Times are tough for a lot of people in the area right now as government jobs and contracts are thrown into chaos and confusion. If you are in need of help, the Greater Washington DC Emergency Services Directory has a pretty comprehensive list of assistance available, including food pantries.

Buy Nothing groups are a great way to help those in your neighborhood and reduce waste. You can find a group in DC, Virginia, or Maryland.

You can find your local DC mutual aid group in this list from DMV Mutual Aid.

Washingtonian put together a list of businesses providing discounts to government workers.

Here are also some ideas to disconnect.

If you have any other resources, please reply and let me know so I can share them.

Valerie

Historic Photo of the Week

Architect Samuel Plato was one of the few African Americans who were awarded government building contracts during World War II. Here he is seen with staff members working on the construction of Wake and Midway Halls, dormitories for more than 1,000 Black women working in DC during the war. Here's a yearbook from 1946 for Midway Hall.

Clockwise from left: Zelda S. Wilson, Mildred Dunn, Wilhelmena Barnett, Mrs. Elnora Plato (wife of the contractor and his chief accountant), Mr. Plato and Frances Purdy, March 1943.

Want more historical photos? I post them daily on Facebook.

Give back and meet new people

Help children, families, and adults move beyond poverty and homelessness, and join us for a volunteer shift at Community Family Life Services (CFLS). We'll be painting a space to brighten it up!

​Saturday March 29, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM​

Things to Do in DC: Next 4 Weeks

I'm continuing with highlighting more events that are put on regularly to help you not only meet new people but have a regular space for you to hang out.

Reply and let me know your thoughts on this week's events

Know of something cool happening? Submit an event for consideration!

This Week

Wednesday

• 🎈 Create your artist profile and showcase your work in the Creative Collective Portal at Art to Go Go’s second-anniversary celebration. Plus, an exclusive preview of the Bridge District’s new dining scene. Wednesday 2/26. Free.

Thursday

• 🎭 Be part of this awareness of homelessness through a film screening and talk-back session with LARS, featuring formerly homeless individuals. Thursday 2/27. $50.
• 🧠 Craft your own terrarium! Learn the basics of succulent care and design your terrarium while sipping sangria. Saturday 2/27. $25+.
• 🕺 Catch electronic indie band Balún’s genre-morphing, experimental sound inspired by reggaeton’s dembow pulse and dream pop. Thursday 2/27.
• 📜 Learn how regenerative farming can improve soil health, fight climate change, and help increase food access in a talk with local botanist experts. Thursday 2/27. Free, must pre-register.

Friday

• 🎭 Enjoy this romantic lineup of love stories and movies at The Miracle DC. Perfect for a cozy movie date night. Friday 2/28. $8.
• 🎭 Experience live 1920s jazz, rare silent films, and clandestine cocktails in a secret location. Address revealed post-RSVP. Friday 2/28. $10.
• 🌐 Enjoy Ibero-American cultural activities and explore authentic culinary delights and beverages by 19 embassies. Friday 2/28. $120 early bird; $150 regular.

Saturday

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Sign up for the Smithsonian Scavenger Hunt for a whole adventure of solving trivias, taking photos, collecting items, earning points, and exploring the National Mall! You might even get early access to the newly reopened Air and Space Museum! Saturday 3/1. $20.
• 🏰 Visit the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House to learn about the contributions of African American women in WWII and hear from retired Colonel Edna W. Cummings. Saturday 3/1. Free.
• 🎈 Toast a glass for pig and pug welfare and meet Charlotte the potbelly pig from Life with Pigs Sanctuary. Plus see adoptable pups, drink craft brews, and support rescue organizations through tickets. Saturday 3/1. $25+.
• 🍲 Enjoy samples of six premium wines and paired appetizers while learning about Black wine culture and their heritage from expert Leslie Frelow. Saturday 3/1. $55.
• 🎈 You don’t want to miss this fun Mardi Gras parade at The Wharf with floats, beads, fireworks, and live music until sundown. Saturday 3/1. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Test your luck with bingo at Anacostia! Choose from a variety of prizes. Saturday 3/1. Free.
• 🍲 Foodies should go explore the best taco and pupusa spots in DC, earn points, and vote your winner for the Tour del Taco through the month of March. Starts Saturday 3/1. Free.
• 🎈 Come to Mardi Gras on H Street as they bring the party to DC with a full day festival of live performances and culture. Saturday 3/1. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Bingo Loco is a bingo rave party where comedian MCs, lip-sync battles, dance-offs, confetti, CO2 cannons, and of course, bingo happens in one night. Saturday 3/1. $33.*
• 🏰 Celebrate Black history with a tour & walk around U Street neighborhood’s musical, artistic, and activist history with historian Briana Thomas. Saturday 3/1. $45.
• 🖌️ Does your inner child scream more creativity? Join this adult crafternoon for a fun crafting session with adult crafters. Saturday 3/1. Free.
• 🎈 Celebrate Mardi Gras with special bites at food stations and exclusive cocktails from Korean-inspired and New Orleans classics. Saturday 3/1. $150.

