The DC Lineup for this weekend: local heritage, shofar horns and a Haus Party

Classic elements of the District — like WalkingTown DC tours and the go-go band Rare Essence — are sprinkled throughout this edition of The DC Lineup.

The weather this weekend, Sept. 18 to 20, will start with clouds on Friday, followed by sun on Saturday and Sunday. It’s starting to feel like fall, with temperatures expected to range from 47 to 73 degrees, according to the forecast.

1. Culture: Friday and Saturday are the last days to catch Cultural Tourism DC’s virtual rendition of its annual WalkingTown DC series. Typically held as walking tours of different neighborhoods, this year the program has been transformed into myriad Zoom meetings with maps and images that allow tour guides to share “the heritage and social fabric of the District,” according to the description. Dupont Circle, Brookland, Nationals Park, Meridian Hill and Southwest DC are just some of the spots featured in tours taking place this weekend. View the full schedule and register online.

2. Film: The last portion of the DC Black Film Festival is happening this weekend, with programs on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s lineup includes a Filmmaker/Musician Speed Date from noon to 2 p.m., followed by Branding Masterclass with CJ Johnson, a speaker, media consultant and filmmaker, from 3 to 4 p.m. The fest concludes with an awards ceremony from 2 to 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. All programs are virtual, and ticket prices vary.

3. Music: The legendary go-go band Rare Essence was launched in 1976 by elementary school students at Southeast DC’s St. Thomas Moore Catholic School. Since then, they’ve performed with all-star acts like LL Cool J, Wu Tang Clan, Ice Cube, The Roots, TLC, and Erykah Badu, as well as local favorites like Chuck Brown, Trouble Funk, Experienced Unlimited (E.U.) and The Junk Yard Band. This Saturday, Rare Essence is hosting a Virtual 45th Anniversary Concert from 10 to 11:30 p.m. The nonstop event will include the debut of a new song, “Hit the Floor,” featuring Snoop Dogg. Tickets cost $5.

4. Spirituality: Sixth & I, Adas Israel and Temple Sinai are spearheading The Blast, a virtual Rosh Hashanah celebration for the local Jewish community. At 5 p.m. on Friday, participants are invited to step outside their homes and blow the shofar (a musical horn traditionally used at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) to create a citywide blast of noise. A digital map shows the locations of those who are planning to join; outside the District, people in locations as diverse as Nebraska and Italy will participate. 

5. Nature: The 13th annual DC Plant Swap is taking place this Sunday. Attendees are invited to bring plants to exchange for new greenery as a way to diversify their home gardens. A wide variety of plants, excluding invasive species, are welcome. The socially distanced event is capped at 50 people, and face masks are required at all times.  Washington Gardener Magazine is hosting the gathering from 11 a.m. to noon at the U.S. National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave. NE.

6. Dance: Numerous local dance organizations are joining to produce National Dance Day 2020, a virtual celebration that features a range of styles like ballet, jazz and contemporary. Diva Dance DC, Dance Place, CityDance POP, Dance Loft on 14, the Dance Institute of Washington, Northeast Performing Arts Group and the Kennedy Center are the participating DC groups, along with the founders of National Dance Day, the American Dance Movement. The schedule runs from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.

7. Arts: This is the first weekend to see a brand-new mural on the corner of 4th and I streets SW. The Southwest Business Improvement District commissioned local artists Chelsea Ritter-Soronen and Gabriela Gomes of Chalk Riot to create the artwork with funding from a Vision Zero grant. The DC government’s Vision Zero Initiative strives to decrease the number of traffic-related fatalities — and reach zero fatalities by 2024 — by adding bike lanes and pursuing other initiatives, including artwork designed with traffic-calming messages in mind. The mural is being installed on Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the intersection has four-way traffic, bike lanes and an elementary school on one corner, so it was selected for intervention given the potentially dangerous setting.

8. Food & Drink: DC Brau is bringing Oktoberfest to your door for a “Haus Party” with contactless delivery or curbside pickup of fest packages, available to order online. They include sausages from Meats & Foods, DC Brau’s Oktoberfest Lager, German mustard and a DC Brau Bier stein. DC Brau is located at 3178-B Bladensburg Road NE. 

9. Health: DC-based event producer Profs & Pints is featuring St. Mary’s College of Maryland visiting associate professor Brian A. Sharpless in the talk “Waking Up to Insomnia.” As a clinical psychologist, Sharpless will discuss treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Unlike previous Profs & Pints lectures, this will not be available afterward in recorded form, so register for your spot this Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.

10. Recreation: Dupont Circle’s Fantom Comics is hosting a virtual trivia night — A Labor of Love — this Saturday from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Teams of up to five players may register; the cost is $5 per team member and each individual must sign up separately. Additional support for the store is encouraged by buying a gift card or merchandise online.