Winter Concerts in DC
How do you stay warm during the cold winter blast of the DMV Winter? Gather together and huddle up with like-minded fans of music you love! Post-Thanksgiving, the show schedule around here picks up pretty fast. Here’s a short list of the ones we’ll be looking out for.
Miley Cyrus
When: Friday, November 27
Where: Echostage
Tickets: Ticketmaster – 80 bucks a pop
Yup, you read that correctly: the glittery, always-half-naked-for-no-reason tongue twister is coming to DC’s Echostage – an intimate venue considering her nationwide fame and recent stint on the 2015 VMAs. Tickets obviously already sold out for this one (in less than 30 seconds), but if you have a friend or some kind of connection with an extra stub or two, it’s time to make nice: this show will be historic.
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80s vs 90s Flashback ft Biz Markie
When: Friday, December 4
Where: Baltimore Sound Stage
Tickets: Ticketfy – just $15!
YOUUUUUU, YOU GOT WHAT I NEE-EEEED. I’ll stop. But not before I see the man in person for an epic 80s vs 90s dance party.
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HOT 99.5’s Jingle Ball
When: Monday, December 14
Where: Verizon Center
Tickets: Ticketmaster – $45-200 depending on where you sit, but most attendees attest to the closer more expensive seats being totally worth the extra dinero.
As of right now, the roster for the 2015 Jingle Ball includes 5 Seconds of Summer, Demi Lovato, Zedd, Tove Lo, and more. But that’s not it – they announce new acts weekly leading up to the big event, so the lineup is only going to get bigger. Keep an eye on it on the HOT 99.5 website.
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Thievery Corporation
When: Thursday December 17 – Friday, December 18
Where: 9:30 Club
Tickets: Ticketfly – $45 for Thursday night, the Friday show already sold out.
The DC natives (Yes! Founding members Rob Garza and Eric Hilton created the group at the 18th Street Lounge!) are bringing their groovy bossa nova, dub, and jazz vibes to 9:30 club mid December. If you haven’t heard of them before, you are missing out. Check out the Garden State soundtrack they made it on that launched them into stardom.
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Dash Berlin
When: Saturday, December 19
Where: Echostage
Tickets: Wantickets – $25
The trance Dutchman is paying yet another visit to the mega club that is Echostage. The #15 DJ in the world (according to DJ Mag’s Top 100 list) always packs the place and puts on an insane show.
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The Roots
When: Tuesday, December 29
Where: The Fillmore Silver Spring
Tickets: LiveNation – $65
Most recently notorious for being Jimmy Fallon’s band, the Roots are playing an intimate show at the Fillmore for one night only. Come see the hip-hop/neo soul group play their Philadelphia-born hearts out on the small stage in downtown Silver Spring. Photo courtesy of mtv.com, credit: Ben Watts
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Krewella NYE
When: Thursday, December 31
Where: Echostage
Tickets: Wantickets – $40
Our friends at Glow DC say it best: “We’ve reached 16 years of providing the best dance music events in the DC-Metro area. We’ve put on over 70 shows this year, 20 of those shows including artists that we’ve brought to DC for the first time. We even managed to get ranked once again as the #1 best place to dance at on the East Coast by DJ Mag. To celebrate all this and more, we’ve enlisted the talents of one of the biggest names in dance music: Krewella!”
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Hardwell NYD
When: Friday, January 1
Where: Echostage
Tickets: Wantickets
The recently dethroned reigning EDM champ returns for another round of insanity at Echostage on New Year’s Day. Tickets go on sale Friday 11/6 at noon and will promptly sell out. Best bet if you miss the window? Table service – totally worth it for a show of this caliber.
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Muse
When: Monday, February 1
Where: Verizon Center
Tickets: Ticketmaster – $60-80, depending on where you snag a seat
Muse is one of the all-time greatest stage performing bands out there.
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Wilco
When: Sunday, February 7
Where: DAR Constitution Hall
Tickets: Ticketmaster – $53
Generally categorized as alternative rock and alternative country, Wilco’s name has been steadily rising for a number of years. Rolling Stone has consistently named them as “one of America’s most interesting bands” and they’ve also been regarded as “America’s Radiohead” due to their music’s wide range of stylistic variations. In fact, they have so much to offer that suggesting a single song to listen to would almost be pointless. The best thing to do? Go to this show and experience their talent and range for yourself. Photo credit: Austin Nelson
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Bryan Adams
When: Wednesday, February 17
Where: DAR Constitution Hall
Tickets: Ticketmaster – $43-90
It may be far from the Summer of 69, but Bryan Adams will make you forget about that. One of the OG rock/pop artists, Adams has performed with everyone from The Who to Nelly Furtado – his range in his genre is amazing, and definitely worth checking out.
