DC – 12 Things To Do In October
Summer was slow this year but Washington, DC is open and we’re making up for loss time with these 12 things to do in October 2021. The weather is perfect and it’s a big month for the city with annual events such as 17th Street High Heel Race, Nightmare on M Street, DC Wine Fest, and more. Keep reading for some of my must-dos:
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Rock the Park DC Free Outdoor Music Series – October 2 – 30
Rock the Park DC: Check out this FREE Outdoor Concert Saturday Series in the newly re-opened Franklin Park. Bring a blanket, pack for a picnic, and enjoy live music in this beautiful park. The park has a new restroom facility and it’s open green space to social distance!
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EJB Jazz Concerts at Meridian Hill Park – October 10 – November 25
Elijah Jamal Balbed performs at Meridian Hill Park a.ka. Malcolm X Park on Sundays until Thanksgiving, weather permitting. It’s a FREE concert so bring your blanket and goodies and enjoy the smooth sounds of jazz. For more information visit Jazz Mob DC.
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DC Wine Fest – October 16
Sample premium wines from over 20 different wineries at the DC Wine Fest. Check out the participating wineries at https://dcwinefest.com.
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Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and Meshell Ndegeocello – October 21-23
Ronald K. Brown and Meshell Ndegeocella team up for a production that fuses rhythm and the history of African dance with contemporary and urban dance styles at The Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center vaccination and mask policy require patrons to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19. Masks are required except for eating and drinking. For ticket information visit The Kennedy Center.
Ronald K. Brown / Evidence
“Grace”
Fisher Center, Sosnoff Theater
Bard College
July 3, 2019
Photo Credit: Julieta Cervantes
H.E.R. – October 25
Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, musician, and Oscar winner, H.E.R. will perform at The Anthem at the Wharf on October 25 at 8:00 p.m. Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be required to enter the venue.
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Annual 17th Street High Heel Race – October 26
The 34th Annual 17th Street High Heel Race between P and S Street NW in Dupont Circle is one of DC’s most exciting, extravagant costumed drag queen race. For more visit High Heel Race.
Black Alley Band – October 31
Black Alley Band is one of DC’s funkiest Go-Go Bands. They performed for the grand re-opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and rocked the crowd. You can catch them live at The Filmore on October 31 in Silver Spring, MD.
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The Phillips Collection – Alma W. Thomas: Everything is Beautiful – October 30 – January 2022
The Phillips Collection is one of my favorite museums. As written, “The special exhibition of Alma W. Thomas: Everything is Beautiful traces her journey from semi-rural Georgia to Washington, DC becoming the first Black woman given a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art at 81.”
Visit The Phillips Collection and Alma W. Thomas Everything Beautiful.
There’s a Washington DC citywide celebration for Alma W. Thomas’ work. You also can view her collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Visit https://americanart.si.edu/visit.
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Halloween Treasure Hunt – October 13 – 31
The Mansion on O & O Street Mansion has a scavenger hunt taking you through themed rooms and secret doors searching for Autumn and Halloween themed items. Visit Mansion on O & O Street Mansion.
23rd Annual Nightmare On M Street Bar Crawl – October 30
This DC legendary Halloween Bar Crawl gives you access to numerous bars and rooftops. It’s the biggest bar crawl of the year in Dupont Circle. For more information visit Nightmare on M Street Bar Crawl.
5th Annual Frames of Fear – October 30 – 31
Frames of Fear is Adams Morgan annual Halloween animation showcase. Local artists haunt the storefronts of Adams Morgan, which is DC’s hippest, happening neighborhood.
Welcome Home: A Portrait of East Baltimore, 1975-1980
The Welcome Home: A Portrait of East Baltimore, 1975-1980 exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum captures everyday life, the celebrations, and strife members of the community face. The exhibit runs through January 17, 2022. For more visit https://americanart.si.edu/visit.
Joan Clark Netherwood, Two Viewers of the “I Am an American Day” parade, East Baltimore Street, 1977, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Endowment for the Arts, 1983.63.998
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Until next time, peace!
