Scare Up Fun This Halloween Weekend
Halloween weekend has finally arrived, so break out your costumes and have some fun. There’s plenty to do, and most area bars will have specials on tap. Remember, if you do g out partying on Saturday, don’t drink and drive. Use the free SoberRide program to get home by entering the code DCHALLOWEEN into Lyft’s “Promo” section for up to $15 off one ride between 10 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday.
This weekend, Metro is giving us a trick, not a treat. Red Line trains will operate on a regular schedule, but buses will replace trains between Medical Center and Grosvenor. You will need to add 15 minutes if your commute takes you through that area. Also, the last Red Line train will depart Shady Grove at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and 10:01 p.m. on Sunday. Orange Line trains will single track between Foggy Bottom and Clarendon every 24 minutes; Blue Line trains will single track between Foggy Bottom and Arlington Cemetery every 24 minutes; and Silver Line trains will run every 24 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston ONLY. Green Line trains will single track between Fort Totten and Prince George’s Plaza and operate every 15 minutes, while Yellow Line trains will run every 15 minutes between Huntington and Mount Vernon Square ONLY.
Washington International Horse Show
Some of the world’s best horses and equestrians will call Capital One Arena home throughout the weekend. The 59th Washington International Horse Show is one of the District’s biggest sporting events, attracting more than 500 competitors, including current stars and Olympic veterans. These stars and their horses show off their skills at the leading metropolitan indoor horse show in the states. There is plenty at stake, including $130,000 in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in front of Hotel Monoco, 700 F St. NW, and on the Capital One Arena concourse will be the free Kids’ Day with more than a dozen hands-on activities including pony rides, a horseless horse show, coloring stations, face painting, horse brushing lessons and a pony kissing booth.
Oct. 27 and 28 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. and 7-10:30 p.m. and Oct. 29 from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. at Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. Tickets are $15 for daytime general admission with children ages 3-12 free. Evening tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for children with adult VIP tickets priced at $60 and children at $50.
Smithsonian Food History Weekend
The National Museum of American History hosts the third edition of its Smithsonian Food History Weekend that encapsulates the history of food in the U.S. and how it affects culture and community. There is a fascinating event each day with roundtable discussions on Friday with chefs, authors and food historians – including Food Network’s Simon Majumbdar, Joan Nathan, Francis Lam and Jonathan Gold – about the intersection of food and cultural identity. Saturday features an extravagant festival with hands-on activities for all ages, garden tours and cooking demonstrations by Majumdar, local chef Tim Ma and Top Chef Season 10’s Sheldon Simeon among others, and a sold-out after-hours event featuring numerous breweries.
Oct. 27-28 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE, although some require registration.
Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon welcomes the entire family to enjoy Halloween fun this weekend, with chances to trick-or-treat on Friday and Saturday. Festivities include a scavenger hunt, wagon rides, craft-making, chocolate-making demonstrations and even 18th century dancing in the upper garden. Prizes will be awarded for the best George and Martha costumes, and a children’s costume parade will begin at 5 p.m. each day.
Oct. 27 and 28 from 3:30-6:30 p.m.at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Va. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children.
Rosslyn Harvest Festival
The Rosslyn Harvest Festival, a brand-new celebration of fall, is spread over two days. Friday is focused on adults, with beer gardens, food trucks, an arts and crafts market and music by Trailer Grass Orchestra in Central Place Plaza and a beer garden, an inflatable corn maze, a scavenger hunt, face painting, DJs and music from Burnt Sienna at Gateway Park East. Costumes are encouraged. Saturday’s events are more family-focused, including pumpkin carving, the arts and crafts market, line dancing, live music and trick-or-treating in Central Place Plaza and kids’ day at Gateway Park East with pumpkin games and activities, face painting, the inflatable corn maze, refreshments including apple cider and popcorn, a magician and costume parades.
Oct. 27 from 4-10 p.m. and Oct. 28 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Central Place Plaza, 1800 N. Lynn St., and Gateway Park East, 1300 Lee Highway both in Rosslyn. Admission is FREE!
