Things to do in the DC area: Holi Festival, Chefs’ Collaboration Night … and more!

This Saturday, guests of the event can expect colorful powder thrown all around to celebrate what is also known as the Festival of Colors.

The Dupont Circle BID partnered with the Indian Embassy for the fourth year of the neighborhood’s Holi Festival. The festival welcomes the spring season and “the victory of good over evil.”

Following the powder throwing, expect cultural dance performances and a live DJ playing upbeat Indian music. The Indian Embassy is also providing masala chai and traditional sweets.

The event is free to attend and does not require an RSVP. Powder preorder sales have ended.

“It’s a huge festival,” said Jason Goldman, marketing and events manager for the Dupont Circle BID. “Everybody is welcome at the Holi Festival. … All ages are welcome.”

The Plaza in the Union Market District is joining the fun the following week, on March 13. The Holi Festival found in Northeast D.C. also includes a live DJ set, plus food and drinks available for purchase.

The Northeast D.C. event is free with no tickets required. Colors and T-shirts are available while supplies last on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Check back every Thursday for a roundup of Things to do in the DC area.

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Here’s what else is happening in the D.C. area:

DC

“Blacklisted: An American Story”
The Capital Jewish Museum has a new exhibit starting Friday that explores the Hollywood blacklist and the federal government’s loyalty investigations that upended thousands of lives during the Red Scare. Expect personal stories, rare artifacts and film clips. The exhibit runs through Sept. 7.

FITDC HerStory 5K and Kids Dash
Saturday, the eighth annual FITDC HerStory 5K and Kids Dash is being hosted at Freedom Plaza in Downtown D.C. The family-friendly event brings together community, fitness and empowerment with this year’s theme: “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” Following the race will be music, giveaways and vendors from local women-owned businesses.

PLENTIFUL: A Queer & Fat Positive Market
Head to Transmission D.C. this Saturday for a queer and fat-positive market, plus-size clothing swap and book swap to raise funds for D.C.-area mutual aid. General admission tickets start at $15.

District Beer Fest
Union Market’s Dock 5 is hosting District Beer Fest this Saturday. Expect a variety of beer tastings, a live DJ and food available for purchase. Ticket prices vary.

District of Punk Walking Tour
Take a stroll through history with this walking tour dedicated to learning about the D.C. underground punk scene. The 90-minute tour this Saturday accommodates up to 25 guests. It ends at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, which houses the D.C. Punk Archive. Tickets cost $30 for adults and $20 for children.

Japanese Women in Hospitality Dinner
Perry’s in Adams Morgan is hosting a four-course tasting event Monday with four award-winning chefs: Masako Morishita, Yuri Oberbillig of SakuSaku Flakerie, Jessica Joly-Crane of Sake Discoveries and Risa Sakanishi of Sushi Nakazama (formerly Barmini). A sake and cocktail pairing is optional. Tickets cost $180 per guest.

Maryland

The Haunted Boy: Rock Opera Album Release Party
From Friday through Sunday, Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier, Maryland, is hosting a live performance and release party for a rock opera that is a retelling of the story of “The Exorcist.” The two-act, 23-song album is written and performed by a group of musicians based in the D.C. area known as The Haunted Boy. Tickets cost $20 for general admission or $15 for seniors and students.

Inscape Chamber Orchestra
Listen to the classical tunes of the Inscape Chamber Orchestra at the BlackRock Center for the Arts this Sunday. Ticket prices vary by seating.

Women & Whiskey with Catoctin Creek Distilling
For Women’s History Month, the Gaylord National in National Harbor, Maryland, is raising a glass to the women redefining whiskey. This intimate event is hosted by Catoctin Creek Distilling with guided tastings and engaging discussion to follow. The event on Tuesday costs roughly $60 to attend.

Virginia

Chefs’ Collaboration Night
Chef George Rodrigues from El Mercat Bar de Tapas and Chef Marcelino Zamudio from Chicatana are collaborating for one night as part of a tasting dinner. The seven-course experience costs $145 per diner with wine pairings or $90 for the dinner only. The event is this Thursday in Arlington.

Fairfax Record Riot
With over 15,000 records available, dig through vinyl at the Fairfax Record Riot, featuring dealers from the D.C. area and beyond. Admission varies depending on time frame for this Saturday event, but is as low as $4.

ComicWorx
Nerds, unite! On Saturday, this pop-culture convention at Lorton, Virginia’s Workhouse Art Center features a cosplay contest, a dance and a variety of vendors selling collectibles, art, plushies and more. Voice actor John Swasey is this year’s celebrity guest, as seen on “Attack on Titan,” “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “My Hero Academia” and “One Piece.” General admission tickets to ComicWorx cost approximately $18 per person, $22 for early entry or $39 for VIP.

Have an event you’d like featured in WTOP’s Things to do in the D.C. area weekly guide? Let us know!

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