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Janet Jackson
When: Monday, February 29 – Tuesday, March 1
Where: Monday in Baltimore at the Royal Farms Arena, Tuesday at the Verizon Center
Tickets: Ticketmaster for either, about $40 for the Bmore show, $50-100 for the DC one
If you don’t know, you don’t know. See the boss lady herself in either Baltimore or DC (or both!) for her 2015 Unbreakable World Tour.
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Not sure about you, but Winter doesn’t seem so bad to us anymore.
10 Struggles of a DC Commuter
Because mornings aren’t bad enough.
The Metro
The worst. The actual worst. Metro is the Comcast of public transportation. And we’re not simply talking about Metro service – fellow riders can be total nightmares. Forget about the inexplicable and unending single-tracking or the disconcerting sparking along the tracks, half the time it’s running late because some asshats decided they could fit onto a full car and won’t let the door close. You can’t wait 60 seconds for the next train that’s waiting because you can’t wait 60 seconds? And do NOT get us started on the guy who finds it okay to loudly serenade us with the unidentifiable music in his headphones.
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THE METRO
GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER MAN. This isn’t solely about the riders. Don’t forget that you are awful all on your own.
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495
How. HOW is there always SO MUCH traffic? Outer or inner loops: if you know you need to get on 495 between the hours of 5am and 11pm, plan to leave at least an hour earlier than you would normally plan to if you want to have any chance of getting where you’re going on time. The DMV does not know how to drive, much less deal with other vehicles on the road in mass quantities. Is it any wonder we beat LA this year on the “Worst Traffic in America” list? Welcome to DC, where turn signals aren’t common courtesy, but tactical error. Forget working as a team to get where you’re going, on the road it’s every man for himself. LOOK OUT EVERYBODY ELSE.
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Any main street downtown
K Street, H Street, and 16th Street. And any state. And all the roundabouts. Actually, no matter where you go they’re bad. Maybe a few of the side streets are okay, but I won’t ruin it for the smart drivers who figured out the back roads by blabbing where the clear routes are. Those people have earned their few minutes of trafficless morning driving. Otherwise, you’re stuck on the terrible main streets that are always jam-packed with aggressive buses (oh hi METRO), delivery trucks (how do they fit anywhere?), and overzealous cab drivers (NO I DON’T WANT A RIDE STOP FOLLOWING ME AND DRIVE). And they’re all under construction. Speaking of which…
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24/7 Construction
Does it ever stop? (Spoiler: it doesn’t.) If one job is done, another immediately pops up just down the street. It’s also never the pothole you blew your tire on last week, it’s perfectly fine stretch of road ahead that apparently needs some texture. And it’s never being worked on during lunch or off hours in the middle of the night, it’s only ever being worked on (by one guy, the other seven are just watching) during prime traffic times. Because why have all lanes open during rush hour?
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Unpredictable weather
“Hey there’s some unexpected drops on the windshield! Is it from the guy cleaning the sidewalk or is it a torrential downpour about to occur RIGHT NOW?? Either way, let’s all slam on our brakes, swerve, and miss the next light!” CHILL OUT. People around here forget that cars were built to withstand the harsh assault of a light rain shower. And flurries? Forget it. Just stay home. Not because it’s hard weather to drive through, but because it’s hard to drive through it with other people on the road. Basically, precipitation of any kind is DC’s kryptonite. It also makes it difficult to plan on whether or not to bring a jacket or umbrella. Will it be 80 degrees today or are we due for a few feet of snow? Bring it all. And carry it with you all day.
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Crosswalks
These are supposed to make crossing the street easier, but you know what would really make things easier on everyone? Using one to actually cross the street. Understandably, they are rarely if ever timed right and you always end up stuck in the middle of a weird intersection, but still. DC commuters on their way to work throw all caution to the wind when they believe their schedule takes precedence over everyone else’s. Like the guy in the $4,000 suit is going to stop for an oncoming car – COME ON.
