The DC Lineup for this weekend: November begins with neighborhood nexuses

The new month starts off with many ways to embrace community throughout the city. Singing with the New Synagogue Project, bike riding with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, dining during DMV Black Restaurant Week and an apple-pie baking contest in Adams Morgan are just some of the options.

In addition to this weekend’s lineup, the Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead celebration, which started last weekend in Petworth, concludes on Friday evening with a student art show and grand procession to honor loved ones who have died, along with music, arts and crafts.

Be prepared for a range of weather: The forecast predicts thunderstorms on Friday but sunny or mostly sunny conditions on Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures dipping from the low 70s all the way down to the low 40s.

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   Spiritual: The New Synagogue Project will mourn those murdered in the Pittsburgh shooting with a Healing & Liberation Havdalah/Tisch (Community Sing/Jam) on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 712 Randolph St. NW. The project, which is launching a new Jewish community in DC, notes that “finding joy in song is part of our resilience.” All are invited to RSVP online to participate; attendees are encouraged to bring snacks and desserts to share. Those interested in processing this tragedy further might also want to attend a panel discussion on gun violence earlier in the day at Tifereth Israel Congregation, 7701 16th St. NW, from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Amy Cress, director of community engagement for Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence and organizer of the January 2013 March on Washington for Gun Control, will join in conversation with Ray Coleman, a pediatrician and member of the Tifereth Israel Congregation.

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   Ward 5 Neighborhoods (Part 1): The Crispus Attucks Park Development Corp. is throwing a Fall Fundraiser this Sunday to raise money to re-sod the park, which has become worn from use and poor drainage. Join neighbors for food and drink at 34 V St. NW from 2:30 to 5 p.m. This public space is run entirely by private donations and volunteers — not by the DC Department of Parks and Recreation — so organizers depend on the public’s support. If you can’t attend the event, consider donating online.

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   Recreation: Take in the crisp autumn weather on Saturday with The Cider Ride in Anacostia from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Choose from three routes: the 50-mile Honeycrisp Route, the 30-mile McIntosh Route or the family-friendly, 10-mile Candy Apple Route. Register online and check in at Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE, where the Washington Area Bicyclist Association will provide breakfast snacks to energize riders. Pit stops will have fall favorites such as cider, doughnuts and pie. After the ride, celebrate with music at the Dew Drop Inn. Participants must be members of the bicyclist association and are allowed to bring one guest. Join with a $35 yearlong membership, $60 two-year membership or $25 yearlong membership for students and seniors.

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   Ward 1 Neighborhoods: Enjoy more seasonal treats at the Adams Morgan Apple Festival on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Columbia Road and 18th Street NW. This free event includes the fourth annual pie baking contest administered by the Adams Morgan Partnership Business Improvement District with apples supplied by Licking Creek Bend Farm, a regular supplier to the Adams Morgan Farmers Market. Registration for the contest has closed, but festivalgoers can purchase the pies in the competition for $5 per slice (proceeds go to Higher Achievement, a program to help middle school students succeed). A panel of experts will select winners in various categories — appearance, filling, crust and overall quality — to receive a two-week community-supported agriculture membership to Licking Creek Bend Farm.

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   Arts: Following the lead of Miami, New York and Los Angeles, DC is hosting the groundbreaking Superfine! art fair through Sunday at Union Market’s Dock 5, 1309 5th St. NE. The event, which started on Halloween, differentiates itself from other art fairs by celebrating “art for all” with contemporary art that is affordable for art lovers on a budget, including pieces below $100. At the same time, Superfine! aims to maintain high curatorial standards while drawing from 70 galleries and artists around the world to support talented, emerging artists. The DC fair will also feature works by over 300 local artists. A Young Collectors’ Ice Cream Social kicks off the weekend on Friday, and panel discussions and art movie nights will be taking place throughout the weekend. Purchase tickets online, with weekend options including $14.72 for a Thursday/Friday day pass, $17.89 for a Saturday/Sunday day pass, $23.16 for the Young Collectors’ Ice Cream Social, $39.01 for the Collectors’ Breakfast Reception, and $23.16 for the Young Professional Art Mixer.

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   Ward 3 Neighborhoods: Friends of Forest Hills Playground hosts a Halloween Spooktacular this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at 3200 Chesapeake St. NW. This annual fundraiser includes a magician, balloon-making, music, face-painting and a bake sale, with all proceeds donated to support the playground’s upkeep and programs. Costumes are encouraged for partygoers of all ages. The organizers are recruiting community members to volunteer for 30- or 60-minute slots.

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   Ward 5 Neighborhoods (Part 2): North Capitol Main Street — a nonprofit group that revitalizes businesses in the Eckington, Bloomingdale and Truxton Circle neighborhoods — and the Department of Small and Local Business Development are hosting their third annual Chili Challenge & Fall Festival on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue NW. Area chefs and restaurants — including DCity Smokehouse, Wicked Bloom, Boundary Stone, and The Pub and the People, to name just a few — will compete for the title of North Capitol Chili Master. Attendees will vote for the winner at this family-friendly event. Build fond memories with your loved ones by enjoying warm chili on a cool fall day, as well as hot cider, hot chocolate, a kids’ moon bounce, arts and crafts, a cornbread competition, music, vendors, and the chance to contribute to the North Cap Community Cookbook. Email northcaponthemap@gmail.com to learn more about the cornbread competition and cookbook or to submit your recipes. Festival tickets are $20.72 online and $25 at the door. Registration includes 10 event tickets to buy food and beverages.

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   Food & Drink (Part 1): DMV Black Restaurant Week starts on Sunday and runs until the following Sunday, Nov. 11. This weekend, the public is invited to dine, drink and meet up with friends at participating restaurants, which include Bukom Cafe, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Calabash Tea Bar & Cafe and others throughout the District. Use #DMVbrw to connect on social media with DMV Black Restaurant Week (@DMVbrw). Signature events throughout the week will include a cocktail competition, plus cocktails and conversations, featuring a talk with SheChef Inc. about women in the culinary arts.

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   Food & Drink (Part 2): Unwind on Saturday with the DC Beer Festival at Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St. SE. This fest showcases 62 breweries, more than a dozen DC food trucks and music from the Bobby McKey’s dueling piano bar. Tickets are available online. General admission costs $45 and includes unlimited tastings (food is sold separately). VIP admission is also an option at $75, which includes access to the warning track and dugouts, commemorative tasting glasses and a DC Beer Fest knit hat. Designated drivers’ tickets are available for $20. Tickets apply to either the noon to 3 p.m. session or the 5 to 8 p.m. session. The event is only for those 21 and over.

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    Politics: A free, election-focused art tour starts at 5 p.m. sharp this Saturday from the F Street NW entrance at the Smithsonian American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery. To prepare for next week’s pivotal election, Robert Kelleman, founder of the nonprofit Washington, DC History & Culture, will guide participants through the history of past and present American political leaders. Washington, DC History & Culture is an independent, nonpartisan, nonpolitical organization that welcomes all to attend this event, which runs until 7 p.m. with an optional dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant (details to be determined). The #NovemberIsComing hashtag offered a chance to gear up for this month’s big elections; now use #NovemberIsHere to connect with fellow voters and share information from this tour.