The Good Week | March 19, 2026

We’re probably not the only ones feeling a little weather whiplash—and still thinking about that one perfect 70-degree day last week. Even so, the calendar is filling up quickly, and we’re continuing to find new events right here in Bethesda, Potomac, and nearby areas to share.

We hope you find something worth getting out for in the coming weeks. If you do, let us know what you tried—we’d love to hear what you thought. Just reply to this email.

✨ THIS WEEK'S TOP PICKS

If you’re only picking a few things for the coming weeks, start here. Scroll to learn more.

👑 Drag Brunch with Kora and Nubia
Book a table and settle in for a full brunch service alongside a live drag show with Kora and Nubia.

🎬 Polish Film Festival at Bethesda Row Cinema
Choose a screening and see recent Polish films, with select showings followed by conversations with filmmakers and actors.

😂 Philly Plowden Comedy Weekend Benefit
Pick a night and catch a live set from comedian Philly Plowden, with proceeds supporting local arts programming.

The Good Week brings the most engaging experiences happening across Potomac, Bethesda, and nearby neighborhoods together in one place so you can discover something new and go.

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

Brunch gets a lively twist at Botanero when drag performers Kora and Nubia take the stage with high-energy numbers, bold costumes, and plenty of sass. Expect big performances, playful crowd energy, and a room fully leaning into the fun.

Tickets include the show, an unlimited brunch buffet, non-alcoholic beverages, taxes, and gratuity. Additional drinks—including bottomless options—are available for purchase.
👉 Get tickets

Presented by the Kosciuszko Foundation’s Washington, DC Chapter, this multi-day festival brings contemporary Polish cinema to Bethesda Row Cinema for a weekend of screenings and conversations. The program features a mix of recent feature films and short works, with select screenings followed by Q&As with visiting filmmakers and actors.

The festival highlights Poland’s vibrant film scene and offers a chance to experience international cinema without leaving the area. All films are shown in Polish with English subtitles, and the theater is just a short walk from the Bethesda Metro.
👉 Get tickets

Bring a song in progress—or one you’ve been meaning to start—and spend the afternoon workshopping it with other local songwriters. This session, led by the Songwriters’ Association of Washington, offers thoughtful, constructive feedback from both the instructor and fellow participants. You’ll have the chance to share your work, hear others, and leave with clear ideas on what to refine next.
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Comedian and actor Philly Plowden headlines a three-night run at Give a Hoot Comedy Club, bringing his fast-paced storytelling and sharp observations to the stage. Plowden’s credits include HBO’s Watchmen, NCIS: New Orleans, Valor, and TV One’s Fatal Attraction.

The shows also support the Gaithersburg Art Collective, helping fund local arts programming in the community. A full La Mexicana food and drink menu is available during the show, and doors open one hour before showtime. Free parking.
👉 Get tickets

Round House Theatre’s annual Broadway in Bethesda gala brings Tony Award nominee Megan Hilty to the stage for a special concert performance. Many know Hilty as Ivy Lynn from the television series Smash or from her standout Broadway roles in Wicked and 9 to 5. She recently completed a year-and-a-half run as Madeline Ashton in Death Becomes Her.

The evening includes receptions, a live auction, and the concert performance with Hilty, all supporting Round House Theatre’s artistic productions and education programs. Desserts and drinks follow the show. $150+
👉 Get tickets

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

Another cooking class around mushrooms! Chef Tony’s team hosts a series of hands-on cooking classes where participants head into the kitchen, cook together, and then sit down to enjoy the results. Each class focuses on a different cuisine or ingredient, with plenty of opportunity to learn techniques and ask questions along the way.

Upcoming sessions include an Exotic Mushroom class with local grower Felipe from AllCaps Farms and a Pupusas class with Chef Sonia, where you’ll make the Salvadoran favorite from scratch with curtido and salsa. Both classes include lunch after the cooking. $73

👉 Exotic Mushroom Class (Mar 22)
👉 Pupusas Cooking Class (Mar 29)

Enjoy a traditional Passover dinner and an evening out—without having to cook. Summer House and Mon Ami Gabi are both offering multi-course holiday menus with dishes like matzo ball soup, brisket, and flourless chocolate cake, available for dine-in over the first nights of Passover.

Both offer prix fixe options, making it easy to gather with family, keep the traditions, and step into a ready-set table. $64.95
👉 Make a reservation

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

A team-based twist on the familiar TV game, this interactive night turns survey-style questions into a lively group competition. Play in teams, guess the most popular answers, and see how your instincts stack up against the room.

The atmosphere leans social and playful, with prizes for the top six teams and plenty of laughs along the way. Come with a group or join one when you arrive.
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Spend an afternoon learning the basics of crochet in a small, hands-on workshop led by artist Teresa Jade Jarzynski. You’ll be guided through foundational stitches and techniques as you begin creating a simple scarf, with all materials provided.

The pace is approachable and beginner-friendly, with time to practice, ask questions, and settle into the rhythm of working with yarn. You’ll leave with a project underway and the skills to keep going at home. $45
👉 Learn more / register

This multi-session course walks you through the full process of making a quilt, from learning your sewing machine and rotary cutting to piecing blocks, quilting, and binding. Participants create a sampler quilt while building skills step by step in a hands-on setting.

