15 things to do around D.C. this weekend

The weather’s finally getting warmer in D.C., and it seems like everyone wants to party — even the birds. This spring weekend, the city’s full of festivities: The EU embassies and Gateway Arts District studios are opening their doors to the public, a Tiki vinyl night and a house music fundraiser await, and the National Zoo is pulling out the stops to celebrate our feathery friends. And don’t forget: Sunday is Mother’s Day! We’ve got a fundraiser and a candle-making workshop on the agenda.

THURSDAY, MAY 7

Tiki Vinyl Night
📍 Tiki On 18th (2411 18th St. NW)
⏰ 7 - 11 p.m.
💸 FREE
In need of a tropical vacation, stat? Adams Morgan is no Oahu, but for just one night we can pretend: Kick back at Tiki On 18th’s beach party vinyl night, where D.C. indie rocker and rare record aficionado Cinema Hearts will be spinning surf rock, Hawaiian folk, exotica, ‘60’s soul, classic rock, and more. Don’t forget your slippahs!

Polari & Carry On: A Queer Film Gathering
📍 Rhizome DC (6950 Maple St. NW)
⏰ 7 p.m.
💸 Pay what you can; suggested donation of $10-20
Polari — a coded slang patchworked together from Romance languages, Romani, Yiddish, sailors’ slang, and thieves’ cant — allowed queer folks to speak safely amongst themselves and build community in early 20th-century England. Now, decades later, this film festival carries on the tradition of Polari by showcasing a living lineage of queer storytelling through the documentaries, experimental films, and narrative shorts of six local Baltimore- and D.C.-based creatives. 

FRIDAY, MAY 8

Queer Learn to Play Frisbee Clinic
📍 Shirley Chisholm Elementary School (1001 G St. SE)
⏰ 6 - 8 p.m.
💸 FREE, registration encouraged 
Maybe you dream of becoming D.C.’s next Frisbee superstar … or maybe you simply want to make new queer friends? Whatever the reason, swing by Washington Area Frisbee Club’s LGBTQIA+ Learn To Play Clinic, where friendly coaches will guide you through the basics of throwing, catching, and running plays.

Author Talk: The Criminal State: War, Atrocity, and the Dream of International Justice, Lawrence Douglas
📍 Politics and Prose at The Wharf (610 Water St. SW) 
⏰ 7 p.m.
💸 FREE
What does justice against perpetrators of state violence look like? How can we push back against state-sanctioned atrocities? In his new book, Amherst College legal scholar Lawrence Douglas weaves through history — including King Leopold’s colonization of the Congo, the Nuremberg trials, and Putin’s war in Ukraine — to explore how law can confront state violence and aggression; it’s an exploration that’s as much about the present as it is about the past.

Pop-Up Trivia on the Farm
📍 Edgewood Community Farm (2304 2nd St. NE) 
⏰ 7 - 9 p.m.
💸 FREE, registration encouraged 
Enjoy the warm spring weather while puzzling over stumpers at Edgewood Community Farm’s outdoor trivia night. No team, no problem: Just show up and you’ll be sorted into a group. This pop-up is BYOB, so bring some bubbly (and brain food!) to enjoy amongst the blossoms.

Concert: Pocket Bells with Kill the King and Doll Apartments
📍 The Pocket (1508 North Capitol St. NW) 
⏰ 7:30 doors; 8 p.m. show
💸 $18.07 advance, $20.92 day-of
Mosh the night away at this all-local line-up of DMV and Baltimore indie, punk, and post-hardcore bands. If you like alt-J or Pierce the Veil, getting sweaty, and rocking hard, you’re sure to have a bangin’ time at this intimate show.

SATURDAY, MAY 9

Gateway Arts District Open Studios Tour
📍 Throughout Gateway Arts District in Prince George’s County, Maryland; full map online 
⏰ 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
💸 FREE
Check out the DMV’s local arts scene as studios across Maryland’s Brentwood, Mount Rainier, North Brentwood, and Hyattsville open their doors to the public. Browse works ranging from Shino ceramics to modern hardwood furniture, watercolor paintings to experimental glass sculptures, all handcrafted by local artisans. Along the way, nosh on food truck bites and stop by community events, including a skate jam and a farmer’s market.

