Halloween. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.
Whether you have an award-winning costume or not, Halloween is one of the best nights of the year to go out and get a glimpse at how this buttoned-up city likes to cut lose in disguise. And while there are a few Halloween-specific events planned, most of the fun and action will take place at some of the area’s most popular bars and clubs (because who doesn’t love seeing a giant cow costume break-it-down on the dance floor?).
Here are our best picks for this year’s Halloween scene:
- Cobalt/ Level One (1639 R Street NW). Grab some dinner at Level One and then hit the bar at Cobalt. Both will be open.
- Policy (1904 14th Street NW). The bar and restaurant will be open; Karaoke upstairs starts at 9 pm.
- Lost Society (2001 14th Street NW). The upstairs will be open for a Halloween party; the downstairs restaurant will not be open.
- Café Saint-Ex (1847 14th Street NW). Cafe Saint-Ex will host a special bar contest with Bar Pilar (1833 14th Street NW) on Halloween night. The theme is Prince of Darkness vs. Queen of Pop. Dress to impress! There will be prizes for the best costumes. Make sure you get off of work early – the contest starts at 5 pm.
- Nellie’s (900 U Street NW). Nellie’s will have drink specials and a costume party on Halloween night.
- U Street Music Hall (1115A U Street NW). Catch Crookers with Nick Catchdubs and D.J. Yorker at 9 pm. Tickets are $20.
- Local 16 (1602 U Street NW). According to a hostess, “Halloween is our favorite holiday here.” Dress up and hang on the rooftop with a local bar that loves Halloween.
- Tropicalia (2001 14th Street NW). It’s a Halloween Discoteca with Beyond the 3rd Dimension, Will Eastman and Sammy Y + Ozker.
- 9:30 Club (815 V Street NW). Freelance Whales and Geographer go on at 6 pm, Rusko is at 11 pm.
- Black Cat (1811 14th Street NW). Electronic Six and Little Hurricane play at 8 pm.
- The Mansion on O Street (2020 O Street NW). The historic Mansion on O Street will host a Night of the Living Divas Drag Show on Halloween night from 5:30 until 11 pm. Tickets are $40 and include a glass of champagne, a costume party and the drag show. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, best couples costume, craziest shoes, most creative, scariest, zaniest, grossest, worst prom outfit and more. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the website.
- Shaw Main Streets Halloween Crawl (various locations). This event takes place on Saturday, October 27 from noon until 6 pm, but is one not to be missed. The event will be hosted at seven venues, including American Ice Company (917 V Street NW), Bistro Bohem (600 Florida Avnue NW), The Brixton (901 U Street NW), Duffy’s Irish Pub (2106 Vermont Avenue NW), Etete Ethiopian Cuisine (1942 9th Street NW), Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U Street NW) and Shaw’s Tavern (520 Florida Avenue NW). Each venue will feature food and drink specials and drawings for prizes. Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the door (the first stop is Duffy’s). Proceeds support the Shaw Main Streets historic fire and police call box project.
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A new gallery and frame shop has opened on the 14th Street NW corridor: Arts@1830. Artist Regina Miele who formerly had Raven Arts across the street (above Bar Pilar) is the owner. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Mike Kohn. Have some news Mike missed? Email him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @mike_kohn.
Whitman-Walker Open House
Formerly known as a clinic, Whitman-Walker Health has undergone a name change and a renovation, and is inviting the public to come and see the results, according to MetroWeekly. This Friday, October 21, stop by the facilities at 1701 14th Street NW and enjoy the Whole Foods snacks while checking out the updated space and learning about the services that they offer, beyond STD screenings. For more information visit their website.
Git Along Little Doggies
Say it ain’t so! After an impressive 18 years of wowing us with their shirtless bodies dance moves, the DC Cowboys are officially closing shop. Kevin Platte, the group’s founder and the only cowboy to have been in the troupe continuously since its inception in 1994, said that it was time to move on. 2012 will be the final year — but rest assured they’ve got plans for a farewell tour that everyone can go see. Read more from Washington Blade.
Take Two
Since the first attempt was washed out thanks to Irene a few weeks back, DCist gave us the heads up that the District finally got everything back together for the official dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial yesterday. Despite a smaller crowd — 50,000 instead of the originally planned 250,000 — the dedicatation was attended by President Obama, Aretha Franklin and several civil rights icons including Julian Bond and Congressman John Lewis.
Trick or Treat
Not sure you want to participate in the usual Halloween debauchery? Greater Greater Washington has you covered. Check out their plans to screen Urbanized and post-consumed happy hour at Rocket Bar after the show. Get your tickets now!
The 14th & U Farmers’ Market is Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Photo: Luis Gomez Photos)
From the 14th & U Farmers’ Market… this is TOMORROW at noon. There is also a bake sale with proceeds benefiting Martha’s Table.
- What: Halloween Party at 14th and U Streets NW
- Where: 14th and U Streets NW, in front of the Reeves Municipal Building
- When: Saturday, October 31 at noon
“Wondering where to wear your costume during the day on Halloween. Enter the 14& U Farmers’ Market Halloween Costume Contest with great prizes for kids and adults, kindly provided by: Saint Ex, Cork Market, Pulp, Mid City Caffe, Biaggio, Adventures in Shaw. Judging by Amanda of Metrocurean and Diane of Cork at Noon on Saturday, October 31. Plus, DC FoodBloggers Spooktacular Bake Sale to benefit Martha’s Table.”
17th Street NW during the 2008 High Heel Race event. (Photo: Luis Gomez Photos)
Rain or shine. Today is the annual 17th Street Halloween High Heel Race. Starting time is 9:00 p.m, but get there early if you want to enjoy the show. Prior to the race, many of the participants (and those just in costume) parade along 17th Street.
What: High Heel Race
Where: 17th Street NW between Church & R Streets NW
Time: 9:00 p.m., but be there early!
17th Street NW during the 2008 High Heel Race event. (Photo: Luis Gomez Photos)
How time flies. The annual 17th Street Halloween High Heel Race is only week away: Tuesday, October 27. Starting time is 9 p.m., but 17th Street north of P Street will begin filling up between 6 and 7 p.m.
In what appears to be an historic change (yes, I’ve attended a few), the race course is reversed this year, with the contestants running south. The race will start at R Street and end at Church Street in front of JR’s Bar & Grill. The course is 0.2 miles–1/5 of a mile–in case you are thinking of donning a pair of heels and finding out just how fast you can run.
The Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets (HDCMS) program is the designated beneficiary this year. According to HDCMS Executive Director Paul Williams, the group has created a roped off VIP area at the finish line at Church Street “for those that wish to arrive as late as 30 minutes before the event for a secured, prime viewing area! Ticket holders will also receive a Bar Fast Pass to head directly in front of any lines at JR’s, Cobalt, and 30 Degrees following the event.”
The VIP section is limited to 50 ticket holders at $40 per person, and there are apparently some tickets left. Williams estimates a crowd of more than 15,000–an estimate I find entirely believable.