Sunday

• 🍲 Get the red carpet feels at the Oscars watch party with fresh oysters + signature cocktails from The Roost! Sunday 3/2. Free admission.
• 🌲 Experience art in a fun way with a bike ride around public arts scattered in Rockville. Sunday 3/2. Free.
• 🛍️ Getting married soon or attending one? Steal vintage wedding finds like dresses, antique jewelry, accessories, loungewear, and guest attire from over 10 vendors. Sunday 3/2. $15+.
• 🖌️ Hand-stitch a leather card wallet you can own through this leathercraft workshop! Sunday 3/2. $65.
• 🖼️ Advance through art with pencil, paper, and a tour around Asian art traditions. This hands-on tour lets you sketch while touring around artistic Asian expressions. Sunday 3/2. Free. No reservations required.

Next Week

• 🍲 Surprise your tastes and senses with a blindfolded 3-course meal across three menus: meat, seafood, and veggies. Tuesday 3/4 and 4/8. $72.*
• 🍲 Explore different tea flavors like finely ground matcha, Masala Chai, fermented Puerh, and more you can discover in this guided tasting experience. Tuesday 3/4. Free.
• 📖 You’ll love this fun talk with the Transit Enthusiasts of DC as they listen to Andy on Track discuss untold stories and secrets about all six Metrorail lines in DC and DC’s streetcar. Tuesday 3/4. Free.
• 🍾 Be among the first to taste the Senate Bock, a century-old beer recipe from a 1948 report reimagined by brewing experts. Wednesday 3/5. Free.
• 🧠 This intro to hand dancing class is perfect for beginners to dance. Wednesday 3/5. Free.
• 📖 Listen to how DC’s 1976 Bicentennial shaped community engagement and self‑determination during a guided presentation by Heurich Humanities Scholar M.J. Rymsza Pawlowska. Thursday 3/6. Free RSVP.
• 🖌️ Artists will love this figure drawing session with a live model at Moonshot Studio. Practice figure drawing in a relaxed space! Friday 3/7. $25.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Enjoy fun trivia about Women’s History Month, food, and drinks at Laredo’s while supporting Cleveland Park Main Street. Saturday 3/8. $15.
• 🎭 Don’t miss this chance to watch six DC theater companies write, direct, and perform 10-minute original plays in just 24 hours! Saturday 3/8. $20.
• 🍾 Sample 8 premium Irish whiskeys at 8 downtown bars during a fun, daylong whiskey walk within DC. Saturday 3/8. $29 early bird; $65 regular ticket.
• 🤸 Meditate for 45 minutes with crystal singing bowls in the serene indoors of Terrace Gallery. Indicate your preference for a chair or mat when registering! Saturday 3/8. $30.
• 🎭 Enjoy this Wicked film screening in open audio description and captions! Saturday 3/8. Free.
• 🏰 Spend International Women’s Day with a guided tour of Logan Circle’s reputable women and stop by women-owned businesses along the way. Saturday 3/8. $24.
• 📖 Love tarots or just curious? Join tarot enthusiasts from The Firefly House gather around a table of decks to discuss symbolism and practice readings. Saturday 3/8. Free.
• 🖌️ Learn brush pen calligraphy and enjoy 10% off light bites from local Catonsville bakeries. Saturday 3/8. $75.
• 🍲 Best secure your spot for this wine tasting & taco party featuring 25+ wines from female growers, producers, and importers. Hurry, this sells out fast! Sunday 3/9. $66.
• 🎭 Watch “We Are Guardians”, a free documentary that follows an Indigenous forest guardian and activist as they defend their territories against deforestation. Sunday 3/9. Free.

