Good day, DC!
Show your Pride spirit at Washington Blade’s annual waterfront gathering. Also, FIFA World Cup takes over the DC area with soccer parties, live match broadcasts, and family-friendly festivals.
Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend
June 8–14
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- Pride on the Pier. Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier is back. Head to District Pier to dance to the beats of a live DJ, check out performances, and enjoy lively activities (Sat, free, Wharf).
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Fan Zone. World Cup watch parties and screenings are popping up all around town. Soccer fans can cheer on Team USA as they compete against Paraguay, Australia, and others live from the National Mall. All ages are invited to watch select FIFA World Cup matches on a massive screen between 3rd Street and 4th Street, NW. There are also food concessions to buy snacks (Thurs through July 17, free, National Mall).
- DC United’s United in Play Soccer. If you’re looking for a local take on FIFA watch parties, DC United is throwing two weekend celebrations where families can jump into the soccer fun. Find broadcasts of the matches, soccer activities for kids, bites from local food vendors, and music at Franklin Park and Tingey Plaza (Fri-Sun, June 19-21, free, Downtown, Navy Yard).
- Jill Scott concert. Iconic neo-soul vocalist Jill Scott arrives in DC to promote her new project To Whom This May Concern—her first album in nearly a decade (Thurs-Sun, June 23, $215+, MGM National Harbor).
- Eat 250. As the country marks its 250th birthday with celebrations, exhibits, and history talks, DC’s culinary scene joins the commemorations with dining deals, chef-curated dinners, and food and drink tastings. Savor Japanese, Italian, and Ethiopian delights at Marcus DC, Maketto, Union Market and several other eateries during EAT250: America at the Table (Sun through June 28, $25+, various participating locations).
Want More Things to Do?
Arts and culture:
- This exhibit considers America’s next 50 years of innovation. Check out “The Spirit of 2076” to see how innovation will impact the future (ongoing, free, Downtown).
- View a screening of artist Coco Fusco’s film To Live in June with your Tongue Hanging Out followed by a fireside chat with scholars at Hopkins Bloomberg Center (Mon, free with required registration, Penn Quarter).
- Poetry, music, and storytelling come together at Busboys and Poets’ Pride celebration (Wed, $21, Cardozo).
- Watch more than 60 documentaries and shorts at DC/DOX Film Festival (Thurs-Sun, $225 for festival pass, $18.89 for individual pass, various participating DC locations).
- Best-selling writer Ben Fountain speaks about his new political satire Rasputin Swims the Potomac (Fri, free, virtual, Northwest DC).
- Explore Central Asian history and landscapes through the lens of film and installation artist Saodat Ismailova (Sat through November 29, free, Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art).
Community and heritage:
- The US Marine Drum & Bugle Corps and the US Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon kick off their traditional Sunset Parades this week (select Tues through August 11, free, Arlington).
- Capital Jewish Museum marks the 150th anniversary of the first purpose-built synagogue in DC with a history exhibition (Wed, free, registration required, Downtown).
- Take a guided tour through U Street’s Black Broadway queer history with Off the Mall Tours and the Rainbow History Project (Fri, $30, U Street Corridor).
- At Gays & Graves, visitors can learn about the LGBTQ+ activists and pioneers who are buried at the Historic Congressional Cemetery (Sun, free, Capitol Hill).
- Tour beautiful lavender and wildflower fields while listening to live music at Lavender Days Festival (Sat-Sun, $25, Mechanicsville).
Theater and shows:
- Laugh at this parody performance of My Favorite Year at the Embassy of France La Maison Française (Tues, $12, Georgetown).
- Relive the music of ’90s supergroup TLC in the new production Crazy Sexy Cool at Arena Stage (Fri through August 9, $83+, Southwest DC).
Music and concerts:
- Rock out with Amyl and the Sniffers (Wed, $62+, Wharf).
- Come dressed like your favorite Black Pink, BTS, or Stray Kids artist at Union Stage’s K-pop and K-EDM night (Fri, $21, Wharf).
- Sing along to feel-good hits from Bleachers at Merriweather Post Pavilion (Fri, $56+, Columbia).
- Sing Democracy 250 performs two new works: “Redeem the Dream” by Brandon A. Boyd and “US” by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm (Sat, $16+, DAR Constitution Hall).
- Vans Warped Tour continues the punk rock mania at a two-day summer showcase featuring more than 80 live acts (Sat-Sun, $199+ for two-day admission, RFK Festival Grounds).
Sports:
- This summer is all about soccer. Watch World Cup matches on the Wharf’s Jumbotron screen (Thurs-June 19, free, Wharf).
- UFC Freedom 250 brings live mixed-martial arts to the Ellipse as well as athlete meet-and-greets and music (Sat-Sun, free, The Ellipse).
Things to do with kids:
- Kiddos can ride the carousel, watch a puppet show, snack on rainbow treats, play on the playground, and more at Pride Family Day (Sat, free, rsvp encouraged, Glen Echo).
- Take the family to Workhouse Arts Center’s Summer Block Party for gymnastics activities, artist demos, and a behind-the-scenes look at SpongeBob the Musical (Sat, free, Lorton).
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.
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.
