Out on the Town: D.C. arts & entertainment highlights, August 31-September 6

DAYS OF THUNDER
The first of three films to star Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman during their decade of marriage, Jerry Bruckheimer’s NASCAR blockbuster was fueled by the power of their characters’ relationship to rejuvenate a moribund racing career. The film screens at Union Market’s monthly Drive-In Series. You don’t have to have a car to take it all in — just grab a viewing spot in the free picnic area. Food and beer are available, delivered to you or your car window by the DC Rollergirls. Friday, Sept. 1. Gates at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at sunset — around 8:15 p.m. In the parking lot at Union Market, 1305 5th St. NE. Free for walk-ups or $10 per car. Call 800-680-9095 or visit unionmarketdc.com.

FOOTLOOSE
Zero degrees of Kevin Bacon in this, his breakout film from 33 years ago, in which he portrayed an upbeat Chicago teen who shakes up a small rural town with his urge to dance and listen to pop music — both of which have been banned by a local minister, played by John Lithgow. The drama is the next up in the Date Night outdoor screening series at National Harbor. Thursday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. On the plaza at 165 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, Md. Call 877-628-5427 or visit nationalharbor.com.

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD
★★★
In The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Samuel L. Jackson’s tried and true formula is spiked with a potent hit of Ryan Reynolds, the king of Hollywood nonchalance. The heroes never meet a problem that can’t be solved with a gun, a bigger gun, an explosion, or a pithy comeback, while the film feints at real-world commentary by zeroing in on a recognizably unhinged despot as its main villain. The Hitman’s Bodyguard is no twisty, Bourne-ian take on geo-politics; it’s a straightforward, crowd-pleaser, well-executed by professionals who know what they’re here to do. Now playing. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com. (Andre Hereford)

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A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC
Holly Twyford is known for her extraordinary range and dynamism, but there’s still one part she’s never before exhibited: Her singing. That all changes with Eric Schaeffer’s first-ever production of the Stephen Sondheim classic, A Little Night Music. Twyford joins a cast studded with Signature Theatre regulars, including Bobby Smith, Florence Lacey, Will Gartshore, Sam Ludwig, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Maria Rizzo, Susan Derry, and Kevin McAllister. To Oct. 8. Max Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit sigtheatre.org.

BIG FISH
★★★
The musical Big Fish, based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and on the film adaptation directed by Tim Burton, came and went on Broadway before many had a chance to see how the beloved father-son story translated to the stage. Boasting a book by the film’s screenwriter, John August, and music and lyrics by The Wild Party composer Andrew Lippa, the show is enjoying a D.C. premiere with a diverting — but not dazzling — production at Keegan Theatre. The wizardly element made Tim Burton a good fit for visualizing the fantastical world of Big Fish on film. Here, however, the onus rests on the show’s co-directors Mark A. Rhea and Colin Smith to realize the implausible characters and feats that live in the fertile imagination of young Will (Erik Peyton). The results are hit and miss. To Sept. 9. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $45 to $55. Call 202-265-3767 or visit keegantheatre.com. (AH)

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JULIUS CAESAR
Scena Theatre offers a modern interpretation intentionally teasing out the parallels between today’s Washington and ancient Rome. Robert McNamara directs and stars in Shakespeare’s classic tale of Senators Cassius and Brutus’s plot to kill Caesar and prevent him from becoming all-powerful Emperor, and the civil unrest that ensues. David Bryan Jackson, Ian Armstrong, Barry McEvoy, Ron Litman, Amanda Forstrom, Danielle Davy, Robert Sheire, and Kim Curtis also appear. To Sept. 24. Lab Theatre II in the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $30 to $45. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

KENNEDY CENTER’S PAGE-TO-STAGE NEW PLAY FESTIVAL
More than 60 D.C.-area theater companies offer free readings, workshops, open rehearsals and previews of developing plays and musicals as part of this 16th annual event taking place over the three days of Labor Day weekend. Among the highlights: What Had Happened, Was…, the latest sampler of short plays from the LGBTQ-focused African-American Collective Theater; Abortion Road Trip, a play by Rachel Lynett produced by the LGBTQ-run Theatre Prometheus; a reading of Danny Baird Jr. and Andrew Gordon’s new musical version of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, presented by Monumental Theatre Company; Factory449’s Lela & Co. by Cordelia Lynn; and The Peculiar Awakening of Riley Parker, Desmond Bing’s examination of a gay black man’s quest for self-determination. Saturday, Sept. 2, through Monday, Sept. 4. For a complete schedule, visit kennedy-center.org.

