The Good Week | August 20, 2026

We’ve got a great mix of ways to live a little more locally in Potomac, Bethesda, and nearby. Learn something new, meet new people, discover a local favorite, or simply give yourself a reason to get out and enjoy where you live. Some picks are perfect for this weekend, while others are worth getting on your calendar now.

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Art, music, performances, and a few reasons to spend the evening out.

Motown fans can catch more than two hours of hits from The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, and more.

The touring tribute show pairs live vocals with choreography and costumes designed to recreate the look and sound of classic Motown.

And if you’re willing to lend a hand, the theatre is also looking for volunteer ushers for both Saturday performances. Volunteers receive on-site training and can watch the show for free. $50+
👉 Learn more about Magic of Motown

After originally running from 1996 to 2004, the Kensington Coffeehouse at St. Paul’s is returning this fall with a new chapter for the longtime community listening room.

Opening night brings together four area acts performing original music: multi-instrumentalist Ella Gallogly; electronic artist Safety Bear; soul-influenced singer-songwriter Levi Stephens; and The Sidleys, the family-based indie rock and soul group that has performed everywhere from Bethesda Theater to The Barns at Wolf Trap.

JennyCakes desserts and bottomless mugs of coffee will be available for purchase throughout the evening. $10
👉 Get tickets for the Kensington Coffeehouse opening night

Best Medicine Rep Theater Company opens its 10th anniversary season with Stonewall’s Bust, a farce written by Artistic Director John Morogiello and directed by Evan Morogiello.

Presented at The Writers’ Center in Bethesda, the story begins with a man lying about breaking a priceless statue in the private museum owned by his fiancée’s mother. From there, the cover-up keeps escalating, pulling in ghosts, the Civil War, and eventually an exorcism on live television.

Performances run Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 pm. $20+
👉 Get tickets for Stonewall’s Bust [CultureSpotMC]

Food experiences, tastings, and classes that make the week revolve around something delicious.

Start with a welcoming pour of sparkling wine, then head into the vineyard for a guided look at Windridge’s sustainable farming practices and winemaking process. The one-hour tour wraps with a guided tasting of three wines. If you want to linger, reserve a table for lunch or dinner from Windridge Kitchen before or after the tour. $45
👉 Reserve a tour

Gaithersburg-based SPAGnVOLA is bringing its farm-to-chocolate expertise to a two-hour hands-on truffle workshop led by Master Chocolatier Crisoire Reid.

Learn to make ganache fillings, roll and coat truffles, temper chocolate, and add finishing touches, while getting a closer look at SPAGnVOLA’s single-estate cacao grown in the Dominican Republic. No experience needed. $75+
👉 Get tickets for Chocolate Truffle Making 101

Hands-on classes and social activities where you can learn something new or step a little outside your comfort zone.

Hammer & Stain is turning its usual DIY workshop into more of a night out, with crafting stations, drinks, and a live DJ.

Guests can choose from four different craft stations and complete two projects during the two-hour event. No experience is needed, and your ticket includes one drink. Come with friends or go solo for a relaxed night of making something, listening to music, and hanging out. $55.20
👉 Get tickets for Music & Craft Night

Nightly Fiber Friends is a casual evening meetup for knitters, crocheters, stitchers, and other fiber-craft enthusiasts to bring a project, settle in, and spend a couple of hours creating alongside others.

The group meets twice a month and is open to adults and older teens. Free
👉 Learn more about Nightly Fiber Friends

Capital Clay Co. is opening its new Gaithersburg ceramics studio with an afternoon designed to introduce the space, the team, and the creative community behind it.

The open house from 3–5 pm includes live ceramics demonstrations, a chance to meet instructors and staff, and a screen-printing station. From 5–7 pm, the celebration shifts into an opening reception with complimentary scoops from Carmen’s Italian Ice.

Fall registration is also now open for wheel, handbuilding, and shorter 90-minute workshops, with $25 off a first Capital Clay experience using code 25off. Free reception.
👉 Learn more about the Capital Clay Co. grand opening and fall classes

If learning to knit has been sitting on your crafty wish list, this 2½-hour crash course offers an approachable place to start.

