Y’all. I don’t know about any of you, but this summer has been INTENSE. Granted, I’ve been out of town more than I’ve been around, but let’s just say that the geopolitical events of the past two or three weeks have *aged* me. Let’s forget our woes and find us something fun TO DO.
By the way, want to volunteer with Congressional Cemetery? They are debuting a new portal called Bloomerang and you can sign up here.
Tonight, the Washington Nationals are back in DC and you can catch Carly Rae Jepsen after the game TONIGHT (more info here). It’s also Christmas in July weekend, which means you get an ugly Christmas sweater-inspired tank top (Wednesday, July 24) or a Mackenzie Gore bobblehead (Saturday, July 20).
Craving theater? Why not catch The Moors at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop? The show opened July 18 and runs through August 10, 2024. Travel to a bleak and foggy land of despair and wonder what if. For more info and tickets, click here.
Sunday, July 21 is National Ice Cream Day! From Moorenko’s to the Fine Sweet Shoppe inside Eastern Market, to Jeni’s to Ice Cream Jubilee to Kilwin’s and Dolcezza, we have many local and locally-owned places to celebrate the joy of a cold and creamy treat. Three deals are worth your time and attention:
- Kilwin’s in Navy Yard wants you to enter their Free Ice Cream for a Year contest! Take a creative shot of their ice cream or ice cream confections and tag @KilwinsDC and use the hashtags #KilwinsDC and #KilwinsDCFreeIceCream in your post. The contest ends July 31 at 5 p.m. and the winners will be announced August 1.
- Dolcezza at Union Market (and all other locations) will be giving away free scoops on Ice Cream Sundae, July 21, to celebrate both the special day AND their special day! Happy 20th birthday to Dolcezza!!!!
- Or you can take a ride with Hill Family Biking and get some Ice Cream Jubilee FOR FREE on July 20!! More info here.
East City Books has a lot of fun author talks throughout the year and if you haven’t come into the store or tuned into one of them, you’re missing out. On Tuesday July 23, ECB welcomes author Timothy Janvosky, who’ll be discussing You Had Me At Happy Hour. RSVP here. NOTE: The in-person event is at The Yard. Btw, you can support ECB during their building woes by shopping directly through Bookshop.org.
Looking for a fun weekday activity? Aside from all their other incredible programming, the District Wharf has extended their Pixar Putt through September 2. Perfect for those who love Pixar classics and putt-putt– and who are definitely not going to either cheat or lose their temper on a hard hole. That’s definitely not me, but you, maybe? More info here.
Want to do something cool and stinky? Check out the corpse flower that is currently opening up at the United States Botanic Garden! More info here.
Have industrious kiddos who want to put their budding business acumen to work for a good cause? Make sure they sign up for Lemonade For a Cause! (See also our “Plan Ahead” section.) The winner gets Nationals tickets! Check it out here.
Psst! Want to do something good for a little animal who needs you? How about helping Rural Dog Rescue with some Frontline for kitties and doggos? Click here to donate.
OUTDOOR MOVIE SEASON
Spring and summer are outdoor movie season dates around the area. Here are a few (list will be updated):
- Sunset Cinema at the Wharf
- NoMa’s CiNoMaTic
- Library of Congress’ Summer Movies on the Lawn
- Audi Field’s Movies on the Pitch
- Congressional Cemetery’s Cinematery
- Union Market’s Drive-In
OFF-HILL
The Metropolitan Beer Trail kicked off a couple weeks ago but it goes through December! Get more info and get your beer and bike or walk on here.
The National Building Museum has a new exhibit called Capital Brutalism. Take a loving look at some of our most polarizing, beloved architecture. (#teamBrutalism). Click here for more information and click here for tickets to the Building Museum.
The National Museum of Women in the Arts has an incredible exhibit titled “New Worlds: Women to Watch 2024.” This biennial show highlights some of the boldest, most touching and creative work by women and women-identifying artists working right now. From a haunting multimedia exhibit about climate change to a powerful nude sculpture and self-portrait of an artist who’s a breast cancer survivor, the show takes viewers on a circular journey where the past is also the future. Highly recommend it! For more information, tickets and membership options, click here.
