12 things to do around D.C. this weekend

And just like that, July is nearly over. Send it off with a cozy outdoor concert in a meadow, a comedy show performed by ... journalists (don't worry, not us), and plenty of artsy activities.

THURSDAY, JULY 24

A "night of soul nourishment" with Mosab Abu Toha
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Palestinian poet will be reading his work at Busboys and Poets, followed by a conversation with Andy Shallal, the founder of the restaurant chain. The evening will center around his most recent collection, Forest of Noise, a work that documents his life under siege in Gaza. (14th Street Busboys and Poets; 6:30 p.m. FREE)

Reading party at the Portrait Gallery
Remember silent reading time? This is like that, except now you're grown up, not in a classroom, and not being watched by a teacher to make sure you don't rest your head on your desk. (Maybe that was just in Catholic school?) The Portrait Gallery and Reading Rhythms invite readers in for an evening of quiet reading to curated music. There will be a period of low-stakes discussion for readers to chat about whatever themes, works of art, or sentences are knocking around in their heads. (Portrait Gallery; 5:15; FREE)

Opera on Tap at Wonderland Ballroom
Everyone's favorite Columbia Heights watering hole, first-date spot, and Saturday-night-debauchery locale will be hosting the D.C. chapter of Opera on Tap – a traveling group that brings opera to bars and "other unexpected venues" across the region. Seven singers will take the stage to perform an eclectic mix of tunes. (Wonderland Ballroom; 7 - 9 p.m.; FREE)

FRIDAY, JULY 25

Music in the Meadow
As I stated last week, outdoor concerts are the lifeblood of a city's summer – and what could be more quintessentially summer than listening to a bright acoustic guitar while stringing grass between your toes and cupping your hands around a lightning bug! This weekend, head to the National Arboretum to hear from Buck Forty Nine, a local, low-key twang band. The show will take place in the field off Meadow Road. (National Arboretum; 6 - 8 p.m.; FREE, but suggested donation of $15)

Friday night fishing on the Anacostia
Fellas, need a new picture for your dating app profile? Just kidding. (This one is probably great for the kids.) The Anacostia Riverkeeper will be providing free fishing supplies – bait, tackle, and rods – as well as some fishing tips at the Diamond Teague Pier across from Nationals Park. The event is first-come, first onto the dock. If there's a line, folks will be limited to one-hour turns. All participants need to fill out a waiver, and adults can sign up to four kids each. (Diamond Teague Pier; 5 - 8 p.m.; FREE)

Comedy show for press freedom
Alright, we might be a little biased here – but let's assume if you're reading this worker-led nonprofit newsroom's event roundup, you, too, care about a free press. A crew of journalists, moonlighting as comedians, will be taking the stage at the Festival Center in Adams Morgan for an evening of satire and storytelling. All proceeds will benefit the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which provides legal assistance to journalists across the country. (Festival Center; doors 7:30 p.m., show 8 - 9:30 p.m.; $11.44)

SATURDAY, JULY 26

DMV Made Festival 2025
Local hip-hop nonprofit Words Beats and Life is leading a daylong celebration of all things D.C. (plus some Maryland and Virginia stuff, too) on the National Mall. Big-name groups like Oh He Dead and E.U. featuring Sugar Bear will take the stage, while live-mural artists capture the day. There will be a family game zone, a poetry and storytelling pavilion, and plenty of kid-friendly festivities. (50 14th Street Southwest; 12 - 7 p.m.; FREE)

Tie dye workshop
Local artist and illustrator Rain Young will be guiding participants through the steps of tie-dye. All you need to bring is a white t-shirt (or any other white article of clothing or accessory). You'll learn strategies for rubber-banding, creating designs that wow, and ensuring your dye stays vibrant. (Anacostia Community Museum; 12 - 2 p.m.; FREE)

Exhibition opening: A Litany for Survival
Transformer, a local visual arts nonprofit, will be debuting the work from its 22nd annual Exercises for Emerging Artists program. The exhibition, A Litany for Survival (named after the Audre Lorde poem), uses glass as a medium for storytelling, radical imagining, and social progress. The program brought together four D.C.-area artists under the tutelage of artist and Transformer co-founder Tim Tate. Tate and the artists will be in conversation at 1 p.m., and the gallery will be open for a reception from 12 - 6 p.m. (1404 P St NW; 12 - 6 p.m., FREE)

Outdoor movie: E.T. the Extra Terrestrial
Second to an outdoor concert on the list of tried-and-true summer activities is the outdoor movie. Union Market's free Movie on the Plaza series will be showing the classic E.T. It's BOYB – bring your own blanket. (1309 5th St NE; 8:30 p.m.; FREE)

SUNDAY, JULY 27

Experimental jam at Rhizome
Feeling creatively constipated? Rhizome will be opening a space for people to let it out at a jam night. There will be a featured artist – Pony Payroll Bones – but guests are encouraged to bring an instrument (interpret that loosely) to make art alongside others. Tickets are pay-what-you-can. (Rhizome; 7:30 - 10 p.m.; $5-10)

Bouquet crafting and flower design
If you missed the flower potluck we plugged last week, here's another chance at creating the perfect summer centerpiece. Edgewood Community Farm will use clippings from the farm to teach participants the ins and outs of floral arrangement, before giving them a chance to go harvest their own blooms and foliage. All materials – including vases, jars, and flower food – will be provided. Each guest will take home two homemade bouquets. Your registration fee goes to supporting the community farm. (2304 2nd Street NW; 5 - 7 p.m.; $20)