The lives of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry are remembered with sing-along parties and film screenings over the next few days. Other highlights include the 50th anniversary of Anacostia Park’s beloved roller skating pavilion; fairs dedicated to works by female artists; and international festivals with food, music and dancing. Get outside with a movie at the National Arboretum, extended hours at the U.S. Botanic Garden, square dancing in Rock Creek Park, or rooftop happy hours.
Thursday, Aug. 27
Femme Art Fair at the Square
Works by more than 100 established and emerging women artists will take over 35,000 square feet at the Square food hall in downtown D.C. during the inaugural Femme Art Fair. The team behind the Umbrella Art Fair envisions this event — timed around Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26 — as both a marketplace and a platform to create opportunity and visibility for women artists. The fair includes daily programming, like panel discussions, workshops for artists, yoga, and weekend dance parties. Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $23.18 for single-day tickets, $44.52 for a weekend pass.
Extended Hours at the U.S. Botanic Garden
For the next-to-last time this summer, the U.S. Botanic Garden is keeping its doors open until 8 p.m. for a special party. There’s live jazz and soul from Breonna Sharde’; refreshments including botanical mocktails, sorbet and ice cream for sale; and a chance to enjoy the gardens and indoor exhibits at sunset and beyond. 5 to 8 p.m. Free.
Celebrating the Queen of Country at Metrobar
Metrobar’s tribute to Dolly Parton serves as a fundraiser for the singer’s Imagination Library, with a portion of proceeds helping to send free books to children. Watch her 1980 comedy “9 to 5” on the big screen while listening to a DJ spin Parton’s classic hits throughout the night, or sipping a bright pink Dolly Parton cocktail. 5 to 11 p.m. Free.
Hill Farmstead at ChurchKey
Hill Farmstead is one of craft beer’s most admired and mythologized breweries. Since 2010, founder Shaun Hill has brewed rustic farmhouse ales and oak-aged lagers on a Vermont farm that his family has owned for seven generations, using local grains and honey and hand-selected hops. The lines to purchase bottles at the farm became notorious — especially because beers were only sent to a few bars. Getting Hill Farmstead beers has gotten somewhat easier over the years, but they’re still rare, and incredibly delicious. For the second year in a row, Hill Farmstead is visiting D.C. with brewery ambassador Bob Montgomery. There are a trio of events to choose from, starting Thursday. Two dozen Hill Farmstead beers will be available at ChurchKey, with rare options like Memoria, a Helles lager aged in oak barrels, and Flora, a wheat ale aged in an oak barrel with plums. Get there close to the 4 p.m. opening for the best selection.
On Friday, a special event at the Roost’s Shelter beer bar pairs Hill Farmstead beers with options from the food hall — say, an American pale ale with pork soup dumplings, or an oak-aged Czech lager with a French onion burger — beginning at noon. Saturday’s finale is a guided tasting of eight beers, led by Montgomery, at the Sovereign Belgian beer bar in Georgetown. Tickets are $143.34, and the event begins at noon.
Friday, Aug. 28
Northeast Summer Nights at the National Arboretum
More summer series are drawing to an end this week, including the National Arboretum’s family-friendly Northeast Summer Nights. The extended hours series is going out with a fiesta that includes an outdoor screening of “Coco”; salsa music and a dance lesson in the Washington Youth Garden; an art station where visitors can design and make a Mexican-style papel picado craft; and food trucks, including Mexican from Dos Carnales. Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the movie begins at 5:30. 5 to 7:30 p.m. Free.
‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ at Little Gay Pub
Tim Curry starred on Broadway, where he was nominated for Tony Awards, and won plaudits for his role as Wadsworth the butler in the film “Clue,” but for many, he’ll always be Dr. Frank N. Furter, “a sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania,” in 1975’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” (Not that Curry minded: “I have no intention of disowning it. There’s no point in saying, ‘I’m not the Fonz,’” he told The Post way back in 1980.) To mark the British actor’s passing, the Little Gay Pub will play “Rocky Horror,” the quintessential late-night movie, at midnight this weekend. Friday and Saturday at midnight. Free.
