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May closed out busy as we said goodbye to D.C.'s favorite little cherry tree, Stumpy, and hello to the prospect of new giant panda bears in the National Zoo.
And as if that emotional roller coaster wasn't enough, we're holding out hope for good weekend weather. Storm Team4's Chuck Bell says Friday and Saturday are looking nice, but showers are possible on Sunday. Keep an eye on the forecast here.
Weekend highlights
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Pride Month kicks off
Pride Month kicks off with celebrations in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun in Virginia, plus Annapolis and Rockville in Maryland. These community festivals are free and have activities for the whole family.
If you're ready to party – with an Olympian – for a good cause, look no further than the Pride! at the Disco Brunch presented by Worthy Mentoring! Carson Kressley will host the party with performances, live music, bottomless food and drink. Olympic gold medalist and WNBA Seimone Augustus will be honored as the 2024 Worthy Mentor Honoree. Tickets cost $200.
On Wednesday, The Weekend Scene newsletter subscribers will get our Pride Guide newsletter packed with pro tips for Capital Pride's biggest weekend (June 7-9).
Free pick
Opera Italiana is in the Air
Sat., 6 to 7:30 p.m., The Lincoln Memorial, free
🔗 Details
Arias and symphonies will waft over the Lincoln Memorial for Opera Italiana is in the Air. Don’t worry about tickets or dress codes – just show up (perhaps with a blanket to soften seating on the Lincoln Memorial steps).
"For over 400 years, opera was considered 'pop' music and only very recently wrongly perceived as music for the elite. In its purest form, it is sheer entertainment for everyone,” maestro and founder Alvise Casellati said in a release, encouraging everyone to give opera music a try.
More summer jams
Free concerts will pop up at parks, the MLK Library rooftop and town squares all summer long - here's our guide.
Some highlights include:
- Already underway in D.C., there’s live band karaoke at The Wharf on Saturdays and Fridays at Fort Totten.
- In Virginia, kick off Reston’s Fab Fridays with a Tom Petty tribute band. Or try Herndon’s Friday Night Live! featuring a cover band doing dance, rock, country and pop.
- In Maryland, get patriotic with National Harbor’s Salute the Sunset on Saturdays or funky as Higher Hands plays Bowie’s Summer Sunset this Sunday.
Free pick
Pageant of Positive Masculinity
Sat., noon, 205 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg
🔗 Details
Mr. Leesburg will be crowded at Crooked Run Fermentation in Leesburg on Saturday. Last year, the bartenders and some other dudes competed in “talent,” “swimsuit,” “interview” and other categories to vie for the coveted title and raise money for charity.
This year, $12,000 and counting is being raised for LAWS which seeks to empower victims of domestic and sexual violence so that they may live lives free from fear, anxiety and danger.
Free pick
Occoquan Riverfest & Craft Show
Sat. and Sun., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Occoquan, Virginia
🔗 Details
Browse the work of more than 250 artisans, enjoy live concerts in River Mill Park and walk down the environmentally-conscious Conservation Alley.
Head down on Saturday for the Whatever Floats Your Boat Parade or Sunday for the Duck Splash, where hoards of rubber ducks “race” down the river to benefit a good cause.
Concerts this weekend
Dwight Yoakim, 5:30 p.m. Friday, The Anthem, $55-$125
No intro necessary, right? But a cool venue to catch the iconic country singer-songwriter who achieved major popular and critical success over a four-decade career while remaining outlaw. Well-traveled, long-lived (with a couple of extended breaks) country band The Mavericks, with plenty of songs on the country charts to their record, open. Details.
Shannon and the Clams, 8 p.m. Saturday, The Black Cat, $25 (advance)/$30 (day of)
Garage punks have mined the sounds of early pop and rock ‘n’ roll, psychedelia and R&B for a decade-and-a-half, with songs both rollicking and poignant. The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach produced their latest album, “The Moon Is in the Wrong Place.” Don’t miss DJ Baby Alcatraz’s set to open the night – crate-digger supreme unearths rock ‘n’ roll jams you’ll wonder why you haven’t heard before. Details.
Things to do in D.C.
DanceAfrica DC
Thurs. to Sat., Dance Place in Northeast, free
“Mindbender Mansion” at the National Children’s Museum
Through Sept. 2, included with admission
Mystics vs. Dream in Women Game Changers theme night
Weds., May 29, 7 p.m., Entertainment and Sports Arena
Spring Night Market
Weds. and Thurs., 5-11 p.m., Hi-Lawn at Union Market, free entry
Jeff Goldblum and the The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Thurs., 8 p.m., The Lincoln Theatre, $55-$149
NGA First Saturdays
Sat., National Gallery of Art, free
Fiesta Asia Street Fair
11 a.m. to 7 p.m., downtown D.C., free
Daybreaker PEACE TOUR yoga and dance party
Sat., 8 a.m., The Kennedy Center, $25-$40
The Biggest Beyoncé Block Party Ever
Sun., 2-8 p.m., The Bullpen in Southeast D.C., $10-$100
Cleveland Park Day
Sun., noon to 5 p.m., free
Pixar Putt
The Wharf, $32+ for adults
What to do in Maryland
Shake it Off in Gaithersburg: A Taylor Swift Sing-A-Long
Fri., 8:30 p.m., Concert Pavilion, free
Taste of Riverworks festival
Sat., Poolesville, Maryland, free
Asia on the Creek
Sat., noon to 5 p.m., Carroll Creek Amphitheatre in Frederick, free
Outdoor film screening: "Bee Movie"
Sun., 6 p.m., National Harbor, free
Things to do in Virginia
Watch the finale of Bravo’s “Summer House”
Thurs., 8-10 p.m., The Boro in Tysons, free, check in for a free drink ticket
Sari-Sari Pop-Up Night Market
Fri., 5-10 p.m., UPSIDE on Moore in Arlington, free entry
Celebrate South Riding carnival
Fri. and Sat., $10 admission
Old Town Alexandria Scavenger Hunt benefitting Inova Alexandria Hospital
Sat., 1-4 p.m., $15
SummerFest w/Eric Bellinger and more
Sun., noon to 8 p.m., Lerner Town Square in Tysons, $51+
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