Happy Monday, DC!
We know: It’s hot out there. But this week, there are lots of fun things to do—both indoors and out—in and around the city.
Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend
June 23–June 29
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- Open Streets Capitol Hill. Kids and adults can walk, run, bike, and play safely at the first Open Streets Capitol Hill this weekend. The neighborhood gathering has a full lineup of activities: belly dance exercise classes, go-go Zumba, concerts with local groups Side by Side Band and Too Much Talent, Pilates, yoga, and much more (Sat, free, Capitol Hill).
- The Savannah Bananas at Nationals Park. Professional baseball team The Savannah Bananas bring their viral traveling exhibition games to Nats Park this week. Prepare to be wowed by the team’s “Banana Ball” tricks, flips, and circus-like entertainment including a pitcher on stilts (Fri-Sat, $159+, Nationals Park).
- “Vivian Browne: My Kind of Protest” exhibit. African American artist, activist, and educator Vivian Browne is a pioneer for Black women in art. This weekend, The Phillips Collection opens the first comprehensive retrospective of her abstract work from her travels around the world, showcasing her signature colorful paintings, prints, and works on paper (Sat through September 28, Dupont Circle).
- “Class Action” exhibit at the DC History Center. Vintage classroom objects, photographs, and personal narratives recount the history of DC’s fight for fair education for Black students, dating from slavery into the Civil Rights Movement, in the new exhibition “Class Action: Education and Opportunity in the Nation’s Capital” at the DC History Center (opens Sat, free, Mount Vernon Square).
- Broadway in the Park. Signature Theatre and Wolf Trap come together for the fifth annual Broadway in the Park headlined by Lindsay Mendez (Merrily We Roll Along actor) and Jessie Mueller (lead performer in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical). Visitors can enjoy the performance at the open-air Filene Center amphitheater (Sat, $45+, Vienna).
Want More Things to Do?
Arts and culture:
- Dive into the romance of When Javi Dumped Mari at author Mia Sosa’s East City Bookshop talk (Tues, free, Capitol Hill, virtual).
- Audiences can sit in on a conversation between Senator Lisa Murkowski and the Washington Post’s Libby Casey to get first look at Far From Home, Murkowski’s book on adapting to Washington’s tough political climate (Wed, $25+ for in-person, $12+ for virtual, Downtown).
- International activists and communicators collaborate on a new essay collective, Liberation Stories (Wed, free, NoMa).
- Acclaimed poet and novelist Honorée Fanonne Jeffers visits Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library with stories from her latest Black culture text, Misbehaving at the Crossroads (Wed, free, MLK Library).
- Anyone in need of a new outfit can browse a selection of clothing at the library’s fashion giveaway (Thurs, free, West End).
- Shop accessories, ceramics, and more items at Cleveland Park’s Night Market (every fourth Thurs through September, free, Cleveland Park).
- Get an introduction to Korean calligraphy at the National Museum of Asian Art (Fri, free, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art).
Community and heritage:
- Pack a picnic, and explore Tudor Place’s gardens after hours at this Civic Season event. All ages can take a guided history tour, make crafts, and listen to live music (Tues, $5 donation suggested, Northwest DC).
- Learn how to fish at Diamond Teague Pier (every Fri through August 22, free, Anacostia).
- Partake in free food, music, and health screenings at Summers in the District Block Party (Sun, free, LeDroit Park).
Theater and shows:
- New York Baroque Dance Company and Opera Lafayette perform a history-inspired production in homage to the Marquis de Lafayette at Hillwood Estate (Thurs-Sat, $2+ pay-what-you can tickets, Van Ness).
Music and concerts:
- South Korean boy band Stray Kids are ready to “dominATE” Nationals Park (Mon, $100+, Nationals Park).
- Local lyricist Taisha Estrada performs at Tunes in the Triangle (Wed, free, Mount Vernon Triangle).
- Soul band Pebble to Pearl play at Rock the Dock (Wed, free, Wharf).
- Steven Reineke conducts National Symphony Orchestra through a musical journey of Dolly Parton’s greatest hits (Thurs-Fri, $39+, Kennedy Center).
- Conductor David Danzmayr and The National Orchestral Institute philharmonic perform melodies from modern compositions at The Clarice (Sat, $25+, University of Maryland).
- Renowned Indian playback singer Shaan is live in concert at MGM National Harbor (Sun, $120+, National Harbor).
Exercise and wellness:
- Go on a run or walk with After Hours Run Club. Or, break a sweat with Lululemon ambassador Katie at a rooftop HIIT class at The Watergate Hotel (Thurs, free, Downtown).
- Unwind outdoors at a community yoga class on The Parks at Walter Reed lawn (Thurs, Sun, $10, Takoma Park).
- Stretch and sing along to 2020’s R&B music at the Smithsonian’s yoga session (Sat, free, Anacostia Community Museum).
Things to do with kids:
- Take your kids to Library Day at Planet Word for word-based exhibits, karaoke, and reading activities (Wed, free, Downtown).
- Families can see a high-energy UniverSoul Circus packed with gravity-defying acrobats, dance-alongs, and more fun (Fri-Sun, $38+, National Harbor).
If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
