Fairs, fests, and parties. Enjoy art, culture, games, and performances at the 17th Annual H Street Festival (Sat, free, H Street). You can also head to the AfriCaribbean Culture Street Fair (Sun, free, Mount Rainier), get some good reads at the Books and Blocks Party (Sat, free, Benning), enjoy vendors and a dog show at the Celebrate Petworth Community Festival (Sun, free, Petworth), head to the Annual Downtown Hyattsville Arts and Ales Festival (Sat, free, Hyattsville), listen to the sounds of the Community Choral Festival (Sun, $10+, Vienna), or stop by the Festival Hispano Georgetown (Sun, free, Georgetown).
- Fall Festivals. Start fall early with the 8th Annual Oktoberfest Festival at Wunder Garden (Starting Fri, free, Noma), Oktoberfest at The Boro (Sat, free, Tysons), Hoptoberfest (Sat, $2, Vienna), the Orange Festival (Sat, free, Bowie), the Oktoberfest Kickoff at Shipgarten (Sat, free, McLean), or a Fall Season Kick Off Party (Sat, free, Ivy City)
- Fun food events. Head to a brunch launch (Sun, West End) or enjoy Negroni week at Red Hen and All-Purpose (Mon-Sun, multiple DC locations).
Take care of your body. Make it a mindful weekend by attending the Health & Wellness Expo (Sat, free but registration required, Alexandria) or the Self-Care Awareness 5k Walk/Run (Sat, free but registration required, Alexandria).
- Break a sweat. Take a kickboxing class in Yard Park (Sun, free but registration required, Navy Yard), find your zen at Sunrise Yoga (Thurs, free but registration required, Navy Yard), experience an open studio with the artists-in-residence at WPA (Sun, free but registration required, U St. Corridor), head to yoga on the Great Lawn (Sat, free, Cathedral Heights), or bust a move at “Takeoff to Takeover” pop-up dance workshop (Sun, $30+, Franconia).
Give back. Make the Earth a little cleaner at the National Harbor River Cleanup (Sat, free, Oxon Hill) or the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup DC (Sat, free, Langston). You can also hear from groups helping the refugee population at the Welcoming Refugees Community Service Fair (Sat, free but registration required, Bethesda), or learn about the interactions between humans and plants at the 2022 Plant Humanities Conference (Thurs-Sat, free, Georgetown).
Shopping day. Get in some retail therapy this weekend at the Soul of the City Farmers Market (Sat, free, Congress Heights), The Black Market (Sat, free, University Heights), the REWILD Virginia Bazaar (Sat-Sun, free, Ballston), a Rent the Runway Georgetown pop-up (opening Fri, Georgetown), or the Colonial Market and Fair (Sat-Sun, $0+, Mount Vernon).
A day at the museum. Hear from Phoenix chef Silvana Salcido Esparza at Cooking Up History at the National Museum of American History (Sat, free but registration required, National Mall), get into museums for free at Smithsonian Magazine’s 18th Annual Museum Day (Sat, free, multiple museums participating), learn about Herring Hill and Georgetown’s African American community (Sat, free with admission, Georgetown), or check out the new Called to Create: Black Artists of the American South exhibit (opening Sun, free, National Mall).
All about art. Head to a Luke Adams Glass Art Signing (Sat, free, Mount Vernon), improve your artsy skills and knowledge at a Play With Prints workshop (Sat, $0+, Dupont Circle), attend an Art Chat at NMWA (Fri, free but registration required, virtual), enjoy the Chimera Art Show (Sat, free, Alexandria), browse the Alexandria Old Town Art Festival (Sat-Sun, free, Alexandria), or make a masterpiece at Paint & Sip in the Garden (Sun, free, Brentwood).
See a show. Head to a performance from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Thurs, free but registration required, Rockville), enjoy music and festivities at the U.S. Air Force 75th Anniversary Tattoo (Thurs, free but registration required, Southwest Waterfront), see a free stand-up comedy show (Thurs-Sat, free, Adams Morgan), enjoy or perform at a Ladies Night Poetry Slam (Sat, free, Hyattsville), or jam out at National Landing Unplugged (Sun, free, Arlington).
Watch a movie. Movies this week include Spiderman No Way Home (Fri, free, Arlington), the premiere of The Woman King (Sat, $15, Brandywine), and Respect (Sat, free, Takoma).
