Peak bloom has come and gone with the rain on Monday night. The Kwanzan blossoms are starting to open up in my neighborhood, but the Yoshinos and others are mainly gone. If you're still chasing the cherry blossoms, I have a list of my recommended spots with their bloom timings.

However, I would recommend enjoying other spring flowers! The forsythia at Dumbarton Oaks are beautiful right now (get tickets for this weekend before they sell out).

Tulips are up, and the Netherlands Carillon near the Iwo Jima memorial & Arlington Cemetery is a beautiful spot with fantastic views of DC. Daffodils, hyacinths, and wild violets are beautiful right now, look out for them on your walks around the city.

Valerie

Historic Photo of the Week

1985 flood of DC covered East Potomac Park. Here you can see the old Girl Scouts tea house flooded and The Awakening sculpture underwater.

Things to Do in DC: Next 4 Weeks

Looking for cherry blossom events? Check out the special cherry blossom issue.

Did you go to one of these? Reply and let me know how it was!

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

This Week

Wednesday

• 🏰 The BTS 606 Boat Car just returned, hitting the tracks last Saturday, 3/29! Don’t miss your chance to ride one of the only eight left of this kind in the world. Running through spring and summer.
• 🖌️ Join the upcycled art workshop to learn how to repurpose paper, fabric, and materials into creative projects that help the planet. Wednesday 4/2. Free.
• 🎭 If you’re a fan of the Severance TV show, join other fans for a fun talk on theories, predictions, and mysteries for season 3. Wednesday 4/2.
• 🌲 If you’re raising orchids now, drop by the US Botanic Garden to chat with an expert about orchid care on Wednesday 4/2. No registration needed, just bring your questions. Free.
• 🖌️ You can make paper poppies to take home at a gift store + coffee house, + wine bar in Arlington. Wednesday 4/2. $65.

Thursday

• 🤝 Need more resume help? Workforce Champions at Benning Library offers help with job search, career skills, and resume support twice a month. Drop in on Thursday 4/3. Free.
• 🌲 If you’re raising orchids now, drop by the US Botanic Garden to chat with an expert about orchid care on Thursday, 4/3. No registration needed, just bring your questions. Free.
• 📜 Join the four-day DC History Conference featuring panels, discussions, and presentations on DC’s past, present, and future. Thursday 4/3-Sunday 4/6. Free.
• 🤸 Run and party at this relay slash party event where the fastest team and most energetic squad get prizes. There’s prize for the best-dressed too! Thursday 4/3. $10+
• 📖 Nonfiction writers Carl Zimmer, Mindy Weisberger, and Rebecca Lemov will be live to talk about their latest books on oxygen, mind-controlling insects, and hyper-persuasion. Thursday 4/3. Free.
• 🖼️ See historical letters, diaries, and artifacts from George Washington and King George III at a Library of Congress exhibition. Thursday 4/3. Free.

Friday

• 🎭 Washington’s famous satirical revue returns! Splitting Our Sides is a 2-hour show of song parodies, political comedy, and slapstick fun. Friday 3/28-Sunday 4/6. $35.
• 🍲 Enjoy Japanese matcha tea in an intimate and exclusive tea ceremony led by Master Kihachiro Nishiura. Friday 4/4. $15.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Looking for a space to get productive? Bring your work to the library and chill with lofi beats this Friday 4/4. Free.
• 🎈 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
• 🎭 The funniest stand-up comedians from DC Improv and LA’s Laugh Factory promise clean humor on relatable & real topics. Friday 4/4. $17.
• 🕺 GPB’s Spring Concert 2025 features Dayglow & Beach Weather + free food trucks, pre-concert bash, lawn games, and a mechanical bull at the McDonough Arena. 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.
• 🎭 Join or Die is a documentary on democracy and the power of local organizations. Come early for the community fair at 7:30 PM, or stay for the Q&A with the director at 9:!5 PM. Friday 4/4. Free.
• 🍽️ After 40 years, the go-to cafe for late night bites, Jackey Cafe is closing due to rising rents. Stop by for one last meal and support this local gem at Chinatown before it’s gone on Friday 4/4. Price varies.
• 🕺 Miss the Roaring Twenties? Find this speakeasy jazz & film screening hidden behind secret stairs, featuring live 1920s jazz, rare silent films, and specialty cocktails for a vintage experience. Friday 4/4. $15.

