We’ve just survived Snowzilla, which dumped up to three feet of snow on the DMV, and you’re bound to get a cold. We’ve been digging out our cars, clearing the sidewalks and walking anywhere we had to go, because the District and other municipalities did such a poor job of clearing the roads and Metro was closed.

A Bobcat cleans snow from the blizzard in front of the Capitol. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP)

I was in Orlando, Fla., when Winter Storm Jonas hit, but drove back Sunday just in time to have to navigate my way from the Beltway through closed streets. By Monday, I was starting to feel a burn in my sinuses and by Tuesday, I couldn’t breathe through my nose.

It was time to put on my boots, gloves and hat and head out to my nearest pho restaurant, since the nearby Giant didn’t have a single loaf of bread, juice or produce. Luckily, Pho 14 is just two blocks away. There are three locations in the District: 1436 Park Road NW in Columbia Heights, 1769 Columbia Road NW in Adams Morgan and 4201 Connecticut Ave. NW in Van Ness. I like this Vietnamese soup restaurant because you can design your own. The regular bowl is $8.99 and the large bowl is only $9.99. Then you can choose beef, chicken or vegetarian broth made with Fuji apples. You also get to choose up to four base toppings including well-done brisket, well-done flank, fat brisket, bible tripe, white or dark meat chicken, fried or steamed tofu, dried tofu, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms for free. You can add premium toppings of rare beef, skirt flank, soft tendon or meatballs for 99 cents each or calamari, scallops or shrimp for $5.49 extra.

My standard is beef broth with mushrooms and well-done brisket. They all come with fresh Thai basil, limes, jalapenos and bean sprouts on the side that you can add to your liking. Since I was feeling congested, I added the lime juice, jalapenos and beansprouts along with a few generous squirts of hoisin sauce and Sriacha, until the broth had turned a dark brown and was spicy enough to clean my sinuses.

It was just what I needed…my nose started running, the sinus pressure was relieve and I could breathe again!

A hot, steamy bowl of pho from Pho 14 in Columbia Heights with well-done brisket and mushrooms. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Pho 14 also has excellent vermicelli bowls made with rice noodles served with lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, crushed peanuts, green onions and fried onions. I like mine with grilled pork and an egg roll, but they have many combinations including one with vegetables and fried, marinated tofu or a vegan version with vegan strips. They also have banh mi sandwiches.

If you are feeling cooped up and have time on your hands, try this pho recipe from allrecipes.com, but be warned. It takes more than nine hours.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds beef soup bones
• 1 onion, unpeels and cut in half
• 5 slices fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 pods star anise
• 2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
• 4 quarts water
• 1 8-ounce package dried rice noodles
• 1 ½ pounds beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 1 bunch Thai basil
• 1 lime, cut into four wedges
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (optional)
• 1/4 cup Sriracha sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place beef bones on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until browned, about 1 hour.
3. Place onion on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven until blackened and soft, about 45 minutes.
4. Place bones, onion, ginger, salt, star anise and fish sauce in a large stockpot and cover with 4 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for 6 to 10 hours. Strain the broth into a saucepan and set aside.
5. Place rice noodles in a large bowl filled with room temperature water and allow to soak for 1 hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and after the noodles have soaked, place them in the boiling water for 1 minute. Bring stock to a summer.
6. Divide noodles among four serving bowls; top with sirloin, cilantro and green onion. Pour hot broth over the top. Stir and let sit until the beef is partially cooked and no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, hoisin sauce and Sriacha sauce.

 
If you don’t have the time or are hungry now, there are many “quick” recipes that use store-bought beef broth that can be ready in 40 minutes or you can be seated and have a steaming bowl of pho in front of you in less than that at one of the many pho restaurants in the DMV.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year! It’s out with 2015 and hello to 2016! After the Champagne and confetti, there’s only one thing left to do: start your 2016 off with a fantastic weekend! If you’re still in the mood for holiday cheer, there are plenty of events finishing up this weekend that feature a final dose of all things holiday. For those looking to switch things up, maybe get a head start on a more cultured 2016, there’s film screenings at the National Gallery, arts and crafts at the Freer and even a comedy show in Petworth. Cheers to 2016!

It looks like 2016 will be a bit of the same for Metro with single tracking all weekend on the Red Line between Silver Spring and Glenmont. Red Line trains will operate every 12-24 minutes Friday through Sunday. Metro will be open Friday from 7 a.m.-3 a.m. with off-peak fares and free parking. Green and Yelow line trains will operate on regular weekend schedules. Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals except Saturday evening from 6 p.m. until closing when trains will run every 24 minutes due to track work between Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory.

Get crafty at the Freer Gallery of Art before it closes for renovations! (Photo: Smithsonian Institution)

Say Goodbye to the Freer!

