The Good Week | August 27, 2026

The Good Week is about making more of life close to home in Potomac, Bethesda and nearby neighborhoods. Each issue brings you local experiences that spark curiosity, create connection and give you something to look forward to, whether you’re trying something new, making plans with friends or rediscovering the places around you.

Have a friend who’s always looking for something new to do? Send this issue their way.

✨ THIS ISSUE’S TOP PICK

✉️ Got this from a friend? Sign up free here.

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

These photographs were created with more than the click of a camera. For Timeless ’26, members of the Handmade Photo Group use historic processes such as cyanotype, wet plate collodion, salted paper and platinum printing to create distinctly contemporary images.

The opening reception includes a gallery talk and a chance to meet the 11 participating artists, hear how the works were made and see techniques that bring chemistry, craftsmanship and a little unpredictability back to photography. Free.
👉 Learn more about Timeless ’26

Sunday night gets a little less predictable at Give a Hoot, where a rotating lineup of local and regional magicians will take the stage for an evening of close-up tricks, mind-bending illusions, and live stage magic.

The monthly showcase features multiple performers, so the style and surprises keep changing throughout the night. A full La Mexicana food and drink menu will also be available for anyone who wants to make it dinner and a show. Tickets: $22.25, including fees.
👉 Get tickets for Sunday Night Magic

Long before Leisure World, Paul Edmonson, a formerly enslaved man, built what became one of the largest Black-owned farms in Montgomery County. Presenters Dianne Bradley and Juanita Sealy-Williams will uncover the family’s remarkable story, including the enslavement of Edmonson’s 14 children, their attempts to escape and their involvement in the abolition movement.

It’s a powerful piece of local history hidden beneath one of the area’s most familiar communities. Parking is available at Wall Local Park only. $5.
👉 Reserve a seat for History Hour

If your idea of comics begins and ends with superheroes, the Small Press Expo is ready to expand it. The North Bethesda festival brings together 450 independent cartoonists, graphic novelists, publishers, and other creators, with 270 tables filled with work you may never encounter in a traditional bookstore.

Meet the artists, browse and buy their work, sit in on more than 20 programs, or try one of 18 creative workshops. It’s part art show, part book fair, and part behind-the-scenes look at how illustrated stories come to life. Tickets: Saturday $21.99; Sunday $16.74; weekend pass $32.49.
👉 Explore the Small Press Expo and get tickets

Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood bring the quick-thinking comedy of Whose Line Is It Anyway? to the stage for a completely improvised performance shaped by audience suggestions.

Expect familiar games, unpredictable scenes and a few audience members invited onstage to become part of the show. With no script and no way to know what comes next, every performance is different. Tickets: $28–$74.
👉 Get tickets for Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood

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

Metropolitan Washington Summer Restaurant Week continues through Sunday, with five Bethesda restaurants and one in Chevy Chase taking part. The Bethesda lineup includes ala, Beth’s Cafe & Bar, Morton’s Steakhouse, Pisco y Nazca and The Salt Line, while LIA’S is participating in nearby Chevy Chase.

The three-course menus span Mediterranean, Peruvian and Italian food, seafood and steak. Prices: $25–$65.
👉 Browse the local Restaurant Week menus [Visit Montgomery]

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

Local writers are invited to share fiction, poetry, works in progress and more during an open reading night inside Second Story Books’ sprawling Rockville warehouse. Sign up beginning at 6:45 pm for a six- to eight-minute reading slot, or simply come to listen, browse the shelves and support local voices.
👉 Get details from Second Story Books

The Bethesda Social Club is turning Saturday dinner into a full night out at Alfio’s. J Train will move through five decades of music, from 1930s standards to 1970s favorites, while guests enjoy Italian food, wine, and plenty of reasons to make their way onto the dance floor.

Come for dinner, stay for the throwback soundtrack, and give an ordinary Saturday night a little more swing. $10 entertainment fee, plus food and drinks.
👉 See the event details

This beginner-friendly workshop covers the basics of macramé as you create a hanging home for one of your houseplants. Weave around a terra-cotta pot or mason jar provided at the workshop, or bring your own 4- to 6-inch pot.

