The DC Lineup for this weekend: Shop local, play arcade games, and go back in time

It’s the first weekend of August, and local businesses are on display in DC: The annual MidCity Dog Days street festival is here, showcasing local stores and restaurants throughout the U Street NW and 14th Street NW corridors. Meanwhile, Shop Made in DC celebrates the grand opening of its new Georgetown storefront. 

Other weekend events include Asian American and LGBTQ literary festivals, an arcade at the Smithsonian, free outdoor yoga, historical tours, art exhibits, a worldwide breastfeeding event and a re-created early-20th-century World’s Fair. 

Temperatures will range from 70 degrees at night to 88 during the day, with cloudy weather Friday and Sunday with scattered thunderstorms Saturday. 

1. Dog days of summer: MidCity Dog Days, a 25-block sidewalk sale and street festival, kicks off Friday with a party at Miss Pixie’s, 1626 14th St. NW, from 6 to 8 p.m. The party is for ages 18 and older, and features food from Barcelona Wine Bar and music from the Herron Quartet. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Now in its 20th year, the festival continues all weekend along the U Street and 14th Street corridors, with more than 100 local businesses participating, including florists, clothing retailers, home supply shops and restaurants. A festival map can be found here.

2. It’s lit: The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center is hosting this year’s Asian American Literature Festival, with a variety of free events Friday through Sunday at the Eaton DC Hotel, the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler galleries. The schedule features a poetry breakfast; “queer literaoke,” where artists mash-up literary readings with karaoke; literary discussions with dozens of authors; a panel on children’s books; and seminars with writers including acclaimed poet Ocean Vuong. … OutWrite, DC’s annual LGBTQ literary festival, kicks off tonight at 6:30 with a launch party at Ten Tigers Parlour and continues Saturday and Sunday at the DC Center with featured authors Kristen Arnett, Jericho Brown and Wo Chan. The slate includes readings, panels, exhibitors and book sales on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., followed by writing workshops on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Events are free. Ten Tigers Parlour is located at 3813 Georgia Ave. NW, and the DC Center is in the Reeves Center at 14th and U streets NW.

3. At the arcade: The Smithsonian American Art Museum becomes an arcade this weekend, featuring classic video games, tabletop board games and new releases from this year’s Indie Developer Showcase. The arcade will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The event’s theme is “breaking barriers,” highlighting games created by LGBTQ developers and people of color. Tanya DePass, founder of I Need Diverse Games, will deliver the keynote address at 6 p.m. Saturday. The event is free and for all ages. The museum is located at 8th and F streets NW.

4. Art and identity: There are lots of places in DC to see and engage with local arts this weekend. Touchstone Gallery, 901 New York Ave. NW, is kicking off its juried America Is… exhibit with an opening reception Friday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The jury of art museum curators will give their opening remarks at 7 p.m. and distribute cash prizes to four winners. There will be hors d’oeuvres and frozen desserts. … Also on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., visitors of all skill levels are invited to create self-portraits at the Washington Studio School, 2129 S St. NW. It’s the last day of the studio’s live, participatory exhibit, See and Be Seen: DC, which explores “perception, voice and identity through drawing and the written word.” The event is free, with art supplies, mirrors and light refreshments provided.

5. Honest Abe and a DC landmark: A walking tour on “Lincoln at War: President Lincoln’s Cottage” promises a detailed look at Abraham Lincoln’s evolution as commander-in-chief and his first family’s experiences at their summer retreat. The event, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, includes a tour of the grounds of President Lincoln’s Cottage and the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery. Visitors are instructed to check in at the Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center, 140 Rock Creek Church Road NW. Free parking is available. Because the tour is within the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home, identification is required for entry. The event is part of National Park Service ranger Steve Phan’s “History at Sunset” series, which continues Aug. 30 and Sept. 27 with events focused on Frederick Douglass and Ulysses S. Grant, respectively. 

6. Volunteer in the parks: The DC Tutoring and Mentoring Initiative is hosting CivicFest 2019 this Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. at Meridian Hill Park. The event is an opportunity to get out, have fun and get involved with local community organizations. Programming will include qi gong, yoga, zumba and guided meditation. There will also be live art installations, arts and crafts for children, and a dance party running throughout the day. The ACLU of DC, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington and So Others Might Eat are among the many organizations scheduled to participate. … For those looking for an immediate volunteer opportunity, stop by Dumbarton Oaks Park, 3060 R St. NW, to lend a hand to the Washington Architectural Foundation and the Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, the organizations are partnering to help restore the “naturalistic” garden landscape designed more than a century ago by Beatrix Farrand.

7. Made in DC: Shop Made in DC, the boutique retailer known for exclusively featuring products made in Washington, is holding a grand opening Saturday for its new Georgetown location at 1242 Wisconsin Ave. NW. The store is hosting a variety of crafting and food events from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to mark the celebration. Offerings include live painting, make-your-own mimosas, a build-your-own-succulent bar, custom cookies, and a cocktail and chocolate tasting.

8. Latch on: The Global Big Latch On takes place this weekend: a worldwide event for people to gather, breastfeed and offer peer support. The DC Breastfeeding Coalition is hosting DC’s celebration at the Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington, 1020 19th St. NW, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. In addition to the latch on, there will be a raffle and a panel discussion on this year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme — “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.” The event is free. 

9. Go-go for gun control: If you’re looking for live music for a cause this weekend, “Moms for Momma’s: A Benefit Concert for Gun Sense” is the place to go. The DC branch of the gun-control advocacy group Moms Demand Action is hosting a benefit for the local nonprofit Momma’s Safe Haven on Friday from 8 to 11 p.m. Entertainment is provided by two DC groups, pop-punk trio Ménage À Garage and Da Kulture Go-Go Band. The event takes place at Spacylounge DC, 2309 18th St. NW, and there is a $15 suggested donation at the door.

10. The fairest of them all: Daughters of the American Revolution will re-create an early-20th-century World’s Fair this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by to sample food from that era, learn about inventions that debuted at World’s Fairs, and check out booths from local embassies and cultural centers. At 11:30 a.m., members of the local Piscataway Native American tribe will host a special dance performance and cultural lesson. The family-friendly event is free, and Girl Scout Brownies and Juniors will have the opportunity to earn a badge. Activities take place at the DAR Museum, 1776 D St. NW.