THE DEVIL’S MUSIC … BESSIE SMITH
Mosaic Theater Company kicks off its third season with its first musical, a show written by Angelo Parra and directed by Joe Brancato. A hit Off Broadway, The Devil’s Music stars the indomitable Miche Braden, performing 13 songs in character as bisexual blues pioneer Bessie Smith. The concert-style show recreates the boisterous diva’s final performance after she and her band were turned away from a whites-only theater in Memphis in 1937. To Sept. 24. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.

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WIZARD OF HIP
MetroStage presents a 25th Anniversary revival of a show by the company’s associate artistic director, Thomas W. Jones II. A nonstop comic journey following Afro Jo, an African-American everyman in search of the ultimate state of “hip,” the show stars Jones, backed by the Lady Doo Wops, Kanysha Williams and Jasmine Eileen Coles. To Sept. 17. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 703-548-9044 or visit metrostage.org.

DC MUSIC ROCKS FESTIVAL
“Some of the best music in the country is from right here in your neighborhood,” goes the tagline to this festival at the 9:30 Club. The lineup includes the country-rock of the Hayley Fahey Band, folk-rock trio Throwing Plates, the Split Seconds, grunge/psych-rock outfit Stone Driver and the punk-informed four piece Thaylobleu. Saturday, Sept. 2. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

DEPECHE MODE
Martin Gore, Dave Gahan and Andy Fletcher’s newer music may not be quite as stirring and influential as it was two decades ago, but the seminal British synth-pop trio’s new album, Spirit, does have its moments, with several dramatic songs reminding you of your past faith and devotion. And if you’ve ever seen Depeche Mode live — or heard any of the band’s live sets, from the original 101 to 2014’s impressive Live in Berlin — you know their return via another stadium tour is a must. Thursday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. Capital One Arena (formerly Verizon Center), 601 F St. NW. Tickets are $91 to $460. Call 202-628-3200 or visit livenation.com.

JIMI HENDRIX CONCERT EVENT
The American rock band Fishbone and Nona Hendryx, a cousin of Jimi’s and former member of Labelle, are two headlining acts at this tribute to the late pioneering electric guitarist and rocker. Produced by veteran promoter Danny Kapilian, the concert comes as a 50th anniversary toast to the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Washington debut at the former Ambassador Theater, as well as what would have been Hendrix’s 75th year on earth. The lineup also includes Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers, Vernon Reid of Living Colour, and up-and-coming R&B artists Judith Hill and Liv Warfield. Friday, Sept. 1, at 8 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $30 to $55. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

NOT WHAT YOU THINK AT RAINBOW FAMILIES HILLWOOD PICNIC
Started through the former Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington, this a cappella ensemble works for equality and social justice through song and humor. The 12-piece group returns to Hillwood for an annual concert as part of a three-hour family picnic on the lawn, organized by Rainbow Families and starting at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. Visitor Center Theater at Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $5 in advance, or $18 day-of. Call 202-686-5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.

NSO’S LABOR DAY CONCERT
Guest Conductor John Morris Russell leads the National Symphony Orchestra in an annual tradition on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. This year’s program features singer-songwriter and guitarist Aoife O’Donovan performing patriotic favorites as well as some of O’Donovan’s originals, including “Red & White & Blue & Gold” and “The King of All Birds.” Sunday, Sept. 3, at 8 p.m. U.S. Capitol Building, West Lawn. (Or Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, in case of inclement weather.) Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org/nso.

STING
A rare, non-weekend three-date run — now that’s a way to make a debut that gets attention at Wolf Trap. But the former Police leader and “Englishman in New York” pop star isn’t stopping there. While in the area, he’ll also perform a concert and sit for a conversation with J. Ralph — billed as the “go-to producer of documentary film scores” by the Hollywood Reporter — moderated by Dan Rather at the Smithsonian’s American History Museum. The conversation will celebrate the composers as they discuss important connections between music, philanthropy, and American culture. Filene Center concerts are Tuesday, Sept. 5, Wednesday, Sept. 6, and Thursday, Sept. 7, at 7:30 p.m. 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $45 to $165. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org. Concert and conversation is Friday, Sept. 8, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Warner Bros. Theater at 14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Tickets are $150. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanhistory.si.edu.