You’ll learn how to choose yarn and needles, cast on, work the basic knit stitch, and bind off, with time to ask questions and get comfortable with the motions. The workshop includes practice yarn and a pair of circular knitting needles to take home, so you can keep going with a simple scarf, cowl, hat, or dishcloth. $65
👉 Sign up for the Knitting Crash Course

Jewelry artist Cyd Rowley brings a sense of history and discovery to this one-day introduction to gold leaf. Her own work draws inspiration from antique textiles, ancient beads, and museum artifacts, with pieces designed to feel more like found treasures than newly made objects.

In the workshop, beginners will learn the materials, tools, and techniques for applying gold leaf to jewelry, art, and decorative pieces, with time to experiment on an item brought from home. No metalsmithing experience is needed. $198; optional $50 workshop kit
👉 Register for the Gold Leaf Techniques workshop

Move your body, get outside, and stay active this week.

A women’s wellness morning pairs a calming Yin Yoga session with private shopping at Fabletics.

After the class, attendees can browse the store before regular shopping hours and receive 25% off Fabletics purchases. Bring your own mat, towel, and water. Free
👉 Reserve a spot for Fabletics Women’s Yin Yoga + Private Shopping

Earlier picks still ahead — and still worth catching.

🚶 Peerless Rockville: Walk the Streets of Early Rockville — Fri, Aug. 21, 10 am — Trace Rockville’s history from the colonial era through the 19th century on a one-mile guided walk.

🀄 Crak Bam Mahj: Tournament Prep — Sat, Aug. 22, 10:30 am–1:30 pm — Learn the rules, scoring, timing, and etiquette that set tournament mahjong apart.

🎨 7 Locks Brewing: Painting Faces — Tue, Aug. 25, 7–9 pm — Practice portrait painting or drawing from a live model during a casual, free-form art session.

🧵 Artists on Market: Fiber Collage Workshop — Wed, Aug. 26, 5:30–7:30 pm — Layer burlap, colorful threads, and embroidery into your own textured fiber collage.

💜 BabyCat Brewery: Play for Purple — Thu, Aug. 27, 5–7 pm — Play mahjong while supporting the Alzheimer’s community through Talk Tiles To Me’s annual fundraiser.

🍕 Rockville Beerworks: Hops & Slices — Thu, Aug. 27, 7–9 pm — Pair a curated beer flight with pizzas while learning what makes different flavors work together.

🎤 Olney Theatre Center: Space Oddity — The Ultimate David Bowie Experience — Fri, Aug. 28 — Catch a costumed, multimedia tribute spanning Bowie’s music and reinventions.

🐦 Locust Grove Nature Center: Morning Tweets and Tea — Fri, Sept. 4 — Ease into birding during fall migration, with binoculars available to borrow and tea included.

🦀 Meadowside Nature Center: Crabs, Creeks, and Cold Brews — Sat, Sept. 5, 6–8 pm — Pair a twilight creek walk with steamed crabs, local beer, and live music.

🔥 Art Glass Center: Enamel Tiles Workshop — Wed, Sept. 16, 6:30–9 pm — Experiment with colorful glass enamels and create a fused tile to take home.

🍽️ Josiah Henson Museum and Park: Foodie Fridays — History in the Kitchen — Fri, Sept. 18, 6:30–8:30 pm — Explore local history through recipes, cookbooks, and Montgomery County food traditions.

🎻 Strathmore: Taylor Swift — The Symphony Era — Fri, Sept. 18, 8 pm — Hear Steve Hackman and the BSO reimagine Taylor Swift’s catalog with full orchestral arrangements.

🐴 Congressional Polo Club: Habitat for Humanity Polo Classic — Sat, Sept. 26, 2–5:30 pm — Enjoy polo, a divot stomp, local vendors, and tailgating while supporting Habitat for Humanity.

💛 Montgomery Parks: Montgomery Explorer’s Walking Club Coordinator — Ongoing — Help organize and lead a walking club for older adults across local parks and trails.

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].

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See you next week.

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