The 31 best things to do in D.C. this weekend and next week

Words Beats and Life Festival

The Words Beats and Life Festival officially began Monday, but the annual mix of poetry, hip-hop and activism picks up steam as the weekend approaches. On Thursday night, choices include dance-forward “electronic folk music” from the trio of Sunken Cages, Dragonchild and Faraway Ghost on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage (free, 6 p.m.); Word Power: Dynamic Duos, an event mixing DJs, poets and lyricists at Busboys and Poets in Hyattsville, followed by an open mic (8 p.m., $5); and a free rooftop party at the Eaton hotel with DJs Miss H.E.R., Farrah Flosscett and Coco Spinelle dropping hip-hop, Afrobeats and beyond (8 p.m., free with RSVP). As the week goes on, look for a talk with poet, actor and songwriter Saul Williams at Woolly Mammoth (Friday); youth poetry slams and a “Literary Decathlon” that involves writing haikus and love poems and a “compliment battle” (Saturday); and the Jazz and Blossoms party in Franklin Park (Sunday). Through Sunday; event prices vary.

Cherry Fund: Rewind

Since 1996, the Cherry Fund has raised more than $1.3 million for nonprofits helping D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community, bringing DJs and participants from around the world for parties. This year’s party, which benefits the DC Center for the LGBT Community, has a theme of “Rewind,” so consider it a teaser for June’s “Totally Radical” Pride festivities. The celebrations start Thursday with a free party at Kiki on U Street, featuring DJ Tezrah. The parties keep coming: Friday at Ultrabar with Brazilian DJ Paulo Pacheco and Mohammed from Atlanta, inspired by “legendary dance floors of days gone by”; Saturday at the Mayflower with DJs Orel Sabag (Israel) and Tom Stephan (London) until 3 a.m., followed by the “after-hours” party at Flash that kicks off at 4 a.m. and runs until 9, including a daylight party on the roof; and Sunday night’s finale, at Zebbie’s Garden, with Cherry regular Nina Flowers. Through Sunday. General admission $45-$70; VIP pass for all events $220.

Eclipse Cocktails at Red Derby

On Monday, the D.C. Public Library began handing out free solar glasses that will protect your eyes during the upcoming eclipse. Neighborhood online groups were soon full of reports that all the glasses were gone, and at least one reporter struck out when they went to their neighborhood branch around lunchtime. The Smithsonian is handing out tens of thousands of free glasses before the main event, but if you want to have some fun with it, the Red Derby’s serving up a free pair of glasses alongside its new raspberry rum swizzle, dubbed the Eclipse Cocktail. Get one before they’re gone. Though Saturday. $10.

Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: ‘Aspects of Ellington’ at the National Museum of Natural History

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, but the celebrations are especially sweet in D.C. this year, with concerts and events honoring the 125th birthday of native son Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington. This weekend kicks off with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra’s “Aspects of Ellington” at the National Museum of Natural History, which will draw on diverse works from across Ellington’s songbook: The Smithsonian says selections might include the 1927 shuffle of “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo” and the “Degas Suite,” a 1960s film soundtrack unreleased in Ellington’s lifetime. (7 p.m. $30.)

March Madness: Women’s Final Four viewing parties

Only six schools are still playing in March Madness, and there are viewing parties for all the survivors this weekend — a guarantee that the bar will have full sound and plenty of screens. The Women’s Final Four takes place on Friday night, with North Carolina State facing South Carolina at 7 p.m. N.C. State alumni will be fixtures at Lou’s City Bar this weekend, with both the men and women still involved. (On Sunday, red-and-black pompoms were scattered around the screen-filled bar hours before tip-off.) The Gamecocks, meanwhile, watch their games at Atlas Brew Works on Half Street near Nationals Park. The second game, which begins at 9:30 p.m., features Connecticut and Iowa. U-Conn fans pack into Clarendon’s Colony Grill, while you’ll see Caitlin Clark jerseys at Mission Navy Yard, D.C.’s official Iowa alumni bar.

