Our end-of-the-week picks for March 21-23
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.
Looking for a local perspective delivered directly to your inbox every two weeks? Sign up for our "DC on the Go-Go" Local Newsletter to stay in the know.
Friday
The National Cherry Blossom Festival
DC celebrates the blooming of cherry trees with a month-long festival that commemorates the 1912 gift from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city. Check out popular festival events in the lead-up to the celebration, in addition to our guide to the celebration, how to get the most popular blossom spots and the best places to snap photos.
Friday Night Concert Series: Shaq AKA DJ Diesel
The Washington Wizards host a post-game concert featuring DJ Diesel on the 1's and 2's. Okay, we buried the lede. DJ Diesel is NBA legend and entertainment icon Shaq (you can probably tell from the picture above), so you'll be grooving to sounds from an all-time superstar after you watch the Wiz take on the Orlando Magic. The concert experience is free with the purchase of a game ticket.
Tickets
Capital One Arena, 601 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Evening of Comedy at Wolf Trap
Wolf Trap welcomes three top-tier comedians of Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live and That’s So Raven fame for hilarious onstage hijinks. Four shows mean four times the laughs! Be there as The Barns fill with glee thanks to Carol Leifer, Rich Hall and Rondell Sheridan.
Tickets
1635 Trap Road, Vienna, VA 22182
Saturday
National Cherry Blossom Festival
The National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony
Along with the Japan Foundation, the National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the 113th anniversary of the gift of trees with an exciting tribute to the longstanding relationship between Japan and the United States.The spectacle at the historic Warner Theatre features world-renowned artists connected to both the U.S. and Japan who gather on the stage together for one-night only. Early access to tickets to this epic spring celebration can be obtained by signing up for the Festival's email list. The event will also be livestreamed on the Festival's YouTube channel.
5-6:30 p.m. | More Information
Warner Theatre, 513 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
JewCE: The Jewish Comics Experience – Final Weekend
A hero is a hero, but which iconic comic book character(s) can be called a real mensch? Find the answer and learn some fascinating trivia at the Capital Jewish Museum, which explores the theme of superheroes from the 1930s to the 1960s with Jewish backgrounds. Whether these well-loved protagonists had Jewish creators or celebrated their own bar mitzvahs in the comic’s pages, fun facts and a history of chutzpah await. Contemporary graphic novels and DC-focused lore are also included.
Tickets
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
#Charlottesville
Keegan Theatre serves as the platform for a powerful new one-woman show from award-winning performance artist Priyanka Shetty. In 2017, the “Unite the Right” rally and counter-protests shook Charlottesville, Va. and the country at-large. Shetty’s play uses interviews and her own insights to paint a portrait of the toll the incident has taken on residents of Charlottesville.
Tickets
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
It’s A Mother****ing Pleasure
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, along with the award-winning and disability-led theatre company FlawBored, invite you to explore disability rights and wrongs. The searing satire focuses on PR firm “Rize” as they team up with Ross, a Blind influencer who’s ready to profit off the guilt of non-disabled, anxious people. Prepare yourself for a sensational examination of identity politics and the cost of doing the right thing.
Tickets
Wolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Sister Act at Ford's Theatre
Based on the smash hit 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act makes for divine musical comedy at Ford’s Theatre this upcoming spring. The Tony-nominated musical follows a nightclub singer who takes to a convent to hide from the mob. Self-discovery and glorious group harmonies ensue. The play features original music by the legendary Alan Menken.
Tickets
511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Yo La Tengo & Sun Ra Arkestra: One Cosmic Night
The music of Sun Ra dates to the 1950s while Yo La Tengo have been a fixture of alternative rock since the mid-1980s. The two seminal groups will both take the stage at Howard Theatre for a night that promises to be “cosmic”. Expect music that reminds you of stargazing as the two masterful acts reflect and refract decades upon decades of sound.
8 p.m. | Tickets
Howard Theatre, 620 T Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Sunday
Samantha Box: Confluences – Final Weekend
The National Museum of Women in the Arts presents stunning documentary and studio-based photographs from Bronx-based artist Samantha Box in her first solo exhibition in the nation’s capital. Box’s two major bodies of work are seen together for the first time, revealing complex conversations around nationality, race, class, gender and sexual orientation.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Delighting Krishna: Paintings of the Child-God
A new exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art puts the Pushtimarg tradition front-and-center and showcases 14 “pichwais,” which are monumental paintings of Krishna on cotton cloth. The pieces have not been displayed to the public since the 1970s. Museum visitors can encounter the larger-than-life creations and learn about how the Hindu Pushtimarg community engages with the spiritual.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist
Through singular and daring prints and sculptures, Elizabeth Catlett became of the defining artist-activists of her day. Catlett has roots in DC, Chicago and New York but spent 60 years in Mexico, where she created art “for the people.” U.S. and Mexican injustices resonate throughout her work. The National Gallery of Art will display more than 150 of her creations, including rarely seen paintings and drawings.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Blooming Wonders: A Best of Spring Exhibition
ARTECHOUSE’s annual springtime exhibit has become a must-see for locals and visitors alike. This year’s display brings together past smash-hit cherry blossom-themed installations as well as a new interactive experience. Fix your gaze upon immense floral landscapes, spellbinding digital visualizations and surreal spring-themed environments. Use discount code 'AEF10' for 10% off your tickets.
Tickets
ARTECHOUSE, 1238 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20002
ExPats Theatre: Testosterone
Based on the Grimm Brothers’ “The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear,” Testosterone is a scathing social satire about a battle between two brothers. Ingo lives in a secure fortress to protect his family from the “bad neighborhood,” a violent area rampant with crime and gang wars and home to his brave brother Raul. When the two men and worlds collide, chaos ensues, leading to a can’t-miss production at Atlas Performing Arts Center.
Tickets
Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
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!
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.
More About DC
