For one glorious month, everyone suddenly becomes a soccer expert.The FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 and runs through July 19, and whether you're screaming for Team USA, following your family's home country, or simply looking for an excuse to gather with friends, the DMV is ready.Restaurants are creating country-inspired menus. Spain has seemingly claimed half the city. And if your idea of watching soccer includes Michelin-starred dining or a giant jumbotron, we've got that too.Below are some of the World Cup happenings we're keeping an eye on. This is by no means all of them—new watch parties, specials, and activations are popping up daily—but it's a very good place to start.TOURNAMENT-LONG WATCH PARTIES & SPECIALSWorld Cup Bar DC at Hook HallHook Hall transforms into a dedicated World Cup pop-up with every match shown on a 20-foot screen plus additional TVs throughout the venue. Admission includes country-themed wings, fries, and a cocktail inspired by the teams playing.The Wharf Summer of Soccer Watch ZonePearl Street becomes a free outdoor soccer destination with daily match screenings on a 14-foot jumbotron. Team USA watch parties, games, giveaways, and restaurant specials are planned throughout the tournament.Union Market DistrictCatch matches throughout the neighborhood at Hi-Lawn, La Cosecha, Stellina Pizzeria, F1 Arcade, Last Call, and more. Expect large-screen viewing parties, food and drink specials, and soccer-themed programming throughout the tournament.Hi-LawnThe rooftop lawn transforms into a soccer pitch-inspired viewing destination with oversized LED screens, daily match broadcasts, trivia, DJs, bingo, and live music. Free to attend with limited reservations available.La CosechaLarge-screen match broadcasts, Latin American-inspired specials, and tournament programming celebrating the cultures and flavors of participating nations.Atlas Brew WorksAll three taprooms are pouring $6 pints of Bullpen Pilsner and Silent Neighbor throughout the tournament while showing matches at locations in Navy Yard, the Bridge District, and Alexandria.Boundary StoneThe Bloomingdale favorite will show the full World Cup schedule with $6 local drafts available during matches.Colada ShopEvery location is showing matches before 9 PM and serving a Copa Snack Tray loaded with empanadas, sliders, and plantain chips plus $25 spritzer pitchers.Bluejacket$10 liters of beer, host-country Old Fashioneds, and discounted beer-and-shot combos run throughout the tournament.Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza & Street BurgerEvery match will be screened alongside $1 wings, $4 pints, and weekday social hour specials in Penn Quarter.Immigrant FoodWorld Cup games stream at the Ballston and White House locations. Look for the $13 World Cup Combo featuring Greek Wings and a beer.Astro Beer HallDowntown DC and Shirlington locations are offering $5 wings and $5 loaded nachos with beverage purchase during match days.Astro DoughnutsCelebrate Team USA with limited-edition World Cup doughnut boxes available throughout the tournament.Taco BambaHappy-hour pricing and $20 Modelo buckets are available during live matches, along with special World Cup platters and combos.PubKeyPenn Quarter's soccer-friendly tavern will show major matches on its massive screen with food specials and beer buckets. RSVP recommended.ProstWorld Cup specials include $5 off liter drafts, $6 Nutrls, and $10 Pretzel Knotchos during matches.MadhatterSpecials include $5 draft beers, $6 Nutrls, beer buckets, pitchers, and towers throughout the tournament.Mélange FoodsChef Elias Taddesse's Shaw spot is offering sliders, tacos, tenders, wings, beer buckets, and drink specials during matches.StableCheer on Switzerland with live broadcasts of Swiss matches and a limited Swiss-inspired food and beverage menu.Fairmont Washington, DC GeorgetownThe hotel once again becomes Soccer Central with large-screen viewing, international stadium-inspired dishes, and country-themed cocktails.TEAM MEXICOApapacho Taqueria & MareaEvery Mexico goal earns guests a complimentary shot of Amaras mezcal or a Monopolio lager. Happy hour runs from kickoff through the final whistle.dLeña & ROJAA special cocktail menu celebrates Mexico's three host cities with drinks inspired by Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mexico City.TEAM SPAINCasa TeresaThe official Embassy of Spain watch party destination. Specials include Estrella Galicia, sangria, cava, and a complimentary glass of cava after every Spanish victory.JaleoSpain's matches take center stage with a dedicated game-day menu featuring bocatas, mini burgers, Spanish hot dogs, empanadas, flautas, and sangria.Torito Bar at Bully Spanish SteakhouseThe big draw here? Complimentary paella served at halftime during every Spain match.LATIN FAN ZONECasta's at BodegaSpanish-language broadcasts, country-specific cocktails, score prediction contests, giveaways, and late-night Latin dance parties after the final whistle.elcielo WashingtonFor those who prefer tasting menus to tailgates, Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos is offering curated World Cup dining experiences centered around marquee Latin American matches.FOR THE HOME TEAMUpstate FTWChef Scott Drewno is celebrating the three host countries with dishes inspired by stadium favorites from Canada, Mexico, and the United States, including Birria Tacos and Disco Fries.Nobu DCWatch matches at the bar while sipping the limited-time Ichigo Junmai cocktail made with sake, yuzu, elderflower, and strawberries.UchiNot a watch party, but a smart move if you're hosting one. Sushi box sales during the tournament will benefit Good Sports for All.MORE PLACES TO WATCHAnd this is just the opening kickoff. Soccer is on the big screen and gathering places throughout the DMV are showing matches all tournament long. More places to catch the action:As You Are Buena Vida GastroloungeFranklin Hall Hard Rock CafeIvy & Coney Jake’s TavernJohnny’s All American Cafe and BarMission Navy Yard Nellie’s Sports Bar - Nick's Riverside GrillOver Under Sports Book Rooftop LoungePenn SocialPublic Bar Live RusticoSports & Social TallboyTAP Sports BarThe Game Sports Pub The Point Tom’s Watch Bar The Ugly MugUnion PubWalter’s Sports BarWhitlowsYard HouseFINAL WHISTLEWe are here for the fútbol (and the food). For the next month, DC is speaking soccer. See you at kickoff.