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Pedestrians (when you’re in a car)
Completely crazy. Did they not see a CAR coming at them?
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Cars (when you’re a pedestrian)
Total assholes. Don’t they see I’m WALKING here?
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Bikes
Are you going to take the street or the sidewalk? Either way, you’re going to mess up car traffic because you’re too slow or screw with the pedestrians because you’re too fast. We love the idea behind Capital Bikeshare, but if you decide to ride one make sure you remember how to ride one. Also, cars: give these guys a break. You know you’re just jealous they can off-road it when traffic gets too heavy.
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We do have to give some credit to DC – when you don’t want to deal with the horrible commute back home after work, they have a million places with awesome happy hours where you can wait out the traffic and crowds. Cheers!
Best BBQ in DC
Who doesn’t love good BBQ? But honestly, though, who doesn’t? Because if you don’t, we can’t be friends. These places are THAT good. So unbuckle that belt a notch or two and make some room on your plate: these are our Favorite 5 BBQ joints in the district (in no particular order – drum roll please)…
Hill Country
Where:410 7th St NW
Why: Hill Country lives to keep their long running bbq traditions intact and in-check. So much so, that half of their products are shipped directly from the Lone Star state just so you can experience the greatness that is their traditional dry pork rub. They also deliver (which is HUGE for those of us stuck in an office for lunch). Don’t want to stick to one thing? NO PROBLEM COWBOY. Hill Country’s dine-in menu works like one of the old “meat-markets-turned-barbecue-joints” from back in the day (the same ones they pride themselves on emulating). Instead of the usual sit down meal, you buy a “Meal Ticket” and build the best plate you can, in servings that are as big as the flavors. (Photo courtesy of hillcountrybarbecuemarketdc.com)
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DCity Smokehouse
Where:8 Florida Ave NW
Why: They pride themselves on being a smokehouse with a “traditional bbq taste in an unconventional setting.” Not unlike Hill Country, DCity Smokehouse takes the southern-style of bbq to new levels (while also doing delivery) and taking daily care in each and every slice served. The difference is in their culinarily creative sandwiches: it’s not just the usual pulled pork on a bun with some slaw (although they do make a red chili coleslaw that may change your life, featured in their menu photo above of the OG Pulled Pork Sandwich), it’s expertly crafted concoctions by the Pit Master himself. And if you’d rather build your own sandwich, that’s cool too. You can order their meat by the pound, complete with all the bread and sides you want.
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Garden District
Where:1801 14th St NW
Why: It’s a memory of classic beer gardens plus a celebration of old-school backyard barbecues. Garden District is an outdoor restaurant run by New England natives who find the “mild” weather of DC to be the perfect backdrop for their place. Open year round and perfect for a neighborhood gathering, these guys only close for bad weather or when they run out of bbq. And, judging by the reviews, it’s safe to say that the latter is more likely. They are constantly rated in the top tiers of either “Best Beer Gardens” or “Best BBQ” in the NATION. (Photo courtesy of foursquare.com)
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Rocklands BBQ
Where:2418 Wisconsin Ave NW, but for you lazy folks who live on the outskirts: fear not! They also have locations in Alexandria, Arlington, and Rockville.
Why: Not just because they’re constantly ranked “Best Of” in the Washington City Paper, but because they are one of the only “wood-only bbq” places around who serve a local brand of bbq seasoning. The owner is a born and bred Virginia native who’s life dream was to bring his award winning flavor to the masses. And he did! You can buy a jar of his famous original barbecue sauce or a bottle of his “Global Warming” hot sauce. This place also gets some serious bonus points for their equally delicious food truck that roams the DC lunch scene. (Photo courtesy of rocklands.com)
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Hogs on the Hill
Where:2003 Bladensburg Road
Why: This unassuming hole in the wall is one of the most underrated places to eat in the district. No sit down and barely enough space to house a full lunch line, Hogs is a little smoke shack that has allotted 90% of it’s square footage to the food they produce. That’s dedication. Choose from classic sides of collard greens, mac and cheese, or home made corn bread to go with your platter of either pulled pork, ribs, or chicken and top it all off with their original or spicy sauces. (Photo courtesy of tripadvisor.com)
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BRB GETTING LUNCH NOW.