TAKOMA PARK FOLK FESTIVAL
Now in its 40th year, this celebration of folk music the world over offers performances from 50 acts across six stages — kicking off with the DC Labor Chorus leading a singing procession through the festival grounds. Also part of the festivities is a juried Crafts Show and Sale with 25 artisans working in clay, wood, glass, fiber, paper and other media. Naturally, food vendors will also be on hand. Sunday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Rd. Free. Call 301-589-0202 or visit tpff.org.

THE NOVEL IDEAS
Based in Boston, this Americana quintet comes to town for a concert and party on the very day it releases new self-titled album, a crowdfunded country/folk set recorded in Los Angeles. Friday, Sept. 8, $at 7:30 p.m. Corner Store Arts, 900 South Carolina Ave. SE. Tickets are $20 donation with RSVP, or $25 walk-in. Call 202-544-5807 or visit cornerstorearts.org.

TLC, C+C MUSIC FACTORY, SNAP
Wolf Trap offers an “I Love the ’90s” throwback party to the time when dance-pop as we know it came into being and hip-hop and house were still growing up and playing nicely together. The lineup of ’90s-minted hit-making pop acts also includes Kid N Play, Montell Jordan and Rob Base. From “No Scrubs” to “Everybody Dance Now” to “Rhythm Is A Dancer,” this is how we did it two decades ago. Sunday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. The Filene Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $45 to $87. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

CHRISTOPHER TITUS
The star of six one-hour comedy specials currently running on Comedy Central, with a seventh, Born With a Defect, on the way, Titus offers a live run of what he calls his “hard funny” standup style. Friday, Sept. 1, at 7:30 and 10 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 2, at 7 and 10 p.m. Arlington Cinema N’ Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. Tickets are $30. Call 703-486-2345 or visit arlingtondrafthouse.com.

DAVID MCCULLOUGH: THE AMERICAN SPIRIT
The most honored living American historian has put together a collection of some of his most important speeches in a brief volume designed to identify important principles and characteristics that are particularly American. The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For is a timely book meant to offer hope in a seemingly hopeless time about the durability of the American experiment. McCullough comes to town for a discussion, part of the Hay-Adams’ Author Series, that includes a three-course menu with wine pairings by executive chef Nicolas Legret. Kramerbooks will be on hand selling copies of The American Spirit for a signing after the luncheon. Friday, Sept. 1, at noon. The Hay-Adams Room, 800 16th St. NW. All-inclusive tickets are $90. Call 202-638-6600 or visit hayadams.com/author-series/events.

JANE DICKSON
The artist, known for dark iconic paintings using unusual materials, will discuss Fab 5 Freddy, her portrait of Freddy Braithwaite. Also known as Fab Five Freddy, the seminal hip-hop artist emerged from the 1970s street art scene that also included Jean-Michel Basquait and Keith Haring to become host of Yo! MTV Raps. Saturday, Sept. 10, at 3 p.m. National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets. NW. Call 202-633-8300 or visit npg.si.edu.

NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL
The 17th annual Library of Congress event features more than 100 best-selling authors and illustrators participating in this year’s festival, including David McCullough, Condoleezza Rice, Kate DiCamillo, Scott Turow and Ernest Gaines. Saturday, Sept. 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. Call 202-249-3000 or visit loc.gov/bookfest.

AMENDING AMERICA
Featuring more than 50 original documents from the National Archives, this exhibit highlights the remarkably American story of how we have amended, or attempted to amend, the Constitution in order to form “a more perfect union.” Of course it all started 226 years ago when the Bill of Rights was ratified, addressing some of the most pressing issues of the day that are still very much timely. Since then, there have been 11,000 proposed amendments — but only 17 ratified. Closes Sunday, Sept. 4. Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery of the National Archives Museum, Constitution Avenue at 9th Street NW. NW. Call 202-357-5000 or visit archives.gov/museum.

