Happy Monday, DC!
If you’re looking for an outdoor hip-hop and R&B party, snag a ticket to Broccoli City Block Party at the Bullpen before they sell out. Also, Otakon returns to DC for another anime and manga fan fest. Don’t forget to wear your best cosplay.
Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend
August 4–August 10
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- Broccoli City Block Party. Tickets are selling fast for Broccoli City’s DJ block party at the Bullpen. This summer, the annual hip-hop and R&B festival is throwing a community bash where partiers can grab eats from food trucks, dance to a lineup of more than five DJ sets, and shop vendors (Sat, $45, Navy Yard).
- Otakon. Manga, anime, and pop culture geeks can discover car shows and indie video games, meet anime voice actors, and listen to Japanese pop music group Non Sweet at this year’s Otakon (Fri-Sun, $40+, free for children younger than 8, Walter E. Washington Convention Center).
- Montgomery County Agriculture Fair. Fair season is afoot with carnival rides, sweet treats, pig races, and much more. At the Montgomery County Agriculture Fair, fun-seekers can experience live rock and folk concerts, participate in a cheese-carving contest, and ride a mechanical bull (Fri through August 16, $13+ single-day admission, carnival tickets sold separately, Gaithersburg).
- Twin Peaks conversation. Earlier this year, filmmaker David Lynch died. Fans of his mystery television show Twin Peaks can commemorate his crowning achievement at the reunion tour with some of the actors. This week, stars including Sheryl Lee and Ray Wise will stop by Capital One Hall for a live conversation (Mon, $62+, Tysons).
- The Great American Farmers Market. Support small farmers, and learn about agriculture at The Great American Farmers Market. The week-long inaugural showcase includes vendor shopping, live music performances, and conservation talks (through Sat, free, National Mall).
Want More Things to Do?
Arts and culture:
- Watch a screening of the documentary The Great Divide—an examination of gun violence in America—followed by a post-fillm discussion with the director and producer (Tues, $15, Alexandria).
- Sing karaoke and play word games at Planet Word’s Wordplay Wednesday (Wed, $5+, Downtown).
- Author Olivia Dade discusses her newest romance novel Zomromcom at East City Bookshop (Wed, free, virtual, Capitol Hill).
- Attend the opening reception of the “From Barriers to Ballots” exhibit to learn about the history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Wed, free, Arlington).
- Author David Levithan teamed up with Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman for a new novel, Songs for Other People’s Wedding. You can hear all about it at Politics and Prose (Thurs, free, Northwest DC).
- Play a game of Star Trek-themed trivia at Atlas Brew Works to win a gift card (Thurs, free, Ivy City).
- Make new friends at Connection Night (Fri, $28, Downtown).
- Learn how to weave and thread fabrics at a Arlington Artists Alliance workshop (Fri, free, Arlington).
- Shop vintage fashions, jewelry, art, and more finds at Alexandria’s Sidewalk Sale (Fri-Sun, free, Alexandria).
Community and heritage:
- There’s live music, eats from Hi/Fi Tex Mex Barbecue, and meet-and-greets with local firefighters and police officers at National Night Out (Tues, free, Fairfax).
- Strathmore and the Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center host the second annual Big Bloom Festival featuring performances by The Experience Band and Show, and vocalist IO (Sat, free, Silver Spring).
- Craft a flower crown, take swing dance lessons, and partake in other activities at President Lincoln’s Cottage’s Strawberry Soirée (Sat, $65, Northwest DC).
Theater and shows:
- Catch the world premiere of Marquee by Moveius Contemporary Ballet (Sun, free, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery).
Music and concerts:
- The Englishtown Project pays tribute to ’70s band Grateful Dead at The Hamilton Live (Thurs, 26+, Downtown).
- DC JazzFest stops by Phillips After 5 for a night of music conversations, and live performances (Thurs, $20, Dupont Circle).
- Nu Androids presents Italian music dio Giolì & Assia at Culture (Fri, $34, Ivy City).
- Listen to the jazzy melodies of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington performed by vocalist Lena Seikaly (Fri, $25+, Falls Church).
- Perfect your ukulele skills at classes and jam sessions during Ukefest (Sat through August 13, $535 for all-access pass, Bethesda).
- Bring a lawn chair and good vibes to Jazzy Sundays in Anacostia (Sun, free, Anacostia).
Exercise and wellness:
- Play a game of pickleball with a team at Bridge District (Sun, $69, Anacostia).
- Find your zen with mobility stretches at Yoga at the Arboretum (Wed, pay-what-you-can, Northeast DC).
Bites and beverages:
- Whiskey connoisseurs can sample more than 150 whiskeys from around the world at Hook Hall (Sat, $125+, Georgia Avenue).
Things to do with kids:
- View prize-winning baked goods and pigs at the Howard County Fair (through Sat, $10 for adults, free for ages 12 and younger, $5 for seniors, West Friendship).
- Thrill-seekers can head to the Prince William County Fair—the largest fair in Virginia—for dirt-flying monster trucks and demolition derbies (opens Fri through Aug. 16, $12.50+ for adults, $7.50+ for children and seniors, Manassas).
- Kiddos can discover historic portraits, dining ware, and more art pieces at Tudor Place (Sat, $10, Georgetown).
- Families can score school supplies and more giveaways at Back-to-School Bash (Sun, free, 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.
