FRIDAY, SEPT. 30
PALABRA ARCHIVE: You don’t even have to leave the house to enjoy the Library of Congress’ latest offerings. The institution is debuting the PALABRA Archive, a rich collection of recordings of Latin American, Iberian Peninsula and Caribbean writers and poets that was added to the Library of Congress in honor of Latin American Heritage Month. Find everything from a recording of U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón to the first-ever recording of Chile’s Indigenous Mapuche language. (Virtual; All month; FREE)
FALL FEST: Nab a hot apple cider and stroll along East Market Lane — the cobblestone street next to the former Dean & Deluca in Georgetown — this weekend as you enjoy the fall creations of local vendors like A Contemporary Market, Earth Essentials and Tequeño World at Fall Fest, hosted by NeighborsDC. Pick up home goods, jewelry, clothes and snacks starting this weekend, and weekends all month long. (Georgetown Park; Friday through Sunday; through Oct. 30; FREE)
TASTE N SHOP: Put a face to the delicious food of LuvPlates Soul and Grill this weekend at the Anacostia Arts Center. At this weekend’s Taste N Shop, get to know chef Jacob Vcelik, the man behind the homestyle soul food food truck and restaurant in District Heights. Grab a bite and enjoy a conversation about Black-owned restaurants. (Anacostia Arts Center; 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE)
SUMMER BEER AND WINE: Summer may be over on the calendar, but it’s not over in spirit at the Sandy Spring Museum until this Friday. They’re hosting the finale to their Summer Beer and Wine Garden series. Bid adieu to the warm weather with an evening of local breweries, wineries, food trucks and musicians. Bring your picnic blanket — drinks and lawn games, provided. (Sandy Spring Museum; 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; $5+)
GHOST WALK: Scary movies not enough for you? Head over to Dumfries, Virginia for a Ghost Walk with a paranormal investigator. The tour will take you around the historic town of Dumfries, including the cemetery and the supposedly haunted Weems-Botts Museum. Make sure to bring a flashlight — they’ll bring the ghost stories. (Dumfries; 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; $20+)
MORE: Forest Therapy (Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE); Preserving the Stories and Sacred Places of Black Georgetown (Dumbarton House; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; FREE); CCRAV outdoor show (Long Bridge Park; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; FREE); 80s Night on the Plaza (The Parks at Walter Reed; 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; FREE); Ian Karmel (DC Improv Comedy Club; 7:30 p.m.; $22+); Schewitz Whichard (Crystal City Sports Pub; 8 p.m.; $15+); Temptation Dance Party (Pearl Street Warehouse; 8 p.m.; $10)
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
PUMPKIN PATCH: October’s here, which means Temple Hall Farm’s Pumpkin Patch is back in full swing in Leesburg. Picking your own pumpkin is the main attraction, but your ticket also buys you a wagon ride around the farm, time with the farm animals, a visit to the sunflower fields and as many rides on top of a potato sack down the hill slides that you can handle. The pumpkin patch is open daily for the whole month. (Temple Hall Farm; through Oct. 31; $15)
PLANT CLINIC: Give your plant a little TLC this weekend with Very Sad Lab’s Pop-Up Plant Clinic. Bring any plants that look like they could use a little extra love, as well as extra planters and pots for repotting. The folks at Very Sad Lab will repot your plants, and share tips on how to take care of them as we move into colder months. (The Nicholson Project; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; FREE)
TASTE OF BETHESDA: Rain or shine, Taste of Bethesda is taking over the streets of downtown Bethesda this Saturday for the 31st year. The best restaurants in the area will set up shop in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle and whip up small plates of their best dishes. Admission is free, but a bundle of four food tickets starts at $5. (Bethesda; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $5+) *Note: This event has been canceled due to rain.
ADAMS MORGAN PORCHFEST: Didn’t score tickets to All Things Go? You don’t have to miss out on any of the musical fun: Adams Morgan PorchFest takes place this weekend. Find 70 local groups across 17 porches, each playing 45-minute sets across a wide variety of genres. With a free wristband, you’ll also be eligible for deals at neighborhood bars and restaurants. (Adams Morgan; 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; FREE) *Note: this event has been postponed to a TBD date in October due to rain.
LATIN POP AND PIZZA: There’s something of a mini-festival happening this Saturday night at Comet Ping Pong, too. Headlining the night is Little Jesus, an indie pop outfit hailing from Mexico City. Divino Niño, a Colombian group by way of Chicago with hazy indie numbers, plays as well. PIERI, the Mexican Brooklyn-based rapper, rounds out the lineup with her bawdy bangers. (Comet Ping Pong; 10 p.m.; Tickets at the door)
MORE: Cycle Outdoors (National Landing Market; 9 a.m.; $35); Brunch on the Go (Pacers Running Navy Yard; 10 a.m.; $65); District Hunt (D.C.; 10:30 a.m.; $30); Capital Pride Alliance Crab Feast (Washington Canoe Club; 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.; $75); Sip + Paint: Succulent Potted Plants (Shop Made in DC Union Market; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; $35); Story District’s 25th Anniversary (Lincoln Theatre; 7 p.m.to 9 p.m.; $25); Danielle Wertz (Arts Barn; 8 p.m.; $35); Frights at Height (South Run RECenter, Springfield; through Oct. 29; $39.95)
SUNDAY, OCT. 2
LAISSEZ-FAIR(E): The French phrase for “allow to do” often refers to an economic and political system free from government intervention. This weekend, though, it also describes a natural wine social with a relaxed attitude. Join wine professionals at Josephine Butler Parks Center for Laissez-Fair(e): Deux, a casual event celebrating the funky world of natural wines. (Josephine Butler Parks Center; 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; $45)
STEIN HOISTING: Why workout with dumbbells when you can test your strength with a one-liter beer stein filled to the brim? Head down to the Wharf this Sunday to participate in an official stein hoisting competition at various Wharf restaurants and devour some German grub. The festivities are a part of the Wharf’s annual Oktoberfest celebration. Of note, the Oktoberfest Polka on the Pier event scheduled for Friday has been canceled, and the Wiener 500 wiener dog race has been rescheduled for on Sunday, Oct. 16. (The Wharf; 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE)
SOUND OF METAL: Still catching up on the award-winning movies of, uh, 2020? This weekend, the Kennedy Center can help you out: Millennium Stage is hosting a screening of Sound of Metal, the Academy Award winning film that follows a punk drummer as he begins to lose his hearing. (Kennedy Center; 3 p.m.; FREE)
MORCHEEBA: Fend off those Sunday scaries with the spellbinding music of Morcheeba, the mid-90s English feel-good funk band. After spending the summer at European music festivals, the group plays the Lincoln Theatre for the first stop on their U.S. tour for Blackest Blue, their 2021 release. (Lincoln Theatre; 6:30 p.m.; $35)
MORE: Sunrise Photography on the National Mall (Lincoln Memorial; 6:05 a.m.; $89); Free Yoga on the Lawn (City Ridge; 11 a.m.; FREE); ARTINA: A Space in Place (Sandy Spring Museum; 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; FREE); Think BIG! About the Future of Movement (Northern Virginia Community College; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE); All Fantasy Everything (DC Improv; 2 p.m.; $22); Wild Women of Georgetown Walking Tour (Dumbarton House; 2 p.m.; $20); Kardemimmit (Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library; 3 p.m.; FREE); Pete Souza (Sixth & I; 7:30 p.m.; $25+)
This post has been updated to reflect the cancellation or postponement of some events due to inclement weather.
