FILM

ANGEL HAS FALLEN

Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) just can’t catch a break. First, he had to defend the president (Aaron Eckhart) against an attack on the White House in Olympus Has Fallen, then against a massive attack on world leaders in London Has Fallen, and now he’s being framed for an assassination attempt against the new president (Morgan Freeman). And as long as the [Name] Has Fallen films continue to print money for Lionsgate, he won’t be getting an easy retirement any time soon. Opens Friday, Aug. 23. Area theaters. Visit www.fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)

AQUARELA

Water, or aqua, is the main character in director Victor Kossakovsky’s deeply cinematic journey capturing the many ways Earth’s most precious element takes shape as well as shapes us. Aquarela is intended primarily as a reminder that humans are no match for the sheer force and capricious will of water, an ominous reality given the way climate change is both increasing and intensifying such interactions. The documentary captures in often-shocking close-up and detail examples of water’s extreme power, from the drama of a melting icecap as it collapses and dissolves, to the sudden dangers posed by the churning seas of a tropical storm. Opens Friday, Aug. 23. Area theaters. Visit www.fandango.com.

BEFORE SUNRISE
BEFORE SUNSET

As part of its Capital Classics series, Landmark’s West End Cinema returns the first two films in Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as two strangers who meet by chance on a train. In the 1995 original, the duo proceeds to spend one passionate night together in Vienna before going their separate ways. “Can the greatest romance of your life last only one night?” read the tagline to Before Sunrise. Nine years later, the two unexpectedly find each other in Paris, leading to a new question: “What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?” Before Sunrise is Wednesday, Aug. 28, while Before Sunset follows Wednesday, Sept. 4, with screening times both days at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. 2301 M St. NW. Happy hour from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 each. Call 202-534-1907 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE

The AFI Silver Theatre co-presents a free summer outdoor film series at nearby Sonny’s Green, where patrons can bring blankets and low-rise chairs as well as their own food and beverages. The series concludes Friday, Aug. 30, with a 30th anniversary screening of “one of the most bodacious comedies of the 20th century,” and to help build anticipation for next year’s sequel Bill & Ted Face The Music. As stars Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves famously put it, party on, dudes! The screening begins at sundown, around 8 p.m. Off the parking lot of the Blairs Shopping Center, 1290 East-West Highway. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

FREE FILMS FOR ALL: LEGALLY BLONDE, CLUELESS

This weekend, the Shakespeare Theatre Company presents a mini-film festival in Sidney Harman Hall partly inspired by its popular Free For All. Yet while the organization’s namesake playwright is always the focus of that popular summer theater series, Free Films For All is bard-free. The focus instead is on a handful of recent, crowd-pleasing Hollywood blockbusters. The series kicks off on Friday, Aug. 23, at 8 p.m., with Steven Spielberg’s original dinosaur adventure, Jurassic Park and ends on Sunday, Aug. 25, with Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, at 11 a.m., and Pixar’s Inside Out, at 2 p.m. Yet Saturday, Aug. 24, offers a noteworthy double bill of two influential female-centered comedies that remain relevant despite being released roughly two decades ago: Legally Blonde, the ditzy 2001 courtroom comedy starring Reese Witherspoon (7 p.m.) and Clueless, the 1995 coming-of-age rom-com with Alicia Silverstone (9 p.m.). At the Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F St. NW. Free, but reservations encouraged. Call 202-547-1122 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

Considered one of cinema’s most magnificent and visually stunning achievements, David Lean’s 1962 masterpiece will be presented digitally in 4K from a meticulous restoration of the original negative. Based on the exploits of T.E. Lawrence during World War I as leader of the Arab revolt against the Turks, Peter O’Toole plays the title role with a supporting cast that includes Omar Sharif, Anthony Quinn, and Alec Guiness. The four-hour epic garnered seven Oscars, including best picture, director, cinematography, and score. Sunday, Sept. 1, and Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 1 and 6 p.m. Various Regal venues, including Gallery Place (701 7th St. NW), Potomac Yards Stadium (3575 Jefferson Davis Highway), and Majestic Stadium (900 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring). Tickets are $12.50. Visit www.fathomevents.com.

