You don’t have to leave the city to have fun during the upcoming three-day weekend. Here’s where to get out and about, including watching local films, weeding in a historic garden, and competing in a citywide scavenger hunt.
You don’t have to leave the city to have fun during the upcoming three-day weekend. Here’s where to get out and about, including watching local films, weeding in a historic garden, and competing in a citywide scavenger hunt.
Every Thursday, we share weekend events happening around the city. Are you planning an event you’d 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.
Don’t rush out of town over Labor Day — there’s plenty to do right here in the District! Whether your ideal long weekend means slowing down and enjoying some much needed rest or making the most of the extra time off by getting out and about, we have you covered.
For a calmer weekend, find writing inspiration in the birds of Rock Creek Park, learn about the history of colors in plants in the U.S. Botanic Garden, or watch a local film festival. If you’re looking for something more active, get a group together for a scavenger hunt around D.C. or volunteer to get your hands dirty pulling weeds in a historic garden.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with GALA Theatre’s newest Spanish play. (Mr.TinMD/Flickr)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Ward 7 Listening Session with Janeese Lewis George 📍 RSVP for address ⏰ 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. 💸 FREE Ward 7 residents, make your voice heard! How could our local government better serve your community? D.C.’s Democratic mayoral nominee Janeese Lewis George is hosting a listening session where you can share what’s working and what isn’t in your neighborhood. Food and children’s activities will be provided. Live in another ward? Here’s the full schedule of listening events.
A Night of Moving Images: Short Films By Local Filmmakers 📍 Rhizome DC (6950 Maple St. NW) ⏰ 7 p.m. 💸 $10-20 You don’t have to go to Cannes to discover talented filmmakers — just Takoma. At this juried showcase hosted by the local DIY art space and Filament, you can explore short films and videos from independent artists across the DMV. Stick around after the screenings for a conversation with the selected filmmakers to learn more about their creative process.
Garbo: The Artist Who Saved The World 📍 GALA Hispanic Theatre (3333 14th St. NW) ⏰ 8 p.m. 💸 Starts at $27 Get an early start on Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations with the world premiere of this play based on the true story of Juan Pujol García, a Spanish double agent who helped fool the Nazis during World War II. The production kicks off the Columbia Heights theater’s 51st season, and runs through September 27. The play is performed in Spanish with English surtitles.
Teach your little ones how they can become a part of history through a special storytime. (Smithsonian/Anacostia Community Museum)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Big Moments, Little Stories 📍 Anacostia Community Museum (1901 Fort Pl. SE) ⏰ 10:30 a.m. 💸 FREE Bring your little ones to this interactive storytime inspired by the off-the-Mall Smithsonian’s newest exhibition “We Make History.” They’ll discover how our everyday experiences can become part of the stories that future generations will remember and share. After the programming, kids can create their own artwork inspired by what they learned. This program is designed for young people aged 18 months to 7 years.
Weekly Watercolors 📍 Shop Made in D.C. at Union Market (325 Morse St. NE) ⏰ 5 - 7 p.m. 💸 $14.45 Looking for a way to spend Friday evening off your phone? At this watercoloring session, you’ll make your own art inspired by a maker's design while enjoying a refreshing drink. Your ticket includes a reserved seat, two curated prints to paint, shared watercolor supplies, and a mocktail to sip on.
Music in the Meadow 📍 Ellipse Meadow at U.S. National Arboretum (2400 R St. NE) ⏰ 7 p.m. 💸 $18.92 End summer on a high note with live music at the National Arboretum. Spread out a picnic blanket, grab dinner from a local food truck, and enjoy Daisy Road Band’s rock-soul-funk blend in a gorgeous setting. Registration is required to enter the Arboretum for the event, so be sure to reserve spots for your friends in advance!
Learn the science behind the colors we see. (Joydeep Pal/Unsplash)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Expert Is In: Plants & Color 📍 U.S. Botanic Garden (100 Maryland Ave. SW) ⏰ 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 💸 FREE Discover how colors we know from paint and other pigments begin with plants. Dr. Catherine Woytowicz, a color expert and chemist, will break down how plants create their colors — and show how people extract them for our own purposes. This is a drop-in event, so no registration is required!
Weekend Weeders 📍 Tudor Place (1644 31st St. NW) ⏰ 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 💸 FREE Get your hands dirty and help keep one of Georgetown’s historic gardens healthy. Join the mansion and museum’s garden team to remove invasive plants and replace them with native species. Tools are provided, but come prepared with water, sunscreen, and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old.
