FRIDAY
NEAR NORTHEAST: After seven years together, local indie folk band Near Northeast is parting ways — but they’re not leaving without saying goodbye. Their farewell tour takes them to Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and of course, D.C. Catch one of the band’s last shows this weekend at Songbyrd, where you can also jam out to local openers Teething Veils and Oh He Dead. (Songbyrd Music House; 7 p.m.; $15+)
SLASHFEST: Some of today’s biggest names in hip-hop — Wale, Rico Nasty, GoldLink, Brent Faiyaz — have come out of the DMV. At the inaugural Slashfest, witness the D.C. area’s next generation of artists in action. Standouts from the festival’s lineup include energetic rapper Asa Weeks, soulful singer Cecily, and LB199X, who specializes in honest, pensive rap. (Pie Shop; 7:30 p.m.; $20)
BLACK GIRLS ROCK: The prolific India.Arie features in this year’s Black Girls Rock!Fest. Put on by Black Girls Rock!, an organization dedicated to uplifting Black women and girls, the annual festival showcases women musicians of all genres at the Kennedy Center. The girls are sharing the weekend with the boys at Black Men Rock! too: Taking the 9:30 Club stage are rapper Jay Electronica, singer Raheem DeVaughn, rocker Bazaar Royale, R&B artist Greg Banks, and rapper M-1, who hosts the event. (Kennedy Center and 9:30 Club; 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; $45+)
JOSH JOHNSON: Behind the camera and in front of it, Josh Johnson is a funny man. Known as a writer for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Johnson has also made a name for himself as a stand-up comic. He’s toured with Trevor Noah and has multiple comedy specials under his belt. Share a laugh with him this Friday in Arlington. (Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse; 9:30 p.m.; $20)
SIGN O’ THE TIMES: Kick off Independence Day weekend with one of the best things to ever come out of America — Prince. In Sign o’ the Times, a concert film promoting the album of the same name, the pop legend performs at his finest. The film screens at Mount Pleasant’s Suns Cinema. (Suns Cinema; 9:30 p.m.; $12)
MORE: Smithsonian Folklife Festival (National Mall; all day; FREE); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Synetic Theater; through July 24; $40+); Find Waldo Scavenger Hunt (Capitol Hill; all month; FREE); Museum Scavenger Hunt (Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library; all month; FREE); Annual Designer Pitch (200 Massachusetts Ave. NW; 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; $25); Rosé on the Plaza (The Parks at Walter Reed; 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; FREE); Marlins at Nationals, followed by fireworks (Nationals Park; 6:05 6.m.; $18+); Black Alley (City Winery; 8 p.m.; $26); U.S. Navy Band (Vienna; 8:30 p.m.; FREE)
CRAFTIVISM CIRCLE: Craftivism describes a subset of activism centered around creating arts and crafts. At the Anacostia Community Museum every first Saturday of the month, the craft at hand is knitting and crocheting. The activism comes in the form of social justice-related podcasts, which play during the event and spark discussion. Join “Crochet Kingpin” Dwayne Lawson-Brown this Saturday, and leave with new ideas — and maybe a new scarf. (Anacostia Community Museum; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE)
DRUNK SHAKESPEARE: Shakespeare penned his plays centuries ago, but one thing his society had in common with ours is that they liked to drink. Drunk Shakespeare, then, is a fitting homage. In the critically-acclaimed event, five classically trained actors assemble onstage to perform a Shakespeare play, but before they start, one of them takes five shots of whiskey. Get your tickets to find out what’s being performed, and more importantly, who’s drinking. (Sage Theatre; 7 p.m.; $25)
KARAOKE NIGHT: Can you hit the belting chorus of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” or the grating lines of Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know”? On the first Saturday of every month, head to Busboys and Poets in Anacostia to potentially reap the benefits of your talents. Every Karaoke Night, one singer is voted as best of the night, and will compete for a grand prize in December. (Busboys and Poets Anacostia; 7 p.m.; FREE)