The Freer Gallery of Art will be closing on January 4 to make way for renovations. Say Goodbye to the Freer! — the institute’s final weekend — is full of activities, including open studio time for all ages. Indulge your artistic side with friends and family as you use objects from Freer to create your own mini gallery. If making art isn’t your thing, take a final tour of some of the museum’s highlights.

Jan. 2 and 3 from 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. at the Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson Drive at 12th St SW. Admission is FREE!

Ice!

Hurry over to National Harbor now to see ICE! before it all melts. (Photo: Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center)

This weekend is your final chance to see the stop-animation cartoon Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town carced in 2 million pounds of colorful, sculpted ice Ice! at at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. The cartoon first aired 45 years ago and tells the story of how Kris Kringle became gift-giving Santa Claus. Enjoy the lights, sights and other holiday activities, bundle up — the temperature rests at a snowman-friendly 9 degrees — and hit one of the five ice slides throughout the installation.

Daily through Jan. 3 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St. in National Harbor. Tickets cost $28-$35 for adults, $20-$28 for children ages 3 to 11 and free for children 2 and younger.

2016 Lucky You! New Year’s Day Brunch

Black-eyed peas are supposed to show humility and invite good fortune. (Photo: Black Squirrel/Facebook)

Want some better luck in 2016? We can’t guarantee it, but the Black Squirrel in Adams Morgan is hosting its 2016 Lucky You! New Year’s Day Brunch. As the southern adage goes, “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars and cornbread for gold… Eat poor on New Year’s Day, and eat fat the rest of the year.” The lucky menu includes black-eyed peas, which in the South shows humility and thus invites good fortune; collard greens, which are considered lucky because they look like greenbacks; cornbread, which represents the glories of gold; pork, which because of its fat, is served to bring a New Year rich with happiness; fish, which is a symbol of moving forward in the new year; doughnuts, which in the shape of a ring are thought to bring good luck, possibly because they symbolize coming full circle; and beer. To make sure it really is your lucky day, they are tapping a keg of 2013 Goose Island Bourbon County brand stout. By the way, according to lore you should avoild lobster on New Year’s Day because it moves backwards, symbolizing setbacks, and chicken, because it scratches itself backwards, which is said to bring regret or dwelling on the past.

Jan. 1 starting at 11 a.m. at the Black Squirrel, 2427 18th St. NW. Items are individually priced.

ZooLights

ZooLights decorates the National Zoo with more than 500,000 LED holiday lights. (Photo: National Zoo)

It’s your last chance this year to walk through the illuminated paths created for ZooLights at the National Zoo. More than 500,000 environmentally-friendly LED lights transform the zoo into a winter wonderland. This year, the experience gets a few new touches: a light show set to music and a chance to ride the Conservation Carousel for $3. There’s also the Zoo-Imagination Station with trains, trains and more trains that journey through a land of Legos and an alphabet country side, zoo tubing on lion/tiger hill for $3 and $3 tours through the zoo on the National Zoo Choo-Choo. There will be live music performances and tasty winter treats.

Daily through Jan. 2 from 5-9 p.m. at the National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

Garden of Lights

Over a million lights decorate Brookside Gardens in Wheaton. (Photo: Montgomery Parks)

This is also your last chance to visit Garden of Lights, a winter garden walk-through light display in Montgomery County with more than 1 million colorful lights shaped into hand-crafted, original art forms of flowers, animals and other natural elements. Stroll from garden to garden enjoying twinkling tree forms, fountains, sparkling snowflakes overhead and more. Step inside the conservatory to enjoy G-Scale model trains wind through a seasonal landscape. Afterward, warm up inside the visitors’ center while you sip hot cocoa and listen to one of the nightly musical performances.

Through Jan. 3 from 5:30-10 p.m. at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallen Ave., Wheaton. Admission is $30 per car/van. The conservatory winter display and garden railway exhibit are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily free of charge.

Reseeing Iran: Twentieth Annual Iranian Film Festival

Tales is the latest feature from Rakhshan Bani-E’temad, Iran’s best-known female filmmaker. (Photo: National Gallery of Art)

The 20th anniversary of the Iranian Film Festival begins this weekend with three screenings at the National Gallery of Art. This year’s festival is part retrospective, with two screenings of restored classics and then a mix of films from new and veteran directors. The festival kicks off with a screening of Tales, the latest film from Rakhshan Bani-E’temad, an acclaimed Iranian female filmmaker, at 2 p.m. Saturday. Also showing this weekend is a short titled The Night It Rained, or the Epic of the Gorgan Village Boy at 4 p.m. Saturday and another feature, Risk of Acid Rain at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Jan. 2 through Feb. 13 at he National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium, 6th Street and Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE! Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Doors open approximately 30 minutes before each show.

