FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
HORSIN’ AROUND: Calling all former and current horse girls: The annual Washington International Horse Show returns this weekend with two daily sessions. Friday’s early program includes the first phase of the Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund WIHS Equitation Finals for junior riders. The show continues through Sunday. (Capital One Arena, 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m.)
ZOO BOO: Feeling FOMO after missing out on the after-hours zoo fun of last week’s Boo at the Zoo? Friday proves there fun to be had for adults too at the annual Night of the Living Zoo fare from food trucks and plenty of craft beer, too. (Smithsonian’s National Zoo, 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m., $30-$90)
MODERN GIRL: Though in recent months Sleater-Kinney has undergone some significant changes—longtime drummer Janet Weiss left the band’s lineup this past summer—the band remains vital. At The Anthem, Corin Tucker and Carrie’s Brownstein will perform anthems from both albums past and Sleater-Kinney’s latest, The Center Won’t Hold. (The Anthem, 6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $37.50-$62.50)
MORE: 29Rooms (DC Armory, 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m., $34), Everlane Denim Counter (1259 Wisconsin Ave NW, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., free entry), Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice! Alternative Milk Workshop (A Baked Joint, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., $10), Cheese Night (Glen’s Garden Market, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., $25), Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival: The New Negroes (Lincoln Theatre, 10 p.m., $30)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
FLIGHT FRIGHT: What’s spookier than outer space? At the annual Air & Scare event, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s Chantilly, Va. hub becomes a destination for all things scary, including crafts and science experiments. (Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 12 p.m.-5:30 p.m., FREE)
OVERHEARD: The yearly Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival, presented by Tig Notaro, celebrates 10 years with comedy and conversational all weekend long, including a night with D.C.-raised comedians who’ve since made it big. Saturday’s programming includes A Smart, Funny and Real Afternoon featuring Roxane Gay in conversation with Sasheer Zamata. (Lincoln Theatre, 1 p.m., $40)
DIRT EMO: Though you may be more familiar with his wife, who just so happens to be Kacey Musgraves, Ruston Kelly proves she’s not the only one with musical chops in their marriage. A Nashville songwriter in his own right, his 2018 album Dying Star is a stellar work of storytelling that belongs to a genre Kelly himself calls “dirt emo.” Donovan Woods opens. (U Street Music Hall, 7 p.m., $20)
DOO DOO DOODOO DOO DOO: To be clear, you’re not gonna find any cheap seats for Game 4 of the World Series as the Houston Astros take on the Washington Nationals (the cheapest we found on StubHub was $800+, standing room only). But there are plenty of deals to be had all over town, and plenty more watch parties, for that matter. (Nationals Park, 8:07 p.m.)
MORE: Walk & 5K to End HIV 2019 (Freedom Plaza, 9:15 a.m., $25-$40), Happy Trees Harvest Fest (ANXO Cider & Tasting Room, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., free entry), DC Mac and Cheese Festival (Akridge Lot, 12 p.m.-5 p.m., $25+), Día de los Muertos (The Wharf, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., free entry), Sketching Is Seeing: The Big Draw Festival (National Gallery of Art, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., FREE), Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival: But Enough About You with Tig Notaro (Lincoln Theatre, 5 p.m. doors, 6 p.m. show, $40), Otsumkimi Moon Viewing (National Arboretum, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., $15+), Alessia Cara: The Pains of Growing Tour (The Anthem, 6 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show, $40-$175)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
READY TO RUN: Look, it’s definitely too late to enter the Marine Corps Marathon (please don’t try it without training, and definitely don’t bandit), but as anyone who’s ever run a marathon before will tell you, spectators are greatly appreciated, especially when you hit the wall (typically around the 20-mile mark). Cheer with Pacers in Georgetown, or set up shop on your own. Just keep an eye out for those street closures when planning your trip there. (K St NW in front of the AMC Georgetown Theater, 8 a.m., FREE)
CARVE IT UP: Sip on seasonal beer while you carve at Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals of Washington, D.C.’s 5th annual Pumpkin Fest. Your admission scores everything you need to make a perfect jack-o’-lantern. (Wunder Garten, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., $25)
GET TO THE GIG: An annual tradition, this year’s Halloween Cover Show helps support Girls Rock! DC. Last year’s roster featured Gnarly Rae Jepsen, perhaps D.C.’s only pop-punk-leaning Carly Rae Jepsen cover band; this year includes sets featuring music originally by Josie and the Pussycats, My Bloody Valentine, and Nirvana. (Slash Run, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show, $10 with costume/$15 without)
MORE: Obscure Memorials of the National Mall (World War II Memorial, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., FREE), MakeHER Mart 2019 (National Museum of Women in the Arts, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., FREE for members/$8-$10 general admission), Bonnard to Vuillard: The Intimate Poetry of Everyday Life (The Phillips Collection, 12 p.m.-6:30 p.m., $10-$12), RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World Tour (The Anthem, 6:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show, $52-$162), BJ the Chicago Kid with Rayana Jay and KAMAUU (U Street Music Hall, 7 p.m., $20), Tegan and Sara: Hey, I’m Just Like You Tour (Lincoln Theatre, 7 p.m. doors, $40.50-$76), DIIV with Chastity and Storefront Church (Black Cat, 7:30 p.m. doors, $17)
This post has been updated to reflect that Habitat for Humanity’s Sunday event does not include free food with admission.
