Your locally-vetted source of

What’s going on this week in Washington, DC

We scrounge through

100+ websites per week to uncover events for every…

INTEREST

From embassy events, outdoor movies, food festivals, and craft classes.

COMMUNITY

Including events highlighting our LGBTQIA+, Asian American, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Black neighbors.

EXPERIENCE

Spanning wine tastings, book talks, trivia nights, art workshops, and dry (alcohol-free!) events.

COMFORT LEVEL

Denoting in-person outside, in-person inside, and virtual experiences.

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE

What’s happening October 16-22 in Washington, DC?

The 🐼 indicates an event is happening in-person inside.
The 🦕 indicates an event is happening in-person outside.

Gems of the week

  1. Happy Halloween Weekend!

  • Looking for a pumpkin still? 🎃 You can make a pumpkin full of succulents (Wed, $65, 🐼, Dupont Circle) with PLNTR or paint them in drag as part of Midland’s RuPumpkin’s Drag Race (Thurs, $, 🦕, Park View). Stop by Pumpkinpalooza at Altheia Tanner Park and get a pumpkin for free! (Thurs, free, 🦕, NOMA). 

  • Markets on markets. 🛒 metrobar is hosting a few pop-up markets including a spooky-themed Witchfest (Sat, free, 🦕, Edgewood)—there will be  fire dancing(!) as well as Umpukan, which highlights Filipino American History Month (Sun, free, 🦕, Edgewood).  Shop spooky seconds, samples, mystery bags, and more at the Brookland Arts Walk (Sat, free, 🦕, Brookland)

  • Haunts on haunts. 👻 I have always thought Georgetown is haunted, and this Ghost Cruise (Fri, $, 🦕, Georgetown) will probably confirm it! Explore how Middle-Earth (Mon, $14, 🐼, Penn Quarter) is also haunted with Profs & Pints. 

  • Dog-friendly Halloween on Saturday. 🐕 Relume is having Halloween fun with a doggie costume contest ($, 🐼/🦕, Capitol Hill) and a DIY Halloween-themed accessories bar. Swing by PLNTR for a Halloween Market (they’re also hosting a doggie costume contest) ($, 🐼/🦕, Dupont Circle). The Brookland Arts Walk is also hosting a dog contest ($, 🐼/🦕, Brookland)

  • Parties for the books. 📚 Head to Fantom for a Halloween Party and costume contest (Sat, $5, 🐼, Dupont Circle). Put on your dancing shoes and head to Lost City Books’ Fright Fete (Sat, $35, 🐼, Adams Morgan). The Library of Congress is hosting a “Pick Your Poison” mystery night happy hour (Thurs, free, 🐼, National Mall)

  • Misc! 🕷 District Clean-ups is encouraging costumes at their next clean-up in Ivy City (Sat, free, 🦕, Ivy City). Decorate Halloween cookies (Thurs, $80, 🐼, Georgetown).

2. Race Day! 👠 The 36th annual 17th Street High Heel Race returns! Get there EARLY for a good spot. (Tues, free, 🦕, Dupont Circle)

3. Clothing Swap. 👖 Head to Malcom X Park for DC’s largest clothing swap! Bring a tote bag—you’ll need one! (Sun, free, 🦕, Columbia Heights) 

4. Day of the Dead. 🇲🇽 Stop by the Mexican Cultural Institute for their traditional altar, music, and food! (Sat, free, 🐼, Columbia Heights) 

  • "Jade is the social lifeblood of DC. From newcomers to born-and-raised Washingtonians, her phenomenal curation of events is exactly what any DC resident needs to fall in love with this city."

    — Kayla K.

  • “I’m new to the city and have been working in a creative field with retail hours. Being able to check instagram and see what’s new and have someone just like me curate the week ahead took pressure off of me to decide what to do, and recommending posts and events to others helped me make friends that share interests! Thank you!”

    — Hali C.

  • “Clockout DC stepped up my game when it comes to finding fun things to do in the city. I’m never left bored on the weekends as I always have an idea about what things are happening, and every event promoted always turns out to be a good time.”

    — Anne D.

Other things you might be interested in...

  • Oysters and friends. 🦪 DC Fray is having a friends mixer at Hank’s Oyster Bar (Wed, free, 🐼, Dupont Circle) 

  • All the words. 📓 Kramers is hosting an autumn-themed poetry reading (Tues, free, 🐼, Dupont Circle). Play along at the “crossword show” (Mon, $25, 🐼, Dupont Circle) at Planet Word.  Politics and Prose will be discussing gender and why it matters (Tues, free, 🐼, Van Ness). 

  • DC is home. The National Archives is hosting an all-day  DC Archives Fair (Mon, free, 🐼, National Mall). Discover how L’Enfant’s Plan was realized (Thurs, free, 🐼, Foggy Bottom) with The George Washington University Museum. 

Help locals discover their city

We’re always looking for unique, culturally-enriching, inclusive, and affordable events to share with the Clockout DC community. If you or your business have an event you’d like to share, please do so using the form on our contact page.

Please note: Clockout DC has a strict no-pay-to-play policy, and will not accept payment to promote events.