Cherry blossom performances at the Tidal Basin

The National Cherry Blossom Festival officially runs through April 14, but the free daily musical performances at the Tidal Basin Welcome Area are wrapping up this weekend. Take in a cross-cultural tradition while listening to local acts including R&B singers Natalie Redd and PatriceLive, Andean folk group Raymi, and brotherly prog-rock duo deTournai. Through Sunday. Free.

Tosser at Rhizome

On its debut album, D.C. band Tosser scrubbed off some of the “polish” of earlier releases for a noisy, guitar-powered album that accidentally predicted the malaise of a pandemic period that it predated. The group’s just-released album “Sheer Humanity” is not as much polished as sharpened, its grungy riff rock even heavier and edgier than before. 7 p.m. $15.

‘Exsanguinated’ at Red Bear Brewing

The NoMa brewery follows its weekly “RuPaul’s Drag Race” viewing party with a specific live drag challenge of its own: a “vampire ball.” Named for the medical term for draining blood, this event is hosted by local performer (and winner of a “spookiest ghoul” competition last year) Johnny Alucard. 9 to 11 p.m. Free.

Petalpalooza

Multiple stages of live music, art installations, hands-on family activities, a market, food trucks and a beer garden are highlights of the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s annual Petalpalooza along the Capitol Riverfront near the Navy Yard. Five zones of entertainment are featured throughout the neighborhood, and the event is capped with a fireworks display set to music, which begins at 8:30 p.m. 1 to 9 p.m. Free.

Pink in the Pool and Pink in the Park at National Landing

National Landing hosts a pair of free Saturday events for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. First up is Pink in the Pool, a kid-centric event at the Long Bridge Aquatics Center with story time, snacks and an origami class (9 a.m. to noon). Pink in the Park, originally scheduled for March 23, features a pop-up market with more than two dozen vendors, curated by AAPI art and culture organization Samasama. The day also includes live mural painting, art from the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington, and a pop-up food and beverage area. DJ Em-Pulse and Les the DJ provide the tunes (1 to 5 p.m.). Both events are free.

First Saturday at the National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art’s monthly First Saturday series has a flower theme (surprise!) during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, so visitors can create floral art from paper or practice sketching a floral arrangement, explore paintings of flowers in the galleries, watch Japanese movies, and listen to traditional Japanese music. Little ones can have their faces painted or listen to story time. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.

Kimonos and Cocktails on 17th Street NW

Bars and restaurants along 17th Street near Dupont Circle team up for the new Kimonos and Cocktails, a bar crawl featuring cherry blossom-themed cocktails and mocktails. Arrive early for a kimono demonstration, beginning in Stead Park at 2 p.m., then taste your way down the street before voting for a favorite concoction. 5 to 8 p.m. Free.

Art Blooms at the Mosaic District

The two-day Art Blooms in Fairfax’s Mosaic District brings a marketplace of 90 makers and vintage vendors, music on multiple stages, and a farmers market with food and drinks. Families can bring the kids to meet singing princesses, and everyone should take advantage of the free shuttle from the Dunn Loring Metro station. Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free.

Dupont Circle Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Market

There’s a lot happening in Dupont Circle this weekend, including Saturday’s Kimonos and Cocktails bar crawl and Sunday’s tea party in the circle. But don’t overlook the Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Market, where you’ll find more than 75 makers and vendors set up across the neighborhood: along Connecticut Avenue NW between Q and S streets; on P Street between 20th and 22nd streets; and 17th Street between P and R streets. Meanwhile, on Saturday, there’s also a mural installation in Dupont Circle Park and craft activities, such as origami and bookmark making, in the garden behind the historic Heurich House. Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets has more information about neighborhood events on its website. Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Free.

