Sections
  • Home & Style
  • Editors’ Picks
  • Events Calendar
  • Food
  • Health
  • News & Politics
  • Longreads
  • Our Events
  • Parenting
  • Real Estate
  • Shopping
  • Things to Do
  • Travel
  • Weddings
Reader Favorites
  • 100 Best Restaurants
  • Takeout Guide
  • Quiz
  • Neighborhoods
  • Newsletters
  • Directories
Washington’s Best
  • Apartment Rentals
  • DC Travel Guide
  • Dentists
  • Doctors
  • Financial Advisers
  • Health Experts
  • Home Improvement Experts
  • Industry Leaders
  • Lawyers
  • Mortgage Professionals
  • Pet Care
  • Private Schools
  • Real Estate Agents
  • Restaurants
  • Retirement Communities
  • Wedding Vendors
More
  • Subscribe
  • Manage My Subscription
  • Digital Edition
  • Shop
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
© 2021 Washingtonian Media Inc.
Privacy Policy
All Rights Reserved
 Rss
Skip to content
Washingtonian.com
  • Search
  • Subscribe
  • Menu
  • News & Politics
  • Things to Do
  • Food
  • Health
  • Shopping
  • Home & Style
  • Real Estate
  • Weddings
  • Travel

  • 100 Best Restaurants
  • Takeout Guide
  • Quiz
  • Neighborhoods
  • Newsletters
  • Directories
  • Trending Now in Things to Do
  • posters
  • Television
  • Great Getaways
  • Day Trips
  • After Hours
Things to Do

12 Things to Do Around DC That We’re Most Excited About This Fall

Written by Rosa Cartagena
| Published on September 4, 2019
Tweet Share
Tyler, the Creator will perform at Merriweather Post Pavilion on September 21. Photograph by Chad Batka/New York Times/Redux.

August Wilson Festival

Arena Stage, September 13–May 3

Arena will host a season-long festival celebrating Pulitzer-winning playwright August Wilson, putting on two of his classic works, Jitney (September 13 through October 20) and Seven Guitars (April 3 through May 3). Panels will discuss Wilson’s legacy, including set design (September 16), playwriting (September 28), and his female characters (April 25). Jitney, $41 to $95; Seven Guitars, $56 to $95; panels free.

“Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence”

National Gallery of Art, September 15–January 12

The 15th-century Florentine Renaissance master sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio is getting global star treatment in this exhibit, which makes its sole US stop at the National Gallery. The show marks 500 years since Verrocchio’s student Leonardo da Vinci died, and it includes works on which the master and the pupil collaborated. Free.

Maggie Rogers performs at Coachella 2019. Photograph by Rich Fury/Getty.
Maggie Rogers at Coachella 2019. See the Eastern Shore native perform at the Anthem in October. Photograph by Rich Fury/Getty.

Tyler, the Creator; Jaden Smith; and GoldLink

Merriweather Post Pavilion, September 21

In Igor, the latest album from Tyler, the Creator, we follow the psychedelic-rap-and-harmony-laden arc of an emotional breakup from the frustrating start to a compromising, I-wish-you-the-best end. In this outdoor show, he’ll highlight his new collaboration with Jaden Smith—yes, Will and Jada’s son—and share the stage with local rapper GoldLink. $29.50 to $69.50.

Maggie Rogers

The Anthem, October 7–8

An Eastern Shore native, indie/country crooner Maggie Rogers got famous three years ago when a video of Pharell reacting to one of her songs went viral. Although her 2019 debut album, Heard It in a Past Life, received mixed reviews, she’s a powerhouse performer: passionately compelling, belting ballads with her whole body—sometimes even barefoot. $45 to $75.

Photograph courtesy of Getty for Refinery29’s 29Rooms.
Photograph courtesy of Getty for Refinery29’s 29Rooms.

29Rooms

DC Armory, October 18–27

Started by the team behind Refinery29 in 2015, this made-for-Insta­gram pop-up installation features 29 immersive, interactive rooms designed by national and local artists. Alexandria-raised singer Kali Uchis is collaborating to create a room entirely dedicated to dreams. Other experiences include a magical crystal cave, mini art classes, a dance party, and palm reading. $34 to $49.

“Women Artists of the Dutch Golden Age”

National Museum of Women in the Arts, October 11–January 5

Leave Rembrandt and Vermeer in your art-history books and instead learn about those of­-ten overlooked from the Dutch Golden Age: women. Swap the well-known “Girl With a Pearl Earring” for works such as the gorgeously creepy insect paintings of Maria Sibylla Merian, whose illustrated books contributed to research in bot­any and zoology. Each artist was a trailblazer in her own right during the 17th and 18th centuries, whether in still lifes, joyous portraits, or detailed florals. $10.

Sleater-Kinney

The Anthem, October 25

The rock band from Washington state, cofounded by Portlandia actor and co­median Carrie Brownstein, is back on tour. The phenomenally eccentric Annie Clark—a.k.a. St. Vincent—produced their latest album, The Center Won’t Hold, but just before its release this summer, drummer Janet Weiss left the group abruptly. While Weiss’s replacement hadn’t been announced by press time, the show is still on—and it will be interesting to see how the group handles losing their longtime member. $37.50 to $62.50.

Sleater-Kinney will perform at the Anthem on October 25. Photograph by Anthony Pidgeon.
Sleater-Kinney will perform at the Anthem on October 25. Photograph by Anthony Pidgeon.

What to Send Up When It Goes Down

Woolly Mammoth Theatre, October 30–November 10

Aleshea Harris will bring her wrenching play/interactive healing ritual about police violence, racism, and anti-blackness to Woolly and other local venues including Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Howard University, and THEARC. “The idea was to hold people accountable, be confrontational, let it be messy, let it be angry,” said Harris earlier this year in an interview with Branden Jacob-Jenkins. In this participatory and provocative work, Harris asks—and answers, in part—how a community can heal. $29.

