Studio Theatre will open its lobby to protesters this weekend.

Melissa Carter / Courtesy of Studio Theatre

As D.C. gears up for a second weekend of protests in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis, some local theaters and churches have announced they will open their lobbies to protesters.

Starting Friday, downtown theaters, churches and other organizations will open their lobbies with shelter, water and restrooms. Some will offer other supplies like snacks and personal protective equipment, as well as outlets to charge phones.

Many of the participating organizations require protesters and volunteers to wear masks and practice social distancing while inside their buildings. Others are asking for donations of supplies from the public.

Theaters began to announce they would open their lobbies to protesters following a call to action from the New York Theatre Workshop earlier this week. Since then, theaters in D.C., Chicago, and other cities have signed on using the #OpenYourLobby hashtag.

Alongside the protests, there have also been more informal displays of unity, with volunteers young and old handing out water, snacks, and PPE on a particularly humid weekend. A National Parks Service spokesperson also says that all NPS restrooms are open today, however, this is subject to change based on their conditions.

After seven straight days of protests over Floyd’s killing in D.C., the city is expecting to see an especially large demonstration on Saturday. Metro told employees Friday that it will be reopening the first and last railcar on each train; those cars had previously been closed to protect employees from interacting with riders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are some of the D.C. locations opening their doors to protesters this weekend. This list will be updated.

  • 9:30 Club: 815 V Street NW will be open Saturday from 1 p.m.-6 p.m.
  • Arena Stage: 1101 6th St. SW will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
  • Church of the Epiphany: 1317 G St. NW will be open 10-6:30 p.m. providing water, hand sanitizer and other supplies
  • Compass Rose1346 T Street NW will be open Saturday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m
  • Dacha Beer Garden: 1600 7th St. NW will be open “all weekend.”
  • FCNL Quaker Welcome Center: 245 2nd St. NE will be open Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
  • Foundry United Methodist Church: 1500 16th St. NW will be open Friday from 3 p.m.-10 p.m.
  • Keegan Theatre: 1742 Church St. NW will be open Saturday from 4 p.m-8 p.m.
  • Luther Place Memorial Church: 1226 Vermont Ave. NW will be open Friday from 5 p.m-11 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
  • National City Christian Church: The church, near Thomas Circle, is open Saturday afternoon with water and PPE for protesters.
  • National Museum of Women in the Arts: 1250 New York Ave NW will be distributing supplies at the 13th Street entrance until supplies last on Saturday.
  • New York Avenue Presbyterian Church: 1313 New York Ave. NW will be open Friday from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
  • Old Ebbitt Grill: 675 15th St NW is handing out free free half smokes from Ben’s and food from
    World Central Kitchen, and $1000 worth of free sandwiches courtesy of an anonymous customer.
  • Shakespeare Theatre Company: The Michael R. Klein theater lobby at 450 7th St. NW will be open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. -6 p.m.
  • Source Theatre: 1835 14th St. NW will be open Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
  • Studio Theatre: 1501 14th St. NW will be open on Friday from 12 p.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 3:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
  • The Park at 14th: 920 14th St. NW is providing free water, restrooms, hand washing/hand sanitizer stations, and masks for protesters until 8 p.m. on Saturday.
  • Universalist National Memorial Church: 1810 16th St NW will be open Saturday from 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
  • Woolly Mammoth Theater Company: 641 D St. NW will be open Friday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to “one hour before curfew.”