Rev your engines! Freedom 250 Grand Prix weekend is here, and soon cars will be zooming near the National Mall over 150 mph. Tommy caught up with driver Marcus Ericsson about his thoughts on the first IndyCar race through the streets of D.C. Tickets are sold out, but you can look up for flyovers during the celebration.
Want to see the races but don’t have a ticket? Not so fast. Downtown is pretty locked down. Watch for road closures, and heads up that access to the National Mall and some Smithsonian museums will be limited.
- Weekend weather: We’re expecting wet weather on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Keep an eye on rain chances by downloading the NBC Washington app for iOS and Android.
For more than 60 years, the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park hosted everything from Shakespeare productions to Bruce Springsteen, but maintenance issues forced the iconic outdoor venue to close its doors, leaving it silent for the past decade. News4’s Mark Segraves reports that while the amphitheater’s stage is still considered unsafe, live music is returning for three special nights this summer.
D.C.
For more than 60 years, the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park hosted everything from Shakespeare productions to Bruce Springsteen, but it’s sat silent for the past decade. So it’s a big deal that live music is returning for three nights this week! Buy tickets here. Thurs., Fri. and Sat., Northwest D.C., $16.54
Metro’s latest pop-up has tons of stuff for back-to-school, from stationery to clothes to dorm supplies. The pop-up is located at 300 7th St. SW and open through Sept. 4.
We wrote you … every week! The musical version of “The Notebook” is now playing at the National Theatre. Through Aug. 30
Kate McKinnon, Cynthia Erivo, Martin Scorsese, Tia Williams and Ann Patchett are among dozens of authors attending this year’s National Book Festival. It’ll be packed with author talks, signings and family-friendly programs. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and tickets are required. Sat., 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Washington Convention Center, free
Washington Spirit hosts Pride Night at Audi Field (Sun., $34+).
Outdoor movies: There’s something for everyone, every day this week, and most are free! (With rainy weather in the forecast, check for schedule changes before you head out.)
Maryland
It’s the last weekend of the Montgomery County Fair! You’ve gotta try all the fried food … Trust Tommy, who ate his way through the fair last week. Through Sat., Gaithersburg, $20.74+
Go under the sea for Mermaid Day at the water park in Bohrer Park! Swim with a real mermaid, do some crafts and dance along to DJ Spyder. Sat., 1-3 p.m., Gaithersburg, admission $7-$17
Outdoor movies: See “Turning Red” at Isreal Park in Rockville (Thurs.), and “Creed” (Thurs.) and “Babe” (Sun.) at National Harbor.
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Virginia
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Thurs.), Jon Batiste (Fri.), Josh Groban (Sat.) and Gipsy Kings (Sun.) are all playing a packed week at Wolf Trap, one of our favorite summer concert venues because of its free parking, a Metro shuttle and a “BYO everything” policy.
The Dulles Plane Pull returns to the tarmac – you really need to see it to believe how neat it is. Kids can join in for a truck pull, and anyone can join the Dulles Day Festival. Note the clear bag policy, directions and parking instructions. Proceeds help Special Olympics Virginia. Sat., 8 a.m., Dulles Airport, free
Outdoor movie picks this week are “Cars” at Mosaic (Thurs.), “Shrek” at Met Park in Arlington (Fri.) and “School of Rock” at Reston Station (Sat.).
Falls Church will kick off its first-ever Summer Restaurant Week on Friday, and Alexandria Restaurant Week is running now through Sunday.
Music Snob’s concerts picks
Robert Earl Keen, Friday and Sunday, The Birchmere, $69.50+
The Texas singer-songwriter folk hero brings his blend of Americana and rock back to Alexandria for another three-night stand (Saturday is sold out). Just outside of outlaw, Keen comes from traditional country with R&B, soul and rock ‘n’ roll. Details.
Flowerbomb, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Union Stage, $26.40
D.C. alt-rock band swings from dream pop to gritty, fuzzy rock. Rachel Kline’s deeply personal lyrics are earnest, relatable and convey tangible emotion. Their summer single “Jewish Girl” is a Rembrandt. Kicking things off is local singer Taisha Estrada. Originally from Puerto Rico, the bilingual songwriter wields a beautiful, dynamic voice ranging from hushed and sultry to soaring. It’s pop/R&B with mellow, loungy grooves and tropical, Latin influences. Details.
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