Season’s Greenings

The U.S. Botanic Garden’s annual holiday display is now open with trees, poinsettias, trains and iconic building made out of plants. (Photo: U.S. Botanic Garden)

For Season’s Greenings, the U.S. Botanic Garden goes green and red for the holidays, decorating trees, filling the space with seasonal poinsettias, setting up the train display and creating iconic D.C. landmarks from plants. The big greenhouse also works as a good place to warm up if you’re out and about on the Mall. The conservatory will stay open late on select Tuesdays and Thursday for holiday music programs.

Daily through Jan. 3 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW. Admission is FREE!

Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert

The Music Center at Strathmore rings in the new year with a Salute to Vienna on Sunday. (Photo: Strathmore)

Celebrate with the ageless beauty of uplifting Viennese music at Strathmore’s 15th annual New Year’s Concert. Strauss waltzes and sweeping melodies from operettas including Die Fledermaus and Merry Widow will be performed by hand-picked European singers and the Strauss Symphony of America. Beautifully costumed ballet and ballroom dancers will present romantic vignettes, whisking you off to a place of nostalgia and pleasure at the threshold of 2016.

Jan. 3 at 3 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $49-$95.

The Reading Room Comedy Show

Local stand-up comedians take the stage at The Reading Room Comedy Show (Photo: The Reading Room)

Looking to laugh a little bit more in 2016? Finish off your weekend with some laughter as local stand-up comedians take the stage at The Reading Room Comedy Show. Enjoy the cozy surroundings of this free book library as you laugh off 2015.

Every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at The Reading Room, 829 Upshur St. NW. Admission is FREE!

This weekend’s weather is supposed to be better than last weekend’s cold, rainy weather and many of last weekend’s activities are on this weekend. Plus, there are plenty of fall festivals and activities to fill your long Columbus Day weekend.

This weekend, the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church Metro stations will be closed with Silver Line trainings replacing Orange Line trains and running every 8 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and New Carrollton. Buses will replace trains between the closed station and the East Falls Church Station. Express buses from East Falls Curch to Vienna will add 25 minutes to your commute and local buses stopping at all three closed stations will add 12-15 minutes per station. Riders traveling to/from Blue/Silver stations between Largo Town Center and Benning Road should use only Blue Line trains. Red, Blue, Green and Yellow lines will run on regular weekend schedules. Metro will open at 5 a.m. on Sunday for the Army Ten-Miler. On Monday, Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight. Trains will operate on a Saturday schedule, off-peak fares will be in effect all day and parking will be free at all Metrorail parking facilities.

D.C. Dead opens at the Anacostia Playhouse through Halloween. (Photo: D.C. Dead)

D.C. Dead: Mutation

D.C. Dead: Mutation is an immersive game – you will be chasing zombies and zombies will be chasing you! Teams of six are equipped with “neurotoxin” darts and sent through a zombie infested building to find the weapon that could end the undead onslaught. It is one part haunted house, and two parts interactive theatre. Salvage supplies and maybe save humanity…but watch out, the undead are lurking just around the corner. Go prepared to stand, climb stairs, scavenge for supplies and dodge that fatal swipe from the infected undead!

Thursdays through Sundays from 7-11 p.m. through Nov. 1 plus Oct. 27 and 28 at the Anacostia Playhouse, 2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are $35, except Halloween weekend when they are $40.

Greek Festival

Get your fill of Greek food, beer, wine, culture and art at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s Greek Festival this weekend.
(Photo: mbell1975/Flickr)

The Greek Festival at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral usually is the weekend after Mother’s Day, but this year will be on Columbus Day weekend. The festival offers a heaping plate of Greek culture throughout the weekend with music and dancing, arts and crafts and, of course, food. Dine on pastistio (pasta and ricotta cheese), moussaka (eggplant and potato), spanakopita (spinach and ricotta) and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) in the church’s auditorium. Around the festival grounds you can try gyros and traditional pork souvlaki sandwiches, as well as hot dogs, hamburgers including a feta burger and calamari cooked over coal fires and burners. A Greek pastry and coffee shop will serve traditional baklava to finikia (spiced walnut cookies) and kataifi (shredded phyllo with honey and nuts) as well as loukoumades (Greek donuts) served fresh and hot and drissled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. A tavern will serve soft drinks, water and Greek beers and wines, and a lemonade stand will sell fresh served lemonade. Vendors will sell fine and costume jewelry, pottery and home goods, clothing, music, Byzantine icons and traditional Greek groceries. There will be games and activities for children including balloon toys, sand art and a moon bounce. Guided tours of the cathedral also will be offered on Saturday and Sunday.

