Jam-Packed Weekend on Tap in the DMV
School may be back in session, but there is not shortage of things to do this weekend in the DMV. D.C. Shorts Film Festival is back, as is the Rosslyn Jazz Festival and Adams Morgan Day. Also on tap is the 202 Arts and Music Festival, the Takoma Park Folk Festival and the Virginia Indian Festival. Athletes can participate in a triathlon, a 10k or 5k races, while sports fans can head to FedEx Field for the Redskins’ home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. If you’d rather stay indoors, there are several new plays and museum exhibits to fill your weekend.
The Bethesda, Medical Center, Grosvenor-Strathmore and White Flint stations on Metro’s Red Line will be closed again this weekend. Buses replace trains between Twinbrook and Friendship Heights. Red Line trains will operate on a regular weekend schedule between Shady Grove and Twinbrook and between Friendship Heights and Glenmont with additional trains between Silver Spring and Farragut North from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Orange Line trains will single track between Cheverly and New Carrollton with trains operating every 20 minutes. Blue, Silver, Green and Yellow Line trains will run on regular weekend schedules.
Rosslyn Jazz Festival
For the past 27 years, the Rosslyn Jazz Festival has drawn music fans to the downtown Gateway Park. This year’s lineup includes Joy Keyes & the Late Bloomer Band at 1 p.m., Xenia Rubinos at 2:20 p.m., the driving throwback funk and soul of Lee Fields and the Expressions at 3:45 p.m. and is topped by the Soul Rebels, an eight-piece New Orleans-style brass band that has performed with Nas and Big Freedia, at 5:30 p.m. When you aren’t dancing grab food from a food truck or have drinks in a beer garden.
Sept. 9 from 1-7 p.m. at Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Highway, Rosslyn. Admission is FREE!
Awesome Sommerfest
No, it isn’t Oktoberfest yet. It is Awesome Sommerfest. The German cultural institute’s end-of-summer open house includes free German lessons, karaoke in German and English, a scavenger hunt, crafts, a screening of German short films with English subtitles and, in a nod to locals, garage rock and noise-pop band the Foul Swoops and Br’er. German food and drinks from Old Europe restaurant will be for sale.
Sept. 8 from 3-9 p.m. at the Goethe-Institut, 1990 K St. NW, Suite 3. Admission is FREE!
Ilya and Emilia Kabakov: The Utopian Projects
Russian-born American artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov have been an artistic duo for almost 30 years. Ilya and Emilia Kabakov: The Utopian Projects includes 20 of the Kabakovs’ maquettes and whimsical models inspired by the hardships, surveillance and suspicion they endured while living the the Soviet Union. The monuments, allegorical narratives, architectural structures and outdoor works span from 1985 to the present day. The creations are brought to life by the eccentric, imaginary characters that inhabit them. Lights, motors, text and music enhance the whimsy and theatricality of each miniature environment. Included are studio models of The Man Who Flew Into Space From His Apartment, which was presented at the museum in 1990, and The Ship of Tolerance, a 60-foot wooden sailboat that has been successfully launched all around the world and widely celebrated for it message of tolerance and hope.
Daily through Mar. 4, 2018, from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!
D.C. Shorts Film Festival
The 14th annual D.C. Shorts Film Festival returns this weekend, featuring nearly 170 films that are less than 30 minutes long each from 31 countries at two D.C. venues including The Blue Car about a young, poor East African boy who faces the reality of running out of food and water while caring for his dying mother, but in his imagination he travels the world in his favorite blue toy car to save her, which screens at 9 p.m. on Saturday at E Street Cinema. Most showcases are 90 minutes long. The short films have been grouped into 17 showcases based on theme including Canada’s 150th birthday, current events and politics, documentaries, international, African American, LGBT issues, comedies, animation and the celebration of life. There will also be free lunchtime screenings weekdays, a free outdoor showcase at sundown Farragut Square on Sept. 14 and Q&As after most showcases, filmmaker workshops and parties. See the full schedule online.
Through Sept. 17 at various times at Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW and the Miracle theatre, 535 Eighth St. SE. Tickets to most screenings are $15, parties are $15-$25 and an all-access pass is $150.
Smithsonian at 8: Return to Summer Camp
Summer camp vibes come to the Enid A. Haupt Garden at the Smithsonian Castle for Smithsonian at 8: Return to Summer Camp — this time with a cocktail in hand. Indulge in some nostalgia and make friendship bracelets, play camp games, gather around the “campfire” in your flannels, shorts and camp T-shirts and take in live music from Mortified and DJs As-One and Trayze during this after-hours garden party. There will also be a cash/credit bar, free GIF photo booth, a free temporary tattoo bar and s’mores for purchase. (In case of rain, the party moves inside the Castle.)
