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✨ THIS ISSUE’S TOP PICK
🎬 Bethesda Film Fest
Fri, Apr 10 & Sat, Apr 11, 7 pm | Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema, Bethesda
This weekend: Five short documentaries. One easy night out.
The 14th annual Bethesda Film Fest brings five short documentaries by regional filmmakers to Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema over two nights, with the same program shown each evening.
This year's films follow a Ukrainian pianist who fled war twice, a swimmer attempting a 24-mile crossing of the Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore's Inner Harbor, a D.C. mentor using art to help teens process trauma, and more. One filmmaker, Max Rykov, grew up in Potomac. After each screening, the filmmakers join for a discussion about their work. $15+
👉 See films and get tickets [Bethesda Urban Partnership]
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🎭 SEE
Art, music, performances, and a few reasons to spend the evening out.
🎨 Artist Open Studios at Artists & Makers
Sat–Sun, Apr 11–12, 10 am–5 pm | Artists & Makers Studios, Rockville
If you’ve been meaning to find something original for your walls—or just want a reason to step inside a working artist space—this is the weekend to do it. Artists & Makers opens its 13,000-square-foot studio building to the public, with 87 resident artists and members of the Potomac Fiber Arts Guild working, showing, and selling on site.
You can watch pieces take shape, ask questions about process, and buy directly from the artists. Highlights include a live painting installation by David Amoroso and a mini solo show by Ann Corbett. Free to attend.
👉 Learn more
📚 Jen Glantz: Finally the Bride
Wed, Apr 15, 7–8 pm | Wonderland Books, Bethesda
Author Jen Glantz comes to Wonderland Books to discuss her new memoir about building a career as a professional bridesmaid — and what she learned about love, expectations, and weddings along the way. Honest and funny, the book is a good fit for anyone who's ever felt the gap between how relationships are supposed to look and how they actually feel. Free, in-store.
👉 Learn more
🎩 Magic Duel Comedy Show
Sat, Apr 18, 5 & 8 pm | Hyatt Regency, Bethesda
Two award-winning magicians — DC veteran Mark Phillips and bubble artist Meadow Perry, with 18M+ TikTok views — face off in 90 minutes of illusions, audience participation, and genuine laughs. You pick the challenges and vote for the winner. Penthouse performance space with skyline views; two drinks included with each ticket. $60+
👉 Get tickets
🎵 Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Awards — 10th Anniversary Concert
Fri, Apr 24, 7:30 pm | The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda
The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda This is the kind of evening where you might find yourself thinking: I saw them before anyone knew their name. Seven finalists from across the DC region perform original work — folk, jazz, R&B, rap, and singer-songwriter — competing for a $10,000 grand prize and studio recording support. Now in its 10th year. Free dessert reception with the artists after the show. $20+
👉 Get tickets
🍷 TASTE
Food experiences, tastings, and classes that make the week revolve around something delicious.
🍯 Mead & Chocolate Pairing
Sat, Apr 11, 7–10 pm | Clear Skies Meadery, Rockville
Clear Skies Meadery is pairing hand-crafted chocolates with seasonal honey wines for an evening of guided tasting. Your ticket includes a chocolate flight and a welcome cocktail, with meads available to purchase separately on the night. $15
👉 Learn more
🥃 Whiskey 101 Tasting Class
Sun, Apr 26, 6–8 pm | Pinstripes, North Bethesda
Whiskey University brings a guided tasting class to Pinstripes, walking through the differences between the eight most popular whiskey styles — bourbon, scotch, rye, Irish, and more — alongside a broader introduction to distilled spirits. A good pick if you've always wanted to know your way around a whiskey list. $44.52
👉 Learn more
🎨 TRY
Hands-on classes and social activities where you can learn something new or step a little outside your comfort zone.
🧼 Melt & Pour Soap Making Workshop
Thu, Apr 10, 4 or 6 pm | MWBC Shop Local, Rockville
A hands-on workshop with Juss Rite Creations where you'll customize your own soaps with colors, scents, and botanicals — and take them home. All materials provided, no experience needed. $35 early bird / $40 general.
👉 Register now
🎬 Movie Bingo Night at Baby Cat Brewery
Thu, Apr 10, 6:30 pm | Baby Cat Brewery, Bethesda
Bingo meets movie night — stamp your card when you recognize iconic film theme songs, with popcorn on the house and prizes up for grabs. Three specialty cocktails for the evening: the Jedi Fizz, Jaws of Life, and Defying Gravity. Free to play.
👉 Learn more
🎤 Karaoke Happy Hour at The Corby Kitchen
Tue & Thu, 4–6 pm | The Corby Kitchen at Marriott North Bethesda
No reservations, no pressure — just walk up to the karaoke booth by the bar, request a song, and go for it. The setting is sleek and the happy hour is solid: a pound of wings and a bucket of beers for $50. Whether you're a regular on the mic or just there to cheer on your friends, it's a genuinely fun way to ease into a weeknight evening.
👉 Learn more
💃 Brazilian Samba Dance Class
Mon, Apr 14, 7:30–9 pm | The JaM Space, Rockville
New to The Good Week! Weekly samba classes, hosted by educarte with instructor Luy Cortes, a Brazilian performer and choreographer with 15+ years of experience on stages from Carnival to corporate galas worldwide. Each session builds technique through footwork, body isolations, and hip work — with the option to eventually perform alongside a live music ensemble. All levels welcome, no audition required. Drop-ins $20–25.
👉 Register now
💃 Bollywood Dance Night with No Spring Chicken Social Club
Wed, Apr 22, 6:30 pm | On St Elmo, Bethesda
If you’ve been looking for something a little different to shake up your week, this is it. No Spring Chicken Social Club is hosting a Bollywood dance night led by Sheila Oak of Rhythmaya, with a focus on movement, music, and a welcoming, no-pressure atmosphere. Expect a mix of guided instruction and free-flowing dance, set to upbeat Bollywood tracks. No experience needed. Just come ready to move, try something new, and meet a few people along the way. $25
👉 Learn more
🌿DO
Getting out and moving.
🚴♀️ Spring on Wheels Along the Potomac
Tue, May 5, 8:30 am–2:00 pm | Nature Forward at Swains Lock, Potomac
If your usual walk needs a reset, this guided ride offers a more immersive way to get outside. You’ll bike a nearly 9-mile stretch of the C&O Canal towpath, stopping frequently to explore what’s in season—wildflowers, insects, amphibians, and spring bird activity. It’s less about speed and more about paying attention, with a naturalist guiding the way. Bring your own bike. $35+.
→ Learn more
🌿FEEL GOOD
Relaxed gatherings and small moments that make the week feel lighter.
🥂 Bellini Happy Hour at Jurisdiction
Thu, Apr 10, 4–6:30 pm | Jurisdiction, Potomac
After-work Bellinis and a reason to refresh your wardrobe before summer. Spend $200 in-store and walk out with a $25 gift card for next time.
👉 Learn more
🐾 Pints & Paws with Love Paws Rescue
Sat, Apr 11, 2–5 pm | Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks, Rockville
Adoptable dogs, cold beer, and an outdoor patio — Silver Branch is teaming up with Love Paws Rescue for National Pet Day. Come meet the dogs, learn about the rescue, and spend a Saturday afternoon doing something that actually matters. No pressure to adopt; fine to just show up for the pups and a pint. Free to attend.
👉 Learn more
📖 Prose in the Park
Sun, Apr 12, 9 am–noon | Cabin John Regional Park, Bethesda
Bring a blanket, find a spot, and spend a slow Sunday morning with books, live acoustic music, and coffee from Travelin' Tom's and Praline Bakery. Wonderland Books will be on-site if you need something new to read, and children's story time with author Joan Waites runs at 10 and 11 am. Free, no registration required.
👉 Learn more
📚 The Paper Heart Grand Opening Social Hour
Wed, Apr 15, 5:00–6:15 pm | The Paper Heart, Gaithersburg
A new independent bookstore is opening its doors, and this early evening gathering sets the tone. Stop in to meet the owners, Ashley and Mike, along with the booksellers, hear a few opening remarks, and get a first look at the space before the week’s events unfold. It’s designed to be casual and welcoming. Come by to browse, reconnect with familiar faces, or simply see what’s taking shape. Matelna Bakes will be on site with pastries available for purchase.
👉 Learn more
💛DO GOOD
Ways to give back, support local causes, and make the week a little brighter for someone else.
🤝 Career Mentor for First-Generation College Students
Ongoing | Future Link
If you've ever navigated a job search and wished someone had helped you earlier, this is a way to pay that forward. Future Link, based in Rockville, is looking for volunteers to work one-on-one with first-generation college students ages 18–25 on resumes, LinkedIn, interview prep, and networking — 2 to 3 hours a week for three months. Training provided.
👉 Sign up to learn more
🌿 Community Science: Water Quality Monitoring
Ongoing (April, July, October + optional winter) | Multiple stream sites, Montgomery County
Join Nature Forward’s volunteer teams to monitor local streams and collect data on water quality. You’ll learn to identify aquatic macroinvertebrates—the small organisms that reveal a stream’s health—while contributing to research shared with regional agencies and watershed groups. It’s structured, hands-on work with a clear local impact.
👉 Learn more
🌅STILL TIME
Earlier picks still ahead — and still worth catching.
🎶 Angélique Kidjo — Thu, Apr 9, 8 pm — live performance at Strathmore
🍷 Meet the Winemaker: Wine & Cheese Tasting — Thu, Apr 9, 6–8 pm — tasting with winemaker in Kensington
🍸 Sip, Shake, Bloom: Spring Cocktail Class — Thu, Apr 9, 6:30–9 pm — cocktail class in North Bethesda
🎬 Bethesda Film Fest — Fri–Sat, Apr 10–11, 7 pm — short documentaries in Bethesda
🎬 Gaithersburg Film Festival — Apr 10–12 — film screenings + talkbacks in Gaithersburg
💍 A Wedding to Die For — Apr 10–12 — interactive theater at Glenview Mansion, Rockville
🎤 BTS World Tour ‘ARIRANG’—Live Viewing — Sat, Apr 11 & Sat, Apr 18, 4 pm — concert broadcast in Bethesda
🔥 First-Time Fusers: Intro to Glass Art — Apr 11–12 — glass workshop at Glen Echo Park
🧵 MoCo Stitch Club — Open Stitch — Sun, Apr 12, 11 am — stitching meetup in Bethesda
🌍 International Night — Fri, Apr 17, 6 pm — cultural performances in Rockville
🎤 Who’s With Me? — W. Kamau Bell — Fri, Apr 17, 7:30 pm — stand-up at Strathmore
🎭 Broadway in Bethesda Gala with Megan Hilty — Sat, Apr 18 — gala performance in Bethesda
🎨 Introduction to Screenprinting — Sun, Apr 19, 1–4:30 pm — workshop at Glen Echo Park
📚 Fiction Book Club: Megan Howell on Softie — Sun, Apr 19, 2–3 pm — author discussion in Bethesda
🔩 Radical Etching on Steel — Apr 21–22, 9:30 am–5:30 pm — metals workshop in Kensington
📚 Plot Twisted: A Crafty Book Club — Wed, Apr 22, 6–8 pm — book club + craft activity
🏃♀️ Train Your Way to a 5K — Sundays, Apr 26–Jun 14 — weekly 5K training in Rockville
🎶 Renée Fleming: Voice of Nature — The Anthropocene — Wed, May 27, 8 pm — multimedia performance at Strathmore
🌟THAT’S THE WEEK
If you stop by any of this week’s spots, let them know you heard about it in The Good Week.
If something landed well—or if we missed a place you think deserves attention—tell us at [email protected].
And if you know someone who’d appreciate a little local intel on Thursdays, forward this along.
See you next week.
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🔍FINE PRINT
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