World Migratory Bird Day Celebration
📍 National Zoo Bird House (3001 Connecticut Ave. NW)
⏰ 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
💸 FREE, registration required
As the weather warms, our feathered friends are finally flying up north. What better way to welcome their return than with a migration celebration? Stop by the Bird House at the National Zoo, where a festive schedule of bird-themed games for kids, guided birdwatching walks, and even “bird-friendly” coffee tastings will herald this spring flight.

European Union Open House
📍 Full list of participating embassies here 
⏰ 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
💸 FREE
Who needs a plane ticket when we have Europe in our backyard? For this annual celebration of the EU’s formation, dozens of member states’ embassies will open their doors to the public; peep the full list here. Nibble on freshly-baked waffles in Belgium, play with Legos in Denmark, pet Puli dogs in Hungary, and enjoy a bandura performance in Ukraine — your Grand Tour awaits!

House Heals Music Benefit 
📍 Roofers Union (2446 18th St. NW) 
⏰ 2 - 5 p.m.
💸 $17.85
Harness the power of house music to fight against housing insecurity. Dance alongside your community during an afternoon full of techno house, reggaeton, baile funk, UK garage, and more. All of the proceeds from this event will go towards Martha’s Table, a local nonprofit combatting food insecurity, and Christ House, an Adams Morgan facility providing compassionate healthcare for our unhoused neighbors. Swing through Adams Morgan’s neighborhood-wide, once-a-year Mother of All Yard Sales (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) on your way over!

Duck Pond Party
📍 Southwest Duck Pond (900 6th St. SW) 
⏰ 3 - 5 p.m.
💸 FREE
Get your ducks in a row and head on down to this family-friendly party at the Southwest Duck Pond. Fly high with an afternoon full of duck racing and yard games; then, grab some free food and catch a live music performance from D.C.’s own Too Much Talent band. (Did we mention it’s duckling season?)

SUNDAY, MAY 10

Candle-Making Workshop
📍 Shop Made in DC (1140 Connecticut Avenue Northwest) 
⏰ 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
💸 $33.12
Brighten your Sunday afternoon (and/or your mom’s!) with a brand-new candle, handmade by you. This workshop will provide all the supplies for you to build your own custom scents; just bring yourself and a dream — Yankee Candle’s got nothing on you. 

Del Ray Urban Sketchers
📍 St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (2300 Mount Vernon Ave.; Alexandria, Virginia) 
⏰ 1 - 3 p.m.
💸 FREE
Channel your inner Impressionist at this cozy Del Ray café, where you’ll have the chance to create en plein air sketches capturing the architecture and urban life around you. Each artist will work on their own pieces, and at the end you’ll all reconvene to share your finished drawings, producing a mosaic of unique observations and perspectives of the city. 

Yolks on You! Burlesque and Variety Brunch
📍 DC Comedy Loft and Bier Baron Tavern (1523 22nd St. NW) 
⏰ 1 - 3:30 p.m.
💸 $23.18
Bring a bottomless appetite and a hunger for more to this variety show, where there’s an eclectic menu of burlesque, clown, drag, mime, and puppet performances on offer — oh, and a dizzying brunch selection as well. Local acts like Coco Gateaux and Nostra Dad-Ass provide the perfect entertainment for a rip-roaring Sunday afternoon full of laughs, gasps, and bites. As a note, in addition to the ticket price, the venue has a two-item minimum purchase. 

Mother's Day Bike Ride with DC Abortion Fund
📍 Alethia Tanner Park (227 Harry Thomas Way NE) 
⏰ 5 - 6:30 p.m.
💸 $25
Cycle through the city streets and get your endorphins pumping, all while supporting a great cause. Everything donated during this fundraiser bike ride will go to the DC Abortion Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to anyone getting an abortion in the DMV. After working up a sweat, join the group for bites and brews at City-State Public House, where a portion of your purchases will also benefit DCAF. Looking for more events like this one? Don’t miss our weekly Civics Roundup.