Our end-of-the-week picks for April 19-21
We've gathered up some fun things to do in DC this holiday weekend. You can also read what else is going on during the week and throughout the month.
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Friday
Filmfest DC
The largest and longest-running annual international film festival in Washington, DC, Filmfest DC returns with another varied lineup featuring quite the genre exercise: comedies, dramas, thrillers, shorts and documentaries will all be on display.
More Info & Tickets
Zen and the Open Road
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, the National Museum of American History places the writer’s 1966 Honda Super Hawk motorcycle in a temporary display within the permanent America on the Move exhibit. Encounter Pirsig’s stories related to riding, writing and sailing and check out cool artifacts such as his typewriter, a manuscript of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and a recently attributed book on the 14th century bubonic plague.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
AdMo Art Walk
Immerse yourself in the arts and culture of historic Adams Morgan through this year's AdMo Art Walk. Pathfinders will be able to discover the work of 23 local artists – as well as the 19 neighborhood businesses that will have pieces on display – with the option to map their own route or join one of the DC Arts Center's free guided walking tours.
More Info | Free Admission
2438 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
National Cannabis Festival
RFK Campus will be decked out to celebrate legal weed across two days in April (including 4/20) during this 21-and-over event. Expect an incredible lineup of live music, including performances by Thundercat, Wu-Tang Clan with Redman, Devin the Dude, Backyard Band and many, many more. The festival also features the National Cannabis Championship as well as a Munchie Zone with dozens of vendors, an exhibitor fair, a demo day and lots of other weed-related fun.
Tickets
RFK Campus, 401 Oklahoma Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002
Little Shop of Horrors
Originally a sci-fi/horror comedy film released in 1960, Little Shop of Horrors then became an off-Broadway musical in the early 1980s. Yet another film adaptation followed a few years later, showing how this timeless story of a floral shop assistant and his singing, deadly plant will always dazzle audiences. The historic Ford’s Theatre revives the dynamic production during its upcoming spring season. Make sure to use code DDCSHOP20 for 20% off your tickets to the show (valid for March 16 - April 6 & May 1-18; limit two tickets per purchase)!
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project
A trio of legends comes together to create an epic evening of music backed by a live band. Conceived and produced by Jill Newman Productions and hosted as the closing event for the Kennedy Center’s inaugural Hip Hop &... Festival, this can’t-miss concert features iconic rapper Rakim, two-time Grammy Award winner DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Grammy-nominated saxophonist, bandleader and composer Ravi Coltrane. Songs, histories and influences will be combined to create an unforgettable evening of exploration and creation. The concert will open with a special DJ set from Jazzy Jeff.
8 p.m. | Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Asian AF
DC’s ultimate cultural center welcomes the premier Asian American variety show. Asian AF has received raves in Los Angeles and New York as well as features in the New York Times, the LA Times, NBC News, ABC News and Vulture. The troupe spotlights the best Asian American actors, stand-up comedians, improvisers, sketch performers and storytellers.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Saturday
Red Bull Showrun DC
Get revved up and ready for the Red Bull Showrun’s debut in the nation’s capital. Experience Formula One engineering up close and personal as legendary driver David Coulthard and the Oracle Red Bull Racing team take to Pennsylvania Avenue. Start your engines with a Fan Fest at Union Market on Friday before burning rubber on Saturday.
4-6 p.m. (Fan Zone opens at 1 p.m.) | More Info
Pennsylvania Avenue (3rd Sreet to 7th Street) Washington, DC 20001
Peter Pan
The Broadway musical based on J.M. Barrie’s legendary character turns the National Theatre into Neverland. The play, which has been dazzling audiences for more than 70 years, receives a reimagination by playwright Larissa FastHorse and is directed by Emmy Award winner Lonny Price. Peter Pan and his fairy sidekick, Tinker Bell, will take the entire family on a magical voyage, performing songs like “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow” and “I Won’t Grow Up” along the way.
Tickets
The National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Unknown Soldier
Arena Stage welcomes an elegiac musical that concerns Ellen Rabinowitz, who discovers a photo of an anonymous soldier while cleaning out her grandmother’s home. Daniel Goldstein and the late Michael Friedman penned this captivating tale of a woman’s journey to uncover the secrets of her family’s past, inevitably leading her towards the future.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Message In A Bottle
A jaw-dropping new dance-theatre show from five-time Olivier Award nominee Kate Prince inspired by and set to the iconic hits of 17-time Grammy Award–winning artist Sting drops in at the Kennedy Center. Message In A Bottle focuses on three siblings in the village of Bebko, which has come under sudden attack. The trio embarks on a perilous journey to survive that will uplift and inspire.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
HAIR
Signature Theatre Company hosts a classic rock musical that broke new ground with its rebellion, spirit and psychedelic colors when it debuted in 1967. HAIR concerns a group of hippies on the verge of adulthood who champion freedom, pacifism and joy, but are confronted by a world thrown into chaos when one of their friends is drafted to the Vietnam War. The play features unforgettable songs such as “Aquarius,” “Let the Sunshine In,” and “Good Morning, Starshine”.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
VOCA: A Not So Quiet Nocturne
Atlas Performing Arts Center stages a new play from Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA), which supports the works of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing BIPOC artists. A Not So Quiet Nocturne takes place in New York City in the early 1990s and follows Charyn, a young Black Deaf woman who has contracted AIDS and has lost her husband and infant daughter. In the face of immense tragedy and struggle, Charyn showcases her resilience and is able to blossom and evolve even in the face of her own mortality.
Tickets
Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Wanda Sykes
There are a lot of stand-up comedians, but there’s only one Wanda Sykes. Her idiosyncratic brand of humor combines one-liners and vivid storytelling with plenty of shade thrown to boot. If you think she’s funny on Curb Your Enthusiasm or hosting an awards show, just wait until you see this set at Warner Theatre.
Tickets
Warner Theatre, 513 13th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Sunday
New Worlds: Women to Watch 2024
Discover how recent global turmoil has impacted and inspired women artists. Works by 28 artists are featured in New Worlds: Women to Watch 2024, offering pieces that explore a range of geographies, cultural viewpoints and perspectives. The exhibit immerses visitors in the National Museum of Women in the Arts’ renewed spaces. It is the seventh and largest installment of the museum’s Women to Watch exhibition series.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Up Close with Paul Cézanne
The Phillips Collection unveils two recently conserved works by French painter Paul Cézanne in an exciting new exhibit. The major paintings, Mont Sainte-Victoire (1886-87) and Self-Portrait (1878-80), are part of the museum’s world-renowned collection by the legendary artist and will be displayed together for the first time in decades along with five other pieces by Cézanne. Learn about the conservation of Mont Sainte-Victoire and Self-Portrait and how it reveals details previously obscured by varnishes while providing insight into the artist’s process.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
ISEKAI: Blooming Parallel Worlds
ARTECHOUSE welcomes visitors to its seventh annual installation dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the cherry blossoms in DC. The museum treats your eyes to an exhibit inspired by the Isekai genre of Anime, allowing for the exploration of alternate universes stacked with colors, adventures and immersive technologies. Make sure to take advantage of tickets with a 10% discount.
Tickets (10% off)
ARTECHOUSE, 1238 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
Places to Stay
Need some inspiration for a place to stay in between events? Washington, DC is filled with a multitude of hotels to fit your needs. Whether you are looking for that specialty boutique hotel or booking at your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all. Find your stay today!
#Only1DC Photo of the Week
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to Michelin-starred hot spots to laid-back food halls, our DC food guide is perfect for helping you plan a more memorable experience.
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