Oct. 9 and 10 from noon-10 p.m. and Oct. 11 from noon-7 p.m. at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 2815 36th St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Smashing Pumpkin Beer Fest

Black Squirrel in Adams Morgan will be serving up pumpkin beer, cider and food on Friday at is pumpkin festival. (Photo: Runin Out)

Peter, Peter, pumpkin drinker. Because of the weather last weekend, the Black Squirrel rescheduled its seventh annual Smashing Pumpkin Beer Fest for Friday. There will be 18 pumpkin beers and ciders on tap from Cisco’s Pumple Drumkin to 21st Amendment Elysian He Said Baltic Pumpkin Porter to Ace Pumpkin Cider. You can also feat on an all-pumpkin menu that includes roasted pumpkin soup, pumpkin chili, pumpkin veggie burgers, pumpkin mac and cheese, roasted pumpkin and sage pasta, pumpkin pie and pumpkin ice cream floats.

Oct. 9 starting at 5 p.m. until all the pumpkin stock is depleted at The Black Squirrel, 2427 18th St. NW in Adams Morgan. Admission is FREE, but the beer and food are not.

Baltimore Beer Week

Chef Duff Goldman taps the first keg at a previous Baltimore Beer Week. (Photo: Baltimore Beer Week)

Washington has a beer scene to be proud of, for sure, but so does Baltimore. From Heavy Seas and Union to Stillwater and the Brewer’s Art, Charm City will showcase its craft beer starting this weekend with Baltimore Beer Week, a week filled 335 beer-centric events including tap takeovers, brewery events, races (the Charm City Chug Run), beer dinners and more. This year’s opening tap celebration takes place on Saturday from noon-2 p.m. at the Das Best Oktoberfest at M&T Bank Stadium parking lot H. And remember: On weekends, the MARC train runs to Penn Station, which just happens to be a couple blocks from the Brewer’s Art.

Oct. 9-18 at various times and locations around Baltimore. Go to www.baltimorebeerweek.com for a full schedule of events.

Boat Home Tour

Check out the houseboats at Gangplank Marina Boat Home Tour on Saturday. (Photo: Alizann)

Thinking of trading in your tiny apartment for a house on the seas (or at least the Washington Channel)? Check out the Boat Home Tour, which lets visitors peek inside life on 20 or so floating homes at Gangplank Marina, the east coast’s largest “liveaboard” community. Houseboats, cruisers, tugs, family living, green living, small-space living, luxury living and more…whatever you’re interested in, chances are you’ll find something to “float your boat.” Some owners and docents will also be on hand to answer questions about the floating homes and lifestyle.

Oct. 10 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Gangplank Marina, 600 Water St. SE. Admission is $20 or $15 for residents of the 20024 Zip code with proof of address.

Fall Festival

Fairfax city celebrates fall from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday. (Photo: Connection Newspapers)

Now in its 39th year, the city of Fairfax’s annual Fall Festival features more than 400 arts, crafts and food vendors, children’s activities including a puppet show, juggler, reptiles, face painting and more, as well as four stages of entertainment including White Ford Bronco and Bruce in the USA. There’s also a lumberjack show and amusement rides at the SunTrust Bank parking lot, 4020 University Dr. from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. The City of Fairfax Museum & Visitor Center, the Ratcliffe-Alison House, the Historic Blenheim and Civil War Interpretive Center and Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department will have open houses.

Oct. 10 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. along University Drive from Armstrong Street to North Street and on Sager Avenue and Main Street between Chain Bridge Road and East Street in Fairfax. Admission is FREE!

Art on the Avenue

Art on the Avenue brings more than 300 artists to Del Ray. (Photo: Visit Alexandria)

Another rain-out from last weekend, Art on the Avenue in Del Ray will celebrate its 20th anniversary. There will be live music, fresh food from local restaurants and food trucks, and works from artists and craftsman for sale. This year, more than 300 artists including jewelers, silversmiths, beaders, woodworkers, pottery makers, soap crafters, glass makers, painters, sculptures and fabric artists are expected at this family-friendly events. Kids’ activities include stuffing scarecrow, painting a pumpkin, lotus flower design and weave screen art to name a few.

Oct. 10 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. along Mount Vernon Avenue from Hume to Bellfonte in the Del Rey section of Alexandria. Admission is FREE!

Do the Loop

Do the Loop free tours of Northwest museums starts at the American University Museum. (Photo: American University Museum)

Spend the day touring art galleries and museums throughout D.C. without doing too much walking. Do The Loop is a free shuttle bus that’ll take participants to venues around town, including the American University Museum, the Kreeger Museum and Dumbarton Oaks Museum as well as Addison Ripley Fine Art, Robert Brown Gallery, Neptune Fine Art, Maurine Littleton Gallery, Susan Calloway Fine Arts, Artist’s Proof, Cross MacKenzie and Washington Printmakers in Upper Georgetown and Northwest D.C.

