Here are some Highlights for Free events this Week from the new local events calendar and App Gravy - now an online site too!
organized by date and time
Free, and in DC, unless otherwise noted
Gravy is new events app for iPhone and Android that helps you find events nearby!
You can also save events and select to have them saved directly to your own personal calendar on your iPhone (personally love that option) and if you want to search by what you are in the mood for you can search by five Categories - Whatever, Lively, Classy, Brainy and Playtime - and currently trending events. Best of all, the App is free and you can download it here!
They've also introduced new "channels" - such as Live Music, Free & Discounted, Happy Hours, Family Friendly, Around the Corner and more - which can help you to tap into specific types of things going on around you. You can find them in your MyStuff section. Select free events this week, organized by start time, below!
Thursday, July 11th
Art Signs
5:30pm - 6:00pm
Art Signs, gallery talks in American Sign Language (ASL) for deaf visitors.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th & F St NW - meet in F St lobby
Metro: Gallery Pl - Chinatown or walk a few blocks from Metro Center
Live Music Outdoors at "Unplugged at Market Common Clarendon"
every Thursday night in June, July and August
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Come and enjoy live music by popular local bands performing acoustic remixes of their work every Thursday evening, June through August. Remaining shows include: 7/11 - Melodime 7/18 - Levi Stephens
7/25 - Jason Masi 8/1 - FarAway Duo 8/8 - Paul Pfau
8/15 - Shane Gamble 8/22 - Heather Renee
8/29 Kerry McCool
Market Common Clarendon
2700 Clarendon Blvd.
Metro: Clarendon, walk down Clarendon toward the Whole Foods, this is the shopping center where the apple store and Barnes and Noble are located. 
Ian Fitzgerald & Courtney Gallagher Live in the Coffeehouse - at Ebenezers by Union Station
7:00pm - 8:45pm
Though perhaps technically a singer-songwriter, Ian Fitzgerald prefers the term ‘folk singer,’ as it more accurately describes the tradition in which Ian’s music is rooted. Since April of 2012, Ian has been joined in live performance by harmony vocalist Courtney Gallagher. In addition to developing harmony parts for several of Ian’s newest works, Courtney has added her voice to a number of Ian’s older songs.
Ebenezers Coffeehouse
201 F Street NE
Metro: Union Station, keep left at 1st St NE and right on F St to the corner of 2nd - see walking map
Have an iPhone or Android? Get the Gravy app for Free here!
Friday, July 12th
Guitarist Steve Fishman performs at Potbelly
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Steve Fishman - Guitarist & singer rocks out at Potbelly with classic rock and various other popular hits every Friday night from 5pm-7pm. Stop in after work for some music and a milkshake happy hour.
Potbelly - New Hamsphire Ave at M St between 21st & 22nd
1200 New Hampshire Ave NW
near M St and 21st St
Metro: Dupont Circle, south exit
Free performance of "Lockdown: A Play about Race, Education, and the American Dream"
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Lockdown is an original play that combines traditional scenes, spoken word and music to explore race, education, & the American Dream.
"In post-Katrina New Orleans, we are forced to grapple with a rapidly changing education landscape, and the issues of race, class and gender (in)justice it has brought to the forefront of local and national conversation. With the development of three different school systems, an upsurge in charter takeovers and the wholesale firing of a large majority of veteran teachers, students in New Orleans are struggling to receive a solid education amidst intense upheaval."
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2600 Woodley Road NW
Metro: Woodley Park, right across from the Metro, up a little hill in the parking lot
Download the Gravy app for Free here!
Saturday, July 13th
Morning Running Tour - Running Through History
8:00am - 9:00am
Meet at the Washington Monument bookstore and run with a ranger around the historic memorials on the National Mall. Questions, contact Nikolette Cochran (202) 345-6361.
Washington Monument
2 15th Street NW (map)
Metro: Smithsonian
"Culture Kids" Saturday Morning at the National Theatre
features the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe
two shows to choose from!
9:30am - 10:30am and 11:00 - 12:00pm
Ancient Chinese dances are magically recreated by the amazing performers of the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe. Children of all ages will be mesmerized by the colorful costumes and dynamic dance patterns in this facinating cultural exploration of China! FREE tickets distributed 30 minutes prior to show on a first-come, first-served basis - one ticket per person in line. Tickets will not be distributed for those who are not in line. Note: Save the dates: There are two more shows in this summer series. On July 20th Bright Star Theatre “Greece Lighting!” and on July 27th Molly Moore’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. View the brochure here!
The National Theatre
Helen Hayes Gallery
1321 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Metro: Metro Center
Have an iPhone or Android? Get the Gravy app for Free here!
Sunday, July 14th
"Find your Frieghbors" Picnic in Meridian Hill Park
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Come on out for a neighborhood gathering and meet your Frieghbors at Meridian Hill Park this Sunday!
Neighborsations will be providing some snacks, picnic blankets, and great ways to meet each other. Feel free to bring food, games to play, and a blanket to join our picnic. If you've never been to Meridian Hill Park on a Sunday afternoon, it is a great experience! They'll be by the W Street entrance to the park, near the drum circle. Just look for the Neighborsations sign when you arrive! If you want to get a head start on connecting with people, please check out Neighborsations and fill out a profile online. Rain plan: in case of rain, check @neighborsations on twitter or Neighborsations on facebook one hour before the event.
Meridian Hill/ Malcolm X Park (see map)
meet toward the bottom of the park by the W St entrance
between Euclid St and W St - 16th St & 15th St NW
Metro: the bottom of the park is closest to the U St Metro but best reached by the S2 or S4 bus which both run along 16th St right to W St or walk over from 14 & U if you catch the Circulator Woodley/McPherson.
Adam Marsland - Live in the Coffeehouse at Ebenezers
4:00pm - 6:00pm
"Adam Marsland Described in SPIN magazine as "a high-energy cross between Brian Wilson, Paul Stanley, and Elton John," Adam Marsland's pop adventurism has earned him one of the more prolific and intriguing music careers of the last 15 years. A talented singer, arranger, performer, multi-instrumentalist and "one of the most gifted songwriters to come out of the west coast in a long time" (Time Out-NY), Marsland has pulled off rock, punk, baroque pop, soul and alt-country through the course of ten albums and 24 tours."
Ebenezers Coffeehouse
201 F Street NE
Metro: Union Station, keep left at 1st St NE and right on F St to the corner of 2nd - see walking map
Get the free Gravy app for iPhone and Android here!