Score some free-ish clothing and accessories

This Friday, D.C. tech company Optoro is partnering with a handful of sustainability organizations to put on a summer clothing swap at Wunder Garten in NoMa. Bring those clothes tucked in the back of your closet that you never wear, or those shoes that just don’t quite fit right, and you might just end up leaving with some new, snazzy additions to your wardrobe. The swap will go on rain or shine, and is kid- and dog-friendly. There will be food trucks with food and drink available for purchase and live music while you shop.
Wunder Garten, Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m., RSVP here. 

Make a D.I.Y. t-shirt at the Chinatown Block Party

As much as it pains us to say this, summer is quickly coming to a close, and this Friday is one of your last chances to catch the Chinatown Block Party. The event—run by the DowntownDC Business Improvement District and hip-hop nonprofit Words Beats & Life—will feature live performances, a DJ, double dutch, and giant versions of chess, checkers, and Jenga. You can also get your face painted by a professional face painter or make your own D.I.Y. tie-dyed or printed t-shirt (bring your own if you’d like, but there will be free t-shirts available). To help you keep cool, there will be free ice cream and other light snacks available.
Chinatown Park, 5th Street and Massachusetts Ave., Friday, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., RSVP here. 

Spend the morning at an urban farm learning about sustainable agriculture 

This Saturday, the University of the District of Columbia is offering garden enthusiasts a crash-course on how to be a better gardener and reduce pollution from stormwater runoff at the same time. The workshop, which will take place at UDC’s East Capitol Urban Farm, will teach folks how to manage their gardens in an environmentally-friendly way that protects our local watersheds. There will be a tour of the UDC urban farm and a breakdown of the various green infrastructure installations the farm uses to keep runoff from negatively impacting our local ecosystem. It’s a farm, though, so come ready to do a lot of walking—and possibly get a little dirty.
East Capitol Urban Farm, 5901 East Capitol St. NE, Saturday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., RSVP here. 

Go stargazing in Rock Creek (National?) Park 

This weekend, Rock Creek Park hosts the latest in the monthly series Exploring the Sky, a night of observing astronomical happenings. You can spend a night under the stars and catch a glimpse of Jupiter and Saturn, which are currently visible in the night sky. You might even be able to pick out the Andromeda galaxy. The moon, which will be almost 80 percent illuminated this weekend, will also be prominently visible. Barring any rain or clouds, telescopes will be available shortly after sunset, and astronomy enthusiasts from National Capital Astronomers will be on hand to help you make sense of your sightings. Meet at the field south of Military and Glover Roads, near the Nature Center.
Rock Creek Park, Saturday, 8:30 p.m.

Go to the East Coast’s largest vegan festival 

You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy an animal-free meal, and this weekend’s DC VegFest isn’t any different. The annual event, which was cancelled last year because of Hurricane Florence, is hosted by animal advocacy group Compassion Over Killing. There will be vegan cooking demos, live music, a line-up of educational talks on veganism, and a vegan tasting booth running throughout the day, where you can sample all-vegan foods, like nacho mac and cheese and jerk BBQ chickpeas. Over 20 different vegan food vendors, including a handful of local D.C. vegan eateries, will be selling food, drink, and other animal-free bites. There’s also a Kid’s Corner with free crafts, cartooning, and story time for younger festival-goers. The festival says it’s expecting over 20,000 attendees, so if you decide to go, be ready to deal with the expected large crowds (and a bit more security than usual).
Nationals Park, Sunday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., RSVP here. 

Want some more ideas for your weekend—even if they cost a little money?

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