Unique Markets at Dock 5 at Union Market

Find a new favorite D.C.-based small business at the Washington edition of Unique Markets, a roving pop-up shop that travels the country showing off emerging brands. More than 70 sellers are setting up shop above Union Market, with offerings including jewelry, clothing (vintage and new), bath products, candles, ceramics and packaged food. Admission includes perks like free drinks, including nonalcoholic beers from Best Day Brewing; DIY craft projects to try; stations with photo ops; and a tote bag to carry all your purchases home. Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $12 for one-day admission; $16 for a weekend pass; free admission for ages 14 and under.

March Madness: Men’s Final Four

Saturday brings the men’s side of the NCAA Tournament. The first game, at 6:09 p.m., features North Carolina State and Purdue. As mentioned above, N.C. State alumni head to Lou’s City Bar in Columbia Heights, and Boilermakers watch their games at the Bottom Line on K Street. Alabama and Connecticut follow at 8:49 p.m. U-Conn alumni are heading back to Colony Grill in Clarendon, where they will have watched their women’s team play on Friday, while Alabama fans have been going to Salazar on 14th Street for their March Madness game watches. The winners, of course, play for the national championship on Monday.

‘Back 2 the Circle’ Cypher Jam and Fresh Fit Clothing Swap at the Kennedy Center

Indigenous hip-hop is front and center at the Kennedy Center’s Reach on Saturday evening, with performances by rapper Supaman, DJ Element, and B-girl and curator Miss Chief Rocka. Groove to tunes by DJs Diyanna Monet and 4REAL. Bring gently used clothing and accessories to swap, and bring your best moves for a dance contest with celebrity judges. 5 to 9 p.m. Free.

Mumbo vs. Gumbo at Sycamore and Oak

Five years ago, a complaint about go-go music playing from speakers at a phone store at the corner of Seventh Street and Florida Avenue NW launched the Don’t Mute D.C. movement, and helped go-go become the official sound of D.C. Mark the anniversary with a party at Sycamore and Oak in Congress Heights, where Mumbo vs. Gumbo features live go-go from Backyard Band and District Kings and the horn-driven sound of the Crush Funk Brass Band. Meanwhile, there’s New Orleans-style cuisine from Triceys D.C., Dionne’s and the vegan Glizzys. 3 to 7 p.m. Free.

Capital Art Book Fair at Eastern Market

More than 30 exhibitors from around the world — as close as Silver Spring and as far as Seoul — convene at Eastern Market’s North Hall to celebrate art books. Participants include artists, established publishers and indie bookmakers selling zines, photography books, graphic novels and more. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free.

NSO Music for Young Audiences at the Kennedy Center

This family-focused concert returns to introduce youngins to, as the Kennedy Center bills it, “some of the greatest music ever written.” The program is led by two National Symphony Orchestra musicians (bassist Paul DeNola and violinist Heather LeDoux Green) and features a “trunk full of gags” used throughout the show, though besides their instruments, the performers are silent. Come early for Musical PLAYspace, where kids are invited to try out the instruments they’ll see onstage, and stay after the Saturday afternoon performance for a Q&A with the artists and creative team. Saturday, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. $20.

Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony at the Tidal Basin

The Cherry Blossom Princesses take center stage at the Tidal Basin during the Japanese Stone Lantern Lighting Ceremony, the annual lighting of the 17th-century lantern that is located near the site where the first cherry blossom trees were planted in 1912. 2:30 p.m. Free.

Jazz and Blossoms at Franklin Park

The music-focused Jazz and Blossoms festival returns downtown with performances by Digable Planets, the Sun Ra Arkestra, the JoGo Project, Madison McFerrin and the Daylight DJs. The day in Franklin Park — part of the Words Beats and Life Festival — also includes art installations, graffiti walls, lawn games, haiku-writing stations and nonalcoholic beverages. Noon to 7:30 p.m. Free.

Dupont Circle Tea Party

Take a break from shopping at the Dupont Circle Cherry Blossom Pop-Up Market (see the listing under Saturday) for a warm beverage on Sunday afternoon. Visit the festively decorated Dupont Circle Tea Party for free beverages from Teaism, Tea Mansion and Valley Brook Tea. Noon to 5 p.m. Free.