LOONEY TUNES

Every Saturday and Sunday morning the remainder of the month, the AFI Silver Theatre screens a different 45-minute program featuring selections of Warner Bros.’ classic cartoons starring the Looney Tunes gang — Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester, Tweety, and more. The series continues with Program 5 this Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25, at 11 a.m. 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets are $5. Call 301-495-6720 or visit www.afi.com/Silver.

SING-A-LONG SOUND OF MUSIC

Even if you’ve never been to a sing-a-long before, you know what it’s all about. It’s fun. And camp. And we’re betting you even know the words to all the songs from the classic movie musical, from “My Favorite Things” to “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” to “Edelweiss.” If you’re a bit rusty, though, rest assured the lyrics will be shown as part of the movie on Wolf Trap’s huge screen. The outing includes a Sound of Music-inspired costume contest prior to the screening — expect lots of Lederhosen and veils — plus, thankfully, a 15-minute intermission during Robert Wise’s nearly three-hour-long film. Saturday, Aug. 24. Gates at 5:45 p.m. The Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit www.wolftrap.org.

STAGE

DEAR EVAN HANSEN

If you missed it when it started its life at Arena Stage four years ago, the Tony Award-winning masterpiece from the hit stage and screen songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul returns to the area as part of its first national tour. Michael Greif directs the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary tale, featuring a book by Steven Levenson, about the power and overpowering effects of social media and social standing. To Sept. 8. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $79 to $175. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

KENNEDY CENTER’S PAGE-TO-STAGE NEW PLAY FESTIVAL

More than 65 D.C.-area theater companies offer readings, workshop productions, open rehearsals, and previews of developing plays and musicals as part of this free event held over Labor Day weekend. Participating theaters in the 18th annual event include Ford’s Theatre, The In Series, MetroStage, Mosaic Theater Company, Pinky Swear Productions, the LGBTQ-focused Rainbow Theatre Project, Theatre Prometheus, the Welders playwriting collective, the black LGBTQ-focused African-American Collective Theater, the impressive Millennial-focused Monumental Theatre Company, and Huemanati Artist Collective, the latter presenting Day Dream, a work about pioneering jazz artist and historical LGBTQ figure Billy Strayhorn. Other highlights include: Brave Soul Collective’s #BlackGayRage, a montage of performances celebrating the existence and illuminating the challenges of black LGBTQ people; Project 2020’s The Last Battle of the American Revolution, a medley of scenes from stage works celebrating and relating events from the struggle for women’s voting rights in the U.S.; and Voices Unbarred’s Dear America: A Disconnect Between Perception & Truth, an examination of the perceptions of inmates versus the reality with an eye toward brainstorming solutions to the issues raised. Festival begins Saturday, Aug. 30. To Monday, Sept. 2. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

LEGALLY BLONDE

Dupont Circle’s Keegan Theatre closes out its 22nd season with the stage adaptation of the hit movie, based on Amanda Brown’s novel about effervescent Elle Woods and her journey to Harvard. Ricky Drummond helms Keegan’s production of the show, featuring music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Neil Benjamin, aided by music director Walter “Bobby” McCoy and choreographer Ashleigh King. To Sept. 1. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $52 to $62. Call 202-265-3767 or visit www.keegantheatre.com.

THE CAT IN THE HAT

A rainy day is turned into a miraculous, mayhem-filled adventure in an adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic imported from across the pond, via the National Theatre of Great Britain. The theater for young audiences production out at Adventure Theatre-MTC in Glen Echo Park is directed by Adam Immerwahr, who has become known for works that are far more serious and adult in his day job as the artistic director of Theater J. Surely The Cat in the Hat is a nice change of pace, maybe even allowing him, to paraphrase from the late Mr. Geisel’s book, “good fun that is funny.” To Aug. 25. 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Call 301-634-2270 or visit www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

THE WAR BOYS

Ally Theatre Company, focused on presenting works or partnering with organizations that acknowledge and confront systemic oppression in America, launches its third season with a timely drama from Naomi Wallace about three vigilantes, childhood friends who enjoy spending their time patrolling the U.S./Mexican border. In time, they gain a fuller, more complicated picture of border security and what it means to be an American in a work that features a warning akin to an R-rated movie: “This play contains adult content including acts of violence, sexual assault, guns, partial nudity, xenophobic, homophobic, and misogynist language.” Matt Ripa, the artistic director of the DC Queer Theatre Festival, directs a cast featuring Jhonny Maldonado, Robert Pike, and Eli Pendry. To Aug. 31. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, Md. Tickets are $15 to $20. Call 301-699-1819 or visit www.alltheatrecompany.com.

