FRIDAY, AUG 19
DC BLACK FILM FESTIVAL: Another weekend, another film festival that’s been virtual for two years makes its in-person return. The sixth annual D.C. Black Film Festival takes place this weekend, with a run at Miracle Theatre kicking off Thursday night and continuing through Friday and Saturday. Check out One Pint at a Time, a documentary exploring how Black brewers are changing the craft beer game, or Aamal, a thriller about a woman who must escape after being kidnapped. (Miracle Theatre; August 18 through 20; $15+)
COUNTY FAIRS: The Arlington County Fair kicks into high gear this weekend with carnival rides, fair food, shopping and performances. For kids and adults alike, the charm of a county fair is pretty irresistible. (Thomas Jefferson Community Center; Wednesday through Sunday; FREE) It’s also the last weekend of the Montgomery County Fair, so you can head up to Gaithersburg to get the agricultural fair experience, including pig races, chainsaw carving, or Demolition Derby. (Montgomery County Agricultural Center; through Sunday; $12 admission, some events, such as Demolition Derby, are ticketed separately)
COMPASSION IN ACTION: Your weekend run can be for a good cause with Christ House’s Compassion in Action virtual 5K race. The annual event raises money to aid people experiencing homelessness and break the cycle of homelessness. Register to acquire your bib and recommended race routes, then take off for 3.1 miles anytime between Friday and Sunday. (Anywhere; all weekend; $35+)
THE ART OF LOOKING: When you visit a sprawling museum like the National Gallery of Art, how much time are you really spending with each painting? We’re all guilty of speeding through, but this weekend, the National Gallery invites us to slow down. They’re hosting an hour-long virtual art chat about Johannes Vermeer’s “Woman Holding a Balance,” the perfect way to familiarize yourself with his work ahead of the museum’s upcoming exhibit on him. (Virtual; 1 p.m.; FREE)
REAR WINDOW: The Hillwood Museum’s Grace of Monaco: Princess in Dior exhibit celebrates all the glitz and glam that was Grace Kelly. This Friday, the exhibit is being supplemented by a screening of Kelly in Rear Window. Head down to the Hillwood Gardens to watch the Hitchcock classic on the big screen. If you pack a pretty picnic, you may be a contender for the museum’s best picnic spread competition. (Hillwood Gardens; 8 p.m.; $20)
MORE: All-Star Purple Party Tribute to Prince (City Winery; 6 p.m.; $28+); Artists Talk: Washington Terrain (Amy Kaslow Gallery; 6 p.m.; FREE); Looks Good on Paper opening reception (Pyramid Atlantic; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; FREE); Mixology for the Lovelorn (Folger Shakespeare Library; 6 p.m.; FREE); The Shins (The Anthem; 6:30 p.m.; $49.50+); The Collection (Songbyrd Music House; 7 p.m.; $15+); Lamii (Union Stage; 7 p.m.; $30); Lavender (DC9 Nightclub; 7 p.m.; $15); Traumedy: A Dark Comedy Show (The Public Option; 7:30 p.m.; $17); Mipso (9:30 Club; 8 p.m.; $20)
SATURDAY, AUG 20
TREE ID: Your days of being unable to identify the glorious trees surrounding you on your walks through Rock Creek Park can be behind you if you join the Rock Creek Conservancy for a tree identification and nature walk. The Rock Creek staff will teach you how to identify local trees, and about their natural importance. (Broad Branch; noon to 1 p.m.; FREE)
BANDS AND BREWS: An excellent summer weekend often features some combination of time outdoors, live music and a refreshing cold beer. At this Saturday’s Bands & Brews: Del Ray’s Summer Bar Crawl, you’ll get all three. A ticket buys you access to drink specials at 15 participating restaurants, live music at each venue, trolley transportation and more. (Mount Vernon Avenue; 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.;$15+)
KOREAN FASHION: South Korea has established itself as a global pop culture powerhouse, from television to movies to music. A new exhibition at the George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum, which opens this Saturday, explores how Korea has also shaped modern fashion, tracing Korean style back to its roots in the royal court. (The George Washington University Museum and the Textile Museum; through December 22; suggested donation of $8)
R&B IN THE FORT: For 50 summers in a row, musicians have been kicking it at the Fort Dupont stage. The tradition continues this weekend at R&B at the Fort. R&B artists Urban Guerilla Orchestra, Pieces of a Dream, and DJ Lance Reynolds are set to perform. Break out the picnic blanket and enjoy. (Fort Dupont; 7 p.m.; FREE)
POOLSIDE PLAYLIST: What does summer sound like to you? At Flashband’s Summer Rock Showcase, local musicians will share their own summer anthems, ranging from the Beach Boys to Lady Gaga. The musicians taking the stage only met a month ago, in 7DrumCity’s recurring band program that brings musicians together and gives them one month to prepare a few covers. (Union Stage; 7 p.m.; $15+)
MORE: Dolley Day (Dumbarton House; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE); Community Mental Health Fair (Westminster Presbyterian Church; 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE); DC World Reggae Festival (RFK Stadium Grounds; 12 p.m.; $70+); Ellen Jovin’s Grammar Table (Planet Word; 12 p.m.; FREE); Explore! Children’s Festival (The Modern at Art Place Fort Totten; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE); Chuck Brown Day (Chuck Brown Memorial Park; 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE); Persona (National Gallery of Art; 2 p.m.; FREE); Jazz in the Parks (The Parks at Walter Reed; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; FREE); Bad Medicine: Sketch Night (DC Improv; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; $20); Monica Martin (Songbyrd Music House; 7 p.m.; $17); Taylor Swift Night (9:30 Club; 8 p.m.; $20); Villain’s Hideout (Penn Social; 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.; $20+)
SUNDAY, AUG 21
PEDESTRIAN ZONE: Ever wondered what Adams Morgan’s 18th Street would be like without any cars? This weekend, you can find out. Between Kalorama Road and Columbia Road, 18th Street NW will be closed to cars between noon and 10 p.m. It’s the first of three Sundays slated for a pedestrian zone experiment. Enjoy pop-up entertainment and a break from the traffic. (18th Street NW; noon to 10 p.m.; FREE)
LORD HURON: The dreamy, harmony-rich indie folk music of L.A. outfit Lord Huron is ideal for laying down on the Merriweather Post Pavilion lawn. First Aid Kit, the Swedish folk duo, opens. (Merriweather Post Pavilion; 6 p.m.; $45+)
BLONDIE: Blondie have become one of my go-to karaoke artists. Nothing beats belting “Call Me” or “Heart of Glass” on the dimly-lit Madam’s Organ stage. Okay, maybe one thing — Blondie, Debbie Harry and all, play the Anthem this weekend. (The Anthem; 6:30 p.m.; $75)
MORE: Senegalese Cooking Class (Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $75); Crafts and Cocktails: Abstract Art (Shop Made in DC Union Market; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; $60); Pints and Plants Succulent Workshop (Hook Hall; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; $55); Carnival on the Water (3100 K St. NW; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; $55+); Dana Williams (Songbyrd Music House; 7 p.m.; $15+)