Further Out

• 🖌️ This Mix & Bloom activity lets you craft a custom cocktail (or mocktail!) at Serenata then stop by Flor Del Soul’s flower bar to arrange a bouquet in your own style. Monday 3/10. $55.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Time to clear out your art supplies and swap them for preloved ones at Brookland Arts Walk. Bring up to two bags of art supplies and meet local artists to trade with! Tuesday 3/11. Free.
• 📖 Listen to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on literature, love, and identity as she takes the stage at Sixth & I to discuss her new novel Dream Count. Wednesday 3/12. $12.
• 🧠 Join this hands-on sushi-making class and master sushi rice prep, fish selection + making three different rolls in no time! Perfect for sushi beginners. Wednesday 3/12. $65.
• 🖼️ The National Gallery Nights returns with better artmaking, performances & pop-up talks this time. Be on watch for their ticket lottery system the week before each themed evening. Runs Friday 3/14, 4/11 & 5/9. Free.
• 🎈 Celebrate India’s most colorful holiday in Dupont Circle Park with traditional dancing, live DJ sets, and powder throwing. Sunday 3/16. Free.
• 🧠 With spring coming, it’s the perfect time to start your own crops and take home grow lights, containers, and seeds + get expert seedling tips to grow your garden! With access to 300+ seed varieties to choose from. Monday 3/17. $5 registration fee.
• 🤸 Animal lovers will enjoy this 45-minute guided meditation with adorable rabbits (that you can adopt!) at Lost Boy Cider. This event supports abandoned rabbits in need of homes. Ticket includes a drink of your choice. Saturday 3/22. $35.
• 🖌️ Learn the basics of flower arranging and flower care then craft your own spring bouquet using seasonal favorites like tulips, ranunculus, and anemone. Tuesday 3/25.
• 🕺The Library of Congress is hosting a free Regency Ball around Martha Washington and Queen Charlotte, where attendees are encouraged to dress up. Tickets are available Tuesday 2/25 and will go quickly, event happens Thursday 3/27. Free.
• 🛍️ Snag some gently used merchandise finds at the tossed-and-found rummage sale at bargain prices. This is where I get most of my new clothes for the year. Saturday 3/29 to Sunday 3/30. Free admission.
• 🎈 Come to Spring Fair for eco-friendly crafts, gifts, eco-treats, and more goodies to enjoy the spring season. Sunday 3/30. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Join this fan-made survivor game at Rock Creek Park if you have what it takes to survive and win $250, sign up through Monday 3/31. $25 if you’re chosen to play.
• 🎈 Awesome Con 2025 is coming to Washington DC and they're bringing special celebrity guests, comic con panels, screenings, and exclusive exhibits for fans of anime, comics, movies, and games! Friday 4/4. $20
• 🧠 Learning a new language? Find your language partner at this exchange happy hour. Expect many multi-linguists from DC Language and Cultural Exchange club. Friday 4/4. Free.
• 🖼️ Ready for the best vintage finds around DMV? Find vintage fits, accessories, vinyls, glassware, books, and more old stuffs! Tickets required. Saturday 4/12. $5+.
• 🎈 Healthy Homes Fair returns with 100+ exhibitors and an appliance “petting zoo” featuring the latest home technologies needed to decarbonize our homes. Win prizes and e-bike incentives. Saturday 5/10. Free.

Know of something cool happening? Submit an event for consideration!

* Items marked with an asterisks contain affiliate links (for which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you) or sponsored. Events are featured based on if I find them interesting and think others will too, regardless if they are affiliate or sponsored.