The course includes 10 group classes, a private session with the instructor, and a textbook. It is designed for beginners ready to commit to learning the craft, with guidance throughout to help you complete a finished piece.

Participants should bring a sewing machine in good working order to each class. $300
👉 Register

Hosted by Prax and Dai Men of Collab Studios, this hands-on workshop walks you through creating a candle from start to finish. You’ll choose your jar, select a wax base like coconut soy or beeswax, and blend a custom scent using essential oils, with the option to add dried botanicals for a more personal finish.

The setting inside Bonchon keeps the evening casual and social, with time to let your candle set while you sit, talk, and enjoy food or drinks if you’d like. You’ll leave with a finished candle that adds a warm, personal touch at home—something to light at the end of the day, set the mood for a quiet evening, or bring out when you have people over. $49
👉 Reserve your spot

An easy, social way to spend a Friday night. The Crossvines brings back line dancing in its ballroom, with a welcoming atmosphere for all levels—whether you know the steps or are just figuring them out as you go.

Make a night of it by arriving early for dinner or happy hour at the Farmhouse Bistro, where a new spring menu and seasonal cocktails have just debuted. Food and drinks are available throughout the evening. $10 at the door.
👉 Learn more [Visit Montgomery]

A creative night out with a musical twist. Hammer & Stain pairs hands-on crafting with a live DJ, so you can move between making something and just enjoying the atmosphere.

Your ticket includes a drink and access to two projects—choose from ceramics, canvas, candles, or a charm bar—while the music keeps the energy up. Come with friends or on your own and settle into an easy, upbeat night. $50
👉 Reserve your spot

Settle in for an evening of cocktails that feel like spring. Summer House’s bartending team leads this hands-on class, showing you how to build floral and citrus-forward drinks, each paired with a small plate served alongside.

Come with friends or make it a small group night out. You’ll mix a few cocktails step by step, taste as you go, and pick up techniques you can bring home for your next get-together. $111
👉 Reserve your spot

Getting out and moving.

Start the week with a walk that feels a little more intentional. This guided session at RedGate Park focuses on posture, alignment, and awareness, with simple cues to help movement feel smoother and more natural over time.

The pace is relaxed and the approach is approachable, making it easy to join whether you are looking to move more or just spend an hour outside in a different way. $26
👉 Register

Thinking about running your first 5K—or improving your time on the next one? This small-group training course combines running practice with strength work, agility exercises, and guidance on proper running form to help you build endurance and confidence.

The Sunday morning sessions are designed for adults at a range of levels, from beginners preparing for their first race to runners looking to sharpen their performance. Running shoes required. $84
👉 Register here

Earlier picks still ahead — and still worth catching.

🎶 Emmet Cohen: Miles and Coltrane at 100 — Sat, Mar 21, 6:30 pm talk & 8 pm concert — a centennial tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane at the Music Center at Strathmore.

🪆 Puppet Slam: March Madness — Sat, Mar 21, 7 pm — an adults-only puppet variety show with short, original performances at The Puppet Co. Playhouse in Glen Echo.

🌸 Spring Wildflower Walk — Sun, Mar 22, 10:00–11:30 am — a guided walk with Master Naturalists to spot early spring blooms at Locust Grove Nature Center.

👨‍🍳 Hand-Crafted Hibachi Cooking Class — Sun, Mar 23, 4–6 pm — a hands-on class preparing hibachi-style dishes at Sur La Table in North Bethesda.

🛍️ Apricot Lane Bingo Night — Thu, Mar 26, 6–7:30 pm — a casual bingo night with prizes inside Apricot Lane Boutique in Potomac.

🎭 The Lost Virginity Tour — Through Sat, Mar 29 — a comedy about four friends revisiting pivotal moments from their past at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda.

🌿 Mounted Orchid Workshop — Mon, Mar 30, 7 pm — a hands-on workshop creating mounted orchid displays at Rewild in Potomac.

✒️ Modern Calligraphy for Beginners — Tue, Mar 31, 7–8:30 pm — a beginner-friendly calligraphy workshop at Whelan’s Beer and Wine in Potomac.

🔥 First-Time Fusers: Intro to Glass Art — Sat–Sun, Apr 11–12 — a two-day beginner workshop exploring fused glass techniques at Glen Echo Park.

🎤 Who’s With Me? — W. Kamau Bell — Fri, Apr 17, 7:30 pm — a new stand-up set from the Emmy Award–winning comedian at Strathmore.

📚 Fiction Book Club: Megan Howell on Softie — Sun, Apr 19, 2–3 pm — a reading and discussion with the author at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda.

📚 Plot Twisted: A Crafty Book Club — Wed, Apr 22, 6–8 pm — a book club paired with a creative project at District DabbleLab.

🎶 Renée Fleming: Voice of Nature — The Anthropocene — Wed, May 27, 8 pm — a performance blending music and film exploring humanity’s relationship with nature at Strathmore.

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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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.

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