Sept. 9 from 8-11 p.m. at the Smithsonian Castle, 1000 Jefferson Drive SW. Advance tickets are $30 for general admission and $50 for VIP admission with an extra hour beginning at 7 p.m. with an open bar and small bites. If any tickets remain, they will be $35 and $60 at the door.
The Arsonists
Max Frisch’s searing political drama The Arsonists comes to one of D.C.’s leading theaters for cutting-edge plays. Originally written as a take on the rise of both Nazism and Communism, this tale follows main character George Betterman and his attempt to deal with sweeping societal changes. The world may be starting to burn, but George has it all under control. He is a respected member of his community with a loving wife and a flourishing business, so surely the arsonists will spare him. As an upstanding citizen, he is even happy to do his civic duty by opening his home to two new guests… but when they start filling his attic with drums of gasoline, will the fire hit too close to home? Now more pertinent than ever, this play is both thought-provoking and laugh-producing.
Tuesdays through Sundays through Oct. 8, as well as Sept. 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. except Sundays at 7 p.m. with 3 p.m. matinees on Sept. 23, 30 and Oct. 7 and 2 p.m. matinees on Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 and 8 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW. Tickets are $20-$59.
Skelton Crew
Playwright and Detroit native Dominique Morisseau wrote Skelton Crew, a heartfelt play that takes on issues in her own hometown. Faye has spent her career at one of the last auto-stamping plants in Detroit. Shanita is pregnant, Dez has a whole future to plan and their manager Reggie owes a nearly unpayable debt to his work family. As rumors spread of a plant shutdown, these tight-knit workers face what they’re willing to sacrifice to survive. Livelihoods are at stake in this intense production.
Through Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20-$85.
202 Arts and Music Festival
The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities presents the 202 Arts and Music Festival, a family-friendly festival that celebrates D.C. through visual arts, performance art and interactive cultural displays. There will be five stages with everything from yoga to a hand dance workshop to international dance. Performers include Batala drumming, Sweet Yonder folk band, the Jogo Project jazz/go-go band, Nappy Riddem reggae, I Love Dance K-Pop band, the Reverb acapella group, Wild the Waters country band and more. There will also be a family short film showcase at 2 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, a community pop-up with art and fashion at Blind Whino from noon-9 p.m. and public art installations throughout the area. Click here for a full schedule and map.
Sept. 9 from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. at the Randall Field and the Southwest Waterfront, Fourth and M Streets SW. Admission is FREE!
Virginia Indian Festival
Members of eight tribes native to Virginia their traditions, history and culture at the day-long annual Virginia Indian Festival. Watch a drumming and dancing demonstration by the Rappahannock Tribe, listen to storytelling, shoot bows and arrows, throw spears and make stone tools. Visitors will also be able to help make a dugout canoe and visit a marketplace selling crafts, pottery and jewelry.
Sept. 9 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Riverbend Park, 8700 Potomac Hills Street in Great Falls. Admission is $7 in advance or $8 at the gate.
D.C. Wine Fest
D.C. Wine Fest returns this Saturday welcoming vino lovers with unlimited tastings of more than 65 wines, plus interactive art and live music by Katie Hargrove during session 1, Casper Alex during session 2 and District Music during session 3. The event features 15 wineries including local producers District Winery from D.C. and the Urban Winery from Silver Spring. Red Hook Lobster Pound and Sweeter Hue food trucks will be on hand selling food. There will also be a live chalk artist and interactive photo exhibit.
Sept. 9 with sessions from 1-3 p.m., 4:30-6:30 p.m. or 8-10 p.m. at the National Union Building (formerly Living Social), 918 F St. NW. Tickets are $35 for general admission or $60 for VIP admission with one hour early admission before general admission ticketholders.
Live from the Lawn: Team Familiar
Get ready for the funkiest party of the summer! Formed by D.C. native and Go-Go legend Donnell Floyd, Team Familiar, which has performed with top recording artists and reigning supreme on the sultry Go-Go scene, will play Live from the Lawn at Strathmore’s Gudelsky Gazebo. Take low-rise chairs, blankets and picnics or purchase summer favorites like barbecue and sangria from Ridgewells’ Tempo Grill starting at 5 p.m.
Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. at Strathmore’s Gudelsky Gazebo, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, Md. Admission is FREE!