Oct. 10 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at eight galleries and three museums. The free shuttle bus will loop between locations beginning at the American University Musuem, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

Taste of D.C.

More than 60 restaurants will be serving up to four dishes at Taste of D.C. along Pennsylvania Avenue NW. (Photo: Facebook)

Sample some of the best of what Washington’s restaurants have to offer while strolling down the city’s most famous street at Taste of D.C. More than 60 restaurants will serve up to four items from their menus with a “taste of” item priced at $3 or less. On Saturday at 3 p.m., watch the world’s best competitive eaters, including Joey “Jaws” Chestnut and Sonya Thomas, fill up on a D.C. staple in the Ben’s Chili Bowl’s World Chili Eating Championship for $3,000 in cash. Musicians will perform on two stages throughout the event, and festival-goers can explore the beer garden and a wine walk. Chefs from the participating restaurants will do demonstration on the culinary stage.

Oct. 10 and 11 from noon-7 p.m. along Pennsylvania Avenue NW from Third to Seventh Streets. Admission is $20 for people 13 and older, $10 for children 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. Tickets include a free beverage and a coupon for one bowl from ShopHouse after the event. A $40 drink lover’s ticket includes $25 in beverage ticket to use in the beer garden and wine walk.

Greenbelt Rhythm and Drum Festival

A drumming and rhythm festival will be held in Greenbelt on Saturday. (Photo: Greenbelt Drum and Rhythm Festival)

A celebration of drumming, the Greenbelt Rhythm and Drum Festival features drum workshops, community drum circles, children’s activities, performances, drum, arts and clothing vendors, food and more. Performers include Raquy Danzinger, Bele Bele Rhythm Collective and The Beat Fairy.

Oct. 10 from noon-6 p.m. at the Roosevelt Center, 131 Centerway, Greenbelt. Admission is FREE!

Fall Fest

BadWolf Brewing will host a Fall Fest at its new 6,000 square-foot production facility on Saturday. (Photo: BadWolf Brewing)

BadWolf Brewing will hold its second Fall Fest at its new 6,000 square-foot production facility featuring beers from Heritage, Crooked Run, Old Bust Head, Adventure Brewing, Crooked Run Brewing, Tin Cannon and Ornery. The event features $5 pints and a motorcycle raffle. There will also be local vendors and live music from Sugarwalls and Lost Highway Band, and food from Smokes BBQ.

Oct. 10 from 1-9 p.m. at BadWolf Brewing Co., 8420 Kao circle, Manassas. Admission is FREE!

Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest

Capital City Brewing’s Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest has been rescheduled for this Sunday in Shirllington. (Photo: ArlNow.com)

Capitol City Brewing Co.’s rescheduled Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest returns to the Village at Shirlington with more than 65 breweries pouring free 4-ounce samples and food from local restaurants and other vendors, including Washington’s Sängerbund selling grilled bratwurst. There will also be an authentic German band.

Oct. 10 from noon-7 p.m. at the Village at Shirlington, 4001 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Admission is $30 at the gate and includes a wristband, tasting glass and 10 tickets. Additional tickets are $2 each with a five ticket minimum.

As we head into the weekend, the persistent rain in the DMV is a sign that a Nor’easter is passing through and Hurricane Joaquin is still churning in the Atlantic Ocean. A few events that had been scheduled for this weekend have already been postponed or canceled, including Capitol City Brewing’s Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest in Shirlington, Del Rey’s Art on the Avenue, which has been postponed until Oct. 10, and the Black Squirrel’s Smashing Pumpkin Beer Fest in Adams Morgan. It has been postponed until next Friday, Oct. 9. And the new “Scream City” haunted house at the D.C. Armory has delayed its opening until Saturday. Fort Belvoir’s Oktoberfest and the Taste of Bethesda have been canceled this year. Regardless, if you’re headed out this weekend, you’re going to get wet. Be sure to check to make sure an event is still on before you go.

This weekend, Red Line trains will operate every 20 minutes and will single-track between Friendship Heights and Van Ness Stations. Orange, Silver, Blue and Yellow line trains will operate every 24 minutes. This weekend, Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals.

Scream City opens at the D.C. Armory and RFK Stadium on Saturday. (Photo: Scream City)

Scream City

Washington’s newest Halloween horror attraction, Scream City, opens its creaky doors this weekend and will be freaking out visitors on weekends and most Thursdays throughout October. There are two features, both indoors: the Exorcism Estate Haunted House and the Slaughter Factory. This is a next-level fright night: The Steelhead Productions crew, which also puts on Field of Screams in Olney, doesn’t recommend a visit for kids younger than 13. After this weekend, it will be open Friday-Sunday through Nov. 1.

