Welcome to October, Greater Washington! You could spend your weekend in any number of cool places. Such as …
Literacy Council of Northern Virginia (at James Lee Community Center, 2855 Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA)
Love volunteering? How about education and language-learning? At a 2-day workshop, starting on Saturday at 9:30 AM, you can become a basic literacy tutor for LCNV. To sign-up: email Belle Penaranda, volunteers@lcnv.org.
Coalition for Smarter Growth (meet at south-east corner of 3rd & H Street NE — near the Capitol Bikeshares kiosk!)
At 10:00 AM on Saturday, take a walking tour with DC Councilmember Tommy Wells, discuss the future of the H Street Corridor, and explore several major redevelopment projects. Plus discover all the small businesses cropping up on H Street.
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th Street SE)
CHAW’s annual fundraising party, ArtSmash, boasts an array of entertainment from dancers to cabaret singers, including performances by a cappella group Not What You Think, and the casts of CHAWbaret & DHS Pinafore. Plus games, dance, drawing, art projects, food, friends, libations, and more! Be there: Saturday from 7:00-10:00 PM.
Bowen McCauley Dance at Dance Place (3225 8th Street NE)
Two Catalogue non-profits together! Bowen McCauley presents the audience favorite, Lucy’s Playlist, which brings ’80s pop and rock tunes to life with an amped-up performance. The energy is infectious at 8:00 PM on Saturday & 7:00 PM on Sunday.
National Philharmonic (at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, N. Bethesda, MD)
The first woman to lead a major US orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Music Director JoAnn Falletta makes her National Philharmonic debut conducting Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 9 and John Corigliano’s Red Violin Concerto on Saturday at 8:00 PM & Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets right here.
Earth Sangha (at Wild Plant Nursery at Franconia Park, Franconia Road, Springfield, VA)
About 170 species of native herbaceous and woody plants will be on offer at the Fall Sale. They need volunteers to help manage this event! They also need customers. No reason that you can’t be both: Sunday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Young Playwrights Theatre (at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th Street NW)
Catch The Fight for Family, a New Writers Now! staged reading, on Monday at 7:00 PM. New Writers Now! is a creative forum for students, artists and community members and features professional actors performing plays fresh from the classroom. Call (202) 387-9173 for more info!