FRIDAY, FEB. 16
MID-ATLANTIC JAZZ FESTIVAL: Swing into the weekend with the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, which brings three days and three nights of jazz to Rockville. Operating across three paid stages and two free stages simultaneously, the festival offers music, masterclasses, interviews, dancing, a midnight jam session and more. (Hilton Hotel & Executive Meeting Center; Friday through Sunday; FREE+)
SAVOR BETHESDA: Grab a bite in Bethesda this weekend at Savor Bethesda Restaurant Week, which kicks off this Friday. Over 30 restaurants including Jetties, Maman and Pho Viet will be offering menus for $10, $20 and $35 through Feb. 25. (Bethesda; through Feb. 25; $10+)
TEMPESTUOUS ELEMENTS: Anna Julia Cooper, a Black liberation activist who championed education for the Black community and for women in the late 1800s and early 1900s, is at the center of Tempestuous Elements, Kia Corthron’s play that debuts at Arena Stage this Friday under the direction of Psalmayene 24. (Arena Stage; through March 17; $51+)
MORE: Gardener’s Focus Tour (Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens; $18), Free Pancake Supper (Emmanuel Episcopal Church; 6 p.m.; FREE), Trivia Night: Black Law (Sudhouse DC; 6:30 p.m.; $5), “Labor of Fire” Opening Celebration (DC Arts Center; 7 p.m.; FREE), An Incarcerated Salon (Mason Exhibitions; 7 p.m.-9 p.m.; FREE), Mardi Gras Shabbat (Sixth & I; 7 p.m.; FREE), Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (Kennedy Center; Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 1:30 p.m.; $69+), Martin Phillips (DC Comedy Loft; Friday 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 p.m.; $20), Cowboy Mouth (The Hamilton; 8 p.m.; $25), Jamila Woods (Howard Theatre; 8 p.m.; $27.50)
SATURDAY, FEB. 17
AFRO HOUSE: Black History Month is about remembering the past and dreaming of a better future. At Afro House: Spirit Fest, it’s also about living in the present. This Saturday, the festival and marketplace brings Black creatives and entrepreneurs together for a day of shopping, performances and spiritual wellness. (Anacostia Arts Center; 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; FREE)
BLACK HISTORY WALKING TOUR: Long before that two-block long section of 16th Street NW was designated Black Lives Matter Plaza, D.C.’s Black community was making history at the nearby Lafayette Park. Delve into that rich history with From Slave Quarters to Black Lives Matter Plaza, a tour hosted by Washington Walks. (Lafayette Park; 2 p.m.-4 p.m.; $35)
CUPID’S UNDIE RUN: Get (almost) naked for a good cause this Saturday at Cupid’s Undie Run, the annual event that invites people across the country to take off their pants and participate in a fun run to support those affected by neurofibromatosis. The mile-ish run kicks off at Union Stage and ends in a dance party. (The Wharf; 12 p.m.-4 p.m.; $45)
MALEVO: What do you get when you take Malambo, an Argentine folk dance, and imbue it with elements of flamenco, tango, and Irish step dance? You get Malevo, the electric all-male ensemble that gives Argentine folk traditions a modern twist, set to the rhythm of pulsing drums. (George Mason University; 8 p.m.; $30+)
HASAN MINHAJ: Did you miss out on your first three chances to get Hasan Minhaj tickets? You’re in luck. The comedian and political commentator has already sold out three shows at The Anthem this weekend, but he’s added one more on Saturday night. (The Anthem; 9 p.m.; $52.50+)
MORE: Invasive Plant Removal (Trail 9, intersection of Broad Branch Road & Beach Drive NW; 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; FREE), Blossom to Beverage: The Story of Chocolate (National Museum of the American Indian; Saturday and Sunday; 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; FREE), Master Chef Featuring Jerome Grant (Hill Center at Old Naval Hospital; 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; $100), Presidential Family Fun Day (National Portrait Gallery; 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; FREE), Mardi Gras (Aslin Beer Company all locations; 12 p.m.-5 p.m.; FREE), Kujichagulia Afro-Futurism Show (Joe’s Movement Emporium; 2 p.m.-4 p.m.; $30), Rola & Friends: Comedy Then Party (Busboys and Poets 14th Street; 7 p.m.-10 p.m.; $35), Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Winds (Dumbarton Arts & Education; 7:30 p.m.; $14+), A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (George Mason University; 8 p.m.; $29+), Speak Softly: DC Gatsby Party (Union Station; 9 p.m.-1 a.m.; $50), Montenegro at Midnight: Patrice DeVeaux (Tight Five Pub; 10 p.m.-12 a.m.; $5)
SUNDAY, FEB. 18
MARDI GRAS BASH: You don’t have to go to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras in style, you just have to go to Silver Spring. This Sunday, the Potomac River Jazz Club presents their Mardi Gras Bash featuring the Orleans Express of Maryland at Rosensteel Hall. If you’re a musician, make sure to bring your instrument to participate in an open jam session at the end of the show. (Rosensteel Hall; 1:30 p.m.-4 p.m.; $22.50)
LOWER GEORGIA CHILI COOK-OFF: Who will be crowned the chili champion of Georgia Avenue NW? Find out at the fourth annual Lower Georgia Chili Cook-Off, in which 11 local restaurants including Midlands, St. Vincent Wine and Soul Wingz will duke it out for the coveted People’s Choice Award. (The Midlands Beer Garden; 2 p.m.-4 p.m.; FREE)
DEATH CAFÉ: Do you guys ever think about dying? Bring those thoughts to Death Café, a gathering for people to eat dessert and exchange their perspectives on and experiences with death and impermanence in an open, respectful and confidential manner. (Rhizome DC; 3 p.m.-5 p.m.; suggested donation)
THE PUNCH-LINE: There’s a new comedy showcase in town. This Sunday, Montenegro Comedy and metrobar will debut The Punch-Line (get it?), a free monthly stand-up show taking place at the beloved bar near Brentwood-Rhode Island Ave Metro station on the Red Line. The first showcase will feature local funny guy Winston Hodges. (metrobar; 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; FREE)
GO-GO HONORS: Celebrate the soundtrack of D.C. this Sunday at the Go-Go Museum Honors, an official fundraiser for the Go-Go Museum and Cafe that honors the immense artistic and cultural legacy of go-go music in the District. (550 C St. SW; 8 p.m.-12 a.m.; $100)
MORE: East Fork Pottery Pop-Up Seconds Sale (Counter Culture Training Center; Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; FREE), Skincare Workshop (Elodie’s Naturals; Saturday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; $75), Creative Community Market (925 Emerson St. NW; 12 p.m.-4 p.m.; FREE), A Spectacular Black Girl Art Show (University of Maryland; 3 p.m.-9 p.m.; $30), Black Trivia Night: Black History Month Edition (House of Comedy & Jazz; 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m.; $30), Living the Dream … Singing the Dream (Kennedy Center; 7 p.m.; $25+), The Light of a Shooting Star (Falls Church Presbyterian Church; 7 p.m.; $40+), Flashy Presidents’ Day Weekend (Flash; 10 p.m.-5 a.m.; $40+)
