🌸 My kingdom for some Fall weather

Good morning, DC. On this day in 1881, President James Garfield died from blood poisoning after being shot at DC's Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. How’s that for a weekend mood? From 19th century medical disasters to 21st century whiskey, DC knows how to make history one way or another.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

Fall festival season officially kicks off tomorrow with Cox Farms unveiling their 180-foot Safari Slide, the biggest in their 42-year history—visible from Braddock Road if you've been wondering what that massive structure was all about. Rock Creek Park celebrates turning 135 with "Punk Rocks!" blending DC's legendary Fort Reno punk spirit with astronomy programs and archeology walks this weekend and next. Aaron Cox-Leow calls the eight-lane Safari Slide years in the making, though the farm lost their iconic sunflower barn to fire back in February (locals will remember that heartbreaker). Meanwhile, families can catch Thomas the Tank Engine at the National Children's Museum, score vintage Capitals bobbleheads at their garage sale, or join 170 artists showing at Annmarie Sculpture Garden if the inevitable Cox Farms weekend crowds aren't your thing. Tickets for the big farms run $10-25 and they're online-only this year, so don't show up empty-handed expecting to pay at the gate like it's 2019.

The District's DIY publishing world is experiencing what Joint Custody's Ambrose Nzams calls a "paper boom," with more creators firing up their printers than anytime in the past two decades. John R. Davis, once Q and Not U's drummer and now University of Maryland curator, chronicles this analog resurgence in his upcoming book "Keep Your Ear to the Ground," tracing how photocopied pamphlets built DC's legendary punk scene one stapled page at a time. Nzams stocks both vintage Dischord Records zines from 1989 and fresh titles from Instagram creators at his shop, where they're also selling "U.S. Out of D.C." tees with proceeds going to local mutual aid (subtle, guys). The DC Punk Archive has been squirreling away these paper artifacts since 2014, preserving everything from hardcore show fliers to personal essays that would've vanished into the internet's memory hole years ago. Save November 1st for DC Zinefest at MLK Library, where hundreds of makers will prove that sometimes the most radical act is hitting print instead of post.

From wiener dog races at The Wharf's Oktoberfest to jousting knights at Maryland's Renaissance Festival, the region's fall lineup reads like someone threw every possible theme at a calendar and called it good. Snallygaster commands Pennsylvania Avenue October 12th with 450 craft beers from 175 breweries (tickets already climbing past $75), while Mount Vernon pairs Virginia wines with sunset estate tours and the Ukrainian Festival brings kozak beer gardens to Silver Spring. Pro tip: even November events are selling out now, so grab those early bird tickets before you're stuck watching Instagram stories of everyone else hoisting steins and racing dachshunds.

Patricia Lockwood kicks off the literary circuit September 24th at Politics and Prose with her COVID-addled novel where she put deodorant on her face and read "Anna Karenina so hard I almost died" (actual quote from the Booker finalist). The National Museum of American History parks two classic Chevy Impalas in their new lowrider exhibit while the Hirshhorn goes maximalist with just ten massive installations taking over their entire space through 2027. December brings the circus to town with "Water for Elephants" at the National Theatre, complete with high-wire acts and puppetry that somehow recreates Depression-era big top magic without actual elephants or economic collapse.Retry

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

Kalorama | The Parent Trap | Outdoor '90s flick screening at Mitchell Park with light refreshments | Sunset

Navy Yard | Back to the Yards | Retro arcade games, board game battles, and glow-in-the-dark swag at Yards Park | 5:30 PM

Nationals Park | BBQ & Barrels | Unlimited whiskey tastings from 100+ bottles plus local BBQ and live music | 7 PM

H Street Corridor | H Street Festival | 20th anniversary bash with 200+ exhibitors and 80+ food vendors spanning 12 blocks | 12 PM

National Mall | National Mall of Pickleball | Free pickleball courts, clinics, and tournaments at 12th Street by Smithsonian Metro | All day

Anacostia | Anacostia Youth Media Festival | Youth filmmaking workshops, screenings, and competition awards on day two | 2 PM

Columbia Heights | Columbia Heights Day | 17th annual neighborhood fest with vendor market, beer fest, and live music | All day

Friday

86 🌡 66 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 6 mph

Saturday

76 🌡 64 | 🌧️ 15% | 💨 7 mph

Sunday

75 🌡 60 | 🌧️ 20% | 💨 7 mph

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The Anthem | Alabama Shakes with The Budos Band | 7 PM

The Atlantis | Cafune | 7:30 PM

The Theater at MGM National Harbor | Maxwell | 8 PM

The Hamilton Live | Ryan Adams | 8 PM

The Fillmore - Silver Spring | Shoreline Mafia | 8 PM

9:30 Club | Wet Leg with mary in the junkyard | 8 PM

Soundcheck | Showtek | 10 PM

Echostage | Twinsick | 10 PM

9:30 Club | Camper Van Beethoven | 6 PM

Black Cat | Geordie Greep | 7 PM

The Howard Theatre | B.o.B | 7 PM

The Atlantis | Fazerdaze | 7:30 PM

The Theater at MGM National Harbor | Maxwell with Yola | 8 PM

EagleBank Arena | Conan Gray with Hemlocke Springs | 8 PM

Filene Center at The Wolf Trap | Steve Winwood | 8 PM

The Hamilton Live | Ryan Adams | 8 PM

The Anthem | Polo & Pan | 8 PM

Soundcheck | OMNOM | 10 PM

The Theater at MGM National Harbor | Lorna Shore | 6:30 PM

The Atlantis | Night Moves with Rachel Bobbitt | 6:30 PM

Tally Ho | Michael Schenker Group | 7 PM

9:30 Club | Durand Jones with The Psycodelics | 7 PM

Lincoln Theatre | Young The Giant with Cassandra Coleman | 8 PM

EagleBank Arena | Los Angeles Azules | 8 PM

The Fillmore - Silver Spring | Matt Maltese | 8 PM

The Howard Theatre | Rio Da Yung OG | 8 PM

The 1-1 Commanders welcome the Las Vegas Raiders to Northwest Stadium Sunday at 1 PM, but their sophomore QB Jayden Daniels remains questionable with a knee sprain suffered against Green Bay. Daniels hasn't practiced all week and is pushing to play while the team urges caution, with veteran Marcus Mariota ready to step in if needed after completing 77% of his passes in limited action this season. After opening with a 21-6 win over the Giants, Washington dropped a tough 27-18 loss to the Packers where they also lost RB Austin Ekeler for the season. Head to Tom's Watch Bar in Navy Yard with its 100 HDTVs and stadium screens, or hit up Sports & Social on U Street for game-day specials and FanDuel betting kiosks.

Marcus from Petworth - Priya from Capitol Hill - Elena from Dupont Circle

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Till next time,