Saturday

• 🤝Want to feel like your voice is being heard? The Hands Off protest rally is happening at the Washington Monument. Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🏰 Tour and get to know Glen Echo Park’s rich history, from Civil Rights protests in 1960 and its transformation as a national park to its last remaining ride during the amusement park era. Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🏞️ Join Girls on the Grid take a 3-mile urban walk around Metropolitan Branch Trail and stop for lunch around Union Market. Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🎈 It’s officially spring with the Hippity Hop Trolley! Get on a trolley ride and play a scavenger hunt with the Easter Bunny for a prize. Saturday 4/5-Sunday 4/6. $13. Reservations required.
• 🐾 Brunch, bingo, and pups in one day at Dog Daze Social Club. Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🤸 Sign up for a free morning of Barre, HIIT, and boxing classes in the Bridge District! Plus, a Cherry Blossom Bike Ride, free bike tune-ups, and a marketplace of wellness vendors to buy from. Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🌲 See spring flowers in full bloom displayed at Rawlings Conservatory! Saturday 4/5. Free; $5 suggested donation.
• 🐾 Oak Hill Cemetery allows dogs on the grounds for only two times a year and Spring Dog Day is one of them. Support this free fundraising day and explore the historic cemetery with your dog this Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🍲 Experience traditional Ukranian food with a buffet luncheon and stop by the easter bazaar for books, baked goods, smoked meats, and pysanka kits. Eat until food runs out! Saturday 4/5. Free.​
• 🤝 Volunteers needed for pollinator planting along the Connecticut Avenue Pollinator Corridor, all ages welcome. Saturday 4/5-5/10. Free.
• 🌲 This Spring, visitors can tour the White House garden and see ornamental trees planted by former presidents. Free timed tickets are available each morning at 8:30 AM outside the White House Visitor Center—first come, first served! Saturday 4/5 to Sunday 4/6. Free.
• 🍾 Let’s keep the AwesomeCon energy going with an afterparty disco at Dazzler’s Disco and see fellow queers and nerds! Saturday 4/5. Price not stated.
• 🤓 A Pokemon Card Show in DC is here! Buy, sell, and trade with card vendors & collectors. Saturday 4/5. Free.
• 🏰 Don’t like walking to explore? Ride a 7-mile guided bike or scooter historic tour throughout DC’s forgotten canals. Saturday 4/5. $29.

Sunday

• 🍽️ Looking for vegan friends? Join this potluck with vegans from the Veg Society of DC and bring a dish to share. Sunday 4/6. Free.
• 🤸 If you've ever wanted to play ultimate frisbee but didn’t know where to start, WAFC’s Learning League is a beginner-friendly program with structured 5v5 games, skills training, and guidance from experienced players. Sunday 4/6-6/8. $55 with pay-what-you-can options.
• 🐾 Take your dog out to a community that loves them! The 3rd Annual Del Ray Dog Fest features a puppy playground, dog fashion show, dog race, treats, and off-leash fun. Sunday 4/6. $15+
• 🍲 You’ll love this eat-all-you-can brunch on Classic American, Caribbean, and West African cuisines, plus music & mimosas! Sunday 4/6. $40.
• 🤸 Join Beth + Liat for an all-level Yoga Flow + Sound Experience at the big National Building Museum. Sunday 4/6. $30.
• 🖌️ Try your hand at pottery with this guided mini-wheel throwing workshop to learn how to shape your own miniature pottery piece. Sunday 4/6. $115.
• 🍲 Enjoy beers, cheese pairings & charcuterie, plus get a souvenir glass at the longest running brewery in DC. Sunday 4/6. $50.
• 🌸 Come for a springtime park jam at Franklin Park. Feel spring, hear live jazz, paint a graffiti canvas, write haikus, or try the roller skating rink. Sunday 4/6. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Practicing your tarot skills? Join The Firefly House for a casual gathering with tarot lovers to share interpretations & practice readings. Sunday 4/6. Free.
• 🐾 It’s bring your pups to baseball game day at the Nationals Park. Sunday 4/6. Price varies.
• 📖 If you love cozy mystery, join other bookworms to read Murder and Mamon with tea and cookies. Sunday 4/6. Free.