ARTECHOUSE: XYZT: ABSTRACT LANDSCAPES
An internationally traveling exhibition by French digital artists and “multimedia choreographers” Adrien Mondot and Claire Bardainne launches what a first-of-its-kind interactive digital art museum in D.C. Founded by Sandro Kereselidze and Tatiana Pastukhova of event producer Art Soiree, ArTecHouse, near the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Southwest D.C., is dedicated to showcasing work at the intersection of art and technology. First up is XYZT, an immersive, multisensory, multi-space exhibit featuring, through 10 digital landscapes, experiences from walking on floors that react to movement, to manipulating light particles within a giant digital cube, to blowing into glass boxes and witnessing virtual letters assemble and disassemble as if by magic. Viewed in 45-minute timed-entry sessions daily through Sunday, Sept. 4. ArTecHouse, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets for 45-minute, timed-entry sessions are $15 for daytime or $25 for evening admission. Visit artechouse.com.

BODY LANGUAGE: QUEER ACTIVISTS FROM POST-YUGOSLAVIA
A Serbian refugee, Alma Selimovic was granted political asylum in the U.S. in 2009 on account of the violence and threats she faced as a prominent LGBTQ activist in her homeland. Earlier this year, the visual artist did a two-month residency at Berlin’s Institute fur Alles Mogliche, where she interviewed and created digital drawings of other people from Eastern Europe who are queer, trans and/or gender neutral. Now that she’s back, she’s curated an exhibition of paintings, photographs, and video installations by seven queer artists and activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia: Kristofer Andric, Azra Causevic, Ranka Delic, Nedziba Idrizovic, Damir Prljaca, Anita Prsa, and Alex Spyke. Opening reception and performance is Saturday, Sept. 9, from 3 to 6 p.m. On display to Oct. 7. Otis Street Art Project, 3706 Otis St. Mt. Rainier, Md. Call 202-550-4634 or visit otisstreetarts.wixsite.com.

ERIN MCKEOWN
A native of Fredericksburg, Va., the Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter has produced an eclectic, experimental repertoire over the past 16 years, but her music is always tuneful, with strong melodies and clever lyrics expressed through a sweet, beguiling voice. Last year McKeown wrote, with playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes, the musical Miss You Like Hell, which had its debut at California’s influential La Jolla Playhouse and starring Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent). It’s possible she will play a selection or two from that, but the focus is on the tunes from her latest studio set, Mirrors Break Back. She’s joined by “orchestral synth rock” act the Cabin Project, from Portland, Oregon. Thursday, Sept. 7. Doors at 7 p.m. Downstairs at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $18 day-of show. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

HIVE AT THE NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM
Based in Chicago, the architecture firm Studio Gang designed this year’s summer installation in the Great Hall. Soaring to the uppermost reaches of the museum, Hive is built entirely of 2,700 wound paper tubes, a construction material that is recyclable, lightweight and renewable. Varying in size, the tubes are interlocked to create three dynamic, domed chambers, each offering different sound, light, scale and human interaction. Closes Sunday, Sept. 4. National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW. Tickets, including admission to all other museum exhibitions, are $13 to $16. Call 202-272-2448 or visit nbm.org.

JEFFREY EVERETT: 13 YEARS OF CONCERT POSTERS
In his official biography, the local visual artist notes that his work has been “stapled on walls of acclaimed rock clubs, inked into brave people’s skin, and framed in high-end galleries around the world.” Another, more staid artist might at least reverse the order of that list, but it fits Everett perfectly. Since the turn of the 21st century, the graphic designer and illustrator has worked with some of the biggest names in rock music, creating posters for upcoming concerts at both national and local venues, including Sixth & I and the Fillmore Silver Spring. The Foo Fighters, Dropkick Murphys, Wilco, Lou Reed, the Raveonettes, the Decemberists, and Childish Gambino are among the roster at Everett and his company, Rockets are Red. On exhibition through Sept. 5. The Gallery at Lost Origin Productions, 3110 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Call 202-409-6211 or visit lostorigins.gallery.

