THURSDAY, MAY 14
MUSEUMS: This four-day bash is all about letting your inner nerd out. Smithsonian Magazine’s The Future Is Here Festival kicks off with a screening of Back to the Future at the Warner Bros. Theatre with a very big perk: The film’s DeLorean will be parked outside. The screening costs $25 and goes from 6 to 9 PM, but for access to other speakers and events–which includes a peek at what they’re calling “the world’s first real hover board”–you’ve got to fork over $250.
EMBASSIES: Try more than 20 wines at the Embassy of Argentina. It’s all for a good cause: The embassy is hosting this fundraiser to build a school in an indigenous Guaranà community in northern Argentina. And, yes, there will also be food. $55, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
COMEDY: Hear Gilbert Gottfried’s shrieky voice at the DC Improv this weekend. Gottfried–an old school comedian who made it big back in the ’80s on Saturday Night Live–will presumably crack jokes about how he recently got fired on The Celebrity Apprentice. $22, May 15 to 17, 8 and 10:30 PM.
MUSIC: If you’re into folk, bluegrass, and country, chances are you’ll be into Mandolin Orange, a North Carolinian duo whose sound is a mishmash of all three. They released their latest full-length album, Such Jubilee, on May 8, so now’s a good a time as ever to catch them at the Hamilton at 8:30 PM. $15 to $20.
SATURDAY, MAY 16
MUSIC: This event at the Lincoln Theatre combines activism with music. Born This Way is a mixture of songs and stories from the civil and equal rights movements. Performers include Maiya Sykes of NBC’s The Voice, members of the Metropolitan Community Church Choir, and GenOUT Chorus–a local LGBTQ youth group that’s part of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. $25 to $59. May 15 at 8 PM, May 16 at 3 PM and 8 PM.
DANCE: Stop by the Embassy of France at 7:30 PM for a dance party featuring French and American songs from the ’70s to today. Bonus: There will also be a buffet of appetizers and finger food. $50.
SUNDAY, MAY 17
EAT: As if $16 bottomless cocktails wasn’t already enough, STK is adding another twist to its Sunday brunch: The Dupont Circle restaurant is hosting its first-ever Drag Brunch, hosted by Birdie LaCage. Reservations recommended. Noon to 3 PM.
DANCE: Silent dance parties are now a thing in Washington, specifically at the Graham Hotel’s Observatory Rooftop, where every Sunday this summer you can slip on a pair of headsets and dance to your own beat. Party-goers can choose from three different music channels–offered by three different DJs. $15, 8 PM.
MUSEUMS: Indiana Jones fans will get a kick out of National Geographic Museum’s latest exhibit–“Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology.” It showcases real archaeological artifacts alongside props from the films, including the Ark of the Covenant. Check out Washingtonian’s preview of the show, which opens on May 14. $15, 10 AM to 6 PM.
