What to Know
- Friday's your last chance to skip the rain, so try and hustle out to the Tidal Basin for cherry blossom viewing before catching a show.
- Saturday will be rainy, but seasonable. You can take a yoga class and be inside, but pretend to be outside, at the botanic gardens.
- Sunday will be rainy but warm, with temps reaching 68 degrees. Try out a free improv comedy class then catch the Olympics Closing Ceremony.
The first cherry blossom bloomed in D.C., bringing hope for spring (and fears of tourist season). This weekend, get out and enjoy those blooms, along with some amazing stage shows, free comedy events and fun activities on The Wharf.
Expand your horizons with a stage or screen show
All weekend (H Street Corridor): The Atlas Performing Arts Center is hosting it's INTERSECTIONS festival, with dance, music, theatre and storytelling performances for adults and kids alike. Cafe concerts are free and shows cost between $12 and $30. You can check out the full schedule here or look at our interview with the organizer and two performers below:
Friday, 7 p.m. (Shaw): Celebrate the 200th birthday of leader Frederick Douglass at the show I AM Frederick Douglass: Life and Legacy. Featuring music from the National Symphony Orchestra, film excerpt screenings and an actor's portrayal of Douglass, this free show will likely prove a powerful connection to history.
Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m. (Dupont Circle): Underneath a city in a nearby, dystopian future, a group of steampunk-clad resisters is fighting for art and freedom. That's the plot of immersive theatre show "Cabaret Rising," which blends elements of cabaret stage shows, circus, murder mystery party and theatre to create a unique experience. There's also a bar, so you must be 21 or older to attend.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Saturday and Sunday (various AMC theatres): AMC theatres is hosting 24-hour-long Oscar nominee showcases in certain theatres in Virginia, Maryland and in D.C.'s Georgetown theatre. You can catch all of the best picture nominees. But, for your own sake, do some stretching between the movies.
Close out the Winter Olympics with a bang
After three thrilling weeks, the Winter Olympics are coming to a close. You can watch them 8 p.m. Sunday on News4 or on digital platforms here.
Stretch your green thumb (or yourself) because it's almost spring
All weekend (Tidal Basin): Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell has spotted the city's first cherry blossoms! It may still feel like winter, but that means you can take the perfect photo of the first blooms before the tourists arrive.
[NATL-DC] First Flowering Trees Have Bloomed on National Mall
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. (National Mall): Join WithLoveDC for a free yoga class at the U.S. Botanic Gardens. It's first-come, first-serve and yogis are encouraged to bring their own mats. Afterwards, check out the annual orchid show, which opens Friday.
Saturday, 11 a.m. (Anacostia): The Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum will host a talk about the history and return of gardening, followed by a demonstration on flower arrangements.
Sunday, 11 a.m. (Dupont Circle): Shop Made in DC is hosting a tai chi class with The Wong People Kung Fu Assocication. A $5 donation is requested. You can sign up on Eventbrite.
Sunday, 12 p.m. (Woodbridge): Yoga is on tap at the DC Brau Brewing Company's monthly beer and yoga event. Plus, you can get a post-namaste beer with your $15 admission.
Laugh and be funny (for free)
Friday, 10:30 p.m. (Downtown): This open mic comedy night is uniquely open to anyone over 18. Drafthouse Comedy offers tickets in advance for the show, "Attack of the Comics" at Drafthouse Comedy, which is free to attend.
Friday, 11:30 p.m. (Dupont Circle): Comedy group Underground Comedy has a free show at Big Hunt.
Sunday, 1 p.m. (Bloomingdale): Try your hand at improvisational comedy at The Unified Scene Theater's 2-hour workshop for beginners. It's free, but RSVP because space is limited.
Saturday, 11:30 p.m. (Dupont Circle): Comedy group Underground Comedy has a free show at Big Hunt.
Sunday, 8 p.m. p.m. (Columbia Heights): Comedy group Underground Comedy has a free show at The Wonderland Ballroom.
Revisit The Wharf for special events
You could check out The Wharf any weekend (and we have a guide to help), but there's special events, including a new restaurant, s'mores and a pop-up bar:
All weekend (The Wharf): Portugal. The Man and Tyler, the Creator have sold out The Anthem on Saturday and Sunday, but newly opened Union Stage has a number of exciting shows that each cost between $15 and $25. Check out their website for details on Adrian Marcel, Parsonsfield, Rachael Yamagata and others.
Friday, 5 p.m. (The Wharf): The area's getting a new celebrity chef-backed restaurant in Mi Vida, a Mexican eatery offering a range from simple tacos to pricey seafood platters. They open their doors Friday to dinner, where a plate of three simple tacos will set you back $10 and other entrees cost around $25. Happy hour begins Monday with $4 chips and salsa, $3 tacos and $4 draft and bottled beer.
Saturday, 3 p.m. (The Wharf): Try 10 different beers all made in Loudoun County at The Brighton's FeBREWary Finale and Tap Takeover.
Saturday, 7 p.m. (The Wharf): The inaugural Ice & Fire Festival will feature a fire pit, s'mores, fire twirlers, ice sculptors and a pop-up outdoor bar. Admission is free.