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Next Week

• 🤝 Bethesda is calling for artists to paint the mural project at Arlington Road. If you want to join, submit your qualifications for a chance to be invited and paid. Submit until Monday 4/7. Free.
• 🤓 Practice your Mahjong skills with a community of Mahjong lovers at the library. Tuesday 4/8. Free.
• 🍲 If you love to cook or still learning recipes, join the Cookbook Club for recipe discussions, preparation, and sharing dishes from Perfectly Good Food. Tuesday 4/8. $15+
• 📜 In honor of National Library Workers Day, there’s a free documentary screening on the history of public libraries and their ongoing struggles with book bans and closures, with a discussion to follow. Tuesday 4/8. Free.
• 🍽️ Join the DMV Wine Explorers for a 5-course gourmet meal paired with wines at Lyon Hall with Clément Berthier, owner and winemaker of Vignobles Berthier. Tuesday 4/8. $163.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Pitch your single friends with a short presentation to a lively audience of eligible singles and maybe spark some love connections. Wednesday 4/9. $5.
• 📖 How’s your flirting skills? Bestselling romance author Jasmine Guillory talks about her book Flirting Lessons that focuses on self-discovery, dating, and breaking out of the comfort zone. Wednesday 4/9. Free.
• 🛍️ Pancakes & Booze Art Show is a pop-up featuring 750+ works, live DJ sets, body painting, and the best - an eat-all-you-can pancake bar! Thursday 4/10. $15.
• 🕺 The Kohala Mountain Boys are live for a special concert of heirloom songs from Hawaii Island’s Kohala region. Thursday 4/10. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Jeopardy! fans, get ready. Pop Culture Jeopardy! is making its way to DC with special appearances at the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. Thursday 4/10-Saturday 4/12. Price not stated.
• 🖌️ Learn ceramics and paint your own pottery piece, kiln-fired and glazed. Come solo or in a claydate with friends. Friday 4/11. $85.​
• 🛍️ Ready for the best vintage finds around DMV? Find vintage fits, accessories, vinyls, glassware, books, and more old stuff! Tickets required. Saturday 4/12. $5+.
• 🎈 Celebrate spring with neighbors at Wangari Gardens! Enjoy a potluck, yard games, music, and fun workshops! Saturday 4/12. Free.
• 🤸 There’s a field day for adults at Oxon Run Park. Participate in classic games like sack race, tug-of-war, and three-legged races. Saturday 4/12. $10+.
• 🍾 Taste 20+ natural wines at this exclusive All-Natural Wine Tasting event. All wines are crafted with organic and biodynamic methods. Saturday 4/12. $49.
• 🌲 It’s National Gardening Day! Come to plant, weed, or simply enjoy the beauty of the garden. Sunday 4/13. Free.
• 🤸 Ride a bike confidently on the road with bike handling skills. Learn hazard avoidance and traffic safety tips to ride safely in traffic. Sunday 4/13. $10.
• 🏞️ Run (or walk!) 5K along Taiwan, Yoshino, Kwanzan, and Higan cherry trees at Congressional Cemetery. Sunday 4/13. $30.
• Historical romance fans, Spill The Tea 2025 is here for an afternoon of bookish fun, tea, and great company in Old Town Alexandria. Sunday 4/13. $150.

Further Out

• 🖼️ The Cleveland Park Traffic Box Beautification Project is commissioning three artists to create vinyl-wrapped designs for local traffic boxes. Get a $700 honorarium when selected! Tuesday 4/15. Free to join.
• 🛍️ Shop from local artisans for gifts, crafts, and bites at the Cleveland Park Night Market from April to September. Starts Thursday 4/17. Free.
• 🖌️ Play around with glow-in-the-dark painting in a UV-lit studio, with a neon artwork you can take home. Friday 4/18-Sunday 4/20. $38.
• 🖼️ See art at night at the National Portrait Gallery with Friend Vibes Only for a meet-and-greet with art lovers + a self-guided gallery visit. Friday 4/18. Free.
• 🍾 Uncork and taste over 100 wines and bubbles from around the world + bites from local food trucks. Saturday 4/19. $75+
• 🤸 LW Race 2025, the biggest Class 5 race in US, will be back for an amazing whitewater race course. Buy your tickets before race day. Saturday 4/19. $75.
• 🧠 Interested with bird photography? Learn the basic skills to start with live demonstration for beginners. Saturday 4/19. Donation.
• 🌲 Bring a basket (or borrow) for an exciting urban egg hunt, plus coloring activities and kid-friendly snacks at Edgewood Community Farm. Sunday 4/20. Free.
• 🐾 Spend some time with goats! No yoga, just a fun hang out with goats. Take photos, mingle, and feed the goats. Thursday 4/24. $40.
• 🖼️ All the finest in American craftmanship will be at the Smithsonian Craft Show, featuring top artisans in ceramics, basketry, jewelry, furniture, textiles & more. Thursday 4/24-Sunday 4/27. $25.
• 🍲 The 8th DC Chocolate Festival is two days of chocolate tastings, workshops, and meeting with chocolatiers from aroung the world. Friday 4/25. $25+.
• 🍲 Foodies, be the first to taste dishes from eight new kitchens on the block before they open. See award-winning chefs, exclusive dishes, and hear inside scoops before these new gems open to the public. Saturday 4/26. $119.
• 🤝 Live music all day will take over Petworth PorchFest this Spring with 300+ bands on 100 porches. This volunteer-led festival will be a giant outdoor concert! Saturday 4/26. Free.
• 📖 See Tina Knowles on her book tour for MATRIARCH where she talks about her powerful story on Black motherhood. Wednesday 4/30. $67+.
• 🎈 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.