MONDAY, OCTOBER 12
POW! WOW! Experience some outdoor art at this year’s Pow! Wow! Washington, D.C., the international mural festival. Enjoy the murals throughout NoMa (while practicing social distancing) by following this map, and take in work from Anieken Udofia, Chris Pyrate, Emon Surakitkoson, and others. (Various locations, through Oct. 18, FREE)
RUN FOR IT: The Army Ten-Miler is going virtual this year, and registration is open to all. Download the app, run at your own pace, and earn bragging rights once you’ve reached the 10-mile finish line of your choosing. There’s also a kids run (400 meters) if you’d like to participate as a family. (Through Oct. 18, $59)
SKELETONS IN THE CAPITOL’S CLOSET: Sure, the news in D.C. is terrifying these days, but why not take it to the extreme and scare yourself silly with historical horrors on the D.C. Ghost Tour? While the creep factor is significant on this outing, organizers promise the event is family friendly as they “bring history to life, through death.” Be sure to bring your face masks! (Starts at U.S. Treasury Building, 8 p.m., $12)
MORE: K-Cinema at Home: Champion (Korean Cultural Center DC, Ongoing, FREE), Virtual STEAM (Glen Echo, Ongoing, FREE)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
GET CRAFTY: Take a break from doomscrolling and do some online shopping at the Smithsonian Craft Show. Browse through artistic offerings from the finest in American contemporary craft and design, including furniture, jewelry, and wearable art. Get started on holiday shopping or grab yourself a gift — you deserve it! (Oct. 13-25, free entry)
MOTHER NATURE: The Renwick is debuting a new, nature-themed exhibit, Forces of Nature, and you can attend the virtual opening. Hear from the creators and curators during a Q&A and learn more about the works. D.C. residents can even order refreshments and catering, to be delivered to their homes in time for the event. (7 p.m., FREE)
MORE: Inspiration / Action: Inclusionary Zoning as a Tool for Building Long-term Affordable Housing (Anacostia Community Museum, 2:30 p.m., FREE), Jason Reynolds and Danica Novgorodoff-Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel—in conversation with Gene Yang (Politics & Prose Live, 7 p.m., FREE, book purchase available)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
HARD NEWS: Feel like an investigator from your couch by checking out the Double Exposure (virtual) film festival, from the investigative news organization 100Reporters. The opening film, 76 Days, follows the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China. Q&As and workshops on topics like safety on the front lines and fair use are also on the schedule. (Oct. 14-18, $15 per film, passes available)
FOR THE TREES: Do something positive for Mother Earth by becoming a Chesapeake Tree Steward, a new initiative from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and other groups designed to increase the tree canopy coverage throughout the D.C. area. The four-session online training program will give stewards tools to work with neighbors, lead tree planting projects, and care for existing trees. (6:30 p.m., FREE)
MORE: Online Seminar: Cyber Intelligence and Statecraft (The Institute of World Politics, 5 p.m., $375), Clothing S.O.S. (D.C. Public Library, 5 p.m., FREE)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
FEELING BLUE: Artechouse’s final installation of the year, Crystalline, pays homage to the Pantone color of the year, Classic Blue. The exhibit will explore the color’s connection with the earth, working to center your thoughts and foster resilience — something we could all use in 2020. Book online and remember your face mask. (Artechouse, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., adults $24)
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! So you’ve been bitten by the acting bug — but you need to know how to pay the bills. Check out this virtual master class on The Business of Acting from Signature Theatre’s resident casting director Kelly D’Amboise and casting and executive coordinator Jorge Acevedo. From achieving the perfect headshot to becoming an Actors’ Equity member, this event is perfect for aspiring actors looking to hit it big. (7 p.m., $10)
FEARFUL FUN: Feeling scared of, well, everything? Why not lean into the feeling at a Socially Distanced Night from Bennett’s Curse Haunted House in Dundalk, Maryland? All the horrors will be animated for this pandemic-friendly event, though organizers promise you’ll still be scared silly, as you tour the horrifying (in the best way) attraction. (Bennett’s Curse Haunted House, 7 p.m., $25)
MORE: A Speak Easy Evening (African American History and Culture Museum, 7:30 p.m., FREE), Smithsonian Food History Gala from Home (Smithsonian American Food History Project, 6:30 p.m., FREE)
