Our end-of-the-week picks for Sept. 13-15
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
Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment
Discover the origins of one of the most important art movements in history thanks to a new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. The museum is replicating a legendary exhibit from Paris in 1874 that helped bring about the dawn of Impressionism. In the display, you will be able to view beloved paintings by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissaro and many more.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Nationals Blowout Weekend: 1924 World Series championship celebration (100-year anniversary)
Did you know that the Washington Senators won the World Series 100 years ago? Join the Nats organization as it celebrates the 1924 World Series Championship during a weekend series against the division rival Miami Marlins. There will be fireworks and fun fan giveaways all weekend.
Tickets
1500 South Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003
Architecture Cruise with DC Design Tours
An expert on architecture will guide you through this new offering from DC Design Tours. Cast off from Georgetown along with the professional crew of Capitol River Cruises and head south on the Potomac as live commentary adds to your views of architectural gems like the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, the Watergate Hotel, Arlington National Cemetery and the Kennedy Center. Lesser known landmarks like the Lyndon Baines Johnson Grove and the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial will also be showcased.
Reserve
Capitol Riverfront BID
Bridge to Bridge Fun Run & Concert
Bid farewell to the summer season at Capitol Riverfront's Yards Park with this free evening activity. Grab some swag and join in a casual 5K run led by Pacers Running beginning at 6 p.m. You can take in views of the Anacostia River as you journey from the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to the 11th Street Bridge, culminating in a free concert back at Yards Park. Glitter tattoos, an outdoor bar, food available for purchase from Agua 301 and a free ice cream scoop from Ice Cream Jubilee (check-in by 6:10 p.m. to grab this reward).
6-8:30 p.m. | Free Admission | Reserve
The Yards Park, 355 Water Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Kevin Hart: Acting My Age
Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian Kevin Hart comes to the historic DAR Constitution Hall. Hart has shown box office clout with successful movies such as the Think Like A Man films, The Wedding Ringer, Get Hard and Ride Along, and his previous two shows were the highest-grossing comedy tours of their respective years, so be sure to get your tickets ASAP.
7:30-11:30 p.m. | Tickets
DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC
St. Vincent
Equally capable of writing a heart-wrenching ballad, a pulsing rock song or a beautiful pop melody, St. Vincent (the stage name of Annie Clark) is an artist that demands to be heard. Her bold songs and albums, catapulted by her incredible guitar heroics, translate into searing live performances. Find out for yourself when she takes the stage at The Anthem.
8 p.m. | Tickets
The Anthem, 901 Wharf Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Kristin Chenoweth / Wolf Trap
Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming
Tony Award-winning Broadway duo Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming have shared the stage and screen over the years, and now they headline together at Wolf Trap. Each star will perform independently, but if we’re lucky, they may finish out the night with a duet or two.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, VA 22182
Saturday
Walkingtown DC
On September, Events DC showcases the incredible walkability of the nation’s capital during this free, week-long public tour program. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Walkingtown DC, so it'll be bigger than ever, with a slogan of "Explore DC: Eight Days, Eight Wards, One City." In total, dozens of guided walking tours will be held throughout the District, including neighborhood showcases, themed excursions, historical journeys and many more. Historians, licensed tour guides, community leaders and business owners, among others, host these adventures that will take you to both well-known and hidden gems across DC. The anniversary celebration will be capped off by a closing reception on Sept. 22.
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond
A new exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, will showcase the imprint of Asian Americans on the physical and cultural terrain of the nation's capital. Installed in a gallery that overlooks DC's Chinatown, the exhibition features examples of cultural products that feature Chinese, Korean and Japanese heritage and/or express coalitional Asian American and BIPOC identities. These include displays of artwork, material culture, images and other graphic material drawn from Smithsonian collections and shared by local lenders, including community members and repositories such as the DC History Center and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University. A free celebration on Sept. 7 marks the exhibit's opening.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Assimilation, cultural identity and the pursuit of the American dream are all front-and-center in this fascinating production that was nominated for five Tony Awards. Set in Harlem at a bustling hair braiding salon, the play zooms in on the lives of six women (and others) to present a spellbinding portrait of the African immigrant experience in the U.S.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
The Comeuppance
Set in nearby Prince George’s County, Md., The Comeuppance concerns the self-proclaimed “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group” on the night of their 20th high school reunion. A mystical force makes these friends face the past head-on and reckon with an uncertain future. Penned by MacArthur Genius Award winner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, the play garnered a New York Times Critic’s Pick.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Comedy of Errors
One of Shakespeare’s earliest plays shows that The Bard knew how to make audiences chuckle as well as he knew how to make them cry. Hilarity ensues in a case of mistaken identities as Artistic Director Simon Godwin directs an uproarious affair that will add some rock ‘n’ roll to a humorously topsy-turvy family saga.