Oct. 3 from 7-10 p.m. at the D.C. Armory and RFK Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St. Admission is $30 this weekend.

Craft2Wear

Artisans will be selling their wearable art at the National Building Museum. (Photo: Craft2Wear)

We’re not quite ready to start counting down the days to a certain winter holiday, but if you’ve got shopping to do, the annual Craft2Wear event at the National Building Museum is a good place to start, if not finish, making your list. More than 50 craft and wearable art designers will have unique clothing, jewelry and accessories for sale.

Oct. 2 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Oct. 3 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Admission is $10 cash at the door.
 
 

Mount Vernon Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour

“George” and “Martha Washington” share a toast at Mount Vernon’s wine festival. (Photo: Mount Vernon)

Seventeen Virginia wineries and a cidery will pour glasses after hours at the Mount Vernon Fall Wine Festival and Sunset Tour. Visitors can stroll the grounds of the Potomac River estate of our first president, enjoy the sunset and learn about wine’s history in the commonwealth. Even George and Martha Washington are expected to make an appearance. There will also be live blues music.

Oct. 2-4 from 6-9 p.m. at Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Va. Tickets are $40 on Friday, $46 on Saturday and $36 on Sunday. Fruit and cheese boxes are $26.

National Heritage Fellowships Concert

Gertrude Yuki Tsutsumi will perform at the National Heritage Scholarship Concert at Lisner Auditorium on the GW campus. (Photo: Kenneth Photography/National Endowment for the Arts)

The National Endowment for the Arts’ annual National Heritage Fellowships Concert is like a high-brow variety show, highlighting music, dance and craft demonstrations. This year’s program will feature Rahim AlHaj playing the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern string instrument; Dolly Jacobs, a longtime circus aerialist; Yiddish musician Michael Alpert performing with Brave New World; Gertrude Yukie Tsutsumi, a classical Japanese dancer; Sidonka Wadina, a Slovak straw artist and egg decorator; and much more. Public Radio International’s Marco Werman hosts the event.

Oct. 2 starting at 8 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW. Admission is FREE!

A Party for the Season: A Garden of Colors

The Smithsonian at 8 has been moved inside the Smithsonian Castle due to weather. (Photo: Smithsonian Institution)

A Party for the Season: A Garden of Colors, the next installment of Smithsonian at 8, has been moved from the Enid A. Haupt Garden to inside the Smithsonian Castle due to the bad weather expected from Hurricane Joaquin this weekend. Celebrate the colors of fall and spend an early-autumn evening exploring the seasonal beauty of the Smithsonian’s fabled Castle dancing to music by DJ Alkimist, raising a toast with seasonal beers from Ommegang Brewery and Boulevard Brewing Co. in a pop-up beer garden. There will also be a photo booth, pumpkin-carving demo and cash bar. VIP ticket holders get an extra hour before anyone else can enter at 7 p.m. plus an open bar with beer, wine and specialty cocktails along with small bites.

Oct. 2 from 8-11 p.m. at the Smithsonian Castle, 1000 Independence Ave. SW. General admission is $25 and VIP admission is $50.

Washington National Opera Costume Sale

Costumes, like these from the Washington National Opera’s production of Carmen, will be on sale this weekend. (Photo: National Symphony Orchestra)

Looking for the perfect Halloween costume? Check out the Washington National Opera Costume Sale. This is the first sale the WNO has held in six years, so it will have more than 1,000 items available in a variety of styles. Some items to expect: costumes from productions of Cinderella, Manon Lescaut, Carmen, Macbeth, Of Mice and Men and many others. Full costumes range from $50-$200 with individual pieces starting at $1. There are a few children’s costumes as well.

Oct. 3 and 4 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Washington National Opera’s rehearsal studio, 6925 Willow St. NW. Admission is FREE!

Taste of Georgetown

Taste of Georgetown is scheduled for Saturday along the waterfront weather premitting. (Photo: Georgetown Business Improvement District)

More than 30 neighborhood restaurants — most of them plating two dishes — will set up along the waterfront on K Street NW for the 22nd annual Taste of Georgetown. Dog Tag Bakery will be serving trail mix scones and pumpkin whoopee pies; 1789 Restaurant will be offering duck banh mi; Café Bonapart will be serving a sweet and a savory crepe; Mama Rouge will be offering grilled honey BBQ chicken banh mi and crispy veggies spring rolls; I Thai Restaurant will be serving mango with sweet sticky rice and Thai iced tea among the many offerings. In addition to the dishes, festival goers can enjoy the craft beer and wine garden and the give-and-take with the musicians from the Georgetown Piano Bar.

