Saturday, Sept. 30
Return to menuOpera in the Outfield at Nationals Park
Baseball fans who love opera and vice versa won’t want to miss Opera in the Outfield, the Washington National Opera’s free alfresco opera broadcast, which returns to Nationals Park this September after a stint at Audi Field last year. Arrive early to snag a great spot on the outfield grass (seating is first come, first served), and check out pre-show entertainment, including crafts for little ones, photo ops, prize giveaways and performances by local artists. The main event begins at 7 p.m. with a screening of Puccini’s classic romance “La Bohème,” which WNO reimagined with a post-World War I Paris setting during the company’s 2022-2023 season. 7 p.m.; gates open at 5 p.m. for pre-opera activities. Free.
D.C. Coffee Festival at Union Market
Find a new favorite morning brew at the first D.C. Coffee Festival, which promises a highly caffeinated Saturday at Union Market’s Dock Five event space. More than two dozen DMV roasters and coffee shops will be on hand to talk beans and pour sips, since coffee tastings are included in the admission price. Try drinks from Hyattsville’s Vigilante Coffee Company; Adams Morgan’s Others Coffee; Takoma’s Lost Sock Roasters; and farther-flung outfits, including Red Rooster Coffee from Floyd, Va., and Open Seas Coffee Roasters of Stevensville, Md. The day is divided into morning and afternoon sessions — general admission for the early session is already sold out — and besides downing many cups of coffee, you can check out live music and food for sale from vendors like Bullfrog Bagels. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with early admission tickets granting access at 9 a.m., and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. $29-$69.
50 States Bike Ride
D.C. cartophiles probably know that there’s a street in D.C. named for each of the 50 states, but only the most hardcore have traversed them all. And by “most hardcore,” we mean the people who take part in the Washington Area Bicyclist Association’s annual 50 States Ride. This 60-mile adventure covers all corners of the District, from broad avenues to neighborhood streets, with, organizers say, “more than 200 turns and too many stop signs to count.” If the main event is too much, there’s also the 30-mile Roundabout Route, focused on traffic circles, and the more leisurely Triangle Route. All routes feature ride marshals, pit stops and an after-party at Kraken Kourts in Edgewood. (Rides were originally scheduled for Sept. 23 but postponed due to weather.) Start times vary. $45-$95.
10 Years of Atlas Brew Works
Atlas Brew Works has had a busy first decade. It’s expanded beyond its Ivy City brewery to open a second location near Nationals Park, and its beers continue to rack up awards, most recently gold and bronze medals for Silent Neighbor Stout at this year’s World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival, respectively, and a first-ever win at the local Battle of the Barrel-Aged Beers competition. There’s more in the pipeline, too, with new brewery taprooms announced for Anacostia and Alexandria. But this weekend, it’s time to celebrate the first 10 years. The brewery’s 10th anniversary celebration at its Ivy City home includes $5 beers all day, multiple bands, free pinball and arcade games, and face painting and henna tattoos. Food trucks supply the eats. Start practicing your fastballs for the charity dunk tank, where you can soak local celebrities, including D.C. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), to help children whose parents are battling cancer. Noon to 5 p.m. $20; includes one beer.
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Because Science Festival in Adams Morgan
Science fans of all ages are welcome at this weekend-long fest, but budding boffins might particularly enjoy sessions in slime making, space painting and paper airplane engineering. There will also be guest presenters, science demonstrations and a live musical performance by Charming Disaster, whose show includes the tale of chemist and radioactivity researcher Marie Curie. Through Sunday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free.
Y2K Flea Market at Songbyrd Music House
The thrifting market returns with offerings of vintage and contemporary clothing, home goods, and tooth gems. Expect size-inclusive options from vendors like Unni’s Closet and No Encores Club. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.
Oktoberfest at the Roost
The Potomac Avenue food hall is going all in on Oktoberfest. The Shelter beer bar offers a dozen festive drafts — six from the United States, including Live Oak and Schilling, and six German options, like Schönram and Hofstetten. Red Apron Butcher is grilling bratwurst and bratwurst burgers, while Slice Joint has created a currywurst pizza. The Alpine Players provide an oompah soundtrack, and there are stein-holding contests for adults and kids. Noon to 6 p.m. Free admission.
Fall Makers Market in Downtown Silver Spring
Getting an early start on your holiday shopping? Gaithersburg’s Locally Crafted, a shop showcasing pottery, jewelry and other products crafted by local makers, is bringing more than three dozen vendors to Ellsworth Drive for an outdoor bazaar. The day also includes live music and food vendors. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.
Boulderfest at the Bouldering Project
The Eckington climbing gym is hosting a community celebration with food trucks, raffles and three competitions. Climbers can sign up for the beginner, intermediate and advanced competitions for a chance to win prizes from sponsors. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. $60-$65.
Livwutang at Owl Room
This New York-based DJ has an ear for beats that feel sleek, sumptuous, moody, maybe even lonely. “I pretty much always go out alone,” she told Mixmag of her personal clubbing habits this year. There is, of course, a difference between loneliness and solitude. You might better learn it by dancing to a Livwutang set. 10 p.m. $11.33-$15.
Foots x Coles at Songbyrd
Bradley “Foots” McDonald and Arami “Coles” Coleman met in 2012 on campus while in the music program at Bowie State University. While they were playing in a group called Marlee in the Mixx, they gravitated toward each other’s taste, spanning jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop and beyond. As Foots x Coles — with the former serving as drummer-singer-songwriter and the latter as producer-singer-pianist — the duo has established itself with a wide-ranging sound that might have been called “alternative” when its first project dropped in 2016 but has since been adopted by a generation of artists and audiences that have moved beyond genre. Recent years have seen the duo tweak the formula, from complementing its grooves and moods with woozy synth washes and drum machine clatter on “Thoughts on a Friday” to the jazzy freakouts of “A Happy Home” to cool-hued synth-funk that lives up to the title of “Azure.” 8 p.m. $17.
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