The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and we’re firmly in the grip of spooky season, with an events lined up to match. There’s a dark and eerie opera at Wonderland, the annual dog costume contest at Hillwood Estates, a Halloween-themed bike ride on Capitol Hill, and a Backrooms-inspired drag show at the Black Cat.
Not in the mood for spooks and scares? Don’t worry, there’s plenty for you too! There’s a weekend-long celebration of Palestinian art and film, a peek into the inner workings of the Muppets, a punk show at the base of the Washington Monument, and much more going on this weekend.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
The 15th annual D.C. kicks off on Thursday, with film screenings and other events all weekend. (Courtesy D.C. Palestinian Film & Arts Festival)
Artist Talk: (my) favorite 📍 Gallery Y (1325 W St. NW) ⏰ 6 - 8 p.m. 💸 FREE Artists don’t always get to put their own personal favorite works on display, but that’s precisely the theme shared by the work in this exhibit. More than 20 local artists—including photographers, painters, and sculptors—have gathered their most prized pieces for a show at Gallery Y, located inside the YMCA Anthony Bowen. On Thursday night, several artists from the group show will be talking about their work and creative process.
D.C. Palestinian Film & Arts Festival 📍 Multiple venues ⏰ Thursday to Sunday 💸 Prices vary per event This weekend marks the 15th annual D.C. Palestinian Film & Arts Festival (DCPFAF), an event that celebrates Palestinian culture and stories through art. The festival kicks off on Thursday evening with a musical performance called “Tarab: Music that Moves Us Forward,” featuring folk and soul music. Throughout the weekend, several films will make their D.C. premieres, including Who Killed Alex Odeh?, which investigates the still-unsolved murder of a Palestinian-American civil rights activist, poet, teacher in 1985. There will also be children’s drawing and storytelling workshops, a bakery pop-up, and more. See the full festival program here.
Opera on Tap DC Metro presents: It's Hallowonderween! 📍 Wonderland Ballroom (1101 Kenyon St. NW) ⏰ 7 - 9 p.m. 💸 FREE, donations welcome Opera has a long history of haunted castles, ghostly apparitions, and inescapable curses—not to mention one extremely notable phantom. If you want to learn more about the darker side of opera, check out the October installment of Opera on Tap at Wonderland. Seven performers will explore the strange and spooky songs and put a musical twist on what it means to be a scream queen.
Dragrooms 📍 Black Cat (1811 14th St. NW) ⏰ 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. start 💸 $19.75 Some doors shouldn’t be opened. Others should, like the door to this Backrooms-inspired drag show at the Black Cat. Hosted by Manny Quinn, the show will feature a lineup of local drag talent paying homage to analog horror and liminal spaces. See how far it goes.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
The earliest Muppets were the stars of Sam and Friends, a D.C. TV show that Jim Henson and his future wife created and performed from 1955 to 1961. (Isaac Hsieh / Flickr)
Jim Henson: A Creative Life in Six Objects 📍 National Museum of American History (14th St. & Constitution Ave. NW) ⏰ 12 - 1:30 p.m. 💸 $20 for members, $30 general admission Among the vast archives of the Smithsonian are dozens of puppets and props from legendary puppeteer Jim Henson, including the original Kermit the Frog and Oscar the Grouch’s trash can. At this lecture, Jim Henson Company archives director Karen Falk and biographer Brian Jay Jones will explore six extraordinary objects from the collection, from early experiments to iconic creations. Following the program, attendees will get a rare opportunity to see objects from the National Museum of American History’s collection that aren’t on public display.
Movie Night: Clue (1985) 📍 Dandelion Collective DC (3417 14th St. NW) ⏰ 6:30 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. start 💸 FREE In honor of the late great Tim Curry, the Fanthropologist is hosting a screening of Clue. Based on the board game of the same name, this cult classic finds six colorful dinner guests gathered at the mansion of Mr. Boddy — who was blackmailing all of them and winds up dead. With the killer among them, the guests and Boddy’s butler (played by Curry) have to figure out who did it.
Seven Readings: Comedy and Stories from the Great Unknown 📍 Rhizome DC (6950 Maple St. NW ⏰ 6:30 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. start 💸 $17.19 Each of the performers at this Basement Cabaret event received a tarot reading earlier this month. They have spent the last few weeks translating those readings into works of storytelling, comedy sets, burlesque acts, or films. It’s a celebration of intuition, creativity, and performance. Come see the final products from more than a dozen performers.
Pop-up Trivia on the Farm 📍 Edgewood Community Farm (2304 2nd St. NE) ⏰ 7 - 9 p.m. 💸 FREE Looking for farm-to-table trivia? Edgewood Community Farm promises that the questions at its pop-up trivia night are all-natural — no AI-generated questions or generic canned trivia in sight. Categories include general trivia, music, mash-ups, and whatever else they’re in the mood for. Bring a team or show up solo and make some new friends. The event is BYOB and BYO-snacks.
Sofar So Spooky 📍 Living Room DC (3169 Mt Pleasant St. NW, upstairs) ⏰ 7:30 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. start 💸 $31 Join Sofar Sounds for a special Halloween-themed show. Precise details about the show will be a mystery until just before it starts, but Sofar promises an intimate show filled with eerie tunes, seasonal decor, and more. The event is BYOB (except for red wine) and small snacks are allowed.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
The annual Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration at Hillwood Estates invites costumed canines onto the grounds. (Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens / Flickr)
Growing Community: Fall Garden Day 📍 Anacostia Community Museum (1901 Fort Pl. SE) ⏰ 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 💸 FREE Now that it’s feeling like fall, mark the seasonal change with gardening, storytelling, and lessons for the season ahead. Head to the Anacostia Community Museum to celebrate the end of the growing season and learn how to transition a garden to fall and winter. This can be a time for reflection and planning for the future — the event will include journaling and opportunities to share stories and knowledge with other gardeners.
