Check out a show from brass band Black Masala

This Friday, catch Black Masala at the Kennedy Center. The brass band has performed across the world and deals in a host of genres—including everything from funk to rock, to music from around the world. “You want to have a good time?” they ask. “You need brass.”
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, Friday, 6 p.m.

Catch a free performance of Hamlet

The Shakespeare Theatre Company‘s annual “Free for All” show this year is Hamlet—with a twist. In this retelling of the famous Shakespeare classic, the play is set in modern Denmark. Michael Urie, who’s also directing Bright Colors and Bold Patterns at Studio Theatre in D.C., plays the title character. You can get free tickets either by registering for the lottery online the day before, or lining up early on the day of the performance. (But if you’re looking for tickets the day of, you better get there more than two hours ahead of time.)
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m., and matinee shows at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Join a block party in Chinatown

It’s the second weekend of free, weekly block parties in Chinatown. Every Friday, join folks at the corner of Massachusetts Ave. and 5th St. NW for live performances, dance workshops, lawn games, graffiti art, and food trucks. This Friday, special events include body and face painting by Shanna Lim, and a performance by Maryland-born artist Substantial. Kids might make a beeline for the game zone, complete with a mega-sized chess board and giant checkers.
Chinatown Park, Friday, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.

Go to DC Zinefest 2019

This is the ninth annual zinefest in D.C., and there will be more than 70 zines to check out. As the event page states, the festival is “designed to provide a space for zine-makers, self-published artists, and writers to share their work with each other and the Washington, D.C., community.” Browsing and admiring the work is free, but if you’d like to purchase a zine, it’s best to bring cash.
Art Enables, Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing

Starting at 8 p.m. this Saturday, the National Air and Space Museum is hosting a late-night celebration of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Join in some trivia, stargaze at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory, attend a spacesuit fashion show, and more. There will even be a countdown exactly at 10:56 p.m. “to celebrate the exact time Neil Armstrong first set foot on the Moon,” as well as some musical performances. You can also head to the Washington Monument this weekend to see the historic projection recreation of Apollo 11 taking off, complete with a 40-foot wide replica of the Kennedy Space Center countdown clock.
Celebration: National Air and Space Museum, Saturday, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
Projection: National Mall between 9th and 12th St. NW, Friday and Saturday, 9:30 p.m.-11:30 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
10 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