Thursday
Strašidla: Czech Legends and Mythical Creatures
Embassy of the Czech Republic, 3900 Spring of Freedom St. NW, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., free, registration required
The Czech Embassy redefines diplomatic scare at its fourth annual Halloween gathering. Introduce kids to the Headless Knight, Forest Demon and Water Goblin at this combined story time and forest walk through the darkened embassy grounds. Cauldrons will also be bubbling, courtesy not of witches but The Science Guys, who conduct hands-on experiments in honor of spooky season.
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DMV One-Day Choir at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial
101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., donations requested
For those who will always love Dolly Parton, show choirs and a room with great reverb, the Gaia Music Collective hosts a sing-along where participants will be assigned parts, form a choir and film a video of “I Will Always Love You,” all in one night. Going viral isn’t guaranteed, but having a good time harmonizing is.
More to explore: Emei’s “Night at the Opera” tour comes to the Lincoln Theatre
Friday
“Are You Now or Have You Ever Been?” at Arena Stage
1101 Sixth St. SW, 8 p.m., $97 to $117
“Theater to make the blood boil” is how a New York Times critic praised Eric Bentley’s play about the House Un-American Activities Committee when this show opened off Broadway in June. A very similar staging — a less starry cast but still helmed by Juilliard dean Anna Shapiro — opens at Arena Stage on Thursday and runs through Dec. 6.
Avery, Gottlieb and Rothko: By the Sea opens at The Phillips Collection
1600 21st St. NW, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., preview free for members; $20 for public starting Saturday
Three seminal artists of the mid-20th century savored spending their summers on the North Shore of Massachusetts, where they painted and, presumably, ate lots of fried quahog clams. Now the Phillips has gathered more than 90 paintings, drawings and watercolors by Milton Avery, Adolph Gottlieb and Mark Rothko into one groundbreaking show, including some works never publicly exhibited. The exhibition is open to members Thursday and Friday, while general public entrance begins on Saturday.
More to explore: Art Bites gallery talk at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art
Saturday
Kids’ Day at Washington International Horse Show
Prince George’s Equestrian Center, 14900 Pennsylvania Ave., Upper Marlboro, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., free
Gone are the days when Sixth Street NW closed down to become the Washington International Horse Show stable. Since 2022, the annual elite competition has been held at Prince George’s Equestrian Center. While less Metro-accessible, at least there is less manure downtown? Kids’ Day activities include pony rides, a hobby-horse jumping course and pony kissing booth. For $10, adults can stay to watch a Grand Prix jumping competition at 1 p.m. (Kids are free.)
The Revada Arts Center grand opening
340 Maple Drive SW, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., free
Two homeless performing-arts companies and an independent cinema are moving in together in Southwest D.C. Theater Alliance, IN Series and 4EYE Film Center celebrate the opening of the Revada Arts Center with a community open house. The day kicks off at 11 a.m. with a sing-along screening of “Frozen.” Tours and other family-friendly activities continue through the afternoon.
More to explore: Final “Late Skate” of the season at Anacostia Park
Sunday
“In Search of Home” sung by the Choral Arts Society of Washington
Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G St. NW, 5 p.m., $60
The Kennedy Center’s closing has displaced not only the venue’s resident ensembles but also other DMV arts groups that have long rented out the Concert Hall and other spaces. Rather pointedly, the Choral Arts Society of Washington has titled its first concert of its itinerant 2026/27 season “In Search of Home” and programmed music about “humanity, displacement and belonging” by Bernstein, Brahms and Buxtehude.
Screenings of the Broadway play at various theatres; times and prices vary
Rose Byrne (“Bridesmaids”) and Kelli O’Hara (“The Gilded Age”) both earned Tony nominations for their performances in the 1925 Noël Coward show briefly revived on Broadway in the spring. On Thursday and Sunday, area movie theaters will screen a version captured for Broadway HD. DMV viewing options include AFI Silver, Alamo Drafthouse and the Angelika Film Center in Merrifield.
More to explore: Robin Maril and Charlotte Clymer at Politics and Prose