12 Of Our Favorite Events in D.C. This Weekend

By: Mimi Montgomery

Photo by Flickr user Nikoo’s Photos

Friday, May 11

FILM FEST: Today kicks off the 2018 Asian Pacific American Film Festival, which runs through Sunday. Throughout the weekend, there will be several short and full-length film screenings, many by local Asian Pacific American artists. From action movies to romance to documentaries, there’s a little something for everyone. (Navy Memorial, times and prices vary)

CRYSTAL BALLER: Look into the future tonight at the Embassy Row Hotel — there will be a psychic doing a tarot card reading at happy hour. Get there for a Q&A about fortune telling, and afterwards, you can ask the psychic one question and get a personal reading. Don’t like what she says? Don’t worry — there’s a bar. (Embassy Row Hotel, 6 – 9 p.m., $30)

PHOTO SHOW: Exposed DC is hosting its 12th annual photography show at Dupont Underground, and the kickoff party is tonight. Come check out work by local photographer while listening to music with cocktails. The former underground trolley station is a sight to see on its own, but the photographs projected throughout its walls won’t hurt, either. (Dupont Underground, 6 – 10 p.m., $15 advance, $20 at door)

MAMA’S LOVE: Need a present for mom? Do something last-minute Mother’s Day shopping at the Lemon Collective this evening. The spot will be hosting local florists who’ll help you put together the perfect bouquet for all the mamas in your life. Better yet, the money goes toward a local charity. (The Lemon Collective, 6 – 9 p.m.)

MORE: Animezing!: Ocean Waves (Embassy of Japan, 6:30 – 8 p.m., FREE), Waterfront Patio Party (Osteria Morini, 5 – 7 p.m.), Georgetown Comedy Show (Chinese Disco, 7 – 9:30 p.m.), Literary Cocktails: We, The Children of Cats (Petworth Citizen, 7 – 12 midnight), Brewmaster Tours: Beer Tastings and Tours (Heurich House, 5 – 6:30 p.m., $30), Warby Parker Grand Opening (Union Station, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.), World War II at Sea: A Global History (National Archives Building, 12 noon – 1 p.m.), Reel Affirmations Monthly LGBTQ Film Series’ Cocktails & Cinema (Human Rights Campaign, 6 – 7 p.m.)

Photo by Victoria Pickering

Saturday, May 12

FUNK YOU UP: DC, it’s time to get funky. After a funding scare, the DC Funk Parade is officially back for another year! Wind your way through the U Street neighborhood to catch local music acts and performers that are all about DC cultural pride; ticketed events will take place later at venues throughout the area. Don’t miss the actual parade — it kicks off at 5 p.m. (Locations, times, and prices vary)

BUBBLE PAR-D: Wanna blow some bubbles? You’re in luck. Today Dupont Circle will turn into a bonafide bubble party. Meet at the fountain to take your pick from bubble wands, bubble dishes, bubble machines, bubble guns, bubble glasses….the list goes continues. Bubble on, party people. (Dupont Circle Fountain, 3 – 5 p.m., FREE)

TOUR DE MAMA: In honor of Mother’s Day, the Museum of African Art will host a specially-curated tour. It has a number of matriarch-themed items in its collection–from small figurines to masks and helmets–and a guide will walk you through them all. (National Museum of African Art, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., FREE)

EU TOUR: Get ready to Eurotrip. All the European Union embassies in DC will be open today for tours. From France and Italy, Latvia to to the Netherlands, bounce around for a day full of food, dance, and cultural pride. (Locations vary, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., FREE)

MORE: Bump and Brunch (Busboys and Poets, 9 – 11 a.m., FREE), World Migratory Bird Day (National Zoo, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., FREE), Summer Cooking Series (DBGB DC, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., $85), Campfire Grind May (The Bike Rack – Brookland, 4:30 – 9 p.m., $5), Taco, Beer, Tequila Festival (The Yards Park, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., $45 – $75), Batucada for Cuba: From Brooklyn to Brazil (Kennedy Center, 6 – 7 p.m., FREE)

Photo by Joe Flood

Sunday, May 13

BBQ, BDAY, BLOWOUT: HBD, Saint-Ex! Even if you’ve never found yourself dancing in the basement ’till the wee hours of the morning, the spot has still become a staple on 14th Street. Celebrate its 15-year tenure with a BBQ blowout. A wristband gets you unlimited food from the patio grill, as well as unlimited beer. Word on the street is there’ll be a DJ and karaoke, too. (Cafe Saint-Ex, 4 – 9 p.m., $15)

BOQUERIA: Chef Marc Vidal of Dupont Circle spot Boqueria will be celebrating the launch of his cookbook Boqueria: A Cookbook from Barcelona to New York all day. In the morning, head to the Dupont Circle Farmers Market for signings and to watch him make dishes from the cookbook (fire-roasted veggies and Middle Eastern-yogurt!). Later in the day, he’ll be speaking at Politics & Prose at the Wharf. (Dupont Circle Farmers Market, 10 a.m. – 12 noon, Politics and Prose at the Wharf, 4 p.m., FREE)

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT: Today kicks off a weekly mindfulness event: Every Sunday on the Embassy Hotel’s roof, there will be a guided meditation class. A teacher from Recharj will lead you through a pranayama exercise, aka a guided breathing meditation. Take in the views before ending your week on a serene note. (The Embassy Row Hotel, 8 a.m.)

BRUNCHIN’ FOR MOM: Moms are pretty awesome, so celebrate them by heading to brunch at Iron Gate. Each dish is inspired by one of the employees’ moms, with names like “Barbara (Blake’s Mother”) and “Becky (Paola’s Mother-in-Law).” And mom names aside, the menu looks pretty good: beef tenderloin, huevos rancheros, fried egg sandwich, and carrot cake? Yum. (Iron Gate, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.)

MORE: Single-Origin Coffee Tasting (Qualia Coffee, 2 – 2:30 p.m.), Exploring the Universe (Rock Creek Park Nature Center & Planetarium, 4 – 4:45 p.m.), Free Hugs (National Museum of Natural History, 1 – 3 p.m.), Sunsets for Dancers (Georgetown Waterfront Park, 4 – 9 p.m., $10), Mindfulness Drumming and Movement (Meridian Hill Park, 2:30 – 4 p.m., FREE), Mother’s Day Chocolate Making Class (The Watergate Hotel, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., $40 – $60), Bouquets and Rose for Mother’s Day (The Farm at 55 M Street, 1 – 3 p.m.)