03-04-2025
Your D.C. Weekend: Awesome Con, Petalpalooza, and serious dog fun
A festival highlighting all things "geek culture" is taking place this weekend in D.C.
Why it matters: Awesome Con is an annual celebration bringing together over 60,000 fans of manga, anime, cosplay, fantasy and sci-fi culture across three days of events.
State of play: The event will run April 4-6 downtown at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. (And, yes, you definitely should come reppin' your finest costume or cosplay).
Here are some events to flag, D.C. dorks:
⭐ Did we mention celebs will be there? Orlando Bloom and Liv Tyler will be on site Saturday and Sunday for a "Lord of the Rings" event, plus you can swing by a " Goonies" reunion Saturday or meet the cast of the " Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" on Sunday.
Plus: Check out panels featuring cast members from shows like the manga series " Hunter x Hunter" (Friday) and the animated cartoon " Blue's Clues" (Saturday).
🧛 Don your Spock duds and sign up for the cosplay competition on Saturday — or, if you're not feeling competitive, there's a just-for-fun cosplay runway show Friday.
‼️ Plus: Across the weekend, there will be educational programming about how science actually impacts sci-fi, a celebration of all things LGBTQ+ in geek culture, and a series of events just for kids.
If you go: Ticket prices start at $65 for a day pass and $120 for a three-day badge.
More weekend events to check out:
🎶 Celebrate the power of poetry and hip-hop at this year's Words, Beats & Life Festival, kicking off Thursday and running through Sunday at venues across D.C.
Highlights include a Friday dance party at Wild Days Rooftop and poetry performances at the Kennedy Center (tonight) and Busboys and Poets (Saturday). (Prices vary)
🔍 Embrace the past at the D.C. History Conference, running Thursday to Sunday at the D.C. History Center and the MLK, Jr. Library.
Mark your calendar for events like a talk on D.C.'s rock scene, a Shaw walking tour and a look at the history of roller skating in the District. (Free)
🌸 Peak bloom is so last week, but you can still wild out for spring at the Petalpalooza celebration in Navy Yard on Saturday, with live music, arts and crafts, a beer garden and an 8:30pm fireworks show to cap off the night. (Free to attend)
