Thursday
District Fringe at the Phoenix Theater
3305 Van Ness St. NW D.C., 6 p.m., $15 (Through July 26)
District Fringe returns for the second weekend of its second season with three shows in the Phoenix Theater (otherwise known as the UDC Auditorium.) But wait, you say, hasn’t Fringe been around DC much longer than two years? That’s correct. District Fringe is a new festival arising from the ashes of the Capital Fringe, which closed for good in 2024. (The peripatetic festival could not sustain the pandemic, a failed building acquisition and years of developer dodging.)
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But D.C.’s DIY theatermakers are a resilient bunch. Thursday’s lineup includes a pirate cabaret, a profanely titled puppet show and a play about the cutthroat world of high school volleyball. Other weekend highlights include the debut of “Well,” a one-man musical by local impresario Rex Daugherty.
The Ubiquity of Jazz at IA&A at Hillyer
9 Hillyer Ct. NW D.C., 6 p.m.; Free
Tucked away in the shadow of the Phillips Collection, IA&A Hillyer gallery consistently displays the best work of local artists, plus international work and cool ancillary programming. July’s “Third Thursday” event is a free jazz concert inspired by “Ubiquitous Ghosts,” an installation by Taiwanese artist Tao Ya-Lun. The trio features Noble Jolly Jr. on piano, Blake Meister on bass and Integriti Reeves on vocals. A free panel on art and generative AI is also scheduled for Saturday.
More to explore:
Summer Movies on the Lawn: “Rocky” at the Library of Congress
Friday
“Adrift” at Round House Theatre
4545 East-West Hwy., Bethesda, $20 to $40 (Through Aug. 2)
Nothing signifies the DMV’s supportive theater community better than one company hosting another’s birthday party. Props to Round House Theatre for celebrating the 20th anniversary of Happenstance, a collective of multi-hyphenate performers who specialize in historically informing clowning (i.e. no red noses). The summer show is “Adrift: A Medieval Wayward Folly,” featuring puppetry, sets and costumes inspired by the bonkers 500-year-old paintings of Heironymos Bosch. Tickets for Friday’s opening night include a pre-show birthday party.
Beyonce vs. Beyonce Dance Party at The Atlantis
2047 9th St. NW D.C., 8 p.m., $26
It’s a big night for the Beyhive, with Cowboy Carter’s crew facing off against Sasha Fierce stans at a dance party at the Atlantis. Cash prizes for the best dancer and best dressed fan.
More to explore:
Smithsonian Dreams Art Installation at the Smithsonian Castle
Garden Party at the Embassy of France
Saturday
“Crafternoon” workshops at the ALX Zen Center
1501 Duke St. #150, Alexandria, 12 p.m., $39
Tie dye may be past its peak resurgence, but traditional Japanese Shibori textile art never goes out of style. ALX Zen Center is hosting a series of Saturday “Crafternoon” workshops, starting with a class that sends participants (ages 14 and up) home with a Shibora silk scarf.
Trombone Shorty at Wolf Trap
1551 Trap Road, Vienna, 7 p.m., $62 to $111
New Orleans neo-soul celebrates an old soul Saturday when Trombone Shorty and Baltimore-founded duo The War and Treaty share the Filene Center stage with Mavis Staples. The Americana gospel legend turned 87 last week, and has only a handful of U.S. dates on her summer schedule. Attending is an act of patriotism.
More to explore:
Lotus and Lily Festival, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
LibraryFest, Arlington Central Library
Sunday
“High Society” screening at The National Gallery of Art
4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW D.C., 2 p.m., Free
Can’t afford to vacation in Newport, R.I., but craving a scenic break from the D.C. heat? The National Gallery of Art continues its “Lyrics in Motion: Great American Musicals” series with a screening of “High Society,” a 1956 film that stars Golden Age A-lister’s Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, all singing the music of Cole Porter. (Kelly is also hoofing it on Saturday, when the museum screens “American in Paris.”)
Carlise Floyd’s “Susannah” at Shakespeare Opera Theatre
8991 Brook Road, McLean, Va., 2:30 p.m., $39 to $59
Washington may not be home to destination summer music festivals, but we do have Shakespeare Opera Theatre, a small professional company focused on the intersection of music and literature. Floyd’s “Susannah,” a classic American opera about the dangers of valuing outward religion more than personal truth, closes out the season.
More to explore:
World Cup Final watch parties at FIFA Fan Zone (National Mall), The Wharf and Starr Hill Biergarten in Tysons