Happy (almost) September, DC!
Actor Issa Rae comes to town this month to talk about her new book. Also, the All Things Go music festival returns, featuring live performances from Lucy Dacus, Doechii, and more. There are a ton of outdoor festivals around town, too: the H Street Festival, Adams Morgan Day, and Fiesta DC, to name a few.
Things to Do in September
Arts and culture:
- Back to School is the kick-off theme for fall’s National Gallery Nights (September 11, free, but registration is required via a ticket lottery September 1-4, National Gallery of Art).
- Catch the premiere of local dating and romance TV show Metro Ties at Metrobar (September 11, $30, Brentwood).
- Experience art nearly round-the-clock—painting, photography, fashion, music, and dining—during the District’s overnight Art All Night (September 12-13, free, multiple DC locations).
- Browse jury-selected creations including sculptures, paintings, jewelry, pottery, textiles, and more at the Alexandria Old Town Art Festival (September 13-14, free, Alexandria).
- After canceling her appearance at the Kennedy Center earlier this year, actor and writer Issa Rae arrives in DC to discuss her book I Should Be Smarter by Now (September 16, $91+, DAR Constitution Hall).
- DC artist Rik Freeman paints “Wade in the Waters” (opens September 24, free, Anacostia).
- Shop jewelry, purses, scarves, clothing, and other finds at the Smithsonian Craft2Wear Show (September 26-28, $20, Smithsonian Institution Arts and Industries Building).
- “Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750” exhibit opens at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, showcasing works by more than 40 Dutch and Flemish artists (September 26 through January 11, 2026, $16 for adults, $13 for DC residents, free for ages 21 and under, Downtown).
- Festival-goers can buy autumn produce and snacks from Freshfarm market vendors and shop for handmade items and vintage products from URBNmarket at Mosaic Fall Festival (September 27-28, free, Fairfax).
- Watch an art parade, and shop vendors at the Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival (September 28, free, Wheaton).
- Renowned author and inspirational speaker Eckhart Tolle leads a lecture at DAR Constitution Hall (September 28, $82+, Downtown).
Community and heritage:
- Catch the colorful choreography of Ukrainian dance, plus traditional crafts, a beer garden, and concerts at the Ukrainian Festival (September 12-15, free on Fri, $15+ for Sat-Sun, Silver Spring).
- Browse arts and crafts, and sample snacks at the Falls Church Festival (September 13, free, $3 taste tickets, Falls Church).
- Celebrate local culture and history on a guided tour during Walking Town (September 13-20, free, various locations).
- For 47 years, Adams Morgan Day has filled the DC neighborhood—on and around 18th Street and Columbia Road—with live music, family entertainment, and art (September 14, free, Adams Morgan).
- H Street Festival showcases local eateries, vendors, and fashions, and offers kids’ activities and contests (September 20, free, H Street Corridor).
- Kick off fall in your best lederhosen or dirndl at Lovettsville Oktoberfest (September 26-28, free, Lovettsville).
- Browse low-rider cars, and listen to live music in commemoration of Latino culture at Lowriding Family Festival (September 27, free, Downtown).
- Fiesta DC is back to show off ancestral fashions, Latin music, folk dance, and a lively parade on Pennsylvania Avenue (September 27-28, free, Downtown).
Theater:
- Beloved musical Damn Yankees has a modern-day revival at Arena Stage (September 9 through November 9, $49+, Southwest DC).
- Shakespeare’s Merry Wives gets a Harlem remix at Shakespeare Theatre Company (September 9 through October 5, $65+, Downtown).
- Sing along to the musical classic The Sound of Music (September 9 through October 5, $49+, Kennedy Center).
- Don’t miss The Great Privation—a new production about burials, history, and community—at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (September 11 through October 12, pay-what-you-can+, Penn Quarter).
- See Everything Is Wonderful—a drama on faith and family—at Keegan Theatre (September 13 through October 5, $55, Dupont Circle).
- Theatre Week invites locals to catch more than 20 area performances at a discounted rate (September 19 through October 5, $25+, various participating theaters).
- Ford’s Theatre presents a play about the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, The American Five (September 19 through October 12, $26+, Penn Quarter).
- Attend the DC premiere of Strategic Love Play at Signature Theatre (September 23 through November 9, $47+, Arlington).
- Julius X re-envisions the tragedy of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (September 23 through October 26, $20+, Capitol Hill).
- The Heart Sellers opens at Studio Theatre this month. The show about two immigrant families is set in the ’70s on Thanksgiving Day (September 24 through October 26 , $42+, Logan Circle).
Shows and performances:
- Watch part two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows accompanied by a score of the soundtrack by the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap (September 5, $49.50+, Vienna).
- Immerse yourself in Mexican culture and performance at Cirque du Soleil Luzia (September 6 through October 19, $60+, Tysons).
Music:
- Listen to R&B crooner John Legend at Wolf Trap (September 2-3, $68.50+, Vienna).
- Bluegrass, country, folk, and Americana bands play at the Watermelon Pickers’ Fest (September 4-6, $44+, Berryville).
- Ethel Cain’s ethereal-gothic vocals will fill The Anthem; tickets are sold out, but some are available from third-party sellers (September 5, $106+, Wharf).
- Rosslyn Jazz Fest ushers in another weekend of contemporary jazz performances by groups such as Southern Avenue (September 6, free, Arlington).
- The Lumineers perform at Nationals Park to promote their new album Automatic (September 6, $99+, Nationals Park).
- Watch live music performances across multiple stages at the Takoma Park Folk Festival (September 7, free, Takoma Park).
- Lucy Dacus, Doechii, and Noah Kahan perform live at All Things Go Music Festival (September 26-28, $39+, Columbia).
- Veteran singer-songwriter Elvis Costello is live in concert with The Imposters with Charlie Sexton (September 29, $82+, Warner Theatre).
Exercise and wellness:
- Cruise by landmarks and monuments on a DC Bike Ride (September 6, $95+, free for ages 3 to 7, Downtown).
Things to do with kids:
- Food, art, agriculture, and family fun is what you can look forward to at the DC State Fair (September 6, free, Downtown).
- Charles County Fair returns with carnival rides, live bands, and animal contests (September 11-14, $10 for adults, free for ages 10 and under, La Plata).
- Young children can see colorful puppets and rubber ducks at The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show at Imagination Stage (September 17 through October 12, $15+, Bethesda).
- Kiddos can play on rope swings, visit farm animals, venture through a tractor museum, and ride an enormous slide at Cox Farms Festival (September 20 through November 9, $15+, Centreville).
- Meet farm animals and ride amusement attractions at the State Fair of Virginia (September 26 through October 5, $10.50+ for ages 5 to 12, $11+ for adults, free for ages 4 and younger, Doswell).