Nation’s Triathlon
The 12th annual Nation’s Triathlon has become one of the most popular of its kind in the country, and the only of its kind in the nation’s capital. Cheer on athletes as they embark on a 1.5k swim through the Potomac River, followed by a challenging 40k bike course. The triathlon concludes with a 10k run through D.C.’s most renowned monuments followed by the rejuvenating Finish Festival in West Potomac Park from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. There is a related sport and fitness expo in Yards Park at the corner of M and First Streets SE on Friday from 2-7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sept. 10 starting at 7 a.m. at West Potomac Park, Ohio Drive SW. Admission is FREE, but registration is $115-$195 and may be done in person at the sports and fitness expo in Yards Park from 2-6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
George Washington Patriot Run
You will have a chance to run down the George Washington Memorial Parkway right up to George Washington’s mansion in Mount Vernon with the George Washington Patriot Run. Both a 5K and 10K are offered and there will be a free Kids Fun Run beginning at 9:45 a.m. After the race, you can enjoy concessions, live music and beer from Forge Brew Works! There will also be an awards ceremony with cannons firing for top performers in the races.
Sept. 10 starting at 8 a.m. at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon. Registration for the run is $50 in person from 1-7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and includes admission, a T-shirt and a finisher medal. Advance tickets for spectators wishing to access the finish festival on the ground are $10 for adults, $6 for children ages 6-11 online until 5 p.m. Saturday. Kids ages 5 and younger are FREE!
Takoma Park Folk Festival
After taking last year off, the Takoma Park Folk Festival returns for its 40th year to celebrate folk music in all its forms — string bands, singer-songwriters, West African drummers — and features more than 50 performers across six stages, including one just for kids and teenagers. Browse a juried craft show, learn about community organizations or get lunch from one of 12 vendors.
Sept. 10 from 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. at Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Road, Takoma Park. Admission is FREE! A free shuttle bus will run from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. between the festival and the Montgomery College East Garage at the corner of Fenton and King Streets, and another from the Takoma Metro station.
Adams Morgan Day
Adams Morgan Day, the longest-running neighborhood festival in the District, returns for its 39th edition. Eighteenth Street in Adams Morgan will still be buzzing with live music on stages at Columbia Road and Kalorama Road, food vendors, artists selling their work and family-friendly activities in the alley by the parking garage including a scavenger hunt, Connect 4 and corn hole. Celebrate one of D.C.’s liveliest, most diverse neighborhoods with this day-long extravaganza.
Sept. 10 from noon-6 p.m. along 18th Street NW, between Columbia Road NW and Florida Avenue NW. Admission is FREE! Visitors wearing a wristband, which costs $10, will receive discounts and specials from area restaurants and businesses.
Redskins Home Opener
The Washington Redskins take on the Philadelphia Eagles in their home opener as they kick off their 2017-18 season with a matchup against their heated division rival. Cheer on the local team as quarterback Kirk Cousins, newly acquired wide receiver Terrelle Pryor and linebacker Ryan Kerrigan look to start the season with the victory, with the NFC East division title in mind.
Sept. 10 starting at 1 p.m. at FedExField, 1600 FedEx Way, Landover, Md. Tickets are $42-$4,000.
On-Going Events
Ai Weiwei: Trace from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Jan. 1, 2018, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Architecture of an Asylum: St. Elizabeths 1852-2017 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 15, 2018, at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors, students and children.
Fancy Animal Carnival daily through Oct. 15 at CityCenterDC, 825 10th St. NW; Chinatown Park, Sixth Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW; and Herald Square, 13th Street and New York Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
The First Lady of Song: Ella Fitzgerald at 100 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through April 2, 2018, at the National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
The Faces of Battle: Americans at War, 9/11 to Now from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Jan. 28, 2018, at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the Image from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily through Apr. 15, 2018, at the National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
Maryland Renaissance Festival weekends through Oct. 22 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Maryland Renaissance Festival grounds, 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis. Single-day tickets are $19 for adults, $17 for seniors 62 or older, $8 for children 7-15 and free for kids younger than 7 from Aug. 26-Sept. 10 and $25 for adults, $21 for seniors 62 or older, $10 for children 7-15 and free for kids younger than 7 from Sept. 16-Oct. 22 online or at the gate.
Nicholas Party: Sunrise, Sunset from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Oct. 1 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Parallax Gap from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. daily through Feb. 11, 2018, at the Renwick Gallery, Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Sharks from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Oct. 15 at the National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military and $10 for children ages 5-12.
Summer of Yoko Ono from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Sept. 17 at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Admission is FREE!
Trolley Car Mail from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Sept. 10 at the National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.