The DC Lineup for this weekend: Labor Day, literature and langar

Music is taking over the District this holiday weekend, whether it’s a finale jazz concert, a community singalong, rap and go-go music alongside art installations, the stomping sounds of Step Afrika!, or Labor Day festivals featuring local musicians and the National Symphony Orchestra. Bookworms might instead opt for some quiet time to hear their favorite authors speak at the National Book Festival. A theater festival, community movie night and ribbon-cutting ceremony for a newly modernized high school athletic field also made our list.

The weather report calls for sun on Friday and Saturday and clouds for the rest of the long weekend, Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. Temperatures should range from 69 to 89 degrees.

1. Literature: Join more than 100 writers at the 19th annual 2019 Library of Congress National Book Festival on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. Featured authors include Raina Telgemeier, José Andrés, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Barbara Kingsolver. Along with book talks and author signings, the day includes family-friendly activities like zine-making, coloring and readings by local children’s book authors. Representatives from PBS, The Washington Post, The New York Times, C-SPAN and Scholastic will be on site, along with team members from Planet Word, a new museum about words and languages that is set to open in the District next year in the historic Franklin School building at 13th and K streets NW across from Franklin Square. The Library of Congress offers tips for making the most of the day, such as downloading the festival app and clustering activities. The fest is free to attend.

2. Music: Enjoy two nights of music at the Labor Day Weekend Music Festival hosted by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Saturday‘s lineup includes local classical symphony orchestra GoGo Symphony; DC-based funk, rock, disco and soul group Zen Warship; and Kokayi, a Grammy-nominated, DC-born artist. Sunday’s show will feature the Main Swing Jazz Ensemble, DC-native soul singer Akua Allrich & the Tribe, and local musician Sheldon Thwaites. Performances are from 7 to 10 p.m. both nights at the historic Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW, and are free to attend. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 6:45 p.m. to claim a seat.

3. Theater: The 18th annual Page-to-Stage festival at the Kennedy Center highlights works-in-progress by local, regional and national theater artists during a free series of readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals staged by more than 70 local theater companies. The three-day fest celebrates the diversity of theater throughout the city and provides an opportunity for artists to network for future collaborations. Shows are scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, from 6 to 7 p.m. on Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday at various venues throughout the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. Seating for each performance is first come, first served.

4. Music: Head to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Sunday at 8 p.m. for the National Symphony Orchestra’s Labor Day Capitol Concert 2019. DC native Nova Payton and New York City-based vocalist Mykal Kilgore will sing R&B classics by Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, James Brown, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder. Gates open at 3 p.m. for an open rehearsal at 3:30. The event is free to attend, and no tickets are required.

5. Music: The Petworth Jazz Project is a free, outdoor summer concert series held on the lawn of the Petworth Recreation Center, 801 Taylor St. NW. The season finale on Saturday showcases the Empresarios, a DC-based collective of musicians and DJs known for their tropical sound. DC-based musician Baba Ras D will serve as the kids’ opener. The local Sri Lankan eatery Short Eats will be on site with fast casual street food for sale. The concert runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

6. Art: The Dupont Underground’s Flower Bomb Festival draws its name from DC’s iconic cherry blossoms, with the addition of “bomb” to signify the immense talent in this region that is “ready to blow up and expand on the national scene,” according to the website. The fest includes a wide variety of local music and art, from go-go to rap to visual art installations. Chris Pirate, a DC-based muralist and designer, is the event’s lead organizer. The experience takes place on Saturday from 1 to 8 p.m. at Dupont Underground, 19 Dupont Circle NW.

7. Dance: Step Afrika’s 10-day-long Step Xplosion concludes this weekend. The final event is on Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. on Kingman and Heritage islands, accessible from 575 Oklahoma Ave. NE. Attendees are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and clothing; bring a chair or blanket, sunscreen, bug spray and rain gear if needed; and pack a picnic. The program for StepFest on Kingman Island features local artists such as Soka Tribe, Future Band DC and Dem Raider Boyz Step Squad and is funded in part by the DC Department of Energy and Environment’s Community Stormwater Solutions Grant. It is free to attend.

8. Education: Celebrate the start of the new school year and the brand-new field at Roosevelt High School. A ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Mayor Muriel Bowser and Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee commemorates this modernization on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the high school, 4301 13th St. NW. The event is free, open to all ages and supported by DC Public Schools, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education and the Department of General Services. After the ceremony, Roosevelt’s football team will take on Ron Brown College Preparatory High School.

9. Film: Park View’s fourth annual outdoor community movie night on Friday features Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse around 8:30 p.m.with complimentary popcorn courtesy of DC’s Encounter Church. Seating opens at 7:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket as well as a picnic dinner. The free screening will be held at Hook Hall, a neighborhood pub and event space at 3400 Georgia Ave. NW. The community engagement and economic development nonprofit District Bridges hosts the program.

10. Culture: Honor the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism and the first of the Sikh gurus. A celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the National Mall in front of 1000 Jefferson Drive SW will feature kirtan, a group performance of songs or chants; speeches by renowned Sikh leaders; and langar, a free vegetarian meal traditionally served to visitors of a gurdwara, a Sikh temple. The event is hosted by Ik Onkaar, a group founded on the principles of Sikhism including Seva, which means “selfless service.”