Things I'm Talking About

• I smashed my first spotted lanterfly today. It was in the 3rd stage and still a nymph, look out for them and be sure to stomp on them!
• I didn't realize that it's Smithsonian Solstice Weekend, Juneteenth, Pride, and Father's Day all on the same weekend (6/19-6/21). That's a lot for one weekend.
• Anacostia Watershed Society finished their inventory for vernal pools in Prince George's County, and they did a cool heat map. These are breeding grounds for amphibians and more.
• It's getting closer to lotus peak bloom. I haven't been to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens yet this year, but this is normally the time that the lotuses grown from 10,000 year old seeds are in bloom. They're in the pool behind the visitor center if you want to go check on them. There's a plaque at the pool.
• There's a Rodney Dangerfield pageant this weekend, and it has me thinking of his recitation of Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night from Back to School, which is unironically my favorite performance of the poem.
• There's so much going on this weekend, it's hard to choose what to do. Museum Walk Weekend lets you explore a bunch of different museums in Dupont Circle without paying admission if you're wanting some culture on a budget.
• I'm planning on doing DC's Metropolitan Beer Trail this summer with my dad, and was going through the list of official stops, and there are a bunch that are just bars and not breweries. If you've done it before, is it worth going to the non-breweries, or just focusing on the breweries?

Valerie

Give your opinion, and check back next week for the results.

Last week, we asked: It's after Memorial Day. Do you follow the rules about only wearing white after Memorial Day? You responded:

• No (80.4%)
• Yes (7.8%)
• Sometimes (7.8%)
• I don't know what that rule is (3.9%)

"There's nothing like this for guys"

Male friendship doesn't have to be hard.

​Choros is a men’s social app that connects small groups of guys in DC for real-world fun: trivia nights, hikes, TopGolf, board games, brewery nights, and more.

Like Alex said, "Everyone is here to meet new people, so there’s no guesswork." It's a place where everyone is on the same page and meeting you where you are.

That’s the whole idea behind Choros. They keep things small so it’s easy to connect, talk, and build real friendships without the usual bar scene chaos.

"What surprised me is how much the structure actually gave me time back. The guys surface great spots, the invites match what I’m into, everything’s planned ahead, and as someone still building my local circle, that kind of social infrastructure has been huge.” - Tyrone

👉 Get the Choros app & make new guy friends »​

Tried & True features your favorite go-to restaurants that have been around for a while and serve you consistently good food.

This Week's Feature: Sofia Pupusería

"Sofias pupuseria in Arlington!!! We’ve been going there for years and it’s the best pupusa spot!" Katryn

Location: 3610 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
​Website​

😋 What is your favorite tried and true restaurant?

Where do you find yourself going back time and time again? Reply and let me know who should be featured and why, and share the love for a local DC restaurant.

✨ Premium subscribers: Access the events map & calendar!

See all events on a map or calendar, and filter events by category, date, and my top recommendations. Choose between a monthly or weekly view.

And you can add it as an app without downloading anything! Get the full list today.

Our premium subscribers get the full event list (250+!), weekly updates, and early access to exclusive Not Bored in DC events.

Looking for something specific? Check out these options:

• ​Ways to disconnect in DC​
• ​Museum parties & happy hours​
• ​Mosaics classes
• ​Pottery & ceramics classes​
• ​Knitting & crochet classes​
• ​Photography classes​

• 🤸 Kick off summer with a 3-mile run or 1-mile walk followed by hot dogs and free cold beer from DC Brau. It’s happening the first Wednesday of June, July, and August, so you can make it a recurring thing if you’re into it. Wednesday 6/3. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Spend your Wednesday evening building with LEGO® bricks at Aurora Hills Library alongside other adults who get the appeal. Bring your own sets to work on or just free build with whatever’s available, no pressure either way. Wednesday 6/3. Free.
• 📖 American Pride: How DC Changed American Culture is a massive exhibit celebrating how this city shaped the nation, from go-go music to modern blood banks to the football huddle. You can explore the main show at MLK Jr. Memorial Library plus satellite exhibits across neighborhood libraries, all packed with striking images, artifacts, and programming that tell DC’s real story. Wednesday 6/3-9/27. Free.
• 📖 Meet the authors behind 111 Places for Kids in Washington That You Must Not Miss at East City Bookshop for a conversation with local historian Joe Himali, plus DC trivia, a book signing, and a scavenger hunt around Eastern Market. Wednesday 6/3. Free.
• 🎭 Pack a picnic and settle in for My Favorite Year: A 1960s Late Night Comedy Parody on the gorgeous Tudor Place grounds. Bring your blanket and snacks for this outdoor theater experience that starts at 7pm. Wednesday 6/3. $20.