Carnegie Science Earth & Planets Laboratory Open House 📍 Carnegie Science Earth & Planets Laboratory (5241 Broad Branch Rd. NW) ⏰ 1 - 4 p.m. 💸 FREE For the second year in a row, the Carnegie Science Earth & Planets Laboratory (EPL) is opening its doors to the public. Scientists at EPL study everything from the rocks beneath our feet to the stars above. They’ll have a ton of science activities, from building your own spectrometer to touching a real-life meteorite. You can meet scientists and hear about their work while enjoying tasty science-themed snacks.
Turnstile at the Washington Monument 📍 Sylvan Theater (Independence Ave. SW & 15th St. NW) ⏰ 3 p.m. 💸 FREE, donations encouraged What’s more punk than the Washington Monument? Baltimore hardcore band Turnstile is playing a show on the National Mall on Saturday, more than 30 years after Fugazi’s legendary performances at the base of the monument. The show is free, but organizers encourage donations. The band is working with Human Concern International to raise funds that benefit humanitarian efforts in Palestine, Sudan, and Lebanon.
Hill Family Biking Halloween Ride 📍 Start at Lincoln Park (11th and E Capitol St. NE) ⏰ 3:30 - 6 p.m. 💸 FREE Take your Halloween costume for a test ride before the big day on this group bike ride in Capitol Hill. The group meets by the Lincoln Statue in Lincoln Park before taking a leisurely four-mile ride along the spookiest blocks in the neighborhood. The ride will end at the Eastern Market Metro plaza for an afterparty with live music from the Knox Engler Band and a costume contest. There are special categories for transportation-themed costumes and decorated bikes.
Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration 📍Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (4155 Linnean Ave. NW) ⏰ 4 - 6 p.m. 💸 $13 for non-members, $8 for members Hillwood Estates’ former owner, Marjorie Merriweather Post, loved her dogs so much that there’s a dog cemetery on the grounds. Though dogs aren’t always allowed on the site, four-legged friends are welcome to explore the grounds during this annual event. The costume contest has prizes recognizing best homemade costume, best owner and dog combination costume, most glamorous, and more.
Nerd Nite Takoma: October Edition 📍 Peoples Book Takoma (7014 Westmoreland Ave. Suite A Takoma Park, Maryland) ⏰ 5:30 p.m. doors, 6 p.m. start 💸 $10 This month, Nerd Nite Takoma tackles a wide swath of topics. Did you know that Nicholas Copernicus was a government worker? In addition to developing a theory of a heliocentric universe, the Renaissance polymath worked as an administrative official, just like many of our friends and neighbors. The night’s second expert will discuss audio descriptions and how they make the arts accessible for those who can’t see. A third and final speaker will bring things home by exploring how a Vulcan penis plays an important role in the queer history of fanfiction.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
The organizer of the annual Mount Pleasant Lantern Walk will host a lantern-making workshop at Living Room DC on Sunday. (Courtesy Living Room DC)
Eastern Market Pottery Student Sale 📍 Eastern Market Pottery (225 7th St. SE, C Street door) ⏰ 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 💸 FREE If you’re looking to stock up on ceramics — for gifts or for yourself — stop by this sale at Eastern Market Pottery. The studio has been teaching the art of wheel-throwing and hand-building with clay since the 1960s. At the annual fall student sale, you can find handmade plates, bowls, vases, jewelry, and more. There will also be live wheel throwing demonstrations throughout the day.
Lantern making workshop 📍 Living Room DC (3169 Mt Pleasant St. NW, upstairs) ⏰ 12 - 2 p.m. 💸 $25 Every year when Daylight Savings Time ends, people gather for a lamplit walk through Mount Pleasant to add a bit of light and levity to the onset of the dark winter months. This year the Mount Pleasant Lantern Walk is scheduled for November 1. In preparation, artist David Greenfieldboyce, who has been organizing the event for more than a decade, is hosting a lantern making workshop for those who want to add their light to the parade. Each participant will get a white paper lantern and access to colorful tissue paper and other art supplies to make it into something totally unique.
Battle of the Branches chess tournament 📍 MLK Library (901 G St. NW) ⏰ 1 - 4 p.m. 💸 FREE, registration required to compete Réti or not, it’s time for the third annual library chess showdown. Players will compete in a five-round contest representing their favorite neighborhood library, and the winners will be crowned DCPL Chess Champions. This is a free event and anyone aged five and up is welcome to enter — as long as you know how to play chess. Chess boards and sets will be provided for all competitors.
Michelle is a writer and editor based in Washington, D.C. She writes about science, nature, culture, and art. Her work has appeared in Atlas Obscura, National Geographic, and other publications.
The days may be shorter — but they’re also cooling down. Soak up fall’s energy at a board game night, an immigration-themed film festival, or an era-spanning R&B dance party!
With your help, we pursue stories that hold leaders to account, demystify opaque city and civic processes, and celebrate the idiosyncrasies that make us proud to call D.C. home. Put simply, our mission is to make it easier — and more fun — to live in the District. Our members help keep local news free and independent for all:
