The Good Week | October 8, 2026

There’s nothing that makes me happier than hearing from The Good Week readers, and this note from Kirsten J. made my day:

Thank you, Kirsten! This is exactly why I started The Good Week. There are so many interesting places, events, and experiences close to home, but they’re often scattered across different websites, calendars, and social feeds.

I love bringing those finds together in one place so you can spend less time searching and more time getting out, trying something new, and enjoying what’s happening nearby.

✨ THIS ISSUE’S TOP PICK

✉️ Know someone who loves trying new things around Bethesda, Potomac, and nearby? Forward them The Good Week.

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

Alton Brown is bringing his particular mix of food, science, comedy, and experimentation to Strathmore. The creator and host of Good Eats and longtime face of Iron Chef America and Cutthroat Kitchen is keeping much of his new live show under wraps, but promises new demonstrations, music, storytelling, and what he calls “slightly scaled-down mayhem.”

Brown has taken his culinary shows to more than 300 cities, but this tour pares back some of the spectacle for a more spontaneous evening with the audience. VIP packages include a pre-show Q&A and signed copy of Alton Brown’s Food for Thought. Tickets $28–$200.
👉 Get tickets for An Evening of Alton Brown

The Rockville Concert Band is leaning into spooky season with Shadows and Specters, an afternoon of music inspired by the mysterious, magical, and macabre. Founded in 1957, the roughly 75-member community band has performed everywhere from the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage to Washington National Cathedral, along with concert tours in Europe.

For this fall program, expect a mix of concert-band music built around the darker, more atmospheric side of the season. No tickets are required. $5 suggested donation.
👉 Learn more about Shadows and Specters

Horror fans get a reason to head to Bethesda Row every Wednesday this month. Landmark is putting four John Carpenter films back on the big screen for its October Frights series, starting with Halloween on October 7.

The lineup continues with Village of the Damned on October 14, Prince of Darkness on October 21, and The Thing on October 28. Tickets start at $8.
👉 See the John Carpenter film series and get tickets

Alex Edelman, one of the most acclaimed stand-up comedians working today, comes to Strathmore with his new show, What Are You Going to Do. Edelman is known for comedy that blends stand-up with smart, tightly constructed storytelling, most recently in Just for Us, which played more than 500 performances around the world and moved from Off-Broadway to Broadway.

That show earned Edelman a Tony Award and an Emmy for its HBO special, along with a spot on the TIME100 list. Now he’s back onstage with a new hour, and Strathmore has already added a second performance. Tickets $28–$88.
👉 Get tickets for Alex Edelman: What Are You Going to Do

Round House Theatre is celebrating its 50th anniversary with 50 for 50, a season-long series of 50 free theatrical experiences created for the community that has supported the theater over the past five decades. One of the October offerings takes the celebration in a decidedly Halloween direction.

New York drag performer Witti Repartee will host several rounds of bingo in the lobby, followed by a costume contest with cash prizes of $250, $150, and $50 for the top three looks. Bingo winners will take home prizes too, and the Round House bar and café will be open with specialty cocktails and snacks. Free; registration is first come, first served.
👉 Register for Drag Bingo & the Halloween Costume Contest

The Puppet Co. is staying up past bedtime for Witching Hour: Waiting for Monty, an adults-only evening of puppetry, burlesque, live performance, music, drinks, and a little after-dark theatrical flair.

Doors open at 8 pm, with the show starting at 9. Come early for the cash bar, snacks, raffle prizes, and time to mingle, then stick around afterward to meet some of the performers. General admission $35; VIP seating $75–$150.
👉 Get tickets for Witching Hour

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

Tea gets a little more hands-on at this workshop, where you’ll explore herbs, flowers, and spices and learn how different ingredients work together to create a balanced blend.

After a little experimenting, you’ll make your own custom tea, sit down to taste it with snacks, and take the rest home to brew again. Come solo or bring a friend. $38–$40.
👉 Register for Brewing Bliss: Blend Your Own Tea

Think of this as a guided wine crawl without leaving the room. Move between three tasting stations, sample 15 wines selected by three wine experts, and learn a little about the regions, grapes, and bottles along the way.

Your ticket includes all 15 tastings, small bites, and a $10 credit toward any featured bottle you decide needs to come home with you. No wine knowledge required, and live music starts at 7 pm if you want to keep the evening going. $10 plus fees.
👉 Get tickets for Sip & Seek

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

Bring a project you’ve been meaning to finish, start something new with supplies on hand, or just stop by and see what everyone else is making. Red Bandana Bakery’s Craft Night is casual, creative, and designed for people who want to make something without signing up for a formal class.

Come when you want, stay as long as you like, and spend part of your Friday evening creating alongside other people. October-themed projects are welcome, and pumpkin carving may even make an appearance. Free; bring your own project or use available supplies.
👉 Get Craft Night details from Red Bandana Bakery

South Korean master dyer Soon-Nam Kwon is bringing a centuries-old natural dyeing tradition to Rockville for this hands-on workshop. Kwon grows many of her own dye plants on her farm in Uiseong Province and is known for connecting traditional Korean fiber techniques with contemporary, sustainable practice.