MUSIC

BRITTANY HOWARD

The soul-rattling Alabama Shakes singer is currently on a break from the hit Southern blues-rock band she leads in order to set out on a new, far more personal chapter of her career. Howard tours in advance of her upcoming solo debut Jaime, which gets personal in ways she barely hinted at previously. For example, there’s the ballad “Georgia,” which she told Rolling Stone is “about being a little gay black girl and having a crush on an older black girl.” The 30-year-old Howard takes the spotlight for two intimate nights at the 9:30 Club with opening act Thelma and the Sleaze. Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24. Doors at 8 p.m. 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $55. Call 202-265-0930 or visit www.930.com.

CREATIVE CAULDRON’S SUMMER CABARET SERIES

The 10th annual summer cabaret series at ArtSpace Falls Church continues with “Bossa Fever” from the acclaimed local chilled-out jazz ensemble Veronneau on Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24, at 8 p.m. Series runs to Sept. 14. 410 South Maple Ave. in Falls Church. Tickets are $18 to $22 per show, or $60 for a table for two with wine and $120 for four with wine. Call 703-436-9948 or visit www.creativecauldron.org.

CYRUS CHESTNUT

“The best jazz pianist of his generation,” Time music critic Josh Tyrangiel has said of about Baltimore’s versatile virtuoso, who two decades ago portrayed a Count Basie-inspired pianist in Robert Altman’s Kansas City. He returns to D.C.’s leading jazz venue for a run of shows to help close out the summer. Thursday, Aug. 22, through Sunday, Aug. 25, at 8 and 10 p.m. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are $30 to $35, plus $12 minimum purchase. Call 202-337-4141 or visit www.bluesalley.com.

JAZZ IN THE GARDEN: FUNKY DAWGZ BRASS BAND

A summertime staple, the National Gallery of Art offers free outdoor concerts immediately after work every Friday through late August. Bands offering a range of jazz styles, from swing to Latin to ska, perform amidst the museum’s collection of large-scale sculptural works while patrons enjoy food and drinks, including beer, wine, and sangria, as sold by the Pavilion Café. New menu items for 2019 include the popular vegetarian Teriyaki Impossible Burger, a Bahn Mi Turkey Burger with ginger soy aioli, and more traditional sandwiches of pulled pork and beef brisket, all available at grill stations throughout the Sculpture Garden. The series concludes with the Connecticut-based seven-piece funk and hip-hop group Funky Dawgz Brass Band on Aug. 23. Evenings from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Sculpture Garden, between 7th and 9th Streets NW. Call 202-289-3360 or visit www.nga.gov.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S LABOR DAY CONCERT

Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke leads the NSO in the annual tradition on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. This year’s concert features vocalists Mykal Kilgore and Nova Payton in a program of popular songs by R&B hitmakers ranging from Aretha Franklin to Whitney Houston, James Brown to Stevie Wonder, plus a few patriotic songs, capped by Ray Charles’s version of “America The Beautiful.” Also lending vocal support are Micah Robinson, Shacara Rogers, and Jillian Willis Sunday, Sept. 1, at 8 p.m. U.S. Capitol Building, West Lawn. (In case of inclement weather, the concert will move to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.) Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