SALSA Y TIMBA: Get your salsa and timba on this weekend at the SalsaTimba Festival. Timba is the jazzier, more improvisational Cuban cousin of salsa. Featuring three live bands — Banda Hnos. Galvan Jr., Pupy y Los que Son Son, and El Noro y Primera Clase — this event invites you to dance until your head spins. (Karma DC; 8 p.m. to 2:45 a.m.; $50)
MORE: Analog Market (Silver Spring; Saturdays and Sundays through December; FREE); Conversations in Art (Falls Church Arts Gallery; through August 14; FREE); American Independence Scavenger Hunt (Rosslyn Metro Station; 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; $20); Eli & The Waltz (Songbyrd Music House; 7 p.m.; $15+); The Grateful Allman Band Experience (Jammin’ Java; 7 p.m.; $10); Salute the Sunset Concert (National Harbor, 7 p.m.; FREE); Sarah Hughes / Corey Thuro / David Greenfieldboyce (Rhizome DC; 7 p.m.; $10+)
SUNDAY
FRESHFARM TURNS 25: On a July day in 1997, farmers and food vendors opened up shop for the first ever Dupont Circle Farmers Market. That market became FRESHFARM, which 25 years later is a nonprofit running dozens of markets in the D.C. area. This Sunday, FRESHFARM celebrates its 25th at its flagship market with appearances from local politicians, a free photo booth, market bingo, a cooking demo, and live music. (Dupont Circle; 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; FREE)
FAILED RELATIONSHIPS: Misery loves company. Find some this Sunday at TORN!, a comedy show about failed relationships. Host and producer Rola presents comedians Anthony Oakes, Ross Benoit, Ashley, Kathryn Kunkle, Big Lee, Brittany Hunter, and Yusuf Goal. They’ll take their audience through personal stories of heartbreak, and find ways to laugh about it all. (Aurora Market; 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; $17)
SHHH IT’S A SPEAKEASY: A monthlong run of Speakeasy Live! in National Harbor starts July 1. The touring show that began in New York features Broadway, burlesque, cirque and other performers in a speakeasy-style cocktail bar setting. Tickets start at $99 and there are various packages that include various levels of food and craft cocktails. (Sunset Room at National Harbor; Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; Sundays at noon and 5 p.m. through July 31; $99+)
MORE: Washington Drawings (Politics & Prose; all month; FREE); China Alley (City Winery; 6 p.m.; $30); Independence Weekend Jewish Washington Walk (Gallery Place; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; $25); Lady and the Tramp (National Harbor; 6 p.m.; FREE); Nick Lutsko (Union Stage; 6:30 p.m.; $20); Catfish Stand-Up Comedy (Trusty’s; 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; FREE); The Zells (Pie Shop; 7:30 p.m.; $12+); Star-Spangled Spectacular (Baltimore’s Inner Harbor; 8 p.m.; $25)
MONDAY
RED, WHITE AND BLUES: Spend Saturday, Sunday, or Monday evening of this Independence Day Weekend with the Gabe Stillman Band. The blues and roots band takes the stage every night for Red, White and Blues, a free show in honor of Fourth of July. Every show kicks off with a different opener — Eli Cook on Saturday, Mama Moon & The Rump Shakers on Sunday, and Moonshine Society on Monday. (Pearl Street Warehouse; Saturday through Monday; 7 p.m.; FREE)
FIREWORKS AND PARADES: There’s no shortage of ways to celebrate Independence Day in the area this Fourth — it’s D.C., after all. The big parade kicks off right before noon on Constitution Avenue, and the official fireworks start right after 9 p.m. There’s a free concert, and classic celebrations like the Capitol Hill Parade and the Palisades Parade. Check out our full roundup of July Fourth events, which also includes bar crawls and food specials. (Variou locations; all day; FREE)
MORE: An American Celebration (Mount Vernon; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; $26); Bubbleworks (CityCenterDC; 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE); Fourth of July Day Party (Decades DC; 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; FREE); Independence Day Celebration (Armed Forces Retirement Home; 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; $10 suggested donation per carload); Earth Wind & Fire Tribute Band (City Winery; 5:30 p.m.; $24+); Boom With A View (Vue Rooftop; 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.; $75+); Fourth at The Wharf (The Wharf; 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; FREE)
