FRIDAY, SEPT. 9
SHORTS: Calling all film enthusiasts with a short attention span: the DC Shorts International Film Fest is back this year with 94 films from 29 countries, from a heartfelt animated mathematics story to a short about a 9-year-old girl growing up in Paris’ Hasidic community and an D.C.-based documentary about a formerly homeless photojournalist who documents the city’s homeless population. You can catch it in person at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on Rhode Island Avenue NE, or virtually starting September 12. (Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and virtual; Thursday through Monday; $15+)
ARTE AGAVE: Art and agave-based spirits collide at this Friday’s Arte Agave Tequila and Mezcal Festival. Ticket holders will get the chance to sample over 100 spirits, learn how to make specialty cocktails, sample local Latinx grub, and enjoy musical and dance performances. Leave with a special souvenir from the pop-up artisan marketplace, which puts the spotlight on Mexican and Latinx creators. (The Schuyler; 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. $75+)
CIDER FOR UKRAINE: Have your drinks for a cause at Alexandria’s Lost Boy Cider with Cider for Ukraine. A ticket gets you a private section for the evening, a tour of the microbrewery, a swag bag, one pint of a Ukrainian-themed cider, and 50% off cider on tap for the whole night. Funds go directly to Mountain Seed Foundation, an organization raising money for children in Ukraine and other war-torn countries. (Lost Boy Cider; 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; $60)
SHANG-CHI: Get your superhero on at Chinatown Park, with a free screening of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Hosted by the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, the screening celebrates this weekend’s Mid-Autumn Festival. You bring the blankets — they’ll provide the free mooncakes. (Chinatown Park; 7 p.m.; FREE)
SNAIL MAIL: Snail Mail is the solo indie project of Lindsey Erin Jordan, a 23-year-old from Ellicott City. As a young teenager, she made a name for herself in the Baltimore music scene and well beyond, turning heads with her razor-sharp songwriting. Snail Mail is showing no signs of slowing down: Valentine, her 2021 album, is a critically-acclaimed ode to love and heartbreak. Watch her play its gut-wrenching songs on the Fillmore stage this Friday. (The Fillmore Silver Spring; 8 p.m.; $28.77)
PROTECT THEM: This month, Rockville is going purple to raise awareness around the opioid crisis and the effects of drug addiction. As part of the campaign, artist Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg has debuted an interactive audio-visual installation, Protect Them, that explores the surging mental health struggles young people are facing. Find the work all month long in Rockville’s Town Center Park. (Rockville Town Center Park; all month; FREE)
MORE: Art on the Rocks (Torpedo Factory; 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; $65); Raya and the Last Dragon (Virginia Highlands Park; 6 p.m.; FREE); Amanda Shires (9:30 Club; 7 p.m.; $25); James Austin Johnson (Union Stage; 7 p.m.; $25); Nicholas Reynolds (Politics and Prose; 7 p.m.; FREE); Onward (President Lincoln’s Cottage; 7 p.m.; FREE); Every Brilliant Thing (Sydenstricker Schoolhouse; 8 p.m.; $20); Finding Dory (Van Dyck Park; 8 p.m.; FREE); Drag Underground (Dupont Underground; 8:30 p.m.; $15+); Much Ado About Nothing (Arts Barn; 9:30 p.m.; $15+); Sanctuary of Sound (Songbyrd Music House; 10 p.m.; $10+)
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10
DC BIKE RIDE: Twenty miles of car-free D.C. streets to bike on sounds too good to be true, but for one Saturday morning every year, it’s a reality. The annual DC Bike Ride is back, and a route winding from West Potomac Park to Maryland Avenue SW will be shut down for bikers that register, and everyone — bikers or not — is invited to hang out at the finish line festival on the National Mall near the U.S. Botanical Garden. (West Potomac Park; 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; $74+)
BACK TO SCHOOL BOOK SALE: How’s your reading goal for the year going? If you’re in need of a little encouragement, pick up some books this weekend at Petworth Library’s Back to School Book Sale. Prices are hard to beat: hardcovers go for $2, paperbacks for $1, and kids books for half a buck. Plus, all profits go back towards the library. (Petworth Library; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE)
DEAFOPIA: This weekend, a traveling event for the deaf and hard of hearing community swings into town. Deafopia will be taking over Union Market’s Dock 5 space, right by Gallaudet University. The free expo will feature vendors and organizations that make accessibility to deaf folks a priority. (Union Market; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE)
