FRIDAY, NOV. 18
NATIVE CINEMA: This weekend, ditch Netflix and Amazon Prime for a free alternative: The Native Cinema Showcase, which is streaming for free all weekend long. Hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian, this year’s showcase features 11 films and programs created by and for Indigenous people. (Virtual; Nov. 18 through 25; FREE)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS: The turkeys are still in the grocery stores, but holiday lights are already being strung across town. This weekend, D.C.’s commercial corridors — including Chevy Chase, Logan Circle and The Parks at Walter Reed — are coming alive with dazzling displays of holiday lights. Check them out through Jan. 8, and cast your vote for your favorite. (Various locations; through Jan. 8; FREE)
BLACK ICE: You might be a regular at the climbing gym, but how well would your skills transfer to ice climbing? That’s exactly what regulars at a neighborhood gym in Memphis find out in Black Ice, a new documentary that follows those regulars as they hit the ice and learn from the pros. The film will be screened this Friday to raise money for two organizations fighting for equity for people of color in the outdoors. (Eaton DC; 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Donation-based)
MAGDALENA BAY: Take a trip into the mercurial world of Magdalena Bay — not the Mexican body of water, but the L.A.-based glitch-pop duo. Citing Charli XCX and Grimes as influences, Magdalena Bay has amassed a devoted fanbase with their catchy repertoire and active social media presence. They stop at the 9:30 Club this Friday on their tour of Mercurial World. (9:30 Club; 6 p.m.; $25)
WHISKEY WASHBACK: Get whisked away in the wonderful world of whiskey this weekend at Whiskey Washback, an event celebrating the beloved beverage and the people who make it. A ticket buys you access to over 75 types of whiskey, as well as light bites including oysters and sliders. (The Schuyler; 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.; $125+)
MORE: Excerpts from Unvarnished America (Virtual; Friday through Sunday; $5+); Silent Cinema Showcase (AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; through Nov. 23; $8+); Strange Country, Strange Times (Morton Fine Art; Through Dec. 20; FREE); Holiday Tree Lighting (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Downtown Columbia; FREE); Marianne (Eaton DC; 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; FREE); Vino Cycle (metrobar DC; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; FREE); Chicago (National Theatre; 7:30 p.m.; $60+); Sip and Paint (Allure Bar & Lounge; 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; $33.50); MO(ve)MENTUM (American University Greenberg Theater; 8 p.m.; $15); Bulldog’s Best Showcase (Shaw’s Tavern; 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; $5); The Friday Funnies Showcase (Cafe Saint-Ex; 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; FREE); Fridays at The Park (The Park at 14th; 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.; FREE); Midnight Glow and Chill (Various locations; 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.; $20+)
SATURDAY, NOV. 19
ICE AND LIGHTS: Walk on down to a winter wonderland this weekend at Cameron Run Regional Park in Alexandria, which is opening up its annual Ice and Lights: The Winter Village display. Starting this weekend, Cameron Run’s ice skating and the winter village are open nightly until Jan. 1. (Cameron Run Regional Park; through Jan. 1; $8+)
UTOPIA FILM FESTIVAL: What kind of world would you like to live in? That question is at the heart of the 34 films selected for Greenbelt’s 18th annual Utopia Film Festival, which takes place at the New Deal Cafe and the Historic Greenbelt Theatre. Spanning animated shorts, student films, documentaries and narratives, the festival’s films all dare to dream of a better world. (Greenbelt; Friday through Monday; $7+)
IRAN RISING: In Iran, young women are leading revolutionary protests against their oppressive government following the death of 22-year-old Masha Amini in the custody of “morality” police. Here in D.C., a group of Iranian-American women are honoring their cause with Iran Rising, an immersive art show of protest art on display this weekend in Georgetown. (Fathom Gallery; Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. -o 3 p.m.; FREE)
