What to Know
- Saturday is a perfect pool day, with blue skies and temps in the low 90s.
- Sunday looks mostly to partly sunny with highs around 90. An isolated storm is possible later in the day
Whether you're a lotus lover, garlic geek or Francophile (Sunday is Bastille Day), we've rounded up the best ways to spend your weekend around D.C.
All Weekend
Free Pick
Lotus and Water Lily Festival
July 13 and 14, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Anacostia Park is hosting its annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival to celebrate the Lotus and Water Lily plants that grow in some of the last remaining tidal wetlands in the city. The two-day festival will feature multicultural performances, family games, arts and crafts and lotuses and water lilies in full bloom. The event is free, and you can find more information here. And if you’re feeling philanthropic this weekend, it's looking for volunteers for the first day.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
City Brew Tours
All weekend, various times
801 F St NW in front of the National Portrait Gallery
Learn about beer while having a cold one at City Brew Tours. Guests can choose between a 3.5 hour, 9-12 sample experience or a 5-hour, 13-16 sample adventure. Tickets range from $70 to $99, and you can buy them here. A $10 per person gratuity fee is added for parties of 4 or more. The website recommends arriving 10 minutes earlier than the tour departure time.
UniverSoul Circus
National Harbor, Md.
Through July 28
Join the 25 million people who have seen UniverSoul, a circus that celebrates diversity, culture and fun during shows. UniverSoul recently celebrated its 25th birthday and has received critical acclaim for performances. Tickets start at $16, and you can buy them here.
Capital Fringe Festival
Through July 28
Southwest Waterfront
Choose from dozens of art shows organized by category, venue and age appropriateness and celebrate performance art at the Southwest Waterfront. Show founders wanted to provide opportunities for artists to connect with audiences “in a stripped down, unprocessed, organic social environment.” Tickets are $20, but cost less per ticket if you buy multi-show passes. Learn more and buy tickets here.
Friday
Backstreet Boys DNA World Tour in DC
July 12, 8 p.m.
Capital One Arena
Backstreet’s back with their DNA World Tour and will be in D.C. this Friday at Capital One Arena. The show starts at 8 p.m., and while tickets are still available here, prices start at $135 since it’s so close to the night of the show.
Free Pick
Lights for Liberty: Washington, D.C.
July 12, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Lafayette Square
Lights for Liberty is a group dedicated to human rights and upholding democracy, and on Friday, July 12, they will be hosting events all across the country in protest of the Trump administration’s immigration policies at the southern border. The Washington, D.C. vigil will feature Norma Torres, the only Central American immigrant in Congress; Ruby Corado, a trans activist and founder of Casa Ruby, and Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA. D.C. parks have restrictions on the use of wax candles, so the organizers request that attendees bring battery-operated candles, flashlights and candle phone apps instead. Learn more here.
Flag Rave
10 p.m. on July 12 to 3 a.m. on July 13
Karma DC Live Music Venue, 2221 Adams Place NE
If you want to show your Carribbean Pride, but the Baltimore/DC One Carribbean Festival in Baltimore is a little far away for you to attend, Karma DC Live Music Venue is hosting a “flag rave” on Friday night. The party will feature dancehall, soca, reggae and afrobeats style music, and tickets are only $20.
Road Trip! 10 Places to Cool Off Within 100 Miles of DC
Saturday
2019 Purcellville Wine & Food Festival
July 13, 2 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Dillon’s Woods in the Fireman’s Field Complex in Purcellville, Va.
Summertime in the DMV means taking advantage of nearby wine country, and this weekend is your chance to get your wine on. Charming, small-town Purcellville in Loudoun County invites you to explore its selection of wineries and Virginia history. Learn more here.
Bastille Day Celebration
July 13, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Fessenden Park
Vive la France - Tenleytown Main Street and the Friends of Fessenden Park are hosting a Bastille Day celebration in Fessenden Park this weekend to commemorate the first Bastille Day 230 years ago. There will be crepe samples, French wine, sunflower planting, family-friendly craft projects and more. Tickets are $20 for adults, and each adult ticket lets one child get in free (rather than the $5 price tag for individual children). Tickets include all food, beverages and activities, so you can register here if you’re interested.
Free pick
New Orleans Night feat. Sweet Crude
July 13, 7 p.m.
Pearl Street Warehouse
Sweet Crude is a band indigenous to South Louisiana, and this Saturday they’re visiting Pearl Street Warehouse to celebrate New Orleans Night. The show is free, 21+, and no RSVP or tickets are required, but seating is limited and given out on a first-come-first-serve basis.
2019 US Air Guitar Championships
July 13, 7 p.m.
Union Stage, 740 Water Street SW
The organizers of this year’s US Air Guitar Championships call it “Part rock show. Part comedy act. ENTIRELY a spectacle.” Up to 20 competitors will give their best performances to see who will be the epic champion. Winners will be flown to compete in the National Championship on August 1, and the winner of that competition will be sent to Oulu, Finland at the end of August to represent the USA in the World Championships. Tickets to the show in D.C. on Saturday are $15 for general admission or $30 if you want reserved seats and tables. You can get them here.
Alexandria Fireworks
7-10 p.m.
Oconco Bay Park
Alexandria is celebrating its 270th birthday — and yes, that makes the city older than the U.S.A. Head down to Oronoco Bay Park for DJ performances, poetry readings, cupcakes and, of course, a big fireworks display set to music.
Sunday
Takoma Garlic Festival
Sunday, July 14th, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Takoma Park Farmers Market, Laurel Avenue
If you’ve never minded what your breath smells like, this event is for you. Freshly dried garlic is the theme and will be available for sale at vendor stands. Award-winning garlic grower Tony “The Garlic Guy” Sarmiento is scheduled to attend the festivities. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, local gelato shop Dolci Gelati will be offering a special roasted garlic-flavored gelato. Learn more here.
Le Grand Fête: Bastille Day at Le Diplomate
July 14, 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Le Diplomate, 1601 14th St. NW
Le Diplomate is a restaurant that pays homage to French cafe culture, and on Sunday, July 14, it's celebrating Bastille Day. There will be a cart full of street side glace, an all-day Bastille Day Cafe Menu, face painting, activities and crafts. There is no extra cost to attend the restaurant’s event.
DC Brewers Day
July 14, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Atlas Brew Works, 2052 West Virginia Ave. NE #102
DC Brewers Day will bring together 11 local breweries for a beer-themed celebration. The proceeds will go to the DC Brewers’ Guild, an organization dedicated to unifying the D.C. brewing community. A $5 donation at the door is good for 10 beer samples. See participating breweries here.
Weekend Scene is edited by Sophia Barnes
