12 things to do around D.C. this weekend

Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with flower arrangements and historic homes, tour artist studios and European embassies, and watch poetry and music performances – or, if you’re feeling bold, be the one to perform!

THURSDAY MAY 8

Open Mic Music Night at Doubles
Ready to share your talents with a crowd? Doubles will provide a mic and a speaker (they say acoustic performances work best) to those who sign up. Not a musician? Take in the tunes while you enjoy pizza and natural wine from neighboring Sonny’s. (Doubles; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.; FREE)

Intraterrestrials: Discovering the Strangest Life on Earth
Did you know there is microbial life that can subsist in boiling water, pure acid, and bleach, surviving for millions of years below Earth’s surface? Me neither. Learn more about “intraterrestrials” and how they’re changing the way we understand what life is and how it has evolved in this virtual talk from biologist Karen Lloyd. (Virtual event; 6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.; $20 members and $25 non-members)

FRIDAY MAY 9

Asia After Dark | Poetry! Comedy! Music!
Celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with performances from a three-time National Poetry Slam finalist, a Filipino multi-genre musical collective, and several poets and  comedians. Part of the IlluminAsia: Arts and Culture Festival, the Smithsonian recommends you register in advance and arrive early, as some activities have limited capacity. (National Museum of Asian Art; 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.; FREE)

Potomac Bonsai Festival
Saturday is World Bonsai Day but you can celebrate the ancient tradition all weekend at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, on the grounds of the National Arboretum. Events include beginner workshops (sold out, but some walk-up space may be available), docent-led tours, live styling demonstrations, and children’s activities. This year’s festivities are particularly special as they’ll celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Yamaki Pine, which has been alive since 1625 and survived the bombing of Hiroshima. If you’re so inspired, there will be bonsai vendors on site, too. (National Bonsai and Penjing Museum; May 9-11, activities scheduled throughout each day; FREE)

Pajama Party Movie Night | Dragons, Quests, and Magical Monsters
Start the evening with a picnic (sandwiches, drinks, and snacks available for purchase) and a treasure hunt in the Hillwood Mansion’s beautiful gardens. Then gather your pillows and blankets (BYO!) and head indoors to watch a series of family-friendly short films, including Where the Wild Things Are and Dragons Love Tacos. (Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens; 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.; $12 adults, $10 members and children, and  FREE under age 3)

SATURDAY MAY 10

The Last of the Sea Women
The haenyo are women who dive for seafood in South Korea, plunging up to 100 meters while holding their breath for minutes at a time. Now mostly senior citizens, this documentary tells their story as climate change, pollution, and generational changes threaten the centuries-old practice. Another installment in the IlluminAsia: Arts and Culture Festival, there will be a Q&A with director Sue Kim after the screening. (National Museum of Asian Art; 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.; FREE)

EU Open House 2025
Take a recession-proof vacation by touring D.C.’s European embassies. Appreciate Danish design and architecture, enjoy freshly baked Belgian waffles, drink Hungarian wine, and learn about Luxembourg’s contributions to science fiction and McDonald’s. Use this map of participating embassies to plan your day! (Various locations; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; FREE)

Open Studios Tour 2025
Over 250 artists in the Gateway Arts District – communities along Maryland’s Route 1 corridor in Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood, and Hyattsville – are flinging open their studio doors so visitors can get behind-the-scenes views of their work. Grab food from MiXt Food Hall or The Burger Shop food truck and use the free shuttles to studio hop. Here’s an interactive map of all the locations. You can also keep the day going with an  afterparty at Broken Square. (Various locations along Route 1; 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.; FREE)

The Muslim Women's Association International Bazaar
Stock up on rugs, jewelry, sweet treats, handicrafts, and henna from Islamic countries at this event, which has been hosted by a variety of embassies for over 40 years every May. (Islamic Center of Washington D.C.; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; FREE)

SUNDAY MAY 11

Flor Del Soul x La Casita Floral Design Workshop
When better to learn the basics of floral design than Mother’s Day? Participants will be provided with materials and instructions to make a custom bouquet, plus important fortifications: café de olla and a concha. Who gets the flowers to is up to you ... (La Cosecha; 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; $115)

Kegs and Eggs with Egg Yaki + Work Fitness
Work up a sweat with Union Market’s queer woman-owned strength and performance studio and then indulge in Japanese-inspired omelets, small plates, and – yes – a keg. D.C.’s Fish House Funk will DJ live the entire time! (Union Market; 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.; FREE with code YAKI, plus cost of food)

JxJ: DC Jewish Film + Music Festival
Catch the festival on screens throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia until May 18. On Sunday, options include 31 Candles, the story of a 30-year-old’s bar mitzvah plagued by exes and situationships; Pink Lady, about a woman in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem supporting her husband through gay conversion therapy; and Real Estate, the story of two parents-to-be in turmoil as they search for a new apartment. (Various locations and times; $14 for students, $16 regular)

Justice and freedom are not a given — they are something we fight for. Join ACLU-D.C. for our Bill of Rights Celebration on May 13. Celebrate the wins, honor the fighters, and invest in the future of our civil rights and liberties in D.C. (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St NW, May 13 at 6 p.m.; $51)