Things to do the week of July 29 - Aug. 1, 2024
We've gathered up some things to do across the nation's capital, including museum exhibits, concerts, only-in-DC events and much more. Don't miss our things to do this weekend and things to do this month as well.
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Monday
Mubadala Citi DC Open
The District’s signature professional tennis tournament returns to Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Top-tier talent from all over the world will compete for a prestigious trophy, leading to action that you do not want to miss.
Tickets
Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, 5220 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
Stanley: Toward a New Kind of War
The National Museum of American History welcomes a landmark object in the form of Stanley, the self-driving winner of a historic robotic vehicle race back in 2005. The east wing of the museum’s third floor will display this modern marvel, a blue Volkswagen Touareg that competed in and won the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Grand Challenge robot race. Made by a Stanford University team of faculty and students along with Volkswagen and corporate sponsors, the vehicle revolutionized driverless car technology.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of American History, 1300 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Green Day at Nationals Park
You know you’re a successful band when one of your tours can celebrate the anniversary of not one, but two classic albums. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the release of Dookie and the 20th anniversary of American Idiot, Green Day is hitting town across the U.S. with The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and The Linda Lindas in tow. Nationals Park is going to be rocking for this one.
6 p.m. | Tickets
Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Tuesday
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
LIVE! Concert Series on the Plaza
From salsa to strings, and blues to swing, Live! Concert Series on the Plaza features hot entertainment for the downtown DC community. Head to Wilson Plaza between 12 and 1 p.m. and take in free lunchtime performances showcasing the area's most talented entertainers. This year’s lineup features a special focus on the official music of DC, Go-Go. The roster includes The Chuck Brown Band, DC Vybe, Heat Stroke, Junkyard Band and E.U. Featuring Sugar Bear.
12-1 p.m. | Free Admission | More Information
Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
Pixar Putt
Pixar Putt at The Wharf
Go to infinity and beyond this summer with whimsical, Pixar-themed mini-golf. The outdoor pop-up is open daily at The Wharf for a limited time and includes 18 interactive putt-putt holes inspired by some of Pixar’s most beloved films, from Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. to Turning Red and Inside Out. Book your tee time for a daytime outing or an 18+ after-hours activity.
Tickets
580 Water Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
The Ultimate Improv Show
Long-form improv comedy comes to the Kennedy Center thanks to The Ultimate Improv Show presented by Dan Black. The rotating cast will perform based on a unique process: an audience member suggests a prompt that is then used by a guest monologist as inspiration for a true story. The improvisers then weave all that into a hilarious experience.
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Wednesday
Derek Fordjour, Airborne Double, 2022
Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage
The Phillips Collection presents the first large-scale exhibition dedicated to exploring collage by contemporary Black American artists. Explore more than 50 works by 49 artists including luminaries such as Mark Bradford, Kerry James Marshall, Tschabalala Self and Kara Walker. Celebrate the broad variety and complexity of Black identity in art across a wide range of forms, including paper, photographs, fabrics and salvaged materials.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Signature Theatre
Summertime: Awa Sal Secka Sings Ladies of Jazz
Outstanding vocalist Awa Sal Secka pays tribute to legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington and many more. Settle in for an evening of loving renditions of songs such as “Take The A Train,” “Summertime,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Misty” and “Guess Who I Saw Today.” The cabaret performance takes place at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Billed as an “award-winning clown,” Julia Masli is from Estonia and based in London. Her newest show, which was nominated for Edinburgh’s top prize for Best Comedy Show and named the no. 1 comedy show of the year by The Guardian before a sold-out, four-week engagement at London’s Soho Theatre, comes to DC’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Thursday
ISEKAI: Blooming Parallel Worlds
ARTECHOUSE welcomes visitors to its seventh annual installation dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the cherry blossoms in DC. The museum treats your eyes to an exhibit inspired by the Isekai genre of Anime, allowing for the exploration of alternate universes stacked with colors, adventures and immersive technologies. Plus, discover Gachapons hidden throughout the exhibit to win prizes from local businesses or snag a book from the 'Isekai Library'. Make sure to take advantage of tickets with a 10% discount.
Tickets (10% off)
ARTECHOUSE, 1238 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
Gordon Parks, Husband and Wife, Sunday Morning, Detroit, Michigan (Bert Collins and Pauline Terry), 1950
Gordon Parks: Camera Portraits from the Corcoran Collection
The National Gallery of Art honors one of the best set of eyes in American history with a 25-portrait exhibition. Gordon Parks revolutionized photography in post-World War II America, situating his subjects in their environment while also paying close attention to their expression, character and dress. You can see images of Muhammad Ali and Leonard Bernstein alongside shots of a Harlem gang leader and a Detroit couple in this moving tribute that features some of Parks’ most beloved photographs.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 4th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Back to the Future: The Musical
Great Scott! A cinematic classic that is now a Broadway musical is coming to the District. Winner of the 2022 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, Back to the Future: The Musical is adapted for the stage by the film’s creators Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis and directed by the Tony Award® winner John Rando. The play features original music by GRAMMY Award winners Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel,” and “Back in Time.”
Tickets
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Places to Stay
Need some inspiration for a place to stay in between events? Washington, DC is filled with a multitude of hotels to fit your needs. Whether you are looking for that specialty boutique hotel or booking at your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all. Find your stay today!
#Only1DC Photo of the Week
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to Michelin-starred hot spots to laid-back food halls, our DC food guide is perfect for helping you plan a more memorable experience.
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