Literary-art Events in Washington

Check out happening literary-art events all around Washington, DC

David Sedaris - "The Land and Its People" Book Tour

 Thu, 28 May at 09:00 pm Politics & Prose - DC

The Imaginarium Book Festival

 Fri, 05 Jun at 10:00 am University of the District of Columbia

Brunch Bites & Books w/ Tiffany D. Cross & Joy-Ann Reid

 Sun, 17 May at 12:30 pm Eaton DC USD 55

District of PRIDE Showcase at Lincoln Theatre

 Wed, 17 Jun at 07:00 pm Lincoln Theatre Free

Washington DC – Ira Glass: Seven Things I've Learned (WAMU x Union Stage Presents)

 Sat, 11 Jul at 08:00 pm Capital Turnaround

Smut Slam DC: Sweetest Taboo

 Fri, 29 May at 08:00 pm Pubkey USD 0 to 30

IlluminAsia | BookCon Fair and Disco

 Sat, 23 May at 12:00 pm National Museum of Asian Art Free

Annie Lederman (June 5-6)

 Fri, 05 Jun at 07:30 pm The DC Improv Comedy Club

Jaboukie Young-White (May 13-14)

 Wed, 13 May at 07:30 pm The DC Improv Comedy Club

2026 Foodelicious Night: AANHPI Foodways & Culinary Demonstration

 Mon, 18 May at 06:00 pm Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Rooftop Free

Colson Whitehead

 Mon, 27 Jul at 07:00 pm Sixth & I USD 0 to 187

Hybrid Event: The Missed Connection, Tia Williams

 Fri, 19 Jun at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 33 to 41

Yvette Segan (June 10)

 Wed, 10 Jun at 07:30 pm The DC Improv Comedy Club

Daniel Van Kirk at City State (Washington, DC)

 Fri, 26 Jun at 07:00 pm City-State Public House USD 25

We RISE Together ALL WHITE Rooftop Affair

 Sun, 31 May at 05:00 pm The Perch Rooftop Lounge inside the Cambria Riverfront Hotel 69 Q St SW USD 0 to 322

SUNSET IN THE GARDEN WINE FESTIVAL Feat. Poetry and R&B

 Sun, 14 Jun at 03:00 pm metrobar USD 36 to 624

5th Tuesdays Open Mic | 14th and V | Hosted by: Drew Anderson

 Tue, 29 Sep at 08:00 pm Busboys and Poets USD 8

MOTHER of All Comedy Shows: Takoma Comedy Night

 Thu, 14 May at 07:00 pm Busboys and Poets TAKOMA USD 23 to 82

Foggieraw, UCB in Washington

 Sun, 21 Jun at 08:00 pm Plaza Stage at Nationals Park

The PRIDE SHOW DC's Funniest Queer Stand-up Comedy Show

 Thu, 04 Jun at 08:00 pm 2319 18th St NW USD 18

P. Scott Cunningham & Clint Smith - Self-Portrait as the "i" in Florida

 Tue, 30 Jun at 07:00 pm Solid State Books USD 0 to 23

Live! from Busboys and Poets hosted by MalPractice

 Fri, 27 Mar Busboys and Poets USD 8

Trap Poetry

 Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm Howard Theatre - DC

How Shakespeare Saved My Life - Open Captioned

 Sat, 27 Jun at 07:00 pm Folger Elizabethan Theatre

How Shakespeare Saved My Life - Relaxed, Open Captioned at Folger Theatre

 Sun, 28 Jun at 07:30 pm Folger Theatre

5th Tuesdays Open Mic | 14th and V | Hosted by: Charity Blackwell

 Tue, 30 Jun at 08:00 pm Busboys and Poets USD 8

Natural Hair Fest® Strengthens Natural Hair Movement in Washington DC

 Sun, 30 Aug at 10:00 am Courtyard by Marriott Washington Downtown/Convention Center USD 30 to 285

Steve Byrne (July 2-3)

 Thu, 02 Jul at 07:30 pm The DC Improv Comedy Club

Freaks & Geeks with Story District & Mortified DC

 Thu, 14 May at 07:30 pm Penn Social USD 33 to 39

MAY 16TH - PEDRO GONZALEZ - LIVE IN WASHINGTON DC

 Sat, 16 May at 07:30 pm Sitar Arts Center USD 36 to 47

Rhymes and Reason: An R&B Experience

 Sun, 17 May at 01:00 pm Johnny Pistolas USD 18 to 23

Washington, DC Local History Roundtable & Book Fair

 Sun, 17 May at 03:00 pm Barnes & Noble Georgetown Free

The City Speaks: A D.C. Native Poetry Set

 Tue, 19 May at 07:00 pm The Strand DC Free

Anthony Devito at City State! (Washington, DC)