Super Art Fight at the Black Cat
Super Art Fight is part game show, part improv comedy, and part graffiti-style Pictionary throwdown. Artists take to the stage in head-to-head showdowns, sporting costumes and accessories, and create drawings based on a theme selected by a contraption known as “The Wheel of Death.” As the artists work, commentators hype the crowd and make jokes about what’s happening onstage. You’ll laugh and you’ll cheer — winners of each round are determined by the volume of applause. This edition features a set by HUE, a local group that fuses crunching guitar riffs, go-go percussion breakdowns, and dreamy indie-pop grooves. 8 p.m. $25.40.
Camp Yards at the Yards
A fusion of a scavenger hunt and summer nostalgia, the two-day Camp Yards experience around Yards Park has two elements. Participants visit local businesses and earn “merit badges” by completing a summer wine tasting at District Winery ($15), participating in a crafting session or “meet the maker” night at Steadfast Supply (free), or ordering a specialty sundae at Ice Cream Jubilee ($10). Get the badges pressed onto a souvenir tote bag at the Yards’ parklike Sundeck while playing lawn games and listening to acoustic music. Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. Free but registration is required; prices for activities vary.
Dyke Country at Her Diner
Drag shows are more frequent than comedy shows at Her Diner, the queer-inclusive diner in Adams Morgan. This weekend, though, they’re hosting Dyke Country, the Brooklyn comedy show featuring Lee Robinson, the co-founder of the touring comedy show Dyketopia, and comic Kate Strobel. The promise: “an unhinged evening of incredibly queer stand-up comedy.” 10 p.m. $14.64.
DevFest DC 2026 at Fuse at Mason Square
DevFest DC is the epitome of engineering for software engineers and adjacents far and wide. It’s a DMV conference for those looking to expand their career paths and dreams, designed for software developers, architects and other tech junkies. You can learn from experts at Google, Capital One and other tech companies; get hands-on with new tools; and meet and learn from developers who may live in your neighborhood. Beforehand, you can even dig into the long list of keynote speakers, as their LinkedIn profiles are attached to their faces. It’s a networking Coachella for engineers. One hundred sponsored tickets are free but will run out quickly. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. $0-$24.99.
Asake at Merriweather Post Pavilion
Where an earlier generation of African musicians combined Indigenous folk music with American soul, rock and jazz, the Nigerian singer and rapper Asake blends hip-hop with African pop chorales. Asake’s music is lush and layered, with abundant mainstream appeal, yet retains the street-level attitude that led him to title his latest album “M$ney.” 8:30 p.m. $63-$242.80.
Saturday, Aug. 29
Late Skate: 50th Anniversary of the Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion at Anacostia Park
Anacostia Park’s beloved Skate Pavilion opened in 1976, created as a Bicentennial project by the National Park Service. It remains the only roller-skating rink that’s part of the Park Service. Celebrate its anniversary with a special Late Skate that runs from noon until night. Activities for all ages include free boat rides on the Anacostia, fishing, creative projects for kids and free family portraits. The LinkUp, a local organization that puts on skating events, takes over at 6 p.m., with a DJ spinning ’70s grooves, a “Soul Train” line on skates, and free hot dogs (while supplies last). Bell bottoms and other period-appropriate attire are suggested, and skate rentals are free all day. Noon to 10 p.m. Free.
Washington Chinese Cultural Festival
The 24th annual Washington Chinese Cultural Festival fills Pennsylvania Avenue NW on Saturday with the sounds of music and the wafting aroma of traditional Chinese food. A pair of stages offers a variety of entertainment, including Peking opera; folk musicians and dancers representing different regions of China; martial artists; acrobats; and lion and dragon dancers. Visitors can try on traditional outfits, try calligraphy or paper folding, watch a ping-pong exhibition, or play board games or traditional Chinese instruments. Dozens of restaurants sell regional food specialties, bubble tea and other snacks. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free.