Last Minute Costume Ideas
It’s getting down to the wire folks. Halloween is just around the corner and the stakes for best costume have never been higher (up to $1000 to be exact). Lucky for you, your saviors over at DCClubbing have a few ideas you can still pull off before time runs out and you end up being the only non-zombie on the block.
Couples and Group Costumes
Great for so many reasons, but especially excellent for those of you who are indecisive because you’re shy. Dress up with a friend! Or 7! You can’t be embarrassed about what you’re wearing if you’re standing next to someone wearing the same thing.
Dancing Girls Emoji
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots
Can you IMAGINE if you built this into a costume? Epic, to say the least. Image: reddit.com
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AHS Cast of Characters
Murder House, Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, Hotel: terrifying in any season.
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Treasure Trolls
Colorful! And can accommodate a big group. Image: brit.com
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Chris Pratt and his Raptors
But you still have to decide who gets to be the Alpha. Screengrab via Universal Pictures/YouTube
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Minions
#squadgoals
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Heroes vs Villains
Classic, easy, and can be taken to really cool levels if you do it right. Be your favorite movie character or one of these bad boys and make a real impression.
A Zombie
Just grab some makeup.
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The new Joker
He looks legit, honestly. Get some hair dye and a pair of those gumball machine plastic grills and you’re set. Image: David Ayer on twitter.com
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Harley Quinn
Again. Super excited for this movie to come out. Image: yandy.com
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Batman
Who doesn’t love batman?
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Wonder Woman
There’s a million variations, if you can’t find one you like then you aren’t looking hard enough . Image: yandy.com
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Marty McFly
It IS the year he comes back to, in case you’ve been under a rock and hadn’t heard. Image: halloweencostumes.com
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Shameless Puns
Show off your sassy, sarcastic side. Be as literal as possible with just about the least effort imaginable and still be one of the best dressed people at the party.
God’s Gift to Women
GET IT?
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Ceiling Fan
I see what you did there.
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One Direction
Actually hilarious. Image: tumblr.com
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Third Wheel
For the BEST photobombing all night. Image: etsy.com
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Pop Culture
Topical.
Deflategate
Maybe you should add some fake tears AMIRITE TOM?
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Left Shark
Can you dance? No? Perfect.
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Tinder
So hot right now. Image: celebuzz.com, Credit: instagram @essieness
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Donald Trump
So hot right now? Image: walmart.com
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Debatable Choices
We don’t actually recommend these, we just wanted to acknowledge that they actually exist and warn you to the fact that people may be wearing them. And can we also give some credit to the WORDSMITHS naming some of these costumes? Woof.
Sexy Pizza Rat
HONESTLY. Image: yandy.com
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Sexy Trash Monster
PEOPLE ARE SELLING THESE. Image: yandy.com
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Giant Piece of Sh*t
AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BUYING THEM. Image: halloweencostumes.com
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Donna T. Rumpshaker
Go home. Image: yandy.com
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Now get to creating! Or buying. But creating is more fun. Go!
10 Best Hangover Cures
We’ve all been there. You got a little carried away last night, had three or five too many drinks, and woke up on the floor with an uneaten frozen pizza next to you while needing sunglasses to open the refrigerator. It happens. Unless you are one of the chosen few who never get hangovers or are lucky enough to have absolutely nothing to do but recover the morning/day after, you’re going to need a little help. So steady yourself and close one eye to read better, because here are the best hangover remedies we have to offer. Here’s hoping at least one of them will be your magic cure.
Pedialyte
You can find this bad boy in the baby formula aisle. Originally meant for young infants, this stuff is packed with the electrolytes your body is so desperately craving (even more than sports drinks, which could also work if you don’t have Pedialyte on hand).
FUN FACT: Pedialyte found out about the discovery post-party-goers made and began marketing their product to hungover adults (photo above courtesy of their twitter account). The result? A MASSIVE increase in sales. Because it works.
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Eggs
Chow down on the breakfast staple for a multitude of reasons. Not only are they a delicious part of a balanced breakfast, but eggs have two crucial ingredients that help ease your hangover into a dull memory: one boosts liver function, helping your overworked organ get rid of the leftovers from last night, the other fights the asshole chemicals causing your raging headache.