 Fri, 12 Jun at 07:00 pm City-State Public House USD 25

Expanding The AI Narrative: AI ethics, safety, economic & cultural impact

 Mon, 18 May at 12:00 pm Cannon House Office Building Free

Tony Roberts (August 28-30)

 Fri, 28 Aug at 07:30 pm The DC Improv Comedy Club

May Cookbook Club: VIETNAMESE FOOD ANY DAY by Andrea Nguyen

 Wed, 20 May at 07:00 pm Bold Fork Books USD 8 to 40

Cooking Up History: Giuliano Hazan and a Legacy of Cooking Italian

 Fri, 22 May at 12:00 pm Smithsonian National Museum of American History Free

SPANGLISH: An Evening with Monti Carlo and Gaby Montes de Oca

 Thu, 28 May at 07:00 pm Bold Fork Books USD 11 to 43

Spanish Young Music Talents: Ángel Martín in Washington, DC

 Tue, 26 May at 06:30 pm Spanish Cultural Center - Embassy of Spain Free

MISS UNIVERSE POWER TALKS FORUM

 Sat, 30 May at 12:00 pm Mexican Cultural Institute USD 130 to 162

Silent Book Club DC H St - May

 Mon, 11 May at 06:30 pm Henceforth, Free

One Leg On Earth by 'Pemi Aguda

 Tue, 02 Jun at 07:00 pm Lost City Books Free

My Favorite Year

 Thu, 04 Jun at 07:00 pm Dupont Underground USD 23

Hybrid Event: The Unicorn Hunters, Katherine Arden

 Thu, 04 Jun at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 42

Hybrid Event: Alan Opts Out, Courtney Maum

 Mon, 08 Jun at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 41

Sarah Jackson - A Second Sight

 Fri, 19 Jun at 07:00 pm Solid State Books USD 0 to 40

From the Doomsday Plane to the Front Lines: A Counterterrorism Career

 Thu, 18 Jun at 04:30 pm The Institute of World Politics, Commodore Barry Room USD 0 to 1,069

Secret Planet Presents: Chicha Libre | Miramar, La Bodoquita, Baby Alcatraz at Songbyrd DC

 Thu, 28 May at 07:00 pm 540 Penn St NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA

USA 250--Hamilton vs. Jefferson: The Great Debate, July 5, 2026, DC!

 Sun, 05 Jul at 05:45 pm InterContinental the Willard Washington D.C., an IHG Hotel USD 27

Music in the Circle: Dupont Concert Series (with Forró by Simone Baron)

 Sat, 16 May at 12:00 pm Dupont Circle Free

5th Wednesdays Open Mic | 450 K | Hosted by: Simply Sherri

 Wed, 29 Jul at 08:00 pm Busboys and Poets USD 8

How Shakespeare Saved My Life

 Mon, 08 Jun Folger Elizabethan Theatre

Improv-a-ganza

 Thu, 16 Jul at 07:00 pm Busboys and Poets TAKOMA USD 21 to 82

Robin Broad & John Cavanagh — The Water Defenders (Latinographix)

 Sun, 31 May at 05:00 pm Politics & Prose Free

The Mental Health Matinee

 Sat, 16 May at 12:00 pm Miracle Theatre Free

Film | Days and Nights in the Forest

 Sun, 31 May at 02:00 pm 1050 Independence Ave SW, Washington D.C., DC, United States, Washington, District of Columbia 20013

5th Wednesdays Open Mic | 450 K | Hosted by Nekos Ramos

 Wed, 30 Sep at 08:00 pm Busboys and Poets USD 8

Washington, D.C. Festival of Education

 Sat, 03 Oct at 08:00 am British International School of Washington USD 80 to 158

David Heska Wanbli Weiden - Wisdom Corner

 Fri, 18 Sep at 07:00 pm Solid State Books USD 0 to 29

University of Michigan Alumni Assoc. Presents Barbara McQuade - The Fix

 Thu, 18 Jun at 07:00 pm Solid State Books USD 0 to 46

Commemorative Event & Celebration at the FDR Memorial

 Wed, 13 May at 05:30 pm Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Free

Celebrating 250 with a World Cup Party

 Tue, 12 May at 05:30 pm Barrett & O'Connor Washington Center at Arizona State University Free

King Arthur Baking's Book of Pizza with Martin Philip and Gerald Addison

 Mon, 11 May at 07:00 pm Bold Fork Books USD 12 to 40

National Parks Month Kickoff Event at Politics & Prose, Washington, D.C.