Oct. 3 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Georgetown waterfront, K Street NW between Wisconsin Avenue and Thomas Jefferson Street. Admission is FREE! Tasting tickets cost $5 for food, $4 for beer and wine. Five-packs of tasting tickets can be purchased in advance for $20.

D.C. VegFest

D.C. VegFest is an animal-free festival. (Photo: Strength & Sunshine)

D.C. VegFest is a dairy-free, meat-free and egg-free palooza, with food from the likes of Woodland’s Vegan Bistro, Dama, Bread & Brew, Busboys & Poets and others. There’s even a hip-hop and raw food cooking demo from DJ Cavem and Alkemia Earth. There will be free food samples and a beer garden, and the first 1,000 people through the gate will receive a free tote back full of samples and coupons. A kids area include music, storytelling and a vegan parent panel.

Oct. 3 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE.. Admission is FREE!

Great Walk of Art

Stretch your legs while absorbing some of the culture in our nation’s capital during the Great Walk of Art. The guided march through D.C., now in its second year, starts at the U.S. Capitol, hits the Library of Congress and a few museums on the Mall including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the National Museum of African Art, the Sackler-Freer Gallery and National Gallery of Art before heading to the final stop at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Meanwhile, participants search for pieces that fit this year’s theme: “Innovation in Art.”

Oct. 3 from noon-5 p.m. starting at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Emancipation Hall by the Statue of Freedom. Tickets are $8 in advance.

Russian Bazaar

St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral will serve up Russian food, entertainment and gifts at its Russian Festival. (Photo: St. John the Baptist Russian Cathedral)

Get a taste of old Russia at St. John’s annual Russian Bazaar. There will be live traditional music, imported handicrafts, homemade ethnic food, a bookstore, kids activities, tours of the 17th century-style Russian church and more.

Oct 3 and 4 from noon-6 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 4001 17th St. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 

Unite to Face Addiction Rally

Sheryl Crow is scheduled to perform at the Unite to Face Addiction Rally on the National Mall. (Photo: Sheryl Crow)

Facing Addiction, a national non-profit group, is organizing the Unite to Face Addiction Rally, a free event on the National Mall to launch a first-of-its–kind campaign to let people know addiction is preventable and treatable, that many addicts have been incarcerated and that people can and do get well. Musical performers include Steven Tyler with his Nashville-based band Loving Mary, Sheryl Crow, The Fray and John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls. Guest speakers include U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, Dr. Mehment Oz, actress Allison Janney and producer Chuck Loree from Mom, former MLB player Darryl Strawberry, Pat O’Brien, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner ad more.

Oct. 4 from 4-8 p.m. on the grounds of the Washington Monument on the National Mall. Admission is FREE!

The countdown to fall has begun with school in many are school districts getting ready to begin in a few weeks. But in the meantime, it’s time for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair with plenty of animals, Italian sausage sandwiches, fried Oreos and funnel cakes. But if you aren’t up for fun down on the farm, there’s plenty of other things to do in the DMV.

This weekend, Yellow and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. Orange, Silver and Blue line trains will operate every 20 minutes and Red Line trains will operate every 24 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont with trains running every 12-14 minutes between Farragut North and Rhode Island Avenue between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

It’s time for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair. (Photo: Katie Maciocha)

Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Looking for family friendly entertainment this weekend? Load the kids into the minivan and make for I-270: That’s the surest way to find the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which features a huge midway plus more than 2,000 animals, monster trucks and deep-fried curiosities. Special attractions, which are NOT included with admission include a truck and tractor pull on Monday, Monster Truck Madness on Wednesday and Thursday, and a demolition derby next Friday and Saturday. There is a free skid steer rodeo on Friday, a draft horse pull on Saturday, a draft horse and mule shown on Sunday and truck pull on Tuesday as well as ZuZu Acrobats, a comedy hypnotist, racing pigs and goats and a magician all week long. Animal and other exhibits, except commercial exhibits, do not open until Sunday.

Aug. 14-Aug 22 from 10 a.m.-midnight daily at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, 501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg. The carnival area is ope from 3 p.m.-midnight on Aug. 14 and noon-midnight the rest of the week. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 11 and younger. A season pass with parking is $75 and three-day pass with parking is $45. On-site parking is $10, but free parking and shuttle service is available from Lakeforest Mall.

Red Bull Global Rallycross

The Red Bull Global Rallycross returns to RFK Stadium this weekend. (Photo: Red Bull Global Rallycross)

After taking over city streets last June, the Red Bull Global Rallycross heads back to the nation’s capital for another event in Washington, D.C. This weekend’s race at RFK Stadium features 600-horsepower cars racing around a mixed-surface track with sharp turns and a 70-foot jump.

Aug. 14 from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Aug. 15 from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium Lot 8, 2400 E. Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $45-$75 for two-day passes, $25-$35 for Friday and $40-$50 for Saturday.

