The Weekend Scene: What to do in the DMV on Halloweekend
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We know it may feel like spooky season is coming to a close … but we got lucky this year! We’re all getting a little more time to celebrate Halloween, because the end of Daylight Saving Time is keeping the party going. We fall back an hour starting at 2 a.m. Sunday
Weekend weather: A cold front will settle over the DMV this weekend. Rain isn’t expected, but Saturday will be very cloudy and a good bit cooler, with highs only in the low 60s. Sunday will be a bit brighter, with highs in the mid-to-upper 60s.
DC
The reimagined Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden opens this weekend after years in the making. Artists whose work is featured will be giving popup talks throughout the late morning and afternoon. You can make your own art, too: Create your own mini sculpture garden, chalk art or buttons. Don’t forget to add a wish for the future of the garden to the Art School Wishing Tree. See the full schedule of events here. Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. for the opening day event; museum open until 5:30 p.m; free admission but suggested donation is $2.
Día de los Muertos: Events are being held across the District to remember our ancestors. Check out these options (or if you’re looking for something outside the city, scroll to our Maryland section):
- Commemorate loved ones at the National Museum of the American Indian (4th Street & Independence Avenue SW) as you write their names on the butterfly memorial arch or join in on story time. Sat. 10:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.; free admission.
- Celebración Día de los Muertos at The Wharf (608 Wharf St. SW) will feature live music and cultural performances (see the schedule here), beer gardens, face painting, sugar skull decorating and more. Sun. 3-6 p.m.; free admission.
- Día de los Muertos at Congressional Cemetery (1801 E St. SE) invites you to the chapel in the center of the grounds to collaborate in building a large-scale ofrenda. Bring photos or mementos, or create something on-site. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; free admission; RSVP here.
The Washington Ballet marks its 50th season by embracing the heartbeat of DC: go-go. This weekend is your chance to catch “Go-Go 50” at the Warner Theatre (513 13th St. NW) as the ballet celebrates five decades of movement while embracing the future. See the list of performances packed into one night, including D.C.’s own Black Alley, Edwaard Liang’s ”The Art of War” and more. Fri. 7:30 p.m.; Sat. 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m.; tickets $140+.
Dogs. In. Costumes … AGAIN!! If you missed Rosslyn’s event last weekend, GET READY — the Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest in Lincoln Park (E. Capitol & 11th streets NE) has multiple categories. Whether your pup’s costume is scary, funny, cute or part of a group costume with the rest of the family, there’s a chance to win prizes. The first 150 attendees get free swag bags! Sat. 1-3 p.m.; free; pre-register here.
Billed as “D.C.’s biggest Halloween party,” Nightmare in Navy Yard (Supplyhouse, 200 Tingey St. SE) brings a deranged dance party to town. DJs will be spinning on three dancefloors amid haunted decor including 50+ animatronics and inflatables, plus themed cocktails and “a few new surprises in 2026,” organizers say. Sat. 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; general admission $86; VIP $126. Five-hour open bar; food available for purchase.
The Fall Festival and Bluegrass Jamboree is back at Dupont Circle Park. While you decorate pumpkins, listen to Shannon Leigh and the Good Bygones. You’ll also find costume contests for kids, adults and pets. Sat. 1-4 p.m.
After years of renovations — the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum will open the second-to-last of its new galleries. “At Home in Space” will give visitors the chance to see what it would be like to live and work in (you guessed it) space. Museum open daily 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; free admission but timed-entry passes required. (The final new gallery opens Nov. 11.)
MARYLAND
Aside from the vintage vibes provided by that iconic carousel, the Fall Frolic at Glen Echo Park (7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo) comes with a soundtrack by the Washington Conservatory of Music, the chance to decorate your own Trick-or-Treat bag and a festive fall photo op. Plus, there’s a costume contest! Sat. 1-4 p.m..; free admission.
Some kids love spooky things, but not all haunted houses are meant for littles. But this one is! Kiddos ages 3-12 (and their parents) are encouraged to visit The Mystery Mansion (7931 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase) and watch live actors in a fairy-tale-gone-wrong setting. There’s three tiers of frights. The tamest is a bonfire bash with live music and s’mores on the mansion grounds. Fri. & Sun. 5-9 p.m.; Sat. noon-4 p.m.; $5-$20.
The community altar at the Día de Los Muertos event at Meadowside Nature Center (5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville) offers you a chance to honor your loved ones and learn about cultural traditions that celebrate death as a universal experience. Connect with your neighbors, bring an offering for the people you miss, and share in this group art exhibit. Sat. 1-2 p.m.; free.
The last-place Washington Commanders host the second-to-last-place Philadelphia Eagles at Northwest Stadium (1600 Ring Road, Landover) and here on NBC in primetime, with both teams desperate for a win to keep them in the NFC East race. Sun. 8:10 p.m.; single tickets $137+.