• 🍲 Spend an evening around the table at Astrology Dinner Nights where you’ll dig into empanadas and wine while an in-house astrologer walks you through birth charts and planetary influences. Thursday 6/4. $24.
• 🌲 Slow down and try Japanese forest bathing in Rock Creek Park with a certified guide who’ll teach you to soak up nature through all your senses. You’ll get a signed book and feel way more zen after this 2-hour morning walk. Thursday 6/4. $60.
• 📜 Listen to rare audio clips from LGBTQ+ civil rights pioneers at this cemetery talk, followed by a guided tour of LGBTQ+ graves among the headstones. You’ll hear history through the actual voices of people who lived it, making it feel immediate and personal. Thursday 6/4. $20.
• 🎭 Hot Mess: Live True Stories of Chaos and Confusion is exactly what it sounds like: real people sharing their most spectacularly disastrous moments on stage. Perfect for anyone who’s ever had a plan fall apart and can laugh about it now. Thursday 6/4. $28.
• 🖌️ Bring your current project and hang out with other crafty people at MoCo Craft and Yap at Ding Tea in Rockville. Whether you’re crocheting, junk journaling, coloring, or working on something else entirely, you’ll have a relaxed evening to create and chat. Thursday 6/4. Free.

• 🍱 If you love hot sauce, you need to be at Heat Wave DC, a spicy celebration featuring local hot sauce makers, food vendors, a live DJ, and a hot sauce challenge to test your heat tolerance. Plus there’s free beer from Lost Generation Brewing Company and raffles for gift baskets and restaurant gift cards. Friday 6/5. Free.
• 🎭 Step into the cosmos at this Sun Ra film screening and community conversation celebrating the visionary jazz legend who shaped Afrofuturism and Black experimental art. You’ll catch the documentary “Sun Ra: Do The Impossible,” then stick around for a Q&A with music experts and artists diving into his radical legacy. Friday 6/5. $10.
• 🖼️ Wander through artist studios at DC Arts Studios and actually talk to the people making the work. You’ll get free snacks, good conversation, and a real feel for what’s happening in the local art scene. Friday 6/5. Free.
• 🤸 Come boulder with a friendly climbing community at Bouldering Project DC where climbers of all levels show up to send problems and have fun together. The first 25 people through the door get in free, rentals are included, and if you’re new there’s an intro tour at 7:15 PM. Friday 6/5. Free (first 25) or $15 day pass.
• 🎭 Theatre Prometheus is staging The Roaring Girl, a 1611 play that’s basically a wild ride through rebellion, class chaos, and what people will do for love across different time periods. It’s 75 minutes of raucous energy that’ll make you think about counterculture then and now. Friday 6/5-6/27. $5+.
• 🎈 Bring the kids to the East of the River STEM & Arts Fest for hands-on activities that let them explore science, engineering, and creativity all in one place. There’s music, raffles, refreshments, and tons of chances for elementary-aged kids to see themselves as problem-solvers and creators. Friday 6/5. Free.
• 🎈 Hang out at Community Forklift’s First Friday celebration where you can shop salvaged materials, catch live jazz, grab food from The Burger Shop, and connect with local bike advocates and sustainability groups. There’s also free face painting, a zine workshop, and a chance to donate bikes to Bikes for the World if you’ve got one collecting dust. Friday 6/5. Free.
• 🕺 Grab your picnic blanket and head to the National Arboretum for Music in the Meadow with Sirius Company, a night of classic R&B and go-go music that celebrates DC teachers. Food trucks, good company, and soulful melodies under the stars sounds like the perfect way to spend a Friday evening. Friday 6/5. $25.
• 🕺 Some of DC’s funniest comedians are showing up to Project Gemini with a twist: each performer does two separate sets exploring whether every Gemini is actually evil. It’s in a lovely garden setting, so bring your friends and your curiosity. Friday 6/5. Donation.

