Hey, y’all!
We’ve got dinner and a drag show, a spooky book swap, and more live performances.
Move your body! It’s almost the weekend!!
Here’s what you should check out this weekend:
Soulful movements: Don’t miss Step Afrika!’s return to live performance at the Kennedy Center. Over the course of the next few days, Step Afrika! will showcase their routines that fuse traditional West African moves with modern steps and melodies. You can move and groove with the group as they teach participants stepping, Dancehall/Afrobeat, and West African dances. Thursday 8/12 through Saturday 8/14; Free, register here.
Underwater wonderland: If you want a taste of the ocean without driving more than an hour to the beach, come to the Sea Glass exhibition at Amy Kaslow Gallery. Painter Lisa Tubach and glass blower John Geci have joined forces to create mesmerizing works of art inspired by the underwater world and the sea life that inhabit it. Thursday 8/12 at 6 PM; Free, register here.
Spooky, scary vibes: Death Becomes Us Festival and Recommend If You Like magazine is hosting a true crime and horror book swap for those who want a spooky way to spend Friday the 13th. You can give a book and take a book, just give, or just take. However, it’s important that you RSVP, so they can be sure to have enough books for everyone. It would be a nightmare if they ran out! Friday 8/13 at 4 PM; Free, register here.
We’re getting the band back together: DC-based power-soul band Congregation is making a comeback after 18 years of not performing together. The former DC festival favorite will be performing their old hits, which blends jazz and rock with funk and hip-hop. However, this reunion is happening for one night only, so head to Union Stage to relive your late ‘90s and early 2000s memories. Friday 8/13 at 8 PM; $15, buy tickets here.
A timeless performance: Perisphere Theater in Silver Spring is kicking off it’s “post-pandemic” reopening with a DC-area premiere of award-winning television writer and playwright R. Eric Thomas’ Time Is On Our Side. The award-winning play tells the story of two friends who host an unpopular podcast and experience turmoil in their friendship when one of them discovers that they have a buried familial connection to the early LGBT rights movement. Their podcast takes an interesting turn as the duo explores the ways in which we view the past. You can purchase tickets for $32, but discounted prices are available for senior citizens, students, and frontline pandemic workers. Friday 8/13 through Saturday 8/28; Buy tickets here.
Dinner and a drag show: If you’re tired of the same old quarantine dinners at home, then spice up your meal with a drag show. American comfort food restaurant Crazy Aunt Helen’s is kicking off their first live performance this weekend with four drag shows from drag legend Sherry Vine. If you already have dinner plans, you can attend a late show instead. Friday 8/13 and Saturday 8/14, times vary; Tickets start at $10, make a reservation here.
Shop ‘til you drop: Need some retail therapy to relieve your stress from the work week? Well, head on over to Alexandria for their annual Summer Sidewalk Sale. You can buy discounted goodies from more than 70 local boutiques and jam out to jazz and soul tunes from local artists. Saturday 8/14 and Sunday 8/15; find out more here.
That’s all for this week! See you on Monday for more cool things to do around DC. Don’t forget to drop me a line at dbaker@washingtonian.com to tell me what you’re up to!
Byeeeeeee!
Before becoming Research Editor, Damare Baker was an Editorial Fellow and Assistant Editor for Washingtonian. She has previously written for Voice of America and The Hill. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied international relations, Korean, and journalism.
