Good day, DC!
Bookworms can sit in on author chats and live book readings at The National Book Festival this week. Also, it’s great weather for an outdoors hangout. You can stop by the Rosslyn Jazz Fest or DC State Fair to catch some sunshine.
Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend
September 2–7
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- National Book Festival. The National Book Festival turns 25 this weekend. To mark the occasion, more than 90 illustrators and authors are visiting Walter E. Washington Convention Center including award-winning writers such as R.L. Stine and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and actor Geena Davis. Beyond the book talks, readers can participate in 3-D globe-making, kid-friendly craft activities, live storytelling with local theater troupe Story District, science experiments, and more (Sat, free, Mount Vernon Square).
- Rosslyn Jazz Fest. The Rosslyn Jazz Fest ushers in another weekend of finger-snapping contemporary jazz performances by groups such as Southern Avenue, The Sensational Barnes Brothers, Son Cubano Subterraneo, and more talent. Festival-goers can also grab bites from food trucks, and play yard games (Sat, free, Arlington).
- Ethel Cain in concert. Ethel Cain’s ethereal-gothic vocals will fill The Anthem to promote her latest album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You—an emotional project detailing a tragic love story. Tickets to the show are sold out, but some are available from third-party sellers (Fri, $106+, Wharf).
- Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia. Immerse yourself in Mexican culture and performance at Cirque du Soleil Luzia. The traveling show uses acrobats, gravity-defying stunts, live music, and water surprises to present Mexico’s art, sports, heritage, and other community traditions (Sat through October 19, $60+, Tysons).
- DC State Fair. Food, art, agriculture, and family fun is on tap at the DC State Fair. Kids and adults can compete in ceramics making, pie eating, crocheting, and other contests. We can’t wait to see who will take home the blue ribbon for the Best Mumbo Sauce this year (Sat, free, Downtown).
Want More Things to Do?
Arts and culture:
- Learn how to play the Chinese game Mahjong, or refine your skills at the library’s game night (Tues, free, MLK Memorial Library).
- Author Taj McCoy discusses her new rom-com novel, The Dating Prohibition, at East City Bookshop (Tues, free, virtual, Capitol Hill).
- Explore Planet Word’s puzzles, games, and galleries after hours (Wed, $5+, Downtown).
- See a juried showcase of short film and video from local filmmakers at Rhizome DC (Thurs, $11+, Takoma).
- Upgrade your baking recipes with cookbook author Sally McKenney at Sixth & I (Thurs, $12+ for virtual, $22+ for in-person, Downtown).
- Craft beaded keychains and small decorative household objects at a guided jewelry-making workshop (Thurs, donations welcome, Anacostia).
- Build a clay pot or vase on the spot at Atlas Brew Works’ pottery workshop (Sat, $86, Ivy City).
- Swap jigsaw puzzles, and test your puzzling speed against neighbors at DC Puzzle Fest (Sat, free, MLK Memorial Library).
Community and heritage:
- There will be a Ukrainian buffet, film, art, and folklore dance at the Cultural Embassy Evening at the Ukraine House (Fri, $84, Adams Morgan).
- Watch traditional dance and cultural performances at US Asian Fest at Dulles Town Center (Sat, $17, Sterling).
- Immerse yourself in traditional textiles from around the world at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum (Sat, free, Northwest DC).
Theater and shows:
- 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 (Fri, $49.50+, Vienna).
Music and concerts:
- Listen to R&B crooner John Legend at Wolf Trap (Tues-Wed, $68.50+, Vienna).
- Local artist Jahnel Daliya performs folk, pop, and soul music at Milian Park (Wed, free, Mount Vernon Triangle).
- Bluegrass, country, folk, and Americana bands play at the Watermelon Pickers’ Fest (Thurs-Sat, $44+, Berryville).
- Rock out to local punk bands The Goons, Tosser, and Keep Your Secrets atop the MLK Library rooftop (Thurs, free, MLK Memorial Library).
- The Lumineers perform at Nationals Park to promote their new album, Automatic (Sat, $99+, Nationals Park).
- Watch live music performances across multiple stages at the Takoma Park Folk Festival (Sun, free, Takoma Park).
Exercise and wellness:
- Stretch and relax at an outdoor yoga session on the lawn of Island Time Bar and Grill; a tiki drink is included (Wed, September 17, $28, Arlington).
- Go on a guided nature walk through Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to spot lilies and lotuses (Thurs, donations welcome, Anacostia).
- Cruise by landmarks and monuments on a DC Bike Ride (Sat, $95+, free for ages 3 to 7, Downtown).
Bites and beverages:
- Browse Taste of Western Market for vendor shops, food, and live music (Wed, free+, Downtown).
Things to do with kids:
- Students can play games and munch on snacks at this Back to School Block Party (Thurs, free, Northwest DC).
- Watch a movie screening of Monsters University, and get a glitter tattoo at Back to School Boro Bash (Sat, free, Tysons).
Plan ahead:
- 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 closing on Thurs, National Gallery of Art).
- 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).
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.