You’ll learn how to make dye cakes from dried safflower petals, then use the extracted color to dye your choice of Korean ramie, hemp, or a silk scarf. The process includes washing away the flower’s yellow pigment before revealing its prized pink-red hues, once associated with royalty and special occasions. You’ll also leave with a safflower dye kit so you can try the process again at home. $85 members/$120 non-members, plus $90 materials.
👉 Learn more and register for the Traditional Safflower Dyeing Workshop

Cooler nights are here, which makes this a very good time to make your own chunky throw. At Hammer & Stain, you’ll learn how to create one using just your hands and soft, oversized yarn, so there are no knitting needles and no experience required.

Choose a solid color or mix two for stripes, then spend the evening working your way toward a cozy 40-by-60-inch blanket to take home. Extra yarn is available if you want to make it larger, and wine and beer are available for purchase while you work. $80.
👉 Make your own cozy fall blanket

Here’s a craft night for people who like books, flowers, or making something a little unexpected. You’ll start with an old book and fold its pages into a sculptural vase, then add faux flowers and greenery to turn it into a finished arrangement.

The workshop takes place at Wildflowers Collective, a Rockville artisan marketplace featuring work from local artists and makers. You’ll also make three paper roses from old book pages, so the whole project gives forgotten books a second life in a very different form. All materials are included. $25.
👉 Register for The Floral Club

Everyone has a food history. Maybe it’s a recipe passed down through generations, the meal your family always made for a holiday, or a dish that instantly takes you back somewhere. This two-session workshop is about learning how to turn those memories and traditions into stories.

Instructor Dr. Kelly A. Spring will introduce the basics of food history and show beginning writers how that material can become blogs, articles, books, or memoirs. The class also covers voice, style, and practical guidance on publishing food-focused work online and in print. All reading materials are provided. $85 for members; $100 for non-members.
👉 Register for A Beginner’s Guide to Food Writing

Craft Cart is taking over Coffee Republic for an afternoon of ceramic painting, with plates, bowls, and coasters ready to turn into something entirely your own. No experience is needed, and all of the painting supplies are included.

Come solo, bring a friend, or make it a Sunday date. Coffee and pastries are available separately, and workshop guests receive 10% off Coffee Republic purchases during the event. $28.
👉 Get details and tickets from Craft Cart

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

As part of Birdability Week, Meadowside is offering a gentle yoga class designed so people can participate in the way that works best for their bodies. Bird-inspired movements can be done seated or on a mat, with options for beginners and experienced yogis alike.

Depending on the weather, the class will take place either outside on an accessible wooden deck under the trees or indoors in a classroom. Bring your own mat or another comfortable surface if you’d like. $12.
👉 Register for Birdability Week Yoga

This adult workshop turns an afternoon outdoors into a chance to notice more of what’s around you. With a starter nature journal provided, you’ll learn simple techniques for capturing seasonal details through writing, drawing, and observation.

The session includes time outside as well as opportunities to share what you notice with the group. No art or journaling experience is needed. Registration required. $18.
👉 Register for Nature Journaling for Adults

Earlier picks still ahead — and still worth catching.

📚 Local Author Showcase at The Cordell — Thu, Oct. 8, 7–9 pm — Meet 30 local authors, browse their books, and enjoy literary conversation hosted by Wonderland Books in Bethesda. Free.

🎃 Halloween Orchid Arrangement Workshop at REWILD — Thu, Oct. 8, 7 pm — Turn a Phalaenopsis orchid into a Halloween-themed arrangement at REWILD in Potomac. $60.

🕯️ Candlelit Sound Bath at Pink Moon — Sat, Oct. 10, 6:15–7:30 pm — Settle in for a candlelit sound meditation with crystal singing bowls and other therapeutic instruments in Bethesda. $39.

🎃 Sculptural Pumpkin Carving at Emma’s Art Studio — Sun, Oct. 11 or 18, 2–4:30 pm — Go beyond the jack-o’-lantern and learn dimensional pumpkin-carving techniques in Bethesda. $85.

🤸 Gravity & Other Myths: Ten Thousand Hours at Strathmore — Thu, Oct. 15, 7:30 pm — See extraordinary acrobatics, precision, and teamwork from the acclaimed Australian contemporary circus company. $28–$78.

🎃 Happy Hour on the Raptor Deck at Meadowside Nature Center — Fri, Oct. 23, 5–6 pm — Paint a pumpkin, enjoy seasonal beer and wine, and mingle on Meadowside’s raptor deck in Rockville. $25.

🐷 Sip & Paint with the Pigs at Rosie’s Farm Sanctuary — Sat, Oct. 24, 4–6 pm — Let Rosie’s rescued pigs help create your artwork, then tour the Potomac sanctuary and meet its residents. $75 plus fees.

🍯 Chocolate & Mead Tasting at Clear Skies Meadery — Sat, Oct. 24, 7:15–10 pm — Pair handcrafted chocolates with seasonal meads and taproom exclusives in Rockville. $15 for chocolate flight; mead flight additional.

ONGOING

💃 DanceFit: Folk Dances of India at Glen Echo Park — Saturdays through Oct. 31, 11:15 am–12:15 pm — Learn Bhangra, Garba, and Dandiya Raas in a welcoming weekly dance class. $13 advance; $15 door.

🎨 French Impressions at Triangle Art Studios — Fridays–Sundays through Nov. 1, 1–3 pm — See Barbara Mandel’s paintings inspired by Provence, Paris, Brittany, Corsica, Normandy, and more. Free.

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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