NOVA This Week (10/22): Night of the Living Zoo

Don't Miss This Week

After dark: The National Zoo turns into an after-hours Halloween party with Night of the Living Zoo on Saturday, October 24.

Neighborhood tradition: Alexandria’s costume season reaches its most cheerful peak at the Del Ray Halloween Parade on Sunday, October 25.

Thursday, October 22

Local flavor: Test your Washington knowledge at Ask A D.C. Native, Live! Transit Edition, or settle into the spooky season with Cleveland Park’s Dark Alleys Book Club.

For families: Culmore Library Outreach: Toddler/Preschool Storytime brings stories, songs and crafts to the neighborhood, while Family Storytime with Paws to Read adds a canine companion.

Civic stop: Fairfax County voters can use Early Voting at Herndon Library; Arlington-area federal workers may also find a useful peer gathering at the Federal Workers Support Group.

Friday, October 23

Make a night of it: The Smithsonian spotlights the puppeteer’s process in Jim Henson: A Creative Life in Six Objects, while the Wharf pairs tasting and fundraising in Give a Shuck: A Taste of The Wharf.

Onstage and onscreen: Catch Jerry Seinfeld at The Anthem, or browse the independent-film lineup at the Washington West Film Festival.

Saturday, October 24

Oddly satisfying: Give a household object a second life at Alexandria’s Community Repair Event, then head into the mystery mood with Miss Marple’s Afternoon Tea or the interactive drag whodunit Murder in the Stacks.

Outdoors and Halloween: Help with Fairfax Tree Rescue Extravaganza II, or bring the family to Lovettsville Community Center’s Trunk or Treat, where candy comes with free books. Fairfax County voters also have a weekend option at Early Voting at Herndon Library.

Sunday, October 25

Food with a point of view: Hill Center hosts Master Chef Featuring James Beard Award-winning Pastry Chef Paola Velez, followed by a Brazilian food-and-culture gathering, Brazilian Happy Hour with Marianne Tshihamba.

Spooky Sunday: Choose aviation at Air & Scare, waterfront festivities at Harbor Halloween, or costumes and community history at the Del Ray Halloween Parade.

For the curious: The Battle of the Branches Chess Tournament turns library neighborhoods into a citywide competition, while Death Cafe offers a candid conversation over tea and cake.

Monday, October 26

Halloween, made: Build Halloween Mini Terrariums at Mindful Mondays, or take younger visitors to Sterling Library’s Halloween Spooktacular. For a quieter afternoon, Afternoon Story Time for the Spectrum is designed with autistic children in mind.

Strange cinema: B-Movie Club: Killer Klowns from Outer Space supplies exactly the kind of cult-film oddity its title promises. Meanwhile, residents can weigh in at the Cascades Parkway Sidewalk and Trail Design Public Hearing.

Tuesday, October 27

Games and making: Alexandria teens can try a dinosaur-themed Duncan and Dragons Teen adventure, while Loudoun homeschoolers get pumpkin-themed experiments at Homeschool Enrichment: Science. Families can also drop into Halloween Family Storytime at Central.

Culture and music: Make Diwali decorations at Diwali Crafts, or go big with progressive rock at Rush at Capital One Arena. In Alexandria, Adapt or Die looks at how public engagement is changing.

Wednesday, October 28

Local history: Take a seasonal walk through one of Washington’s most recognizable neighborhoods with the Embassy Row Halloween History Tour.

Thursday, October 29

See and make: Explore Washington’s public art on the DC Mural Tour, then make a tabletop accessory at DIY Dice Towers!. The youngest visitors have Professor Wingnut Wants to Fly and Halloween Baby Lapsit Storytime at Central.

Connections: Alexandria teens lead hands-on electronics at Teens Teach!, while the Trans-Atlantic Book Club: Alexandria & Helsingborg brings a sister-city relationship into the reading room.

Friday, October 30

Culture after work: See the opening of Washington: A Meridian of Artistic Modernity in the Americas, or dance into the weekend at the DC Cuban Social.

Family Halloween: Kids can choose Halloween Storytime at Westover Library or Trick-or-Treat at the Animal Shelter. For grown-up evening plans, there’s a DC Stand Up Comedy Showcase — Halloween Special!.

Saturday, October 31

Low-key Halloween: The day offers several family-friendly alternatives to door-to-door rounds, including the Halloween Bark Party, Halloween Scavenger Hunt at Central Library, Halloween Storytime at Aurora Hills and Sensory Storytime at Central.

Practical note: Loudoun voters have their final early-voting opportunity at Last Day of Early Voting. For a later-night option, Guarocalipsis 2026 brings a Latin nightlife hook to Halloween.

Sunday, November 1

Team up: Bring three friends and tackle Arlington Plays: We, the Puzzle People — Team Puzzle Competition, a competitive puzzle afternoon for teams of four.

All Week

• Great Decisions offers a locally moderated discussion of major global issues.
• Learn to draw a seasonal scene in Intro to Drawing: Pumpkin and Cat Napping.
• Meet neighbors at the Kings Park Library Fall Open House or trade cuttings and seeds at Plant Swap / Seed Swap.
• Local writers can bring pages and ideas to the Palisades Writers' Workshop, while performers take the mic at Petworth Open Mic.
• Go hunting for pocket monsters at the DC-themed Pokémon Scavenger Hunt.
• For practical help, try Social Work Intern Drop-In Time; for a more unusual lecture, explore Stirred by the Ages: A Dialogue Between Cocktails and History.
• Young makers can build with Teens Teach! Make Your Own Electric Projects.