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Pickle juice
Don’t knock it till you try it. The main ingredients (vinegar, salt, and water) help re-hydrate and replenish your depleted electrolyte and sodium levels. It’s actually been recommended to do a shot of this before you go out, too. (Cue the Picklebacks!)
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Hair of the Dog
This one doesn’t work for everyone, but we’ve met plenty of people who can attest to it’s help in easing the pain (and what are you going to do, NOT get a Bloody Mary with brunch? Please). The setback, though, is that it doesn’t actually get rid of the hangover. Instead, it delays your pain until later in the day where it could potentially come back tenfold. So our suggestion is to try it and then use the delay as extra time to find a cure (that makes sense, right?). And maybe eat some eggs. It is brunch, after all.
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Virgin Mary
Don’t quite trust the logic in that last option? Understandable. Just cut out the vodka and sip on tomato juice. The science behind it is detailed, extensive, and, if we’re being honest, wayy too much to handle as a hungover person who’s looking for a cure asap. We’ll put it simply: tomato juice picks up the slack while your poor liver is busy playing catch up. Get a boost of energy and lose that headache.
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Coffee
Hungover holy water. Get it hot if it’s cold out, get it iced if you’re still sweating out the toxins – whatever you need to get it down. The caffeine kills the headache (and if you can’t decide where to get one, we’ve got you covered for that, too). NOTE: if you aren’t already much of a coffee drinker, many people don’t recommend starting now – it may actually make your hangover worse.
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Aspirin
OBVIOUSLY. Everyone knows this one already, so this hangover-helper is here for two reasons besides that. One: We wanted to give the best aspirin option (Advil, Tylenol, Aleve, etc), and ours is Excedrin Extra Strength. It’s got the added bonus of caffeine in addition to pain killers to fight a heavy headache. Basically, EES is to hangovers as Rhonda Rousey is to everyone. Reason two: not everyone knows the importance of putting something in your stomach along with your aspirin choice, otherwise you could risk doing damage to your stomach lining and that is no bueno. Eat at least the next option and you’ll be set.
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Dry toast or crackers
For those of you who have the unfortunate brand of hangover that consists mostly of nausea, give this a shot (Sorry! No pun intended, apologies if the poor word choice brought up bad memories). Post-binge, you need to raise your blood sugar while simultaneously not upsetting your delicate esophageal reflexes. Bland, dry toast will give you exactly what you need.
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Water
Again: OBVIOUS. The alcohol drained your body of all the liquid it needs to run at full capacity, if you don’t reach for this first thing in the morning (afternoon?) then you’re setting yourself up for disaster. The best idea is to drink water as the night goes on, preferably one glass per every drink, but it gets hard to keep up when THAT GUY shows up and buys rounds of shots to play catch up. Bonus points for preemptively placing a bottle of this next to your bed before you pass out.
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Exercise
Personally, we can’t imagine doing more activity than pulling on pants while still laying down, but studies shows that this is actually one of the better ways to nip your brutal hangover in the bud. Even if you look like everyone in this picture, science says it’s best to just push on through. The endorphin rush will boost your miserable mood and the calories you burn off will not only help you sweat out the rest of last night’s toxins, but also make you feel a little less terrible about how much you actually drank (do you KNOW how many calories were in all those shots you took? 100. 100 f*cking calories in every last one of them). Just make sure to bring water with you so you don’t get even more dehydrated.
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Everyone’s hangover is different. Some people can’t open their eyes, some can’t open their mouths. Whatever way yours manifests: it’s the absolute worst. The best way to deal with it? Learn from your mistake and prevent the next one. Next time, alternate water with your drinks and maybe cut back on the sugary mixers. Your future self will appreciate it and your body won’t hate you quite as much the next day.
Nightmare on F Street: 10.31.15 at Ultrabar
DCClubbing Presents:
Nightmare on F Street
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Ultrabar • 911 F Street NW • Washington, DC
Our annual Halloween party is Saturday, October 31 at Ultrabar! Join us for Nightmare on F Street and compete to win in our costume contest!
Hottest costumes win $1000 in cash and prizes!
- 5 Levels, 4 DJs spinning Top 40, House and International
- $300 table special: Stoli, Bacardi, and House Champagne
- Bottle service available at (202) 638-4663
- Ages 18+ w/ valid ID
- Dress code: Dressy Casual. Guys: No boots, no sneakers, no t-shirts, no grungy or athletic clothes, Girls: Keep it classy.