NEWMYER FLYER’S TRIBUTE TO THE EVERLY BROTHERS

An array of talented pop/folk vocalists and musicians from around the area are brought together to perform in tribute to one of the first 10 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Known for classic hits “Bye Bye Love,” “Let It Be Me,” “Love Hurts,” and “Walk Right Back.” Presented by the production company Newmyer Flyer, led by BandHouse Gigs co-founder Ron Newmyer, the concert features performances by David & Ginger Kitchen, the Jelly Roll Mortals, Ruthie & the Wranglers, Willie Barry, Bob Berberich, Lynn Kasdorf, and Louie Newmyer. The lineup also features a tribute to the 1970s band Grin, founded and fronted by Nils Lofgren. Grin Again features original Grin drummer Bob Berberich and singer Tom Lofgren, with Mike and Mark Lofgren subbing for their brother Nils and sharing lead vocal duties, plus Ronnie Newmyer subbing for the late bassist Bob Gordon. Friday, Aug. 30, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $29.50. Call 703-549-7500 or visit www.birchmere.com.

OH HE DEAD

The amusing name — which also has a cool origin story — captures the playfully wry and passionate sensibility of this band on the rise, self-billed as a “D.C.-based indie soul band with haunting harmonies and a penchant for MURDER.” Distinguished by the vocal harmonies of founding members Cynthia “C.J.” Johnson and guitarist Andrew Valenti, Oh He Dead started out a few years ago as a country/folk act on the bluegrass and folk festival circuit, but their sound has expanded as they became a five-piece “rock ‘n’ soul band.” Also featuring lead guitarist Alex Salser, bassist John Daise, and drummer Adam Ashforth, Oh He Dead next performs a free concert at the Kennedy Center. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 6 p.m. Millennium Stage. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

PENTATONIX

“The World’s Biggest A Cappella Act,” according to Forbes, Pentatonix returns to the area as part of this year’s World Tour of stadiums. Two of the group’s five members identify as LGBTQ — tenor Mitch Grassi and baritone Scott Hoying, who also perform as the musical comedy duo Superfruit — yet the concert’s gay appeal extends beyond them. Special guest Rachel Platten opens the show with a bang by performing her rousing hit “Fight Song.” Monday, Aug. 26. Gates at 6 p.m. Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Md. Tickets are $29.50 to $129.50. Call 800-551-SEAT or visit www.merriweathermusic.com.

PRINCE TRIBUTE SHOW WITH JUNIE HENDERSON

Eugene “Junie” Henderson, best known as the leader of hitmaking D.C. go-go band E.U. (Experience Unlimited), presents an annual concert-driven dance party that pays tribute to the music of the Purple One. Henderson will channel the sound and charisma of the late, legendary pop/R&B superstar for this All-Star Purple Party accompanied by a band, led by Mark Stewart, consisting of veteran R&B and rock players who have toured with everyone from Aretha Franklin to Patti LaBelle. Friday, Aug. 30. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $18 to $25. Call 202-787-1000 or visit www.thehamiltondc.com.

SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK

A Grammy Award-winning, social justice-oriented ensemble, Sweet Honey formed in 1973 as an a cappella group and has assembled an extensive repertoire of socially conscious songs, both originals and covers, including “My Family,” originally penned for the gay-inclusive HBO documentary A Family Is A Family Is A Family: A Rosie O’Donnell Celebration. Saturday, Aug. 24. Doors at 6 p.m. Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 7719 Wisconsin Ave. Tickets are $45 to $55, plus $20 minimum purchase per person. Call 240-330-4500 or visit www.bethesdabluesjazz.com.

STRATHMORE’S LIVE FROM THE LAWN: AARON ABERNATHY

A graduate of Howard University, jazz pianist and soul singer Aaron Abernathy closes out the free weekly summer series on the grounds of the Strathmore mansion. Abernathy, who has worked as the musical director for global touring acts Black Milk and Slum Village and collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists including Jack White, the Foreign Exchange, and Eric Roberson, will perform from his solo repertoire, offering modern takes on classic soul with socially conscious and inspiring themes. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. Gudelsky Gazebo, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.

THE ALARM, MODERN ENGLISH, JAY ALSTON’S GENE LOVES JEZEBEL

Three leading 1980s-minted alt-rock bands from the U.K. have teamed up for a summer tour of North America, including a stop at the historic Falls Church venue the State Theatre. “Fans can expect collaboration, moments of reflection, camaraderie, and also the unexpected,” the Alarm lead singer Mike Peters says in an official statement about the Sigma LXXXV Tour. Peters is the only founding member left in a band best known stateside as an opening act for stadium tours by U2 and Bob Dylan, as well as the modern rock hit “Sold Me Down The River.” Meanwhile, all but the original drummer still play in the five-piece band Modern English, responsible for the ubiquitous ’80s rock earworm “I Melt With You.” And then there’s the case of Gene Loves Jezebel, a band originally formed by identical twin brothers Jay and Michael Alston. Yet the siblings have been feuding for well over two decades now, with each fronting their own lineup of a band called Gene Loves Jezebel. The one led by Jay includes more of the band’s longest-running members, including those featured on hits “Desire,” “The Motion of Love,” and “Jealous,” the latter being their highest-charting stateside single. Sunday, Aug. 25. Doors at 6 p.m. 220 North Washington St., Falls Church. Tickets are $33 to $38. Call 703-237-0300 or visit www.thestatetheatre.com.

WHITE FORD BRONCO

“D.C.’s all ’90s party band,” cheekily named after O.J. Simpson’s notorious failed getaway car, is a five-member ensemble consisting of singer/guitarist Diego Valencia, singer Gretchen Gustafson, guitarists Ken Sigmund and McNasty, and drummer Max Shapiro. White Ford Bronco sings through that decade’s songbook in all styles of popular music. Friday, Aug. 30. Doors at 11 p.m. U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $22 to $25. Call 202-588-1880 or visit www.ustreetmusichall.com.

COMEDY

IMPROVAPALOOZA 2019

Washington Improv Theater presents a five-day festival of experimental improv featuring nearly 200 shows, ranging from one-of-a-kind experimental performances to annual favorites. Presented at the Source on 14th Street, Improvapalooza features nonstop programming and festival-style seating allowing patrons to enter and exit the theater between acts. Performances continue Thursday, Aug. 22, and Friday, Aug. 23, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, at noon and 6 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door, or $35 for an All-Palooza Pass. Call 202-204-7741 or visit www.witdc.org.

STAND-UP SILVER SPRING WITH SARA ARMOUR

An alum of Last Comic Standing, Armour headlines two shows presented by Maryland’s Improbable Comedy and also featuring Loy Lee, D Lo, and Maddox Pennington. Saturday, Aug. 24, at 8 and 10 p.m. Cissel-Saxon American Legion Post 41, 8110 Fenton St., Silver Spring. Tickets are $16 to $25. Call 301-588-8937 or visit wwww.improbablecomedy.com.

WAIT WAIT…DON’T TELL ME!

The popular, entertaining NPR news quiz show returns for another annual broadcast from Wolf Trap. Peter Sagal hosts, along with judge and scorekeeper Bill Kurtis, two shows at the venue this year. On Thursday, Aug. 29, they will be joined by panelists Peter Grosz, Negin Farsad, and Faith Salie, while the show Friday, Aug. 30, features Tom “Motel 6” Bodett, Maz Jobrani, and the Washington Post‘s Roxanne Roberts, with a featured celebrity guest to be announced. Gates for both shows open at 6:30 p.m. The Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna. Lawn seats at $45 each are the only tickets remaining, and only for the Thursday, Aug. 29, show. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit www.wolftrap.org.

READINGS

THE DC PUBLIC LIBRARY: DOCUMENTING QUEER HISTORY DISCUSSION

The DC Public Library hosts a discussion, spearheaded by co-presenting outfit D.C. Dykaries, featuring several notable local LGBTQ leaders and their efforts to document local queer history. The speakers include Joan E. Biren (JEB), the LGBTQ movement’s pioneering photographer for almost 50 years; Jose Gutierrez, founder of the Latino GLBT History Project; Meg Metcalf, the reference librarian and Women’s, Gender & LGBTQ+ Studies Collection Specialist at the Library of Congress; and Ty Ginter, the queer historic preservationist and co-founder of D.C. Dykaries, an oral history and documentation project working to uncover and preserve the area’s lesbian, Sapphic, and queer heritage, Saturday, Aug. 24, at 1 p.m. Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library, 3160 16th St. NW. Free. Call 202-671-3121 or visit www.dclibrary.org.

NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL

The Notorious R.B.G., more properly known as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will join José Andrés, Raina Telgemeier, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Barbara Kingsolver and other top authors in discussions at this 19th annual Library of Congress event. All told, more than 140 best-selling authors and illustrators will participate in the #NatBookFest, including Louis Bayard, Michael Beschloss, Holly Black, Douglas Brinkley, David Brooks, David Epstein, Joanne B. Freeman, Philippa Gregory, Monica Hesse, Linda Holmes, Alexandra Horowitz, David Maraniss, David McCullough, Joyce Carol Oates, Jim Ottaviani, Elaine Pagels, Steven Pearlstein, Evan Thomas, Ngozi Ukazu, and Frans de Waal. Saturday, Aug. 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. Call 202-249-3000 or visit www.loc.gov.

ART & EXHIBITS

AMERICA IS…

Touchstone Gallery presents its third national juried exhibition — after 2016’s Art as Politics and 2017’s Art of Engagement — exploring national identity and values during a time of divisive politics and great social change. Four jurors from across the nation — Rachel Adams of Omaha’s Bernis Center for Contemporary Arts, Taylor Bythewood-Porter of the California African American Museum, Jen Mergel of the Association of Art Museum Curators, and Jennifer M. Williams of New Orleans Museum of Art — helped select the works on display from nearly 50 artists, ranging from paintings and photographs to multimedia pieces to life-sized scale sculpture installations. LGBTQ discrimination is among the themes represented in the exhibition alongside political corruption, racism and xenophobia, police violence, climate change, women’s rights, drug addiction, and digital distractions, among others. On display to Aug. 29. 901 New York Ave. NW Call 202-347-2787 or visit www.touchstonegallery.com.

DINOROARS

Right now, dinosaurs are in motion and causing a commotion of sorts at the National Zoo — but in as harmless and science-lite a way, and as far from Jurassic Park, as possible. Although they can move, roar, and even spit water, the six prehistoric creatures roaming the Smithsonian park’s central Olmsted Walk are essentially toys — animatronic replicas of everything from a baby stegosaurus to a 13-foot-tall, 39-foot-long T-Rex. An additional attraction is “Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live,” a 30-minute show in which a team of skilled performers and puppeteers bring to life a collection of “lifelike dinosaurs” touted as providing “visual oomph to rival The Lion King.” Multiple shows daily, except Mondays. To Aug. 31. 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Zoo entry is free; tickets to “Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo” are $8 to $10. Call 202-633-4888 or visit www.nationalzoo.si.edu.

E16: THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED

The culminating exhibition of the nonprofit gallery Transformer’s 16th Annual Exercises for Emerging Artists Program debuts new and experimental video-based works by E16 artists Maps Glover, Alexis Gomez, Paula Martinez, and Tam-anh Nguyen, set within a black-box-designed installation created by E16 lead mentors Rachel Debuque and Justin Plakas. To Aug. 24. 1404 P St. NW. Call 202-483-1102 or visit www.transformerdc.org.

ONE VOICE

The Kimpton Carlyle Hotel Dupont Circle is celebrating Capital Pride with a summer-long art exhibition in its lobby featuring local LGBTQ artists and allies. Curated by Julie Ratner and Golie Miamee of Artworx Consultants, One Voice includes works by Tom Hill, Maggie O’Neill, Wayson Jones, and Rose Jaffe, in addition to several permanent works by world-renowned mixed-media artist Michele Oka Doner and Michael Crossett’s piece “Community,” which was commissioned for Kimpton in partnership with Shop Made in DC. Through Sept. 2. 1731 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Suggested donation of $5 per person that will benefit Kimpton brand partner the Trevor Project. Call 202-234-3200 or visit www.carlylehoteldc.com.

