🌸 Your guide to what's going on this weekend

Good morning, DC. I’ll say it, fall is here. Whether the weather decides to confirm that this weekend or not. Take one last summer friday and go check out a new restaurant or one of the many events going on around town this weekend.

In today’s District Download:

Let’s get to it.

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off September 14 at Prince George's Publik Playhouse, launching a month of celebrations that transform DC into a sprawling Latin cultural showcase—from AFI Silver's multi-week film festival to the National Mall's new lowrider exhibit. The real spectacle comes September 27-28 when Fiesta DC takes over downtown, complete with a Constitution Avenue parade featuring flags from 17 nations, though locals might remember when this tradition started humbly in Mount Pleasant back in the '70s. Beyond the headline act, the calendar packs in everything from Latinas in Aviation demos at College Park to Wednesday night concerts at Met Park, plus the National Portrait Gallery's Fotos y Recuerdos festival with Selena-themed coloring stations and Frida Kahlo crown-making. With DC's Latino community now representing the third-largest ethnic group at 11.7% of the population, events deliberately span the region—acknowledging that the cultural heart extends well beyond any single neighborhood. Most events are free (though AFI's festival pass runs $200 for film buffs), and the whole celebration runs through October 15, giving procrastinators plenty of time to catch the salsa lessons or finally try that pupusa everyone keeps talking about.

Ten years after revolutionizing Broadway, Hamilton lands in local movie theaters September 5 with exclusive new footage, while Virginia and DC sites milk their Founding Father connections with specialty tours that let fans live their "look around, look around" fantasies. Mount Vernon runs twice-daily Hamilton-themed tours exploring Washington's role as the musical's moral center (and yes, they'll discuss why Hamilton never actually visited the estate), while Alexandria's Gadsby's Tavern—where the real gang actually hung out—offers a November "BFF & Frenemies" tour diving into the founding drama. The theatrical release includes "Reuniting the Revolution," new interviews with the original Broadway cast reflecting on the show's impact, though locals might be more excited about finally seeing it on a proper screen rather than squinting at Disney+ on their phones. The National Portrait Gallery provides the perfect pre-show primer with paintings of nearly every major player, from Hamilton to Jefferson to King George, all conveniently located downtown for those making a day of it. Theater tickets are already on sale at AMC, Regal, and Alamo Drafthouse locations (Mount Vernon tours cost $10 extra with admission), and while Yorktown's battlefield museum offers context for the climactic battle scene, true fans know the real action happens at those Gadsby's Tavern tours where Lafayette, Jefferson, and Burr actually plotted over pints.

Grazie Nonna, the Italian-American spot that's been packing Midtown Center since 2022, just signed on for a 4,471-square-foot space in Alexandria's 425 Montgomery development, bringing their vodka sauce and New York-style pizzas to Old Town North by late 2026. The Casey Patten-Gerald Addison collaboration (yes, the Taylor Gourmet guy) will anchor the ground floor of Carr Properties' 237-unit apartment conversion next to Montgomery Park, alongside For Five Coffee's fourth Virginia outpost—because nothing says "office-to-residential transformation" like carbs and caffeine. With one-third of the apartments boasting Potomac views and DC's favorite dirty martinis made with banana-pepper brine moving across the river, Old Town North's evolution from sleepy office district to dining destination just got a serious boost of red sauce energy.

The city's must-order dishes this month range from Moon Rabbit's revelatory perilla leaves stuffed with Wagyu (Kevin Tien's Vietnamese twists keep evolving) to Minetta Tavern's imported Black Label burger that's finally giving locals a reason to stop schlepping to Manhattan. The real sleeper hit comes from Grazie Nonna's dirty martini made with banana-pepper brine—a genius move that's converting even the vodka skeptics—while Lyle's shrimp mezze rigatoni with chile butter has become the pasta order that tables next to you eye with envy. These aren't just dishes trending on social media; they're the ones that industry folks order on their nights off, which tells you everything about whether the hype matches the plate.

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

Sip over 100 varieties of tequila and mezcal while enjoying mariachi music and authentic Mexican cuisine at this celebration of agave spirits.

📍 The Schuyler | 🕐 6 PM

The ethereal-gothic vocalist fills The Anthem with emotional performances from her latest tragic love story album.

📍 The Anthem | 🕐 8 PM

The 25th annual festival brings 90+ authors including R.L. Stine and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for book talks, storytelling, and craft activities.

📍 Walter E. Washington Convention Center | 🕐 9 AM

Catch contemporary jazz performances by The Sensational Barnes Brothers and more while enjoying food trucks and yard games.

📍 Gateway Park | 🕐 1 PM

Family-friendly music and arts festival featuring 50+ performers across six stages plus community crafts and artisans.

📍 Takoma Park Middle School | 🕐 10:30 AM

Over 180 artists showcase their work in this outdoor festival expected to attract 30,000+ visitors.

📍 Bethesda Row | 🕐 10 AM

Friday

89 🌡 73 | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 9 mph

Saturday

86 🌡 63 | 🌧️ 70% | 💨 10 mph

Sunday

76 🌡 56 | 🌧️ 10% | 💨 9 mph

9:30 Club | Se so Neon | 6 PM

Arlington Drafthouse | Aaron Cohen | 7 PM

The Atlantis | Cherub | 7:30 PM

Jiffy Lube Live | Junior H | 8 PM

Lincoln Theatre - DC | The Pogues | 8 PM

The Anthem | Ethel Cain with 9Million | 8 PM

The Howard Theatre | Swans | 8 PM

Black Cat | Frankie Cosmos | 8 PM

EagleBank Arena | Badshah | 8 PM

Arlington Drafthouse | Aaron Cohen | 9:30 PM

Soundcheck | Charlie Sparks | 10 PM

Nationals Park | The Lumineers with Vance Joy and Chance Peña | 6:30 PM

Warner Theatre | DMV Concert for Homeless & Disabled Veterans | 7 PM

Arlington Drafthouse | Aaron Cohen | 7 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band | 7:30 PM

The Atlantis | Blanco White | 7:30 PM

The Anthem | Pulp | 8 PM

Lincoln Theatre | James | 8 PM

9:30 Club | Speak Now - Taylors Version Dance Party | 9 PM

Arlington Drafthouse | Aaron Cohen | 9:30 PM

The Atlantis | Somos with wakelee | 6:30 PM

Birchmere Music Hall | Al Stewart | 7:30 PM

The Howard Theatre | Kruder & Dorfmeister | 8 PM

The Anthem | Sierra Ferrell | 8 PM

Lincoln Theatre | The Darkness | 8 PM

Sunday's 1 PM kickoff against the Giants has DC's sports bars ready to channel that Northwest Stadium energy without the Landover parking nightmare. Walter's in Navy Yard warns you'll need a barstool by 11:30 AM or you're standing until 4, while the official watch party at Whitlow's on U Street is pouring $32 Bud Light towers and running Commanders gear giveaways for the burgundy-and-gold faithful. THRōW Social in Ivy City sweetens the deal with $5 axe-throwing between drives, and Tom's Watch Bar near Nats Park promises 360-degree screens if you're into that "surrounded by Jayden Daniels" vibe. Lou's City Bar remains the Columbia Heights classic with wall-to-wall TVs, though honestly, any bar with functioning screens will transform into Commanders territory come kickoff.

Did You Know? The Washington Metro system has the longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere at Wheaton station—a 230-foot behemoth that takes nearly 3 minutes to ride, which is why locals treat it like a StairMaster and tourists treat it like a theme park attraction.

Till next time,