MIKE KELLEY: MEMORY WARE FLAT #27
Potomac’s Glenstone Museum loans a major wall sculpture for display at Strathmore, continuing a partnership that has brought works by Martin Honert, Lee Bontecou and Keith Haring to the Music Center. Part of the late Kelley’s series of 100 two- and three-dimensional works that imitate and subvert the folk-art tradition of preserving small, personally meaningful objects in mosaic-like decorations, Flat #27 is a large-scale, abstract assemblage of thousands of illegible political buttons and beads fixed with grout onto a wood panel and hung on the wall like a painting. On view through April 2018. Lockheed Martin Lobby, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

REBECCA COLES
A U.K.-based paper artist who’s currently focused on the reinvention of entomological cataloguing, display and the assemblage of shapes. More specifically, she’s fascinated with the process by which three-dimensional decorative forms materialize out of flat sheets of paper. Her work is a labor of love, with each piece composed of hundreds if not thousands of profiles, and each shape hand drawn and intricately hand cut from carefully selected paper, focusing on recycling a medium that would otherwise be discarded and lost. Closes Sept. 3. Long View Gallery, 1234 9th St. NW. Call 202-232-4788 or visit longviewgallery.com.

SOOMIN HAM & AMIE OLIVER
CulturalDC has collaborated with Forest City Washington at the real estate developer’s Twelve12 Navy Yard location for an exhibition highlighting two D.C.-area artists who, although working in different mediums, strive to depict the intangible by deconstructing standard materials or images. Ham’s experimental multimedia works are built from photographs detailing personal fragments in a way capturing the ephemeral quality of moments in life and memory. Meanwhile, Oliver uses scratching, brushing and drawing with permanent ink to create paintings of elemental shapes, forms and spaces evoking the fragile and transitory nature of our planet. Now to September 1. The lobby at Forest City Washington, 1212 4th St. SE. Call 202-315-1305 or visit culturaldc.org.

TRAWICK PRIZE
Named after a Bethesda, Md., community leader and arts advocate, the Trawick Prize, established in 2003, was one of the first regional competitions and largest prizes to honor visual artists. Works by the eight finalists for the 15th annual competition factor into an exhibition presented by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. The finalists are: Cindy Cheng, Giulia Livi and Ben Piwowar all of Baltimore, Larry Cook of Landover Hills, Md., Amy Finkelstein of Takoma Park, Helen Glazer of Owings Mills, Md., Renee Rendine of Towson, Md., and Michele Montalbano of Burke, Va. They were picked by a panel including Zoe Charlton of American University, 2014 Trawick Prize Winner Neil Feather, and Elizabeth Mead of William & Mary. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 6. Opening reception is Friday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. To Sept. 30. Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Ave. Suite E, Bethesda, Md. Visit 301-215-6660 or visit bethesda.org.

YUMMM! THE HISTORY, FANTASY AND FUTURE OF FOOD
One of the quirkiest museums around offers a playful visual feast featuring works by 34 artists focused on humankind’s relationship with food. Food-centric paintings, sculptures, embroideries, installations, and films are part of this exploration of the serious creative vision needed to reinvent how a planet of an estimated 9.6 billion people will eat in the year 2050. Closes Saturday, Sept. 3. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway. Baltimore. Tickets are $15.95. Call 410-244-1900 or visit avam.org.

DRINK THE DISTRICT WINE FESTIVAL
More than 100 wines will be available for tasting at this annual event subsuming what had been known as VinoFest. Also on tap will be live music, culinary demonstrations and a local artisan market. Friday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Canal Park, 200 M St. SE. Tickets are $59 to $99 per session. Call 202-618-3663 or visit drinkthedistrict.com.

HAY-ADAMS: OFF THE RECORD LOBBY POP-UP
The Hay-Adams hotel’s famous downstairs hideaway and watering hole will be closed to undergo renovations over the next month. But never fear: Off The Record’s collectable political coasters, stately furnishings and classic cocktails will pop up to the lobby level at the hotel across Lafayette Square from the White House. Sip the Washington-original Lime Rickey (gin with fresh lime juice and club soda) or other classics, including a Mint Julep or a Fill a Buster (gin, ginger liqueur, cucumber, basil and sparkling wine). In what was the hotel’s original dining room and popular bar, you can also enjoy summer savory creations by executive chef Nicolas Legret — from OTR Slides with crab cakes and tartar sauce, to a Seafood Platter of oysters, jumbo shrimp and lobster, to a grilled black angus strip steak with romaine, fries and Maitre d’Hotel butter — and desserts including S’Mores Cheesecake, Homemade Ice Cream and Hay-Adams Baked Cookies from pastry chef Josh Short. Closes Sunday, Sept. 4. The Hay-Adams Room, 800 16th St. NW. Call 202-638-6600 or visit hayadams.com.

