There’s still time left to check the boxes on your summer to-do list, even as we bid frosé farewell and welcome pumpkin spice season. The long Labor Day weekend offers ample opportunity to get outside and enjoy the end of a socially-distanced summer. Fear not if you can’t fit it all into this weekend: Fall doesn’t actually start until September 22.
Virtually rock out
Ne-Yo is headlining the USO’s virtual Labor Day weekend celebration on Saturday, September 5, which concludes its summer music series. Hear music from the R&B star and folk band The War and Treaty on Saturday, and catch a barbecue-themed cooking event on Friday with pitmaster Myron Mixon.
Crack crabs
Wield a mallet at an al fresco seafood shack, with crab-feast options in DC or a short drive away. Or, let the chefs do (most of) the work with curated grill kits and picnic spreads.
Take a hike
If you’re looking for a nature walk or a good hike, we have recommendations on where you can find great walks by the water and suggestions on where to go for a more intense hike around the region.
Cruise on the river
With almost 400 miles to explore, the Potomac River offers a wide range of activities. Seafarers can catch a ride on a powerboat or paddle a kayak, and the river’s lush fishing areas are home to catfish and trout.
Catch a live show
A group of musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra are performing a free socially-distant show at the Kennedy Center on Sunday, September 6. The performance will be live streamed at Park Up DC, the pop-up drive-in event space on RFK Stadium’s campus. (Up to 350 cars can attend the 7 PM show).
Hit the outdoor gym
Start Labor Day with a $20 workout lead by F45 Training Tysons on Monday, September 7. The full-body class is taking place at the George C. Marshall High School track for a fresh-air fitness session.
Watch a drive-in film
Parking lots have converted into outdoor theaters during the pandemic, and urban buildings are taking the place of big screens. Bonus: The open-sky setting means celebrities aren’t the only stars you’ll catch on movie night.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
Rosa is a senior editor at Bitch Magazine. She’s written for Washingtonian and Smithsonian magazine.
