Happy Monday, DC!
Metropolitan Washington Summer Restaurant Week returns with prix-fixe food deals, “Merrily We Roll Along” musical opens at Signature Theatre, and the entire family can hike through a national park or enjoy a history talk for National Park Week.
Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend
August 24–August 30
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- Metropolitan Washington Summer Restaurant Week. Satisfy your cravings with discount eats from more than 150 participating restaurants during Summer Restaurant Week . Devour caramel-topped French toast bites at Moxies DC, Dōgon’s BBQ chicken, cocktails and a three-course meal at Press Club, and many more prix-fixe delights (Mon through August 30, $25+, various participating locations).
- “Merrily We Roll Along” musical. This 1930s musical by Stephen Sondheim is seeing a revival on stage and on the big screen. Theater-goers can get tickets to Signature Theatre’s rendition of the classic tale of friendship, ambition, and show business (opens Tues, $47+, Arlington).
- Therapy Gecko at Miracle Theatre. This comic tells jokes while wearing a reptile costume. Laugh and chuckle at podcaster Lyle Drescher’s live therapy session, where the audience gets to ask Drescher questions and hear his unpredictable responses (Thurs, $40+, Capitol Hill).
- National Park Week. The National Park Service turns 110 years old this month. Mark the occasion with outdoor fun and scenic explorations. During National Park Week youngsters can go roller skating at Anacostia Park Skate Pavilion, history buffs can discover the origin of the canal system at C&O Canal National Historical Park, and on Tuesday—NPS’ birthday—all national parks have free entry (through Sun, free+, various locations).
Want More Things to Do?
Arts and culture:
- Author Sarai Johnson talks about Grown Women: A Novel at the library (Mon, free, Northeast DC).
- Plant parents can learn how to care for their florals at this botanical workshop (Tues, free, Congress Heights).
- Knit, crochet, and embroider a fiber arts project with fellow creatives (Tues, $15, Mount Pleasant).
- Journal, talk, and make a phone-free connection (Wed, $25+, location available with registration).
- Make a new friend or mingle with single neighbors at Astro Beer Hall (Wed, free, Arlington).
- Author Tony Fletcher unpacks his latest book Pow! When UK Punk Went Pop, 1980–84 at Politics and Prose (Thurs, free, Union Market).
Community and heritage:
- Enjoy live music and garden views after hours at the US Botanic Garden (Thurs, free, Southwest DC).
- Celebrate Chinese heritage with live performances, games, and vendor shopping at Chinese Cultural Festival (Sat, free, Downtown).
- Build a bat box at Edgewood Community Farm (Sun, free, donations welcome, Edgewood).
Theater and shows:
- This open mic at Pubkey invites people to share their spicy stories (Sat, free+, Penn Quarter).
- Theater geeks can sing along to Broadway hits at this musical dance party (Sat, $27+, Wharf).
Music and concerts:
- Rapper Jack Harlow rhymes over hip-hop beats at the Anthem (Tues, $58+, Wharf).
- DC’s glitter-punk group Ekko Astral is live in concert (Thurs, $20, Shaw).
- Dance to house, hip-hop, and R&B at the Femme Fatale bash (Fri, $15, H Street Corridor).
- Rock out to funk band Flow Tribe at DC9 Nightclub (Fri, $20+, Shaw).
- Dress in metallic, glitter, and other groovy accessories for a night at the disco (Sat, $84, Downtown).
- Comedian KevOnStage does standup about grief (Sat, $64, MGM National Harbor).
- Go on a country cruise with vocalist Cooper Alan aboard City Cruises (Sun, $80+, Wharf).
Bites and beverages:
- Bake a sweet or savory treat to share with Bold Fork Books’ bake club (Sun, $18, Columbia Heights).
Things to do with kids:
- Bring binoculars to spot birds at Oxon Run Park (Wed, free, Southeast DC).
- Celebrate the back to school season with a family bike ride and foam party (Sat, free, Capitol Hill).
- Participate in hands-on science activities at KidsFest (Sat, free, Reston).
- Kiddos can play at a petting zoo and dance to live music at Honey Harvest Festival (Sun, free, Great Falls).
Fitness and wellness:
- Enjoy a soothing moonlit sound bath at the National Arboretum (Wed, $23, Northeast DC).
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.