HIDDEN HISTORY: This weekend, help make urban, hands-on learning experiences accessible to kids by going on one yourself. Join the Urban Adventure Squad in an adults-only Hidden History tour of the National Arboretum, which is raising money to fund programs for kids. The hike will last about an hour, followed by a trip to Atlas Brew Works in Ivy City for discounted beers. (U.S. National Arboretum; 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; $35)
PUNK ROCK FLEA MARKET: What’s more punk than the local flea market? Join the Mt. Pleasant Public Library, Positive Force DC and various local organizations at the Punk Rock Flea Market, which features a food drive for We Are Family DC. (St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church; 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.; FREE)
AFROBEATS FALL FEST: Dance your weekday worries away at the Afrobeats Fall Fest. Taking place at Club Elevate, the event will feature DJs spinning the latest in the skyrocketing Afrobeats genre, as well as various dance performances, local retail vendors and Afro-Caribbean food vendors. (Club Elevate; 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.; $30)
10×10: It’s not every day you find original artworks for $60, but that’s all you’ll find at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, which brings its 10×10 Invitational back this Saturday. They hold an opening reception Saturday to celebrate the works on display, which all measure 10 by 10 inches. (Pyramid Atlantic Art Center; Opening reception 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.; exhibit through Dec. 11; FREE)
DAP IS A LOVE LANGUAGE: For many, particularly Black men, a dap is an instinctual gesture of greeting. In the immersive exhibit “Dap is a Love Language“, co-creators Rhonda Henderson and Aaron Stallworth are looking deeper into what the hand gesture says about the District’s Black communities, considering how “just like we do, dap exists in multitudes.” Join them for an opening reception. (Anacostia Arts Center; 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.; FREE)
MORE: Anacostia River Trash Pick Up (Earth Conservation Corps; 11 a.m.; FREE); Intro Jewelry Design (Shop Made in DC Union Market; 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.; $65); Dupont Circle’s 18th Street Fall Pop-Up (18th Street NW; 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.; FREE); Vikingur Ólafsson (Kennedy Center; 2 p.m.; $90+); Alex Hamburger Quartet (National United Methodist Church; 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; $10); Palm (DC9 Nightclub; 6:30 p.m.; $16+); We Outside Comedy Tour (DAR Constitution Hall; 7 p.m.; $59.75+); UNIQUE: A Burlesque Tribute to Beyoncé (GALA Hispanic Theater; 7:30 p.m.; $25); Detroit Love (Flash DC; 10 p.m.; $30+); Alexandria Film Fest (Virtual through Nov. 27; $15+)
SPONSORED FESTIVE CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Embrace the magic of the Christmas season with Choral Arts. This concert of vibrant holiday carols and Christmas classics in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall captures the joy of the season with chorus, orchestra, soloist Carl DuPont, and conductor Jace Saplan. Dec. 19 and Dec. 24. Tickets start at $15.
SUNDAY, NOV. 20
BEECH PARTY: There’s a beach party in town, but not the kind with sand and sea. This beach party celebrates Beach Drive, and the National Park Service’s recent decision to keep Upper Beach Drive permanently open. It’s also a beech party, celebrating the fragile beech trees that make D.C.’s forests. (Upper Beach Drive; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; FREE)
ICE!: Over two million pounds of ice have arrived at the National Harbor, where they’ve been shaped into the annual winter wonderland called ICE! This year, the Gaylord National Resort’s ICE! takes visitors through the beloved A Christmas Story, with over 10 scenes from the beloved movie. The fun begins Sunday. (National Harbor; through Dec. 31; $27.99+)
MORE: Bluegrass Jam (Sandy Spring Museum; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; $5); Capital City Symphony: What is a Composer? (Atlas Performing Arts Center; 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.; $20); Out of the Vineyard (Joe’s Movement Emporium; 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE); Natasha Leggero (DC Improv; 3:30 p.m.; $22+); Men and Women of the Gospel Choir (5 p.m.; St. George’s Community College; $40); Woodley House 26th Annual Movie Benefit (AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; $50); Ani DiFranco (9:30 Club; 7 p.m.; $41); Girls Rock! Anti-Prom (Songbyrd Music House; 7 p.m.; $25.75); Ari Voxx and Freddy Hall (Pie Shop DC; 7:30 p.m.; $15)
