🌸 Music takes over DC

Good morning, DC. It’s the last week before the holiday weekend. Soak up the last of the summer rays, get out to see a concert, and visit one of the new exhibits popping up around town.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

DC JazzFest 2025 transforms the District into a five-day citywide jazz celebration from August 27-31, with performances spanning from The Wharf's waterfront stages to historic venues in U Street, Shaw, Capitol Hill, and beyond. The festival features jazz legends including NEA Jazz Masters Ron Carter, Branford Marsalis, Gary Bartz, and the 101-year-old Marshall Allen leading the Sun Ra Arkestra. New additions to this year's lineup include DMV treasure Eric Byrd Trio celebrating their new release "Echoes of Arrival" and vocalist Allan Harris bringing his acclaimed "Poetry of Jazz" project to Union Stage. The Wharf alone will host six stages along the promenade and pier on August 30-31, offering top-tier performances alongside 80+ shops and restaurants with easy Metro access. Events DC President Angie M. Gates promises the festival will showcase "the unifying power of music" while highlighting Washington's status as a global arts capital.

The AfroPlus Festival returns to the RFK Festival Grounds this Sunday, August 31, for a full day of live music and cultural celebration featuring some of Afrobeat's biggest stars. Headliners include Nigerian sensation Asake, who blends Afropop with hip-hop, alongside rapper Gunna, soca artist Machel Montano, and Caribbean favorites Shenseea and Shatta Wale. The festival celebrates the diverse rhythms of the African diaspora, including highlife, fusion, and Caribbean sounds, creating a unique multicultural experience in Southeast DC. Food vendors will offer a variety of culinary options while cultural showcases provide context and celebration of African and Caribbean heritage throughout the day. Located at 2500 Independence Avenue SE, the event promises to transform the RFK grounds into a vibrant celebration of music, dance, and culture that highlights DC's international character.

ZomTum, a new Laos-Thai bistro from former Haad Thai owner Charles Kia, has opened at 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in the space previously occupied by Joselito near Eastern Market. Kia, who ran the popular Haad Thai restaurant on New York Avenue for 30 years before it closed in October 2024, said he had been searching for an Eastern Market location for 15 years. The restaurant's name translates to "papaya salad," which will feature prominently on the menu alongside various Thai and Lao specialties.

Nigerian fast-casual restaurant Nuli opened Monday at The Square food hall on K Street, bringing health-focused African cuisine to downtown DC with customizable bowls, wraps, salads, and nutrient-packed cold-pressed juices featuring ingredients like hibiscus, tigernut, and moringa. Founded by Nigerian food entrepreneur Ada Osakwe, the restaurant combines locally sourced produce from DMV farms with African superfoods, offering dishes like jollof rice bowls, moin-moin (steamed bean cakes), and stir-fries with fonio grain. The DC location marks Nuli's first US outpost after six successful locations in Lagos, with Osakwe aiming to introduce Americans to the nutritious side of African cuisine while supporting local agriculture.

Here’s what’s going on around DC this week:

DC JazzFest 2025 launches its five-day citywide celebration tonight with performances at The Hamilton Live and Eaton DC. The Hamilton Live presents the JazzDC All-Star Orchestra featuring Christie Dashiell, Brandee Younger, and Paul Carr, while Eaton DC hosts vocalists Heidi Martin and Reggie Bowens along with a free screening of the jazz-infused documentary "Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat."

📍 The Hamilton Live and Eaton DC | ⏰ 4 PM

Jazz guitarist, bassist, and composer Joshua Bayer performs on the Millennium Stage as part of Kennedy Center's free concert series. Bayer, who has performed at venues across the country, brings his versatile fusion of contemporary jazz styles to one of DC's most prestigious venues for an evening of accessible, world-class music.

📍 Kennedy Center | ⏰ 6:00 PM

DC JazzFest Downtown brings a free, all-day celebration to Anthem Row starting with a New Orleans-style second line parade led by funk powerhouse Brass-A-Holics. The outdoor stage will feature performances by keyboardist Benjie Porecki, all-female go-go ensemble Be'la Dona, and rising saxophone star Langston Hughes II, with prizes, merchandise giveaways, and ticket contests throughout the day.

📍 Downtown | ⏰ 7:30 PM

The National Symphony Orchestra's 95th season bursts to life with sensational pianist Yuja Wang performing Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto. The evening program also spotlights American voices with works by Copland and Carlos Simon, plus Dvořák's "New World" Symphony, making it a perfect night for both newcomers and longtime classical music fans.

📍 Kennedy Center | ⏰ 7:30 PM

Wednesday

77 🌡 60 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 10 mph

Thursday

79 🌡 63 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 8 mph

Birchmere Music Hall | Dave Koz | 7:30 PM

The Anthem | Jessie Murph | 8 PM

Soundcheck | Just A Gent | 10 PM

The Atlantis | Robert Randolph | 6:30 PM

Warner Theatre | fromis_9 | 7:30 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Shalamar | 7:30 PM

MGM National Harbor | Eladio Carrion | 8 PM

The Wolf Trap | The Australian Pink Floyd Show | 8 PM

Soundcheck | Hector Oaks | 10 PM

The Nationals fell 10-5 to the New York Yankees on Monday, with rookie Cam Schlittler dominating for New York. The Commanders finished their preseason Saturday (30-3 loss to Baltimore), DC United hosts Inter Miami on Saturday at Audi Field, the Mystics travel to New York Thursday, and the Spirit host the Chicago Stars Sunday at Audi Field.

Did You Know? DC has more wine bars per capita than almost any other US city, with the District's residents consuming more wine per person annually than any state in the nation.

Till next time,