Thursday
¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa at the American History Museum
1300 Constitution Ave. NW, D.C., 10:30 a.m., free
Located in the Molina Family Latino Gallery. Explore the rhythm, history and energy of salsa music through a guided tour. This is a bilingual multimedia exhibition presented by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino.
Summer Culture Hub: Textile Techniques at Montpelier Historic Site and Museum
9650 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., free. Through Sunday, July 26.
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Laurel’s Georgian plantation house hosts a weekend of family-friendly, hands-on crafting workshops. Learn about historic textile arts that would have been practiced by both enslaved artisans and wealthy landowners at this event run by the Maryland National-Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Girl Scouts block party at Franklin Park
1332 I St. NW, D.C., 6:30 p.m., free
Enjoy sweet treats and dance the night away to Be’la Dona, an all-women group performing live go-go music. There will also be food vendors, face paintings, glitter tattoos, nail art and other interactive activities for all ages.
More to explore:
Analog Dinner Nights: Mahjong! at Flor Coffee + Books
Board Game Speed Dating at Dacha Beer Garden (Shaw)
Friday
Rock the Dock: A Taylor Swift tribute at The Wharf
970 Wharf St. SW, D.C., 7 p.m., free
Every Friday night at the Transit Pier, enjoy free live music next to the water. This Friday, The Fearless Eras, a Taylor Swift tribute band, will be playing all the hits. All ages are welcome, as are dogs on leashes, and enjoying food from the Wharf’s many restaurants is encouraged.
Pianist Joyce Yang with the Baltimore Symphony at the Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD, 7:30 p.m., $35 to $112 (second show Saturday)
In early 1800s Italy, rumor had it that violinist Niccolò Paganini sold his soul to the devil in exchange for virtuosic talents. A century later, Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff arranged one of Paginini’s signature motifs into his fiendishly difficult “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.” Pianist Joyce Yang takes the devil down to Strathmore, with Lidiya Yankovskaya in the conductor’s seat.
Candlelight: ’90s Hip-Hop on Strings at National City Christian Church
5 Thomas Circle NW, 6:45 p.m., $63.50 to $100
Prefer your Snoop Dogg played by a string quartet? Fever, the national event presenter that curates romantic musical evenings outside of traditional concert halls, has arranged a memory-lane playlist including Lauryn Hill, the Notorious B.I.G. and the Wu Tang Clan, to be performed by the Listeso String Quartet.
Rooted in Resistance dinner at the Festival Center
1640 Columbia Road NW, D.C., 7 p.m., $50 to $100
Enjoy Palestinian food, art and performance at the dinner that kicks off the Rooted in Resistance: Here Eternally festival weekend, organized by the Museum of the Palestinian People. Alongside dinner, guests can experience live music, spoken word, dance, art and a moderated panel, with proceeds supporting the museum.
More to explore:
Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
D.C’s Best comedy showcase at Hotbed
Saturday
Poet Life Fest at Gateway DC pavilion
2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, D.C., Noon, free
Part of a weeklong lineup of events, Poet Life Fest is a family-friendly, daylong experience for attendees to enjoy performances of poetry and music, plus vendors, food trucks and community.
Harry Potter Day at Nationals Park
1500 South Capitol St. SE, D.C., 4:05 p.m.
As the Washington Nationals play the Arizona Diamondbacks, Nationals Park will transform into Hogwarts for Harry Potter Day. There will be a themed photo booth, face painters, balloon artists, caricaturists and a potion-making station.
“Pippin” at Signature Theatre
4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, VA, 8 p.m.
Signature Theatre will stage its final showings of “Pippin,” a coming-of-age musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. A traveling troupe of performers takes the audience through the story of Pippin, the restless heir of Charlemagne, on his quest for purpose.
More to explore:
“The Sound of Music” screening at the National Gallery of Art
“CrazySexyCool” matinee at Arena Stage (includes child care)
Ringside wrestling at Anthem Row
Sunday
District Vibes at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
901 G St. NW, D.C., 1 p.m., free (through Sept. 27)
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is celebrating America’s 250th birthday with “District Vibes / American Pride: How D.C. Changed American Culture.” The exhibit focuses on the contributions of D.C. to America, from the football hurdle to the modern blood bank.
More to explore:
District Fringe at the University of District Columbia
Piña Colada Festival at Colada Shop