Welcome to the last full week of October! From a live podcast taping, to an Insta-ready gallery show, to plenty of tasting events, there’s more than enough to do around town this week—and that’s even before you take into consideration there’s World Series baseball to watch.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 21
ROOMY: If you didn’t get around to checking out Refinery29’s 29Rooms over the weekend, there’s still plenty of time to check out one of the most immersive art experiences you’ll see this year. The Instagram-ready funhouse incorporates local artists’ work in a series of pop-art spaces. (DC Armory, times vary, $10 – $34)
FRIENDLY: Residents of Bachelor Nation won’t want to miss a live taping of HuffPost’s popular Here to Make Friends podcast at the Miracle Theatre on Monday night. Hosted by Emma Gray and Claire Fallon, the bonus episode will feature special guests and a dissection of a vintage episode from The Bachelor. (The Miracle Theatre, 8 p.m., $25)
DAYS OF DEAD: Every October, Oyamel throws a Day of the Dead festival that includes parties and food and drink specials. It starts with tonight’s Kick Off party, featuring live music, limited-edition cocktails, mezcal tastings, and more. This year’s party honors Ritchie Valens, and will feature music from the Chicano rock star. (Oyamel, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., $60)
A-MAZING: The 1986 David Bowie-starring Jim Henson classic Labyrinth will screen at the Smithsonian Castle on Monday evening as part of the Smithsonian’s Music Movie Monday series. It’s a chance to watch one Labyrinth in maybe the only venue befitting one of history’s most unique fantasy movies: an actual castle. (Smithsonian Castle, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., FREE with registration)
MORE:Meet Author Helena Janeczek, winner of the 2018 Premio Strega (Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., FREE with registration), DC Run Crew “HIIT and RUN” October Sessions (New Balance DC, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., FREE with registration), Juan Wauters ‡ October ’71 (DC9 Nightclub, 8 p.m., $12)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22
WORLDY: Naturally, most of D.C. still isn’t quite over the fact that our Washington Nationals are headed to the World Series. If you’re keen on taking in the game with a crowd, The Wharf will be hosting a viewing party on Tuesday night. There will be plenty of beer and snacks, in addition to easy access to a handful of restaurants and bars on the waterfront. There are also some cool giveaways for those in attendance. Organizers say they’ll be setting up the giant screen for all the World Series games this week. Come root, root for the home team! (The Wharf, 7:30 p.m.,-10 p.m., FREE)
OFFICE: Over its eight-year run, The Office accumulated many classic Halloween episodes, so it’s fitting that D.C.’s foremost spot for Office-related trivia would turn their focus to those specific episodes for October’s event. Pinstripes will test your memory of Olive Oil Pam, Facebook Jim, and more. (Pinstripes, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., free entrywith registration)
TASTY: Hot dogs, deep-dish pizza, and cheesecake are just some of the foods you’ll find at Eastern Market’s 2019 Taste of Illinois event. It’s an evening of food, plus craft beer and wine, from the Prairie State all nestled inside one of D.C.’s finest landmarks. (Eastern Market, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., $30 – $100)
WONDER WOMEN: The National Geographic Museum’s next exhibit, Women, features incredible photography of women around the world, sourced from its nearly century-deep archives. The exhibit corresponds with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the U.S. constitutional amendment establishing women’s right to vote. (National Geographic Museum, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., $15)
MORE: Films Across Borders: The Ghost Fleet (American University School of Communication, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., FREE with registration), Foy Vance: The Tour (Sixth & I, 7 p.m., $25)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
PUMPKIN: NoMa’s 7th Annual PumpkinPalooza offers up plenty of friendly, family fun for those in search of a good Halloween activity. With roughly 800 pumpkins available to carve and decorate as you see fit, kids (and adults who are kids at heart) will be plenty entertained. But if that’s not enough, there’s also a dog costume contest, more spooky crafts, and plenty of seasonal snacks. (Lot at First and Pierce NE, 4 p.m.-7 p.m., free entry)
CRUSTY: Those in search of a more educational spin to their evening won’t want to miss the Carnegie Institution for Science’s talk about the mysterious life found deep within the crust of the earth. The University of Tennessee’s Dr. Karen Lloyd will go deep (pun intended) on what lies beneath the surface of our planet, detailing all of the main microbial cells that are buried far below. (Carnegie Institution for Science, 6:30 p.m.-7:45 p.m., FREE with registration)
DRAMATIC: Inspiration can come to you from the strangest of places, which is quite literally what happened to singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson. The origin story for her new album, Stranger Songs came while she was on a plane and started writing poems from the perspective of characters on the Netflix show Stranger Things. She’ll headline The Lincoln Theater on Wednesday night with those songs, and many others, from her illustrious 7-album career. (Lincoln Theater, 6:30 p.m., $55)
MORE: Grassroots Happy Hour with Cory Booker in DC (Hawk ‘n’ Dove, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m., $15), In Real Life (Union Stage, 8 p.m., $25), Jonathan Safran Foer (Sixth & I, 6:30 p.m., $22)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
THREES: One of the year’s most exciting books will be the topic of discussion at Barre3 14th Street’s Book Talk at The Wydown this week. Lisa Taddeo’s best-seller Three Women focuses on a series of modern women and their stores. Food and snacks are included—just bring yourself and be prepared for an evening of engaging conversation. (Wydown Coffee Bar, 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m., $30)
SNAP: D.C. photographer Kirth Bobb will visit Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory Art Center to talk all about the art of photography. Known for his rich photography that captures the little details of everyday life, he’ll show how he goes about getting those subtle—yet meaningful—moments. (Torpedo Factory Art Center, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., FREE with registration)
KILLER FACTS: If things like My Favorite Murder and Mindhunter are any indication, people are absolutely fascinated by serial killers. If you want to put your knowledge of these haunting individuals to use, Port City Brewing will be hosting a Serial Killer trivia event. So put together a killer crew and get ready to test how well you know these real-life monsters. (Port City Brewing, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., FREE with registration)
MORE: Opening event Photo Exhibition “The Magic of Finnish Forest” by Konsta Punkka (Embassy of Finland, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., FREE), Josh Abbott Band (9:30 Club, 7 p.m., $25)
