Check out the annual commemoration of the Battle of Fort Stevens

Northwest’s Fort Stevens is the only place in D.C. proper where a Civil War battle took place. The annual commemoration of that battle takes place this weekend with “living history demonstrations, live period music, historical talks by noted historians, [and] 19th century children’s games and crafts.” Don’t miss out on the canon fire, happening at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Fort Stevens, Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Celebrate the Lotus and Water Lily Festival

Catch the lotuses and water lilies in full bloom this weekend at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Anacostia Park. This two-day festival is jam-packed with events for the whole family (including Samba dancing with Vava United School of Samba, Yoga with Kristi Wass, a fashion show, and a book talk on Sunday with Krista Schlyer, author of River of Redemption: Almanac of Life on the Anacostia), but the fleeting blooms are the real stars.

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Attend the opening reception of a new multimedia art exhibit

The Korean Cultural Center of Washington D.C. is hosting an opening reception to commemorate Tae Eun Ahn’s first U.S. solo exhibition, titled Open Site. It’s a multimedia experience, featuring video installations, photography, paintings, and sculpture. Betsy Johnson, an assistant curator at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, is guest curating the exhibit. She calls Ahn’s work “a powerful meditation on the ephemeral nature of life.” Attendees will also get to experience a live performance from the artist.

Korean Cultural Center, online registration required for reception, Friday, 6 p.m.

Watch Coco on the Potomac

This family-friendly favorite will be playing at the National Harbor on Sunday. Watch Coco on the Plaza’s HD jumbo screen, and feel free to bring some chairs or a blanket. Grab some food to go, and don’t forget tissues—you’ll need them.

National Harbor, Sunday, 6 p.m.

Make a weekend out of celebrating women’s suffrage and activism

This Saturday, the Library of Congress is hosting a special event recognizing the Seneca Falls Convention of July 1848, with theatrical presentations, exhibit tours, and a “conversation café,” which is based on conversations convened by Margaret Fuller and Alva Belmont. Then on Sunday, check out a curator’s tour at the National Portrait Gallery. Ann Shumard, the senior curator of photographs, is showing a selection of early camera portraits of historical feminist icons, women’s rights advocates, and abolitionists.

Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building – Great Hall, Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and National Portrait Gallery, Women of Progress: Early Camera Portraits, Sunday, 3 p.m.

Want more ideas for the weekend, even if they cost a little money?
10 Things To Do Around D.C. This Weekend
10 Food And Drink Events To Feast On This Week
11 Concerts You Won’t Want To Miss This Week
8 Art Exhibits And Events To Dive Into This July
8 Plays And Musicals To Catch On D.C.-Area Stages This July