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

By: Mimi Montgomery

Puppies, museum visits, and arcade games (did we mention puppies??).

Photo by Rudi Riet

FRIDAY, JULY 20

WASTIN’ AWAY AGAIN…Calling all parrot heads: It’s Margaritaville Night at Nats Park. Show up to partake in the pregame festivities before the Nats take on the Atlanta Braves. You’ll get to rock out to some Buffet tunes, wear a festive t-shirt, and probably drink one too many blended drinks.

FEELIN’ ARTY…Head to the National Museum of Women in the Arts to see its new exhibit, Bound to Amaze: Inside a Book-Collecting Career, which opens today. Krystyna Wasserman curated the museum’s collection of 1,000 artists’ books over 30 years, and the lineup is striking: Featuring books made of sheet music, semi-precious stones, linen, wood, and more, it’ll make you rethink your notion of books.

JAZZ HANDS…As part of the Kennedy Center’s District of Comedy festival, come see Baby Wants Candy, an improvised musical complete with a full band. It’s pretty much as it sounds: The crew takes an audience suggestion at the beginning of the show, then embarks on a full-fledged musical right on the spot, complete with dancing, musical numbers, and lots of laughs.

AND…August Alsina at Howard Theatre…Janelle Monae at the Anthem…Two-spirits belong here…Get emo…Eat, drink, and listen to music at the Freer|Sackler...Sound bathe and meditate…Listen to tunes and taste beer at the American Art Museum…A Marine Corps parade…How baseball forged a bond between the U.S. and Japan…Chris Gethard at Ken Cen…An Emoji art show (yes, it’s a thing)…

Photo by Art Drauglis

SATURDAY, JULY 21

FLOWER POWER…The lotuses and water lilies at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens are in full-bloom, so that means it’s time for the Lotus and Water Lily Festival. Come by today and tomorrow to check out the flora yourself, as well as events like Bangladeshi dancing, a multicultural fashion show, or Brazilian jazz music. It’s also the centennial of Anacostia Park, so even more reason to celebrate!

DOGGOS ASSEMBLE…It just might be the best day ever because…D.C. Puppy World Cup!!!! The Columbia Heights Gym will be turned into a canine-friendly soccer field, and the doggos will take each other on to see who is the best four-legged soccer star of them all. You can bring your pup, but just make sure they have all their shots and aren’t older than 20 weeks, please.

COLOMBIAN FESTIVAL…Down at Yards Park, the Colombian Festival will be in full-swing. Come by to hear tunes by Colombian Grammy-winning artist 123 Andres, catch a beauty pageant and fashion show, take part in a Salsathon, watch traditional folkloric dances, and plenty more. And you know there’s going to be some good food, too.

AND…JMU Day at Nats Park…Do your civic duty at Meridian Hill Park…National Press Club’s Frank Sinatra Soiree…Animal Collective at Lincoln Theatre…Free music at Marvin Gaye Park…Yoga in the garden…Chatham County Line at the Hamilton…Living Earth Festival…Patton Oswalt at Ken Cen…

Photo by Beau Finley

SUNDAY, JULY 22

CALLING GAMERS…The Smithsonian American Art Museum is hosting its annual arcade event today, and they’ve asked local game designers to focus on the theme of “game spaces.” Come by to play games that are designed with art and architecture in mind, and either transform or make interesting use of the space around them. On top of that, you can also play old-school arcade games or take a coding workshop.

FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT…In 1913, famed suffragist Alice Paul led a march to the U.S. Capitol to champion women’s voting rights. The parade was bombarded with protestors, who injured hundreds of marching women. You can retrace the path of the march with author Rebecca Boggs Roberts, who wrote the book Suffragists in Washington, D.C., and listen as she takes you back to this seminal moment in the women’s suffrage movement.

TOUR DE VINO…The Tour de France is underway, and since we underachievers certainly will not be pedaling alongside the riders, at least we can toast to them. Do a wine tasting that features vinos from the regions the riders will be passing through, like southwest France, Rhone, and Savoie. Not only are you saving yourself from butt-ache, but you’ll also learn a thing or two about French wine.

AND…Folkfaces at Pearl Street Warehouse…Yoga at Dumbarton House….Meet the Potter’s Craft Cider makers…Learn to embroider...Make your own memory book…Get in a workout with your pup…Hardcore parkour...