Celebrate the warmer weather at a local music festival, a Saturday night comedy show, or a film screening — all free!
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Find even more events in our Civics Roundup, which focuses on ways to get more involved locally.
May is coming to a close, meaning that summer is approaching quickly. Celebrate that warmer weekends are here at one of many musical performances, including Petworth Porthfest and the reopening of the Anacostia Community Museum. The weekend also features a sneaker event and a class on how to make flower bouquets.
THURSDAY, MAY 28
Future-Proofing D.C.’s Flora
📍 U.S. Botanic Garden (100 Maryland Ave. SW)
⏰ 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
💸 FREE, registration required
D.C.’s native plants are under threat. At this event, a panel of local experts will discuss plant-seed saving and habitat restoration in the nation’s capital and nationwide. Show up early to try food and beverages from the team behind the now-closed Petworth restaurant Magpie and the Tiger!
Author event: Jamilah Lemieux, Black. Single. Mother.
📍 Politics and Prose at Union Market (1324 4th St. NE)
⏰ 7 – 8 p.m.
💸 FREE
Going out on Thursdays is worth it, we promise! Catch feminist writer Jamilah Lemieux in conversation with Glory Edim, founder of Brooklyn-based book club Well-Read Black Girl. Lemieux’s new book dives into the perspectives and journeys of Black single mothers, including the writer’s personal experiences. Reminder: Seating is first-come, first-served.
FRIDAY, MAY 29
“We Make History”: After Dark
📍 Anacostia Community Museum (1901 Fort Pl. SE)
⏰ 7 – 10 p.m.
💸 FREE (21+ only)
The Anacostia Community Museum, which had been closed since January, will officially reopen to the public on May 30. At this event, get early access to their newest exhibition, which goes into the history of the District and what makes it special. The evening also features a musical performance by saxophonist and pianist Marcus Mitchell and his band.
Film screening: Devi
📍 National Museum of Asian Art (1100 Independence Ave. SW)
⏰ 7 – 8:45 p.m.
💸 FREE, registration recommended
Iconic Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s Devi explores issues of free will, fanaticism, religious orthodoxy, and patriarchal power structures. The screening of the restored 1960 film is part of a series — with Days and Nights in the Forest playing on Sunday, May 31.
The North Country Single Release Show with Dylan Rockwell and Kinda Evil
📍 Songbyrd Music House (540 Penn St. NE)
⏰ 7 p.m.
💸 $17-21
The North Country is part of a long history of D.C. bands who use their music to explore — and draw attention to — social and political issues. Hear new music from the group on Friday night at Songbyrd, and show up early to hear the two local openers!
SATURDAY, MAY 30
Petworth Porchfest
📍 Various locations
⏰ 2 – 8 p.m.
💸 FREE
Adams Morgan Porchfest, last held a few weeks ago, has become really crowded — but Petworth Porchfest remains a low-key community affair. There will be musical performances of genres such as go-go, rock, funk, soul and jazz. Get a group of friends together and wander the streets listening to local music!
New Balance Appreciation Day 2026
📍 Metrobar (640 Rhode Island Ave. NE)
⏰ 3 – 8 p.m.
💸 FREE
Sneaker culture is alive and well — and in D.C., you can’t talk about sneakers without bringing up New Balance. Beats, Bars & Bourbon and Metrobar host a third annual day of appreciation for the brand, featuring sneaker galleries, giveaways, food trucks and music. What an opportunity to show off your favorite pair!
“Echo/Location: Exploring the Extra-Sensory”: A conversation with artist Imar Lyman
📍 The Kreeger Museum (2401 Foxhall Rd. NW)
⏰ 3 – 4 p.m.
💸 FREE for museum members and those under 18, $15 for everyone else
Imar Lyman’s solo exhibition, which opened at the museum and former residence last month, includes collage, paintings, sculptures, and prints around the theme of how “echoes” from the past guide us in the present. Explore the galleries earlier in the day, then hear directly from Lyman and curator Rhea L. Combs at this afternoon event.
Comedy show: Unofficial Late Night
📍 Millennium Stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2700 F St. NW)
⏰ 6 p.m.
💸 FREE
Live from the Kennedy Center … it’s Saturday night? Unofficial Late Night — a comedy group that blends stand-up, sketch, and improv — booked a four-show residency at the performing arts space’s free Millennium Stage. Saturday marks their final show! Don’t miss the chaos.
SUNDAY, MAY 31
Jazz In The Heights
📍Sycamore & Oak (1110 Oak Dr. SE, Suite 9)
⏰ 12 – 8 p.m.
💸 $8
Love jazz? Listen to local musicians with your neighbors at this annual Congress Heights series, which this year is also celebrating go-go’s 50th birthday. This Sunday’s lineup, hosted by Keyonna Jones, features Chelsey Green, Debórah Bond, Akua Allrich, and Miss H.E.R.
Film: Shanghai Express
📍 Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library (3310 Connecticut Ave. NW)
⏰ 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
💸 FREE
On the last day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, check out Shanghai Express for free in the Ward 3 library. Released in the early 1930s, the film features Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Chinese-American movie star.
Bouquet Crafting & Flower Design
📍 Edgewood Community Farm (2304 2nd St. NE)
⏰ 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
💸 $20
Get off your phone, at least for the afternoon, at this flower-arranging class. You’ll learn how to make bouquets you can appreciate all week, with flowers you’ll pick yourself!
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source 51st.news ’
