Theatre Week
Our end-of-the-week picks for Oct. 4-6
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
Theatre Week – Through Oct. 13
Celebrate the theatre season in the Washington, DC region with a weeks-long promotion from TheatreWashington which includes $20, $40 and $60 tickets to highly anticipated productions at venues all over the DMV area. There are musicals, dramas, comedies, theatre for young audiences and much more. In addition to discounted tickets, Theatre Week also includes special events (most of which are free) designed to entertain, educate and inspire, including the free Kickoff Fest. Plan your stay: Book a hotel today.
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
Mount Vernon Fall Wine Festival and Sunset Tour
George Washington’s Mount Vernon is at its scenic best when fall rolls around, so it’s fitting that the historic estate hosts this special celebration of wine followed by a sunset tour of the property. Bring along a blanket, chill out on the east lawn and sample Virginia wines with views of the Potomac River. Fruit and cheese boxes to accompany your wine are available for purchase in advance.
Tickets
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 2212
Fierce Flora: Tales of Survival and Demise
The U.S. Botanic Garden invites you to see the ferocious side of flora and fauna at its special new exhibit. Many plants have evolved defenses against infection, herbivores and their plant competition. The multisensory display will showcase this evolution and also pinpoint how these plants can be both harmful and helpful to humans.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
U.S. Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20001
Twilight Zone: Hidden Wonders of the Ocean
ARTECHOUSE and the Woods Holde Oceanographic Institution have collaborated to highlight an awe-inspiring nightly migration of ocean twilight zone creatures and their intricate connections to the planet’s health, including their contributions to the regulation of the earth’s climate. The groundbreaking exhibition offers a 24-minute cinematic journey with immersive 270-degree projections that span from floor to wall, complemented by six interactive installations and six XR activations.
Tickets
ARTECHOUSE, 1238 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20002
Babbitt
Star of the big screen for decades and two-time Tony winner Matthew Broderick makes his Shakespeare Theatre Company debut with this momentous adaptation of Sinclair Lewis’ beloved novel. Broderick takes on the role of George F. Babbitt, a middle-class American everyman whose life suddenly turns upside down.
Tickets
Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Saturday
DC Coffee Festival
Savor the creations of dozens of the District’s top coffee roasters at the second annual DC Coffee Festival. This year, there will be two days of festivities, with coffee roasters, tea brewers and live music filling the warehouse at Dock 5. All coffee samples are included with your ticket and additional snacks are available for purchase if you need a little something extra to ward off the jitters.
Tickets
Dock 5 at Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Sublime Light: Tapestry Art of DY Begay
In honor of one of the great fiber artists, the National Museum of the American Indian showcases 48 works by DY Begay. Across these dozens of tapestries, Begay explores her homeland and heritage through a divine sense of color, stirring innovation and sharp eye for design. Her pieces effectively illustrate a non-Western way of being to contemporary audiences.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th Street & Independence Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
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
Oktoberfest at The Wharf
One of DC’s most popular gathering places offers a day filled with Oktoberfest-themed activities free of charge. On Oct. 5, The Wharf welcomes you to don your dirndl or lederhosen and enjoy the Wiener 500 Dachshund Dash, a stein-hoisting championship and polka on the pier, which includes a free polka dance class on Transit Pier.
More Information | Free Admission
The Wharf, 760 Maine Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
BBQ & Barrels
A popular event returns to Nationals Park for one day only. BBQ & Barrels fuses barbecue and whiskey, bourbon and rye to create an evening packed with flavor. Live music by Uncle Jesse will soundtrack your excursion through food by Rockland, DCity Smokehouse, Due South and Sons Barbecue; you can expect drink tastings from Bardstown Bourbon, Weller, Virginia Distillery, Kentucky Owl, Blue Run and many others.
Tickets
Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
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
Mister Lincoln
Scott Bakula (pictured above) comes to the stage at Ford's Theatre to portray one of the most iconic men in history. Written by Herbert Mitgang and directed by José Carrasquillo, Mister Lincoln unpacks the sixteenth president's life and tenure in a witty one-man show. Learn about one of the most revered figures in U.S. history inside the theatre where he was fatally shot in 1865.
