The Weekend Scene: What to Do Around DC Sept. 13-15

What to Know

  • Saturday starts cloudy, and there's a 30% chance of rain or thunderstorms in the afternoon. The skies should clear up by evening
  • Sunday will become mostly sunny and very warm with highs in the mid to upper 80s
We hope you're ready to get out this weekend, because it's packed with fun stuff to do.
— There's something different about the American flags lining Pennsylvania Avenue this week
— Make sure you say bye bye to Bei Bei, the National Zoo's 4-year-old panda
— Go ahead, eat the funnel cake: Here's our county fair roundup
— Plan ahead: Here's all the fall festivals in the D.C. area that you can't miss

Photos: Free and Cheap Things to Do in Washington, DC

Over the Weekend

Charles County Fair
Through Sept. 15
8440 Fairground Road, La Plata, Maryland

Get down with some old-fashioned fun in Charles County this weekend, including rides, farm animals, demonstrations and food. Tickets are $10 for those 11 and older and free for kids under 11.

The Great Frederick Fair
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Sept. 21
The Great Frederick Fair (797 E Patrick St, Frederick, Maryland)

The Temptations, engines revving, joyful screaming and oinks: This is what the Great Frederick Fair will sound like. Through Sept. 21, you can go for tractor pulls, demolition derbies, carnival rides, concerts and more. Here's a schedule of events.

DC Beer Week
Through Sept. 15

Now's the time to sip all your favorite local beers. Local breweries will be flowing special lagers, sours and more through their taps at several parties across the city. Here's a list of tap takeovers.

If drinking beer isn't enough, there are educational tours at the former brewery Heurich House Museum, a DC Brau sunset cruise, a record fair and a fun run.

Sample fiends can get their fill at Brewers on the Block at Union Market from 2-6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $55 and come with endless samples of 40 beers.

Colonial Market & Fair at Mount Vernon
Sept. 14-15

Browse this market with early American flair. You'll need to buy a ticket into Mount Vernon to shop.

Nationals Play the Braves
Nationals Park

 There are a lot of special events happening as Washington faces off against Atlanta this week:

  • Saturday at 4:05 p.m.: Oktoberfest beer stein giveaway and Taste of the World International Food Festival before the game
  • Sunday at 1:38 p.m.: Kids lumberjack cap giveaway and Jewish Community 

Theatre Week
Through Sept. 29
Various Venues

You can snag tickets to shows throughout the D.C. area for $15 or $35 during this celebration of a new theatre season.

AFI Silver Theatre Latin American Film Festival
Through Oct. 3
AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Md.)

Catch dozens of critically accalimed and award-winning films from Latin America (plus Portugal and Spain). General admission tickets are $15 and movie buggs can get a pase especial for $225 (Discounts available for AFI members).

Old Town Boutique District Shop and Stroll
Through Sept. 15
Old Town, Alexandria

Pick up your passport to several Old Town boutiques, which will offer special displays, activities and refreshments representative of countries around the globe. You can also go VIP for $25, which means you'll get into a kick off party on Thursday and other perks.

Free Pick
The REACH Opening Festival
Through Sept. 22
The Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center's new REACH expansion does a lot of things: It is a much-needed pedestrian bridge to the National Mall, features an outdoor stage and has what will become D.C.'s largest green roof.

To celebrate the grand opening, the Kennedy Center has a lineup of over 500 events. Things kick off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with a parade around the grounds. Participants can stick around for workshops on music and storytelling, a virtual reality lounge, film screenings and a comedy stand-up showcase.

The celebration continues Sunday and beyond with seemingly endless cultural performances. Here's our full guide.

You'll want to sign up for a pass in advance, or you'll get sent to the stand-by line.

The Kennedy Center's new interactive public space, The REACH, is named for its purpose: to reach and educate audiences. An opening festival with nearly 500 free events will take place Sept. 7-22.