PARENTING: AN ART WITHOUT A MANUAL

The latest theme examined in a year-long exhibition at this quirkiest of museums is that of “what might be humanity’s most essential performance art.” Works by 36 artists, created out of every conceivable medium, express, in some way, their personal experience of parenting or being parented — be it good, bad, horrific, or sublime — alongside revelations from the latest scientific research, global wisdom, and fun. To Sept. 1. American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway. Baltimore. Tickets are $15.95. Call 410-244-1900 or visit avam.org.

QUEENS OF EGYPT

A new exhibition at the National Geographic Museum puts a rare spotlight on the queens of ancient Egypt, including Hatshepsut, Nefertari, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra VII. The life and leadership of these legendary figures, whose rule ranged from the New Kingdom (1539-1514 B.C.) to the Ptolemaic dynasty (51-30 B.C.), is told with the help of more than 300 ancient Egyptian artifacts, including monumental statues, sparkling jewelry, and impressive sarcophagi — plus the use of advanced virtual reality technology providing a 3D flythrough tour of one of the most well-preserved tombs in the Valley of the Queens, that of Queen Nefertari. Many of the objects on display come courtesy of the Museo Egizio of Turin, Italy, one of the international cultural partners in the exhibition. And much of the research is based on the work of renowned Egyptologist and National Geographic Explorer Kara Cooney, author of the companion book When Women Ruled The World: Six Queens of Egypt, published by National Geographic Books last fall. To Sept. 2. The museum is located at 1145 17th St. NW. Tickets are $10 to $15. Call 202-857-7588 or visit www.ngmuseum.org.

QUEER AS GERMAN FOLK: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF TRANSATLANTIC RAINBOW FRIENDSHIP

The Goethe-Institut Washington and the DC Center for the LGBT Community have teamed up for a joint, two-part exploratory exhibition featuring a hands-on deconstructed archive that visitors can browse at their own pace and according to their own interests. The archive includes materials drawn from the Schwules Museum Berlin as well as D.C.-based archives and partner resources such as the Rainbow History Project, Whitman-Walker Health, local photographer Elvert Barnes, and the DC Public Library. The similarities and differences in the push for LGBTQ equality in both capitals will be highlighted. To Aug. 23. Goethe-Institut/German Cultural Center, 1990 K St. NW. Ste. 03. Also The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW. Ste. 105. Free. Visit www.goethe.de/washington and www.thedccenter.org.

REFIK ANADOL: INFINITE SPACE

D.C.’s technology-focused art gallery ArTecHouse presents the first major retrospective of Refik Anadol, a thoroughly 21st-century-focused artist who uses data and computerized networks to create radical visualizations of our digitized memories, expanding the possibilities of architecture, narrative, and the movement. Through site-specific, parametric data sculptures and immersive installations, the L.A.-based Turkish artist helps rethink the physical world, our relationship to time and space, and the creative potential where humans and machines interact. The exhibition’s title derives from an infamous, internationally touring immersive installation featuring three infinity boxes and a selection of multimedia works spanning Anadol’s career. To Sept. 2. ArTecHouse, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW. Tickets are $13 to $20, with “after hours” sessions featuring a bar with exhibition-related Augmented Reality cocktails. visit www.artechouse.com.

SUMMER INTERLUDE: A CELEBRATION OF COLOR

For its summer exhibition, Georgetown’s contemporary art gallery Calloway Fine Arts presents “bold and bright” large, abstract paintings on canvas by David Bell, Leslie Nolan, and Karen Silve, plus smaller works on paper from Matthew Langley’s A Painting A Day series, which pull highlights of color from the larger works. To Aug. 24. 1643 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Call 202-965-4601 or visit www.callowayart.com.

SUPERHEROES

The National Museum of American History presents a nearly year-long exhibition showcasing artifacts from its collections relating to animated protagonists, including comic books, movie and TV costumes and props and assorted memorabilia — from George Reeves’ Superman costume circa 1951 to Halle Berry’s Storm costume from 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. On display through Sept. 2. 14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit www.americanhistory.si.edu.