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
Clue – Final Weekend
See the classic Hasbro board game come to life on stage at the Kennedy Center. Based on the 1985 feature film, this unrivaled and interactive whodunit is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
SOFI TUKKER – The BREAD Tour
Grammy-nominated duo Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern bring their infectious, energetic dance music to The Anthem. Their newest album BREAD blends house, Brazilian funk, drum and bass, bossa nova, pop and Portuguese poetry to create an entirely unique kind of fun.
7:30 p.m. | Tickets
The Anthem, 901 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC, 20024
Sunday
Off the Mall Tours: History of Jewish Washington Walking Tour in Honor of Rosh Hashanah
Who was the first U.S. president to visit a DC synagogue while in office and why did he donate $10? Why did the first synagogue built in DC have wheels? Which historic synagogue was saved at the last minute from turning into a nightclub? Ami Greener, a talented guide who has been leading Hebrew tours of the District since 2016, will share not only the answers to these questions but many more stories of Jewish Washingtonians and their impact on the city. The tour wraps up at the Capital Jewish Museum.
10 a.m. | Tickets
Literary Hill BookFest
Free and open to the public, the Literary Hill BookFest at Eastern Market celebrates the exuberant literary culture of the Capitol Hill neighborhood and DC at-large. Attendees can expect to meet an array of authors and enjoy panel discussions, book signings, family-friendly activities, a Children’s Corner, poetry readings and a lot more.
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Free Admission
North Hall of Eastern Market, 225 7th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
OSMEGEOS: Endless Story
Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo are the identical twin brothers that comprise OSMEGEOS, which is Portuguese for “the twins.” The Hirshhorn Museum presents the first U.S. survey and the largest American exhibition of work by the duo to date. In total, the full-floor exhibit features roughly 1,000 artworks, photos and archival materials that detail OSMEGEOS’ unique artistic voice that combines heritage, urban art, graffiti and magical elements.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Independence Avenue & 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20560
The ‘70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography
Across a wondrous collection of roughly 100 works by more than 80 artists, the National Gallery of Art gives visitors a chance to explore the dramatic shift in documentary photography that played out during the turmoil-filled decade of the 1970s. As Americans faced the Watergate scandal, inflation, energy crises and a host of other developments, documentary photographers shifted their collective perspective, leading to brilliant images that depict vibrant communities, suburban sprawl, conceptual art, nature and much more.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Spirit & Strength: Modern Art from Haiti
The world’s first Black republic flourished with creativity in the mid-1900s thanks to seminal painters like Hector Hyppolite, Rigaud Benoît and Philomé Obin. Their images and depictions of Haitian daily life, religious traditions and history influenced generations of artists. The National Gallery of Art’s exhibit offers the first chance to see 21 works by Haitian artists as well as contemporary pieces that build on their illuminative legacy.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 6th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Suchitra Mattai: Myth from Matter
The National Museum of Women in the Arts hosts the first solo exhibition in DC dedicated to the work of Suchitra Mattai, who explores themes of history, heritage and identity across her multidisciplinary work. The Indo-Caribbean artist examines mythology, personal narratives and colonial history through the lens of women and people of color, especially those from Southeast Asia. Visitors will see large-scale textile installations, paintings, collages and sculptures, as well as related pieces from Europe and Southeast Asia.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Cole Taylor as Romeo and Caro Reyes Rivera as Juliet © SHAN Wallace
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare’s timeless story of star-crossed lovers is also a story of the politics of warring families and the violence that consumes them. When all the systems meant to protect and guide a pair of young lovers—familial, religious, and governmental—fail them, can they find a way to safeguard their future despite the chaos around them?
Tickets
Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Johnny Marr & James
Two colossal acts of the last 40 years of Brit-rock collide at DC’s Warner Theatre. As lead guitarist for The Smiths – one of England’s biggest exports of the 1980s – Johnny Marr helped create some of the most memorable rock songs in history, his jangly sound becoming a signature. James have released a string of acclaimed LPs since emerging as a popular supporting band of The Smiths on the live music circuit in Britain. Things have a way of coming full circle, don’t they?
7:30 p.m. | Tickets
Warner Theatre, 513 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
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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