Embassy Chef Challenge / Events DC
Our end-of-the-week picks for May 16-18, 2025
We've gathered up some fun things to do in DC this weekend. You can also read what else is going on during the week and throughout the month.
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Friday
Savor the Flavors
As part of Passport DC, the city’s annual celebration of international cultures hosted by Events DC, Savor the Flavors activates restaurants across the city. Taste the world on a culinary journey that stretches throughout the month of May.
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum Collection
LGBTJews in the Federal City
The exhibition is the first of its kind to explore DC history, Jewish history and LGBTQ+ history together, drawing from the Museum’s robust LGBTQ+ archive. Immerse yourself in historical and contemporary photography, artifacts and oral histories. Learn about legal milestones, far-ranging protests, change in religious spaces and vibrant cultural life. Opening in time for DC’s observation of its 50th Capital Pride celebration and as the city hosts WorldPride for the first time, LGBTJews in the Federal City offers an unprecedented opportunity to infuse Pride with local Jewish history.
Tickets
Lillian and Albert SmallCapital Jewish Museum, 575 3rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Sister Act at Ford's Theatre – Final Weekend
Based on the smash hit 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act makes for divine musical comedy at Ford’s Theatre this upcoming spring. The Tony-nominated musical follows a nightclub singer who takes to a convent to hide from the mob. Self-discovery and glorious group harmonies ensue. The play features original music by the legendary Alan Menken.
Tickets
511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Milk Tree: Pop-Up Art Installation
Blink and you'll miss it – but we suggest you don't miss it: Robin Bell's newest art installation is open and it's as sweet as it is spiky. The exhibit is called Milk Tree, after the prolific succulent species that Bell and his partner began to propagate during the COVID-19 pandemic and now have enough of to fill the windows of the Friendship Heights space that hosts the installation. All of the art – that is, the plants and the paintings – is for sale, and if you purchase, you'll take a photo and become part of the exhibit too, which focuses on the ways we are all connected. Check out the video before you stop by this thoughtful neighborhood pop-up.
More Info
5221 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20015 (near Ingraham Street)
We Are Gathered
Penned by Tarall Alvin McCraney – the screenwriter of Moonlight, one of the best films of the century so far – We Are Gathered is a can’t-miss summer show of queer love at Arena Stage. The production will be paired with a Loves Takes Center Stage immersive experience that will offer couples an incredible opportunity to exchange marriage vows on stage during select performances. The narrative follows W. Tre and Free as the two try to figure out whether they’re each other’s significant other after a chance meeting.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Saturday
Experience WorldPride in Washington, DC
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Pride in Washington, DC and we're celebrating by making it an all-out international experience. Join the momentous celebrations as the nation’s capital is painted with pride, featuring a variety of events to inspire, empower and connect the international LGBTQ+ community and their allies. The Fabric of Freedom theme emphasizes our community, woven together through our rich cultures, diverse identities and backgrounds.
More Info | Book Your Stay
Fiesta Asia!
Embrace Asian Heritage Month with a day jam-packed with culture, from the performing arts to culinary delights. The annual Fiesta Asia! takes over Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 6th streets NW with exciting performances, interactive displays, flea markets and food stalls.
Free Admission
Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd & 6th Streets NW
Falsettos
Keegan Theatre presents a modern musical that dives headlong into relationships, families, baseball, the AIDS crisis and the pains of growing up, perfectly timed for WorldPride in DC. Everyone must learn to mature when Marvin leaves his wife and son to be with his lover. Equally funny and emotionally moving, the production promises to pack a punch.
Tickets
Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
Sunday
Essex Hemphill: Take Care of Your Blessings
The Phillips Collection showcases the relationship between the trailblazing work of poet and activist Essex Hemphill and contemporary visual art in a new exhibit. Hemphill was born in Chicago and raised in DC, where he became one of the most outspoken LGBTQ+ advocates of his time, both through his poetry and the spoken word. Hemphill tragically died of an AIDS-related illness in 1995 at the age of 38, but his work powerfully lives on, as can be observed in Take Care of Your Blessings, which puts him in dialogue with artists of his time and the present.
Hours & Admission
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Go to a DC Defenders game at Audi Field
Defenders football has become a springtime tradition at Audi Field in the nation’s capital. Hard-hitting action returns so expect a rowdy atmosphere as the DC squad looks to defend home field against the Arlington (Texas) Renegades. Use the 'Tickets' link below for up to 20% off.
Tickets (up to 20% off)
Audi Field, 100 Potomac Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
Akira Kurosawa Explains His Movies and Yogurt (With Live & Active Cultures!)
Playwright Julia Izumi and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company invite audiences to a thoughtful and hilarious rumination on the amazing films and cultural contributions of Akira Kurosawa. The Japanese director is a character in the play, peering into his own filmography, discussing cultural imperialism and … yogurt. Among many other things.
Tickets
Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
Hedwig & The Angry Inch
Get ready for glam, grit, glitter and plenty of heart from the classic rock-n-roll romp when the Signature Theatre stages Hedwig & The Angry Inch this spring in its ARK Theatre. The story entails a song-stealing ex-lover, a childhood in Communist East Germany, a botched sex change operation and some of the most unforgettable songs in the history of musicals.
Tickets
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206
Places to Stay
Need some inspiration for a place to stay in between events? Washington, DC is filled with a multitude of hotels to fit your needs. Whether you are looking for that specialty boutique hotel or booking at your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all. Find your stay today!
Do you know where you’ll be dining pre- or post-event? From pop-up restaurants to award-winning hot spots to laid-back food halls, our DC food guide is perfect for helping you plan a more memorable experience.
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