Outdoor Movie Night, a New Art Exhibit, and Exploring Venus: Things to Do in DC, June 28-30

Hey everyone!

We’ve got a space lecture, new art, and a Star Wars screening.

Try to stay cool in this heat wave.

Here’s what you should check out this week:

For the drama: Brandon Taylor’s new book, Filthy Animals, is a collection of short stories that follow the intersecting relationships within a group of young artists in the Midwest as they struggle with mental health and sexuality. In this virtual book talk from Politics and Prose, the author will speak with New Yorker staff writer Vinson Cunningham. Monday 6/28 at 8 PM; Free, register here.

Football fans: Not that kind. Wunder Garten is hosting a European Cup Championship watch party for the England-Germany soccer match in collaboration with the British and German Embassies and DC Scores. There will be food trucks, raffle prizes, and a chance to win tickets to a DC United game in the future. Tuesday 6/29 at noon; Free to attend, find out more here.

Move over, Mars: It’s Venus we want to talk about now. Called “Earth’s enigmatic ‘sister,’” the under-explored planet is at the center of a virtual lecture “Venus Rediscovered: An Astrobiological or Astrophysical Frontier?” from the Air and Space Museum. NASA scientist James B. Garvin will speak about the importance of studying Venus and why the agency has planned two new missions in the near future. Tuesday 6/29 at 8 PM; Free, register here.

Speaking of space: Head to the National Building Museum to see an outdoor screening of Solo: A Star Wars Story. The Hans Solo origin story will show with a live musical accompaniment from Shaolin Jazz and a set from DJ 2-Tone Jones. Tuesday 6/29 at 7:30 PM; Free, register here.

A different perspective: “No Ocean Between Us: Art of Asian Diasporas in Latin America & the Caribbean” is a new exhibit on trans-Pacific immigration at the Art Museum of the Americas downtown. Connected to the creators’ own identities and experiences, the artwork examines the links between, for example, Japan and Brazil, China and Jamaica, and Indonesia and Surname through diaspora communities. Opens Wednesday 6/30; Free, find out more here.

Just keep swimming: It’s going to be HOT this week, so stay hydrated and see if you might find a pool near you. DC’s public pools recently expanded their hours and if you’re heading that way, we have tips on what you should know before you go.

Hear something new: Tune into an online concert from Tibetan/Australian multi-instrumentalist and composer Tenzin Choegyal from the Library of Congress. A composer and activist, Choegyal will likely play his Dranyen (a traditional Tibetan string instrument) and share his contemporary fusion work, including his collaborations with Philip Glass and Laurie Anderson. Wednesday 6/30 at noon; Free, watch it on Facebook Live here.

Skate on by: For those of you who joined the roller skating craze during the pandemic, you’re in luck. Mosaic Skateland is a new roller disco skating rink opened in Fairfax over the weekend with Saturday Night Fever vibes. It’s open through September 12 so wheel yourself over there some time this summer. Find out more here.

What to watch: If you haven’t seen it already, do yourself a favor and watch Lil Nas X’s live performance of “Montero” at the BET Awards last night—it was literally fire and everyone’s talking about that memorable kiss.

Getting back out: 

Is this you?Are you back to making plans again? It’s a totally different feeling now, right? I’ve always been a person who enjoys social planning—I grew up in a party household with a big family, so the need to gather friends under one roof is strongly ingrained in my life. Or, it was. I definitely did my best over the last year-plus in hosting game nights to play Among Us or Uno on Houseparty, but it’s not the same as having everyone over for dinner. As we’re transitioning back to seeing people IRL, I find myself remembering how much I love the art of coordinating a good hang. Outside of those intimate kickbacks, I also went to my first formal event last week to celebrate my dad’s retirement. Multiple women (myself included) could not stop talking about how this was the first time we had worn heels and dressed up in 15 months, reveling in the novelty of seeing—and hugging—each other again. It felt nerve wracking just getting to the venue, but once there, it quickly felt so meaningful to be present with these loving, caring people who have all survived the pandemic challenges in our own ways. It was a beautiful moment of witnessing resilience, despite the losses we experienced, and understanding the value of the strength that we still have today moving into our post-pandemic future. What plans are you looking forward to and who are you excited to see this summer? Is there something you absolutely *must* do?

Thanks for reading! Tell me what you’re up to at home by dropping me a line at rcartagena@washingtonian.com.