Tickets
Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Soft Power
Billed as a “visionary musical fantasia,” Soft Power details the story of a Chinese American playwright attacked by an unknown assailant soon after the 2016 election. The playwright then imagines a Golden Age musical comedy featuring a Chinese theater producer and Hillary Clinton. The new political satire from Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori debuts at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil's OVO
The newest spectacle from French-Canadian phenomenon Cirque du Soleil comes to DC for five days only. OVO follows the unlikely love story between a clumsy insect and an elegant ladybug, featuring all of the circus arts that have made the franchise so beloved: mind-bending costumes, magical music and high-flying acrobatics.
Tickets
Capital One Arena, 601 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
James Taylor / Wolf Trap
James Taylor & His All-Star Band
For five decades, James Taylor has set the standard for American singer-songwriters. Celebrate the beauty of soft rock with the six-time Grammy Award-winner and his lauded band, who are sure to entertain with hits like “Fire and Rain,” “How Sweet It Is,” “Carolina In My Mind" and “You’ve Got A Friend."
8 p.m. | Tickets
Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, VA 22182
The Kennedy Center
American Masters: Eugene Rogers conducts Carlos Simon/Dan Harder, Aaron Copland & Jessie Montgomery
Grammy-winner Morris Robinson and The Washington Chorus join the National Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Aaron Copland’s Suite from Billy the Kid – plus, selections from his Old American Songs, Jessie Montgomery’s Banner and Here I Stand.
8 p.m. | Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
DeVotchKa
Based in Denver but rooted in cabaret, spaghetti Westerns, punk rock and European dance music, DeVotchKa (Russian for “girl”) are a quartet with nearly 25 years of touring and recording experience. In fact, this year marks the 20th anniversary of one of their most celebrated releases, How It Ends, an LP whose music informed and inspired the soundtrack of 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine (DeVotchKa also wrote and performed the score to the legendary film). Witness the group play the record in its entirety during this show at Black Cat.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Black Cat, 1811 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Sunday
Tuan Andrew Nguyen: The Island
In his DC debut, Tuan Andrew Nguyen presents his video work The Island (2017) alongside the sculpted headdress Bidong Spirit I, which was created specifically for the film. Both works were inspired by and reference the Malaysian island of Pulau Bidong, a landing place for Vietnamese escaping by boat after South Vietnam’s collapse in 1975.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th & G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20004
Oh My Heart, Oh My Home.
Studio Theatre presents “An intimate story about sanctuary, belonging and loneliness” from Fringe First winner Casey Jay Andrews. The magnificent storyteller will gather around a doll’s house and weave a stunning fable about the strike of a meteorite, its impact on a neighborhood and the way it challenges a place’s capacity to contain a feeling.
Tickets
Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Primary Trust
Winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize and a highly acclaimed New York Times Critic’s Pick, Primary Trust makes its DC-area premiere thanks to Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va. Kenneth is a frequent patron of Wally’s Tiki Bar until a job loss prompts him to re-examine the past. Funny and emotional in equal measure, Primary Trust is not to be missed this fall.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
Weezer, The Flaming Lips & Dinosaur, Jr.
Three iconic rock groups visit The Anthem on the same night, presenting an opportunity that music fans will not want to miss. Weezer honors the 30th anniversary of their essential self-titled debut LP (commonly known as “The Blue Album” because of its iconic cover) with The Flaming Lips and Dinosaur, Jr. in tow. Each of these two bands also possess legendary catalogues. Talk about a triple-bill. A first show sold out so grab tickets to the second show ASAP.
8 p.m. | Tickets
The Anthem, 901 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20024
Places to Stay
Need some inspiration for a place to stay in between events? Washington, DC is filled with a multitude of hotels to fit your needs. Whether you are looking for that specialty boutique hotel or booking at your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all. Find your stay today!
#Only1DC Photo of the Week
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to award-winning 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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