Around the World Cultural Food Festival at Oronoco Bay Park
The Around the World Cultural Food Festival celebrates a decade of bringing people together through delicious meals, live performances and crafts. This globally minded event decamped from D.C. five years ago to its current home base in Alexandria’s Oronoco Bay Park, where you’ll find riverfront views and breezes. What separates this food festival from the pack is its focus on authenticity. Each of the 20 vendors represents a different country, including China, Greece and Peru, and each menu item is vetted to ensure it is in fact a national dish from its representative country. Between bites, check out performances including Japanese taiko drumming, Brazilian samba and German folk dancing, as well as extras like beer gardens for adults and bounce houses for the kids. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free.
Summer Square Dance at Peirce Mill
To celebrate National Parks Week, the DC Square Dance Collective is hosting an outdoor dance party in the heart of Rock Creek Park. The large lawn outside Peirce Mill is the setting for free dance lessons, and then live music with East of Exxon and caller Caroline Barnes. Dancing is open to all skill levels, and participants are invited to bring a picnic to enjoy beforehand. 7 to 10 p.m. Free.
Mr. Henry’s 60th Anniversary Gala
For 60 years, Mr. Henry’s has been a favorite hangout on Capitol Hill. Its pubby lower level, with dark wood and walls covered in old photos and advertisements, is known for its burgers and beers. The upstairs room is its claim to fame: The place where Roberta Flack was discovered still rings with the sound of jazz groups and jam sessions Wednesday through Saturday. Mr. Henry’s has been celebrating its six decades in business throughout 2026, but this weekend is the capstone: A gala taking over both floors, featuring throwback hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, wine and beer. Entertainment comes from some of the venue’s top performers, including the Kevin Cordt Quartet, pianist and vocalist Amy K Bormet, and vocalist Aaron Myers. 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. $64.29 in advance, $74.78 at the door.
Klecksography by Rorschach Theatre at Buzzard Point
Here’s a challenge: Six playwrights, six directors and 17 actors come together to write, rehearse and perform six 10-minute plays in just 10 days. Sounds like just another week-and-a-half in the life of the boundary-pushing Rorschach Theatre company. The twist is that all six plays were inspired by outdoor art at the Stacks, the Buzzard Point development where all of the performances will take place. 5 p.m., 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. $20-$30.
Motown on Saturdays at Metrobar
The crew behind the long-running Motown on Mondays party, which was recently held at Everyday People on U Street, are moving from weeknights to weekends to celebrate the birthday of Michael Joseph Jackson. DJs D-Skillz and Harvey Dent are spinning hits and remixes, plus cuts from the Jackson 5, Janet Jackson and other related artists. 2 to 6 p.m. Free.
Black Girl Art Show DC at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center
The Black Girl Art Show has landed in Maryland, after stops in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta. The show is an immersive showcase of art created by more than 150 Black women artists, with traditional art displays as well as live performances, each interpreting the artists’ views of their culture and community. Even if you just want to explore and browse, this is still for you. But it’s especially for art collectors and lovers who can see the work of Black artists all in one place. Bring the family — kids under 13 are free. 3 to 9 p.m. $55.
Labyrinth Games Used Game Sale
If you’re the kind of tabletop gamer who enjoys a new co-op game or a murder/mystery challenge every few months, and is wary about spending a lot of money for a game you’re not sure you’ll enjoy, this is one of the best weekends of the year. Labyrinth, D.C.’s go-to games store, hosts its annual Used Game Sale on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday has two components: There’s a live auction, where customers bid on used and sealed games, including first-editions and bundles that contain expansion packs. Meanwhile, other games are auctioned off with sealed bids, with new lots of games coming up every 30 minutes. If you don’t win, or want even more games, there’s a giant rummage sale on Sunday, which features donated games as well as leftovers from Saturday’s auctions. You can scroll through the massive list of games on the Labyrinth website. Proceeds benefit local teachers and game nights at area schools, with more than $16,000 raised in 2025. Auction participants are asked to preregister before bidding. Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Auction times vary, so see schedule for details. Free.