• 🏞️ Spend your afternoon on a tree walk and boat tour of the Anacostia River with Casey Trees and the Anacostia Watershed Society. You’ll learn to identify tree species on Kingman and Heritage Islands, then hop on a boat to explore the river’s ecological and historical story over about 3 hours. Saturday 6/6. $20.
• 📜 Celebrate 50 years of the Anacostia Skating Pavilion with archival photos, skater stories, and documentary clips that bring this beloved community space to life. You can share your own memories and help build the community archive too. Saturday 6/6. Free.
• 🕺 Spend your Saturday afternoon hopping between local author readings across Foggy Bottom shops. You’ll catch fiction, poetry, and memoir writers at spots like Bodega Taqueria, Sixty Vines, and the GW Bookstore, then stroll to the next venue for more readings and author meet-and-greets. Saturday 6/6. Free (donation suggested $10).
• 🖼️ Spend your Saturday afternoon wandering through Georgetown’s galleries on the Summer Art Walk, where you can check out paintings, photography, sculptures, and mixed media from local artists across the Main Street corridor. You’ll get to visit working studios and chat directly with the artists about what they’re creating. Saturday 6/6. Free.
• 📖 Spend your weekend exploring five different museums in Dupont Circle and Kalorama without spending a dime during Museum Walk Weekend 2026. You can start at any of the participating spots like The Phillips Collection, Anderson House, or Dupont Underground, and plot your own route between them. Saturday 6/6-6/7. Free.
• 🎈 The National Gallery of Art is throwing a massive Block Party celebrating 250 years of American creativity with live music, interactive art-making, food, and performances from local groups like Batalá Washington and the Eastern High School Marching Band. There’s something for everyone, whether you want to make a community quilt, draw a portrait of a stranger, catch curator talks, or just hang out with friends across the indoor galleries and outdoor plazas. Saturday 6/6. Free.
• 🕺 Picture a beauty pageant where every single contestant is dressed as Rodney Dangerfield serving their best one-liners and comedic looks. No Respect: A Rodney Dangerfield Pageant brings together some of DC’s funniest comedians competing in fashion, talent, and Q&A rounds to claim the title of best Rodney. Saturday 6/6. $20 at the door.
• 🍲 Bring your favorite pastry to Sugar & Spice Pastry Swap hosted by DC Women’s Supper Club and leave with a box of treats from other bakers across the DMV. Whether you’re bringing homemade croissants, bakery-assisted danishes, or store-bought pastries with your own twist, everyone’s welcome to swap, eat, and make new friends. Saturday 6/6. $10.
• 📖 Pack your favorite snacks and head to Picnic Day at The Kreeger Museum for a relaxed day in their sculpture garden with tours and kids’ scavenger hunts. Bring a blanket, leave the lawn chairs at home, and enjoy free museum admission too. Saturday 6/6. Free.
• 🎈 Grab thousands of free plants at Plant Fest and build the garden you’ve been dreaming about, whether that’s herbs on a windowsill or a full backyard setup. There’s live music, community, and everything from medicinal herbs to pollinator plants to get you started. Saturday 6/6. Free.

• 🎭 A Fine Madness is taking theater out of the theater with performances that move through DC’s coolest cultural spots. Plus there are free community gatherings with special guests that’ll get you thinking about big ideas while connecting with fellow theater lovers. Sunday 6/7. Free.
• 🕺 Kick off Black Music Month with Backyard Band’s 35-year celebration at MLK Jr. Memorial Library, featuring two sets of DC’s most legendary Go-Go group plus DJ Remii spinning beats. Sunday 6/7. Free.
• 🍲 Del Ray’s biggest food festival brings together top local restaurants for tastings, voting, and live music at the rec center fields. Only 500 tickets available, so grab yours before they sell out like every year! Sunday 6/7. $13.
• 🖌️ Skip the baking and jump straight into the fun part at this buttercream cookie decorating workshop where you’ll learn professional piping techniques to create gorgeous blooms and borders. Chef Yolanda provides all the tools and pre-baked cookies, so you can focus on getting creative. Sunday 6/7. $69. *
• 🎈 Cleveland Park Day brings the whole neighborhood together with live music across three stages, an outdoor vendor market, and a Kids Zone that’ll keep everyone entertained from noon to 5pm. You’ll catch everything from bluegrass and flamenco dancing to a talent show (yes, pets can compete) and DJ sets. Sunday 6/7. Free.
• 🤓 Bring your completed puzzles to swap them out at the Northeast Neighborhood Library’s Sizzle Into Summer Puzzle Swap and spend the afternoon puzzling with other enthusiasts. It’s free, all ages welcome, and you don’t even need to bring a puzzle if you just want to hang out and work on ones others brought. Sunday 6/7. Free.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Put on a sundress (or grab one from their racks) and help raise money for DC Central Kitchen at Wonderland Ballroom’s annual Sundress Fest. Anyone in a sundress gets all-day happy hour pricing, plus you’re supporting a great cause while having fun with neighbors. Sunday 6/7. Donation.
• 🛍️ Hunt for rare vintage menswear (all genders welcome!) at the Capital Vintage Show with 35 top East Coast dealers, plus pizza and drink specials to fuel your shopping. Sunday 6/7. $15+.
• 🛍️ Spend your Sunday morning browsing Logan Market, a monthly outdoor shopping experience featuring local artists, vintage vendors, and creative small businesses throughout Logan Circle. You’ll find everything from handmade goods to curated vintage finds while supporting neighborhood makers. Sunday 6/7. Free.
• 🐾 Bring your pup (or just yourself) to Pups, Pours & maybe Prosecco, a casual ladies’ hangout where dogs get to play while you grab drinks and good conversation at a dog-friendly spot. It’s low-key, no pressure, and honestly just a nice excuse to get out and meet people. Sunday 6/7. Free.

🤫 Psst! I couldn't fit everything in this issue. See all the events happening over the next week!

• Cat show
• DC Day of Archeology
• Outdoor movie nights
• Beer, Bourbon & BBQ festival
• Huge yardsale
• Free ice cream

Click the Login link below the form and use the email you're subscribed with.

⚡ More events. More access. Zero FOMO.

Our premium subscribers get the full event list (250+!), weekly updates, and VIP access to exclusive Not Bored in DC events.

​👉 Upgrade to Premium here​

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.