Every year on the Tuesday before Halloween, 17th Street turns into the best runway in the city, and the runway is a footrace. This year it’s Tuesday, October 27, and it’s an easy walk west of the hostel.
The 17th Street High Heel Race
The High Heel Race started back in 1986 as a bet between drag queens racing from bar to bar in heels. Thirty-nine years later it’s one of DC’s great street parties. Queens in full costume (and plenty of brave amateurs) strut the block for hours before the actual sprint, and thousands of people pack the sidewalks to cheer, heckle and take photos. Expect sequins, wings, more witches than you can count, and a crowd that’s in a very good mood.
It runs roughly 6 to 10 pm on 17th Street NW between P and R Streets in Dupont Circle, put on by Dupont Circle Main Streets with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. It’s free, no ticket, no RSVP. The race itself has traditionally gone off around 9, though this year’s exact start time hasn’t been posted yet. Event details · Dupont Circle Main Streets
Our tip: the curb fills up fast. Get to 17th Street by 7 if you want a spot where you can actually see the sprint, and wear shoes you can stand in for a few hours (yes, we see the irony). From the hostel, just head west to 17th Street. Grab a coffee at Brew On U in our building first; it’s going to be a late one.
More to do this week
- KATSEYE at Capital One Arena, Thursday Oct 22, 8:00 pm (doors 7). The global pop group’s Wildworld Tour hits DC. Green or Yellow line from U Street straight to Gallery Place. Tickets
- Air & Scare at the Udvar-Hazy Center, Saturday Oct 24, 10 am to 3 pm. The Air and Space Museum’s annual Halloween day, in the hangar that holds the Space Shuttle Discovery. Free; the indoor part needs no ticket, the outdoor area needs a free timed ticket, and parking is $15. It’s out by Dulles, so you’ll want a car. Details
- Marine Corps Marathon, Sunday Oct 25. Thousands of runners take over Arlington and DC, and cheering on the course is free. Race info
- Rush at Capital One Arena, Sunday Oct 25 and Tuesday Oct 27, 7:30 pm (doors 6:30). The Fifty Something Tour, two nights in DC. Event page
Stay close to all of it
Coming in for the race or a Halloween weekend? We’ve got capsules and private rooms two minutes from the U Street Metro. Book direct here for our best rate.
Top photo: Ted Eytan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (source)