Happy end of the week, y’all!
We’ve got a puppet festival, new art, and Awesome Con.
I’m counting down the seconds until the weekend, y’all!
Here’s what you should check out this weekend:
Go-go activism: The Kennedy Center is hosting Don’t Mute D.C. for a weekend filled with performances by local go-go bands and go-go inspired fitness classes. There will also be a screening of 1988 Spike Lee dramedy School Daze, which turned local go-go band E.U.’s “Da Butt” into a national hit. If you can’t make it to the in-person festivities, the performances will be livestreamed. Thursday 8/19 through Saturday 8/21; Free, register here.
Hangin’ by a thread: Try something new this weekend and check out the National Capital Puppetry Festival. Learn the art of puppetry through workshops, puppet slams, and a virtual field trip to Baltimore’s Black Cherry Puppet Theater. Thursday 8/19 through Sunday 8/22; $25 non-membership all-access pass, buy tickets here.
A nerd’s dream: Live out your nerdy fantasies at Awesome Con this weekend. You can enjoy LGBTQ-focused and science programming, as well as a star-studded lineup with actors from Star Trek and Power Rangers. Friday 8/20 through Sunday 8/22; $45 and up, buy tickets here.
Get drafty: Take a short road trip this weekend and head to Baltimore for the Inaugural Arts & Drafts Summer Music & Arts Festival. There will be over 50 local artists displaying and selling their work, as well as a petting zoo and glass blowing demonstration. The Guinness Open Gate Brewery will also be debuting two special beers for the festival, Harmonic Haze and ArtBeat, during the $20 Kickoff Concert. Friday 8/20 through Sunday 8/22; Free, find out more here.
For the culture: “Blood Memories: Celestial Reflections of Our Ancestors” is a new art exhibition at the Anacostia Arts Center that commemorates and reflects on the African traditions that have been passed on to Black Americans. A collaboration between interdisciplinary artist Rashad Ali Muhammad and digital artist Dominiqua Eldridge, the artwork seeks to remember and celebrate the strength and resilience of the African diaspora and their ancestors. Saturday 8/21 at 6:30 PM; Free, register here.
A rare performance: Tune into the U.S. Air Force Band’s live performance at Lincoln Memorial. In this rare performance, the active-duty musicians will be putting a new spin on patriotic and traditional pop classics. Saturday 8/21 at 8 PM; Free, watch it on Facebook Live here.
That’s all for this week! See you next week 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!
Jumping into the weekend like…
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.
