31 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend

Good day, DC!

Replay all of singer Chris Brown’s greatest songs at Breezy Bowl XX at Nationals Park. Plus, October ushers in the return of DC’s beloved wiener-dog race at the Wharf, and the Mid-Autumn Night Market transports foodies to Hong Kong for a couple of evenings.

Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend

September 29–October 5

1. 1. Chris Brown in concert. The rescheduled Breezy Bowl XX finally arrives at Nationals Park this weekend. Be sure to wear comfortable dancing shoes: The superstar has been performing for more than three hours each night on his anniversary tour. His high-energy set list includes hits such as breakout track “Gimme That” and Brown’s latest TikTok dance craze, “It Depends” (Sun, October 8-9, $151+, Nationals Park).
   2. Oktoberfest at The Wharf. Don your dirndl or lederhosen for a day-long Oktoberfest party at the Wharf. First, puppy lovers can root on the fastest—or cutest—doggie at the 13th Annual Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash. Next, the afternoon excitement continues with a stein-hoisting competition, then a Polka on the Pier dance lesson (Sat, free, Wharf).
   3. Mid-Autumn Night Market. Journey through a lantern-illuminated Hong Kong-inspired night market with curated eats from host restaurants Tiger Fork and Hi-Lawn as well as other food stalls such as Love, Makoto; Cut DC; and Dàn Dàn Boy (Wed-Thurs, $7.50, Union Market).
   4. Home Rule Music Festival. Grassroots rhythm fest Home Rule Music Festival wraps up with go-go beats from Junkyard Band, West African tunes from Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band, and a jazzy set by Baltimore’s Brandon Woody at Alethia Tanner Park (Sat, free, Union Market).
   5. Taste of Bethesda.  Taste of Bethesda returns with four stages of entertainment paired with fare from several area restaurants. Eat your fill of tacos, sushi, chicken kabobs, and more delights along Norfolk Avenue; there are kids’ activities, too (Sat, free; taste tickets come in bundles of four for $5, Bethesda).

Want More Things to Do?

Arts and culture:

• Leigh Bardugo, the mastermind behind the Shadow and Bone trilogy, arrives at Sixth & I to chat about her books Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom (Mon, $35+ for in-person, $12+ for virtual, Downtown).
• Join a screening and discussion of Charmaine Poh’s short film May All The Little Girls Win at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art. (Tues, free, Mall).
• Don your favorite period attire and compete in board games and croquet at Vintage Game Night (Tues, $20+, Kalorama).
• Four local and visiting artists and writers come together at Lost City Books for a salon reading (Wed, free, Adams Morgan).
• Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, drops Friday. Fans can come dressed in their best Swiftian accoutrements that evening to decorate pop tarts, snap glam pics in a photo booth, and have more new music fun at 1310 Kitchen & Bar (Fri, $35, Georgetown).
• Play Taylor Swift-themed bingo, and make friendship bracelets at Whitlow’s U Street (Fri, free, U Street Corridor).
• Celebrate Showgirl at Wunder Garten’s Swiftoberfest DJ party (Fri, free, NoMa).
• Art on the Avenue celebrates its 30th year of bringing ceramics, books, candles, clothing, home goods, and other products made by local artists and craftspeople to Del Ray (Sat, free, Alexandria).
• A haunted house, multiple escape rooms, and a ton of scary attractions are now open at Laurel’s House of Horror (select dates through November 1, $30+, Laurel).

Community and heritage:

• Listen to spooky stories on a guided DC by Foot walking tour about the Ghosts of Georgetown (ongoing, $39 for adults, $25 for ages 4-16, Georgetown).
• If your name is Rachel—or Rachael, or even Reachel—you’ll love this “Rachelpallooza” meetup at Malcolm X Park (Sun, free, Columbia Heights).

Theater and shows:

• Theatre Week ends on Sunday. Don’t miss your chance to check out a number of performances at a discounted rate (through Sun, $25+, various participating theaters).
• Choreographer Lionel Popkin creates a dance and art installation to commemorate Dance Place’s 45th anniversary (Fri-Sat, $30+, Northeast DC).
• Watch an action-packed movie screening of Jurassic Park accompanied by a live score of the soundtrack performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Fri, $29+, Bethesda).

Music and concerts:

• Elvis Costello performs with his band the Imposters band plus legendary guitarist Charlie Sexton (Mon, $41+, Warner Theatre).
• Palestinian singer-songwriter Lina Makoul performs a blend of contemporary and modern sounds at Culture DC (Thurs, $34+, Northeast DC).
• Transmission—a new underground music venue for electronic and punk shows—has its two-day grand opening this weekend. Hardcore and techno fans can catch live sets from local DJs such as Spinrillo and Les the DJ (Fri-Sat, $20+, H Street Corridor).
• Sing along to a number of T-Pain’s hip-swaying hits at his 20th-anniversary concert (Fri, $148+, National Harbor).

Bites and beverages:

• Hops & Harvest Festival is teaming up with Baltimore’s Craft Beer Festival to create a new drink event this year: Wanderland (Sat, $45+ to drink, $20 for designated drivers, Columbia).
• Le Dîner en Blanc, the all-white-garb, French-inspired picnic returns this weekend. The location is top secret, but you can sign up for tickets and more details here (Sat, $60+, TBA).
• Celebrate and taste all-things pickle at DC Pickle Bash; there’s arts and crafts, pickle vendors, pickle beverages (Sat, free, Georgia Avenue).

Exercise and wellness:

• Take a moonlit hike through the National Arboretum’s gardens and meadows (Sun, $31, Northeast DC).

Plan ahead:

• The ticket lottery for the “Strike a Pose“-themed National Gallery Nights opens this week (October 9, free, but registration is required via a ticket lottery Mon-Thurs, National Gallery of Art).
• Snag a ticket to the popular Air & Scare Halloween event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (October 25, free, registration for outdoor events opens Wed, Chantilly).

Things to do with kids:

• It’s the last call to meet farm animals and ride amusement attractions at the State Fair of Virginia (closes Sun, $10.50+ for ages 5 to 12, $11+ for adults, free for ages 4 and younger, Doswell).
• Have a picnic with your family at ParktoberFest. All ages can see live performances and taste baked goods (Sat, free, Centreville).

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Briana Thomas

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.