Great Race Scavenger Hunt 📍 Meet at the Dupont Circle Metro station, south exit (1350 Connecticut Ave. NW) ⏰ 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 💸 $20 Put your D.C. knowledge to the test with a citywide scavenger hunt organized by Things to Do D.C. You’ll get the chance to make your way around the city using only public transportation, completing challenges and visiting landmarks, restaurants, theaters, and other spots along the way. This competition is a fun way to explore parts of the District you might otherwise miss — not to mention that the winning team will get free tickets to the Embassy of Italy’s Venetian Ball.
RFK Legacy: A Tailgate Experience 📍 The Fields at RFK Campus (401 Oklahoma Ave. NE) ⏰ 1 - 5 p.m. 💸 FREE, registration required Relive the glory days of RFK Stadium and celebrate D.C.'s sports history at this community tailgate hosted by Events DC. Spend the afternoon enjoying live music, food, games, and family-friendly activities while hearing local memories from legendary athletes and community leaders.
Get inspired by the sights and sounds of birds and nature at Rock Creek Park. (Daniel Kelly/Flickr)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Words from Birds 📍 Peirce Mill (2401 Tilden St. NW) ⏰ 7:30 - 10 a.m. 💸 FREE Experiencing writer's block? Have you tried touching grass and finding inspiration in nature? Join local writer Foley O’Brien for a mile-long walk through Rock Creek Park, where you’ll use birds and nature to build a word bank. Then, the group will head over to the park’s historic mill for a guided writing session pulling from your observations. This event is a fundraiser for the Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network, with donations strongly encouraged.
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From our Civics Roundup: D.C. State Fair ⏰ 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. 📍Anthem Row (800 K St. NW) So we might not have fields of cows and crops (or ... statehood?), but who says D.C. can't have an annual state fair? Now in its 17th year, the state fair celebrates the culinary, agricultural, and artistic accomplishments of D.C. residents. Head downtown — by the Convention Center, not the concert venue with a similar name — for good food, music, and family-friendly fun.
Holiday Decor Swap 📍 MLK Library (901 G St. NW) ⏰ 1 - 4 p.m. 💸 FREE Holiday seasons are coming — always, but especially this next few months. Gather up the decorations you no longer want and trade them for something new-to-you at this downtown library swap event. Bring up to 15 gently used decorations for a wide range of holidays including Halloween, Pride, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and more. You must bring something to participate in the swap — and of course, make sure your contributions are functional and clean.
Boozy Board Games 📍 Mr. Henry’s (601 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) ⏰ 6 - 10 p.m. 💸 FREE Are you off on Monday for Labor Day? Stay out a little later on Sunday night with drinks, food, and board games at the longtime Eastern Market bar and restaurant. Nearby Labyrinth Games will bring a selection of games and experts to teach you how to play. It's a great way to test-drive a new game, meet new people, or bring your own favorite game to share.
Share your craziest work story at a storytelling competition in the classic Barracks Row movie theater. (Jeff Vincent/Flickr)
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
The Moth StorySLAM: “Nine to Five” 📍 The Miracle Theatre (535 8th St. SE) ⏰ 7:30 p.m. 💸 $23 Spend the evening listening to strangers condense their craziest workplace stories into five minutes. For this edition of The Moth’s StorySLAM, storytellers will take the stage with true stories inspired by the theme “Nine to Five.” You will hear about first jobs, side hustles, workplace drama, dream careers, or simply counting down the minutes until you can clock out. If you have a story of your own to share, you can also sign up for a chance to take the stage. This event is first come first serve, so be sure to get there early for a good seat.
Petworth's Introvert Art Club 📍 Petworth Neighborhood Library (4200 Kansas Ave. NW) ⏰ 6 - 7 p.m. 💸 FREE Want to spend time with others without the pressure of actually having to socialize? Bring your latest project to the newly reopened Petworth Library’s Introvert Art Club, a calm space to get creative alongside fellow appreciators of parallel play. Work at your own pace, connect if you want to, and enjoy some quiet company on a Monday that feels like a Sunday.
Andrea Pineda-Salgado is a freelance journalist based in D.C. She has covered immigration, politics, and the issues shaping underserved communities. Her work has appeared on ABC News, Epicenter-NYC, Latin Times and Documented.
Celebrate the joy of a perfect summer tomato, catch a movie, go back to the time of the dinosaurs, or eat an apple with new friends — there’s something for everybody!
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