Night of the Living Zoo
The National Zoo’s 21-and-over complement to Boo at the Zoo, Night of the Living Zoo transforms the animal haven into a devil’s playground. You will have after-hours access to numerous zoo attractions while enjoying live entertainment, including an unforgettable costume contest and fascinating performance artists. Enjoy grub from local food trucks and craft brews as well. This event is for 21 and older only.
Oct. 27 from 6:30-10 p.m. at the Smithsonian National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $40 and include two drink tickets, free soda and water or $60 for VIP tickets with three drink tickets, express check-in, a souvenir tumbler, one ticket for snowless tubing, access to the VIP bar and lounge, a private dance party, free food tastings and exclusive animal demonstrations.
Rock the Core Cider Fest
Apple cider is no longer just a drink for grandma to enjoy. The Mills outdoor lot hosts the Rock the Core Cider Fest that brings orchard taste right into D.C. this Friday and Saturday. More than 100 ciders will be offered along with craft beer and plenty of eats from local food trucks, and you can also peruse the on-site artisan market and participate in lawn games. There are three different sessions to choose from. Admission includes unlimited full pours of Stella Cidre, Bud Light and Shocktop, a 20-flight tasting from the craft ciders and beers, a commemorative cup and live entertainment. Must be 21 and older to attend.
Oct 27 from 7-10 p.m. and Oct. 28 from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. at The Mills, 514 Rhode Island Ave. NE. Admission is $50.
The Book of Mormon
One of the most renowned musicals of the last decade, The Book of Mormon is a nine-time Tony Award-winning tale of two Mormon missionaries in Africa penned by the kings of irreverence, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of South Park). Watch two knuckleheads stagger through misadventured and awkward situations as they attempt to spread the Word.
Through Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $59-$229.
Newseum Nights Loves the ‘60s
The Newseum gets groovy – psychedelic, even – with this Newseum Nights event dedicated to the 1960s. Here is what you can look forward to: an open beer and wine bar with retro cocktails, ‘60s-themed bites from Wolfgang Puck including meatball sliders, pigs in a blanket and tie dye cupcakes, a Glamsquad lounge where you can receive ‘60s-themed hair and makeup touch ups, body painting, retro board games, making paper flower crowns and protest buttons, palm reading and live music from DJ Andrew Logan. Make sure to dress the part, as &pizza and Oyamel will be giving away prizes for the best costume. The event is for ages 21 and over only.
Oct. 27 from 7:30-10 p.m. at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are $60 or $75 a new membership.
The Pajama Game
Pajama Game, a Golden Age musical filled with seductive dance numbers, opens at the Arena Stage this weekend. Follow the battle of the sexes that occurs inside The Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory after new superintendent Sid Sorkin falls for Babe Williams, the trouble-making head of the union grievance committee. Sparks really start to fly when a workers’ strike pits management against labor and ignites an outrageous battle of the sexes. Expect outstanding choreography and plenty of laughs, especially during dance numbers like Steam Heat and Hernando’s Hideaay.
Oct. 27-Dec. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. Tickets are $50-$99.
Dia de los Muertos
Petworth Arts Collaborative hosts Dia de los Muertos, a celebration of the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday that honors those who have passed away, in the Petworth neighborhood. The day’s events include altar making, Mexican hot chocolate, mariachi music and a chance to learn the history of the holiday at the Petworth Community Market from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Later, CrossFit Petworth will screen the family film, The Book of Life at 6 p.m. Festivities continue Wednesday and Friday next week, including a Day of the Dead procession on the former and a performance art showcase on the latter.
Oct. 28 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Petworth Community Market, 4198 Ninth St. NW, and 6 p.m. at CrossFit Petworth, 1240 Upshur St. NW. Admission is FREE!
Trick-or-Treat in the Garden
Time to get spooktacular at Tudor Place, an elegant house and garden set in a bucolic area of Georgetown. Trick-or-Treat in the Garden features costumes, pumpkin decorating, face painting and outdoor games. Families will also enjoy meandering through the North Garden’s paths to find hidden treats.
