FRIDAY, SEPT. 15
OKTOBERFEST: Prost! The first batch of Oktoberfest celebrations take place this weekend, including the Wharf’s Oktoberfest Weekend. The celebration kicks off on Friday with a free polka dancing class. On Saturday, dogs will compete in the 11th Annual Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash, and on Sunday, you have the chance to compete in a classic stein hoisting contest. (The Wharf; Friday through Sunday; FREE)
UKRAINIAN FESTIVAL: Get to know Ukrainian culture without traveling further than Silver Spring. All weekend long, St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral is celebrating Ukrainian food, music, crafts, dance, beer and more at the Washington Ukrainian Festival. A portion of the proceeds go towards humanitarian aid in Ukraine. (St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral; Friday through Sunday; $20)
PARK(ING) DAY: This Friday, local parking spaces are dropping the ‘ing’ and turning into parks. Park(ing) Day originated in San Francisco in 2005, and has since expanded to cities across the U.S. You can find pop-up parks across Wards 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, as well as in Arlington. (Various locations; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE)
HARVEST PARTY: Give fall a warm welcome at the Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden’s annual Harvest Party. Taking place in the outdoor gardens, the event celebrates autumn’s arrival with live music, local beers and wines, and lots of hors d’oeuvres. All drinks and food — including mini apple galettes, s’mores tacos, and pumpkin cheesecake squares — are included with your ticket. (U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory; 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; $75)
NEVER IN OUR IMAGE: How can we reclaim materials that were never made in our image? That’s the central question asked by Never in Our Image, a three-part queer experimental opera that makes music by destroying weapons — cutting, melting, and repurposing guns onstage. Catch part three at CulturalDC’s theater this weekend. (CulturalDC’s Source Theatre; Friday and Saturday 7 p.m.; $5+)
DC COMEDY FESTIVAL: D.C. has launched the career of many notable funny people, including Martin Lawrence and Wanda Sykes. The DC Comedy Festival, which wraps up this weekend, is keeping an eye on the next generation of DMV comedians. Head to Dupont Underground to have a laugh with stand-ups from both local and international scenes. (Dupont Underground; through Saturday; $25+)
MORE: Beyond the Light (Artechouse; through Nov. 5; $25), NoMa in Color Art Walk (NoMa; through Oct. 19; FREE), Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas (Smithsonian American Art Museum; through June 2024; FREE), Park(ing) Day (Arlington; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; FREE), Chef’s Table & Book Signing with JJ Johnson (National Museum of African American History and Culture; 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE), Jessica Diamond: Wheel Of Life Open House (Hirshhorn Museum; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; FREE), Rosslyn Rivals Spelling Bee (Continental Beer Garden; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; $10), And Action: A Night of Dancing & Film (Color Burst Park; 6:30 p.m.; FREE), Diogo Nogueira (Karma DC; 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.; $65+), Los Auténticos Decadentes (Lincoln Theatre; 8 p.m.; $59+), No Surprises: Celebrating the Music of Radiohead (Pearl Street Warehouse; 8 p.m.; $15), Two Thumbs Down (The Pocket; 8 p.m.; $15+), Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical (The Bowie Playhouse; through Oct. 14; $25), Habibis in the City: Masquerade Party (Koi DC; 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.; $20+)
SATURDAY, SEPT. 16
NATIONAL DANCE DAY: Did you think the District was done celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary? Think again. This weekend, the celebration takes place at the Kennedy Center, where DMV-based movement artists and hip-hop organizations will team up for a special installment of National Dance Day. The event will feature free dance classes, performances and competitions. (Kennedy Center; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; FREE)
H STREET FESTIVAL: This Saturday, H Street NE will look a little different. Traffic is shutting down while tents and stages are setting up for the annual H Street Festival, which brings live music (from ska to go-go), performances (theater, dance and drag), contests, karaoke, food, beverages, artisans and more to H Street, between 3rd and 15th Streets NE. (H Street NE; 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.; FREE)