Carla Hall, is at the top of her game. But getting there was no picnic. In this theatrical one-woman show, Carla Hall invites you to “strap in” for a wild, hilarious, and emotional ride as she reveals how she learned to embrace her own authenticity, “work her quirk” and finally step into her power. From her Tennessee roots as an awkward theater camp kid, to Howard University, to a stint on the runways of Paris, to her irreverent takes on the confusing expectations of Black excellence, crushing sexism, and the many attempts to erase her uniqueness, Carla has had to battle every step of the way to find her true voice – and wait till you hear it. In this insightful and inspiring World Premiere, Carla reveals the secret ingredients to her greatest creation: herself. This intimate exchange will leave audiences laughing, thinking, feeling and… maybe even discovering a little of their own power in simply being themselves.Carla Hall: Please Underestimate Me runs June 3 – July 12 in the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab at Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd, Olney, MD. Tickets are $47-$101 and available online or by calling the box office at 301.924.3400. Discounts are available for groups, seniors, teachers, active military, first responders, and students. Visit olneytheatre.org/discounts for details.Bridging the food and theatre worlds, Honorary Producers for the production include Chef Eric Adjepong of Food Network’s “Wildcard Kitchen,” author, restaurateur, and TV personality Chef Spike Mendelsohn, food and wine publisher Nycci Nellis, Emmy-nominated journalist and producer Erin Como, and Nina Oduro, Co-founder of Black Women in Food. 

Nycci Nellis shared rainy weekend recommendations around the DMV as Memorial Day plans shifted indoors due to the weather. Nycci encouraged viewers to double check outdoor event updates before heading out and highlighted a variety of indoor activities including museum exhibits, theater productions, brunch destinations, and special dining experiences. From the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Spy Museum to shows at Signature Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company, Nycci also shared restaurant pairings and insider dining tips for making the most of a rainy holiday weekend in DC.

On this episode of Industry Night, host Nycci Nellis sits down with Ari Sussman — 2024 Whiskey Maker of the Year — for a wide-ranging conversation about the science, culture, and future of distilled spirits. From winemaking in France to founding Michigan State's artisan distilling program, Ari brings a rare blend of academic rigor and bartender instincts to one of the most fascinating conversations in the drinks world right now. The result is a show notes episode that moves from grain to glass, from tradition to experimentation, and from old assumptions to a very different future for whiskey.Ari's path into spirits is anything but conventional. He began as a policy analyst, took a one-way ticket to France, and found himself immersed in winemaking before eventually building distilleries across the United States. That winding trajectory gives him a perspective that feels both deeply technical and refreshingly practical. In this conversation, he explains how those early experiences shaped the way he thinks about flavor, process, and what makes a spirit truly memorable.Much of the episode turns on the science behind grain and flavor. Ari talks about how American whiskey has long leaned wood-forward, and why more expressive grain varietals can open the door to a more layered, nuanced drinking experience. He also discusses how Prohibition disrupted grain diversity and how distillers today are working to bring those flavors back into the conversation. It is part history lesson, part sensory deep dive, and part argument for why the category still has room to evolve.The episode also gets at one of the most interesting tensions in spirits: the transparency gap between producer and consumer. Ari argues that the usual questions wine drinkers ask do not always translate to whiskey, because the industry has historically placed a marketing curtain between the maker and the drinker. That idea runs through the whole conversation, especially as the hosts consider how younger consumers are discovering spirits today — often on their phones, through influencers, and with different expectations about access and authenticity.That broader shift raises bigger questions about the future of American whiskey. Ari makes the case that longevity in the category depends on more than just technical quality; it also depends on whether a brand connects with people and stands for something meaningful. He shares how he approaches that balance through his work with Whiskey Gypsy, including the Explorer expression and the importance of Appalachian oak in shaping the final product. The conversation makes clear that innovation in whiskey is not just about novelty — it is about building something that can last. Listen to the episode here, or watch it here.