Music format:
– Main Floor: Dance & Top 40
– Bedroom (second floor): Latin & International
– Chroma: Hip Hop & Top 40
– Basement: Mashups
Location, Info:
911 F St. NW Washington DC 20004. Nearest metro: Gallery Place
Fright Night: 10.30.15 at Ultrabar
DCClubbing Presents:
Fright Night
Friday, October 30, 2015
Ultrabar • 911 F Street NW • Washington, DC
Halloween weekend has finally arrived! Get to Ultrabar on Friday October 30 for Fright Night and our scariest costume contest! Winners will receive $500 in cash and prizes!
- 5 Levels, 4 DJs spinning Top 40, House and International
- $300 table special: Stoli, Bacardi, and House Champagne
- Bottle service available at (202) 638-4663
- Ages 18+ w/ valid ID
- Dress code: Dressy Casual. Guys: No boots, no sneakers, no t-shirts, no grungy or athletic clothes, Girls: Keep it classy.
Music Format:
– Main Floor: DJ Kam (Top 40, Mashups, Hip Hop)
– Bedroom: DJ Destroyer (Hip Hop)
– Chroma : DJ Dale & DJ C-LO (Latin & International)
– Basement: DJ Hi Def (Dance, Top 40)
Location, Info:
911 F St. NW Washington DC 20004. Nearest metro: Gallery Place
ONE: Halloween Editon: 10.29.15 at Barcode
DCClubbing Presents:
ONE: Halloween Editon
$1 Progressive Bar
Thursday, October 29, 2015 | Ages 18+
Barcode | 1101 17th St NW, Washington DC
Get to Barcode on Thursday October 29 for ONE’s Halloween Party!
Starting at 9pm, a Progressive Bar starts handing out beers and rail drinks for just ONE DOLLAR! Yes, you read correctly: beers and rail drinks for a single buck. But come early – every hour the price goes up by another dollar! Still not sold? Check out the other specials:
- $5 Patron XO Cafe
- $5 Fireball
- $7 Belvedere mixed drinks
- $150 Belvedere bottles
- $150 Stoli bottles
Table Special:
- $200 table special: Belvedere and House Champagne
- Bottle service available at (202) 271-1171
Music Format:
- Rowan and NDV (Dance, Top 40, Hip Hop)
Hours: 9pm-2am
Age requirement and dress code:
- Ages 18+ w/ valid ID
- Dress code: Dressy Casual. Guys: No boots, no sneakers, no t-shirts, no grungy or athletic clothes, Girls: Keep it classy.
Location Info:
- 1101 17th St NW, Washington DC 20036
- Nearest Metro station: Farragut North
Scream Tuesday: 10.27.15 at Soundcheck
DCClubbing Presents:
Scream Tuesday
Tuesday October 27, 2015| 10pm-2am | Ages 18+
Soundcheck | 1420 K Street NW, Washington DC
Drink Specials:
- OPEN BAR 10-11pm
- $3 Bud light bottles
- $4 Lemon drop shots
- $5 Vodka Mixed drinks
- Bottle service available at (202) 271-1171
Music Format:
- Mashups, Dance, Top 40
Hours: 10pm-2am
Age requirement and dress code:
- Ages 18+ w/ valid ID
- Dress code: Dressy Casual. Guys: No boots, no sneakers, no t-shirts, no grungy or athletic clothes, Girls: Keep it classy.
Location Info:
- 1420 K St NW, Washington DC 20005
- Nearest Metro stations: McPhereson Square (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Farragut North (Red Line)
Halloween in DC
Costumes! Parties! Candy! Halloween is one of our favorite holidays because it gives you an excuse to party ALL WEEKEND without judgement of any kind – especially this year when it falls on a Saturday. Break out your best inappropriate version of [insert occupation], lamest pun-based outfit, or killer face paint job: the best part about Halloween is the prizes, so start planning now and bring your A-game wherever you decide to go. Where might that be, you ask? Halloween 2015 has some pretty outstanding options:
Scream City
Where: RFK Stadium
When: Now through November 1st
Why: Award winning scare tactics brought to you by a Las Vegas based special effects company. Already hailed as one of the most terrifying haunted houses in the country, RFK’s set up has people warning families that it’s “not recommended” for children under the age 13. Even the website is scary. Scare yourself senseless while having the time of your life for just $45. Photo courtesy of screamcity.com
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Ghost Tours in DC
Where: There are a lot of creepy places in DC (besides the infamous Exorcist stairs, which don’t require a tour guide to visit), but we suggest going on the above-linked tour of the creepiest and most haunted houses around New York Ave and 18th Street.