KOREAN FASHION DAY: If you haven’t yet gotten the chance to check out the Textile Museum’s Korean Fashion: From Royal Court to Runway, this Saturday is a great day to go. The museum is hosting a Family Day celebration of Korean fashion and culture, featuring musical performances and interactive craft sessions. (The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE)
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL: The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, takes place this Saturday. Head to the Chinese American Museum to celebrate: On the agenda are mooncake tastings, lantern-making, a tai chi workshop, and a reading of children’s book The Moon Lady by Amy Tan. (Chinese American Museum; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE)
PORTRAITURE FESTIVAL: This weekend, the National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition comes to life in the Portraiture Festival. At the gallery’s first festival since 2020, finalists from the competition will discuss their work, and finalist Holly Bass will perform her piece, American Woman. With hands-on workshops, you can become an artist too. (National Portrait Gallery; 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE)
ROSSLYN JAZZ FEST: Cimafunk is making a splash in the global music world with his blend of funk, hip-hop, Afro-Caribbean and Cuban beats. You can see the Cuban musician perform for free this Saturday when he headlines the 30th annual Rosslyn Jazz Fest. Head to Arlington’s Gateway Park for an afternoon of games, food trucks, and of course, music. (Gateway Park; 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE)
BOWS FEST: Looking to add a new wine or spirit to your bar cart? Look no further than Bows Fest, which takes over Navy Yard’s HQO Events space this Saturday. The event celebrates Black-owned wines and spirits, and is the perfect place to find something new for your collection. A ticket buys you an afternoon of sampling, mingling, and enjoying entertainment. (HQO Events; 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; $75+)
MORE: Yoga Class (City Ridge; 9 a.m.; FREE); Invasive plant removal (Fort Slocum Park; 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; FREE); Hoop for Hope (Banneker Courts; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE); Friendship Heights Makers Market (Wisconsin Avenue NW; 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE); Harlem Renaissance Walking Tour (Howard Theatre; 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; $25); Walking in My Joy (AFI Silver Theatre; 3 p.m.; $33.10); U.S. Open Watch Party (City Ridge; 4 p.m; FREE); Terceros Lugares Opening Reception (Embassy of Venezuela; 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; FREE); The Spirituality and the Arts Players (Mount Rainier; 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; $10+); Melt and Pretty Bitter (9:30 Club; 7 p.m.; $25); Alternative Stand-Up Comedy (Dwell; 7:30 p.m.; $5)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 11
DC STATE FAIR: Statehood still hasn’t been achieved, but do you think that stops D.C. from hosting its own state fair? Fat chance. The DC State Fair is back for its 13th year this Sunday at Gateway DC on the St. Elizabeths East campus. Over 20 competitions will take place: Head over to find out who will be crowned best bike shop, best little free library, and best mumbo sauce. (St. Elizabeths East; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE)
TAKOMA PARK FOLK FEST: All things folk will be celebrated this Sunday in Takoma Park. The Takoma Park Folk Festival is back, bringing musical performances and craft vendors to Takoma Park Middle School. Enjoy the last days of summer with live music, crafts and community. (Takoma Park Middle School; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE)
PETITE MAMAN: Let it all out this Sunday at the National Gallery’s screening of Petite Maman, the 2021 film from France’s Céline Sciamma. The tender, intimate movie follows a young girl as she deals with the death of her maternal grandmother. (National Gallery of Art; 2 p.m.; FREE)
MORE: Sunday Love: Acid Pauli (Flash; 3 p.m.; $30); Classics at the Chrysalis (Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods; 5 p.m.; FREE); Roy Ayers (City Winery; 5:30 p.m.; $45+); John Heffron (DC Improv; 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; $20); Undefeated Sundays (Right Spot; 6 p.m.; FREE); Matt Nathanson (Lincoln Theatre; 6:30 p.m.; $45+); Full Moon Monument Hike (Smithsonian Metro Station; 6:35 p.m.; FREE)