 Wed, 01 Jul at 07:00 pm Politics and Prose Bookstore

Simone Dinnerstein, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Katherine Needleman, and Baroklyn

 Wed, 27 May at 08:00 pm Library of Congress Coolidge Auditorium

The Lesbian Bar Chronicles @ As You Are

 Thu, 28 May at 07:00 pm as you are. DC Free

Hybrid Event: Come Undone, Eddie Huang

 Thu, 23 Jul at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 33 to 41

Daniel Kehlmann Discusses Booker Shortlisted THE DIRECTOR with David Frum

 Mon, 01 Jun at 07:00 pm Barnes & Noble Georgetown Free

The Harlem Renaissance in DC Walking Tour

 Sat, 23 May at 05:00 pm The Howard Theatre USD 34

Black Wall Street Awards: 15th Anniversary Homecoming — Washington, DC

 Tue, 16 Jun at 06:00 pm Busboys and Poets Free

Anna Badkhen - To See Beyond

 Fri, 15 May at 07:00 pm Solid State Books USD 0 to 23

A Window into K-Culture: Focus on Korean Literature (Session 2)

 Tue, 19 May at 06:30 pm Korean Cultural Center, Washington D.C. Free

Myths and Sacred Tales: An Evening of Chamber Music and Poetry

 Sat, 06 Jun at 07:00 pm Kosciuszko Foundation DC USD 29 to 39

Family Concert: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

 Sun, 17 May at 02:30 pm St Mark's Capitol Hill USD 0 to 23

Landmark Lecture: On National Commemorations

 Tue, 12 May at 06:30 pm Tudor Place USD 7

LOVE IN DC

 Wed, 24 Jun at 07:00 pm Go-Go Museum & Cafe USD 23 to 29

Hybrid Event: Scandal of the Summer, Alexandra Vasti

 Fri, 26 Jun at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 30

Soul Searcher Book signing at the Go-Go Museum

 Sun, 07 Jun at 03:00 pm Go-Go Museum and Cafe Free

Secret Planet Presents: Puuluup | Light Beams at Songbyrd DC

 Tue, 12 May at 07:00 pm 540 Penn St NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA

THE EINSTEIN VENDETTA - Historical True Crime Author Talk

 Sat, 13 Jun at 03:00 pm Barnes & Noble Free

The Rewind story open mic + social

 Thu, 18 Jun at 07:00 pm DC Writers’ Salon USD 0 to 5

Hybrid Event: The Final Score, Lana Ferguson

 Tue, 07 Jul at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 30

Hybrid Event: It Happened One M**der, Liz Lawson

 Tue, 26 May at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 29

Hamilton 4 DC Mayor 2026 Community Fundraiser Gala & Awards Ceremony

 Sat, 30 May at 05:00 pm Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage USD 0 to 429

COLD WAR PUERTO RICO | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation

 Tue, 12 May at 06:00 pm Busboys and Poets 14th & V Free

EATERLAND: An Evening with Missy Frederick, Tim Ebner, and Brinda Penmetsa

 Thu, 14 May at 07:00 pm Bold Fork Books USD 9 to 43

How Shakespeare Saved My Life at Folger Theatre

 Tue, 09 Jun at 07:30 pm Folger Theatre

Picnic Theatre Company: My Favorite Year

 Wed, 03 Jun at 06:00 pm Tudor Place USD 23

They All Fall In Love At the End by Haili Blassingame

 Thu, 04 Jun at 07:00 pm Lost City Books Free

What’s Next featuring Maya Rupert

 Sat, 06 Jun at 04:00 pm THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus Free

Lost City Books Spring Reading Series

 Thu, 14 May at 07:00 pm The Festival Center USD 6

Hybrid Event: Babylon, South Dakota, Tom Lin

 Thu, 11 Jun at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 42

Unlearning Jewish Anxiety

 Thu, 11 Jun at 06:30 pm Sixth & I USD 23 to 47

Global Attitudes: An Update on U.S. Views, with Dr. Richard Wike

 Mon, 15 Jun at 12:00 pm 1957 E St NW room 602 Free

Hybrid Event: Dearly Departed, Chip Pons

 Mon, 15 Jun at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop USD 0 to 33

Exploring Portrait Mode: The Divine Selfie

 Thu, 16 Apr at 05:00 pm National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Free

AI & Art: Creativity, Ethics, and the Future of Cultural Work

 Tue, 12 May at 06:00 pm DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Free

War Drama: Voices from Ukraine - Washington DC

 Tue, 12 May at 05:00 pm Ukraine House Free

In-Store Event: A Novel Night Out: Kin

 Thu, 21 May at 07:00 pm East City Bookshop Free