Every Thursday, we share weekend events happening around the city. Are you planning an event youโd like us to consider for this roundup? Send it to our team at 51st.news/submit-events.
Find even more events in our Civics Roundup, which focuses on ways to get more involved locally.
We've finally made it to real fall โ the best season in D.C., IMO โ and the city is celebrating with plenty of seasonal festivals and fairs, live music events, poetry readings, and more. Scroll on for ways to fill your calendar over this long weekend โ and we hope to see you on Thursday at our 2nd birthday party! More information below.
No better way to kick off a weekend than a show at Comet Ping Pong. (Diane Krauthamer/Flickr)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
Humor writing workshop ๐ DC Writer's Salon (1807 18th St NW) โฐ 7 - 9 p.m. ๐ธ $10.38 What's that old saying? Tragedy plus time equals ... comedy? This workshop, led by therapist and comic Ali Sherry, will teach you how to take spiky feelings, unsavory memories, and outright sh*tty experiences and harness them for humor. It's the first of a three-part workshop series; the next on Nov. 12 will focus on applying filters to gain perspective, and the Dec. 3 session will target anxious imaginations. Writers of all levels and experience are welcome.
El Colmo, Soroche, Sex Faces show ๐ Comet Ping Pong (5037 Connecticut Avenue NW) โฐ Doors 9 p.m.; Show 9:30 p.m. ๐ธ $18.87 Start your three-day weekend one day early with a punk show at one of D.C.'s most treasured indie-music establishments: Comet Ping Pong! L.A.-based El Colmo, D.C.'s Sex Faces, and Soroche, a Baltimore-based group fusing cumbia, punk, and folk, will be gracing the legendary stage.
Poetry reading at Lost City Books ๐ Lost City Books (2467 18th St NW) โฐ 7 - 8 p.m. ๐ธ FREE Local Palestinian poet, leena aboutaleb, will visit the Adams Morgan indie bookshop to read and discuss her debut full-length poetry collection, THALASSA โ a love song of grief, heartache, and misery. aboutaleb will be joined in conversation by Fargo Nissim Tbakhi, a Palestinian performance artist and author. The talk is free to attend and books will be for sale.
The 51st's 2nd birthday party ๐ Urban Garden Brewhouse (624 T St NW) โฐ 6 - 9 p.m. ๐ธ FREE Oh hey! That's us. We're finally a toddler, and we'll be celebrating with drinks, cake, and community. Stop by Urban Garden Brewhouse to mingle and mix with your neighbors โ and pick up a copy of our first-ever print edition! We're partnering with the Pack World to produce a physical spread of local D.C. news โ fulfilling the longtime wishes of many readers (and ourselves). See you there?
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
Let your tween loose around the Mall (safely!) this weekend. (soomness/Flickr)
Tween monuments ride ๐ Maury Elementary parking lot (12th Pl NE) โฐ 7 - 9 p.m. ๐ธ FREE Calling all BIG KIDS! Hill Family Biking has organized a ride specifically for sixth graders and up. And the craziest part? Parents, you don't have to come! This 8.8-mile ride will take kids around the monuments and under the stars. Lights, helmets, and water bottles are required; Hill Family Biking will provide reflective vests, snacks, and adult guides (parents are also welcome to join if they wish). There will be plenty of volunteers marshaling to ensure the group stays together, and if your kid's wheels need a bit of a tune-up, volunteer bike mechanics will be on hand 15 minutes before the ride to do some basic tinkering.
Harp yoga ๐ Femme Fatale D.C. (3409 Connecticut Ave NW) โฐ 7 - 9 p.m. ๐ธ $35.88 Yoga on Connecticut, a community yoga project, is collaborating with mystic harpist Bri Cebello for a calming and accessible flow. Modifications will be offered throughout class, so newbies and veteran yogis alike can take something from the Friday night wind-down.
Friends & Neighbors opening reception ๐Creative Grounds DC (1822 N. Capitol St NW) โฐ 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. ๐ธ FREE Creative Grounds DC โ a local coffee shop, event space, and artist incubator โ is opening a special exhibit celebrating local creatives. Meet the artists, grab a drink and a light bite, and maybe make a new friend or two. No tickets or RSVPs required.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
Porchfest parties on in Capitol Hill this weekend. (Sarah H/Flickr)
DC WitchFest 2026 ๐The Coupe (3415 11th St NW) โฐ 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. ๐ธ FREE We must find the book...brew the potion...and commune with our witchy neighbors! WitchFest is back to get you in the spooky season, with dozens of artists, vendors, and drag performances taking over 11th Street in Columbia Heights. Food and drink specials will be provided by local faves like Wonderland Ballroom, RedRocks, El Chucho, Odd Provisions, and The Coupe. And it wouldn't be a WitchFest without some tarot and astrology readings.
