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The 35 best things to do in D.C. this weekend and next week


Earth Day isn’t enough for the crunchy city of Takoma Park, which celebrates a whole Earth Month, including a party in Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park. Join for a guided tree walk, face painting, snow cones and art activities. (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.) At the annual Earth Day Fairfax at the Sully Historic Site, kids can learn about the science of weather forecasting, do experiments, meet farm animals or visit a touch-a-truck exhibit, while adults enjoy live music, yoga and ax throwing, or visit the local craft beer garden. (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free; $10 parking.) The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery team up for the Earth Day Family Festival, with live music, scavenger hunts, curator talks and, of course, hands-on art activities. (11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.) The Anacostia Community Museum’s Honor Earth festival features walking tours, chalk art, a clothing swap, exhibitors talking about plant care and D.C.’s tree canopy, and youth cooking and tasting demos. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.)

Red Bull Showrun and Formula One viewing party

Continuing with the F1 action (see Friday), Red Bull shuts down Pennsylvania Avenue between Third and Seventh streets NW for the Showrun, with 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard driving an RB7 Formula One car along a closed course between 4 and 6 p.m. Gates open at 1:30 p.m., with food and drinks and interactive activities. Red Bull’s FAQ for the event says, “If possible, please bring and wear ear protection.” That evening, the D.C. Motorsport Community hosts a viewing party for the Chinese Grand Prix at Duke’s Grocery in Navy Yard. Since the race doesn’t begin until 3 a.m. Eastern time, there’s a pre-party starting at 10:30 p.m. with DJs Alex Love and Farrah Flosscett, drink specials, and a late-night food menu. Duke’s is open until 6 a.m., with the race and F1 TV data screens on all TVs.

Rooftop Beer Fest at Hi-Lawn

The spacious Hi-Lawn bar atop Union Market is planning an epic picnic on its faux-green grass: The inaugural Rooftop Beer Fest brings in 16 brewers to pour unlimited samples. D.C. favorites like Anxo, Atlas Brew Works, DC Brau and Right Proper Brewing are joined by out-of-town producers, including Two Roads Brewing, Allagash and Sierra Nevada. (Nonalcoholic beer will be available, too.) Hi-Lawn is grilling brats all day, or you can snag tacos from Little Miner Taco and Nashville-style hot chicken sandwiches from pop-up Little Hot Chicken. Lawn games and live music round out the afternoon fun. Two three-hour sessions begin at noon and 4 p.m. Noon to 7 p.m. $40-$50.

‘The Big Lebowski’ parties

While shooting “The Big Lebowski,” Jeff Bridges, who played Jeffrey “the Dude” Lebowski, would ask the Coen brothers, “Did the Dude burn one before this scene?” That should tell you why viewing the 26-year-old classic has become a tradition on 4/20. The Alamo Drafthouse theaters in D.C. and Crystal City are hosting their trademark interactive “movie parties” that involve props, such as glow sticks and mini bowling balls for audience members, as well as themed drinks. (7 p.m. $16.) Meanwhile, the annual Big Lebowski Experience at Pearl Street Warehouse is a fittingly weird immersive experience, with costumed characters portraying roles from the film onstage while a band performs the movie’s soundtrack. You’ll just have to trust us on this one. Costumes encouraged. (7 p.m. doors. $16.50-$30.)

Record Store Day at Love People Records

Record Store Day returns with some sought-after vinyl — a single with Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan covering each other’s songs; a new Pearl Jam album; a 1996 De La Soul concert recording — that will bring lines to local record stores. Byrdland near Union Market has a waiting list for Saturday morning appointments; at Annapolis’s Ka-Chunk, people have been known to get in line as early as midnight. If you’re making the day a vibe instead of just hunting for limited-release records, though, head to Kensington. Love People Records — one of our favorite recent arrivals — is shutting down Fawcett Street for the day, with DJs, live music from Oddisee and Rack-Lo, live painting, and food and drinks. Noon to 6 p.m. Free.

Taylor Swift Karaoke at Quincy Hall

Ballston’s Quincy Hall marked the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” with a Halloween karaoke contest — a gambit so popular that the venue is resurrecting it for an album of new material. Get there early to sign up for classic hits or new material, sip on themed cocktails, and sing along with whoever’s on the mic. Specials include $3 pizza slices and $3 jello shots from 9 p.m. until close. 9:30 p.m. Free.

National Park “Week” is actually bigger than the name suggests: The celebration of America’s national parks stretches to nine days, each constructed around a different theme, such as conservation on Earth Day (Monday) or Junior Ranger Day (April 27). The fun starts Saturday with “Discovery,” when entrance fees are waived at parks across the country. In the D.C. region, this includes Great Falls Park and Great Falls Tavern, Fort McHenry, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and Prince William Forest Park. This is a busy day for parks, so early arrival is recommended. Through April 28. Free on Saturday; prices vary other days.

Brookside Gardens Plant Sale

We’re fully into plant sale season, which is a boon for anyone who needs a nudge to start beautifying their patio or backyard. Enjoy a day out at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, exploring the Japanese-style garden or the colorful azaleas, before browsing small plants, shrubs and trees for sale and getting advice on care and feeding from the gardens’ horticulturists. Proceeds benefit the public garden. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free.

The reliably charming Georgetown House Tour provides a rare chance to peep inside historic homes in one of the city’s best-known neighborhoods, and the properties on this year’s tour feature intriguing backstories. For example, Archie Roosevelt Jr. — a grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt — and his wife, Selwa, restored a house on N Street NW from near ruin to splendor in the 1950s, while a brick rowhouse on P Street NW was once home to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and his wife, Nancy. Some are just drop-dead gorgeous: One house on S Street NW features a small pool and a backyard pond right in the middle of bustling Georgetown. Stick around after your walking tour for a refined snack during the Parish Tea at St. John’s Episcopal Church from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., stocked with desserts from partners like Georgetown Cupcake and Olivia Macaron. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $60 in advance, $65 on the day of the tour.

Zwanze Day at the Sovereign

Every year, cult Brussels brewery Cantillon releases a brand-new beer that’s exclusively available at parties taking place simultaneously (or mostly simultaneously) around the world, from Shanghai to Thessaloniki, and Sydney to Stockholm. D.C.’s participant is, of course, the Belgian beer bar the Sovereign. Head to Georgetown for a day of celebration, with seven Cantillon lambic beers on draft, and seven others, including rare vintages, in bottles. This year’s Zwanze Day beer is a typically unusual offering: a two-year-old lambic blended with sea lettuce and fermented underwater in abalone cages in France. How does it taste? You’ll have to wait until the mass toast at 3 p.m. Eastern time. There are no tickets, so arrive early. 10 a.m. Free admission.

Chacho’s Spicy Margarita Launch Party

When Chacho, the D.C.-based distillers of a spicy, jalapeño-infused aguardiente, announced the release of a canned cocktail earlier this month, the press release from the founder sounded as surprised as anyone else. “Are we a few years late to the party? Yes. Are there already hundreds of established big-name brands to compete with? Also yes.” Chacho does have a secret weapon, though: Its spicy spirit, which is found on bars across the city, is the backbone of an award-winning margarita served in the distillery tasting room. To mark the arrival of the canned Spicy Margarita in stores, Chacho is hosting a launch party with food trucks and tastings at the distillery. 1 to 5 p.m. Free.





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