Weekend Round Up September 3, 2026
By • September 3, 2026 0 467
Enlivening the DMV this Labor Day weekend: festivals of jazz, magic and food vendors. Meet football and baseball legends on Saturday at “RFK Legacy: A Tailgate Experience.” Sunday options include the DC State Fair and the National Symphony Orchestra’s free Labor Day Concert. On Labor Day itself, catch the parade in Gaithersburg, then head out to Hi-Lawn for a rooftop soccer match and day party.
Born in the U.S.A.
The DC Jazz Festival keeps swinging through Sunday, showcasing more than 50 acts. The main event, DC JazzFest at The Wharf, 1001 7th St. SW, runs from 2 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6. Single-day tickets are $29, $49 and up; two-day tickets are $55, $95 and up. Free-admission events on Saturday and Sunday: DC Jazz Bops! concerts for kids at The Wharf’s M Street Landing and a Meet the Artists program at Arena Stage, 1101 6th St. SW.
Squeeze Play
Tonight, Thursday, Sept. 3, British New Wave band Squeeze will be pulling mussels from the shell at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center, 1551 Wolf Trap Road in Vienna, Virginia. Getting the show rolling at 7:30 p.m. will be Haircut 100 and glam rocker Adam Ant. Tickets start at $62.50 (lawn). Gates open at 6 p.m.
Music to Tag By
On Friday, Sept. 4, from noon to 1 p.m., the Hirshhorn Museum, Independence Avenue and 7th Street SW, offers a gallery experience, “Musical Soundscapes from Hip Hop to Trip Hop.” Author and music scholar Adrian Loving will discuss the impact of the 1980s and ’90s music scenes in Brooklyn and Bristol on the upbringing of artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy.
Eye of the Beholder
Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Boulevard in Glen Echo, Maryland, will host an opening reception for the 55th annual Labor Day Art Show in the park’s Spanish Ballroom on Friday, Sept. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. The show features art in a range of media — sculpture, painting and drawing, ceramics, glass, jewelry, fiber arts, photography, furniture and works on paper — by more than 500 artists from the Mid-Atlantic region. Regular viewing hours through Monday, Sept. 5, are noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Prest-O Change-O
The 6th annual DC Festival of Magic, sponsored by Destination DC, will take place from Friday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th St. NW. The lineup is: Puck at 7 p.m. on Friday; Ben Barnes at 1 p.m. and Kalin & Jinger at 7 p.m. on Saturday; and the Great Kaplan at 1 and 3 p.m. and mentalist Jason Suran at 7 p.m. on Sunday. All-Access Passes are $99 plus a $2.48 fee. Tickets to Puck, Barnes, K&J and Suran are $58 plus a $1.38 fee. Admission to either of Kaplan’s family shows is $15 plus a .38 fee.
Taste of the Nation
Nationally touring food and culture festival FoodeesFest comes to Tanger Outlets, 6800 Oxon Hill Road in National Harbor, Maryland, on Friday, Sept. 4, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 6. Along with dozens of crafter and artisans, more than 40 food vendors will be on hand. Here are the Ds: D’Liche Southern Cuisine, DC Billy Cheese Steak, DLS Concessions BBQ and Dogs on the Curb. Registration is free.
A Time to Uproot
On Saturday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon, garden lovers 13 and older can become Weekend Weeders at Tudor Place Historic House and & Garden, 1644 31st St. NW, helping the garden team remove invasive plants and replace them with native plants. Weeders will learn to identify different invasive species and some of their native alternatives. Suggested attire: long pants, long sleeves, gloves and sturdy boots or sneakers. Tools will be provided. There is no charge to dig in.
Surely You Jest
The Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE, presents two sessions of a family workshop, “Laughter in the Learning Lab,” on Saturday, Sept. 5. The 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. session is recommended for ages 5 to 7 and the 1 to 2 p.m. session for ages 8 to 11. Families will work on their comedy chops and delve into such entertaining Shakespearean characters as Falstaff and Feste. The sessions are free with a recommended $10 donation.
The Stadium Where It Happened
“RFK Legacy: A Tailgate Experience,” on Saturday, Sept. 5, from 1 to 5 p.m., brings live music, food, family fun and intramural sports and games to the Fields at RFK Campus, 401 Oklahoma Ave NE (Stadium-Armory Metro). Free parking is available in Lot 6 starting at noon. Legendary Washington, D.C. athletes will share stories, sign autographs and pose for photos; community leaders will speak; and “Echoes of RFK,” a six-episode podcast series about the stadium’s history and impact, will be premiered. Register online for free tickets.
We’ve Got One, Too
The 17th annual DC State Fair, on Sunday, Sept. 6, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Anthem Row, 800 K Street NW, is a celebration of “everything homegrown, handmade and proudly DC.” While listening to live music, attendees can enter over 50 contests, purchase items from over 50 local vendors, watch demos on the Education Stage and visit a Kids Zone, a Wellness Zone and a Craft Corner. A code is available for a free unlock of a Capital Bikeshare bike or ebike on Sept. 6 (while supplies last).
NSO at the DAR
Enrico Lopez-Yañez will conduct the National Symphony Orchestra’s free Labor Day Concert at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW, on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 8 p.m. Venezuelan singer Ender Thomas will join the NSO to perform a program of American favorites, including Karen LeFrak’s “American Promise” with narrator Alveda King, chair of the Center for the American Dream. Ticketing is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Beautiful Game
Culture Cup invites area residents to a Rooftop Soccer Match and Day Party on Monday, Sept. 7, from noon to 6 p.m. at Hi-Lawn, 1309 5th St. NE. Expect “some of your favorite celebrities! ENZO! TENI!! RUEGR!!!” The party starts when the final whistle blows. General admission tickets are $60.52 or two tickets for $70.
Get Thee to G-Burg
The 88th annual Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade will return to Olde Towne Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Monday, Sept. 7, stepping off at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Russell and Odendhal Avenues. In the lineup: high school marching bands, dance groups, antique cars and fire engines, costumed characters and community organizations. This year’s M.C.s are Patricia De Lima and Chepe, morning co‑hosts of El Zol 107.9. The Grand Marshal is John Sanchez, the City of Gaithersburg’s 2026 Distinguished Resident.