Blossom Block Fest: Flea D.C. at Sycamore and Oak

Congress Heights’ Sycamore and Oak is the home of the Blossom Block Festival, where a flea market highlights Black creatives alongside family activities and live music. Noon to 5 p.m. Free.

Tulip Ride and Tulip Walk on the Mount Vernon Trail

The cherry blossoms aren’t the only flowers worth fawning over during springtime in Washington, and the nonprofit Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail proves it on a morning dedicated to exploring the area’s prettiest tulip patches. There are two options happening simultaneously: a bike ride to three tulip-covered sites located on and near the Mount Vernon Trail as part of an eight-mile loop, or a five-mile stroll to two sites. The Tulip Ride/Walk is organized in partnership with WalkArlington and the Rosslyn BID, and free online registration is required. Both the ride and the walk begin and end at Compass Coffee in Rosslyn. 9 a.m. to noon. Free; advance registration required.

Bottomless Drag Brunch at El Techo

Drag stars Tara Hoot, Evry Pleasure and TrevHER join DJ Lemz on El Techo’s verdant tropical rooftop for two bottomless brunches raising money for the Cherry Fund. Tickets include a choice of entree with unlimited bloody marys, mimosas or margaritas, plus all the entertainment you can handle while helping the nonprofit Cherry Fund support D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. $45.

G.A.S. (Grown and Sexy) at Metrobar

One Sunday a month from April through the end of summer, DJs Alizay, B-Sharp and Farrah Flosscett are trying to make the end of your weekend a little more sophisticated and fresh. Expect the vibe at this “Grown and Sexy” party to be set by hip-hop and soulful R&B, without getting as crazy as you might on a Friday night. 6 to 11 p.m. Free with RSVP.

Solar eclipse viewing parties

Did you know there’s a solar eclipse on Monday? And there won’t be another total eclipse visible from the contiguous United States until 2045? Even though D.C. will experience only a partial eclipse, there are viewing parties across the region. The biggest celebration takes place on the National Mall, where the National Air and Space Museum is joined by scientific organizations including NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a free, family-friendly afternoon festival. View the eclipse safely through solar telescopes and sun spotters, watch live NASA video from the path of totality, or see the sun through a satellite’s ultraviolet cameras. Hands-on activities take place between Fourth and 12th streets, and safe eclipse viewing glasses will be free while supplies last. Other options include the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, George Mason University’s observatory and Sky Meadows State Park. Adults playing hooky to see the eclipse can watch from the rooftop Deck 11 bar at Yotel D.C., or the Starr Hill rooftop beer garden at the Perch in Tysons, which is handing out glasses with every food or drink purchase, beginning at 2 p.m. Times vary; the peak of the eclipse in D.C. will be at 3:20 p.m.

Mariah the Scientist at Echostage

Let’s take her stage name literally. There’s something almost clinical about the singing of this Atlanta-raised R&B star as she continues to steer the sang-froid she shares with SZA, Frank Ocean and Jhene Aiko toward the absolute zero of American soul music. She can reach for a high note when she needs to, but how low can she go? 8 p.m. Only verified resale tickets available.

Bad Bunny at Capital One Arena

It’s hard to say whether we’ve reached peak Bad Bunny — or we ever will. The 30-year-old’s renown only seems to grow bigger and brighter as his albums continue to expand into new zones of rhythm and rhyme. Onstage, he makes that expansiveness feel not only coherent, but riveting. In other words, checking out one of the planet’s most electrifying pop performers while he’s still on top of the world sounds like a good idea. 8 p.m. $202-$675.

Jason Moran: Solo Ellington at the Kennedy Center

Tributes to Duke Ellington continue as the great pianist Jason Moran — the Kennedy Center’s artistic director for jazz — explores the breadth of Ellington’s music during a solo piano concert in the Eisenhower Theater, accompanied by a selection of Gordon Parks’s photos of Ellington. (8 p.m. $35-$80.)