Things to do the week of Oct. 27-30, 2025
DC is Open. We've gathered up things to do across the nation's capital, including museum exhibits, concerts, only-in-DC events and much more. Don't miss our things to do this weekend and things to do this month as well.
Looking for a local perspective delivered directly to your inbox every two weeks? Sign up for our "DC on the Go-Go" Local Newsletter to stay in the know.
Monday
Experience Art Ave
Don’t miss this free outdoor art gallery from Golden Triangle BID, featuring 13 stunning, large-scale sculptures and window artworks by acclaimed artists, just steps from the White House. Discover interactive elements during the day or visit in the evening to see the artworks colorfully illuminated.
Free to Access | More Info
800 Connecticut Avenue – 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW, including Farragut Square
Tea Around Town
Turn DC into your own mobile tea room! Step aboard Tea Around Town and enjoy a one-of-a-kind afternoon tea adventure. Delight in fine teas, sweet and savory bites and live entertainment while taking in the capital’s most treasured landmarks, from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.
Tickets
790 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
Together We Dine
Whatever culinary customs tickle your tastebuds, something special happens when people gather to eat. RAMW invites you to share excellent meals with friends, family and neighbors at extraordinary DC restaurants all October long. Together We Dine includes special events at eateries as well.
Tuesday
Women Artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600-1750
More than 40 Dutch and Flemish women artists are showcased in a new exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Pieces include paintings, lace, prints, paper cuttings, embroidery and sculpture, all of which deepens understanding of the Dutch and Flemish visual culture of the period. Artists displayed include Gesina ter Borch, Maria Faydherbe, Anna Maria de Koker, Judith Leyster and Magdalena van de Passe.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Ambe J. Photography
Fremont Ave.
A daring production at Arena Stage pits three generations of Black men against each other in a game of Spades. At the center is the family’s matriarch, who’s equal parts beloved and feared. Raw and emotional, what begins as a night at the card table turns into a powerful reckoning with masculinity, identity and family secrets.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Shakespeare Theatre Company
The Wild Duck
Henrik Ibsen’s timeless drama comes to Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre for a special fall engagement guided by Artistic Director Simon Godwin. A wealthy businessman’s son aims to destroy his friend’s life while a young girl tries to protect an innocent creature from the ugly truth of the world.
Tickets
Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
The Beta Band
One of Britain’s most inventive bands reunites for the first time in more than two decades. Fortunately for fans, The Beta Band’s tour bookmarks a visit to DC. The iconic setting of 9:30 Club is perfect for the quartet’s explosive fusion of rock, hip-hop, trip-hop, soul and electronica.
7 p.m. | Tickets
9:30 Club, 815 V Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Wednesday
Rik Freeman: Wade in the Waters
DC artist Rik Freeman’s work is showcased in-depth at this free exhibition displayed at Phillips@THEARC. For more than three decades, Freeman has engaged history, community, resilience and joy in his work. Wade in the Waters zooms in on waterways – from the beaches of Bahia to the Anacostia River – and how they connect to the diaspora over generations.
Wednesday & Thursday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
Phillips@THEARC, 1801 Mississippi Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020
Tawny Chatmon: Sanctuaries of Truth, Dissolution of Lies
The photography-based work of Tawny Chatmon receives a glorious tribute at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The exhibition will debut pieces from Chatmon’s latest series, which also incorporate audio narrative, embroidery, film and assemblage. Selections from Chatmon’s acclaimed previous work will also be on display.
Hours & Admission
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Aida
Giuseppe Verdi’s legendary opera is staged with hieroglyphic and calligraphy-inspired sets in a new production at the Kennedy Center. Featuring Verdi’s epic music along with dynamic dance sequences, an unforgettable Triumphal Scene and a love triangle at its very center, Aida is not to be missed this fall.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Thursday
Celebrate Spooky Season in DC
The nation's capital has a frightful amount of options for spook-tacular festivities. Themed parties, specialty cocktails, family arts and crafts and ghost tours are just a few of the ways to have spirited Halloween and Día de los Muertos in the District.
Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival
Join 100Reporters, an investigative news organization, for a virtual edition of the Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival (DX), the first and only festival dedicated to investigative storytelling on film in the U.S. This event celebrates the finest new films inspired by the investigative instinct and advocates for the rights of reporters and filmmakers to pursue investigations that are in the public interest. In addition to screenings, DX offers a professional symposium and programming for journalists and visual storytellers.
2025 James McLaughlin Staff Show
Named after the gifted still-life painter who learned under the mentorship of museum founder Duncan Phillips, the James McLaughlin Staff Show proudly displays the work of The Phillips Collection’s own team. The voices behind the scenes are gorgeously brought to life in this annual tribute.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Arena Stage
Damn Yankees
The minds behind this new adaptation of an American classic include Lortel Award winner Will Power, Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright and Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Sergio Trujillo. From its pure love of baseball to its femme fatale and fateful pact with the Devil, Damn Yankees promises to be a crowd-pleaser at Arena Stage.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
DJ Corey Photography
The Heart Sellers
Studio Theatre dives deep into the immigrant experience with this new play from writer Lloyd Suh and director Danilo Gambini. It’s Thanksgiving Day in 1973 when Filipino immigrant Luna meets the South Korean Jane in a near-empty grocery store. The two decide to celebrate the holiday together, eventually discussing their homesickness, their pursuit of the American dream, Soul Train and much more in this intimate production.
Tickets
Studio Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
#Only1DC Fan Photos
Share your experiences with us using #Only1DC.
