Photo by wolfkann

FOOD & DRINK: Belga Cafe (514 8th Street SE ) celebrates its 8th anniversary with a week of events. Tonight they’re throwing a guest appreciation cocktail party with an anniversary cocktail for 88 cents (5:14 p.m.-8:00 p.m.). On Tuesday they launch $15.99 Mussel Tuesdays, Wednesday present a Leopold II Wine Dinner, Thursday offer an 8 for $80 tasting dinner, Friday roll out a sidewalk waffle cart, Saturday cook up a pajama brunch, and Sunday indulge in a champagne and chocolate decadence brunch.

AWARD: The Kennedy Center (2700 F Street NW) presents Ellen DeGeneres with the 15th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor this evening at 8:30 p.m. $75-$200 to attend.

MUSIC: The Psychedelic Furs and The Lemonheads play Howard Theatre (620 T Street NW) tonight. 8:00 p.m. $12.

BEER: Head to Meridian Pint (3400 11th Street NW) for the release of Ballast Point, a Michigan Brewery, beers today. The six Ballast Point beers on draft will include: Sculpin India Pale Ale, Wahoo Wheat Beer, Yellowtail Pale Ale, Big Eye IPA, and Indra Kunindra Stout (brewed with madras curry, caynne pepper, cumin, toasted coconut, and kaffir lime leaf). 5:00 p.m. $5 a beer.

Coming up this week…

TUESDAY: David Sedaris is a master humorist, weaving stories silly, witty, and always captivating. He’s sold millions of copies of his books Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, makes his way to the stage at the Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda MD) this Tuesday. 8:00 p.m. $48.

WEDNESDAY: The Park Hyatt Washington (1201 24th Street NW) presents “Paws at the Park” Wednesday, a dog costume contest and happy hour to benefit the Washington Animal Rescue League. $14 admission includes 2 beer or wine tickets, Halloween candy, and dog treats. 6:00-8:00 p.m.

THURSDAY: thirst DC and six Smithsonian experts team up Thursday for the thirst Smithsonian Spooktacular at the Equitable Co-operative Building Association (915 F Street NW). The nerdtastic event will feature talks on guns in space, Chinese food (American style), indigenous tattooing, the colors of Mars, Indian Spiderman, and dinosaurs. Come out and learn something, and if you wear a costume you get free drinks. 7:00 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $15 early bird, $20 regular, and $25 at the door (cash only).

FRIDAY: Celebrate Halloween a little early with the Tilted Torch Spook-o-rama at Red Palace (1212 H Street NE) this Friday, a variety show of burlesque, belly dancing, comedy, and more. 10:00 p.m. $10 in advance, $12 day of.

SATURDAY: The Halloween Zombie Fest at Half Street Fairgrounds this Saturday is a celebration of everyone’s favorite flesh-eating freaks: zombies. Come out for zombie movies, a zombie dance party, zombie games, and more. 6:00-11:00 p.m. $20.

SUNDAY: Trick or treat among the animals at Boo at the Zoo this weekend. The three-day candy fest at the National Zoo is sold out on Saturday, but tickets are still available for Friday and Sunday. 5:30-8:30 p.m. $30.