CELEBRATE VIRGINIA: Live in Virginia? Bask in some state pride at Celebrate Virginia, a boozy event taking over The Plaza at Tysons Corner. Five of Virginia’s finest breweries and eight of its wineries will host tastings as Virginia-based musicians and artisans provide live music and a local makers market. (The Plaza at Tysons Corner Center; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE+)
THREADS OF HOPE: National Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off on Friday, and Anacostia Arts Center is a great place to celebrate starting Saturday, when a new exhibit kicks off in honor of the month. Nicaragua-born, D.C.-raised artist Luis Del Valle has curated Threads of Hope, a group show that honors the rich cultural tapestries of immigrant communities. (Anacostia Arts Center; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE)
MORE: Pan dulce y Pájaros (Sweetbread and Birds) (Fort Slocum Park; 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.; FREE), Homecoming at President Lincoln’s Cottage (President Lincoln’s Cottage; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE), On The Noodle Road with Jen Lin-Liu (Hill Center at Old Naval Hospital; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $100), Oktoberfest Bash (Bluejacket; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE), Beer in the Garden (The Farm at Halley Rise; 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.; $10), Pet Festival (Village at Leesburg; 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE), Julia Peirone: I Am Not Blonde (House of Sweden; Saturday and Sunday; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE), Latine Heritage Through a Literary Lens (The Writer’s Center; 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE), 100 Ways to Cross the Border (National Gallery of Art; 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; FREE), Mexican Independence Day (The Lane at Ivy City; 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.; FREE), Queer Art Market (Rhizome DC; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; FREE), Summer Sneaker Ball (Nationals Park; 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; $25+), Synaptic Soiree (Torpedo Factory Art Center; 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; FREE), LizaBanks and Friends: A Half Hour Comedy Special Taping (Cafe Saint Ex; 7 and 9pm; donation based) Patti Smith and Her Band (The Anthem; 8 p.m.; $55+)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 17
LOTUS FESTIVAL: This week, Chinatown Park was transformed into a cultural hub for the Lotus Festival of Food and Culture. The DowntownDC BID’s five-day event closes out this Sunday with a grand finale: An Asian street food festival featuring food, music, and lion dancers. (Chinatown Park; through Sunday; FREE)
LITERARY HILL BOOKFEST: Need a new book? Stop by Eastern Market, where the Literary Hill Bookfest will be taking over this Sunday. The list of participating authors is long, and includes notable authors of fiction, history, memoir, poetry, children’s literature, politics, and mystery. Don’t miss author talks on identity, diversity, fiction ,and more. (Eastern Market; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE)
LITTLE AMAL: Her name is Little Amal, but she’s actually 12 feet tall. The towering puppet, which depicts a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, will be paying the District a visit this Sunday as part of her “Amal Walks Across America” tour. Catch her downtown, where she’ll receive a very D.C. welcome featuring go-go bands and other local performers. (Black Lives Matter Plaza; 3 p.m.; FREE)
MORE: DC Family Bike Fest (Alethia Tanner Park; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; FREE), End of Summer Community Clean-up (Legacy DC; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; FREE), Jewish History of Washington (Judiciary Square; 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; $25), DC Clay Festival (Brookland Arts Walk; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE), Brunch and Drag Story Hour (The Lane at Ivy City; 11:30 a.m.; $35), Haiku Song Lab (Rhizome DC; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; $10+), Pepperfest (Potomac Overlook Vegetable Garden; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; FREE), In Conversation with Kenturah Davis (National Portrait Gallery; 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.; FREE), Meet the Author: Tricia Elam Walker (Takoma Park Maryland Library; 2 p.m.; FREE), September Jazz Special (Rosensteel Hall; 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; $22.50), The Pursuit of Happiness: Music for Social Wellbeing (McLean Central Park Gazebo; 3 p.m.; FREE), The Reverón Piano Trio (National Gallery of Art; 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.; FREE), Kix (Merriweather Post Pavilion; 7 p.m.; $40), Jenny Holzer’s The People (National Mall; through Sept. 21; FREE)
