Hey friends! When the news cycle and your personal (or rather, *my* personal) health problems threaten to grind you down, find your joy. Let’s find you some fun things to do this weekend, shall we?
IT’S BASEBALL OPENING DAY! We’re so excited to return to our beloved Nationals Park for another season of baseball!! We are especially excited for a couple of vendors who are now selling at the park thanks to the Nats’ Pitch a Product Initiative: Kam and 46 (delicious Hawaiian/Filipino food), Mush (vegetarian offerings that we think you’ll love), Maracas Paletas (one cart on each level! PALETAS!!) and Moore Snacks (their Old Bay-flavor pretzel is going to knock your socks off). Also, make sure you take a look at special event nights if you haven’t yet. Will I see you at Hello Kitty night???
The DC Environmental Film Festival is going strong. In our neighborhood, catch two short films on protecting local waterways tomorrow, March 28, at 1 p.m. at the Reservoir Center, 300 Water Street SE. Get tickets here.
Two Girls Trivia runs a quiz every Wednesday at Union Pub! Give them a follow on Instagram so you’re apprised of their future events.
Love whiskey but hate stepping out of the house? Then Chat’s on Barracks Row has the event for you: Whiskey Wednesdays are educational and virtual! Click this link and catch the fun Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and make sure to subscribe!
Got 14 friends (say, an elementary school class) and a desire to explore the Anacostia by boat? Why not schedule a boat tour with Anacostia Riverkeeper? Click here for more details.
The Wharf is also gearing up for Bloomaroo on March 29! Enjoy an afternoon of bloom-centric programing for the whole family. More information here.
If you’ve never caught a Washington Bach Consort Noontime Cantata Concert, you need to add this one to the calendar. On Monday, March 31, enjoy Am Abend Aber Desselbigen Sabats. Learn more here.
On Tuesday, April 1, from noon to 2 p.m. enjoy DC Monumental Strings with Amy Domingues at The Stage at Union Station, as part of their Cherry Blossom Festival and Sing for Hope Lineup.
OFF-HILL
The DC Environmental Film Festival has multiple venues around town. On March 28, catch “Raising Aniya” at the National Academy of Sciences. For more information and tickets, click here.
Have a car that needs a little spring cleaning? Union Market is hosting Roda, a valet car repair service, for a free spring clean pop-up, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They’ll also have allergy kits, just in time for peak bloom. More info? Click here.
The National Building Museum’s “Visible Vault: Open Collections Storage” is their latest permanent exhibit. Both a shameless grab for storage space in the main floors of the Building Museum and an incredible invitation to explore, giggle, wonder and ponder on how we build the world around us, the exhibit will be a fixture at the second floor of the museum. Check out my Instagram post here. Every time you visit, you may see a slightly different exhibit– cool right? Get tickets here.
Don’t forget! The Anacostia Community Museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and they always have something fun going on! Learn more here.
Looking for a fun and different lunch? I was recently invited to try the revamped menu at Mecha Noodle Bar in Union Market and it was really delicious. Their ramen and pho are tasty and highly customizable, but I have not been able to stop thinking about their spareribs. They are dainty but pack a punch and the meat is fall-off-the-bone good.
PLAN AHEAD
Next week, meet your neighbors and beautify your community with the Great Ward 6 Spring Clean! You can clean up your street or join one of several cleanup spots. Just make sure you RSVP at Councilmember Charles Allen’s page by clicking here and keep Saturday, April 5, 10 a.m. to noon wide open! See you around the ward!
Psst: The first Pups in the Park happens Sunday, April 6. Get your tickets here.
The inaugural lecture in the Sam Gilliam Lecture Series at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center (you know, the old Newseum building) kicks off April 9 with art and cultural historian Sarah Lewis. Find out more about this exciting series and RSVP here.
Have documents to shred? DPW will be holding their next document shredding, electronics recycling and hazardous waste disposal event on April 19. Click here to find out more and to RSVP.
Hey there, hep cats! Do you love knowing about the newest restaurants before they are open? Then Mess Hall’s New Kitchens on the Block event is for you! On April 26, taste new bites and new libations from new kitchens! Featuring new concepts from industry pros like Kevin Tien and Victor Albisu among others, this is a can’t-miss event. Get your tickets here.
By the way, the Because They Are Funny Comedy Festival will be back at the Wharf in October, but if you think you’re a funny person, you should enter the Breakout Comedian of the Year contest! Submissions are now open for this career-launching opportunity for up-and-coming stand-ups. The winner takes home $10,000 and a shot at Hollywood talent representation. Want to enter? Are you….
- 21+ and a U.S. resident who identifies as African, Latino, Indigenous American, Asian American, or Pacific Islander.
- Submit a 4-5 minute stand-up routine via YouTube or Vimeo.
- Deadline: May 31, 2025
Good luck! Click here to find out more and to apply.
Oh Lawd they are running! The Chihuahuas, that is! The annual Running of the Chihuahuas is coming to the Wharf again on Saturday, May 3. More info to come, but check
BIG AND TRUE! Open Streets is finally coming to Capitol Hill! The event, which prioritizes people and fun over cars, will take place on Saturday, June 28, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. The event will close a one-mile stretch of Hill roads: from North Carolina Avenue SE at 6th Street to 11th Street SE, through two blocks of East Capitol Street SE and finally continuing on Massachusetts Avenue SE, stopping at 17th Street SE. Learn more here and mark your calendar!