Best Things to Do in the DC Area 5/9-5/15: Food Festivals, European Union Open House, and Outdoor Movies

So. Much. Going. On.

Hello Neighbor, 

There’s over 50 events in this newsletter–please enjoy! 

So, What Should You Do May 9-15?

For your convenience, this newsletter includes emojis to help you during these unprecedented times: 

• The 🛋 indicates an event is happening in-person inside.
• The 🌲 indicates an event is happening in-person outside. 
• The 💻 indicates an event is happening virtually. 
• And lastly, the 🆓 indicates an event is free.

Top 7 Picks of the Week

1. More embassies to visit! 🇪🇺 Like last weekend, this weekend you can visit embassies—this time as part of the European Union Open House (Sat, 🆓, 🛋, various locations).
2. Fun in Georgetown. 📕🍫 Explore precious prints and uncommon finds at the Georgetown Rare Book Fair (Fri, $50 for preview, 🛋, Georgetown)—and take note of a preview that includes an evening of cocktails and canapés! Go adult trick-or-treating at the Georgetown Sweets Tour (Sat, $50, 🛋, Georgetown), which allows you to visit 12 local boutiques to collect a variety of treats.
3. Food and drink festivals. 🥘🍷🍻 Taste some of the best restaurants in the area at the Taste of the Nation by No Kid Hungry (Sun, $95+, 🌲, Downtown). Support Black- and Hispanic-owned restaurants in the area at the Food for Thought Festival (Tues, $65+, 🌲, Hill Center). Head to Mount Vernon for their Spring Wine Festival & Sunset Tour (Fri-Sun, $53+, Alexandria). Explore the new Metropolitan Beer Trail, which connects seven bars across the District—and once you finish, head to DC Brau, which will have live music (Sun, $, 🌲, Woodridge) this Sunday. 
4. Jewish American Heritage Month. 🕍 Celebrate 18 years of Shabbat services with Sixth & I (Fri, 🆓, 🛋, Chinatown). The JxJ festival (begins Thu, $30+, 🛋, 16th St.) showcases Jewish films, music, dance, and arts. Some programs  that may interest you include environmental film Dead Sea Guardians, a musical piece on “The Afro-Semitic Experience,” or drama film Rose. It’s also the last chance this week to catch the exhibit “Seen/Unseen: Linda Stein and Mil Lubroth” (closes Sat, 🆓, 🛋, Waterfront) at Culture House. 
5. After-hour museum fun. 👗🎨 Head to the FUTURES exhibit for an Into the Future of Fashion event (Thurs, 🆓, 🛋/🌲, National Mall), which includes a fashion show, interactive talks, and performances. The Renwick Gallery will be reopening this week with an opening party (Fri, $125, 🛋, Downtown). The Museum of the Palestinian People will hosting an opening reception for their new exhibit, “Dreams Rising: Palestinian Children in Gaza Imagine a Future Beyond Trauma” (Sat, $, 🛋, Dupont Circle). National Gallery Nights is sold out, but make sure to set a reminder for May 13 at noon to reserve tickets for next week’s Jazz in the Gardens. 
6. Neighborhood festivals. 🐝📘🖼 The Columbia literary festival (Sun, 🆓, 🌲, Columbia) returns featuring panel discussions, poetry walls, pop-up bookstores, and more. Be inspired at the 2nd annual Old Town Springtime Art Festival (Sat-Sun, 🆓, 🌲, Alexandria). The DC State Fair will be hosting a Spring Mini-Fair (Sun, free, 🌲, Brookland) including a kids dance-off, information on urban beekeeping, and a mambo sauce demo. Head to Rockville for a Soulfull Springfest (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, Rockville) including the reopening of The Soulfull Cafe, Zumba, and local artwork.
7. Grab your dancing shoes. 💃 The DC Tango Festival starts this week with a CD release concert at the Embassy of Argentina. The festival has events until June 17 (starts Fri, $, 🛋/🌲, various locations). Bring your dancing shoes to the plaza for salsa (Tues, 🆓, 🌲, Columbia Heights). 

