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!
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SPONSORED:ACLU-D.C. Bill of Rights Celebration 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)
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)
The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum is hosting the Potomac Bonsai Festival with events throughout the weekend. (U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr)
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)
Visit the The Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus as part of EU Open House 2025. (MrTinMD/Flickr)
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)
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SPONSORED: Healthy Homes Fair Learn how to use your home to fight climate change! 100 exhibitors, 30 info sessions, appliance “petting zoo,” e-bike test ride alley, induction cooking demonstrations, and all the incentives and programs for you to make your home cleaner, healthier, safer, and more comfortable. Plus bouncy castles, food trucks, scavenger hunts and prizes! (The Catholic University of America, Pryzbyla Center; 1 pm-5 pm EXPO; 9 AM-5 pm Academy; 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)
Get a peek inside Capitol Hill's historic homes this Mother's Day.
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)
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SPONSORED: Capitol Hill Restoration Society House & Garden Tour Join us for the 68th Annual Capitol Hill Restoration Society House & Garden Tour, featuring 13 beautiful homes and gardens and three interesting semi-public buildings within, or just outside of, the Capitol Hill Historic District. The tour encompasses both days of Mother's Day weekend and includes a refreshment break with treats from local vendors. (700 Constitution Ave NE; Saturday 4 - 7 p.m.; Sunday 1 - 5 p.m.; $40 – $50)
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)
Abigail is a co-founder of The 51st and a reporter and editor in Washington D.C. covering inequality, gender, and labor. She's the First Vice President of The National Writers Union.
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