FOOD & DRINK

TRUCKEROO

Held one Friday a month from April through September — plus two Fridays in August — ths long-running food truck festival is meant as a showcase for some of the D.C. area’s best food trucks. The lineup at the upcoming festival, held at the outdoor venue the Bullpen next to Nationals Park, features food for purchase from trucks including Korean BBQ Taco Box, Superior Eats by Stacey’s Soul Food, Tapas Truck, Lombardo’s Detroit Style Pizza, Reggae Vibes, BBQ Bus, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Tamo Smoothies, Puddin, The Orange Cow, District Jerk, DC Empanadas, Mexicano Square, and FMK Mobile Cuisine. Cold drinks, live music, and games are also on offer at the family friendly outing presented by Georgetown Events. Friday, Aug. 23, from 4 to 10 p.m. 1201 Half St. SE. Visit www.thebullpendc.com/truckeroo.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

17TH STREET FESTIVAL

The Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets’ 10th annual event is designed to celebrate the restaurants and gay-friendly businesses in the blocks of what once was the gayest street in the city. (It’s still plenty gay.) For the occasion, organizers close to traffic the 1500-1600 blocks of the street to set up booths for vendors selling handmade goods — from hats to jewelry to cigars to paintings — with additional booths set up for local nonprofits, for-profit start-ups, local businesses, and community groups, plus a kids’ area. Also on tap at the event, held rain or shine, are live acoustic music performances. Saturday, Aug. 24, from noon to 6 p.m. Call 202-656-4487 or visit www.17thStreetFestival.org for more information.

DC OUT FEATURING TY HERNDON

Launched in 2016 by John Lindo and Jim Coakley, with a headline performance by The Voice‘s Billy Gilman, this Labor Day Weekend LGBTQ social dance mainstay returns with a headline performance by Herndon, the veteran Grammy-nominated and Dove-winning recording artist who came out in 2014, becoming the first major gay male country star. Set for Sunday, Sept. 1, at 9 p.m., Herndon will perform with musical accompaniment as part of the capstone party Farewell Dance: Blue and White Cowboy also featuring DC Out DJs including Louis St. George. Festival-goers are encouraged to don elegant or casual blue-and-white garb for a party also offering them a chance to demonstrate the moves they learned and practiced in the classes and workshops to be offered at the three-day “crossover swing, country, and line event.” Held in the ballrooms of the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, DC Out kicks off Thursday, Aug. 29, with an evening dance, with a Blues & Soul party led by DJ John Festa set for Friday, Aug. 30, and the Sparkles, Sequins and Glam evening dance on Saturday, Sept. 1. 400 New Jersey Ave. NW. Tickets to the Sunday concert and dance are $30, or $65 as part of an Individual Day Pass, or $119 for a Full Weekend Pass. Visit www.dc-out.com for more details and a complete lineup of dance instructors.

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 www.fords.org.

MARYLAND RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

As summer nears its end, thoughts naturally turn to jousting, feasting, crafts, theater, music, and merriment. Yes, it’s time once again for one of the world’s largest festivals recreating 16th century England. Now in its 43rd season and set in a park outside of Annapolis, Md., the festival encourages patrons to dress up in period costume. They’re available to rent if you don’t have your own doublet and hose. Just don’t bring weapons, real or toy, or pets, as they tend to eat the turkey legs. It all takes place in the 27-acre Village of Revel Grove, where more than 200 professionals will perform as characters of the era, naturally led by His Most Royal Highness King Henvry VIII, who will be wandering the steeds and streets when not on the village’s 10 stages or in the 3,000-seat arena, where a headline attraction is the jousting troupe Debracey Productions with its field full of horses, men in armor, chariots, trick riding and thrills for all ages. Also on hand are over 140 artisans exhibiting their predominantly handmade crafts in renaissance shops, five taverns and watering holes helping adult patrons stay hydrated and in good spirits, and 42 food and beverage emporiums to quench the hunger and thirst of even the youngest and most discerning. The first three weekends of the festival, beginning this Saturday, Aug. 24, offers reduced pricing. Weekends through Oct. 20. 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Md. Tickets are $18 to $20 for a single-day adult ticket until Sept. 8, or $23 to $27 after; passes range from $41 for a 2-Day Pass to $160 for a Season Pass good for all 19 days. Call 800-296-7304 or visit www.rennfest.com.