NATIONAL GALLERY’S GARDEN CAFE: WEEKEND BRUNCH
For a boozy brunch a little more high culture than the average, the National Gallery of Art offers a special brunch buffet all month for $30, with bottomless mimosas setting you back only $10 more. The selections are impressive: from Buttermilk Pancakes to Baked Frittata with bacon lardon, caramelized onions and gruyere, Summer BBQ Short Ribs with kimchi glaze to Roasted Free-Range Airline Chicken with shaved fennel and salsa verde, Baby Kale Salad to Seasonal Freshly Cut Fruit. Not to mention Carrot Cake, Lemon Bar and assorted Freshly Baked Cookies for dessert, and a full coffee menu. Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. National Gallery of Art’s West Garden Court, 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free. Call 202-842-6716 or visit nga.gov.

PIZZAPALOOZA
Chefs from Chicago and New York will serve up slices of their best pies as well as carve a roasted pig and dish up Italian pastries. Wash it all down with Italian-themed beer and wine. Sunday, Sept. 10, from 3 to 8 p.m. Potomac Plaza at MGM National Harbor, 7100 Harborview Ave., Oxon Hill, Md., Oxon Hill, Md. Tickets are $100 to $150 and include unlimited food and beverage. Call 844-346-4664 or visit mgmnationalharbor.com.

TEAISM UNION MARKET: MATSUKAWAYA
Teaism is currently sharing its booth in the trendy culinary haven next to Gallaudet University with this Japanese sweets company. Matsukawaya specializes in raw “wagashi,” or sweets made of fruits with mochi rice, and usually served with matcha tea. Through September. Teaism Union Market, 1309 5th St. NE. Call 202-409-1285 or visit teaism.com.

DJ MIM: A SUMMER’S NIGHT A LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVENT
After a good time over Pride, the ladies of the Coven return to U Street Music Hall for a special holiday party featuring DJ Mim and special guests. Saturday, Sept. 2. Doors at 10 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

OTTER CROSSING: DC FINALE
It’s hard to believe it’s been six years since David “Otter-licious” Brown started his incredibly popular first Fridays hirsute party, but the September Otter Crossing will be the last in the venue, going out with bangers from DJs Bil Todd and StrikeStone, plus other special surprise performers — and Sh(otter) Boys passing around potent jello in a fundraiser for Immigration Equality. Friday, Sept. 1. Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct. NW. Cover is $7 Call 202-347-4533 or visit facebook.com/ottercrossing.

THE BLACK MADONNA, FLASHY SUNDAYS
“Ladies of the Underground” is the theme to the event that kicks off Labor Day weekend at D.C.’s most intimate club, featuring a disco-sampling DJ who is shaking up the club scene in her home of Chicago. “Dance music needs riot grrrls,” the artist known as the Black Madonna says as part of a manifesto that also includes the statements “Dance music needs women over the age of 40,” “Dance needs cranky queers and teenagers who are really tired of this shit,” and “Dance music does not need more of the status quo.” Keenan Orr, one of D.C.’s leading gay DJs, opens for the party Friday, Sept. 1. Two nights later, Sunday, Sept. 3, more of D.C.’s leading gay DJs will run the club, when DJs Sean Morris and Kurt “TWiN” Graves offer the next round of Flashy, their gay party that has become one of the venue’s most popular. Mike Reimer and Bill Spieler will also be on the decks. Flash Nightclub, 645 Florida Ave. NW. Tickets are $15 for Black Madonna, $20 for Flashy Sundays. Call 202-827-8791 or visit flashdc.com.

ADAMS MORGAN DAY
Back in the summer of 1977, residents and businesses in Adams Morgan hosted a block party. It caught on. Big time. And now, four decades later, what became Adams Morgan Day is renowned as D.C.’s longest-running neighborhood celebration, drawing masses to the neighborhood each year. The festival offers almost any activity you can think of — from live musical acts to board games to painting demonstrations. Bedrock Billiards will serve up free pool throughout the day, while local restaurants will tempt passersby with incredible specials. Sunday, Sept. 10, from noon to 6 p.m. Free. Visit adamsmorganday2017.com. (John Riley)

ALAIN NU
Self-billed as “The Man Who Knows,” the mentalist returns to the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop with a new monthly workshop, “Mind, Magic and Merlot.” Part-performance and part-instruction into the mystic arts, the workshop comes with complimentary merlot — at least until supplies run out. Friday, Sept. 8, at 9 p.m. Upper Dance Studio, 545 7th St. SE. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 202-547-6839 or visit chaw.org.

ANACOSTIA RIVER EXPLORERS: EDUCATIONAL BOAT TOURS
Funded through the District’s disposable bag fee, this program of the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment offers free, guided motorboat and canoe tours exploring the history, wildlife, environmental threats and efforts to improve the Anacostia River. Full, two-hour (or partial, one-hour) tours, of 12 to 20 people at a time, are offered by the Anacostia Watershed Society and Anacostia Riverkeeper. Call 202-535-2600 for more information, and visit anacostiariverkeeper.org for a schedule of upcoming tours.

FORD’S THEATRE’S HISTORY ON FOOT
A local actor offers the guided tour Investigation: Detective McDevitt, portraying Detective James McDevitt, a D.C. police officer patrolling a half-block from Ford’s Theatre the night President Lincoln was shot. Written by Richard Hellesen and directed by Mark Ramont, the 1.6-mile walking tour revisits and reexamines the sites and clues from the investigation into the assassination. Tours are offered approximately three evenings a week at 6:45 p.m. Ford’s Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are $17. Call 202-397-7328 or visit fords.org.

HARBOR DOME: SUMMER SNOW GLOBE
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like — an oversized, enclosed orb in which “snow” will be falling and swirling all around — yet not keeping you trapped or stuck. A childlike playland for the strictly 21-and-over set. Closes Saturday, Sept. 3. Intersection of Waterfront Street and National Plaza, National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Md. Tickets are $10 to $25 per night. Visit nationalharbor.com/summersnowglobe.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
In the year 1527, Henry VII’s “love for Anne Boleyn pushes him to ask for an annulment of marriage from Queen, Katherine of Aragon.” And Carolyn Spedden, artistic director of the annual festival, now in its 41st year, tells Metro Weekly that “of all the storylines we do with Henry VIII, Boleyn tends to be the most popular.” Yet there’s a little something for everyone at RennFest, which Spedden calls “a very inclusive, welcoming event. Everybody should feel comfortable coming through the gates.” That’s true whether your primary motive is to take in the performances — over 200 professionals engaged in everything from jousting to comedic sword-fighting to reenactments to parodies of Shakespeare — or to shop for early holiday gifts from “the amazing artisans here with their handmade wares.” Or simply to eat a turkey leg, steak on a stake or cheesecake on a stick. Weekends to Oct. 22. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Md. Tickets are $17 to $25 for a single-day adult ticket. Call 800-296-7304 or visit rennfest.com.

SIR SUNDAYS AT SAX
Penn Quarter’s Moulin Rouge-inspired restaurant Sax offers movement-based spectacles, including aerial stunts, hip-hop group routines, pole performances, and burlesque, to add excitement beyond the food. And male burlesque is the showcase every Sunday during brunch, as a group of male professional dancers, aerialists, and bodybuilders perform full-length shows, accompanied by unlimited mimosas delivered by by table service studs. Sundays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sax Restaurant & Lounge, 734 11th St. NW. Tickets are $50 to $65 including appetizers and unlimited mimosas. Call 202-737-0101 or visit sirmaleburlesque.com.

THE ASK RAYCEEN SHOW: MEDIA IN D.C. PANEL
Rayceen Pendarvis moderates a Media in D.C. panel at the next edition of his monthly variety show also featuring performances from singer Shellie Ferguson and belly dancer Asala. DJ Jay Jay will spin music for the first hour, when there will be free food, a cash bar and vendors and exhibitors on hand. Wednesday, Sept. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. HRC Equality Center, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Free. Call 202-505-4548 or visit AskRayceen.com.

ZOO UNCORKED
Local and national wineries and vineyards will be on hand at this Friends of the National Zoo fundraiser formerly known as Grapes with the Apes. In addition to wine tasting among the animals, there will also be food trucks and artisans selling fare and wares as well as live performances. The evening benefits conservation, research and education programs at the zoo and its Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Va. Thursday, Sept. 7, at 6 to 9 p.m. National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $70 and include a commemorative wine glass. Call 202-633-4800 or visit nationalzoo.si.edu.