When: Now through October 31st every Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 pm
What’s up: No reservation needed, but tickets for the roughly 2-hour tour are $20 a person.
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DC Drag Queen Race
Where: 17th Street, between P and S
When: Tuesday, October 27 at 9pm (but people start gathering closer to 6)
Why: It’s tradition! Every year, Dupont gets flooded with high-heeled heroes flaunting and running in their best. Show up and show support, then go out to the nearby bars to celebrate afterwards. Photo courtesy of washingtonian.com
Scream Tuesday
Where: Soundcheck – 1420 K St NW
When: Tuesday, October 27
The deal: The first halloween party at Soundcheck is sure to be a hit. Scream Tuesday promises prizes, great drink specials, and awesome music (this is also perfect for you industry kids out there who may have to work all weekend). Go.
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ONE: Halloween Edition
Where: Barcode – 1101 17th St NW
When: Thursday, October 29
The deal: Their usual $1 progressive bar begins at 9 – which is already great enough – but on this particular Thursday they’ve also added a costume contest. Check their website for details and prize info.
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Fright Night
Where: Ultrabar – 911 F St NW
When: Friday, October 30
What’s going on: Night 1 of 2 for a big weekend at Ultrabar, the Friday party has 5 levels and 4 DJs pumping out music and fun starting at 10pm. Scariest costumes get cash and prizes totalling $500.
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Night of the Living Zoo
Where: The National Zoo, obviously.
When: Friday, October 30 (6:30 – 10PM)
The deal: UM. IT’S HALLOWEEN AT THE ZOO. They nix their usual free admission, but for $30 ($20 for members) you get a park-full of special exhibitions, craft beers, costume contests, food trucks, and live music from Black Masala and DJ Squirrel (pun probably intended). The adults-only event is for 21 and up and tickets are on sale now. Photo courtesy of nationalzoo.si.edu
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Nightmare on F Street
Where: Ultrabar – 911 F St NW
When: Saturday, October 31
What’s going on: The annual RAGER Ultrabar throws down is one of the best in the DC club scene. Their costume prizes (this year’s main category: hottest) have a total upwards of $1000 dollars and the multiple levels of varying music formats and dancing is sure to keep you having fun.
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Halloween Social at the W
Where: 515 15th Street NW (F between 14th and 15th)
When: Saturday, October 31
The deal: POV is probably the dopest bar in DC. With a really cool atmosphere and INSANE views of the city, you can party here on Halloween for the low price of $30. The real kicker, though? Their costume contest winner receives a SLEEPOVER PACKAGE with a “recovery breakfast” the next day. They just get us. Photo courtesy of wwashingtondc.com
Chainsmokers
Where: Echostage – 2135 Queens Chapel Rd NE
When: Saturday, October 31
What’s going on: The 3500 person venue has the #SELFIE masters putting on the show of a lifetime. This is probably definitely going to sell out, so get your tickets and tables while you still can.
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Boo Cruise
Where: Departs from Pier 4, Water Street SW, Washington DC
When: Saturday, October 31 at 9pm sharp.
What’s up: “Eat, Drink, and Be Scary!” Don’t want to party with the heathens on the streets? Take to the high seas! Or, in this case, the areas of the Potomac between the bridges (the ship is too tall to pass underneath them) for a swanky, upscale Halloween cruise. For $45 per person, you get appetizers with a cash bar and great views of the city before it freezes over. It should probably be noted that this party is 21+.
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Nightmare on M Street Bar Crawl
Where: Multiple locations throughout Dupont, U Street, and Gallery Place.
When: Saturday, October 31 (5pm-midnight)
The deal: Not to be confused with the nightmare over on F, this party takes place all over the district. Over 30 bars in DC are participating in this HUGE bar crawl (for $12-15 a ticket). For seven hours you get free entry to all the participating bars, exclusive drink specials, and over 10,000 costumed party-goers who are just as amped as you are.
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