Opening of the New National Children’s Museum

National Children’s Museum (located in the Ronald Reagan Building), November 1

A 50-foot slide, a slime wheel, and a SpongeBob room make up some of the National Children’s Museum’s new offerings for kids. After a four-year hiatus, the storied museum is reopening in the Ronald Reagan Building as a fun science center, combining the playful (the bubble room that older Washingtonians loved is coming back) and the intellectual (there’s now a Data Science Alley). $10.95.

Marcel Duchamp's“Boîte-en-valise.” Photograph courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum.
Marcel Duchamp’s“Boîte-en-valise.” Photograph courtesy of Hirshhorn Museum.

Death Becomes Us: A True Crime Festival

Lisner Auditorium, November 8–10

True-crime obsessives: Put down your headphones and hear in person from the podcasters of gruesome stories. Now in its second year, this festival will include the people behind The Murder Squad, BuzzFeed Unsolved, and more. Amanda Knox—whom you might remember as the American acquitted of murdering her roommate in Italy—is bringing her podcast, The Truth About True Crime, which explores how sensationalism has affected high-profile cases, such as the Jonestown massacre. Individual event prices start at $25.

“Marcel Duchamp: The Barbara and Aaron Levine Collection”

Hirshhorn Museum, November 9–October 12

Last year, local art enthusiasts Barbara and Aaron Levine decided to donate their significant collection of works by French-born avant-garde conceptual painter and sculptor Marcel Duchamp—which covered many walls in their Kal­o­rama home—to the Hirshhorn. Some 50 pieces will be on display in two exhibitions (the second one opens April 18), including the mustachioed Mona Lisa of “L.H.O.O.Q.” and other “ready-made” sculptures such as “Hat Rack.” Free.

National Symphony Orchestra: Noseda Conducts Tristan and Isolde Act II With Gould and Goerke

Kennedy Center, November 13–15

As head of the NSO, Gianandrea Noseda rarely gets to con­duct operas in DC, despite his internationally renowned talent for the form. See the maestro in his element as he skillfully interprets Richard Wagner’s classic Tristan and Isolde love tragedy, with Stephen Gould and Christine Goerke as the star-crossed pair. $15 to $89.

Gianandrea Noseda will conduct <em>Tristan and Isolde</em> Act II at the Kennedy Center in November. Photograph by Scott Suchman.
Gianandrea Noseda will conduct Tristan and Isolde Act II at the Kennedy Center in November. Photograph by Scott Suchman

This article appears in the September 2019 issue of Washingtonian.

Don’t Miss Another Washingtonian Event—Get Our Newsletter

Don’t miss another great party.

Or, see all of our newsletters. By signing up, you agree to our terms.
More: Arena StageDeath Becomes Us: A True Crime Festivalgianandrea nosedaGoldLinkHirshhorn MuseumKennedy CenterLisner AuditoriumMaggie RogersNational Children's MuseumNational Gallery of ArtNational Museum of Women in the ArtsThe AnthemWoolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Join the conversation!
Share Tweet
Rosa Cartagena
Web Producer/Writer

Rosa joined Washingtonian in 2016 after graduating from Mount Holyoke College. She covers arts and culture for the magazine. She’s written about anti-racism efforts at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, dinosaurs in the revamped fossil hall at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum, and the horrors of taking a digital detox. When she can, she performs with her family’s Puerto Rican folkloric music ensemble based in Jersey City. She lives in Adams Morgan.

Most Popular in Things to Do

1

These Excellent Covid-19 Posters Are Both Beautiful and Beneficial

2

Junkyard Empire Brings a Maryland Family’s Auto Business Back to TV

3

9 Great Picnic Spots in the DC Area

4

The Great Washington Bucket List: 50 Things Every Local Needs to Do

5

6 Great Swimming Holes Near Washington, DC

Washingtonian Magazine

February 2021: Great Neighborhood Restaurants

February 2021: Great Neighborhood Restaurants

View Issue
Subscribe

Get Us on Social

We'll help you live your best #DCLIFE every day

Get Us on Social

We'll help you live your best #DCLIFE every day

Related

The National Gallery of Art Will Reopen Its Sculpture Garden on Valentine’s Day

Trump’s New Kennedy Center Board Appointee Paolo Zampolli Has Some Ideas: Picasso Exhibits, Soccer Stars, Franchise Deals

Your Festive Guide to Holiday Markets Around DC

This New Painting at the National Gallery of Art May Soothe Your Miserable Soul

More from Things to Do

New Theater, Jazz, and a Beer-and-Pizza Fest: Things to Do in DC, February 25-28

It’s Finally Nice in DC. Here Are Some Things to Do Outside.

Coral Sex, George Washington’s Birthday Party, and a Ta-Nehisi Coates Talk: Things to Do in DC, February 22-24

Some Good News on a Gloomy Day: Fauci Thinks You’ll Be Able to Go to a Nats Game This Summer

Cook with a Chef, the Real History of Bridgerton, and a Talk with Ethan Hawke: Things to Do in DC, February 18-21

Climate Solutions, New Art, and Space Exploration: Things to Do in DC, February 16-17

Valentine’s Day, Cooking Workshops, and the Lunar New Year: Things to Do in DC, February 11-15

Glenstone Will Reopen Its Grounds on March 4

© 2021 Washingtonian Media Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Washingtonian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Privacy Policy and Opt-Out
 Rss
Get the best news, delivered weekly.
By signing up, you agree to our terms.
  • Subscribe
  • Manage My Subscription
  • Digital Edition
  • Shop
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs