Good day, DC! Enjoy the extended weekend at a local Martin Luther King Day celebration, or explore one—or three—major art and culture exhibitions opening this week at the Smithsonian, The Phillips Collection, and DC Public Library. Best Things to Do This Week and Weekend January 12–January 19 “At the Vanguard” exhibit. Discover the history of five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the “At the Vanguard” exhibit. The new showcase narrates the origins and legacy of HBCUs and their impact on Black history through more than 100 objects collected from Clark Atlanta University, Florida AM University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University, and Tuskegee University (Fri through July 19, free, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture). Cate Le Bon in concert. Welsh singer-songwriter Cate LeBon hums compelling, dramatic rhythms from her latest project Michelangelo Dying at Howard Theatre accompanied by musician Frances Chang (Mon, $44+, Howard Theatre). “Peter Campus” exhibit at The Phillips Collection. See some of Peter Campus’s works from the ’70s, and check out the debut of four of his more recent video installations that explore landscapes of the Long Island coastline—near his home—at The Phillips Collection’s “Peter Campus: There Somewhere” exhibit (Sat through May 3, $20, Dupont Circle). Octet play at Studio Theatre. Dave Malloy’s a cappella chamber musical Octet depicts a staged-in-the-round observation of eight internet addicts who meet in a church basement to take some time away from their phones (Wed through February 22, $55+, Logan Circle). “Freedom and Resistance” at MLK Memorial Library. DC Public Library teams up with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones to present a visual art  exhibition inspired by Hannah-Jones’s groundbreaking book and video project The 1619 Project. The “Freedom and Resistance” exhibition spotlights artworks from ten Black artists that explore themes of slavery, history, and, yes, freedom and resistance (Fri through March 15, free, MLK Library). Related December Culture Guide: 42 Things to Do in the DC Area Want More Things to Do? Arts and culture: Attend a Community Day at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Wed, free, Downtown). Stitch and crochet yarn at a guided community workshop (Wed, free, Anacostia). It’s the last chance to see art from major artists Basquiat and Banksy at the Smithsonian (through January 19, free, Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum). Pop culture and anime fans will nerd out over this cosplay party (Sat, free, Downtown). “Dinner Used to Be at 6” exhibition opens at Sandy Spring Museum featuring cultural paintings by Baltimore artists (Sun through April 22, free, Sandy Spring). Community and heritage: Immerse in Serbian culture, art, food, and folklore at the Embassy of Serbia (Fri, $69, Northwest DC). Attend a wellness fair, and enjoy parade performances at the MLK Holiday DC Peace Walk Parade (January 19, free, Congress Heights). Celebrate Dr. King’s birthday with craft-making, a service project, and live music by Rex Carnegie and the House Band at the museum (January 19, free but, registration is required, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture). Theater and shows: Comedy legend Martin Lawrence does standup at The Theater at MGM National Harbor (Thurs-Fri, $172+, National Harbor). An eight-person performance troupe makes music with an array of percussion instruments in Stomp (Fri-Sun, $63+, National Theatre). Watch two days’ worth of new plays by BIPOC playwrights at A First Look: The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions (Fri-Sat, free, Penn Quarter). Tickets to laugh with comic Gary Owen at Lincoln Theatre are going fast (Sat-Sun, $56+, U Street Corridor). Music and concerts: Sing along with fellow vocalists at A People’s Choir DC pop-up (Wed, free, Shaw). Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble will perform a blues and rock tribute to ’60s music group the Grateful Dead (Thurs, $45, Shaw). Pianist Daniil Trifonov joins the National Symphony Orchestra and Gianandrea Noseda to plays energetic masterpiece The Rite of Spring (Thurs-Sat, $33+, Kennedy Center). Listen to Glitterer’s hardcore and punk tunes to help raise funds for We Are Family DC at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church (Sat, $18, Columbia Heights). Bites and beverages: Eat discounted bites at local restaurants during Winter Restaurant Week (begins January 19, prices vary, multiple DC locations). Sports: Cheer for women’s hockey at the District’s first-ever PWHL contest (Sun, $30+, Capital One Arena). Things to do with kids: Go on a Hill Family bike ride to Canal Park for ice skating and hot chocolate (Sat, free, Capitol Riverfront). If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.The post 24 Things to Do in the DC Area This Week and Weekend first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less