Shiver your way along a haunted mile-long trail full of jumpscares at Markoff’s Haunted Forest (19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson), or explore their haunted western experience, where you can visit … The Town. (Ominous, right?) Markoff’s Midway, located before the haunted experiences, features bonfires, food, drinks and music to prep you for the scares ahead. Wed.-Sun. various timeslots. Tickets $25-$50 for the trail; $35 for The Town; combination tickets $75-$80. Not recommended for kids under 12. (Also open next weekend, Nov. 6-8.)
If you want excellent Disney tunes with a side of a good cry, good news: It’s the perfect season to rewatch “Coco.” Better news: You can see the “Coco” Live-to-Film Concert at the Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda), with the score performed live by the Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. Sat. 3:30 p.m. & Sun. 2 p.m.; $28-$78.
It’s a Spooky Saturday of Big Ten football as the Terps take on Illinois. The teams will meet in College Park for the first time since 2023. It’s also the first time Maryland has had a Halloween home game since Haleigh was a baby (don’t google the year). Sat. 12 p.m.; tickets start at $30.
VIRGINIA
Dearly beloved, we are gathered today to share the tragic news: Edgar Allan Poe is dead. Actually, he died 177 years ago on Oct. 7 — but Halloweekend seems like the perfect time to honor him. As friends, family and colleagues come to mourn him during the Guillotine Theatre’s “The Funeral of Edgar Allan Poe,” their eulogies may turn into a conflict over how he’s remembered. The outdoor event at Ivy Hill Cemetery (2823 King St., Alexandria) will feature readings of a few Poe favorites, including “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Raven.” Fri. 7-8 p.m., $20 cash at the entrance or via PayPal.
Saturday Halloween means all-day spooky fun. Alexandria’s Fall-O-Ween festival has something for everyone (John Carlyle Square Park, 300 John Carlyle St.). There’s pumpkin and face painting for the kiddos, a beer garden for the grown ups, Halloween sweet treats for all ages and a market with handmade decor and other crafts. Watch a costume parade after you finish the shopping and snacking. Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; free admission.
Want to be so scared you almost drop your apple cider donut? Fields of Fear at Cox Farms (15621 Braddock Road, Centreville) has you covered … in goosebumps. Hunt for an escape from Cornightmare, take a bone-chilling ride on The Dark Side Hayride, experience the dark woods of The Forest, or tell ghost stories around the fire pits at The Fireground. Fri.-Sat. 7:30-11 p.m.; tickets $40-$45; available online only, so buy ahead of time. Not recommended for kids under 12. Anyone under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
“In the fall of 1996, a group of friends set out on a road trip through rural Virginia, driven by an obsession with local legends and folklore…. Before they could complete their trip, they vanished without a trace.” Thus begins Haunt: Dark Encounters at Workhouse Arts Center (9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton), which will have you shivering along a terrifying trail. Fri. 7 p.m.; 8 p.m.; 9 p.m.; 9:30 p.m.; tickets $39.
’80s tribute band The Legwarmers is hosting a massive Halloween party at The State Theatre (220 N Washington St., Falls Church) to highlight the best of the decade. Expect monsters, big hair, 80s fashion and (of course) top 80s hits at this haunted house concert experience. There’s also a costume contest, and 1st place wins $300. Quick note: this event is 21+. Fri.; doors open 7:30 p.m.; $32.50.
Picture this: It’s Sunday, Nov. 1. The costumes are put in their storage boxes, the family is munching on candy, and you just don’t know what to do with that jack-o-lantern on your front stoop. Welp, Pumpkin Chunkin’ at Great Country Farms (34345 Snickersville Turnpike, Bluemont) has a series of “smashin’ stations” that give your pumpkin a deeply satisfying final ride … and then they use the remains as pig and cow feed or compost. It’s environmentally friendly! Sun.-Tue., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; included with admission of $12-$16.
Music Snob’s concert picks
NBC Washington editor Matthew Stabley’s concert guide
heavens to betsy, Fri. 8 p.m., Black Cat, $42.40
Before conquering the world with Sleater-Kinney, guitarist Corin Tucker and childhood friend Tracy Sawyer (drums) were a raw, barebones and inspiring punk duo vital to the dawn of riot grrrl. Thirty-plus years later, get the how and why at the show. Details.
IAN SWEET, Fri. 7 p.m., DC9, $22+/$25+
Impeccable songcraft guides dynamic musician-singer-songwriter Jilian Medford’s indie rock project from hushed folk and slow picking through mid-tempo guitar rock. She has the pop chops to get a crowd dancing and singing along as well, but solemnity lingers. Medford’s quietside-and-slower-leaning fifth album “Shiverstruck” cushions her personal-style lyrics and visceral imagery in sparse, dreamy, sophisticated pop rock. At her most vulnerable, her voice sounds as young as a “Hard Knock’s Life,” and she takes that girlishness along when she gets bigger, coaxed by soaring synths. Details.
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