Zac Brown Band and the Avett Brothers

The Zac Brown Band plays at Nationals Park on Friday. (Photo: Zac Brown Band)

On its summer tour of major league baseball stadiums, the Zac Brown Band will bring its Jekyll & Hyde Tour to Nationals Park outfield with another popular country crossover group, the Avett Brothers. Brown has been mixing in the hits he’s known for, such as Chicken Fried, with such newer songs as the single Homegrown and his cover of Jason Isbell’s Dress Blues. The Avetts, meanwhile, mix things up from night to night, pulling from nearly 15 years of playing together.

Aug. 14 starting at 7 p.m. at Nationals Park, Nationals Park, 1500 S. Captial St. SE. Tickets are $51.50-$108.50.

Live Music on the Plaza

The Southern Maryland Jazz Orchestra will perform a free concert at National Harbor on Friday. (Photo: National Harbor)

Enjoy live music by the Southern Maryland Jazz Orchestra at Live Music on the Plaza at National Harbor. The orchestra is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to performing contemporary big band jazz. A part of the Southern Maryland Concert Band organization, the SMJO performs jazz, rock and swing music in the American “Big Band” style and tradition that began in the 1930s and continues right up to the present day. Current repertoire includes tunes by Carlos Santana, Van Morrison, Lady Gaga, the Beatles, Black Eyed Peas, Adele and others.

Aug. 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. at The Plaza at National Harbor, 165 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, Md. Admission is FREE!

Bikes & Brews brewery tour

Wrap up D.C. Beer Week with the Bikes & Brews brewery tour. (Photo: Capital City Bike Tours)

By the seventh day of D.C. Beer Week, you’ve probably consumed a few more calories than you meant to. Get rid of them during a special Bikes & Brews brewery tour sponsored by City Bikes. Beer-loving cyclists will leave the Adams Morgan bike shop heading for the Hellbender and Atlas breweries for tours and tastings, and then to Glen’s Garden Market for $4 draft beers. Maps and guides will be provided, but riders need to bring their own helmets, water bottles and locks.

Aug. 15 from noon-4 p.m. departing from City Bikes, 2501 Champlain St. NW. Admission is FREE, but advance registration is requested.

Washington Redskins training camp

Fans collect autographs at Redskins training camp, which wraps up this weekend. (Photo: Washington Redskins)

With the start of football season only weeks away, this is your last chance to see the Washington Redskins practice and clamor for autographs from your favorite players at this year’s Redskins Training Camp. Get an up-close look at quarterback Robert Griffin III’s progress, new players on the offensive and the overhauled defense. Savor the moment, Redskins fans: Every NFL team is tied for first in the standings, nearly every football player is healthy and in great shape, and unbridled optimism is the dominant emotions.

Aug. 15 from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with practice at 1:35 p.m and Aug. 16 from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. with walkthrough at 10:35 a.m. and practice at 3 p.m. at the Bon Secours Training Center, 2401 W. Leight St., Richomond. Admission is FREE, but pre-registration is required.

Capital City Showcase

Pete Bergen is among the entertainers at the Capital City Showcase’s fifth anniversary. (Photo: Pete Bergen)

The DMV is full of talented comedians, musicians and performance artists, some of the best of which have performed as part of the monthly Capital City Showcase variety show. This weekend, the show celebrates its fifth anniversary with set from musician Don Kim and comedians Jenn Tisdale, Pete Bergen, Shahryar and Kasaun Wilson.

Aug. 15 at 10 p.m. at the D.C. Arts Center, 2438 18th St. NW. Admission is $10.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hot 5 @ Hill Center

Sine Qua Non will perform at the Hill Center. (Photo: Stuart Dahne Photographer

If District jazz band Sine Qua Non has a reliable signature, it might be the timbre of Victor Provost’s steel-pan sparks raining down over Michael Bowie’s bass lines, which can swerve and slink and pop. There’s an airiness to the group’s approach, but it can tighten up on a groove, too. Onstage, the band is mixing its new material in with the old, and a new album is expected this autumn. The band performs in the gardens as part of Hot 5 @ Hill Center, perfect for an evening picnic with family and friends. Beer, wine and other concessions will be available for sale.

Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. at the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Admission is FREE!

Movies on the Potomac

Watch a free movie each Sunday beginning at 6 p.m. at National Harbor. (Photo: National Harbor)

Nothing says summer like an evening under the stars, and there’s no better way to enjoy the season than Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor. Pack your chairs, grab food to go from one of the area restaurants and meet at the Plaza’s jumbo screen. This week’s screening is Back to the Future Part II.

Aug. 16 from 6-8 p.m. at National Harbor’s Plaza, 165 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, Md. Admission is FREE!