Good day, DC!
The much-anticipated Panda Fest arrives in downtown DC this weekend with lots of cultural cheer and family-friendly fun. Plus, foodies can eat their way through Alexandria’s culinary scene during restaurant week.
Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend
August 10–August 16
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- Panda Fest. Panda-themed decor, street food, face painting, and Asian culture get the spotlight at Panda Fest. The traveling gathering makes its way to Pennsylvania Avenue this weekend. Kids can jump in a bounce house, foodies can eat mochi and garlic noodles, and everyone gets to see live performances in celebration of all things panda (Sat-Sun, free, Penn Quarter).
- Alexandria Restaurant Week. Stick a fork in Alexandria’s diverse culinary scene during Restaurant Week . The summer jamboree is a chance to dine out for dinner and try new or favorite dishes at a discounted price of either $35, $45, or $55 (Sat through August 23, $35+, various participating locations).
- Arlington County Fair. The Arlington County Fair returns with entertainment for all ages. Attendees can participate in archery and ax-throwing, shop for art at the Night Market, devour bites at Food Truck Alley, and zip through inflatable obstacle courses. If you’re a fan of local talent, you won’t want to miss the lineup of area musicians and entertainers performing daily, including acts such as Ari Voxx & The Sad Lads, Loveboat, and tropical Latin band Pablo Antonio y La Firma (Wed-Sat, free, Arlington).
- The NSO Performs Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Fans of classical music can tune into the National Symphony Orchestra’s all-Beethoven program at Wolf Trap. Conductor Gianandrea Noseda will lead the symphony in delivering melodies and songs from Ninth Symphony, one of Beethoven’s masterworks (Fri, $57+, Vienna).
Want More Things to Do?
Arts and culture:
- New exhibition “Yokai Parade: Supernatural Monsters from Japan” dives into Asian folklore (opens Mon, free, Northwest DC).
- Color a floral masterpiece or paint a plant pot at We Make DC (Tues-Wed, free, Dupont Circle).
- Acclaimed author Chang-rae Lee discusses his latest coming-of-age drama A Tender Age (Thurs, free, Northwest DC).
- Don’t miss a screening of ’90s pop phenomenon Clueless under the stars (Thurs, free, Library of Congress).
- African Diaspora International Film Festival returns to DC to screen movies and documentaries on African culture and history (Fri-Sun, $40+, George Washington University).
Community:
- Nearly 3,000 people are registered to eat an apple together at Meridian Hill Park; you can join them (Sat, free, bring-your-own-apple, Columbia Heights).
- View vintage cars or craft your own wooden derby racer with neighbors (Sat, free, MLK Library).
Theater and shows:
- Watch Japanese sci-fi flick Ghost in the Shell at the Embassy of Japan (Thurs, free registration, Northwest DC).
- A witty dark comedy about playground memories and romance opens at Keegan Theatre (Sat through September 6, $55, Dupont Circle).
Music and concerts:
- Listen to Strathmore’s UkeFest participants play their finale concert (Wed, free, Bethesda).
- Groove to gospel, Motown hits, and more funky sounds at this outdoor community concert (Thurs, free, Clinton).
- The Experience Band and Show blends go-go and R&B together at Rock the Dock (Fri, free, Wharf).
- Sing along to the Zac Brown Band’s southern rock and country melodies at Merriweather Post Pavilion (Sat, $72+, Columbia).
Get involved:
- Feast on all-you-can-eat crabs for a good cause at Slater Run Vineyards; proceeds benefit Churches of Upperville Outreach Program, a group that provides food assistance to families in need (Fri, $95 for adults, $15 for children 12 and younger, Upperville).
- Stuff A Cruiser with backpacks, crayons, and other school supplies (Fri, free, Tysons).
Things to do with kids:
- Spin around on a ferris wheel, meet cuddly goats, and taste smoked meats at the 71st Clarke County Fair (through Sat, $10 for adults, $5 for ages 5 to 15, free for children 4 and younger, Berryville).
- Square dance in your cowboy boots with your kiddos before the Howard County Fair closes (through fri, $10 for adults, $5 for seniors, free for children 12 and under, West Friendship).
- Teens can sail aboard the Spirit of Washington for a back-to-school dinner (Tues, $50, pick-ups are from various Prince George’s locations).
- Ride zooming carnival attractions at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair (Fri through August 22, $17, Gaithersburg).
Plan ahead:
- Tickets for the Foo Fighters concert next week are selling quickly (August 17, $125+, Nationals Park).
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.
