The long weekend ahead means it’s the unofficial start of summer. Celebrate with a summer concert series kick off or an outdoor yoga class.
FRIDAY, MAY 24
WINE AND (POTTERY) WHEEL: Show off your art skills at Clay & Cabernet, an evening of pottery-making. The entry fee for the evening, which includes materials and of course, wine, goes directly to the center’s tuition assistance fund. (Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., $30)
I CELEBRATE MYSELF: The Whitman 200 celebration honoring the 200th anniversary of Walt Whitman’s birth continues with a celebration of LGBTQ+ writers. The program includes an open riding, plus poetry and prose from Xemiyulu Manibusan Tapepechul, Angelique Palmer, and Charity Blackwell. (BloomBars, 7:30 p.m., $10 suggested donation)
MORE: Jazz in the Garden (National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m., FREE), Yann Tierson (Lincoln Theatre, 6:30 p.m. doors, $35-$50), John Waters: Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder (Politics & Prose, 7 p.m.-8 p.m., FREE), Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals (Nationals Park, 7:05 p.m., $12+), No Scrubs: ’90s Dance Party (9:30 Club, 9 p.m., $16)
SATURDAY, MAY 25
LACE UP: Race with purpose at the inaugural Millennial Mile, a free 5k aimed at raising awareness and fostering advocacy for millennial mental health. There will be water and fruit available at two points along the course. (Rock Creek Park, 7 a.m., FREE)
SAUVIGNON AND SAVASANA: Both the yoga and the wine will flow at City Winery’s Vino & Vinyasa class, hosted by MINT. Bring your mat and a towel to the venue’s rooftop for a 50-minute class followed by a glass. (City Winery DC, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $15)
LITTLE SECRETS: Remember the carefree indie music of 2009? In the midst of Merriweather Post Pavilion and the xx’s game-changing debut, Passion Pit’s Manners was one of the year’s most beloved releases. Frontman Michael Angelakos celebrates the record’s 10th anniversary with a live tour. (The Anthem, 6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $40+)
IRON THRONE OF DRINKING: Didn’t like last week’s Game of Thrones finale? Apparently you aren’t alone. Cheer up and commiserate over drinks with fellow fans at this weekend’s Crawl of Thrones themed bar crawl. There are prizes, trivia games, and a costume contest. Check-in happens at Sign of the Whale. (Dupont Circle, 2 p.m.-10 p.m., $24.99+)
MORE: Georgetown Run Club (lululemon M Street, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., FREE), Sound Health: Community Yoga (The Kennedy Center, 10 a.m., FREE), Make & Take: Natural Multi-Purpose Oil with Red Dirt Natural (3224 11st NW, 12 p.m.-1 p.m., $20), Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals (Nationals Park, 4:05 p.m., $16+), The Midnite BBQ (Gateway Pavillion, 5 p.m.-1 a.m., $50+), MelaNation Zine Issue 4 Release Party (The Fridge, 6 p.m.-10 p.m., $5-$20), Washington National Opera: Tosca (The Kennedy Center Opera House, 7 p.m., $35-$300), The Japanese House with Art School Girlfriend (Black Cat, 8 p.m. doors, $22 advance/$25 day of show), Nerds! Trivia Night (Politics & Prose, 8 p.m., FREE)
SUNDAY, MAY 26
WHO’S ON FUR-ST: Take your dog out to the ballgame with a Memorial Day weekend Pups in the Park. Fur friends are invited to Nationals Park as the Nats take on the Miami Marlins. (Nationals Park, 1:35 p.m., $33 human tickets/$10 dog tickets)
EAT UP: If you want to celebration the holiday weekend without the hassle of cooking for yourself, head to the Brig’s Memorial Day Cook-Out. The afternoon features a Devil’s Backbone tap takeover and grill-fired chicken. (The Brig, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., $25-$30)
TIME FOR A TRADITION: It’s the 30th anniversary broadcast of the National Symphony Orchestra’s Memorial Day Concert. If you can’t make it to this year’s festivities—hosted by Joe Mantegna and Mary McCormack and featuring Patti LaBelle, Alison Krauss and General Colin L. Powell—check out the open-to-the-public rehearsal on Saturday at 8 p.m. (West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, 8 p.m., FREE)
MORE: Daniel Kahn and the Painted Bird (City Winery DC, 1 p.m. doors, 3 p.m. show, $22.50), Ritual Talk with Makeup Girl (Songbyrd, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $10 advance/$12 day of show) Indie Rock Karaoke (DC9, 8 p.m., FREE)
MONDAY, MAY 27
UP CLOSE: Anderson .Paak has commanded some pretty big stages, including the Rockefeller Center home of Saturday Night Live and the D.C. area’s own MGM National Harbor. That makes his Memorial Day show all the more special: The singer-rapper will headline an intimate show at Bethesda Blues & Jazz alongside his band The Free Nationals. Expect .Paak to break out the starring single “Make It Better” off his recently-released LP Ventura. (Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 7 p.m., $59.50-$350)
THIS CIDER HOUSE RULES: It’s been two years since D.C. cidery Anxo opened up a little sister restaurant and tasting room in Brightwood Park. The location is celebrating its birthday with burgers (including veggie options) on the grill, special prices on cans of Anxo’s cider, and all-day music from neighborhood vinyl purveyor HR Records. (Anxo Cidery and Tasting Room, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., a la carte)
MAY FLOWERS: It’s almost the end of In Peak Bloom, a cherry blossom-themed exhibit at Artechouse. As you explore the exhibit, you’ll bring digital blooms to life, unlike that succulent you keep forgetting to water. (Artechouse, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., $16-$20)
MORE: Namaste and Rose (The Midlands, 10 a.m.-11 a.m., $15), National Memorial Day Parade (Constitution Ave. NW, 2 p.m., FREE), Kari Faux (Songbyrd, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $15-$17)
This post has been updated to remove an event with the incorrect date.
