her beloved. The September 23 performance will feature a post-discussion with cookbook author Chef Pati Jinich, host of PBS’s Pati’s Mexican Table. Through October 7. $48.
THEATRE Arena Stage’s new comedy, Turn Me Loose, chronicles the career of Dick Gregory. Known for his political activism as much as his stand-up comedy, Gregory regularly attacked bigotry and racism on stage, with comments as relevant today as they were in his prime. Through October 14. $41-$105.
EMBASSY Brazil celebrates its 1822 Declaration of Independence on September 7th and the Brazilian Embassy is sponsoring several events, including a seminar on Amazonian culture and literature with experts Sylvia Guimarães, of the Vaga Lume NGO, and Professors Bryan McCann and Narlan Teixeira. Later on Thursday, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage will host dancers from Parintins and Manacapuru featuring rhythms and costumes from the Amazon region. Seminar: Free, 3 PM. Dance: Free, 6 PM.
FILM The National Museum of American History is hosting a Totally 80s Film Festival for the rest of September. Reminisce with decade classics The Karate Kid, The Princess Bride, Terminator, and The Breakfast Club. If you’re a true material girl (or boy), dress in costume on September 28th for a Totally 80s Prom night. Through September 30. $15 (single ticket), $20 (double feature), $30 (triple feature), or $99 (entire festival package).
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
BASKETBALL The Mystics have made the WNBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, setting up owner Ted Leonsis for a possible 2018 championship trifecta with the Caps and the Valor already clinching their respective titles this summer. The Mystics will head to Seattle and play two games against the Storm on Friday and Sunday; the best-of-five series will return to DC next Wednesday for Game 3 at EagleBank Arena. Game 1: Friday, 9 PM (ESPNews). Game 2: Sunday, 3:30 PM (ABC).
BOOKS The popular Instagram account @ByeFelipe calls out men who can’t accept rejection on dating sites. The woman behind it, Alexandra Tweten, has captured many of these hostile responses in her new book, Bye Felipe: Disses, Dick Pics, and Other Delights of Modern Dating. Tweten will be at Solid State Books to lead a workshop on online dating safety and ways to mitigate online harassment. Free, 7 PM.
WINE Taste over 50 wines on French soil at La Maison Française at The French Embassy. In addition to all the vino, the Embassy’s Executive Chef will lead culinary demonstrations, and a sommelier will wander the floor to answer questions about varieties and vintages of wines. There will also be an artists’ market and live music. Through September 8. $59 for one of three possible sessions: 6-9 PM (9/7), 1-4 PM (9/8), or 6-9 PM (9/8).
POKER The Junkies’ Poker Open takes place this weekend at the MGM National Harbor. Play poker all day—or at least, until you’re eliminated from the tournament. Last year’s event featured a Maryland state record for largest live-seated poker tournament with 656 players, making the prize pool over $150,000. In addition to all-day poker action, the Junkies, Grant & Danny, and Chad Dukes will all broadcast live on WJFK 106.7 The Fan on Friday. Registration begins Thursday, September 6 at 6 PM. Tournament begins on September 7 at 11 AM. $300 (cash) buy-in. 21+ only.
ART Pyramid Atlantic is hosting a new exhibit of DC artist Sheila Crider’s artwork, “Whitewashing,” which uses abstraction and repetitive imagery to explore the country’s relationship with people of color. All pieces in the exhibit were produced in 2018. Through October 13. Opening Reception: 6-9 PM on 9/7.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
CONVENTION Nerd out at the fourth annual WashingCon tabletop gaming convention this weekend at the Georgetown Hotel & Convention Center. Play tabletop games such as Dungeons & Dragons or anything from the convention’s library of 500+ titles—or check out demos and test runs of not-yet-released games. The con will feature a new event this year called Tiny Dungeon, a first-come-first-served quest for a group of four mini adventurers through a dungeon made from Northern European Modular Snap Together Plastic Bricks. Through September 9. $65 (weekend badge) or $37.50 (Sunday only). Tiny Dungeon event: $5.
FOOD The Nationals will celebrate international cuisine with the third annual Taste of the World International Food Festival at Nationals Park. With a special ticket (that includes admission to the Nats’ game against the Chicago Cubs), fans can taste food and beverage samples from participating embassies, including South Korea, Qatar, Ireland, Guatemala, and Romania. $35-$80. Festival: 4:30 PM. Game: 7:05 PM.
MUSIC The annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest takes over Gateway Park with jazz and world music performances by Grammy award-winners Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles and Cuban performers Orquesta Akokán. Free, 1-7 PM.
FESTIVAL Enjoy the festival Celebrate Petworth on Saturday afternoon on the 800 block of Upshur Street NW. There will be vendors of handmade goods and farming/gardening items (produce, gardening supplies, etc) and a section for family-friendly entertainment such as puppet theater and story time. Free, 11 AM – 5 PM.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
FESTIVAL Adams Morgan Day is celebrating its 40th year, making it the longest-running DC neighborhood festival. Enjoy live music and dance as well as vendors selling handmade wares all along 18th Street NW. Belmont St NW will host an interactive exhibition with Adams Morgan historical photographs. In addition, local businesses will have neighborhood deals. Free, noon to 6 PM.
MUSEUMS French landscape painter Camille Corot is known for bridging French neoclassicism with impressionism. The National Gallery of Art delves into his lesser-known portraiture in the new exhibit “Corot: Women,” which showcases 45 paintings from the mid-1830s to the early 1870s, grouped by subject (costumed individuals, nudes, and allegorical studio scenes). These works would influence later artists such as Paul Cézanne and Pablo Picasso. Through December 31. Free.
