Happy Monday, everyone!
There are fun events for all ages to enjoy this week in DC. There’s still time to get tickets to Drake and 21 Savage’s concert at Capital One Arena, and the Downtown DC BID’s first-ever Kids World arrives at Franklin Park.
Best Things to Do This Week
July 24-July 30
- Drake and 21 Savage. It’s All a Blur when these two hip-hop stars link up for a series of concerts. Drake and 21 Savage are in town this weekend promoting their 2022 collaboration album, Her Loss. But you’ll likely hear a lot more material than that: This is Drake’s first tour since 2018, and he’s put out multiple hit-bumping albums since then (Fri-Sat, $345+, Capital One Arena).
- “Rent” in Concert. Rent musical sing-alongs like “Seasons of Love” and “Take Me or Leave Me” will be performed at the Kennedy Center backed by the National Symphony Orchestra. This world-premiere reimagining of the beloved production features vocalists and musicians in a concert setting (Wed-Fri, $39+, Kennedy Center).
- Kids World. Your kiddos and teens will love this free event designed for fun and learning. Kids World is a three-day playful pop-up at Franklin Park featuring book readings, tea time, a stuff-your-own-bear station, hands-on nature and science crafts, kid entrepreneur talks, trackless train rides, and youth music groups (Fri-Sun, free, Downtown).
- Laura Lippman at Politics and Prose. Book lovers can hear acclaimed Baltimore crime novelist Laura Lippman discuss her latest book, Prom Mom, at Politics and Prose this week. The new title is a suspenseful love story involving a baby, a death, and a messy entanglement from the past (Wed, free, Northwest DC).
Want More Things to Do?
Budget-friendly: Sip coffee and watch a movie with neighbors (Thurs, free, Mount Pleasant). A panel of local writers share their techniques at East City Bookshop (Wed, free, Capitol Hill).
Arts and culture: Talk over your favorite new fiction reads at Solid State Books (Mon, free, H Street Corridor). Dive into the deep sea and beyond at Rebecca Rutstein and the Ocean Memory Project’s immersive “Blue Dream” video installation (weekdays through September 15, free, Northwest DC). B. Dylan Hollis shares vintage recipes at Sixth & I (Mon, $22+ in-person, $12 for virtual, Northwest DC). Take a guided tour of the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition to view 12 of the artist’s original drawings (Mon, Wed, free, MLK Library). Art educator Samantha Van Heest leads seniors in a class on shading and color theory (Tues, free, Georgetown). Join the The Intimidating Book Club at the West End Neighborhood Library for a read-through the classic novel Les Misérables (Tues, free, Northwest DC).
Community and history: Take a guided history tour of the Washington Navy Yard Military Base (Sat, free, Navy Yard). Learn about the history of Oak Hill and Congressional cemeteries from a local expert at City Tavern (Wed, free, Georgetown).
Theater and shows: Go to Crazy Aunt Helen’s Drag Dinner and watch the Golden Gays perform (Fri, $20, Capitol Hill). Synetic Theater’s new show Cyrano de Bergerac is a clowning romance (through August 13, $35+, Arlington).
Music and concerts: A lineup of DJs play an array of energetic mixes at *Legacy DC’s Return of the M.A.C. at Union Stage (Fri, $30, Wharf). Take a date to a candlelight concert at Miracle Theater to hear The Best of Hans Zimmer (Thurs, $40, Capitol Hill). Grab lunch and head to Wilson Plaza for some international tunes (Tues, free, Downtown). Rapper Montana of 300 is in town to promote his sixth album at Pie Shop (Mon, $20, H Street Corridor). Bring cupcakes and baked goods to share at Night of 1,000 Cakes at Fort Reno featuring indie rockers Dot Dash and Cinema Hearts (Mon, free, Tenleytown).
Exercise and wellness: Relax and stretch with Bluebird Sky Yoga instructors at the U.S. National Arboretum (Sat, $26, Northwest DC). Or, sip on sangria and stretch in the King & Rye cocktail garden (Wed, $30, Alexandria).
Bites and beverages: Toast to National Tequila Day with specialty beverages on Conrad’s rooftop bar (Mon, free entry, Downtown). Or, celebrate the day with your lover at a margarita-making class (Mon, $50, Alexandria). Chef Rubén García presents A Taste of Casa Teresa featuring six courses and wine pairings at La Boheme (Wed-Thurs, $195+, Georgetown). Listen to smooth jazz and eat good food at this pink-and-white rooftop affair (Wed, $30+, Southwest DC).
Game night: Nanny O’Briens Bring Your Own Game Night returns (Mon, free, Cleveland Park). Cap City Trivia wants you to put on your thinking caps at Dacha Beer Garden (Mon, free, Navy Yard). Crooked Run Fermentation is hosting an ASL friendly game night (Wed, free, Union Market). Win prizes at Hi-Lawn’s rooftop trivia (Mon, free, Northeast DC), or play bingo (Wed, free, Northeast DC).
Things to do with kids: Kids can watch a Filipino indigenous mythology spoken word performance by poet Regie Cabico (Thurs, free, Palisades).
Get involved: Participate in Food Rescue by Bike to help combat food waste and hunger (Mon, free, Navy Yard).
If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.
An earlier version of this post listed this event as a Union Stage event, but it is not. We regret the error.
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
