There’s so much to do in the D.C. area in the coming days, and WTOP has you covered with our weekly roundup of area events worth anticipating.
This weekend and beyond, the calendar is chock-full of fun, including a craft fashion and home showcase, Latin culinary demonstrations and a family festival celebrating one of the biggest holidays in South Korea.
For more of what to expect, check back every Thursday for a roundup of Things to do in the DC area.
One of the unique film festivals in the D.C. area can be enjoyed this week at Rhizome’s Microcinema event on Thursday.
The filmmaking collective, Le Ratoire, plans to showcase five experimental films, which include “Invasive Plants,” a “performative portrait” of the Hudson River that uses plants to color-tint the black-and-white film, and “Flash Info,” which was created in just 24 hours in France during the second COVID lockdown.
The length of the films range from as short as five minutes to as long as 40 minutes.
Le Ratoire is a collective of five filmmakers: Léa Lanoë, Pierre Borel, Katherine Bauer, Joyce Lainé and Loïc Verdillon. Since 2019, the collective has been making films together while constraining themselves to using 16 mm film.
Le Ratoire told WTOP that the collective comes out of the do-it-yourself ethos, as filmmakers use “whatever resources we have.” Speaking as a group, the Le Ratoire film collective said that the filmmaking process is just as performative as the final product of the film itself.
“We’re not behind a computer … It’s material that you’re dealing with that changes as your hands interact with it. … Like, with plant processing, literally the plants that we are encountering are making their way into the physical material and emulsion of the film … so all of this finds its way into the visual final product,” they said.
Following the 16 mm projections will be a discussion with the filmmakers. Tickets for the Rhizome event start at $10.
For more events across the D.C. area, check out WTOP’s weekly event guide below.
DC
Smithsonian Craft Fashion + Home
Through Sunday, Oct. 8, the National Building Museum is opening its doors to showcase the finest in contemporary, wearable craft and home design. “We have about 85 vendors from the country who are absolutely the best in their field, the best craft artists in America,” Kelly Gillespie, a member of the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, told WTOP’s Jason Fraley.
The Smithsonian Craft Fashion + Home event only costs $20 to enter, not including the “advance chance opening party” on Thursday that costs $125.
Nuestra Cocina at La Cosecha
On Friday, Oct. 6, the La Cosecha Market in D.C.’s NoMa neighborhood will celebrate the area Latino food scene with the National Museum of the American Latino. Culinary demonstrations will be provided on-site, but will require registration ahead of time. The event is free, but space is limited. Check WTOP’s roundup of other events celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Shakespeare Everywhere Festival
Starting Saturday, Oct. 7, the Shakespeare Everywhere Festival will host 12 shows across 12 weeks with special area events like a lecture series and a close look at volumes from the National Gallery of Art Library’s special collections.
Mortified DC at the Black Cat
Teen angst enters the limelight with the Black Cat’s Mortified show, this time celebrating stories about the “strange and extraordinary things we created as kids.” Watch as a range of participants unearth their past, whether it be stories or artifacts.
Chuseok Family Festival
Celebrate one of the biggest holidays in South Korea at the National Museum of Asian Art on Saturday. The Chuseok Family Festival will include special performances, food talks and more. The event is free, but advance registration is recommended.
Battled of the Banned
Cap off Banned Book Week at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library with Battle of the Banned. Occurring on Friday, this ticketed event honors community advocates with the second annual DC Public Library Foundation awards. There will also be a competition by D.C. librarians who will battle it out for the title of “Best Banned Book Display.”
Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival
The Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival launches this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at The Wharf. WTOP’s Jason Fraley has all you need to know about the event, which will feature several up-and-coming BIPOC comedians.
Virginia
Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour
On Oct. 6 through 8, enjoy samples from Virginia’s wineries at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate. Tickets are still available for Friday and Sunday for the Fall Wine Festival & Sunset Tour, but Saturday is sold out.
DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival
For those with a sweet tooth, be sure to head to the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival at the Dulles Expo Center this weekend. There will be over 140 vendors, plus classes, presentations and a craft table for kids.
Vienna Oktoberfest
Vienna will hoist some steins at an Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday. The free event will feature live entertainment on three stages, plus a vendor and artisans marketplace and a business expo showcase. For more Oktoberfest fun, check out WTOP’s Oktoberfest events guide.
Fall Jubilee
The 40th annual Fall Jubilee returns to Downtown Manassas on Saturday with games, craft booths and more. The family-friendly event is free to the public.
Del Ray Artisans present: Curses! Foiled Again! The Art of Swords and Sorcery
In Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, the Del Ray Artisans gallery is hosting an opening reception on Friday. The new art exhibit, “Curses! Foiled Again! The Art of Swords and Sorcery,” is all about the otherworldly, running through Oct. 28. In the coming weeks, the gallery will also host accompanying workshops, demonstrations and other events.
Wine & Watercolors
Across multiple dates in October, Shop Made in VA is offering a Wine & Watercolors event in Old Town Alexandria. Guests can wind down with this “self-guided” DIY event that is complemented with a complimentary wine tasting flight of area wineries.
Maryland
“Curving Lines” exhibition at the Takoma Park Community Center
The Takoma Park Community Center is hosting a free opening reception to the new “Curving Lines” art exhibition on Thursday. In a statement, the City of Takoma Park’s Arts and Humanities Coordinator Brendan Smith, who curated the exhibition, said, “Viewers can reach their own interpretations of the work which is untethered from traditional realistic imagery.”
Charm City Blues Festival
The Charm City Blues Festival will make its debut in Baltimore this Friday with performances by King George, Calvin Richardson, Lenny Williams, Theodis Ealey and Pokey Bear.
College Park Day
College Park Day is back on Saturday with two stages of live music and performances. Expect kids and game zones and other family entertainment like bounce houses, obstacle courses, races and games. The College Park, Maryland, event is free to the public.
Taste of Bethesda
This Saturday, head to Bethesda for the 31st annual Taste of Bethesda. WTOP’s Jason Fraley writes that this is the first Taste of Bethesda since 2019, and at least half the restaurants that will be showcased are “brand new” to Downtown Bethesda, according to Stephanie Coppula, director of marketing and communications.
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