The class is part of Good Earth’s Houseplant Palooza, with a separate propagation workshop beginning at 6 pm. From $25.
👉 Reserve your spot

Spend a relaxing Mid-Autumn “crafter-noon” with Kin & Tsugi Craft Club. At 1 pm, create a realistic mooncake-shaped candle and customize it with Asian-inspired colors and scents, from lotus mooncake and red bean to boba and mango sticky rice. At 3 pm, learn traditional paper-folding techniques as you build a personalized lantern lamp that really lights up. Choose one workshop or spend the afternoon making both. Combined ticket: $88.75, including booking fee.
👉 Explore the workshops and reserve your spot

Think of it as a drum circle for voices. Organized by VoiceExchange, a Washington-area group of singers and improvisers, Circlesinging begins with simple, wordless parts created on the spot, then layers them together until the room is filled with spontaneous harmony.

Experienced leaders guide the group, and everyone can participate at their own comfort level, from following an easy part to trying a little improvisation. No sheet music, polished voice, or previous singing experience is required. Shower singers are just as welcome as seasoned performers. Suggested donation: $15–$20.
👉 Join the Circlesinging gathering

Westbard Square is handing the mic to the neighborhood for an evening of music, poetry, comedy, storytelling, dance and other local talent. Performers will take turns sharing the stage in this annual community open mic.

Come cheer on your neighbors, or apply in advance for your own turn in the spotlight. Free.👉 See the Westbard Voices details or apply to perform

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

Beginner-level mountain bikers are welcome on this women’s ride organized by Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts (MORE), a nonprofit that has built trails and supported the region’s mountain biking community since 1992.

The group will cover about four to five miles of natural-surface single-track trails, offering a friendly way to build confidence and meet other local riders. Bring a mountain bike, helmet and water.
👉 Register for Thursday’s women’s ride

Save the date and mark your calendars! Celebrate YogaSix Potomac’s first birthday with free yoga on the lawn, plus local vendors, a DJ, retail specials, cake and more. Free.
👉 See the YogaSix Potomac birthday bash details

Earlier picks still ahead — and still worth catching.

🧶 Nightly Fiber Friends at Connie Morella Library — Thu, Aug. 27, 5–7 pm — Bring your knitting, crochet, stitching, or other fiber project for a casual evening of crafting alongside others.

🍷 Friday Wine at Jurisdiction Clothing — Fri, Aug. 28, 4–6:30 pm — Stop by Jurisdiction in Cabin John Village for its final Friday wine happy hour of August.

🧘 Fabletics Women’s Yin Yoga + Private Shopping — Sun, Aug. 30, 10–11 am — Start the morning with Yin yoga, then shop Fabletics privately before the store opens with 25% off purchases.

🏺 Capital Clay Co. Grand Opening — Sat, Sept. 5, 3–7 pm — Tour the new ceramics studio, watch live demonstrations, meet instructors, and stay for an opening reception.

🦀 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.

🧶 Knitting Crash Course at Locally Crafted — Wed, Sept. 16, 6:30–9 pm — Learn the knitting basics in one evening, with practice yarn and circular needles included.

🔥 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.

🎻 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.

✨ Gold Leaf Techniques with Cyd Rowley — Sat, Sept. 19, 9:30 am–5:30 pm — Learn how to apply gold leaf to jewelry, art, and decorative objects during a one-day beginner workshop in Kensington.

🎶 Kensington Coffeehouse Opening Night — Sat, Sept. 19, 7–10 pm — The longtime community listening room returns after 22 years with live original music, coffee, and desserts.

🎭 Best Medicine Rep: Stonewall’s Bust — Oct. 9–25 — Best Medicine Rep opens its 10th anniversary season in Bethesda with a fast-moving farce of lies, ghosts, the Civil War, and live TV.

🍫 SPAGnVOLA: Chocolate Truffle Making 101 — Sat, Nov. 21, 5–7 pm — Make ganache, roll and coat truffles, temper chocolate, and learn from a master chocolatier.

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].

If you’re a local business interested in advertising or sponsoring a future issue, reach out to [email protected].

And if you know someone who’d appreciate a little local intel on Thursdays, forward this along.

See you next week.

✉️ Got this from a friend? Sign up here.

If this landed somewhere other than your primary inbox — spam, junk, Promotions — drag it over and add our address to your contacts. It's the easiest way to make sure The Good Week finds you every Thursday.

We double-check details, but plans change — confirm before you head out. All outings, reservations, and purchases are at your discretion; The Good Week isn’t responsible for any changes, cancellations, or experiences once you arrive.

View past issues of The Good Week.

© 2026 The Good Week. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced without permission.