What’s Going On This Week? Here are the Best Events in Town

By: Mimi Montgomery

What To Do This Week in D.C. (7/16 – 7/19)

This is Spinal Tap, Burners, and zoo animals.

Photo by Tim Brown

MONDAY, JULY 16

OH SAY CAN YOU SEE…Historian Marc Ferris will be in the house to discuss all things Star-Spangled Banner. Did you know that it has British roots? Or that it was adapted from a song with much dirtier origins? Or that Congress took over 100 years to declare it as our National Anthem? Dive into the history behind the song while Ferris breaks up his talk by performing other variations of the song.

‘CUE IT UP….No need to fire up the grills. It’s BBQ & Grilling Week in the city through Sunday, which means a bunch of restaurants will be offering prix fixe menus that are all about grilled and smoky dishes. For $11, $22, or $33, you can head to spot slike Osteria Morini, Right Proper, or Slate Wine Bar for all things BBQ.

AND…The Magic Numbers at Union Stage…Basball’s past and future…Learn to break through your fears…Chocolate City in the 80s Talk: Part Two…A rooftop dinner at Timber Pizza Co…A talk on movie ratings…

Photo by Eric Spiegel

TUESDAY, JULY 17

BOOKS + ART…On top of remembering the 50th anniversary of the 1968 riots in DC this summer, we’re also remembering the National Portrait Gallery’s 50th birthday. To commemorate the two, the museum is holding a monthly get-together where folks discuss a book relating to 1968, as well as the portraits in the exhibit One Year: 1968, An American Odyssey. Come by tonight for a tour of the exhibit, after which a D.C. Public Libraries librarian will lead a discussion on Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem.

K-POP IT UP…Today, the Korean Cultural Center is kicking off the regional celebration of the Changwon K-Pop World Festival. Its mission? To find the newest generation of K-Pop stars from around the world. Submit your entries by today, and this weekend, it’ll be announced which performers will advance to the live auditions in August. After that, you’ll have a shot at going to the world finals in Korea. Warm up your vocal cords.

SPY TALK…Meet a real-life spy today at the Spy Museum. Alex Finley served in West Africa and Europe when she was in the CIA, and she also happens to be a writer. She’ll be talking about her book, Victor in the Rubble, which is a satirical piece about the bureaucratic red tape that plagues both CIA agents and their targets alike.

AND…Climb the National Cathedral…Dive into the start of The Beatles…A drawing class at American University…A women’s bike ride…Learn to make chocolate…A talk about male feminists…Learn about the designs at the Museum of the American Indian…

Photo by Anne Paterson

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18

FEELING CORN-Y…This event is part Mexican history class, part cooking class, but 100 percent delicious. Joahnna Hernandez, founder of Mexican street food group Manos de Maiz, will walk you through the importance corn plays in Mexico’s history, culture, and cuisine. And, of course, you’ll get to eat–there will be a variety of light bites featuring maiz, as well as a welcome beverage.

REMEMBER + CELEBRATE…Today kicks off the four-day celebration of the African American Civil War Museum’s 20th anniversary. Come by for a memorial rededication, an author talk, a discussion on U Street’s gentrification, and some live jazz. There will be plenty more celebrations throughout the week, including a parade, a play, dance performances, and discussions galore.

BURNERS AND THEIR JEWELS…If you haven’t been to see No Spectators: The Art of the Burning Man, now’s the time to go. Tonight, Karen Christians, author of The Jewelry of Burning Man, will talk about the importance of jewelry as Burners get together in the desert. After, stick around to check out the exhibit, which has some of the large experimental art made by the 70,000 people who attend each year.

AND…Poetry Open Mic at Busboys and Poets…The unpublished cartoons of Rob Rogers…Tour the medicinal plants at the U.S. Botanic Garden…Jake Clemons at Union Stage…Pearl Charles at Black Cat…Practice your Spanish…Fun House late night at the National Building Museum…March on Washington film screening at the Holocaust Museum…

Photo by Lauren Parnell Marino

THURSDAY, JULY 19

ZOO WHILE YOU BREW…Watching some pandas is always better with a brew in-hand, right? Tonight is Brew at the Zoo, which lets you hang out with the animals while sampling craft beers, listening to live music, and dancing. The best part? Ticket sales go to support the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s species-saving work.

THIS IS SPINAL TAP…Funny man Harry Shearer of This is Spinal Tap will be at the Kennedy Center this evening. As part of the space’s District of Comedy festival, the movie will be screened before Shearer sits down for a Q&A with the audience. It’s the perfect time to find out if the numbers really go all the way up to eleven.

F BOMBS… F*ckUp Nights are pretty much as they sound: A group of people getting together to share stories of failed business and projects and drop a lot of F bombs. It’s cathartic, funny, and thought-provoking, because if you haven’t failed, then you’ve never tried, right? Tonight’s event will be at Up Top Acres’ rooftop farm, with snacks and refreshments.

AND…Clairo at Union Stage…A whole sheep dinner…Watch The Greatest Showman outdoors…A jazz quartet at at the American Art Museum…Watch The Goonies at the Library of Congress…Hear stories of the wild from the Nat Geo storytelling fellows…