Oct. 28 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Tudor Place, 1644 31st St. NW. Tickets are $5 for adult chaperones and $7 for children.
Barkyween and Side Yards
Dress yourself and your pet in Halloween finery for Barkyween from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. Dress your furry friend in the pet costume contest and then parade down the Capitol Riverfront Runwy to win prizes. Enjoy the fun and stay for bark-or-treat. On-site animal adoption will be available. Then from 5-9 p.m., skip the Halloween ghouls and ghosts in favor or strange and amazing performers at Side Yards: five stages sideshow acts including aerialists, contortionists, magicians, jugglers, fire breathers, sword swallowers, escape artists and more. You can also visit a fortune teller or get a temporary tattoo. Local businesses, including Due South, Agua 301 and Ice Cream Jubilee will sell food and drinks along the Yards Park boardwalk so you don’t have to miss the entertainment.
Oct. 28 from 1-3 p.m. and from 5-9 p.m. at Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE. Admission is FREE!
Silver Spring Zombie Walk and Night of the Living Dead
The gruesome zombie hordes taking over Silver Spring on Saturday night aren’t after your brains – they just want to go to the movies. The annual Silver Spring Zombie Walk, which draws hundreds of elaborately costumed ghouls, kicks off at Denizens Brewing Co. at 6 p.m. with Halloween tunes from DJ Kenny Megan, candy, costume contests and more. Beginning at 9 p.m., the zombies take to the streets staggering through downtown toward AFI Silver Theatre, which is screening the newly restored version of Night of the Living Dead at 10:10 p.m. Make sure you get your tickets in advance for the movie.
Oct. 28 from 6-11:45 p.m. at Denizens Brewing, 1115 East-West Highway, and AFI Silver Theater, 8633 Colesville Road, both in Silver Spring. Admission to the pre-party and zombie walk are FREE! Tickets to the movie are $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for children.
Maker’s Mart Arts and Craft Fair
Get an early start on your holiday shopping – or just pick something up for yourself – at the National Museum of Women in the Arts’ Makers Mart and Craft Fair, a marketplace of jewelry, fine art, accessories, home décor and fine art created by almost 30 local female artisans and designers. Entry to the fair also includes admission to the museum’s galleries and exhibits.
Oct. 29 from noon-5 p.m. and Oct. 30 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students and free for members and children under 18 in advance. Prices are an additional $2 at the door.
Del Ray Halloween Parade
Live music, pets in costume and spooky decorated homes make up the 21st Del Rey Halloween Parade. The parade begins at Mount Vernon Avenue south of East Bellefonte Street and proceeds to the Mount Vernon Recreation Center fields at Commonwealth Avenue. Children, pets and strollers are invited to march and show off their finest and scariest Halloween garb. At the fields, goodie bags will be handed out with free hot dogs, apple cider and cookies. Mars Rodeo will perform and there will be games and activities for the kids.
POSTPONED UNTIL NOV. 5 AT 2 P.M. DUE TO WEATHER! Oct. 29 at 2 pm. Starting at Mount Vernon Avenue and East Bellefonte Street and finishing at the mount Vernon Rec Center fields, 2701 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria. Admission is FREE!
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!
Anthony and Cleopatra through Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $35-$79.
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.
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!
Fantasy in Japan Blue daily through Nov. 12 from 10 a.m.-closing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Perform Arts’ Hall of Flags, 2700 F St. NW. Admission is FREE!
Ilya and Emilia Kabakov: The Utopian Projects from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily through Mar. 4, 2018, at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Ave. SW. 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!
Murder Is Her Hobby: Frances Glessner Lee and the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Renwick Gallery, 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 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!
Rick Araluce: The Final Stop daily through Jan. 28 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Renwick Gallery, 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
Spirit of Autumn daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. through Nov. 5 at Artechouse, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for kids, students, seniors and military during the day and $20 in the evening (over 21 only).
Vermeer and the Masters of Genre Painting: Inspiration and Rivalry daily through Jan. 21 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday at the National Gallery of Art, Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
What Absence Is Made Of daily through the summer of 2019 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 7th Street and Independence Avenue Sw. 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.