The best things to do in Washington, D.C. this weekend: July 24–26

A blindfold is the key ingredient in Dining in the Dark: A Unique Blindfolded Experience at Ambar Clarendon, a dinner that asks guests to rely on taste, smell and texture rather than sight. Held at Ambar Clarendon in Arlington, the experience transforms a meal into a guessing game, with diners exploring a secret three-course menu designed to heighten the senses. Guests choose between red, blue and green menu options featuring meat, seafood or vegetarian dishes, then discover each course only as it arrives at the table. The Balkan restaurant’s intimate setting provides the backdrop for an evening built around curiosity and perception, where familiar ideas about dining are replaced by a more instinctive way of experiencing food.

Jazz in the Garden: American Sounds isn’t your average summer concert series. Set against the leafy backdrop of the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, this event curates a playlist that zigzags across the American musical landscape. One week you might catch the twang of Appalachian strings, the next, the soulful pulse of Hill Country blues or the infectious rhythms of Creole jazz. The lineup doesn’t shy away from contemporary sounds either, so expect a few surprises that push the genre’s boundaries. Arrive early on select nights for pre-show dance classes, where you can pick up a few moves before the music kicks in. The garden itself is a draw, with sculptures peeking out from behind picnic blankets and the city skyline just beyond the trees. It’s a rare chance to hear top-notch jazz while surrounded by art, both living and sculpted. Bring a friend, a snack, and an open mind—this is summer in D.C. at its most tuneful.

Franklin Park becomes an open-air workout studio with a fitness series that pairs high-energy classes and recovery sessions with a distinctly local soundtrack. Rather than sticking to a single discipline, each Saturday morning moves through a mix of cardio, Pilates-inspired training, and yoga, creating a progression that shifts from intensity to mobility and restoration. Live DJs keep the atmosphere lively throughout, giving the sessions the feel of a community gathering instead of a conventional exercise class. The series is curated by Britt Dupree Daniels of Wellness Architects, with complimentary juice shots from Fruitive adding a small but thoughtful touch between workouts. A cold plunge and sauna experience is also available as an optional recovery upgrade, extending the focus beyond the classes themselves. The result is a wellness event that blends movement, music, and public space into a relaxed summer ritual.

A collision of experimental rock, heavy riffs, and unpredictable musicianship, Tomahawk brings its genre-defying sound to 9:30 Club with a lineup that draws from some of alternative music’s most influential corners. The supergroup, featuring members connected to acts including Faith No More, The Jesus Lizard, Helmet, and Mr. Bungle, has built a reputation for twisting metal, punk, and avant-garde influences into something darker and harder to categorize. Joining the bill are the Melvins, the long-running band whose boundary-pushing approach helped shape generations of heavy music. Together, the two acts create an evening centered on restless creativity, abrasive textures, and musicians who have spent decades challenging expectations of what heavy music can sound like.

Sheryl Underwood lands at the D.C. Improv with her signature mix of razor-edged wit and unfiltered honesty. Known for dissecting race, politics, and sex with a blend of corporate savvy and streetwise candor, Underwood’s sets move briskly from punchline to pointed observation. Her delivery is as polished as it is unpredictable, shifting gears between biting commentary and playful banter without missing a beat. The room crackles with energy as she navigates taboo topics, drawing laughter from uncomfortable truths and everyday absurdities alike. Across three nights, each show promises a fresh volley of insights and provocations, all delivered with Underwood’s unmistakable confidence. If you’re after comedy that challenges as much as it entertains, her run at the Improv is a rare chance to see a master at work in an intimate setting.

Step into the jury box as The Jury Experience: Death by AI Will Washington, D.C. Deliver Justice blurs the line between audience and participant. This immersive theatre event transforms a real courtroom into the stage for a high-stakes trial, where a driverless car’s fatal mistake puts artificial intelligence on trial. Attendees are not passive observers; they listen to live testimonies, scrutinize evidence, and cast decisive votes that shape the verdict. The tension builds as each new revelation forces the room to reconsider what justice means when technology is in the defendant’s seat. After the final decision, the conversation spills beyond the courtroom, with guests invited to debate the tangled questions of accountability and ethics that linger long after the gavel falls. The experience is as much a social experiment as a performance, probing the uneasy intersection of law, morality, and machine intelligence.

Fourteen paintings from the original Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, unseen together since 1805, have arrived at the Folger. Created by some of the most prominent English artists of the 18th century, these works capture pivotal moments from Shakespeare’s plays, but their significance extends beyond theatrical drama. The exhibition delves into how Shakespeare’s image was shaped and wielded as a tool of British imperial ambition and economic influence, prompting visitors to reconsider the playwright’s place in cultural history. Each canvas reveals not only a scene from the stage but also the layers of mythmaking that have surrounded the Bard for centuries. The gallery’s Regency-era grandeur is palpable, yet the show’s real intrigue lies in its invitation to question the stories we inherit about Shakespeare and the forces that have shaped his enduring legacy.

Rock the Dock at The Wharf is the kind of summer series that makes the waterfront feel like it was designed for live music first and everything else second. Held on select Friday nights at Transit Pier, the concerts run at 7 p.m. and bring a rotating lineup of local acts covering everything from Go-Go and R&B to rock, country, salsa, and pop tributes. The stage itself sits right on the water in the Washington Channel, so the performances play out against boats drifting by and the glow of the waterfront at dusk. Seating is limited and casual, with most people settling into first come first served tables, gathering along the pier, or simply standing close to the stage. Food is part of the rhythm of the night, with Wharf restaurants offering takeout options and on site favorites like Union Pie and Cantina Bambina keeping pizza and drinks within easy reach. The series is intentionally low barrier, open to all ages, and designed to feel like a neighborhood block party stretched across a waterfront promenade. Even the schedule leans into variety, with themed nights and genre shifts that keep each week from feeling like a repeat of the last. It is less about a single headline moment and more about the steady pull of free music meeting open water in the middle of D.C. summer.

Hillwood’s Japanese-style garden, a tranquil landscape shaped by Shogo Myaida, takes center stage this July as the museum devotes a month to its quiet artistry. Visitors can wander winding paths on specialty tours that reveal the garden’s subtle blend of Japanese and American traditions, from stone lanterns to native plantings. Floral workshops invite hands-on exploration of ikebana, while performances on select days bring a festive energy to the serene setting. The museum shop and Merriweather Café join in with themed merchandise and Japanese-inspired treats, rounding out the experience with thoughtful nods to the garden’s influence. Rather than a single spectacle, the event unfolds as a series of moments—each one offering a different perspective on the garden’s layered design and the cultural exchange it represents.