 Everything Else This Week

• So many markets which may get rained out. 🛍 Enjoy the Spring Makers Market (Sun, donation, 🌲, Georgetown) at Dumbarton House, the rescheduled Van Ness Main Street pop-up market (Sat, $, 🌲, Van Ness), and plant swap local vendor pop-up (Sat, 🆓, 🛋, Lamond Riggs).
• 1,000 bell tolls. 🔔 The Washington National Cathedral will toll the Bourdon bell 1,000 times. Each bell toll represents 1,000 American COVID-19 deaths. The grounds will be open for visitors (Mon, 🆓, 🌲, National Cathedral). 
• For those with little ones. 🧸 Sing-along to Moana (Thurs, 🆓, 🛋, Congress Heights). Jump in a bounce house, get your face painted, and play games at the Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church’s Community Day (Sat, 🆓, 🛋, Tenleytown). Bring your family to Pachamama Day (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, NoMa) with eco-friendly workshops for all ages, cultural performances, and a community cleanup. The Kreeger Museum is hosting a paddle doll making workshop (Sat, $25, 🛋, Berkely). 
• Fishing in the District! 🎣 There will be a fishing clinic all Saturday with bait, equipment, and tackle provided. Participants are required to sign a waiver and get a fishing license (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, Navy Yard). 
• Unique films. 🎞 The DC Library and 1882 Foundation will be co-hosting a film about Asian American photographer Corky Lee (Tues, 🆓, 🛋, Downtown). Lapis will be hosting a fundraiser for Afghan refugees with a showing of Flee (Sun, $55, 🛋, Adams Morgan).  Eaton Hotel will be hosting a screening and Q&A about Vincent Chin (Wed, 🆓, 🛋, Downtown). In terms of outdoor films, you have an opportunity to watch Space Jam (Fri, 🆓 if sitting/$20 for car drive-in, 🌲, NoMa) and Mrs. Doubtfire (Wed, 🆓, 🌲, NoMa). 
• A communal blessing ceremony. Join Buddhist monks in a blessing ceremony (Sat, 🆓, 🌲, National Mall) of the new Asian Art Museum exhibit’s “Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain.” Related, the museum will be hosting an informal Q&A with film director praCh Ly (Sat, 🆓, 🛋, National Mall) about his work documenting the religious traditions of Cambodian Americans.  
• LGBTQ+ section. 🌈 Watch a Halloween-inspired drag show (Fri, 🆓, 🛋, NoMa) or play along at Queer Trivia Night (Wed, 🆓, 🛋, Brookland). 
• Celebrating women. 💗 Attend a concert of Molly Burch (Fri, $23, 🛋, Union Market). Raise money for Ukrainian women at Femme Fest (Sat, $20+, 🌲, Edgewood). Watch the Washington National Opera’s Carmen (starts Sat, $25+, 🛋, Kennedy Center). 
• Gala roundup. 💎 SOME’s Young Professionals Network will be hosting their Spring Fling Gala (Sat, $120+, 🛋, Downtown). The Washington National Opera Gala (Sat, $1000, 🛋, Kennedy Center) will accompany the opening of Carmen. 
• National Police Week. 🚔 Participate in a National Police Week 5K (Sat, $30+, 🌲, Arlington). Stop by a vintage police car display (Fri, 🆓, 🌲, National Zoo). 
• Concerned about privacy? 💻 This talk about how personal data is bought and sold may interest you (Sun, 🆓, 💻). Discover how spy gadgets hide hidden daggers or cameras (Wed, 🆓, 💻). 
• For the politicos. 🏛 There’s a talk on how the pandemic has affected cities (Mon, $13, 🛋, Dupont Circle) as well as the changing landscape of democracy (Wed, 🆓, 🛋, Downtown).
• A hodgepodge of fun. 🧩 Enjoy a talk about rapper Biggie (Tues, 🆓, 🛋, Anacostia) or about design and Swiss Maps (Sat, 🆓, 🛋, Adams Morgan). Watch a rescheduled chihuahua race (Sun, 🆓, 🌲, The Wharf). Make a desert terrarium at the Reach (Fri, $50, 🛋, Kennedy Center). 

Your Neighbor,

Jade (@clockoutdc)

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Jade Womack

Jade Womack is an energy economist by day, and an events blogger by night. She started her blog, Clockout DC, when she was moonlighting as a bartender in 2019. She grew up in Arlington, and currently lives in Adams Morgan with her dog.