Samasama Market at Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building
The Smithsonian’s historic Arts and Industries Building, which has been closed for renovations for several years, will be open for a few more weeks this summer as part of the America 250 celebrations. This weekend’s reason to go: The Samasama Market, filled with works by local artists and markers as well as curated vintage houseware and clothing. Pop-up record store Buena Suerte is bringing disco and dance tunes, while Les the DJ is providing the soundtrack. The exhibit “Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America” will be open, and food and drinks are available to purchase. Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. Free.
Hill Family Biking: Back to School Ride at School Within School
It’s time for back-to-school biking with the school year in full swing. Take a tour of Capitol Hill on a bike with your family. It’s a 4-mile bike ride that passes many of the schools in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, so kids can show everyone where they learn each day. You can begin your bike ride at any of the schools along the route of your choice, which include Ludlow-Taylor, J.O. Wilson, Capitol Hill Montessori, Stuart-Hobson, Peabody, Maury and Miner. If you’re a beginner rider, start at the halfway point at Peabody. After you finish, there’ll be foam with a DJ, cookies and food trucks, along with a chance to add to a giant chalk mural at School Within School, where the ride ends. Arrive on time or 15 minutes early to tend to your bikes and get your group set up. 4 to 6:30 p.m. Free.
Mercadito de Emprendedoras Mexicanas at La Cosecha
This market for Mexican women entrepreneurs takes over the second floor of the La Cosecha market near Union Market, with vendors selling jewelry, crafts, clothing and accessories. The event is co-sponsored by street food eatery Apapacho Taqueria, in case shopping makes you hungry for tacos al pastor or a frozen margarita. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free.
Sunday, Aug. 30
DC Rickey Cocktail Competition at Jack Rose Dining Saloon
D.C.’s official native cocktail is the Rickey, a simple and refreshing summer sipper invented in the 1880s that is composed of bourbon or gin, soda water, and half of a lime, which is squeezed and dropped into the glass. Every year, though, D.C.’s talented bartenders put their own spin on the formula, infusing their gins with citrus, making flavorful shrubs and sodas from scratch, and facing off to see who can craft the best modern take on an age-old drink. Taste this year’s competitors during an afternoon at Jack Rose Dining Saloon, where mixologists will make their drinks for the public and a panel of judges. Tickets include unlimited Rickeys — usually 8 to 12 varieties — plus hors d’oeuvres and a chance to vote for the people’s choice award. 1 to 4 p.m. $57.75.
Dolly Parton Karaoke at As You Are
Barracks Row LGBTQ+ bar As You Are remembers Dolly Parton with a special edition of its weekly Sunday Karaoke. “We know she’d love seeing us honor her memory doing what she loved most: singing,” organizers say. 7 p.m. to midnight. Free.
Dolly Showtunes at Pitchers
Pitchers honors Dolly Parton with sing-along tributes during its regularly scheduled Sunday afternoon Showtunes event. 2 to 8 p.m. Free.
Special August Bake Club at Bold Fork Books
With Bold Fork Books announcing this week via Instagram that it will permanently close at the end of September, this has become the last and most special of all the bake clubs hosted there. So, for this special edition, in a community that has supported those four walls of a bookshop, home bakers gather for an afternoon of seasonal scraps, pastries and a visual studio with Scrapss founder Savannah Velasco-Kent. It’s simple: Bring seasonal produce, then prepare a sweet or savory bake at a shared table and learn how to work with produce. As usual, before the event, you’ll receive a spreadsheet to add your chosen dish to so there’s no overlap. And Velasco-Kent’s well-known cake slices will be available for purchase. 4:30 to 6 p.m. $28.
Wine and Sunsets Rooftop Picnic at Hi-Lawn
Nothing pairs better than wine and a little something to sip on. At Hi-Lawn this weekend, where the lawn is on a city rooftop, catch a vibe doing just that with your blanket or lawn chair and your bestest friends or lover. The wine is promised to flow as long as the DJ is set to play. Watch the sun set over the D.C. skyline while you sip through a glass or bottle of your favorite. Seating is first-come, first-served, with picnic tables and other proper tables available to reserve with a ticket. 3 to 8:30 p.m. $15-$100.