The National Portrait Gallery has an exhibit on view through June 3, 2025, called “Brilliant Exiles.” The exhibit, which takes over a large part of the second floor, focuses on mostly American women who emigrated to Paris between 1900 and 1939. During that tumultuous 40-year period, these migrants excelled in different areas. From writing, painting and dancing to publishing and interior design, these forward-thinking avatars pushed boundaries and found that Paris did not judge them for their womanhood or for being people of color or queer, but instead celebrated them and let them be. The exhibit is a carefully curated view of the women through their own eyes and, far more often than you might hope, through the eyes of important men in their lives. You can learn more and plan your visit here.
TREAT YOURSELF
Sometimes the weekend shouldn’t be about running to everything, but instead should be about indulging. I recently was offered the chance to try out the Infrared Sauna at the new, beautiful Pure Sweat Studios. Yes, it’s in Georgetown (3345 Prospect Road NW), but that just means that you are committed to taking a day off. IR sauna heats your body up with infrared light and brings all the healthful schvitzing of a regular sauna but without the humidity that some folks can find oppressive. There are also gorgeous float tanks available. I didn’t try them, but they looked roomy, easy to access and really beautiful. Click here to find out more.
PLAN AHEAD
Love Shakespeare? Love to shake it? Then Cuban Salsa Night at the Folger Library is the event for you! There will be a lesson and demos, followed by a performance by the DC Casineros. For more info and to RSVP, click here.
The Mudala DC Citi Open is starting Saturday, July 27. Snag single game tickets here. Not only do you get a world-class tennis experience, but five Michelin-starred chefs, including José Andrés,Patrick O’Connell from The Inn at Little Washington, Michael Rafidi from Albi, The Dabney’s Jeremiah Langhorne and Matt Baker from Gravitas. will be offering incredible food experiences at the Tournament Suites and the VIP Citi Lounge.
And WARD 6 WEEK is starting on Saturday, July 27, with a whole slate of events to bring neighbors together. Check out Councilmember Charles Allen’s site here for a list of events HERE and keep your eyes peeled for Lemonade For a Cause HERE, the event we’re co-sponsoring for a second year in a row!
Improve your cocktail game with the help of the Hill Center and mixologist Britt Fox on July 28. Sign up here.
By the way, keep the Downtown Holiday Market for DC and managed by Diverse Markets. Sign the petition here.
Get pumped for the Broccoli City festival. This year, it’ll be at Audi field and the lineup looks very star-studded. Tickets are now on sale! Keep an eye on their website here.
Also get your stomach pumped for RAMW’s Summer Restaurant Week, August 12-18. Click here and watch the space for a full list of participating restaurants!
The Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival, showcasing comedians of color, isn’t until September 27-29, but you can get your tickets starting May 1 here. Are you a young comedian? Why not submit a video to be considered for their Breakout of the Year contest? Click here for more info.
WEEKLY FUN
A Sunday tradition, the Flea Market at Eastern Market is your one-stop shop for wonderful art, clothing, cosmetics and more. Follow them on Instagram here.
At ReLume, you can make something beautiful and have fun while doing it! From candles to seasonal decorations to starting a new hobby, you can do it all there. This week, why not make your own candle? More info here.
Looking for something fun to do with your toddler? The Northeast Neighborhood library has Toddler Explorations on Mondays, from 11-noon. More info here.
Mr. Henry’s is THE place to listen to jazz on the Hill. They have performances FOUR nights a week! Check out their calendar of events here.
On Monday evenings, Trivia Kings takes over Barrel for trivia night. For more info, click here. (They also host trivia nights all over town.)
On Wednesday evenings, make it trivia! Two Girls Trivia runs a quiz at Fight Club starting at 7 p.m. For more information and quiz hints, check out their Twitter, @twogirlstrivia.
Labyrinth has great events almost every night of the week, except for Monday. If you’re looking to demo board games or enjoy some of your favorites with old and new friends, check out their event calendar.
Every Thursday and Friday, Kelly’s Irish Times has comedy! The Batting Cage Comedy show starts at 8 p.m. and is free on Thursdays. More info here.