Capitol Hill Porchfest ๐ See full map here โฐ 2 - 6 p.m. ๐ธ FREE The treasured D.C. tradition returns to the Capitol Hill neighborhood this weekend, featuring more than 60 different local acts. You can find a full lineup of bands and porches on the spiffy Capitol Hill Porchfest website. It also maps out public bathrooms and walking times between porches. Fancy!
Annual Chile Celebration ๐ National Herb Garden at the National Arboretum (Directions here) โฐ 1 - 4 p.m. ๐ธ FREE What better way to spend a fall afternoon than learning about blends of warm spices? Experts from the Herb Society of America will be trying out different types of chile peppers and testing various salsas, dips, and pickled peppers. Stop by and face the heat.
DC Immigrant Film Festival ๐ Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St NW) โฐ Doors 6:30 p.m.; Screening 7 p.m. ๐ธ $18.89 D.C.'s Immigrant Film Festival continues into weekend number two with a screening of three different films, each exploring the refugee experience โ ranging from a teenager in Malawi to a taxi driver in Poland. After the screenings, there will be a discussion with Laura Osuri, executive director of Homes Not Borders, and William Evans, a policy analyst at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11
What's better than a fall street at dusk? (Mike Maguire/Flickr)
Buy Nothing exchange at the Trinidad Farmers Market ๐ 1299 Neal St NE โฐ 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. ๐ธ FREE (duh!) You know the drill! Refresh your wardrobe, home decor, or kitchen gadgets for fall at this IRL Buy Nothing exchange. Bring what you don't want, and leave with something you do.
Calico's annual Fall Festival ๐ 50 Blagden Alley NW โฐ 1 p.m. - 1 p.m. ๐ธ FREE Calico, the popular Shaw bar, is bringing back its annual fall festival with a pop-up pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, cider tasting, fried apple pies, and more festive activities. And for the first time, they'll also have live music! Head to Blagden Alley for all the autumnal fun.
Edgar Allan Poe book talk ๐ Politics & Prose (5015 Connecticut Avenue NW) โฐ 3 p.m. ๐ธ FREE What would Halloween be without Edgar Allen Poe? In her book, Darkness Becomes Bright: On the brief life and immortal art of Edgar Allen Poe, author and researcher Emily Ogden explores the mysterious life of one of our most enduring poets. She'll be joined in conversation with Leon Wieseltier, the editor of Liberties.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12
Make your way through your TBR list at a silent reading night. (Jonas Jacobsson/Unsplash)
Silent Book Club ๐ Henceforth (1335 H St NE) โฐ 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. ๐ธ FREE Were you really, really good at silent reading time in school? This book club is just that, but for adults. Bring your current book to Henceforth and read quietly alongside your neighbors. Around 8 p.m., the silence will break, and you can start chatting with your neighbors โ or maybe you'll be so engrossed you won't be able to look up from your book! RSVPs aren't required, but 100 people have already signed up, so make sure you get there early to snag a seat!
Oedipus in Seattle (in D.C.) ๐ Studio 1469 (1469 Harvard St NW) โฐ 7 p.m. ๐ธ $19.93 Have you ever wondered: what would it be like if you mashed up Sophocles' play "Oedipus Rex" with the legendary rom-com, "Sleepless in Seattle?" Well, wonder no more! Each performance is singular: The actors will not have rehearsed or read the script. Instead, they'll be coached through headphones in real time as they act out the roles of Oedipus, Jocasta, Meg Ryan, and Tom Hanks. Sounds like a wild ride. Get your tickets here.
Colleen is a 51st co-founder and a former DCist reporter. Her work has appeared in NPR, Street Sense Media, and The Washington Post. She currently lives in New York, where she's pursuing an MFA.
The days may be shorter โ but theyโre also cooling down. Soak up fallโs energy at a board game night, an immigration-themed film festival, or an era-spanning R&B dance party!
Get ready for a creativity-forward next few days โ including a late-night citywide festival, an โart walkโ in Capitol Hill, and plenty of live music.
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