Apple Gala & Fresh Cider Festival
Through Sept. 29
Great Country Farms, 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, Virginia

The Apple Gala & Fresh Cider Festival kicks off this weekend. The fest obviously features plenty of fresh apple cider and doughnuts, plus a demo on an 1865 cider press, a corn maze, live music and more. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for kids.

Maryland Renaissance Festival

Weekends through Oct. 20, plus Labor Day
1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Maryland

Go back in time at the Maryland Renaissance Festival to see jousting events, shop arts and crafts and drink a cup of mead.

Saturday

#FITDC Summer Series
Sept. 14, 8:30 a.m. to noon
The Pavilion at St, Elizabeths (2700 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC)

Go for wellness demonstrations, yoga, cooking tips and more.

Smorgasburg DC
Saturdays, Sept. 7-Oct. 26
Tingey Plaza, at the corner of New Jersey Ave. and Tingey Street

After taking a "summer break" reportedly due to D.C.'s sweltering hot and slow Augusts, Smorgasburg is back for the fall. This buzzy outdoor food market brings some favorite and up-and-coming restaurants to the masses. Beer and wine are also available. It's free to enter the grounds.

Free Pick
Falls Church Festival
Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
City Hall grounds (223 Little Falls St. Falls Church, Va.)

Pony rides, beer gardens, and live entertainment are all available during the Falls Church Festival. Bring cash if you plan to have a cupcake from Bakeshop or seafood from Hot n’ Juicy Crawfish. It's free to go; food tickets cost $3. Tickets to carnival rides also cost extra.

Free Pick
Ward 5 Day
Sept. 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Langdon Park-East (by the pools and baseball fields)

Whether you’re flying in the bounce house or competing in the spades tournament, Ward 5 Day has events for all ages. Expect food, performances, inflatables and over 25 organizations and local business to keep you entertained during the event presented by Ward 5’s Council member Kenyan R. Mcduffie.

Bring any school supplies, board games, puzzles and cleaning supplies to donate at the event.

Free Pick
World Heritage Festival
Sept. 14, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Manassas Museum in Manassas, Va.

Have a global experience right in Manassas. The World Heritage Festival will showcase food vendors, activities and performances from more than nine countries. Enjoy art, jewelry and crafts from over 60 artists and vendors. Come ready to eat and dance, rain or shine.

W.E. Brew Three Year Anniversary Party
Sept. 14, noon to 11 p.m.
Water's End Brewery (12425 Dillingham Square, Lake Ridge, Va.)

Enjoy a day of live music, beer and cider. 

Hispanic Heritage Month
Sept. 14, 5:30-10:30 p.m.
Leesylvania State Park (2001 Daniel K Ludwig Drive, Woodbridge, Va. 22191)

Need to unplug? Enjoy a bilingual getaway and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Leesylvania State Park. The getaway entails camping, canoeing on Powells Creek, hiking, stargazing, and campfire activities. Check out the website and make sure to register for the event 24 hours in advance. Tickets cost $5.

Free Pick
Art All Night DC
Sept. 14, 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Eight neighborhoods across D.C.

Foray into D.C.'s art scene until the wee hours of the morning. There are celebrations and events happening across all eight wards, in the neighborhoods Congress Heights, Deanwood Heights, Dupont Circle, H Street, Minnesota Ave, North Capitol, Shaw and Tenleytown.

Overall, expect a mix of indoor and outdoor music, dance, fashion, film and art displays. A few highlights include a free music festival in Congress Heights, Homecoming; galleries and embassies staying open late in Dupont; silent discos in Tenleyrown and North Capitol and a 60s and 70s night in Deanwood.

Sunday

Happy Accidents: an Exhibit of Original Bob Ross Paintings
Opening reception is Sunday, Sept. 15, 1-3 p.m.
Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center (36441 Blueridge View Lane, Purcellville, Va.)

Immerse yourself in the soothing art of one of public television's most-loved painters, Bob Ross. It's the first public display of Ross' paintings on the East Coast — which explains why it's totally sold out. Tickets to the opening reception are still available, and you can see it before catching any one of the center's evening performances.

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