Our end-of-the-week picks for Sept. 29-Oct. 1
We've gathered up some fun things to do in DC this weekend. You can also read what else is going on during the week and throughout the month.
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Friday
World Culture Festival
The National Mall welcomes the world to celebrate diversity and unity as this three-day festival debuts in America. Experience global music, dance, art and food from 180-plus countries at the historic, Olympic-scale celebration.
Free Admission
Theatre Week
Celebrate the theatre season in the Washington, DC region with a weeks-long promotion (Sept. 21 to Oct. 8) from TheatreWashington, including $20, $40 and $60 tickets to highly anticipated productions at venues all over the DMV area. There are musicals, dramas, comedies, theatre for young audiences and much more. In addition to discounted tickets, Theatre Week also includes special events designed to entertain, educate and inspire.
The Atlantic Festival
The Wharf hosts an all-star lineup of speakers and guests during The Atlantic Festival, a two-day event featuring interviews, forums, breakout sessions, screenings, book talks and networking. Cu-rated by one of the leading publications in the land, The Atlantic, the experience can be enjoyed in-person or virtually. The list of standouts of who will be in attendance is long, but here’s a sample: Nancy Pelosi, Kerry Washington, Jake Tapper, Spike Lee, Antony Blinken, Jemele Hill, Karlie Kloss and Governor Josh Shapiro. Arena Stage will serve as the anchor venue for the festival.
Passes
Tangerine Dream
Responsible for some of the most distinctive film scores of the 1980s, Tangerine Dream is also one of the finest prog rock bands working today. Their live shows are pure spectacle, combining a whirlwind lightshow with the Dream’s spaced-out sounds and textures. The spectacular acoustics of the Lincoln Theatre will serve the group well.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Art All Night
An all-night arts festival? Sign us up. Yes, DC has that with Art All Night, which will spread out over multiple neighborhoods on Sept. 29 and 30. Art experiences don’t get much more lavish or expansive than this: Everything from painting to performing arts to music to sculpture will be showcased in both public and private spaces, indoors and outdoors.
Free Admission
Image China: Dance Drama Mulan
Experience the legendary tale of Mulan's courage and honor through mesmerizing choreography, visuals and music. The modern interpretation reimagines the classic tale of the legendary female Chinese warrior to explore themes of self-identity and empowerment.
7:30 p.m. | Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Saturday
DC Coffee Festival
Immerse yourself in one of the world's favorite beverages during the inaugural DC Coffee Festival. Enjoy creations from dozens of the city’s top coffee roasters. These special offerings will not be limited to coffee, though: you can also expect teas, bagels, mochi donuts and much more. The event will be soundtracked by some of the best bands in the city while you savor samples at the iconic Dock 5.
9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Tickets
The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
All Things Go Music Festival
One of the season’s most anticipated events returns with performances from a diverse array of artists, including the likes of Maggie Rogers, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mt. Joy, Lana Del Rey and many more. The festival will be hosted at Merriweather Post Pavilion and will feature two stages, an epic lineup of delicious local eats and art installations.
Tickets
Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044
Panda Palooza: A Giant Farewell
Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji are preparing for their journey to China later this year. Help the Zoo celebrate and wish them well with a nine-day extravaganza that will include hashtag-worthy photo backdrops, hands-on arts and crafts, a 'Kids Area’ in the Great Meadow, morning family stretching and yoga along with panda talks, temporary tattoos, a conservation-themed scavenger hunt, live music concerts on the Mainstage by Lion Tiger Hill and free film screenings of Kung Fu Panda and The Miracle Panda in the Visitor Center Theater. In addition, food and beverage vendors will offer panda-themed items and tasty treats will be provided courtesy of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.
Free Entry Pass
Smithsonian's National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
King of the Yees
From the playwright of Cambodian Rock Band, a hit over at Arena Stage this year, King of the Yees is a semi-autobiographical comedy focused on culture, community and generational connections. Lauren Yee is in the middle of rehearsal for a new play when her father bursts in and interrupts her actors. Before long, he’s gone missing through the streets of San Francisco, prompting Lauren to journey into Chinatown, beyond the Dragon’s Gate, through a mess of portals and mazes in order to find her father … and rediscover her heritage along the way.
2 p.m. & 8 p.m. | Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
My Mama & The Full-Scale Invasion
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and Wilma Theater collaborate to bring a timely story to the stage this fall. My Mama & The Full-Scale Invasion was inspired by playwright Sasha Denisova’s online chats with her mother, an 82-year-old Ukrainian named Olga. While stranded in her hometown of Kyiv during the Russian invasion, Olga strategizes with President Zelenskyy, strikes enemy drones with pickle jars and even debates with God. Reality and the fantastical intersect in what promises to be one of the most thought-provoking productions of the season.
3 p.m. & 8 p.m. | Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Live in Concert
One of the greatest films of all-time will come to vivid life inside the National Theatre during this rare opportunity to experience music perfectly married with a movie. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the 2018 smash hit, will be screened and paired with a live orchestra and turntables featuring a DJ scratcher on-stage. The score composed by Daniel Pemberton offers original music and song contributions from Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Wayne, Jaden Smith and Post Malone. The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women orchestra, will serve as further musical accompaniment during the screening, which is one-night only.
7:30 p.m. | Tickets
The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Sunday
The Land Carries Our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans
Curated by artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Nation), the National Gallery of Art presents an unprecedented exhibition that showcases work across a variety of mediums – including sculpture, beadwork, painting, performance, drawing, video and weaving – from 50 living Native American artists practicing across the United States. Visitors can marvel at a dynamic presentation of captivating art that reflects a deep reverence and appreciation of natural landscapes.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
America’s Voices Against Apartheid
The Kennedy Center's Department of International Programming and the Howard University Republic of South Africa Project/ Sister States of Maryland, Inc. present a groundbreaking exhibition, on display in the United States for the first time. America's Voices Against Apartheid explores the remarkable contributions made by U.S. citizens to the international movement that tore down the apartheid system in South Africa, which persisted from 1948 to the early 1990s.
Free Admission
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
ExPats Theatre: Scorched
Intended for ages 18 and over only, the new production from ExPats Theatre (staged at Atlas Performing Arts Center) focuses on a family trying to come to grips with its turbulent past. Lebanese-Quebecois playwright Wajdi Mouawad’s engrossing tale focuses on adult twins Simon and Janine, who are asked to find their father and brother in an unnamed Middle Eastern country immediately after their mother’s death. The duo discovers their mother got pregnant as a teenager and was forced to give up the child – then spent the rest of her life secretly searching for her lost son while enduring civil war in her home country. The dramatic conclusion of the familial epic will leave you breathless.
2:30 p.m. | Tickets
Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard
On the 50th anniversary of the election of Maynard Jackson as Atlanta’s first Black mayor, Ford’s Theatre stages playwright Pearl Cleage’s examination of the monumental moment’s dramatic impact on the city through the recollections and reflections of its citizens. Atlanta becomes a character as the audience is immersed in one of the most historic developments of the New South. Use code "DDCSM30" for 30% off – offer is limited to four tickets per order and excludes Dress Circle seating.
2 p.m. | Tickets
Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
#MyDCcool Photo of the Week
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to Michelin-starred hot spots to laid-back food halls, our DC food guide is perfect for helping you plan a more memorable experience.
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