Game Day at Anthem Row
Game Day at Anthem Row means the streets of downtown turn into a huge game room, and it’s the first of its kind. Bring all your favorite competitors — you know, the ones you love to beat in a game of Uno — and compete on the street itself. Video games, board games like Monopoly and even classics like chess and Scrabble will be in abundance. Anything you would see or bring to a game night, you’re bound to catch at Anthem Row. Get off at Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro Station to get closest to the event. 2 to 7 p.m. Free.
Creative Commons: An Open Source (Art Exhibition) at Culture House DC
The theme of a new group art exhibition at Culture House, “Creative Commons: An Open Source,” centers on creativity, with beliefs and theories about how to participate in it, how it manifests and what it means. The exhibit, at the arts center in Southwest Washington, will include a shared dialogue to help bring the theme together for the audience. If you’re not taking the Metro, parking nearby is free on Sundays. 3 to 6 p.m. Free.
Cry ‘N Vibe at La Cosecha
Have you ever just wanted to cry it all out? At La Cosecha’s Balcón, you can do so with others with no judgment whatsoever. This is an immersive wellness experience that invites participants to have an emotional release and then celebrate the joy that follows. There will be somatic movement, guided meditation and wellness gifts, along with music and community camaraderie. A ticket comes with a gift card, a smoothie from South Block and other wellness goodies. Turns out, Sundays are, in fact, for tears. 3 to 5 p.m. $55-$75.
Monday, Aug. 31
Love Island Reunion Watch Parties
Even though the last season of Love Island ended last month, it’s time for the reunion, where, even if you thought you got enough, you just didn’t. Catch all the unfinished drama, conversations and now-broken friendships out of the villa and on the big screens of bars around the city.
At Capitol Hill’s As You Are bar, you can sip Girl Dinners while you watch Melanie, as she may address the state of her and Sincere’s relationship, or the status of her and Kenzie since leaving the island. However, it’s important to note that the event is hosted by Coach Jackie, and the last time she hosted an event, the lines ran down two blocks. So get there earlier than early to avoid a line, although your seat is reserved with ticket purchase. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. $11.99.
If you’re far from Eastern Market, head over to Moxies Restaurant and catch the same nearly two-hour segment, just with a complimentary glass of prosecco and a happy hour menu that’ll run through the night. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. $10-$27.50.
Showtunes: Honoring Dolly and Tim at JR’s
The weekly Showtunes sing-along night at JR’s honors a pair of LGBTQ+ icons: Dolly Parton and Tim Curry. Be ready to belt out “9 to 5” and “I Can Make You a Man,” while mourning the icons with the community. Drink specials include $4 drafts. 9 p.m. until “late.” Free.
Tuesday, Sept. 1
Baker’s Bar cocktail takeover at Service Bar
Baker’s Bar, a cocktail lounge in Montevideo, Uruguay, is the only bar from its home country to feature in the “Discovery” list of global cocktail hotspots from the producers of the annual “50 Best” bars rankings. (The Discovery list includes bars that were nominated for the full list, but didn’t receive enough votes to make the top 100.) It’s described as “low-key with a bit of a hipster edge,” noted for twists on classic drinks with local ingredients. You can get a taste of the Uruguay cocktail scene on U Street this week, as bartenders from Baker’s take over Service Bar for one night only. 9 p.m. to midnight. Free.
Wednesday, Sept. 2
Gather Around the Table: A September Mahjong Social at Aslin Beer Company in Alexandria
Even if you’re a beginner, you’re welcome to participate in the American mah-jongg social at Aslin in Alexandria. There will be tables for different skill levels: a table with beginner instruction, where you can learn the basics and fundamentals of the game with guidance from experts, or, if you’re better than that, open-play tables where you can enjoy relaxed, casual play with others at your skill level. Bring friends, a date if it’s date night, or come solo. Either way, you’ll find someone your speed to play with, and you can’t forget you’re also there to socialize. Everyone is encouraged to get a ticket in advance, as space is limited and walk-ins can’t be promised. 6:30 to 9 p.m. $35-$250.
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